2003 Lincoln Aviator Will Debut in 2002

    HALF MOON BAY, Calif., Aug. 21 Lincoln confirmed today in
a meeting of its top dealers that the next all-new product in the
transformation of the brand will be the 2003 Lincoln Aviator.

    "The Lincoln Aviator will bring together all of the elements we believe
define American Luxury:  Balance and composure on the road, indulgent comfort
and distinctive design," says Lincoln Mercury President Mark Hutchins.

    The 2003 Lincoln Aviator, which will go into production in the summer of
2002, will be a sport utility vehicle built on a 113.7-inch wheelbase, and it
will have an advanced dual overhead cam, four-valve V-8 engine, a
sophisticated four-wheel independent suspension and available all-wheel drive.
It also will be an ultra-low emissions (ULEV) vehicle.

    The Aviator will have flexible seating for up to seven people who will be
ensconced in a comfortable and indulgently luxurious cabin that will blend
traditional materials and modern finishes to create a warm, but contemporary
environment.

    Lincoln's newest products have been extremely successful in broadening the
brand's appeal beyond its traditional stronghold in the traditional luxury
segment.

    Fully 70 percent of customers for the Lincoln Navigator sport utility
vehicle, which was introduced as a 1998 model, and 60 percent of customers for
the Lincoln LS luxury sports sedan, which was introduced as a 2000 model, had
never owned a Lincoln before.  In addition, the median age for these customers
is in the mid-50s -- substantially lower than the median age of Lincoln's
customers in the traditional luxury segment, which is in the mid-60s.

    The limited production 2002 Lincoln Blackwood also is contributing to the
broadening appeal of Lincoln.  The Blackwood is a uniquely American
interpretation of luxury:  It blends some of the best qualities of Lincoln's
luxury cars and sport utility vehicles in a package that delivers all of the
visual impact of the smash-hit Blackwood concept vehicle from 1999.

    Additional information on the 2003 Lincoln Aviator, including photography,
features and options, technical specifications and pricing will be released
closer to the introduction of the vehicle.  The vehicle will be built in
Hazelwood, Mo., which is outside St. Louis.

    The Mercury brand also will see a number of new products:

    *  The Mercury Mountaineer sport utility is all new for the 2002 model
year.  The Mountaineer offers flexible seating for up to seven passengers as
standard equipment, and is available with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine and all-wheel
drive.

    *  The 2003 Mercury Marauder, a four-door, five-passenger performance
sedan powered by a V-8 engine expected to produce more than 300 horsepower,
will be available in the summer of 2002.

    *  A new Mercury minivan is under development.