1998 Ford Expedition Big, handsome and hard to get. By Ray Thursby, New Car Test Drive .com

Ford has touted itself as the "Better Idea" company in years past. Its biggest Better Idea to date, the massive

Expedition, may well be considered a Best Idea, judging from the horde of cash-in-hand customers queuing up at Ford

dealerships. Assembly plants are working full steam to meet the demand for the the Expedition, and its luxurious

near-twin, the Lincoln Navigator.

Ford and Lincoln dealers are trying to get them as quickly as possible, but buyers have recently been placed on

waiting lists. Enough Expeditions are now trickling into the Ford dealerships that buyers can drive one home. Those

wishing to purchase a Navigator should expect to wait for awhile to get one.

Why is the Expedition so successful? We think its success goes beyond the current enthusiasm for large

sport-utilities. And we think it goes beyond the shortage of contenders; only the GMC and Chevrolet Suburbans

compete in this big size class. We think the Expedition is selling like hot cakes because it does everything it was

designed to do and it does it well. Its good looks certainly don't hurt, either.

This year does not bring major changes to the Expedition because it is only in its second year of production.

And the folks at Ford wouldn't want to change a thing. In fact, the only things setting the 1998 version apart from

its predecessor are the availability of some additional paint colors. The Expedition has also been certified as a

Low-Emissions Vehicle in states that have adopted California's tougher emissions regulations.