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Lincoln’s latest effort at creating a fancy pickup is on the market, known as the Mark LT.

And unlike the truly silly Lincoln Blackwood, the Mark LT is a real pickup, with the practicality and usability that one would expect from a pickup.

What it’s not, though, is truly fancy. By that, I mean that it doesn’t have quite the luxury amenities that one would associate with a Lincoln product, a deficiency due in great part to Ford’s stepped-up rollout of the Mark LT to fight the only other luxury-brand pickup on the market – the Cadillac Escalade EXT.

After just a few minutes in the Mark LT during our weeklong test-drive, I found the lack of full-power seats a bit irritating. The seat slides forward or backward with the push of a power switch, but other positioning is done manually. Other amenities missing from the Mark LT that are included as standard equipment on the Escalade EXT include a GPS satellite navigation system and a telescopic steering column. The Mark LT’s steering column has a manual tilt feature, but does not offer a telescopic feature, either power or manually operated.

The price, though, is quite a bit below that of the Escalade, so that has to be taken into consideration. Our Mark LT four-wheel-drive test model came with a base sticker of $42,700 (plus $795 freight), while an Escalade EXT (with all-wheel drive and navigation) lists for $53,335 (plus $850 freight). I suppose I could live without some of the Escalade EXT’s amenities for an $11,000 cut in price.

What we have with the Mark LT isn’t really a Lincoln, but a gussied-up version of the Ford F-150. Although the Escalade EXT is similarly built on the chassis of the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra full-size pickups, Cadillac got to design the EXT from the beginning as a luxury truck. At Ford, the F-150 came first, then was quicky morphed into the Mark LT to get a luxury pickup on the road as soon as possible.

One reason Ford needed to do this was the embarrassing failure of the Mark LT’s predecessor, the Blackwood.

In 2002, Lincoln rolled out the Blackwood as a fancy pickup version of the Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator full-size sport utilities. It was priced starting at about $60,000, yet had very little to offer in the way of practicality. For instance, the Blackwood came with a non-removable power-operated bed cover that turned the pickup bed into a large trunk, rending it useless for hauling any kind of bulky cargo. Not that many Blackwood owners were expected to haul much bulky cargo, but the vehicle couldn’t even carry something like a Jet Ski, for example.

It also lacked even an optional four-wheel-drive system, and that the vehicle came only in black, a color that consumers tend to avoid in Sun Belt states where a truck like the Blackwood would be expected to generate the bulk of its sales. Production and quality problems also plagued the Blackwood, most of them associated with the power bed cover and other high-tech gadgetry.

It lasted only two model years, and very few were sold.

The Mark LT is part of Ford’s previously announced plans to help rebuild the Lincoln-Mercury brands by introducing 11 new products in six market segments over the next four years. It is the first of five new Lincoln models that are to be added during this calendar year.

At the same time that Lincoln brought out the Blackwood, Cadillac rolled out the EXT , which uses the same “midgate” system as the Chevrolet Avalanche pickup, and it became a best-seller for Lincoln’s longtime U.S. rival.

The Mark LT has a much more reasonable starting price — $39,995 (plus freight) for a two-wheel-drive version – and a real pickup bed on the back, although a short one (5.5 feet) that can hold tall, if not long, cargo. While the Blackwood was a Navigator from the nose to just behind the second seat, the Mark LT is an F-150 crew-cab model underneath. That’s essentially the same chassis as that of the current generation of the Navigator, while the Blackwood was built on the chassis of the previous generation of the Navigator (which was based on the previous generation of the F-150).

The Mark LT is designed for those who want an elegant SUV most of the time, but occasionally would like to have a pickup bed on the back to haul things.

It comes with the same “waterfall” grille as the Navigator and the slightly smaller Lincoln Aviator (which is based on the Ford Explorer chassis), and from the front is nearly indistinguishable from the Navigator.

Inside, there is room for up to five adults to ride in comparative luxury and comfort, thanks to its leather front captain’s chairs and rear bench seat. This alone makes the Mark LT a bit more practical than the Blackwood, which was designed for only four passengers. It had the same two captain’s chairs in the rear as in the front.

For those of you used to a big SUV, though, the Mark LT isn’t as practical. With a full load of passengers on board, there is nowhere but the truck bed to put cargo, where your stuff would be subject to the elements. The Blackwood’s power cargo cover was great for protecting cargo, but was in the way if the bed was needed for bulky items. Since it is essentially identical to the F-150 underneath, the Mark LT comes with a rugged, fully-boxed frame for strength and durability. But to help keep it quiet inside, as befitting a luxury car, it also has liquid-filled engine mounts, thick side-window glass, doors with double-layer seals, and other insulation to help keep out road, tire, wind and engine noise.

The interior is fancier than anything in the F-150 lineup, as well. Included are ebony wood accents, Nudo leather seating surfaces and lots of standard amenities. Under the hood of all Mark LT models is a 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine with iron block and aluminum heads. Also from the F-150 line, this engine is rated at 300 horsepower and 365 foot-pounds of torque. It’s connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. It gives the Mark LT a payload of 1,620 pounds in two-wheel-drive configuration and 1,460 pounds with four-wheel drive.

The vehicle can tow a trailer weighing up to 8,900 pounds with two-wheel drive, or 8,600 with four-wheel drive, the way our test vehicle was outfitted.

Our test model included the electric shift-on-the-fly part-time four-wheel-drive system, which comes with a two-speed transfer case for serious off-road capability (as if anyone would really take a vehicle this expensive off-road). That’s a plus compared with the Escalade EXT, which has only a full-time all-wheel-drive system with no low range. Standard Mark LT amenities include AM/FM/six-disc in-dash compact-disc Audiophile audio system; heated front seats; the same overhead rail storage system offered in the F-150; leather-wrapped steering wheel; electronic message center; compass and digital outside-temperature display; fog lights and automatic headlights; 18-inch aluminum wheels; chrome step rear bumper; power, heated outside mirrors; rear tailgate assist system, which allows the heavy gate to drop slowly and safely; auto-dimming rearview mirror; four-wheel antilock disc brakes; power rack-and-pinion steering; remote keyless entry and entry keypad on the driver’s door; power windows and door locks; and universal gate/garage opener.

Extras ran the price of our test model to $47,605 (including freight). Among the add-ons: limited-slip rear axle ($300); power-adjustable pedals ($120); running boards ($250); underbody skid plates ($160); power sliding rear window ($250); trailer-tow package ($350); bed extender ($195); 18-inch, seven-spoke chrome wheels ($695); chrome box rails ($250); reverse-sensing system ($245); and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system ($1,295).

I could have done without the fancy running boards, which seemed to hit the backs of my legs and cause pain each time I exited the vehicle.

EPA fuel-economy ratings are 14 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. The tank holds 30 gallons of fuel, and regular unleaded is acceptable. Ford builds the Mark LT at its new Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant, on the site of the original, historic Ford Rouge factory.

G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@star-telegram.com. At a Glance – 2006 Lincoln Mark LT

The package: Full-size, four-door, five-passenger, V-8 powered, two- or four-wheel-drive luxury pickup. Highlights: Essentially a fancy version of the current generation of the F-150 crew-cab pickup, the Mark Ltis designed to give Lincoln a truck to replace the failed Blackwood. It’s not as fancy as a Cadillac Escalade EXT, but it’s about $10,000 less. Negatives: Lacks some luxury amenities normally found in a Lincoln, such as full power seats, telescopic steering column and navigation system. Overall length: 223.8 inches. Curb weight: 5,370 pounds (2WD); 5,677 pounds (4WD). Engine: 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8. Power/torque: 300 hp./365 foot-pounds. Transmission: Four-speed automatic. Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock. Trailer-towing capacity: 8,900 pounds (2WD); 8,600 pounds (4WD). Major competitors: Cadillac Escalade EXT, GMC Sierra Denali crew cab. Fuel capacity/type: 30.0 gallons/unleaded regular. EPA fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon city/18 highway. Base prices: $39,200 (2WD); $42,700 (4WD), plus $795 freight and options. Price as tested: $47,605 (including freight and options). On the Road rating: **** (four stars out of five).

Prices shown are manufacturer’s suggested retail; actual selling prices may vary according to manufacturer and/or dealer rebates, discounts and incentives, if any.