The Lincoln Town is a full-size luxury sedan manufactured and sold by Lincoln, the luxury division of the American car manufacturer, Ford Motor Company.
A limousine body shape, Lincoln named the Town Car from 1981 to 2011, with the title previously being Lincoln Continental's flagship specification.
History of Lincoln Town Car
Lincoln Town Car - Continental Lineup
In 1959, Lincoln introduced the Town Car nameplate on a customized variant of the Continental that resembled a limousine. The Town Car nameplate was initially used in 1959 and then fell into irrelevance for a decade before making a comeback in 1969 as an interior option package for the Lincoln Continental. The Lincoln Continental's top-of-the-line trim option package debuted in 1971 and was available until 1980. The Town Car label has always been used on sedans, although the Town Coupe, a comparable option for coupes, was available from 1975 to 1980 as an alternative to the Town Car designation.
Lincoln Town Car First Generation (1981 - 1989)
Lincoln's nameplates were renamed a year after significantly reducing its full-size model line-up. The Versailles sedan was discontinued, leaving Lincoln with six essentially identical vehicles. New for 1981, the Town Car combined the Continental and Town Car lines into a single model range that sat underneath the Mark VI. It has been a model in its way since 1981 when the Town Car replaced the Continental. Upon its debut, the Town Car quickly became Lincoln's flagship model, a role it still has today.
Lincoln Town Car Second Generation (1990 - 1997)
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Lincoln Town Car had a major revamp, with the 1990 model debuting on October 5, 1989, in New York City. Lincoln redesigned the Town Car to resemble the Continental and Mark VII to appeal to a younger audience. Car of the Year honors was given to it by Motor Trend magazine in 2007. Lincoln offered four trim levels for the majority of its production run:
- Town Car
- Executive
- Signature
- Cartier
After General Motors discontinued the Cadillac Fleetwood in 1996, the Lincoln Town Car became the longest-length regular-production sedan in the United States.
Lincoln Town Car Third Generation (1998 - 2011)
Lincoln debuted the third-generation Town Car during the 1997 New York International Auto Show and went on sale in November 1997. This generation demonstrated a new view of the market and a shift in the company's target demographic. Lincoln completely redesigned all three Panther-platform sedans for the 1998 model year, with the Town Car receiving the most significant interior and external stylings of any of the cars. Over 35 years of angular styling in Lincoln sedans gave way to a more rounded profile on the 1998 Town Car, which took cues from the Mark VIII and Continental of 1995. Nearly around the same time that Lincoln's first SUV, the Navigator, the third-generation Town Car debuted, the Lincoln division also released the Town Car.
Lincoln Town Car (2007 - 2011)
The Town Car was the last of the full-size American luxury automobiles, known for its pleasant drives, dependability, and stylish appearance. The 1997 New York International Auto Show saw the debut of the Town Car's third generation. Most American custom vehicle manufacturers used it as their primary platform for their extended limos. Due to the global financial crisis of 2008, Ford relocated the manufacture of the Town Car to Canada to retain the vehicle at competitive pricing on the market.
Price
Lincoln sold the 1991 Town Car (first generation) with an MSRP of $15,509 ($48,406 in 2022) with different trim levels:
- Base - $15,509 ($48,406 in 2022)
- Signature - $16,723 ($52,195 in 2022)
- Signature Coupe - $16,312 ($50,912 in 2022)
Features
The Continental and the Lincoln Mark VIII inspired the 2007 Town Car's rounded corners. A high cabin and a sharply raked windscreen were necessary to provide enough internal space. The nearly vertically positioned rear window and the substantial D-pillars provided privacy and safety for the rear passengers.
The Town Car has a beautiful interior with plenty of legroom for all occupants. Two large front seats and a wide seat in the back, with a generous middle armrest between the outboard seats. The Town Car also has sound-deadening materials and thick windows with different interior highest quality features.
More features for the Lincoln Town Car include:
- Cruise Control
- Front And Rear Cupholders
- Adjustable Pedals
- Rear Parking Sensors
- Remote Trunk Release
- Retained Accessory Power
- Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel
- Electrochromatic Inside Rearview Mirror
- Leather Trim On Center Console
- Dual Illuminating Vanity Mirrors
- Dual Zone Front Climate Control
- 2 Front Headrests
- 2 Rear Headrests
- Auto Delay Off Headlamps
- Cornering Lights
- Dusk Sensing Headlamps
- Engine Immobilizer
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- Traction Control
- 4-Wheel ABS
- Rear Door Child Safety Locks
Specs
The 2011 Lincoln Town Car engine delivers 239 hp (178 kW) at 4,900 rpm and 287 lb-ft (389 Nm) at 4,100 rpm of torque. The Town Car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 8.6 seconds and has a top speed of 112 mph (180 kph) with a curb weight of 4,345 lbs (1,971 kg). Lincoln sold the Town Car as a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle powered by a 4.6L SOHC EFI V8 FFV engine.
Release Date
Lincoln released the first-generation Town Car in 1981. The final Lincoln Town Car went off the manufacturing line in the summer of 2011, joining the ranks of other cherished automobiles no longer available on the market.