1. Overview
2. Gallery
   • Photo Gallery (12)
   • 360° View
   • Video
   • Web Videos (12)
3. Trims and Specs
   • Select a Trim (1)
4. More Resources
   • Related News (0)
   • Other Expert Reviews (11)
   • Consumer Opinions (52)
   • Car Tweets
   • Q&A (0)
5. Next Steps
   • Get Lincoln Insurance Quotes
   • Get Lincoln Financing Quotes
   • Check Local Classifieds
   • Find a local dealer

     Select State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Select City
     

     See all Lincoln dealers

April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/lincoln_blackwood_2002

  Paul Wiley Cockerham
EditorPaul Wiley Cockerham

You review the '02 Blackwood

Lincoln’s Blackwood created the luxury sport-utility truck niche. But as a test drive—and new competition—confirm, the Blackwood seems destined to occupy a sub-niche within this market.

The competition comes from Cadillac’s Johnny-come-lately, the Escalade EXT. While the Caddy—a gussied-up Chevy Avalanche—gives a sophisticated veneer to true truck functionality, the Blackwood—a gussied-up Ford F-150 Super Crew—seems too content to get by on its looks.

Not that there’s anything wrong with this. The Blackwood simply oozes luxury. The cabin seats a party of four in firm, low-slung, Connolly leather-surfaced buckets, and there are huge center consoles fore and aft. The distinctive cargo box, trimmed in simulated Wenge wood, lined with stainless steel, enclosed by a power top and a rather strange pair of vertically-hung doors, imparts an air of concept-vehicle exclusivity.

White-boy rap

Cruising around the Pocono roads surrounding the Jack Frost Mountain ski resort here, this 45-year-old white male imagined himself on Hollywood Boulevard and felt as close to being a rap star as he’s ever going to feel.

And cruising is what the black-only Blackwood does best. Although the engine compartment has hosted powerplants as glorious as the supercharged mill powering Ford’s Lightning, Lincoln went with the 5.4-liter, DOHC V-8, a thirsty powerplant providing few accelerative thrills, although it is quiet and smooth. Lincoln claims it does provide enough oomph to handle a Class III (standard) or Class IV (with aftermarket fittings) towing capacity of 8700 lb, good news for the conspicuously consuming horsey set.

Blackwood shows it’s best suited for boulevards and stately driveways by not offering four-wheel drive. It does have standard traction control, but not enough tire (Michelin Cross Terrains mounted on 18x8-in. wheels) to handle its 5637-lb bulk, and the big, black truck tended to plow on the twisty, damp roads leading to and from the ski lodge.

You review the '02 Blackwood Lincoln’s Blackwood created the luxury sport-utility truck niche. But as a test drive—and new competition—confirm, the Blackwood seems destined to occupy a sub-niche within this market. The competition comes from Cadillac’s Johnny-come-lately, the Escalade EXT. While the Caddy—a gussied-up Chevy Avalanche—gives a sophisticated veneer to true truck functionality, the Blackwood—a gussied-up Ford F-150 Super Crew—seems too content to get by on its looks. Not that there’s anything wrong with this. The Blackwood simply oozes luxury. The cabin seats a party of four in firm, low-slung, Connolly leather-surfaced buckets, and there are huge center consoles fore and aft. The distinctive cargo box, trimmed in simulated Wenge wood, lined with stainless steel, enclosed by a power top and a rather strange pair of vertically-hung doors, imparts an air of concept-vehicle exclusivity. White-boy rap Cruising around the Pocono roads surrounding the Jack Frost Mountain ski resort here, this 45-year-old white male imagined himself on Hollywood Boulevard and felt as close to being a rap star as he’s ever going to feel. And cruising is what the black-only Blackwood does best. Although the engine compartment has hosted powerplants as glorious as the supercharged mill powering Ford’s Lightning, Lincoln went with the 5.4-liter, DOHC V-8, a thirsty powerplant providing few accelerative thrills, although it is quiet and smooth. Lincoln claims it does provide enough oomph to handle a Class III (standard) or Class IV (with aftermarket fittings) towing capacity of 8700 lb, good news for the conspicuously consuming horsey set. Blackwood shows it’s best suited for boulevards and stately driveways by not offering four-wheel drive. It does have standard traction control, but not enough tire (Michelin Cross Terrains mounted on 18x8-in. wheels) to handle its 5637-lb bulk, and the big, black truck tended to plow on the twisty, damp roads leading to and from the ski lodge. You review the '02 Blackwood Lincoln’s Blackwood created the luxury sport-utility truck niche. But as a test drive—and new competition—confirm, the Blackwood seems destined to occupy a sub-niche within this market. The competition comes from Cadillac’s Johnny-come-lately, the ...