2002 Lincoln Blackwood: "Plastic that Looks Like Wood that Looks Like Plastic"

I have been in car sales since 2002. Here is the first in a serious of posts about noteworthy vehicles that I have sold. Enjoy!

When Lincoln first showed the Blackwood as a concept vehicle, the outer bed was actually finished in South African blackwood, a wood that has such a luxurious sheen that it looks like fake plastic. Lincoln decided that they could not actually afford to put this wood on the vehicle and keep to their target price-point, so they put actual plastic on the bed that looked like blackwood. So, as one reviewer put it, you had trim that was "plastic that looks like wood that looks like plastic". The truck, marketed only during the 2002 model year, was a compilation of marketing goofs. It had Ford's largest V-8, but it was down 50 HP to the same size V-8 from GM. The bed was stainless steel on the inner sides and had felt on the bed. It also had a power tonneau cover which could not be removed. In short, the bed was functionally useless. The truck was very well-appointed inside, much like the first generation Lincoln Navigator. However, there was no 4-wheel-drive option available on the truck. The truck stayed in production only about 9 months and was discontinued. Lincoln dealers definitely wanted a pick-up truck to sell, but nobody wanted the Lincoln Blackwood.