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Since you're one of our Ford experts, what happened to the old Eddie-Bauer/Ford partnership? Did they just feel it was in the best interest of both companies to go their separate ways? Something similar (apparently) must have happened with Subaru / L.L. Bean and with the Neiman Marcus editions of the last 2-seat Ford Thunderbird.
In a nutshell, Eddie Bauer (EB) helped bring a premium image to Ford SUVs in the 90's and 2000s. Towards the end of their partnership, both companies faced financial issues and Ford sought fit to lean more in-house on the next generation of SUV trim branding, and save some money on the licensing. Their partnership lasted from 1991-2010. Ford also had a partnership with Harley-Davidson for similar reasons for it's trucks.
Ford and Eddie Bauer
You might remember the Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer edition. Premium leather seats and other luxury features throughout the vehicle. Then aside from the car itself, Eddie Bauer was producing luggage sets with Ford branding on them. These co-branded items were great advertising points for both companies.
The main selling point was that the vehicle filled a niche that was previously held by foreign automakers: the luxury SUV market. When Ford partnered with Eddie Bauer, the consumers clamoring for a finely outfitted sports utility vehicle produced on American soil were satiated.
For more than two decades, Ford and Eddie Bauer held a lock on mini-branding in the SUV world. In the 1990s, the Eddie Bauer package was one of the swank options to be applied to Ford's SUVs and pickup trucks. By the 2000s, the tag applied only to SUVs, and that's where the corporate partners started to grow apart.
Both companies went through difficult periods. Ford's brush with financial ruin in 2007 has stabilized, but it triggered the sale of all the luxury brands it had cobbled together into an empire: Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Aston Martin (with Mercury added as of late).
Bellevue, Wash.-based Eddie Bauer had its own brushes with insolvency, which left the brand tarnished in a decade of financial and directional struggles. Acquired by catalog specialist Speigel after that company's own 2003 bankruptcy, Eddie Bauer went through Chapter 11 twice in the past ten years, once in 2005 and once in 2009.
A Ford executive told High Gear Media at this week's preview of the 2011 Ford F-150 could not confirm the end of the Bauer brand license, but said that the automaker's become more adept at building its own mini-brands--and with the cost of licensing the Eddie Bauer brand factored in, it makes more sense to go with its own burgeoning trim packages.
Thanks, Hoovey...Informative post. I agree that the Aviator will at least partly fill the role that the old Eddie Bauer trim played.
No worries. I don't think it's as much filling a 'role' that EB played when it comes to the Aviator. With CUVs being as hot as they are, and the aging and odd MKT being what it is, FoMoCo and Lincoln saw the opportunity to introduce something far more premium. The original Aviator 2002-2005 was initially well received despite it being short-lived. It had a standard 4.6L V8 with 300hp rather than the anemic 'cologne' 4.0L V6 that was standard on the Explorer and Mountaineer (4.6L V8 was optional on those with 237hp). With the sixth generation Explorer just around the corner, it makes sense to re-introduce the Aviator back to Lincoln. The name also supports Lincoln's push to move back to actual names rather than alphanumerics. My comment earlier in regards to EB, was that this Aviator at the show has an EB-esque feel too it with the fender and side sill cladding. I'm looking forward to the comparison tests between the new Aviator and Audi Q7.
The original Aviator 2002-2005 was initially well received despite it being short-lived. It had a standard 4.6L V8 with 300hp rather than the anemic 'cologne' 4.0L V6 that was standard on the Explorer and Mountaineer (4.6L V8 was optional on those with 237hp). With the sixth generation Explorer just around the corner, it makes sense to re-introduce the Aviator back to Lincoln.
Though the exterior was about as Ho-Hum Ford as you could get, except for the stereo buttons instead of tuning-*****, I loved the classic retro-interior Lincoln-styling theme of the last-generation Aviator. That dash was a work of art. It's really too bad that original model didn't last longer than it did.
No worries. I don't think it's as much filling a 'role' that EB played when it comes to the Aviator. With CUVs being as hot as they are, and the aging and odd MKT being what it is, FoMoCo and Lincoln saw the opportunity to introduce something far more premium. The original Aviator 2002-2005 was initially well received despite it being short-lived. It had a standard 4.6L V8 with 300hp rather than the anemic 'cologne' 4.0L V6 that was standard on the Explorer and Mountaineer (4.6L V8 was optional on those with 237hp). With the sixth generation Explorer just around the corner, it makes sense to re-introduce the Aviator back to Lincoln. The name also supports Lincoln's push to move back to actual names rather than alphanumerics. My comment earlier in regards to EB, was that this Aviator at the show has an EB-esque feel too it with the fender and side sill cladding. I'm looking forward to the comparison tests between the new Aviator and Audi Q7.
Didn’t the Aviator back then also cross compete with the Mercury Mountaineer as well as its own Ford Explorer?
The original Aviator 2002-2005 was initially well received despite it being short-lived. It had a standard 4.6L V8 with 300hp rather than the anemic 'cologne' 4.0L V6 that was standard on the Explorer and Mountaineer (4.6L V8 was optional on those with 237hp). With the sixth generation Explorer just around the corner, it makes sense to re-introduce the Aviator back to Lincoln.
Though the exterior was about as Ho-Hum Ford as you could get, I loved the classic interior Lincoln-styling theme of the last-generation Aviator. That dash was a work of art. It's really too bad that the original model didn't last longer than it did. The new Aviator, though, is definitely better-looking on the outside.
Though the exterior was about as Ho-Hum Ford as you could get, except for the stereo buttons instead of tuning-*****, I loved the classic retro-interior Lincoln-styling theme of the last-generation Aviator. That dash was a work of art. It's really too bad that original model didn't last longer than it did.
Yeah the interior was unique, and the Lincoln dash cover was cool. The climate controls were Ford parts bin, but the silver was unique to Lincoln. My uncles 2005 RWD Lincoln LS V8 had a similar console look minus the dash cover.
Yes no arguments, the new 2019 Aviator looks phenomenal IMO. I look forward to seeing it in person.
Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
Didn’t the Aviator back then also cross compete with the Mercury Mountaineer as well as its own Ford Explorer?
Definitely a bit, though the higher cost would have been a deterrent for some. They were essentially triplets but the Aviator was distinguished with a different interior and a modular 4.6L V8. Not nearly as bad as the GM quintuplets; Chevy Trailblazer, Isuzu Ascender, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, and Saab 9-7X
Motortrend did a comparison of the 2003 Aviator to the then Land Rover Discovery V8, and the Lexus GX470. Each had it's merrits, but the GX470 won the comparison test. The Aviator could tow 7100lbs with AWD and 7300lbs with RWD!
I think it looks great! Go Lincoln, happy to see them learning from the Continental. So happy to see RWD come back to the Aviator and the Explorer.
I would LOVE to put an Explorer, or even this Aviator in my garage when the Pacifica lease is up. I've always had a soft spot for the Explorer since it was my first car.
Yeah the interior was unique, and the Lincoln dash cover was cool. The climate controls were Ford parts bin, but the silver was unique to Lincoln. My uncles 2005 RWD Lincoln LS V8 had a similar console look minus the dash cover.
Yes no arguments, the new 2019 Aviator looks phenomenal IMO. I look forward to seeing it in person.
Definitely a bit, though the higher cost would have been a deterrent for some. They were essentially triplets but the Aviator was distinguished with a different interior and a modular 4.6L V8. Not nearly as bad as the GM quintuplets; Chevy Trailblazer, Isuzu Ascender, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, and Saab 9-7X
Motortrend did a comparison of the 2003 Aviator to the then Land Rover Discovery V8, and the Lexus GX470. Each had it's merrits, but the GX470 won the comparison test. The Aviator could tow 7100lbs with AWD and 7300lbs with RWD!
Always loved the second generation Mountaineer. See them form time to time in the Buffalo area. Kinda rare rare like a Toyota Land Cruiser, not exactly luxury but premium branded.
It is interesting that Toyota stayed the course with body on frame. Now Toyota almost exclusively has the body on frame market on their own alongside their crossovers.
I think this new Aviator platform is gonna be the foundation for a new Bronco.
I would LOVE to put an Explorer, or even this Aviator in my garage when the Pacifica lease is up. I've always had a soft spot for the Explorer since it was my first car.
Cool story. Never was a big fan of the Explorer. But I loved the Mercury version.
Cool story. Never was a big fan of the Explorer. But I loved the Mercury version.
Yeah, I agree they generally looked better (somewhat nicer trim inside and out), but the Mercury SUVs never sold in anywhere near the numbers that the enormously popular Ford-badged ones did.
I fully understand the buisness and marketing reasons for doing so, but I was still sad to see the Mercury Division fold. I especially liked the upmarket Montego sedan and the small Mariner SUV. A couple of friends of mine bought a new Mariner not long before the division folded. Surprised me one night...they called me and asked me to come down to the (then) Lincoln-Mercury shop and inspect/test-drive it to make sure there were no obvious defects.
I think it looks great! Go Lincoln, happy to see them learning from the Continental. So happy to see RWD come back to the Aviator and the Explorer.
I would LOVE to put an Explorer, or even this Aviator in my garage when the Pacifica lease is up. I've always had a soft spot for the Explorer since it was my first car.
I hear ya. Explorer was also my first car
Originally Posted by LexsCTJill
Always loved the second generation Mountaineer. See them form time to time in the Buffalo area. Kinda rare rare like a Toyota Land Cruiser, not exactly luxury but premium branded.
It is interesting that Toyota stayed the course with body on frame. Now Toyota almost exclusively has the body on frame market on their own alongside their crossovers.
I think this new Aviator platform is gonna be the foundation for a new Bronco.
I do too. Almost bought one with the V8 a few years ago. Mercury was that tweener brand, barely upscale but still slightly nicer than it's Ford cousins.
Toyota though seems to have a bit of everything which is good. 4Runner has a great legacy.
All evidence so far has pointed that while the Explorer/Aviator is going to the new modular RWD/AWD CD6 platform, the Bronco will be built on the T6 platform which is what underpins the Ranger and Everest. Expect the Bronco to have offroading chops
I do too. Almost bought one with the V8 a few years ago. Mercury was that tweener brand, barely upscale but still slightly nicer than it's Ford cousins.
Toyota though seems to have a bit of everything which is good. 4Runner has a great legacy.
All evidence so far has pointed that while the Explorer/Aviator is going to the new modular RWD/AWD CD6 platform, the Bronco will be built on the T6 platform which is what underpins the Ranger and Everest. Expect the Bronco to have offroading chops
03-31-18, 01:01 PM
It's really too bad that original model didn't last longer than it did.
I especially liked the upmarket Montego sedan and the small Mariner SUV. A couple of friends of mine bought a new Mariner not long before the division folded. Surprised me one night...they called me and asked me to come down to the (then) Lincoln-Mercury shop and inspect/test-drive it to make sure there were no obvious defects.
