Upon
driving the Lincoln LS upon its initial introduction in San Francisco in 1999,
we expressed-in a bit of understatement-that we could imagine way worse things
than being stuck in a Lincoln LS for, say, a decade or two. In 2003, as the LS
receives is first major update since we made that statement, that comment still
rings true (and yes, it's still an understatement). You
might not have noticed, but the '03 LS got a slight facelift, giving it a slightly
revised grille, staggered-diameter headlights and a tidier tush. The wheels choices
are new as well, with more thick spokes across the board. Overall, though, the
styling remains conservative, walking a fine line of appeal to the buyers who
are drawn to established Lincoln values as well as those who have more "Euro"
inclinations. Color, we've found, makes all the difference in the world on this
car, with the lighter shades appealing to the traditional set, and the darker
colors giving it more of an edge. The
interior of the LS received more significant enhancements. Gone is the hard black
plastic around the stereo and climate controls, replaced by classy satin-nickel-finish
metallic surfacing. There are also changes to the seat materials and other interior
components. Audiophiles will sing the praises of the offering of a phenomenal
new stereo system codeveloped with hi-fi legend THX. Options include a navigation
system, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats. The
LS features rear-wheel drive, regardless of which enhanced engine you choose.
The V-6 now makes a strong 232 hp, while the V-8 now puts out a Herculean 280
hp-both are mated to 5-speed automatic transmissions either with or without a
manual control feature. The LS Sport boasts some of the best handling of any Ford/Lincoln/Mercury
product anywhere, while the ride is silky smooth and whisper quiet, as only befits
a Lincoln. |