The
Lincoln LS is a mid-size, rear wheel drive sedan from
LincolnLincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
. For its production run from 1999 until 2006, it was based on the
Ford DEW98 platformThe Ford DEW platform is Ford Motor Company's midsize rear wheel drive automobile platform. The D/E nomenclature was meant to express an intermediate size between D and E class vehicles, while the W denoted a worldwide platform...
, which was shared with the
Jaguar S-TypeThe Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
and
Ford ThunderbirdThe Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
. LS versions were originally to be called
LS6 and
LS8 depending on engine choice, but those designations were replaced with "LS V6" and "LS V8" after Toyota's
Lexusis the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
division became concerned about the potential for naming confusion with its
Lexus LSThe Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also...
. Along with the related
Jaguar S-TypeThe Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
, it is the first entry-level luxury car owned by a Ford brand since the
Merkur ScorpioThe Merkur Scorpio is a modified European Ford Scorpio with 4 doors and lift gate which was manufactured and sold as 1988 and 1989 models...
and
XR4TiThe Merkur XR4Ti was a short-lived United States and Canada-market version of the European Ford Sierra XR4i. It was the brainchild of then Ford Vice President Bob Lutz. It was sold in the US from 1985 to 1989. It was the first vehicle of Ford's Merkur range, followed in 1988 by the Merkur Scorpio...
ended production in 1989.
The LS was introduced in early 1999 as a 2000 model year vehicle, in part as a successor to the
Lincoln Mark VIIIThe Lincoln Mark VIII is a large, rear-wheel drive grand touring luxury coupe built from 1993 to 1998. It was the successor of the Mark VII. The Mark VIII was built at Ford's Wixom, Michigan assembly plant and was based on the FN10 platform, a relative of the MN12 platform which underpinned the...
coupe that was discontinued after 1998. It was the first Lincoln in decades to offer an optional
manual transmissionA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
. With its available V8 power, rear wheel drive, and near 50/50
weight distributionWeight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains.In a vehicle which relies on gravity in some way, weight distribution directly affects a variety of vehicle characteristics, including handling, acceleration, traction, and component life...
, the LS was an attractive alternative to
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an sports sedans.
Prices for the LS from the 2000 to 2004 model years ranged from just over $30,000 for a base V6 model in 1999, to around $45,000 for fully equipped Special Edition V8 LSE trims in 2004. By 2006, prices ranged from $39,945 for a base model to $49,100 for a top-of-the-line LS. The increase in base price was caused by the elimination of the entry-level LS V6, which in turn moved the now V8-only LS from the entry-level luxury segment to the mid-level luxury segment.
Production of the LS ended on April 3, 2006. All Lincoln LS models were manufactured at
FordFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's
Wixom Assembly PlantThe Ford Wixom Assembly Plant, now known as the Ford Renewable Energy Park, is a former Ford Motor Company automobile assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan, United States.-Ford years:...
which was idled in 2007, as part of
The Way ForwardFord Motor Company's restructuring plan, made public in 2006, is known as The Way Forward.Ford is attempting to reduce fixed capital costs while maintaining a special focus on cars and car-based crossover vehicles. Over time, it hopes to make more of its product line profitable instead of relying...
. About 262,900 LS models were built.
2000–2002
In 1999 the LS debuted as Lincoln's first rear-wheel drive sport luxury sedan for the 2000 model year. The LS was devised to appeal to a younger generation of luxury car buyers not common to Lincoln as well as to those who would have normally chosen auto manufacturers such as
BMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
or
Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
for a luxury sport sedan. Though related to the
Jaguar S-TypeThe Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
, which was introduced the same year, the LS was distinctive in style and content due to the fact that the S-Type and LS each had their own design teams. In designing the LS to be competitive in its segment, Helmuth Schrader, the LS' German-born chief designer, said of the car, "In a segment defined and dominated by BMW and Mercedes, the car had to have a functional, no-nonsense look. This redefines the Lincoln brand, but we still had to make sure it was recognizable as a member of the same family as the Town Car, Continental, and especially the Navigator." Heeding this insight, the LS featured an understated, well-proportioned exterior design with squared-off edges (relative to the S-Type), including trapezoidal headlight housings and rectangular fog lights. The body was tightly sculpted with short front and rear overhangs to emphasize an athletic appearance while well-rounded wheel housings were intentionally made small to suggest that the car's wheels were larger than their actual size. The
greenhouseThe greenhouse of a car comprises the windshield, rear and side windows, the more or less vertical pillars separating them , and the car's roof....
of the LS offered spacious headroom and was accentuated by a smoothly arched roofline. Completing the exterior were subtle chrome accents on the front and rear fascias and Lincoln's signature waterfall grille.
Relative to the exterior, the interior of the LS bore a stronger resemblance to its S-Type cousin with a similar dashboard layout, gauges, and controls. This said, the interior of the LS was simple, straightforward, and comfortable. Large gauges were designed to convey sportiness while other controls, such as audio and climate controls, were positioned in the car's center stack for convenience to both the driver and the front passenger. The steering wheel could be wood- and leather-wrapped while wood accents continued around the interior on the door panels and dashboard area. Leather seating surfaces were standard and the front power bucket seats were bolstered for a firm feel like the LS' European competitors. Other standard interior features included power windows, power door locks with keyless entry, power heated mirrors, automatic headlights, air conditioning with automatic climate control, cruise control, and an AM/FM cassette radio. Some of the available options included a six-disc in-dash CD changer (only accessible through the glove box initially; changed on later models), a power moonroof, and a universal garage door opener.
As mentioned above, the Lincoln LS shared a platform and equipment with the Jaguar S-Type. The
DEW98The Ford DEW platform is Ford Motor Company's midsize rear wheel drive automobile platform. The D/E nomenclature was meant to express an intermediate size between D and E class vehicles, while the W denoted a worldwide platform...
platform that the cars were based on was a rigid chassis that featured
independentIndependent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
double wishboneIn automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
(short-long arm; SLA) front and rear suspensions for excellent handling and ride quality. Enhancing ride quality further as well as increasing interior space was the LS' large 114.5 inches (2,908.3 mm) wheelbase. Four-wheel
antilockAn anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
disc brakes were standard while Ford's
AdvanceTrac traction control systemA traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
was available as an option for improved driving control. A number of suspension components as well as the hood, decklid, and front fenders used aluminum to save weight. The LS came with standard 16 inch alloy wheels while 17 inch wheels were available through an optional sport package. The battery of the LS was positioned in the spare tire well inside the car's trunk because there was too little room for it in the engine bay. However, moving the heavy battery and its interconnecting cables to the rear of the vehicle contributed to its near-50/50 weight distribution.
The base LS was powered by an all-aluminum 3.0 L DOHC V6 that was a variant of the
Ford Duratec 30 engineThe Duratec is a range of four, five, and six-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company, used in Ford, Mazda, Volvo, Caterham, Morgan, Tiger, Ginetta cars and by specialist engine tuner Cosworth....
. Optional in the LS was an all-aluminum 3.9 L DOHC V8, a de-bored variant of the Jaguar 4.0 L
AJ-26The Jaguar AJ-V8 is a compact DOHC V8 piston engine used in many Jaguar vehicles. It was the fourth new engine type in the history of the company. In 1997 it replaced both designs previously available on Jaguar cars: the straight-6 Jaguar AJ6 engine , and the Jaguar V12 engine...
V8. Both engines required premium-grade gasoline for optimum performance. Ford's 5R55S 5-speed
automatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
with an optional manual shift ability called
SelectShift was standard with either engine while a Getrag 221 5-speed
manual transmissionA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
was available for V6-equipped LS models through an optional sport package. Automatic transmission-equipped LS' featured a 3.58:1 rear axle ratio while manual transmission-equipped versions came with a 3.07:1 rear axle ratio. The available manual transmission made the LS the first Lincoln since the 1951
CosmopolitanThe Lincoln Cosmopolitan is a full-size sedan sold by Lincoln from 1949 to the early 1950s. The Cosmopolitan featured four-speed manual transmission and a 5.5 liter 152 hp V8 as well as an "aerodynamic" hood ornament. Like the Continental of the 1960s, the Cosmopolitan featured suicide...
to have this option. In spite of this, Lincoln stopped production of the manual transmission model LS after 2002 due to low sales figures; only 2,331 were produced. Road tests by
Motor TrendMotor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
and
Car and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
found that a V8-equipped LS could accelerate from zero to 60 mi/h in the low seven second range while V6 models were up to two seconds slower in the same test.
The LS was named Motor Trend's
Car of the YearCar of the Year is a phrase usually considered to have been invented by Motor Trend magazine in the 1950s for their annual award for best American automobile...
for 2000, and was nominated for the
North American Car of the YearThe North American Car of the Year is an automobile award voted annually in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The jury consists of no more than 50 automotive journalists.-Example:-Pre-1994:-1994-1999:-2000-2009:...
award as well.
Early 2000 LS models included a full-size spare tire. This was changed (starting in February 2000) to a space-saving spare tire, to reduce weight in order to keep the car in the midsize class per government specifications. However, the spare tire well in all LS models still has space for a full-size spare.
The powertrain control module in 2000-2002 automatic transmission models with the SelectShift option originally would not allow the car to start in first gear when shifting manually (the car started in 2nd gear). It would quickly shift to first gear however if the throttle was depressed more than 60%. Second-gear starts were programmed in order to meet fuel economy regulations as required by the
U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. This was changed in 2003 when the regulations were amended and first-gear starts were permitted.
In 2002, the LSE (Limited Special Edition) package was introduced in V6 and V8 versions, with a revised fascia including round fog lamp openings and a special metallic grille treatment, and with enlarged lower body rocker panels, special wheels, and twin-dual exhaust tailpipes. Also for 2002, V6-equipped LS models gained 10 hp and 10 lbft of torque.
| Years |
Model |
Engine |
Power |
Torque |
Fuel Economy, City/Hwy |
Transmission |
| 2000–2001 |
LS V6 |
2967 cc Ford Duratec 30 V6 |
|210 hp @ 6500 rpm |
205 lbft @ 4750 rpm |
18 miles per US gallon / 25 miles per US gallon |
Getrag 221 manual & 5R55N automatic |
| 2002 |
LS V6 |
2967 cc Ford Duratec 30 V6 |
|220 hp @ 6400 rpm |
215 lbft @ 4800 rpm |
18 miles per US gallon / 25 miles per US gallon |
Getrag 221 manual & 5R55N automatic |
| 2000–2002 |
LS V8 |
3934 cc Jaguar AJ-V8 |
252 hp @ 6100 rpm |
267 lbft @ 4300 rpm |
17 miles per US gallon / 23 miles per US gallon |
5R55N automatic |
2003–2006
The Lincoln LS received its first, and only, major refresh for 2003, coinciding with Lincoln's then-new "Travel Well" ad campaign. The exterior received a slight facelift, with
HIDHigh-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...
headlamps (optional), and a revised trunklid with new taillights. For the powertrains, both available engines received a boost in power and torque as well as slightly improved fuel efficiency. The 3.0 L DOHC V6 that the LS was introduced with now featured
continuously variable intake cam timingVariable Camshaft Timing is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Ford. It uses electronically controlled hydraulic valves that direct high pressure engine oil into the camshaft phaser cavity. These oil control solenoids are bolted into the cylinder heads towards the front of...
, improved
variable-length intake runnersIn internal combustion engines, a variable length intake manifold , or variable intake manifold is an automobile internal combustion engine manifold technology...
, and electronic
"drive-by-wire"Drive-by-wire, DbW, by-wire, or x-by-wire technology in the automotive industry replaces the traditional mechanical control systems with electronic control systems using electromechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators...
throttle control (which replaced the traditional mechanical cable-linked throttle control system used previously). The optional 3.9 L DOHC V8 that the LS was also introduced with received
variable exhaust valve timingIn internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...
. Thanks to its upgraded design, the 3.9 L V8 now produced over 87% of its peak torque output at only 2000 rpm and LS' equipped with the V8 could now accelerate from zero to 60 mi/h in under 6.5 seconds. Other notable additions to the LS included an electronic push-button parking brake (similar to that of the BMW E65
7 SeriesThe BMW 7 Series is a line of full-size luxury vehicles produced by the German automaker BMW. Introduced in 1977, it is BMW's flagship car and is only available as a sedan or extended-length limousine...
), replacing the traditional center console mounted hand lever (or foot pedal), a touch-screen DVD satellite navigation map system, and an industry-first, 10-speaker
THXTHX is a trade name of a high-fidelity audio/visual reproduction standard for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, and car audio systems. The current THX was created in 2001 when it spun off from Lucasfilm Ltd...
-certified sound system. Limited Special Edition (LSE) versions were also available in the 2004 and 2005 model years, with unique
fasciaA fascia is a layer of fibrous tissue that permeates the human body. A fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding those structures together in much the same manner as plastic wrap can be used to hold the contents of sandwiches...
s, unique 17-inch wheels, all-red tail lights, a color-keyed grille, unique floormats, and additional wood paneling in the interior.
Earlier LS models had a mechanical engine cooling fan that was operated with a hydraulic pump because the electrical charging system did not have sufficient capacity to effectively power an electric fan. Later on, thanks to an improved alternator design, the fan was changed to an electric version for the 2003-2006 models.
The 2003-2006 GPS navigation system uses a
DVD playerA DVD player is a device that plays discs produced under both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible standards. These devices were invented in 1997 and continue to thrive...
mounted in the trunk (under the package tray) to contain the map data.
For the 2006 model year, the LS received a minor facelift, which resembled the LSE fascia and body treatments used in previous model years. The V6-powered model was dropped from the lineup due to poor sales volume and as a part of Ford's plan to discontinue the LS altogether. As a result of this change in the lineup, the base MSRP for the Lincoln LS increased from roughly $32,000 in 2004 to
$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
39,945, moving the LS from the entry-level luxury segment into the mid-luxury segment.
In spite of Ford's initial success with the LS, a lack of meaningful updates to the car prevented it from staying competitive and, ultimately, caused sales to plummet. The LS went from a peak of over 51,000 cars sold in 2000 to less than 9,000 sold in 2006. Given this situation and Ford having no interest in further investments into the LS in favor of other products for Lincoln, production of the Lincoln LS at the
Wixom Assembly PlantThe Ford Wixom Assembly Plant, now known as the Ford Renewable Energy Park, is a former Ford Motor Company automobile assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan, United States.-Ford years:...
was ended in April of 2006. The Wixom plant itself was idled a year later. The de facto replacements for LS were two new front-wheel drive sedans, the Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ and, later, the
Lincoln MKSThe Lincoln MKS is a full-size luxury sedan from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKS first appeared in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in January 2006 with the production version, a 2009 model, appearing later at the Los Angeles International Auto...
.
| Years |
Model |
Engine |
Power |
Torque |
Fuel Economy, City/Hwy |
Transmission |
| 2003–2005 |
LS V6 |
2967 cc Ford Duratec 30 V6 |
232 hp @ 6750 rpm |
220 lbft @ 4500 rpm |
20 miles per US gallon / 26 miles per US gallon |
5R55S automatic |
| 2003–2006 |
LS V8 |
3934 cc Jaguar AJ-V8 |
280 hp @ 6000 rpm |
286 lbft @ 4000 rpm |
18 miles per US gallon / 25 miles per US gallon |
5R55S automatic |
Safety
The Lincoln LS has received very high marks in occupant protection. The
Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
has rated the LS as a "Best Pick" with a perfect score in their frontal offset crash test. The
National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
gave the LS almost perfect scores in its side impact and rollover tests. In fact,
CNBCCNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
rated the LS as “one of the five safest cars of all time.”
Model naming controversy
Lincoln originally intended to designate LS models as "LS6" and "LS8", depending on the engine size option. Toyota threatened a trademark infringement lawsuit, due to the similar naming scheme used on the
Lexus LSThe Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also...
, while at the same time, Ford threatened a lawsuit regarding the Toyota T150 concept, arguing that the name was too close to that of the F150. Lincoln settled on designating the cars as "LS V6" and "LS V8" and Toyota changed the name of their pickup truck to the
TundraThe Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year...
.
Milestones
- 1999 Lincoln introduces the LS as a 2000 model with a blend of luxury and sport to attract a new generation of buyers to the Lincoln brand
- 2000 Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
magazine names the LS “Car of the Year”
- 2001 LS earns double-five-star frontal safety rating from the federal government
- 2003 More than 500 improvements include a power increase, design changes and interior updates
- 2004 LS earns “Best Pick” safety rating from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- 2006 LS production ends in April, after 262,900 are built over 7 years.
Sales
| Calendar Year |
American sales |
| 1999 |
26,368 |
| 2000 |
51,039 |
| 2001 |
57,164 |
| 2002 |
39,775 |
| 2003 |
33,581 |
| 2004 |
27,066 |
| 2005 |
19,109 |
| 2006 |
8,797 |
External links