2005 Navigator
 By  John Rettie 
$49,790

Sabreline 38
Story by Brad Kovach
Photos by Billy Black
$359,000

The 2005 Lincoln Navigator benefits from a new engine, a new transmission and fresh styling. The changes for 2005 result in a much-improved vehicle.

The Navigator is smooth and luxurious. It offers a silky ride and surprisingly nimble handling given its size. It's also big and brawny, capable of carrying up to eight passengers and a lot of gear, and towing up to 8600 pounds. The smooth ride is due partly to the Navigator's independent rear suspension, an unusual refinement for a large sport utility.

A new six-speed automatic transmission for 2005 replaces last year's four-speed automatic, resulting in smoother operation. It responds well to varying driving situations and contributes to the satisfying driving experience. A new 5.4-liter V8 engine with three valves per cylinder reduces emissions and delivers a little more power. AdvanceTrac stability control with Roll Stability Control is standard equipment and can help the driver in an emergency handling situation.

The cabin is attractive and comfortable. Even the third-row seats are relatively comfortable for adults. When it's time to haul cargo, simply press a button on the keyless remote and the power liftgate raises, then walk up to the rear of the vehicle and press a pair of buttons and the third-row seats glide down to reveal a perfectly flat cargo area.

The Navigator gets a significant makeover for 2005. New styling gives it a kinder, gentler appearance, making it look more like a luxury vehicle, less like a truck. Under this new skin is a thoroughly modern full-size sport utility: Navigator was totally re-designed and re-engineered just two years ago (for 2003).

Model Lineup

The Sabreline 38 Hardtop Express puts a modern spin on a classic Downeast design

If you want to see how well a boat handles a chop, stand at the bottom of the companionway steps and have the helmsman open up the throttles. It’s akin to surfing; you feel every shake, rattle and roll of the craft as it carves a path through the waves. When I do this, I usually make it a point to grab something and hold tight, because a fall here can be far less forgiving than a wipeout from a longboard.

I didn’t have to hang onto anything, however, while measuring sound levels in the salon of Sabreline’s new 38 Hardtop Express (85 decibels at cruise). The 10-ton yacht flattened what few bumps we met on Long Island Sound without so much as a hiccup—even at a grin-worthy top speed of 32.3 knots. Sure, we saw only one-footers and the occasional boat wake, but I got the feeling this thoroughbred is capable of taking much larger seas without breaking its stride

Powered by twin 440-hp Yanmar diesels, the 38 planed quickly with no bow rise during my sea trial. It carved strong turns of roughly two boat lengths with just slight effort applied to the Teleflex hydraulic steering. According to factory tests carried out on the same boat, range is 274 miles at 3000 rpm (28.9 knots), but this can be increased to 376 at 2200 rpm (18 knots).

Fine performance aside, the 38 is a testament to Sabreline’s constant pursuit of quality. It not only exhibits the timeless lines of a classic Downeast cruiser, but it also boasts a number of modern design elements that help to set it apart from the competition. That’s important, because hardtop express boats are a hot trend these days, even in European models, says Bentley Collins, marketing manager of Sabre Yachts.