I am not surprised about the news of the Lincoln Blackwood. I visited the home page for it, and I thought the deals for it were rediculous. They are only available in black? They only come automatic? And no significant signs that it can tow anything? They need to put this truck back on the drawing boards for a while.

I think a lot of these 'trucks' are based too much on spoiling the driver. Always heated seats, always automatic, always DVD sound systems. That sounds all nice, and neat, but it is not a competitor to Fords or Chevys, or Toyotas. The price alone ruined the potential of the truck.

There are not too many options available with a truck like this. All I found was a fifty-two thousand price tag. I think they need to drop this thing, and stick with Town Cars.

Guys, that is solely my own opinion of this truck. Tell me what you think. Does anyone own one?

Anti-Honda

 

Antihonda,

I do not own a blackwood, but I will say that I was unhappy with the price tag on these things. I think that the truck is awsome, just price way out of the market. I had an 01 supercrew and always said that if lincoln ever came out with a truck with four doors I would buy it. Shortly after they did make one and after seeing it at the philly auto show I was Impressed. BUT the price was outragous!!! So instead I bought a 02 HD and love it!!!! The thing that I like about that lincoln is that front end.WOW I love when someone puts that front end on a lowered extended cab F150!!! I say one guy in "Truckin" that had one THat was half Blue and half orange. Great truck. Lincoln will get back on track with that truck. I think that they are going after the wrong market. THats just my opinon.

 

damn your just anti-everything except your own truck aren't you. No offense, but every post i see coming from you is negative. Ford is just trying to expand their market to different people. Why would you want a 50 grand lincoln pickup for a farm truck or something. Makes no sense. I don't want to start a flame here or anything, just had to say it though.

ANyway, Bill Murray on here sold his L and got a blackwood and he loves it.

And BTW, they already killed the blackwood. Don't think they intended to sell that many anyway. I bet in a few years we'll see its reappearance as a more moderate priced and moderate suv/truck.

 

I think you made a good choice. I think that the Blackwood offers low performance as far as street, and towing goes. And there are no 4x4s available. I am not asking for a "farm-truck" (out of the ignorant words of someone), but I need something that will do more than look flashy, and have no teeth.

Lincoln already has the Navigator out...is that not enough?

Please remember, we are posting our own individual opinions. Stop trying to PMS on me, and say your own opinions (not talking to you, Crockett ).

Anti-Honda

 

wasn't trying to be ignorant. You said "Tell me what you think" so i told ya what i thought. Ford was just expanding their market a little. It was to compete with the caddy escalade ext. There is a market for it, a small one, but its there. Some people like power everything and heated/ac seats, dvd's, and all that stuff, and don't want or need insane amounts of hp, or pulling capability. Not everybody wants a true down pickup truck. Just saying what i thought, didn't intend for it to sound ignorant.

 

My apologies.

I am surprised that the Escalade sells with the rediculous price it gives. And I agree that there is little room for competition when it comes to such vehicles like the Blackwood. The luxury stuff is ruining the truck market. And I think it is directly responsible for the high price of the Blackwood. I think it looks all nice, and pretty, but who wants to pay $52k for nothing? Besides, I could never see Lincoln try to out-perform a Cadillac !

Anti-Honda

 

Just wanna say one more thing. Not trying to start a flame or anything, just stating another opinion so don't take it the wrong way. I don't think the luxury stuff is ruining hte market. If anything its improving it. If you don't wanna pay 52K for a truck, don't. Its simple as that, but there are some people who are willing to, so why shouldn't ford expand its market to those buyers. If i had a crap load of money i was swimming in, i'd probably buy a blackwood cuz money wouldn't be a factory. BUt anyway, the luxury stuff is improving the truck market because htey keep refining trucks and filtering the heated seats, and auto climate control from the luxury cars into the trucks improving their ride, quality, and appeal to buyers. You can still get a dirt cheap "real" truck that's got a harsh interior, rough ride, with no creature comforts. But you can also get a truck that rides like a car, and pulls just as much or more than a true "work truck." So if anything, the luxury stuff is actually improving the truck market. You can still get a basic work truck, or you can upgrade and get a comfortable,fast,strong pickup. Not everybody needs a work horse. Ford would be screwing themselves if they didn't expand their truck market to suit more buyers rather than just stick to a basic work truck. Just my .02$

 

Yea, I understand that. I mean, if you were looking for a vehicle with that kind of profile, then go get it. I guess I have just seen trucks kind of differently. I have been through some harsh interiors in my time (Nissans, and old Mitsubishis), but I think even the basic trucks have made huge improvements over the years. But I am not a person who asks for all that stuff like heated seats, and power moon roof. I just need a functioning air conditioning system, and a CD player .

You know, I was thinking that the Lincoln truck would have more options, and more features to offer.The DVD Navigation is useless to me since I know most of Orlando inside, and out. And I perfer driving with all of my windows down for nice air flow . The Blackwood is something I could not get any true use out of. But that is my own opinion.

Ford has done a nice job of expanding its market. And that is why I like Ford a lot. They have a lot more options, features, and designs available to them. And I would only spend half the money that I would spend on a Blackwood for an even better truck. But I think the Blackwood is a good truck for someone who has the money for it.

Thanks for your input!

Anti-Honda

 

As one of the two owners of a Blackwood on f150online, can I chime in a bit.

First thing I think we all have to accept from the get go is that the Blackwood is a Harvard Business School textbook case of a marketing failure. It was conceived before Nasser and Rietzle took over Ford and PAG and was more or less handed to them. As someone on Blue Oval News put it so well, it was an orphan from day one. No-one believed in it: it was rarely if ever marketed or advertised (until quite lately and now it is on several sports shows). It was almost a year behind it's intended launch date and the dealers gave up on it or forgot about it. According to what I read, the bed system was a bitch to get right and they did not want to release it till they got it right. With all the other launch problems FMC was having, they did the right thing in my opinion.

The what is it and who would buy it questions are perhaps both simple and complex. Remember that the upscale PU and SUV craze was in full bloom during (and after) the development of the Blackwood and as well the EXT. The design team for the vehicle took some chances that were bold but with 20-20 hindsight made it a critics delight. Insisting on the wood siding (which all of you know is no longer wood) made it a one color deal. The bed, both the lid and the carpeted/stainless/limo light treatment, made it less practical than if they had used the standard SuperCrew bed.
My opinion only, but I think the lack of 4WD or AWD is not an issue. Most people who can afford one can afford something else as well to drive in the snow with. What it is functionally is fairly simple. It is a Ford F150 SuperCrew plain and simple, that has been badge engineered with the Navi front end and motor; has been given a truly luxo interior rivalling most high end sedans and some suspension and other tweaks to make it ride better than a SuperCrew. At $54K with the Navigation System, Lincoln should have made $15 to $18K a copy profit based on what I have read IF they had reached their volume targets.

The target market is fairly simple too. In addition to the rock stars, sports stars, Jay Lenno (nah, he didn't buy one) drug dealers and pimps, they felt there was a fairly good sized underlying market made up of folks who would just not buy a Ford or a Mercury "Super Pickup". That is riding on the coat-tails of the cachet of the Lincoln name. Perhaps Navigator or TC owners, perhaps folks that had a Porsche or a Jaguar and wanted a "statement" pickup. And let us not forget the EXT is proving big time that that market existed and exists. Lincoln just got there too late with too little marketing push.

May I say here that I got one because I have a bit of an ego. After years of struggling to build a business and driving POS Escorts and the like, Pat and I can now choose from the $45K to $55K menu. She likes Continentals, I like something reasonably rare and that gets attention. I started with a flaming red '96 SHO, traded that on the '99 Lightning and traded that on the Blackwood. I'm 62, not that good looking and it is fun to be the center of automotive attention at the local gas station/car show or WalMart parking lot. And let me say that the Blackwood is better eye candy than any vehicle I have ever owned and that includes a lot of street rods/hot rods/show cars/ sports cars and so on.

Try to calm down now.
Performance; physical and functional.

The Blackwood is not a sled, honest. And, in comparison to the EXT, it depends on which magazine you trust. I have five road tests sitting on my desk and it is an absolute toss up as to which is faster. 0-60 on the EXT ranges from 8.0 to 9.8 and 1/4 mile ranges from 16.0 to 16.4 at 85-86 mph. For the Blackwood it ranges from 0-60 in 8.1 to 8.5 and 1/4 mile ranges from 16.2 to 16.3 at 86-87 mph. Different trucks, different drivers, different locales and that sounds about right. Not bad for 5700 lbs and 300 horsepower and it is only about 2 secs off a lot of stock Lightning times I have seen.
As to function, Pat is an avid gardner lady. I can haul about 70% as much fertilizer/mulch/weed & feed as i did in the Lightning and I do so regularly. The design of the bed with the side lockers and the raised floor limits the capacity, but not the ability to haul RC cars and train sets and all the other stuff I regularly transfer around. And, dare I say I can take all three grandkids with me while I am hauling .

Please don't take this as a rant or a reverse apology for my driving a Blackwood. As posted elsewhere on this subject, it has warts and bumps just as the L did. It really ain't that bad and I am happy with it and the other local owners (all 3 of them) that bought theirs at my dealer are happy too. Guess that is what counts sometimes.
Bill

 

I was wonderin when you'd pop in bill
anyway, do you have any pics? I love the looks of the blackwoods. Congrats on the ride

thanks

 

They did NOT kill the Blackwood as previously speculated. I saw a billboard for a lincoln dealer in Gainesville that had a picture of a 2003 wood on it (the front end is different like the 03 gators). So they are still around, I just imagine it will not be as much as they originally anticipated.

 

I heard that they were going to make just a few 2003 'woods and then stop production.

I am curious if the 2003 wood's have the retracting boards like the 2003 gators????

 

Interesting question to which I have no answer.
My Lincoln dealer is just across the street so I will check tomorrow.

I claim no expertise, but I was in the auto business with GM/Volvo/Saab for 30 plus years and still swear by Automotive News as the definitive source of info. They indicate that not more than 100 or so 2003 models will be produced and I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams that they would have spent the money necessary to upgrade the Blackwood to the '03 Navigator specs.

If they did, I am going to go to the dealer where I purchased mine and claim both "foul and harm" and get those retractable running boards or whatever
Bill

 

PLEASE let me know what they say!!!