2009 Lincoln Town Car

The Lincoln Town Car fills 75% of U.S. limousine and livery fleets, and 60% of all buyers are repeat customers. Yet with its V8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive, and ponderous two-ton-plus weight, the Town Car represents 2003 automotive technology – it hasn't been re-engineered since then. So what keeps these loyal customers coming back?

For 2009, Lincoln offers two Town Car trims – the standard-wheelbase Signature Limited (with a 117.7-inch wheelbase) and the limousine-size, extended-wheelbase Signature L (with a 123.7-inch wheelbase). Both trims feature a flexible-fuel (FFV) 4.6-liter SOHC V8 rated at a meager 239 hp. Its 287 lb-ft of torque flow through a four-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. EPA fuel mileage estimates are 15/23 mpg.

The 2003 re-engineering brought a stronger frame with an upgraded suspension that improved handling. The big sedan understeers when pushed through the corners, but the Town Car remains relatively civil in the twisties. The automatic load-leveling rear suspension and careful engineering of the rear axle have greatly improved handling while retaining the car's silky-smooth highway manners. Steering incorporates a variable-assisted power rack-and-pinion setup. 12-inch ventilated ABS discs sit up front, with 11.5-inch ventilated discs in back. Brake Assist for emergency stops is also standard.

The interior’s front and rear bench seats carry six full-size human beings in complete luxury and quiet. Depending on the volume level of the standard eight-speaker (with subwoofer), 6-disc in-dash CD changer stereo system, you can probably hear a pin drop as the Town Car glides down the highway. The expansive dashboard holds easy-to-read gauges and plenty of burl walnut veneer. Leather abounds, as does storage for the detritus of the daily drive.

And you'll find massive storage available in the Town Car’s 21-cubic-foot trunk. Lincoln claims it’ll fit a week’s worth of vacation gear or, that traditional automotive measurement, four golf bags. A remote-control open and close is standard on the full-power trunk lid.

The Town Car features a long list of standard safety equipment such as: dual-stage front airbags, front side airbags, crumple zones, side guard door beams, four-wheel ABS discs, All-Speed Traction Control, electronic brakeforce distribution, and a tire pressure monitor.

In addition, the Town Car has a sterling crash test record, being the first to receive a five-star rating in all five of the government test categories. And it has done this for eight years in a row (2001-2008).

While not at or even near the automotive technological forefront, the Lincoln Town Car retains a loyal buyer base due to its genuine six-passenger interior, monster trunk, silky-smooth ride, luxuriously quiet interior, tank-like safety, and economical pricing for the amount of car purchased.