Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Lincoln
2004 Lincoln LS
Sep 2nd
Lincoln’s fun-to-drive, well-mannered LS sedan has unfortunately been something of a wallflower since its introduction in 1999–in spite of capturing top honors as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year that year. That’s partly because it’s a very good car in a segment that consists of nothing but very good cars. The buyers of upscale sports sedans have been among the most discerning and, well, downright picky consumers since BMW and Mercedes came over in the early 1980s and hooked a generation of Yuppies on the joys of sports-car performance in a leather-wrapped four-door.
Lincoln hopes to increase the wow-factor of its shy four-door hot rod with the introduction of a new LSE performance and appearance package. Quieter running, smoother transmission and a new “Ultimate” option package should also help the LS to get noticed.
The LS has been blessed (some might say cursed) with the same handsome, conservative lines since its introduction. A black trapezoidal grille with a bold chrome surround puts the family heritage right up front, and quad round headlamps under glass are aggressively sporty. The LS is long and low, with big wheels and strong fender flares. The styling isn’t quite dated; it has a hint of the Sixties Lincolns designed by Virgil Exner (Lincoln purists, put those torches away, I said it was a hint) and even though it’s been a while since the LS’ introduction the face is aging well. The LSE is the most aggressive LS, with a body-color grille, a handsomely smoothed front valance with a gaping air intake and round foglights, special seven-spoke chrome wheels and a rocker panel extension that wraps around into the rear bumper.
The greatest evolutionary strides have been made to the interior. The tall center console is three times bigger than it used to be, and splits the front compartment into driver and passenger cockpits. Like the rest of the Lincoln lineup, the LS’ interior is accented with satiny nickel trim. Wood, aluminum or lacquered trim is used depending on the model. The LS was already a comfortable place to spend a day of driving and the available THX sound system makes it even more so. The full-Cleveland LS Ultimate shows that Lincoln hasn’t forgotten how to do gadgets, either; adjustable pedals, GPS, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, a rear parking assist, and Sirius satellite radio are all on the list.
A front-engine, rear-drive layout is the basic ingredient of the LS’ sporting nature. The 3.0 liter V6 puts out 232 horsepower and enables the LS to play with the likes of Lexus’ IS300 and Acura’s 3.2TL. Opt for the 3.9 liter V8 in your LS and you’ll get 280 horses, as well as the ability to dance with sedans like Mercedes’ E-Class and Audi’s A6. Both V6 and V8 engines feature variable cam timing and electronic throttle control, for improved power delivery. There’s only one sour spot; a five-speed automatic is the only transmission offered.
The lack of a manual is likely to drop the LS off of many enthusiasts’ lists, and that’s too bad because it really is fun to drive, even with the slushbox. For 2004 suspension tweaks have tightened the front end just a little, but the fully independent setup that puts unequal-length control arms at all four corners (instead of the less racy MacPherson struts found on more pedestrian cars). It’s not quite a BMW 5-series killer, but the LS will happily run with any Acura or Cadillac you care to name in spite of a rather portly 3800-lb curb weight. Over our handling loop we even enjoyed the LS more than we did the Jaguar X-type. AdvanceTrac stability control is also available. In our wet-pavement driving, we found AdvanceTrac to be smart enough to keep the LS pointed straight even during intentionally stupid maneuvers.
We like the LSE best, with its racier looks, but the whole LS lineup is impressive. Pricing starts at $34,495 for V6 powered models, and $40,060 for the V8.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Lincoln LS.
Length: 193.9 in.
Width: 73.2 in.
Height: 56.1 in.
Wheelbase: 114.5 in.
Curb weight: 3768 lb.
Cargo space: 13.5 cu.ft.
Base price: $40,060 (2003)
Engine: 3.9 liter DOHC 32-valve V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 280 @ 4000
Torque: 286 @ 4000
Est. mileage: 18/24
2003 Lincoln Town Car Cartier
Jul 21st
Okay, say what you like about the Lincoln Town Car. It’s not cutting-edge. It’s a relic of an era whose time has passed. It’s downright shameless with its battleship-like proportions, big V8, and rear-wheel drive. That’s what everyone (except, of course, the cadre of fiercely loyal Town Car buyers) says. None of that matters in light of one simple fact: No one makes a big, fat slab of automobile the way Lincoln can. Challengers like the Mercedes S-Class and Lexus LS430 may have the edge in high technology and Euro-styling, but the Lincoln has spent years trumping their curbside impact with sheer size and tradition.
For 2003, the Town Car finally gets some refinement to go with that luxurious mass. In recent years, the Cadillac Deville has grabbed the American-style luxury spotlight with a sophisticated front-wheel drive chassis and modern interpretation of classic Cadillac style. Lincoln has chosen to go a different route. The new Town Car borrows a bit from the past to create a new “family” look for the brand. Add a quieter interior, revised steering and high-intensity discharge headlamps to the distinctive new face, and you have a Lincoln Town Car that’s thoroughly modern yet faithful to tradition at the same time.
All Lincolns now feature a distinctive hood ridge that starts with the grille crest and runs all the way back to the windshield. It looks good on the Town Car, offering shades of Lincoln’s 1960s big-car heyday. There’s a long hood, and a long tail, and riding proud on the hood, an honest-to-goodness hood ornament. To keep the car from looking like a complete throwback, projector-style quad headlamps under glass covers flank a grille similar to that of the Lincoln LS and Navigator. (One could make an argument for projector lamps being the styling gimmick of the new millennium, just like tailfins were in the 1950s, but that’s a different story.) Our test car was a top-of-the-line Cartier L model, with unique 17″ chrome wheels. The Cartier also has a wheelbase that’s been stretched six inches.
That’s a good place to excel, considering that most Town Car passengers will see the back seat first. It’s an impressive cabin, with forty-seven inches of rear-seat legroom thanks to the wheelbase stretch. The seats are deep, soft leather, and Lincoln has outfitted the Town Car with a bigwig-style rear control center including radio, heat and air conditioning controls. The rear seats are also heated in Cartier models; you can switch ‘em on and let them fight it out with the excellent air conditioning. There’s even a controller so the rear seat passenger can move the front passenger seat, for additional legroom. Up front, Lincoln hasn’t neglected the driver either. A new dashboard features nickel and walnut accents, as well as a new “signature” Lincoln analog clock a la Infiniti. There are dozens of storage cubbies–in the armrests, in the front of the seats, in the console–but no gadgets like a rear seat massager or a power sunshade. Yet.
Underneath that big decklid, the trunk is a 21.1 cubic-foot cavern. It looks like you could park another car in the trunk of the Town Car. Cartier models feature a grocery bag organizer in the floor.
The Town Car is much nicer on the road than its closest competition, the Cadillac Deville. It’s not the dynamic equal of the S-Class or even the Lexus LS430, but thanks to a revised suspension and all-new rack-and-pinion steering the Town Car isn’t as far off the curve as it used to be, no pun intended. It’s not just the rear-wheel drive that makes it feel superior to the Cadillac, but a stiffened frame with additional crossmembers. The Town Car is a body-on-frame car, which contributes nicely to ride isolation. A degree of smoothness is provided by sheer mass, also; over some bumps, the Town Car’s inertia carries it right over the worst of the roughness. The suspension is slow, almost ponderous in its responses, but the deliberate body movements are really part of the atmosphere.
On the freeway, it’s sometimes hard to keep the Town Car in its lane thanks to numb-ish steering. Conversely, it’s much easier to maneuver in-town. We were surprised at how easy this big beast is to park. The new rack-and-pinion steering is precise, despite its sedated feel. Of course, anti-lock brakes (ABS) are standard equipment. The Town Car also benefits from Emergency Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) which proportions the brakes during emergency stops, limiting the need for ABS.
All-new looks and decent handling aside, the new Town Car is let down somewhat by its powerplant. The 4.6 liter V8 engine feels labored under hard acceleration, despite a dual exhaust and improved horsepower. 239 horsepower can’t overcome the fact that this is an awful lot of car. The V8 is as slick as any of the competition, thanks to improved engine mounts, but the Town Car is hardly fast. The four-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly, without any hitches whatsoever. As long as you’re patient, it’ll get up to speed, and it’s easy to see why it’s popular with liveries and people who have to be chauffeured. The Town Car is also more comfortable from the driver’s seat than a passenger-oriented luxobarge like the Jaguar Vanden Plas.
Not that it matters to the average luxury buyer, but the big Lincoln is priced a bit below the competition. Our test car was a fully equipped Cartier L model, with heated seats, traction control and an Alpine sound system, and it stickered for $52,765, which is the approximate price of a 4,467-pound Porterhouse steak. Cartier L pricing starts at $50,700. For the shorter wheelbase models, pricing starts at $41,040 with the Executive model.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car Cartier L, which we tested.
Length: 221.4 in.
Width: 78.2 in.
Height: 59.1 in.
Wheelbase: 123.7 in.
Curb weight: 4467 lb.
Cargo space: 21.1 cu.ft.
Base price: $50,700
Price as tested: $52,765
Engine: 4.6 liter SOHC V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 239 @ 4900
Torque: 287 @ 4100
Fuel capacity: 19 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/25
2003 Lincoln Navigator
Jul 21st
We can forgive Lincoln for not getting it right the first time. After all, the Navigator was the eighty-two year old manufacturer’s first foray into the world of trucks, and it helped to launch a whole new category besides. The category of high-luxury, full-size SUVs was all but created by the Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. As a freshman effort, the Navigator was acceptable. It was a bit (well, a lot) too similar to the less expensive Ford Expedition, and it rode like a truck, and maybe it didn’t quite seem like it was worth its $50,000 price tag, but Lincoln got a solid C+ for effort.
The sophomore Navigator is another matter entirely. Now that Lincoln has gotten its feet wet with big SUVs, the redesigned 2003 Navigator is a serious contender. It’s now deserving of its title as Lincoln’s flagship. Close study of the competition and its own heritage has allowed Lincoln to remake the Navigator into a vehicle whose comfort and opulence are impressive for a car or a truck. The new Navigator suggests that Lincoln may have rediscovered what made it one of America’s great nameplates.
It starts with the design. The new Navigator retains most of the styling cues of the old, in conservative Lincoln fashion, but everything has been tightened and smoothly integrated. The cobbled-together look of the old Navigator is gone. In its place are smoother body panels and taillights, a slick roof rack, and the familiar Lincoln family grille, slightly revised to look more like that of the LS and Town Car. The new eight-spoke 18″ wheels resemble those of Lincoln’s recent show cars. The distinctive hood with its central ridge leading down to the Lincoln badge on the grille is now being used on all Lincoln products.
The spirit of the Fifties is alive in the Navigator’s power-operated toys. Open the doors of a full-Cleveland Navigator (the model Lincoln calls the “Ultimate”), and electrically operated running boards extend to greet you. Third-row seats lower at the touch of a button, and the tailgate is powered as well. The side mirrors are heated, power-folding, reverse-tilting appendages with built-in turn signals and “puddle lights” that illuminate the ground around the Navigator at night. The seats are heated and cooled, and rear-seat passengers are treated to a DVD entertainment center.
We were skeptical to hear that Lincoln chose the 1961 Continental as the inspiration for its full-size SUV, but were pleasantly surprised by the results. The dash is dominated by a flat metal panel, which harmonizes nicely with other metal trim for an elegant, simple look. Behind it, the sound system controls are lit by unique white LEDs, which are black during the day and glow brilliantly after dark. The interior has been completely redone, with richer materials and a design that’s distinct from the Ford Expedition on which the Navigator is based. The interior is spacious, with three rows of big wide seats. Real wood is used (as it is in all Lincolns, believe it or not), complementing the standard leather. The big Lincoln feels more like a car than a truck over the road, thanks in part to “Silent Steel” panels used in the floor and instrument panel. Silent Steel is a metal and plastic-laminate sandwich that neutralizes the sound-amplifying effects of large pieces of automotive sheet metal. Lincoln uses Silent Steel to soften road noise and muffle the sound of the engine. The Navigator is positively funereal inside, even when it’s being hustled through a rather un-truck-friendly autocross course that we had access to.
The Navigator’s ability to survive in the domain of sports cars is indicative of the other big change in Lincoln’s flagship. Step two in the revitalization of the Navigator takes place underneath the truck. The new four-wheel independent suspension provides handling that’s head and shoulders above that of the Navigator’s closest competitor, the Cadillac Escalade. Body movements are much more controlled during quick turns, and the rear end doesn’t feel like it wants to hop out of line whenever there’s a bump in the road. New rack-and-pinion steering improves steering feel and offers more precision than last year’s F-Series based steering. Lincoln has also beefed up the Navigator’s four-wheel disc braking system with larger components. That’s a good thing, considering this truck’s 5760-lb weight.
The 5.4 liter V8 puts out 300 horsepower. Changes to the engine and drivetrain have all been made with the intention of making the Navigator smoother; revised exhaust systems, new engine mounts, and a Silent Steel oil pan are chief among the changes. The Navigator’s towing capacity has risen slightly also, to 8,500 pounds in two-wheel drive models and 8,300 in four-by-fours. On the road, the big 5.4 gets the Navigator moving much like the big, heavy truck that it is, but one things are rolling there’s plenty of power. Around town the four-speed automatic transmission is smooth. AdvanceTrac stability control is also available.
The Navigator can be had in Luxury, Premium, and Ultimate models. As you can probably assume, there is no stripped-down bargain model. Navigator pricing starts at $48,775, and this time around, it won’t have you asking yourself if you’ve spent too much for too little.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator, which we tested.
Length: 206.0 in.
Width: 80.2 in.
Height: 77.8 in.
Wheelbase: 118.8 in.
Curb weight: 5760 lb.
Cargo space: 104.7 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 8500 lb.
Base price: $48,775
Engine: 5.4 liter DOHC V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 300 @ 5000
Torque: 355 @ 2750
Fuel capacity: 28 gal.
Est. mileage: 12/17