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 LINCOLN LS SENDS
AMERICAN LUXURY IN A NEW DIRECTION
Richard Parry-Jones, Ford's top product development vice-president, calls
the 2000 Lincoln LS "an American original," not a German wannabe
or Japanese copy.
He means this front-engine, rear-drive executive sedan is a new twist on
an American luxury car and Lincoln will spend the next few months telling
that to anyone who will listen. Lincoln marketing vice-president Jim
Rogers says it can drive like a BMW 5-series, it's a little bit bigger and
less expensive. I'm not sure any other sedan drives quite like a
5-series-of all the world's sedans, it is my personal favourite--but the
LS is definitely bigger and cheaper.
A lot cheaper. The two versions of the LS sticker at $40,595 for the V6
(manual transmission) and $46,995 for the V8. If you want the V6 with
automatic, add $500.
Meanwhile, the six-cylinder BMW 528i sedan starts at $58,500, while the
V8-powered 540i has a base price of $74,200. Just as interesting, the 2000
Jaguar S-Type, which shares its mechanical underpinnings with the LS,
though not styling, suspension tuning and luxury features, lists for
$59,950 (V6) and $69,950 (V8).
 For the record, about 40-45 per cent of parts are shared between the two
cars, although Lincoln and Jaguar execs are quick point out that all the
things you "see, touch, feel or smell" are unique to each
respective automobile. Ford officials like this chassis/powertrain
combination so much it will show up in the new Thunderbird, and perhaps
even the next-generation Mustang and an as-yet unnamed and unconfirmed
Jaguar roadster.)
Nonetheless, comparisons of the LS and S-Type are inevitable, so let's get
them out of the way right now. The LS has a more upright look than the
S-Type, there's less power from both engines, and unlike the S-Type in
North America, a five-speed manual gearbox is available with the LS V6. In
addition, the LS has more aggressive suspension tuning, the styling is
considerably more bland inside and out, there are fewer elaborate luxury
features and the look and feel of cabin materials are clearly a step down
from the Jag.
Still, the LS is no second-rater. For instance, its most noteworthy
high-tech feature is AdvanceTrac, which is a computer controlled system
that helps keep the driver from spinning out in high-speed cornering. It
works by applying one or more brakes to correct slides and keep the car
heading where it's aimed. It's a major benefit in rain or snow, but also
comes into play on dry roads when you find yourself over your head in a
tight corner.
There's also a very advanced five-speed automatic transmission with a
clutchless manual shift mode. Without doubt, this transmission is one of
the car's strongest points. After all, there's some appeal in having
shift-for-yourself capability on snaky roads.
Yet most drivers will run in full automatic, where they'll find shifts
that are quick and virtually imperceptible. As for the five-speed in the
V6, shift quality is good (relatively clean and precise) but the centre
console is located right where your elbow falls, so every time you change
gears your arm must take an awkward angle.
Where the LS will surprise anyone who's driven anything from Lincoln in
its 79-year history is in the handling/road manners department. Ford
recruited young engineers with plenty of racing experience (CART, NASCAR
and Formula One) to tune the suspension and it shows in way-above-average
handling. What a shocker! A Lincoln that's the baby of race-bred
engineers.
The ride offered by the fully independent suspension isn't marshmallow
soft, yet it's supple enough to soak up bumps and potholes. The steering
is crisp and the cornering precise and predictable. Set a line and this
car will show you its mettle in holding it.
Load up with the Sport package (standard with the V6 manual) and the
17-inch wheels, harder brake pads, quicker steering and high-performance
tires raise the performance bar. Oh, and for the record the LS will also
win the parking lot shuffle. In other words, low-speed manoeuvres are a
snap. You should also know that from a safety perspective, four-wheel
anti-lock disc brakes and traction control keep all four wheels in
constant contact with the road.
The engines? The 3.0-litre V6, which traces its roots to the overhead cam
V6 in Ford's Taurus, produces 210 horsepower, while the all-aluminum
3.9-litre V8, a Jaguar derivative, is rated at 252 hp. The V8 is a fine,
smooth engine with lots of torque for quick start-ups. Best of all, its
mid-range power-what you need for passing and merging into traffic-is well
matched with the five-speed autobox. Lincoln expects about 70 percent of
sales to be the V8.
At highway speeds, the LS is quiet and composed. The composure is a
product of the excellent chassis, while credit for the quiet comes from a
rigid body structure and tight, thick sealing both around the glass, at
the doors and along the floor. Among the details, dual-thickness,
sound-deadening steel panels are strategically located to reduce engine
and road noise.
Where the LS loses points is in design--inside and out. For a $40,000-plus
luxury car, the whole package is just plain bland. Sure, the driver
position and seat comfort are good and the instruments and controls are
where they should be. But this is not an inspiring cabin. Moreover, the
plastic inside door handles just don't belong and the flip-down "purseholder"
(for the women's market) seems unnecessary. Rear-seat legroom is also
marginal.
As for the exterior, LS chief designer Helmuth Schrader has steered
an-ultra conservative course that seems the product of too many customer
clinics. I'll admit that the proportions are attractive, but for a sedan
intended to compete with European sedans, it seems odd that the LS should
bear a strong resemblance to such Japanese cars as the Acura RL and
Mitsubishi Diamante. And the plastic grille is completely out of place in
a high-end automobile.
So it seems the engineers have outdone the stylists. That should be enough
to change how people think about Lincoln. If not, there is the value
story.
As industry analyst George Peterson of AutoPacific says, "One of its
advantages is that not only does it perform beautifully, but it is priced
well."
Can't argue with that.
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SIDEBAR
Sure the 3.0-litre V6 comes from the Ford Taurus, but it's been tuned
differently and in the LS it is mounted longitudinally (length-wise) instead
of transversely (side-to-side).
The engineers contend that changing the mounting direction prompted a
re-design that resulted in more power and better driveability.
True driving enthusiasts will appreciate the LS V6 with the manual
gearbox--the first Lincoln with a manual since the 1951 Cosmopolitan. The
manual V6 boasts near?perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, so it
feels balanced in turns.
Aside from engine mounting, to get that balanced weight distribution the
engineers relocated the battery in the trunk, where it is placed on the
right side of the vehicle. That's to partially offset the driver's weight.
An added benefit: the cooler trunk environment should increase battery life.
SIDEBAR
The LS is the critical model in what company officials call the re-birth of
Lincoln.
Today, the typical Lincoln buyer (excepting the Navigator sport-utility) is
65 years or older. The LS buyer is expected to be in the 35-50 age group.
These are demanding, well educated owners who are Internet savvy. They are
impatient professionals and entrepreneurs who may never have owned a
domestic car.
So they not only expect safe and flawless performance from their cars, but
they also want excellent service from dealers who know how to cater to their
needs and wants.
SIDEBAR
Lincoln is aiming the LS at the Lexus GS 300 and ES300, along with the Audi
A6, BMW 3- and 5-series, the Mercedes-Benz C-class cars, the Infiniti I30
and Q45 and Acura RL.
So how's the LS stack up. First of all it's priced against the less
expensive cars in that group-the ES300, I30, C-class and 3-series.
On the performance side, V8-powered LS has more jump that the 3-series, but
isn't quite as entertaining to drive-especially in the corners. On the other
hand, the V8 Lincoln is faster and more fun than the Mercedes C-class and
the ES300. The GS 300 was more a match, even enjoying an edge. The A6 isn't
as fast as the LS, but it's the most stylish of the bunch.
SIDEBAR
Lincoln has borrowed the basics for both LS engines from other parts of
Ford. Both the Jaguar-developed V8 and the corporate 3.0?litre Duratec V6
have the same cylinder blocks in the LS and Jaguar S-Type, but the cylinder
heads and certain internal parts are quite different.
Cost is one reason. The LS starts almost $20,000 less than the Jaguar
S-Type, so LS engineers couldn't afford the same elaborate intake and
variable valve-timing systems used on the Jag versions of these engines.
Also, it just wouldn't do for a Lincoln to pack an equal punch to its Jaguar
counterpart. So the LS's V6 is rated at 210 horsepower versus the Jag's 240,
while the Lincoln's V8 churns up 252 horsepower versus 281 in the S-Type.
One other point: keen observers will note that the Lincoln's V8 is rated at
3.9-litres, while the Jag's is an even 4.0-litres. What accounts for the
difference in displacement?
The LS crankshaft is unique, reducing the stroke by one millimeter, which in
turn reduces displacement from 3,996 cubic centimetres (4.0-litres) to 3,950
cubic cm.
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2000 LINCOLN LS V8
four-door sedan.