Driving Impressions

Think of the Town Car as an extension of your living room: Your house doesn't squeak, rattle or roar around you, and neither does the Town Car. It's exceptionally proficient at blocking out engine and traffic noise, as well as the racket caused by tires rolling over coarse road surfaces. You rarely need to raise your voice to hold a conversation with someone in the backseat. Wind noise, though, increases when the car accelerates beyond 50 mph, probably due to those big new mirrors. Another thing your house doesn't do, unless you live in Southern California, is shake or bounce around you, and neither does the Town Car. Its suspension absorbs most bumps and jolts in a way that few automobiles can match. The result is one of the smoothest, most comfortable rides imaginable - small wonder that these cars are favorites with limousine companies. In general, the engine provides plenty of power for passing and freeway merging. But this is still a big, heavy car. When we put the pedal down on an interstate entrance ramp, the engine growled audibly and the resulting acceleration was less than breathtaking. Handling can be improved with the optional ride control package, which includes 16-in. tires (versus 15-in. standard) and alloy wheels. Still, this is not a car built for hot-rodding around town. Whip through a turn too quickly and there's a considerable amount of body roll. Race up to a stop sign too fast and you've really got to push hard on the brakes to get all 4000 lb. to a safe halt. Drive sanely, though, and the Town Car is a dream.

Final Word

If you're looking for a luxury sedan that can make a 5-hour trip feel like a 5-minute drive across town, this is certainly one of them. The Lincoln Town Car is a strong candidate for a berth among America's top five highway cruisers. Sure, you have to watch out in parking lots and other tight spaces. It's big. But for a car of this size, it's surprisingly effortless to drive. The Town Car is far from flashy or sporty. There are much faster $40,000 cars and the Town Car's design won't be mistaken for fine art. But Ford is right. The Town Car is stately. It's classy transportation. Does that ever go out of style?