Lincoln Aviator Shinola Concept Debuts August 11 At Pebble Beach
Lincoln has collaborated with Detroit-based luxury house Shinola in creating the Aviator Shinola Concept, which is not exactly a concept car per se. Instead, it's a production Aviator littered with luxury touches inspired by Shinola's sports watches, Runwell bicycle, and leather silhouettes.
"Shinola opened up their showroom to us as a playground, allowing us to explore how their brand's popular lifestyle ethos could be woven into a new theme for one of our vehicles," said Kemal Curic, design director, Lincoln. "The fresh insights our team gained studying popular design motifs make this new aviator concept a true celebration of craftsmanship."
As expected from a production-based concept, there is nothing ridiculous about the Lincoln Aviator Shinola. The one-off is sporting a soft white exterior inspired by Shinola's mother of pearl stone watch dials. Meanwhile, the rose gold exterior trim is reminiscent of the copper-plated structure in a Shinola Runwell bike seat.
Inside, the seats feature Shinola whiskey leather upholstery with crème suede woven textiles and inserts to deliver a premium vibe, while brown leather adorns the dashboard and door inserts. In addition, the instrument panel and second-row console have a woven metal mesh in the same copper hue as the exterior.
"The goal is to impress occupants with our very own expression of craftsmanship, showcasing our meticulous attention to detail," added Liam Butler, Lincoln color and material designer. Otherwise, the Shinola version is the same three-row Aviator SUV with a standard 400-horsepower turbocharged V6 engine, 10-speed automatic gearbox, and optional all-wheel drivetrain.
Meanwhile, the Aviator Grand Touring PHEV has a small electric motor working with the turbo V6, pumping out 494 horsepower and 21 miles of all-electric range. Lincoln didn't say if the Shinola concept car is a hybrid, but the plug-in variant bodes well with Lincoln and Shinola's shared passion for luxurious design.
The Lincoln Aviator Shinola Concept will make its maiden appearance at the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance from August 11 to August 15, 2021. If all goes well, we assume Aviation Shinola could get the green light for production soon, but we'll have to wait and see.