Those trucker speeds are easily surpassed thanks to the Mark

Think of it as a Town Car on stilts, and you won't be too far off the driving experience. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

LT's motivated Triton 5.4L V8 with its maximum 300-hp and 365 lb-ft of torque, and the truck absolutely settles down and cruises like a Town Car if you find a nice stretch of smoothly paved highway. Okay, maybe the vantage point is a bit higher, but it's as easy as point and go, the cruise control doesn't require a manual or crawling under the steering wheel to read the small type (granted this is more of an issue for somebody who switches cars from week to week, like me, because once an owner would get used to some of the more bizarrely placed CC stalks or buttons, I'm sure it all seems very intuitive), thanks in large part to easy-to-read buttons right on the steering wheel. When not under the guidance of cruise control, the truck accelerates with authority, but not with any exciting immediacy. It seems almost cautious and, despite the roar of all eight cylinders burning, the truck simply builds up speed in a reasonable, methodical manner, and it takes a good stomp to get the tranny to drop a gear and accelerate for highway passing maneuvers.

I didn't get a chance to measure the LT's full hauling ability in terms of taxing the engine with a full payload, but I got full use out of the extra couple feet afforded by the bed extender, which flips out to contain items that might need to be chopped off otherwise. Two twin mattresses, two large dressers, two night tables, plus all their drawers removed, fit in with room to spare for some quick moving duties that would not have fit in anything short of a full-size pickup truck. It was truly a clutch vehicle to help pick up this furniture jackpot bequeathed to my girlfriend's family.

There's no lack of space in back. Cream-coloured leather and real wood trim are in abundance. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

They, amongst others, were mightily impressed with the chrome, the cream-coloured leather seats, and particularly the overhead rail system-mounted rear DVD entertainment system. But they were kinda' mad that I didn't have any DVDs on hand... What can I say, I don't spend much time in the back of the truck watching movies, though I easily could have since it has almost as much space as my living room. It really is a cabin suitable for five full-size adults, with the front row accommodating strictly two because of the massive centre-console storage bin. As far as the overhead rail system goes, I made more use of the flip down storage compartment that was ideal for my sunglasses.

Once again, this rail system and all the various ways of outfitting it are available as dealer-installed accessories with the Ford F-150, and it's simply a matter of Lincoln customers opting to buck up for these amenities in a dress-uniform package. Another notable feature derived from the Ford F-150 is its centre stack arrangement, about which one of my co-writers complained was a little too 'common', but I found it satisfactorily functional and suitably ritzed up with real wood trim spanning from dash to base and a leather covered armrest covering the centre console bin.

One issue I shared with my co-worker was the mystery panel that

Up high and in the sky - you sit and ride above all in the Mark LT. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

could be pressed in like a giant button. We kept thinking that it would open up to a secret stash, but perhaps you need to know the secret Puff Daddy (P. Diddy? Sorry, I'm not up to date on the celebrity name game) handshake or combination to get into that 'valuables-storage' compartment. Beyond that, the shifter was a solid, albeit somewhat phallic grip with a shiny chrome knob that felt completely natural to keep my hand rested on when it wasn't too occupied with steering or switching radio stations. The steering wheel was also thick and grippy and although I found the gauges visually appealing and even elegant, they were occasionally difficult to make out clearly in their white-on-black, weakly backlit scheme.