Many full-size pickup trucks are well over $50,000 these days. Since three of the five best-selling cars in America consist of the Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado, and the RAM range, the high prices of these vehicles are actually a major contributor to the ever-increasing average transaction prices. Nowadays, pickup trucks are more than just for work. They have been packed with features and luxury after each generation, eventually reaching a point where the idea of a luxury truck is already widely accepted.
- Basic trim motor
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5.4l Inttech V8
- Basic trim transmission
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4-speed automatic
- Basic trim drivetrain
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Rear-wheel drive
- Basic trim horsepower
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300 hp @5000 rpm
- Basic trim torque
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355 lb-ft. @ 2750 rpm
- Battery type basic trim
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Lead-acid battery
- To make
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Lincoln
- Model
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Blackwood
However, did you know that the idea of luxury trucks was not fully accepted in the early 2000s? This is due to a variety of factors ranging from consumer perception and preferences to the economic conditions that led to their eventual demise. One of those luxury pickups that became defunct very early on is the Lincoln Blackwood – a model that was produced for such a short time that there aren’t many of them on the road today.
A segment-bending luxury truck
The Lincoln Blackwood is the brand’s first attempt at a luxury pickup. It had many unique features and characteristics that helped it stand out, and one of them is what you already see from the outside. Although it is a rare luxury truck, it is not prohibitively expensive on the used market, although it is not cheap either, as you will see with this example recently sold on Bring a trailer for $30,250.
Any color you want, as long as it’s black
Remember Henry Ford’s famous quote about the Model T? He said you can get it in “any color the customer wants, as long as it’s black,” but I think he somehow meant that in the Lincoln Blackwood as well. Like the Model T, you can only get this car in black, as it complements the simulated black African wenge wood panels with aluminum moldings on the outside of the bed.
This design choice was intended to evoke the “woodie” wagons of the past, namely the Ford LTD Country Squire and Colony Park. As for the inside of that bed (yes, it wasn’t just any bathtub), it was fully carpeted and lined with polished aluminum. It even had LED lighting and the bed was completely sealed, effectively transforming it into a huge 26 cubic meter trunk space.
Capitalizing on the success of the Navigator
Lincoln’s motivation to create the Blackwood was due to the success of the Navigator. Sharing its front-end design with the popular SUV, the Blackwood received almost universal public acclaim when it was shown as a concept at the 1999 North American International Auto Show. Amazingly, the Lincoln Blackwood underwent minimal changes from concept to production, but there were a few changes to make mass production feasible.
The reason for choosing the simulated outdoor route with wood was due to limitations on production costs. The wheels were also reduced in size from 19 to 18 inches, while all-wheel drive (4WD) was not offered to maintain the well-proportioned low ride height. It even had a unique mono-leaf rear suspension, combined with air suspension for a smooth ride while maintaining high towing capacity. Since the bed is already completely sealed, you obviously cannot transport a large load.
Why the Lincoln Blackwood Failed
Of course, at this point you probably know that it wasn’t a commercial success. Only 3,383 copies were sold, 50 of which were Neiman Marcus Editions. This makes it the rarest Lincoln model ever produced.
It wasn’t good to be a real pickup
If you’re shopping for a truck, you probably want to be able to carry heavy cargo, regardless of its height. The enclosed cargo box essentially gives you the largest trunk in the world – great if it was a sedan, but not if you plan on actually doing truck-related stuff. Furthermore, the lack of all-wheel drive was almost unacceptable for anyone spending more than $50,000 on a luxury truck.
No 4WD means the lack of a low-range gearbox and the inability to negotiate the toughest terrain. Oh, and we bet you wouldn’t put your hammer drills or construction tools in the trunk of the Blackwood for fear of scratching the aluminum panels and carpeting. This is a luxury vanity project, not a luxury truck for the working businessman and CEO.
Lincoln Blackwood Performance Specifications
Engine | 5.4-liter V-8 |
Transfer | 4 gears A/T |
Horsepower | 300 hp |
Couple | 355 lb-ft |
Powertrain | RWD |
0-60 mph | 9.2 seconds |
Top speed | 83 km/h |
Towing capacity | £8,700 |
Load capacity | £1,200 |
But it did have a great towing capacity. Weighing in at 8,700 pounds, this may not be the best vehicle for hauling your dirty stuff, but it is the fanciest vehicle available at the time that will let you tow your trailer or a race car to the track. Thanks to the 5.4-liter InTech V-8 under the hood, which makes 300 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. Together with a four-speed automatic driving the rear wheels, this vanity project would have been able to carry more than its maximum payload of 1,200 pounds if it had a higher ride height and a real bed.
And unfortunately it wasn’t good to be an SUV
So it fails at being a real truck, but what about being a real SUV? Well, with a twin-box SUV design, you get tons of interior space and cargo space, maybe even three rows of seats. Unfortunately, what you get with the Lincoln Blackwood is the practicality of a huge four-door sedan that’s neither as practical as an SUV nor as flexible and capable as a real pickup. Frankly, the interior manages to be a true luxury vehicle. The interior was upholstered in soft Connolly leather with heating and cooling for the front seats, along with all the luxury features Lincoln could throw at the Blackwood at the time. Some of these features include:
A sunroof
A premium sound system with CD changer
Multi-zone automatic climate control
Electrically adjustable front seats
Only one optional feature was offered, and that was Ford’s first version of an infotainment system with a five-inch LCD screen. This infotainment came with a voice-activated cell phone (wow, what a time we live in the 2000s) and built-in GPS.
It paved the way for luxury trucks
Although the Lincoln Blackwood was a commercial failure, the brand’s next model, the Mark L.Thad more success. However, it only lasted one generation. Where it had greater popularity was everywhere in Mexico, where they even got a second generation model. The Mark LT was officially discontinued in 2014, paving the way for what luxury trucks are today.
Brand loyalty is of great importance in the truck market
Even if a luxury nameplate makes a very capable truck, it still doesn’t resonate well with buyers. That’s because truck buyers are extremely brand loyal and associate a name with a certain level of ruggedness and ruggedness. Ultimately, the Cadillac Escalade EXT was also discontinued, so today we no longer have a pickup from a luxury brand.
However, when a nameplate known for its capabilities and toughness produces a luxury pickup, you can bet it will be very popular among well-heeled truck fans. The brand that initially benefited from this was RAM, with the 1500 Limited starting in 2019. It was a full-size pickup from a mainstream brand that had a strong focus on offering luxury equipment while retaining the rugged character of a RAM 1500.
Luxury with options is a popular category
And yes, it received rave reviews, both from journalists and customers themselves. In 2019, the RAM truck series surpassed the Chevrolet Silverado to become the second best-selling pickup. Customers also opted for the highly equipped variants, such as the the average transaction price for a RAM 1500 at the time was $50,000a 50 percent increase over 2010. Since then, Chevrolet has introduced a High Country trim for the Silverado, while Ford has made the Limited trim for the F-150 very luxurious.
The success of today’s luxury full-size pickups is driven primarily by demand from truck buyers who want something designed primarily for the rugged duties that pickups must endure. Luxury, on the other hand, plays a secondary role. As truck manufacturers started to realize this, the idea of a luxury truck as more than just a vanity item has really become popular since 2019. In fact, it is these premium truck variants that have contributed significantly to the high average transaction prices of vehicles in recent years. Buyers love them, and so do the automakers themselves, as these are high-margin vehicles. In retrospect, isn’t the Lincoln Blackwood far ahead of its time?
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