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Lincoln Town Car recast in daring new design with more power
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CHIMNEY RUN, Va. -- Whipping around so many curves on a ridgeback run across Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, the new rendition of Lincoln's elegant Town Car performed handling tricks like no full-size luxury sedan before it.
A new independent suspension system with multiple rear links managed to maintain a secure stance around each corner, with notably decreased dive and squat experienced when accelerating or braking, and virtually no trace of the former Town Car's tendency to float and flounder.
The new frame, with steel front rails plus lateral and rear reinforcements, felt remarkably stiff and set up a new ride quality which -- while still plush and luxurious -- seemed infinitely more controllable and certainly safer.
Ample power flowed from a big V8 engine rigged with high-tech hardware and tuned with low-torque output so driver feels the juice flowing through all four gears.
A smooth automatic transmission, keyed to electronic controls, behaved itself, while a high-gear lockout switch on the tip of the shift lever produced downshifts with only the tap of a finger -- a convenience appreciated many times over during the recent Virginia mountain tests.
And that sleek new look for Town Car -- well, it's absolutely gorgeous.
A sharp sheetmetal crease running down the center of a long projecting hood sets up a series of contrasting images between crisp articulated lines and soft body bulges, yet Town Car still retains its bold grille and emphatic front and rear accents in brilliant chrome.
Then came the defining moment of my test as Town Car plunged down a steep grade and entered a tight hairpin turn.
Punch that finger button to downshift, rack a leather-wrapped steering wheel to accommodate a decreasing radius of the curve, gently brake through the bend, then throttle up as rear tires ply power to make a downright sporty maneuver.
Mike Richards, Lincoln's brand manager for Town Car, tensely held his breath during the sure-footed turn, but he was grinning as the big car deftly remained on a precise line. "Gee," he confessed as we exited the curve, "even I didn't know it could make such a tight move."
Nor did this driver, but through a series of road tests, following 4-laners and backroads across Virginia, Town Car proved itself more than capable. Still, it retained that plush feel when moving down a freeway and continued to insulate its riders in plush comforts.
Market figures cited by Richards reveal that Town Car enjoys an intensely loyal following of repeat buyers whose advice is not to tamper with the sedan's spacious interior proportions and smooth-ride quality. Yet the sun is setting on these land yacht fans, Lincoln's traditional audience, as the sun also rises on the Baby Boomer brigade now nearing 50 and moving into the affluent market for luxury automobiles.
Lincoln hopes to capture its share of this new group, and will use a revised Town Car as one of several lures.
"We wanted to improve the performance characteristics of Town Car and modernize its image to attract younger buyers," Richards confided, "but at the same time we must satisfy all of the loyal fans who love Town Car. To achieve both of these goals was not an easy task."
At first blush, the curvy new look of Town Car may startle the loyalist because changes seem so dramatically different in the absence of flat side panels and that broad expanse of a land yacht. Slick curving shoulders, an exaggerated hood, flared rear fenders and a roof crowned by convexly curved rear glass evoking images of some Bugatti coupe from the 1930s -- the dramatic design looks unlike any other car on the road and becomes a guaranteed head-turner.
The new shape also appears smaller than the previous Town Car, a point which has dismayed some supporters since the car's debut last March at the New York International Auto Show, yet a comparison of various dimensions between old and new designs reveals that two important hallmarks of the former -- interior space for people and luggage -- has been maintained.
This latest Town Car actually extends the wheelbase fractionally as overall length pares by 3.6 inches. It measures 1.5 inches wider overall and about an inch taller now, although the generous legroom for passengers in front and rear seats stays the same and hip room on the back bench increases by an inch.
Trunk space in the revised layout remains generous.
The most significant changes occur with structural and mechanical systems, as the new version behaves with strength and agility heretofore never experienced.
It's stiffer and stronger, even athletic.
For power, Ford's 4.6-liter V8 with single overhead cam and 32-valve format continues, although tweaking and tuning generates more power and better torque.
Output climbs to 200 horsepower in regular editions, a gain of ten points over the previous Town Car. For top trim Cartier and mid-level Signature series with Touring Sedan package, it jumps to 220 hp.
Big disc brakes apply to new Town Car, with linkage to computerized anti-lock and traction control systems.
For steering, Town Car retains a recirculating ball device with power assistance because engineers determined that this mechanism translates less road shock to the steering wheel, thus resulting in a more luxurious feel for the driver.
The interior, outfitted lavishly in all three trim versions, has been completely revamped.
Plush leather upholstery becomes the standard upholstery now, and there are refined touches of genuine wood in revised dash and door panels.
Standard 6-person seating includes a unique new front bench-type design which actually works as two seats separated by smaller center section with fold-down console. Each seat moves individually so you can personalize the fit.
In the rear, the 3-person bench features twin outboard stations and center fold-down armrest. New heating/cooling ducts improve comfort quality for rear riders.
Base Town Car Executive series seems lavish, although marketeers estimate the center trim, Signature, will represent the majority of all sales, with Cartier remaining for the elite.
Despite so many revisions and laudable improvements, Town Car's prices remain at the level of previous editions, beginning below $39,000.
1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Specs |
| Description: |
Full-size luxury sedan |
| Model Options: |
Full-size luxury sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
117.7 inches |
| Overall Length: |
215.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 4.6-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Rear |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/TCS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
17/25 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 38,500 to $ 44,000 |
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