There is an image that we car enthusiasts have always had of the Lincoln Town Car: a nice, big and comfortable car that's great on a long interstate trip, but not much fun to drive. Make no mistake, the T.C. is still a plush, long-distance cruiser, but simply checking off the "Touring Sedan" option means that this land yacht can actually take corners without bobbing about like a schooner in rough seas. But more on that later.
When it was redesigned last year, the Town Car lost its opera windows and about 200 pounds. Overall, the new style is clean, with a profile that is chiseled and strong. The only discordant element is the strange headlamp design that appears as though penned by an action comic-book artist. Three trim levels of the Town Car are available: the base Executive, midline Signature, and top-of-the-heap Cartier. The Executive comes loaded with luxury: leather seating, power-adjusted front seats with power recliners and automatic climate control are all included in the entry-level Town Car (why Lincoln spoiled this classic name with that "Executive" tag is beyond us). Safety features abound as well, with antilock brakes, traction control and front side-impact airbags among the standard fare. Stepping up to the Signature adds a few perks such as power lumbar supports in front, a powerful Alpine stereo system, and steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo and climate-control systems. The Cartier gilds the lily with higher-grade leather, heated seats, chrome wheels and, of course, a Cartier clock.
The tested Signature was equipped with the aforementioned Touring Sedan option, which provides the big Lincoln with some sporting hardware. Dual exhaust (good for bumping the horsepower rating from 200 to 220), a handling-oriented suspension (Never thought we'd see those words associated with a Town Car!), and performance tires mounted on chromed alloys are among the goodies include in this option.
Inside, the Touring Sedan's leather seats are perforated and the simulated wood trim is darker than on other Town Cars. This attempt at a sporty interior leaves a bit to be desired as bucket seats and a console are not even an option (look to the Town Car's stablemates, the Continental and the new LS series, if you want this setup). And the fake wood is so dark it looks like black plastic. On the upside, there is plenty of room for five adults to ride in comfort. A sixth person could sit up front in the middle, but it would be tight.
The trunk is huge and has a power pull-down feature that closes the trunk lid without requiring a healthy shove. Though there is nearly 21 cubic feet of trunk volume, it's not used easily. For some unknown reason, the spare tire is located near the middle of the trunk on a plateau, which makes loading the trunk somewhat frustrating.
The 4.6-liter, SOHC V8 is so quiet at idle that some of us couldn't tell the engine was running. And even when the throttle is floored, the engine's voice never got louder than a murmur. Acceleration for a 4000-pound luxury car is very good, with the zero-to-60 mph dash done in about 8 seconds, according to our informal blast-out-of-the-tollbooth test. And as we expected, the four-speed automatic performed its duties without drawing attention to itself. Highway cruising is a breeze, and fuel mileage, at around 20 mpg for mostly highway driving, isn't bad for a car this size.
Handling with the Touring Sedan option is a pleasant surprise. The Town Car felt buttoned-down in fast, sweeping curves, and exhibited none of the floating and weaving that was expected. Steering feel is firm and though there isn't much feedback, the car goes where it's pointed and tracks arrow-straight on the highway. The ride doesn't suffer for the tightened-up chassis either; as the Lincoln had as smooth a ride as one could want. Kudos to the suspension team that somehow made this car handle without losing the magic-carpet ride over the bumps.
Braking performance of the standard four-wheel discs was strong. Pedal action was progressive and as a result the binders were easy to modulate. Under hard braking there was little of the expected "nose dive," perhaps another benefit of the firmer Touring Sedan suspension.
Lincoln's attempt at making their traditional American luxury sedan more enjoyable for drivers is generally a success. True enthusiasts spending over 40 large would probably consider other cars (of German heritage, we'd guess), and give up some passenger room in exchange for a more exciting driving experience. But for those who love the luxury cars of old yet still like to drive, the Town Car Touring Sedan may be their cup of java.
When it was redesigned last year, the Town Car lost its opera windows and about 200 pounds. Overall, the new style is clean, with a profile that is chiseled and strong. The only discordant element is the strange headlamp design that appears as though penned by an action comic-book artist. Three trim levels of the Town Car are available: the base Executive, midline Signature, and top-of-the-heap Cartier. The Executive comes loaded with luxury: leather seating, power-adjusted front seats with power recliners and automatic climate control are all included in the entry-level Town Car (why Lincoln spoiled this classic name with that "Executive" tag is beyond us). Safety features abound as well, with antilock brakes, traction control and front side-impact airbags among the standard fare. Stepping up to the Signature adds a few perks such as power lumbar supports in front, a powerful Alpine stereo system, and steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo and climate-control systems. The Cartier gilds the lily with higher-grade leather, heated seats, chrome wheels and, of course, a Cartier clock.
The tested Signature was equipped with the aforementioned Touring Sedan option, which provides the big Lincoln with some sporting hardware. Dual exhaust (good for bumping the horsepower rating from 200 to 220), a handling-oriented suspension (Never thought we'd see those words associated with a Town Car!), and performance tires mounted on chromed alloys are among the goodies include in this option.
Inside, the Touring Sedan's leather seats are perforated and the simulated wood trim is darker than on other Town Cars. This attempt at a sporty interior leaves a bit to be desired as bucket seats and a console are not even an option (look to the Town Car's stablemates, the Continental and the new LS series, if you want this setup). And the fake wood is so dark it looks like black plastic. On the upside, there is plenty of room for five adults to ride in comfort. A sixth person could sit up front in the middle, but it would be tight.
The trunk is huge and has a power pull-down feature that closes the trunk lid without requiring a healthy shove. Though there is nearly 21 cubic feet of trunk volume, it's not used easily. For some unknown reason, the spare tire is located near the middle of the trunk on a plateau, which makes loading the trunk somewhat frustrating.
The 4.6-liter, SOHC V8 is so quiet at idle that some of us couldn't tell the engine was running. And even when the throttle is floored, the engine's voice never got louder than a murmur. Acceleration for a 4000-pound luxury car is very good, with the zero-to-60 mph dash done in about 8 seconds, according to our informal blast-out-of-the-tollbooth test. And as we expected, the four-speed automatic performed its duties without drawing attention to itself. Highway cruising is a breeze, and fuel mileage, at around 20 mpg for mostly highway driving, isn't bad for a car this size.
Handling with the Touring Sedan option is a pleasant surprise. The Town Car felt buttoned-down in fast, sweeping curves, and exhibited none of the floating and weaving that was expected. Steering feel is firm and though there isn't much feedback, the car goes where it's pointed and tracks arrow-straight on the highway. The ride doesn't suffer for the tightened-up chassis either; as the Lincoln had as smooth a ride as one could want. Kudos to the suspension team that somehow made this car handle without losing the magic-carpet ride over the bumps.
Braking performance of the standard four-wheel discs was strong. Pedal action was progressive and as a result the binders were easy to modulate. Under hard braking there was little of the expected "nose dive," perhaps another benefit of the firmer Touring Sedan suspension.
Lincoln's attempt at making their traditional American luxury sedan more enjoyable for drivers is generally a success. True enthusiasts spending over 40 large would probably consider other cars (of German heritage, we'd guess), and give up some passenger room in exchange for a more exciting driving experience. But for those who love the luxury cars of old yet still like to drive, the Town Car Touring Sedan may be their cup of java.
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