Lincoln does not build many cars like the Lincoln LS: a 4-door sedan with 3.0 , built from 1999 to 2006 when airbags, anti-lock brakes and Japanese build quality became the world standard. Its designer of record is Helmuth Schrader (1995).
The story
The Lincoln LS is a mid-size luxury car which was manufactured and marketed by the Lincoln Motor Company for the 2000-through-2006 model years, having entered production in June 1999. Primarily sold in the North American market, it is a four-door sedan with seating for five occupants. The LS has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and either a V8 or V6 engine, with the latter configuration initially offered with a manual transmission. Described as a sport sedan, it has a near 50/50 weight distribution, and aimed to provide a blend of luxury and sport to attract a new generation of buyers to the Lincoln brand.
Produced at a time when Lincoln formed a part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group division. the LS shared the Ford DEW98 platform with the Jaguar S-Type and the eleventh-generation Ford Thunderbird. Trim levels ranged from the base V6 model to the Special Edition V8 LSE trims in 2004, with revised front and rear fascia, taillights and foglights, and front grille. LS models were manufactured at Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant until production ended on April 3, 2006, and the plant was idled as part of Ford's The Way Forward. Approximately 262,900 were manufactured, including 2,331 with manual transmissions and 1,500 LSE editions.
What is underneath
Under the skin sits 3.0 other versions carried different engines, listed in the specification table below. Kerb weight is 3692 lb. The gearbox is a 2000–2002 Getrag 221 5-speed manual / 2000–2002 Ford 5R55N 5-speed automatic / 2003–2006 Ford 5R55S 5-speed automatic w/ SelectShift. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 114.5 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Its place in the line
Where it sits in Lincoln's history is not in doubt: the Lincoln MKZ and Lincoln MKS followed it; it was built at Wixom, Michigan, U.S.. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Toyota Yaris, the SEAT León, the Škoda Auto Škoda Fabia. Nearby in the Lincoln catalogue sit the Lincoln First Call and the Lincoln Funeral Car.