In certain ways, humans haven't come much farther than our mastodon-hunting, cave-dwelling forbears. Despite a million or so years of countless advances, shiny objects still have a tendency to leave us mesmerized and strangely impressed. The 2008 Lincoln Navigator L was apparently designed with this principle in mind, because its massive grille attracts attention (for better or worse) like a Las Vegas marquee advertising a $5 steak dinner and Wayne Newton Live! Some will probably find the 'Gator's colossal, chrome-plated front end as tasteful as that marquee, but Lincoln is hoping this sort of brash styling statement will appeal to the types of buyers who have made the Cadillac Escalade ESV such a success.
The Navigator first set sail in 1998 and was the first full-size luxury SUV from a domestic-brand manufacturer. Essentially a Ford Expedition in a tuxedo, the 'Gator inspired a slew of competitors that gradually overtook it in refinement, interior quality and the number of references in rap songs. Introduced last year in conjunction with major updates to the Navigator in general, the long-wheelbase L model is meant to recapture some of the lost attention and sales. Compared to the standard-size model, the Navigator L offers an extra 24 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third-row seat.
This is certainly the biggest, best and shiniest Navigator yet, and we like its quiet ride, relatively low pricing and long list of standard features. However, as large luxury SUVs go, the 2008 Lincoln Navigator L wouldn't be our top pick. The extended-length Caddy offers more performance and better handling, while smaller full-sizers like the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Infiniti QX56 make compelling cases as well if you don't need quite that much space.