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Lincoln Town Car
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	1981–2007
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car
Body style	4-door sedan
Platform	FR Panther
Related	Mercury Grand Marquis Mercury Marauder Ford Crown Victoria
Chronology
Predecessor	Lincoln Continental
Successor	Lincoln MKS

The Lincoln Town Car is a full-size luxury car and serves as the flagship of Ford's luxury Lincoln division. Often referred as a traditional American luxury sedan the Town Car features a V8 engine, rear wheel drive, very generous exterior and interior dimensions as well as a "Pillowy ride and chrome aplenty." (Forbes) The Town Car is currently the largest American-made car, measuring nearly 18 feet in length for a standard Town Car and 18 1/2 ft for an L Edition. The Town Car's main competitors include the Lexus LS 460 and Cadillac DTS. The Town Car is manufactured in the Wixom Assembly Plant. While relatively affordable when compared to European flagship luxury sedans, the Town Car is currently the most expensive American luxury sedan (according to base MSRP) with prices ranging from US$42,875 for a basic Signature Series to $56,745 for a top-of-the-line Signature L Series.

In February 2006, Ford announced that it plans to close the Wixom Assembly Plant, as part of The Way Forward. Production of the Town Car at Wixom is expected continue into the second quarter of 2007, at which point the assembly plant is scheduled to close. In June, 2006, Ford announced that it will not move production to St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada (where the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis are produced), likely meaning that Town Car production will end permanently. The Lincoln MKS will become Lincoln's new flagship as a replacement for the Town Car.

Name

It is probably not a coincidence that "Town Car" is a translation of Cadillac's "Sedan de Ville," a model which was gaining popularity in the 1950s. Both names refer to a classic style of limousine, popular in the 1920s, which had an open chauffeur's compartment up front, but only Lincoln has sometimes attempted to make its modern models visually suggest their older namesakes. As an example, note the vinyl roof covering on the 1979 model shown below. It sweeps down the center pillar as part of a raised molding, complete with opera lamps, which suggests a partition between front and rear seats, while no vinyl is applied to the front section of the roof over the driver.

History

The Town Car name appeared on several trim levels on the Lincoln Continental flagship sedan in from 1959 to 1980. In 1981, the Lincoln Town Car became a model in its own right and became Lincoln's largest sedan as well as its flagship vehicle. Since then, there have been three generations of the Town Car with additional minor redesigns, one in 1995 and another one in 2003.

Pre-1981

The Town Car name first appeared in the Lincoln line in 1959, on a special limousine-like version of the standard Continental. This first Town Car was available only in black and was identifiable by a unique padded vinyl top, which was a rarity at that time.

After its first appearance in 1959, the Town Car name went dormant for 10 years, and re-emerged as an especially plush interior option package for the 1969 Lincoln Continental.

It next appeared as a trim option in 1971, and thereafter continued through 1980 as the top-line trim option package for the Lincoln Continental. Again, the Town Car trim featured an extra plush interior along with, usually but not always, a landau vinyl roof over the rear passenger compartment. The Town Car badge has always been applied to sedans, but from 1975 to 1980, there was a similar option for coupes called the Town Coupe.

First generation

Since 1981, the Town Car has been considered a model in its own right, replacing the Continental (whose name reappeared a year later on a smaller model). Upon its introduction, the Town Car immediately became Lincoln's flagship model, a purpose it continues to serve to this day.

The first generation Town Car featured a body profile and grille similar to that of the late 1970s Lincoln Continental. The interior layout included new seats, dashboard and door panels. The exterior door panels and fenders were also completely new, while the taillights and trunk lid experienced a slight redesign. To keep up with current design trends, the previously covered headlights were now exposed and composed of two adjoining square units.

The first generation Town Car also featured many advanced luxury options for its time. While leather trim was only available on the Cartier edition, all trim levels featured six-way power seats as well as an optional 12-speaker JBL audio system.

Similar to the Continental Town Car package, a half-vinyl coach roof with frenched rear window was also a standard option on the Signature and Cartier models.

The introduction of the Town Car was also the end for 400 in³ and 460 in³ V8 engines in Lincoln's line-up; they were replaced with the very popular 302 in³ (5.0 L) V8. The transmission also changed to a 4-speed automatic with overdrive.

1985

For 1985, the Town Car received minor design updates. The design scheme introduced for 1985 included a reflector running in between both taillights underneath the license plate frame, a design feature kept for the second generation Town Car. The spare tire "hump" was removed as well, as it was a carry over from the 1979 Continental. 1985 also saw the introduction of newer more ergonomically designed seats, featuring enhanced lumbar support.

Second generation

Second generation
Overview
Production	1990–1997
Powertrain
Engine	4.6 L V8 5.0 L V8
Transmission	4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	117.4 in (2982 mm)
Length	218.9 in (5560 mm)
Width	76.7 in (1948 mm)
Height	56.9 in (1444 mm)
Curb weight	4040 lb (1818 kg)

In 1990, the Town Car's body went through a major redesign and a rear air suspension was added as standard equipment. That year, it was also named as Motor Trend's Car of the Year. Through most of this model run, the car was available in three trim levels: Executive, Signature, and Cartier, in increasing order of price and appointment of features.

The 1990 Lincoln Town Car also marked the end of the Town Car's 1970s-based angular design. The wedges on the side of the hood which contained the parking and signal lights were removed and the Rolls-Royce-like grille was replaced with a more modern and more aerodynamic front fascia. Parking lights were now located adjoining to the grille and the headlights wrapped around the corners of the front. The door panels and fenders were replaced as well, while the trunk lid and taillights remained somewhat more similar to the 1980s model. The revised interior featured a new dashboard, seats, and interior door panels.

1991 saw the introduction of Ford's new Modular V8, an SOHC design replacing the Ford 302 Windsor. Also standard in 1991 were dual front driver and passenger airbags.

1995

The Town Car underwent a minor exterior facelift for the 1995 model year. Changes to the exterior included smaller, clear headlights as well as additional running lights in the rear.

The interior was completely revamped. The Town Car received a new dashboard, new seats and new interior door panels. The angular interior shapes from the 1990 to 1994 model's interior were replaced by more modern-looking curved design elements. Many of the new interior components, such as the dashboard, featured a so-called "organic" design. 1995 also saw the introduction of a new steering wheel, which was used in all Panther-based sedans until 2004.

Third generation

Third generation
Overview
Production	1998–2007
Powertrain
Engine	4.6 L: V8
Transmission	4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	117.7 in (2942 mm) 123.7 in (3092 mm)
Length	215.3 in (5469 mm) 221.4 in (5624 mm) (L)
Width	78.2 in (1986 mm)
Height	58 in (1450 mm)
Curb weight	4467 lb (2100 kg)

The 1990 body style remained primarily unchanged until the next new body style premiered in 1998, a redesign which included the removal of the car's hood ornament and more angular shapes. The Cartier model also recieved a 220 hp version of the Modular V8.

The more boxy Town Car design of the 1990s was replaced by a curvacious design scheme with a downwards sloping trunklid, pursed lip grille and cat-eye headlights.

While the Town Car lost three inches in overall length, the new Town Car was two inches wider, one inch taller, and weighed 600 pounds more. The post-1997 Town Car features a slightly longer wheelbase as well.

The interior was also completely redesigned. Door and instrument panels as well as the radio face, switches and controls were redone. Additional wood trim was added to the newly designed dahsboard and the door panels. The power seat controls were moved to the door panels. Lincoln emblems were also added to the door panels.

A factory option available to individual owners of Town Cars since 2001 has been a version of the Town Car with an extra six inches of rear seat legroom, designated as the "L" or "long" version. This model provides extra amenities for rear-seat passengers, including a unique rear-seat switch that allows the front-passenger seat to be moved forward as desired for extra room in the rear.

A Touring Edition also became available in late 2000. The Touring Edition featured a more powerful 235 hp version of the Town Car's Modular V8 engine, dual exhaust pipes and unique 16 inch alloy wheels with larger tires.

2003

A minor body redesign in 2003 added the hood ornament back again. 2003 also marked the last year that the Town Car was available in a trim package with the name "Cartier" (1981 to 2003). Beginning with the 2004 model year, the top-of-the-line Town Car was instead designated as the "Ultimate". The Touring edition (on the Signature model only) was dropped likely because the handling of 2003 Town Cars were far better than last year's Touring edition. The 4.6 L V8 with 239 hp was also introduced for the 2003 model year.

The interior remained largely unchanged for 2003. More brushed satin metals and an analog clock were added to the interior. The Lincoln emblems on the door panels were removed and the radio face including climate controls received a facelift.

For the 2005 model year, the Ultimate trim level was dropped. The trim levels for the 2005 Lincoln Town Car were: Signature, Signature Limited, and the Signature L with a lengthened wheel-base.

For 2006, the model trim levels were changed again. The trim levels for the 2006 Town Car are: Signature, Signature Limited, Designer, and Signature L.

The Town Car overwhelmingly dominates the limousine market in the United States, since it is the only American luxury car still in production with body on frame construction, making the production of stretched versions easier than with unibody construction.

Trim levels

In 1981 the Town Car was introduced in three trim levels, the base Executive Series, the mid-range Signature Series, and the top-of-the-line Cartier. The trim levels remained unchaged until 2003, when the Executive Series and Cartier names were dropped. The Signature Series did not any longer represent the mid-range model, rather it replaced the Executive Series with Ultimate designation being used for the mid-range and top model, which was formerly called the Cartier. In 2005, however, the lineup was changed again. For 2005 only, the Ultimate designation was dropped, with only the Signature Series designation being used for all three trim levels. In 2006, Lincoln introduced the Desginer Series as an additional trim-level to fit in between the mid-range Signature Limited Series and the top Singature L Series.

Executive (1981 - 2003)
The Executive Series was the basic trim levels and thus also most affordable trim level on the Lincoln Town Car from 1981 through 2003. The Executive Series designation is still used today, but only on fleet vehicles.

Signature (1981 - 2007)
The Signature Series was the mid-level trim and was also the most popular trim level from 1981 through 2003. In 2004 the trim levels were renamed, and the Signature Series was now used to describe the basic trim level and Ultimate was now used to describe the mid-level trim. In 2005 the Ultimate was dropped and all trim levels were changed to a version of Signature. The basic trim level for 2005 was called Signature, the mid trim level was called Signature Limited and the top-of-line trim-level was called Signature L. The trim level designations were revised again for the 2006 model year. For 2006 a trim level called the Designer Series was added between the Signature Limited and top-of-line Signature L.

Cartier (1981 - 2003)
Cartier was used on the top-of-line Town Car from 1981 through 2003. The Cartier also featured its own version of Lincoln emblem which was stitched onto the seats. Golden Lincoln emblems on the tail-lights also became a staplemark on the Cartier Edition on 1998 through 2002 models.

Ultimate (2004 only)
Ultimate was only used on the 2004 Town Car. Ultimate designation was the mid-level trim, while Ultimate L was the designation used for the top-of-line Lincoln.

L Edition (2001 - 2007)
The designation "L" was used on Lincoln Town Cars with extended wheelbases. The L editions offer an additional six inches of legroom as well as separate audio and climate controls for rear passengers. While this desgination is similar to that used on other luxury flagship sedans such as the BMW 7-Series or the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the "L" designation was never its own trim option on the Town Car. Instead the L edition was applied to the top-of-line Cartier (2003), Ultimate (2004 only), and Signature (2005 - present) Series trim levels.

Designer (2006 - 2007)
The Designer Series is an upper-middle trim level in between the mid-level Signature Limited and top-of-the-line Signature L. The Designer Series is roughly $1,000 more expenive than the mid-level Signature Limited with a starting MSRP of $45,915.

Trim level timeline

Fuel tank safety concerns

While the car has been highly rated for safety, there was some controversy and lawsuits in the 1990s over Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Ford Crown Victoria gas tank leaks after certain types of high energy impacts, specifically when being hit at a certain angle offset in the rear at speeds greater than 85 mph (137 km/h). These impacts did cause fuel tank failures in the Town Car. However, the impacts also caused similar failures (and at higher rates) in other popular law enforcement models such as the Chevrolet Impala. For comparison, the survival rate for these type of collisions were higher for the Town Car (and stablemates) than any other current mid-sized sedan, which perform worse due to their much lighter construction, lower weight, and shorter distance for a crumple zone.

The reports that the cars were more prone to fires during a rear collision was a simple combination of three things. First, most law enforcement agencies rely heavily on the Vic as their primary vehicle, meaning that any police-related auto accident is very likely to involve a Crown Victoria. Second, the accidents occurred as the result of the officers intentionally parking their vehicles close to active traffic to "shield" a stopped motorist - something most civilians would never do. Third, the impacting vehicle was often traveling at, or above, the posted legal limit (70-75 mph in most jurisdictions).

The condition was exacerbated by police equipment installers drilling over the package tray in the luggage compartment. Due to the gas tank's orientation, drilling through the package tray may result in drilling into the gas tank. Installers also used screws set directly into the bulkhead and facing the fuel tank. In the event of a high-energy collision, these screws could be forced into the tank, both rupturing the tank and possibly act as a spark source. Long bolts for mounting heavier equipment were also directly suspect. Further, many investigations, both performed by federal/state agencies, and the police department themselves, have found that removeable items in the trunk were improperly stowed. These items became tank-piercing projectiles during the rear-collision scenarios. Ford's solution came in the form of a recall kit including patterns to mark unsafe areas (to drill) in the luggage compartment. Also included were rubberized kevlar and hard ballistic nylon shields for the differential cover lower shock bolts. They also included a kevlar-based trunk liner. Ford used similar kits on early-1980s model passenger vehicles. For 2005 and newer models, Ford offers the first-ever on-board fire-suppression system for the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor units, which effectively choke any fire on-board when detected.

The problem, for all intents and purposes, ceases to exist when the vehicles are struck at ordinary speeds and in conditions most motorists face. In fact, police fatalities were no higher in the Crown Victoria than the Chevrolet Caprice..

Despite numerous court cases charging Ford with partial liability for fires caused in accidents, the company has been exonerated and the "average Joe" safe nature of the Crown Victora reconfirmed. An attempted class-action suit in Belvidere, Illinois in 2004 failed as well.

Awards

Over its twenty-five year run, the Town Car has become one of best selling luxury cars of the United States and received several awards in the process.

• Highest Customer Satisfaction. According to J.D. Power and Associates the Lincoln marque has the highest customer satisfaction of any car brand. "Lincoln outperforms other brands in the areas of service initiation and user-friendly service. Lincoln customers are particularly pleased with the dealership’s ability to get them in for an appointment within a reasonable amount of time and the fairness of charges. Lincoln is the first domestic make to rank highest in CSI for two consecutive years." - JD Power Associates 2005. Lincoln is followed by Cadillac, which ranked second, and Lexus which ranked fourth in the study.
• Highest Customer Loyalty. Over two-thirds of Town Car buyers are repeat buyers with 60% not even considering the purchase of another luxury vehicle besides the Town Car.
• Roominess. According to Forbes, Edmunds.com and NCTD, the Town Car is the most spacious luxury sedan under $200k; an honor easily proven by the interior's generous dimensions. A standard wheel-base Town Car features 112.7 ft³ of interior volume versus 105 ft³ in the Mercedes-Benz S 600 or 111 ft³ in the extended wheelbase BMW 760il. The difference is even greater when comparing the Signature L Series with its enormous 120.5 ft³ of interior space.
• One of the best chauffeured cars. Forbes magazine repeatedly named the Town Car one of the best cars to be chauffeured in, ahead of other, often more expensive flagship sedans, such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS. The Town Car Signature L features a rear seat comfort package which not only provides rear seat passengers with audio system and rear compartment climate controls, but also features a control function which allows for the rear seat occupants to move the passenger seat forward, a feature exclusive to few ultra-luxury sedans. In addition to its many amenities, the Signature L also features an unrivaled 46.9 in of rear legroom, and 60 in of rear shoulder room.
• Highest Possible Safety Rating. The Town Car has repeatedly earned the government's highest five star safety rating, a rating that shouldn't come as surprise considering the vehicle's overall length, width, and large overhangs. "Five stars in five categories. Town Car is the first car in automotive history to receive a five-star rating in all five categories" - Lincoln web-site. The Town Car is also the only vehicles to receive a five star rating in all five categories for five years in a row, from 2001 to 2006.
• Quietness. The third generation Town Car is one of the quietest vehicles on the road with an interior noise level of only 36 decibels while idling. The average decibel rating for a vehicle is roughly 45 decibels with the world's quietest car, the Lexus LS averaging 32 decibels.
• Car of the Year. In 1990, upon the introduction of the second generation Town Car, the vehicle received the honor of being named Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Engine Specifications

References

1. ^ "Forbes, Lincoln Town Car review, 2006". Retrieved 2006-08-02.
2. ^ "Official Lincoln Town Car technical specifications". Retrieved 2006-06-22. Cite error: The named reference "Official Lincoln Town Car technical specifications" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
3. "On the Ropes: Plant closure, low sales could sink Lincoln's venerable Town Car flagship". AutoWeek. Retrieved June 26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
4. ^ Design changes description for second generation "Design changes for the second generation Town Car". Retrieved 2006-08-02. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
5. ^ "Forbes, best chauffeured cars".
6. "Saftey Rating". Retrieved 2006-08-02.
7. "Quiteness". Retrieved 2006-08-02.
8. "Motor trend car of the year 1990". Retrieved 2006-08-02.

• New Car Test Drive Town Car Data Specifications concerning Engine Data and Dimensions.
• Lincoln Town Car Owner's Manual. Technical Data as well as features.
• Additional description of design changes
• Design changes description for second generation
• New Car Test Drive review
• Traditional American Luxury

See also

• Ford Crown Victoria/Police Interceptor
• Mercury Grand Marquis/Marauder
• Ford Panther platform
• Ford Motor Company

External links

• Official Lincoln Site
• Jonelle's Crown Vics, etc.
• Lincoln vs Cadillac Town Car Forum
• Lincolntowncar.org
• Lincoln Town Cars of the 1990s
• Third generation review at Edmunds.com
• Lincoln/Lexus comparision & review by Forbes

• Flagship vehicles
• Full-size vehicles
• Lincoln vehicles
• Luxury vehicles
• Prestige vehicles
• Rear wheel drive vehicles
• Sedans
• 1980s automobiles
• 1990s automobiles
• 2000s automobiles
• Goods manufactured in the United States