The rear seatback can be folded down in a 60/40 split for access to the trunk; that's unusual for a luxury car, but a great convenience for carrying longer items. The trunk offers a reasonable amount of space

Driving Impressions

Driving the Lincoln LS is a joy. The steering is excellent, among the nicest of any car on the road. Steering effort increases smoothly with speed. The LS rides smoothly but still feels connected to the road. By luxury car standards, however, there is a fair amount of road vibration transmitted through the seat and steering wheel. The front suspension doesn't react well to sharp bumps.

Rear-wheel drive contributes to the handling of the LS. The LS offers a nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution (half the weight is on the front wheels and half is over the rear wheels). Most cars have a definite weight bias toward the front end. To help it achieve this balancing act, Lincoln moved the battery to the trunk and used lightweight (and expensive) aluminum for the hood and front fenders.

The V8 engine feels smooth and sophisticated. It communicates with the transmission for smooth shifts. Punch it, and it delivers strong acceleration. The V8 is rated at 252 horsepower and 261 pounds-feet of torque. The throttle is sensitive to tip-in, making it easy to lurch off the line when taking off at intersections.

The V6 now develops 220 horsepower and 215 pounds-feet of torque, up 10 horsepower and 10 pounds-feet from last year.

The automatic transmission shifts smoothly, but is a bit slow to shift at times. Sport models come with a feature that allows the driver to choose either fully automatic or manual shifting, called SelectShift. In the manual mode, the driver changes gears by pushing the gearshift lever forward to shift up or by pulling it back to shift down. A computer overrides any human slip-ups that might damage the driveline.

The available manual gearbox is a German Getrag five-speed manual gearbox. It's smooth and precise. Shifting is satisfying and it helps the V6 deliver straight-line acceleration that is nearly as quick as that of the V8 with the automatic. This makes the LS V6 fun to drive on windy mountain roads.

The brakes are excellent, easy to modulate for light or heavy braking

Summary

Lincoln LS delivers good performance and handling. It offers a strong value when compared with fine luxury sedans from Europe and Japan.

Mitch McCullough contributed to this report.

Model Line Overview

Model lineup:V6 ($33,045); V6 Convenience ($34,230); V6 Sport ($35,030); V6 Premium ($36,335); V8 ($37,220); V8 Sport ($38,075); V8 Premium ($39,395)

Engines:220-hp 3.0-liter dohc 24-valve V6; 252-hp 3.9-liter dohc 32-valve V8

Transmissions:5-speed manual; 5-speed automatic

Safety equipment (standard):dual front airbags, side-impact airbags, ABS, traction control

Safety equipment (optional):stability control

Basic warranty:4 years/50,000 miles