2000-06 Lincoln LS
“Pour some Clorox on the tires and watch the smoke pour off! I can almost hear that ‘Dukes of Hazzard horn,” writes the enthusiastic owner of a Lincoln LS on the Internet.
Somehow it’s hard to picture a 65-year-old driver (Lincoln owners’ median age) applying bleach on his tires and doing donuts in a parking lot on a Friday night.
Virtual proof that Lincoln has managed to reach a new, younger demographic with its LS sedan.
Launched in 1999 as a 2000 model, its mission was to lure baby-boomers into Lincoln showrooms with the promise of import-like refinement and sporting pretensions. It even went so far as to offer a manual transmission, the first in a Lincoln since 1951.
Ford’s engineers don’t readily admit it, but the BMW 5 Series made a handy template for the LS, with dimensions and weights that are within spitting distance of each other.
Likewise, the V6 and V8 engines powered the rear tires, not the front, in a nod to the god of excessive wheelspin. Blessed are the bleach makers.
CONFIGURATION
To help diffuse development costs, the LS was built on an all-new platform with which Ford used to underpin the Jaguar S-Type. Both cars were four-door sedans exclusively.
Buyers could choose from a reworked 3.0-litre DOHC V6 taken from the lunch-bucket Taurus or a 3.9-litre DOHC V8 borrowed from Jaguar.
The V8 was actually a detuned version with different cylinder heads and a displacement reduction from 4.0 litres, so as not too upstage the premium Brit brand. In the Lincoln, the V8 produced 252 healthy horses, while the pumped-up V6 made 210.
Buyers of the V6 could choose between the aforementioned Getrag five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Drivers of the V8 could only get the autobox, with the added feature of ‘manumatic’ shifting (optional on the V6 automatic).
To help keep weight down, Ford specified the control arms, hood, front fenders and trunk lid all be fabricated from aluminum. To approximate ideal 50/50-weight distribution front to rear, Lincoln used an old hot-rodder’s trick and relocated the battery in the trunk.
Inside, the cabin was a little snug but well appointed. Unlike other Lincolns with their broad instrument panels, this one was designed for the driver’s viewing only. Curious passengers needn’t try to peek at the speedo.
“I consistently drive at between 80 and 120 (mph) and my wife, who is somewhat tolerant, has noted that the car feels very good at those speeds,” boasted a driver on the web.
One nice touch was the 60/40 folding seatback, which expanded cargo options as needed. Unfortunately, the trunk was small for a Lincoln – given that its bigger brethren are the airport-limousine standard.
The LS got a mid-generation refreshing for 2003, with styling tweaks that included updated facades front and rear, and cool nickel-look trim inside. Power-adjustable pedals became standard.
More significantly, variable-valve timing was added to both engines, boosting peak horsepower to 280 in the V8 and 232 in the Taurus-derived V6. A five-speed autobox was the only transmission.
ON THE ROAD
In V6 form, the LS was a polite tourer with uncommonly good road manners. The sedan hits highway speed in 8.0 seconds (almost 9 with the automatic), which is competent but nowhere near the sport sedan standard.
But with its independent rear suspension and wide track, the LS is surprisingly adept at carving its own path on the tarmac. It can generate 0.84 g of grip on a circular skidpad, besting the BMW 330i, and exhibits excellent balance and neutral steering.
“The car will enter a relatively stable four-wheel drift condition long after many vehicles would have lost control and broken loose on either the front or rear wheels,” one owner posted.
For envy-inducing peel-outs, the V8-powered LS comes recommended. The extra-strength 2003 model could hit 96 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The down side is lousy fuel economy, with city mileage as low as 14 mpg (20 litres/100 km), owners reported.
Published comparison tests with other sports sedans usually ranked the LS at the back of the pack. Magazine editors singled out two problems with the car’s manners: unpleasant brake feel (particularly during heavy use) and an overly firm ride with the Sport suspension.
Unflattering things were also said of the five-speed autobox, which was reticent to downshift at the right moments.
“Hot-rod Lincoln was more fun as a pop tune,” mused an editor.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
“Well-balanced” is the most-oft mentioned attribute of the LS. Owners appreciated the care taken in engineering this German-baiting sedan.
“It’s an incredibly comfortable, quiet touring car that can be driven quite quickly,” concluded one owner, who called it a great rain car. Another noted that the switchable traction control made the rear-drive car sure-footed in snowy conditions.
Beyond the good road manners and creature comforts, however, the Michigan-built LS also exhibited a fair number of mechanical problems.
Reported weaknesses include faulty air conditioning and heated driver’s seat, broken window regulators, air-flow regulators and traction control, as well as assorted electrical glitches. Moisture in the headlight assembly was a common complaint.
A number of owners griped about vibration at speed, which some traced back to the car’s standard Firestone tires – an unusual choice for a premium sports sedan.
Overall, the LS represents a skilled attempt by Ford at building an Autobahn speedwagon utilizing its trans-Atlantic resources. It may not be the most reliable sports sedan, but hey, neither are those vaunted nameplates from the Rhineland.
And the best part is, depreciation has been swift and steep, making a second-hand LS a decent buy. Get the V8 and steal some bleach from the laundry room.
