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For those still in the market for a large rear-drive sedan, the Town Car offers solid performance, a whisper-quiet interior, stretch-out room and soft leather seats.
The Town Car comes in Executive, Signature, Signature Touring Sedan and Cartier models. Executive L and Cartier L editions have a six-inch stretched wheelbase. The Touring Sedan offers stiffened suspension for better handling.
The Town Car, which still floats like a butterfly but without the bee sting, is better in almost every way than those Town Cars that came before it. Completely made over for the 1998 model year, and with added refinements here and there since then, the newest version is more than adequate for the Town Car buyer.
Improvements can be measured in several ways:
*Horsepower, which was set at 205 in 1998, has been raised to 220 for 2002. The Cartier and Touring Sedan are endowed with 235 horsepower.
*Adjustable accelerator and brake pedals have been added to all Town Cars. In combination with the power seats, virtually any sized driver should be able to find a comfortable position;
*Front and side impact airbags, together with antilock brakes and traction control, make the 2002 model the safest Town Car ever.
*An optional Vehicle Communications System, the centerpiece of which is the Motorola Timeport tri-mode hands-free phone system is available. It can be voice or hand activated and used inside or outside the vehicle. The VCS consists of a built-in Global Positioning System for location tracking, and an easy-to-use three-button interface for access to safety, security and information services.
The performance from the 220 horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 found in my Signature test vehicle was not exhilarating, but it was smooth through the 4-speed automatic transmission and well matched to the big sedan.
Steering feel is adequate but there isn't much feedback when compared to other sedans. Lincoln's speed sensitive steering does give the driver more sense of control than in the past.
The big car still floats which means the occupants are well-cushioned from most road imperfections. And credit Lincoln for building enough insulation into the structure to virtually eliminate all road noise.
If you are in the market for a big car that offers living room solitude, the Town Car may be your dream come true.
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