It's a pick up? It's a tank? No - it's a Lincoln Mark LT

As I drove along Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor in the 2006 Lincoln Mark LT to run some errands, I began to wonder if I had made a mistake. Over a hundred people were waiting for me to bring some Indian food to the Indian party of Rangotsav, Festival of Colors, and I was running late. Driving the huge $47K behemoth rapidly through the crowded and narrow streets seemed as tough a task as acing the Accounting 553 finals - possible but not fun, and, if late, I would be an unpopular person at the party. However, when I stepped on the gas and the truck surged forward, I noticed that people and cars got out of my way rather quickly.

When we picked up this monster, and my fellow Auto Editor, Ray, and I knew we had a tank to drive around for a week. On a serious note, all you high-end haulers, your wait is over. Ford has listened to your needs of combining serious towing capabilities with some luxurious amenities. The all-new Lincoln Mark LT attempts to appeal to a more affluent customer base with its luxurious trappings. Our tester came fully loaded with a 5.4L V8 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, the four-wheel drive option, and leather interior- all the essential elements to compete with the Cadillac Escalade EXT pickup.

This is a four door crew cab with a short cargo box (truck bed) in back. The cabin is spacious and can accommodate 5 adults comfortably. The front seats are adequate while the rear bench seat is just average. The seats are scarce in the padding department; so long trips could be an issue. The rear bench seat could easily be folded - very convenient for quickly loading bulky items into the back.

The interior is a marked improvement for a Ford (ok, Lincoln) vehicle. The wood accents and the leather add-ons actually were of good, consistent quality. The dash and center console has a harmonious look and blends well with rest of the interior. The seating position is high and is adequate for a truck of this size. The controls on the dash and steering wheel are easy to use and the neat stitching on the leather-covered shift lever is a nice touch. The Audiophile sound system, with the six-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3 capability, provides 290 watts of powerful music through six speakers and a subwoofer. The system definitely kicks the Escalade's butt. Speaking of butt, after climbing into the truck, it feels good to sink into the front heated passenger seats.

From the outside, a dominant grille combines the traditional Lincoln lines with a new solid center that features a prominently anchored Lincoln star as the showpiece. The big taillights, more chrome and nicely styled 18-inch wheels give the Mark LT a unique look. You would either love it or hate it. Ford's Tailgate Assist feature makes it easy to swing the gate shut, even with one arm full - oh yeah, I used it a lot, when I had to haul food for that Indian party. Towing capacity for the Mark LT is 8,900 lbs., enough to handle anything from a horse trailer to a decent-sized boat.

On rough Ann Arbor roads, rear end jiggles, especially with an empty cargo box, were common but overall the Mark LT has a very good, big truck ride. If you want to get your tires dirty, the Mark LT is suitable for moderate off-roading. A flick of the dashboard switch is all it takes to engage the shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system. The five-and-a-half-foot-long cargo bed is deep and wide and should provide plenty of room for the Mark LT's most truck-like tasks, like bringing home that new widescreen television.

Even with its truck underpinnings (it is based on the Ford F-150 Super Crew), the Mark LT behaves like a luxury vehicle. The ride is probably the quietest and comfortable I've ever experienced in a truck. Whether driving on the city streets or cruising at 80 mph on the freeway, I scarcely heard a peep from outside. Ford/Lincoln attributes this refinement to a stiffer frame and new sound insulation measures. The new Mark LT combines a comfortable, isolated and well-supported ride with balanced communication between the vehicle and driver. Mark LT's superior frame stiffness, advanced body mounts and carefully tuned suspension work together to deliver a quiet and composed ride. Navigating in and out of parking lots could potentially have become a bothersome exercise but thanks to the absolutely necessary Reverse Sensing System, nothing got damaged.

The 300 hp Mark LT is surprisingly zippy through yellow lights in Ann Arbor even though it weighs around 7200 lbs. Improvements to the steering and the suspension have contributed to Mark LT's crisp steering response and outstanding ride and handling. Overall, the quality of Mark LT is very good and it takes the concept of luxury and pickup truck a step further.

Unfortunately, the worst truck-like quality of the Mark LT is its thirstiness at the pump. Lincoln estimates miles per gallon at 14 city/18 hwy, I did not even want to attempt measuring the fuel efficiency! The guilt from driving this gas-guzzling tank around, especially while working on an environment-related MAP project, dissuaded me from driving long distances and evaluating the truck in detail.

Pricing for the Mark LT begins at $40k for a 2WD model, but add on the options, like in our tester, and the price swells to over $47k. Overall, this is a very good vehicle. But, I am afraid, that, the Ford Marketing folks have committed a big blunder. I do not see too many people using a luxury pickup to haul their lumber. The people buying the Mark LT must be buying it to make a statement. But such people are in the minority. Also, with the gas prices being what they are, this truck will be a big drain on the wallet.

Our verdict: Good opportunity for all you hybrid car lovers and tree huggers to bash another of Detroit's seemingly brainless ideas. But, for those of you planning to haul jet skis or boats to the lakes, go for it, get a Mark LT: Enjoy and be the King of the Road!