Lincoln Town Cars

  After months of being unavailable, it appears that some Canadian built 2008 Lincoln Town Cars are at last trickling into showrooms in the US, ending the several months of the only Lincoln passenger sedan available being the small Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ, or whatever it is they’re calling it this week.  (Ford had closed the Lincoln plant in Michigan and stopped building Town Cars last Spring) It’s almost with reluctance that Ford continues to offer the Town Car; yet only a few short years ago the Town Car was Ford’s biggest profit center next to the F150 pickup.  What is Ford thinking allowing this venerable American institution to wither on the vine?!

Full disclosure time: I drive 2 Town Cars as my “regular” cars.  In fact, I presently own 11 Lincolns in total.  I have been driving big rear drive Lincoln sedans my entire adult life….more than 30 years.  My father’s last car was a Town Car, which is basking in the sunshine right now outside my window as I write.  My mother drives a Lincoln.  My sister drives a Lincoln.  

These Lincolns are the last hurrah of the traditional American car…full size, rear drive, V-8s, with roomy interiors, big trunks, comfortable seats, a smooth, quiet ride, and as reliable as anvils.  They have the kind of name recognition that money can’t buy.  Everyone knows what a Town Car is…I’ll bet there are even people at Ford who don’t know the difference between a Lincoln MKX and a Lincoln MKZ…and who cares?

Furthermore, the cars have a favorable reputation with the public.  Livery companies love them.  They are the “official staff car” of retired folk (like me).  Young people, though, drive them too, dressed up with fancy wheels and other custom touches, because a used Lincoln Town Car is one of the great automotive transportation bargains of our time. 

And even without being updated in what… 7 years?…the cars still sell.  And they’d sell well if Ford would update the styling (the 1998 redesign was unpopular, so hey, let’s keep it 10 years) , boost the horsepower of the V-8 (higher output versions are already all over the parts bins at Ford), or even offer it in some better color schemes, which were again readily available a few short years ago.

Instead, Ford seems intent on cost cutting itself right out of business.  Dropping products and closing plants until there’s no one left to turn out the lights.  The 2008 Town Car is testament to the “let’s go out of business” mentality…most of the options are gone, the only two model choices remaining being the Signature Limited or the livery model, the Signature L.  Even a moonroof is no longer offered, despite that the Grand Marquis, which is built in the same plant, still offers that option. 

Of course, Ford’s excuse is they’re replacing the Town Car with the new Lincoln MKwho cares what letter…which will be a smaller 6 cylinder car,  and looks something like a 4 year old Nissan Maxima.  I’ve seen so many “sneak previews” of this thing I’m already tired of it and it isn’t even out yet. 

Part of the culprit in all this, as far as I’m concerned, is the automotive press.  Granted, auto magazines have little influence with the public at large, but alas, they’re read in Detroit.  As a result, we have far too many cars today that have been “Europeanized” because that’s what the buff book writers want…cars with hard seats, stiff suspensions, heavy steering, and that are too small.  Remember when Detroit built American cars, not imitation European cars?  Funny thing is, when American cars were unashamedly American, they sold.  And until very recently, with the increase in the price of oil,  what American vehicles were still selling? Trucks.  Yep, big, roomy, full-sized, V-8, rear drive…gee…sound familiar? Just like American cars used to be.