Ford announced a major corporate restructuring plan in mid January designed to curb losses and restore market share. Dubbed "Way Forward," America's 2nd-largest automaker said it would idle seven vehicle assembly plants and cut up to 30,000 manufacturing jobs by 2012.

Keeping pace with the new full-size SUVs from General Motors, Ford revealed its redesigned Expedition and Lincoln Navigator large SUVs at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. Sharing the stage was an all-wheel-drive version of the new Lincoln Zephyr.

2007 Lincoln Navigator
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2007 lincoln navigator

Click here for a video review of the Lincoln Navigatior.

Lincoln unwrapped a redesigned Navigator at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. The '07 Navigator continues as a luxury-trimmed version of Ford's full-size Expedition and competes against other luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, Land Rover Range Rover, and Lexus LX 470. New to the lineup is the stretched Navigator L. It's 15 inches longer overall and adds an additional 25 cubic-feet of cargo space.

A freshened exterior is highlighted by a large grille with prominent Lincoln emblem. Its 300-horsepower 5.4-liter V8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission remain unchanged from last year. Lincoln says the frame is stiffer, and the suspension has been refined to give Navigator a more carlike ride. Head-protecting curtain side airbags for all three seating rows and stability control with rollover protection top the list of standard safety features. Inside, Navigator offers a THX-II certified audio system and available rear DVD entertainment system.

Lincoln didn't announce prices, but officials expect sales to start this fall. With the new Navigator and Navigator L, Lincoln can now go head-to-head with Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV in the full-size luxury-SUV marketplace.

2007 Lincoln MKZ
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The entry-level sedan from Ford's Lincoln division got a new name, new engine, and new face when it appeared at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. For '07 MKZ supplants Zephyr, signaling the new direction in which Lincoln is taking its product nomenclature.

MKZ continues to share some underskin structure with the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Mazda 6 sedans. Though the original Zephyr was barely a year old, Lincoln freshened the front-end styling and extended the wheelbase by over 2 inches. MKZ's new 3.5-liter, 250-horsepower V6 engine replaces Zephyr's 221-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6. A 6-speed automatic transmission remains standard. All-wheel drive is newly available. ABS is standard, along with head-protecting curtain side airbags designed to provide additional protection from passengers hitting their heads against the side windows. Genuine wood and satin nickel trim garnish the interior. Lincoln didn't announce prices, but MKZ should be available at dealers this fall.

2006 Chicago Auto Show

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