Lincoln Town Car reviews

1998 Lincoln Town Car Driving Impressions

Even with the Touring package, 3.55:1 rear-axle ratio and 220 horsepower on tap, the Town Car Signature Series lacks the strong performance of some of its competitors. With its 282 cubic-inch engine, it just doesn't get away from a stoplight like a $40,000 car should these days. It's not that it's slow, but its chief competition has 275 horsepower, a palpable increase.

Transmission feel and function are greatly improved over the 1997 Town Car, with shifts that take only 0.6 seconds as opposed to 1.2 seconds in the old car. The fourth gear overdrive can be switched off for climbing and descending long grades. The full-time all-speed traction control can also be switched off for climbing out of snow banks or other special situations.

What most veteran Town Car owners will notice on their first drive are the vastly improved steering and suspension. Ford has redesigned the steering system with more expensive components-- replacing bushings with bearings, for instance--that give improved steering precision and feel. The air suspension system boasts new twin-tube shock absorbers; and the Touring Package comes with shocks that are 50 percent larger for a less floaty, less jarring ride. Another more expensive solution is the rear suspension that uses a new Watts linkage between the axle housing and the frame designed to improve both handling and ride quality--usually mutually exclusive goals. The trailing arms have also been redesigned to be parallel to the frame. All this adds up to a much more pleasant ride. The 1998 Town Car feels glued to the road. Handling is much more predictable in lane-change maneuvers, without the momentary indecisiveness that characterized the old car.

Brakes have been upgraded with bigger, thicker front discs and new twin-piston calipers. With 25 percent more swept area, the new brakes are less likely to fade away when hot, such as excessive use in the mountains. We weren't happy with the brakes on the 1997 model and are pleased to see brakes that will take a great deal of Even with the Touring package, 3.55:1 rear-axle ratio and 220 horsepower on tap, the Town Car Signature Series lacks the strong performance of some of its competitors. With its 282 cubic-inch engine, it just doesn't get away from a stoplight like a $40,000 car should these days. It's not that it's slow, but its chief competition has 275 horsepower, a palpable increase.

Transmission feel and function are greatly improved over the 1997 Town Car, with shifts that take only 0.6 seconds as opposed to 1.2 seconds in the old car. The fourth gear overdrive can be switched off for climbing and descending long grades. The full-time all-speed traction control can also be switched off for climbing out of snow banks or other special situations.

What most veteran Town Car owners will notice on their first drive are the vastly improved steering and suspension. Ford has redesigned the steering system with more expensive components-- replacing bushings with bearings, for instance--that give improved steering precision and feel. The air suspension system boasts new twin-tube shock absorbers; and the Touring Package comes with shocks that are 50 percent larger for a less floaty, less jarring ride. Another more expensive solution is the rear suspension that uses a new Watts linkage between the axle housing and the frame designed to improve both handling and ride quality--usually mutually exclusive goals. The trailing arms have also been redesigned to be parallel to the frame. All this adds up to a much more pleasant ride. The 1998 Town Car feels glued to the road. Handling is much more predictable in lane-change maneuvers, without the momentary indecisiveness that characterized the old car.

Brakes have been upgraded with bigger, thicker front discs and new twin-piston calipers. With 25 percent more swept area, the new brakes are less likely to fade away when hot, such as excessive use in the mountains. We w