The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

My friend Laura invites me to Chicago. To check out the corn exchange? No. To listen to hours of blues? Nope.

To visit the world’s largest indoor junkyard.

Tempting?

Maybe not, but it’s as good an excuse as any to visit the Windy City.

Of course, there would still be time to take in some sights, so a vehicle capable of traversing town and country was needed.

So, when it turned out that I would be driving the all-new 2003 Lincoln Navigator, I was amused. Taking a Lincoln Navigator to a junkyard is like hiking in your Gucci loafers.

But who could resist the Navigator’s siren song?

Lincoln supplied me with the top trim level (dubbed, appropriately enough, the ”Ultimate”). There are two lesser trim levels: base Luxury and mid-level Premium.

In the City of the Big Shoulders, the Navigator’s stunning good looks were perfectly at home along tony Michigan Avenue. While this new Lincoln still looms large, it has a trimmer, less-rounded appearance that suits it well. Only the roof panel and front doors are carried over from the body of the first-generation Navigator.

The power train also carries over. The 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V-8 produces 300 horsepower and 355 foot-pounds of torque. All that power moves the Navigator effortlessly through a smooth-shifting four-speed automatic transmission.

A new rack-and-pinion steering system replaces the recirculating ball design used last year, and enhances the driving experience. It makes the truck easy to maneuver and feels more precise and linear, so squeezing into a tight parking spot is easier than you might expect. The side mirrors are power folding, which also helps maneuverability in tight spots.

As good as the handling is, the ride is pure Lincoln: lush and comfortable.

Unlike the Cadillac Escalade or Lexus LX470, the Navigator uses a fully independent suspension all around. Both front and rear suspensions have air springs and maintain an ideal ride height no matter how heavy the payload. Couple that to the Navigator’s new frame, which is no longer derived from a pickup, and you have a Lincoln truck with a very sophisticated feel.

But as perfect as the stylish Lincoln was for navigating the Magnificent Mile, I was headed out of town with my band of troublemakers. That indoor junkyard, which is a couple hours outside of Chicago, is at a former military complex located down a dirt road.

Of course, the Lincoln handled the earthen access way with ease. ControlTrac is standard; it offers automatic four-wheel-drive mode in addition to four-wheel drive high or low and rear-wheel drive. The modes are selected by a dashboard switch.

ControlTrac can be paired with AdvanceTrac for optimum traction. AdvanceTrac monitors wheel speed at each corner and uses a combination of braking and engine management to control wheel spin. Lincoln claims that, when t he two systems are paired, only one wheel needs traction to get the Lincoln under way.

Traction control wasn’t needed, but a case of Busch beer was. It was the price of admission to this Shangri-la of rusted metal. By the number of beer cans littering the ground or piled in cars, it was evident that our group was far from the first to see this collection.

Our host was most hospitable for a junkyard owner. He worked in real estate for 27 years, but escaped the rat race by hoarding this collection over seven years. It’s now spread over eight steel-framed buildings sheathed in black asbestos siding. The buildings measure a staggering 88,000 square feet.

That’s a lot of space. And it holds a lot of stuff.

Of course, like any junkyard, there’s little logic to what’s where. You might find a box of yo-yos waiting for children to play with them sitting next to an engine block or a sofa cushion.

One building might hold motorcycle engines, undreds of them. They would be in addition to the cars parked nearby, close to boxes of record albums, bric-a-brac and stacks of car parts.

As you would imagine, the buildings aren’t well illuminated. So, even with powerful lights, it’s easy to trip over beer cans from previous search parties.

In the bleak, weed-strewn landscape, I felt as if I suddenly had transported myself into a Mad Max movie. So, the respite of the Lincoln’s opulent cabin beckoned after a tour of four junk-strewn buildings. Power running boards (a $925 option) pop out to greet you, and the whole vehicle lowers one inch to make entry easier.

The cabin felt rich, lined in wood, leather and metallic accents.

With three rows of seats and center consoles for front- and center-row passengers, we all were well-coddled. Passengers up front have seats that can be heated or cooled.

There is a good AM/FM sound system with a six-CD changer that makes even Montevanni sound good. Other passengers can enjoy the optional DVD system, a $1,295 option. The system’s bulk, along with a center console, gave a very claustrophobic feel to the middle row.

A power switch opens the back. Another switch folds down the rear seats. This can be very convenient when carrying something large, like a car fender. But I resisted the temptation. It would have soiled the carpeting.

Safety, always a concern in an SUV, is quite good.

The front bumpers are more comparable to those of cars. Front airbags are standard, as is a safety canopy, which deploys from the vehicle’s headliner. The canopy can stay inflated for as long as six seconds if rollover is detected.

Lincoln also offers an optional tire-inflation monitor and ultrasonic parking assist.

All in all, this Lincoln is well-equipped to handled the luxury SUV wars against all comers.

Just before leaving the junkyard, I strolled past the hulks of two early-’60s Lincoln Continentals. Their long, stately lines still oozed with luxury, even enshrouded in weeds.

I peeked inside. There was the same twin-pod dash with metallic accents that Lincoln stylists mimicked in the Navigator’s interior.

What makes a Lincoln truly a Lincoln was apparent: tasteful, timeless styling, yet conservative demeanor. The Navigator has a design that is quieter than the Escalade’s, yet with a majestic quality that makes this luxury SUV worth considering, whether traversing Michigan Avenue or a dirt road.

That’s what’s really inviting.