2003 Lincoln NaviCross. Opportunity Wasted.

1:18 scale model of the Lincoln NaviCross show car. I wanted a real one so badly!

M Y   C O L L E C T I O N — All four suicide doors open, and its twin glass sunroofs readily visible, this Lincoln NaviCross concept from 2003 was an opportunity missed, in this writer's humble opinion. The car was an all-wheel drive crossover sedan, a luxurious car with utilitarian functionality in a tidy size, and would have been unlike anything else on the market. During the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Lincoln fielded one interesting concept car after another, sedans, coupes and a roadster, and none of them ever went beyond that concept car stage. I'm not sure if Lincoln was really experimenting with various ideas or just trying to keep the brand relevant and in the public eye without the slightest thought towards producing any of them. It was a really frustrating time for Lincoln fans like me.

Doors closed, this view shows the tidy proportions and elegant detailing of this unique Lincoln concept.

Rear hatch lifted vertically, with the lower portion folding out like a tailgate. This scale model includes a couple of nicely detailed aluminum luggage pieces, and the interior is fairly close in color and texture with the real car. For less than $30, I was really happy to see this model on the shelves seven years ago.

B T W :  

I posed my Lincoln model sitting on this needlepoint piece my uncle made for my birthday in 1976. I was just finishing my freshman year at Vassar, and while the piece was made from a crafts kit, he changed the background colors to pink and gray—Vassar's school colors. He also worked in his initials and the year. Hoohoo, his wife, always stressed the importance of signing and dating work, and the importance of it is apparent to me today.