The Mark LT: a true-blue pick-up

The gentrification of the pickup gathers steam with the debut of Lincoln’s Mark LT, a full-trick version of Ford’s F-150.

Pickups roamed off the ranch long ago but in recent years the urban-truck-as-luxo-liner has blossomed into a full-fledged trend.

Cadillac scores heavily with its over-the-top Escalade EXT and GMC has a corresponding number, the Sierra Denali Crew Cab.

Like Lincoln’s entry, the Denali is based on a short-bed pickup platform, while the Cadillac takes its DNA from Chevy’s Avalanche, the sort-of truck with the clever “midgate” design.

Of the three, the EXT is the big-bucks proposition, with a base price of $53,335, while the Lincoln and the Sierra Denali battle it out in the $40,000-plus-segment.

The Mark LT is actually Lincoln’s second foray into the truck market. The first, the sleek Blackwood, was a styling exercise in which form triumphed over function. It lasted a couple of years before being reclassified as a “limited-edition” model.

Rest assured, the Mark LT is a true-blue pick-‘um-up in dressy togs.

“This truck is actually a fully functional pickup,” said Foothills Lincoln Mercury sales manager, Scot Lenhard.

I called Lenhard to find out who drops in excess of $40 G’s for a leather-lined, wood-trimmed pickup.

“The people we’ve been getting so far are a real mix,” he said. “One guy owns a construction company, but we’re also selling it to farmers. We’re getting people who want a luxury vehicle and we’re getting people who want a truck.”

To date, most are already members of the Ford family, he said, but he expects to draw so-called “conquest buyers” from other brands as they come to understand the Mark LT’s split personality.

Even a professed non-truck guy such as myself must admit the appeal. In my case it may amount to only three or four times a year, but who doesn’t have the occasional need for a truck? And, all else being equal, wouldn’t you really rather go in style and comfort?

The Mark LT qualifies on all counts.

I was surprised to discover how many folks — young and old, alike — gave the Mark LT a second, lingering look. One glance at its massive slotted “waterfall” grille and they were pawns in its burly paw.

In this application, that jumbo grille is trimmed in chrome, a treatment that’s applied liberally to the Mark LT. The door handles and optional bed rails are chrome, and reflective chrome bands line the rocker panels. Even the backs of the rearview mirrors are set off in chrome.

The interior is similarly dressy. Piping in a contrasting color sets off the French-pleat leather seats, while assorted wood- and chrome-look trim bits add to the upscale ambience. The beefy shift lever is set into a chrome surround and chrome rings circle the air vents and gauges.

While they were at it, the interior designers even emblazoned the center console with a 3-D rendering of Lincoln’s logotype.

Understatement is not the operative motif.

Roominess is, though. There’s plenty of room here for four adults to stretch out, all of them wearing Stetsons. A fifth could manage in the center rear position for short rides.

The Mark LT is available in two editions, silver metallic with a “Pebble with Light Parchment” interior color scheme, or black metallic with “Black with Dove Gray.”

Both are powered by the same, 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V-8 that’s found under the F-150’s hood. In all cases, it’s teamed with a four-speed automatic transmission.

With 365 pound-feet of torque on tap, the 4X4 version of the Mark LT has a towing capacity of 8,600 pounds and a payload of 1,460 lbs. The rear-drive model bumps those numbers to 8,900 and 1,620.

There are stronger power plants in the full-size truck market, but few are more refined. The engine is smooth and quiet under almost all circumstances and gives off only a hint of stress when pushed hard.

The Mark LT has a fully boxed frame, extra-thick window glass, and inset doors with double-layer seals to hold down exterior noise. Fluid-filled hydraulic engine mounts cut vibration from the engine compartment.

The four-speed automatic is well suited for this engine. Another gear or two would improve both acceleration and fuel economy, but not enough in either case to justify the cost.

You should not be surprised to learn that ride and handling are, well, truck-like. When the Mark LT encounters a rough patch of road with an empty bed, things get a little bouncy back there.

The upside is blowing across a torn-up Third Avenue with impunity.

The rack-and-pinion steering system is accurate and precise and the Mark LT goes where you point it.

Brakes are discs at all four corners, while the standard antilock system adds electronic brake-force distribution for sure, straight stops.

Because its antecedent is a straight-ahead truck, certain amenities available in other luxury-class vehicles are missing here. Chief among them is the availability of either side-impact or curtain-style airbags. There’s no vehicle stability control system and navigation is not available, either, although a DVD entertainment system is.

The front seats are too flat for my taste — a bit more contour, especially in the lumbar region, would be appreciated. The angle of the seatbacks is adjusted via a lever rather than electrically, and the steering wheel tilts but doesn’t telescope.

The Mark LT presents truck buyers with the opportunity to move up in the world without sacrificing the ability to haul the tree limbs to the dump. If it’s utility, comfort and style you desire, Lincoln’s got the rig.