A limited number of new vehicles are being converted for production in the United States. Lincoln Navigators on the way to Australia thanks International Automotive Group.
This Sri Lanka-based, Australian-owned company has over 30 years of experience converting left-hand drive cars to right-hand drive and recently completed a series of GMC Hummer EV vehicles as well as these Lincoln Navigators.
Related to Ford F-150 Sold here, the Navigator is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV. It’s currently in its fourth generation, having entered production in 2017, but the nameplate predates the Cadillac Escalade… if only by a year.
Autogroup International will ship the converted cars to more than 40 right-hand drive countries including Australia.
It’s switching out the Reserve and Black Label versions of the extended-length Navigator L, skipping the entry-level Premiere.
All Navigator models use a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 324kW of power and 691Nm of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission distributes power to all four wheels via a two-speed transfer case.
Rated pulling capacity is 3600kg.
Seven- or eight-seat configurations are available, with the seven-seat configuration featuring second-row captain’s chairs.
The car has a panoramic sunroof, illuminated power side steps, 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, 12-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display, 28-speaker Revel Ultima3D audio system, 360-degree camera and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
This conversion results in an identical finish to the original, not only replicating the original but also enhancing the beauty in some areas thanks to the handcrafted method and the use of many new components.
While the 2023 Lincoln comes with five standard drive modes (deep snow or mud, slippery, wet or icy, eco, aggressive and normal), the 2024 Navigator adds a sixth mode called ‘slow climb’ that assists with hill climbing when going off-road.
Autogroup International employs over 185 people and operates from a three-acre, purpose-built, multi-million dollar automotive manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka.
The company says it strictly adheres to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Assurance standards to ensure full compliance and government approval to export converted vehicles to relevant right-hand drive markets.
It takes approximately six weeks for each Lincoln Navigator to be carefully converted to right-hand drive, and each comes with a three-year full vehicle warranty.
With the right specs, performance and driveability, these luxurious 2024 Navigators will suit Australians’ taste for towing and off-roading, and Autogroup International believes they’ll outperform any rival.
No pricing has been revealed yet, so it’s unclear how it will compare to similar products. Lexus LX, BMW X7 And Mercedes Benz GLS in Australia.
While General Motors has yet to confirm a Navigator-competing Cadillac Escalade for our market – although it has leave the door open – it will bring GMC Yukon Denali to Australia by 2025.
It will be re-manufactured in right-hand drive by Walkinshaw in Australia, as Chevrolet Silverado pick up
