2011 Lincoln Town Car Review

The legend lives! For those with a yen for the past and a need for passenger room and comfort, not to mention the capacity to carry enough luggage for a world cruise, the 2011 Lincoln Town Car carries on in its traditionally staid, stately, studied manner. Virtually unchanged from 2010, this full-size, six-passenger sedan is offered in two trim levels, the 117-inch-wheelbase Signature Limited and the 123.7-inch-wheelbase Signature L. Both trims are rear-wheel drive (RWD) only, and each is equipped with the sole powertrain for the lineup, an anemic V8 with its accompanying Jurassic-era four-speed automatic that barely keeps up with modern four bangers equipped with five- or six-speed transmissions. Latter-day competitors such as the Hyundai Genesis, Lexus ES 350, and Toyota Avalon, though more efficient, more powerful, and less expensive, simply lack the cachet of Lincoln’s battlewagon. After all, what world-traveling bon vivant or corner-office-holding executive wants to get picked up at the airport or driven to corporate headquarters in a Hyundai or Toyota?

The only engine available for the 2011 Town Car lineup is an E85-capable 4.6-liter V8 FFV that, with its dated four-speed transmission, puts out a mere 239 hp, albeit with a hefty 287 lb-ft of torque. Though it may struggle a bit from a start and can be adventuresome in merging and passing, this dowager will tow 1,500 pounds of bass boat with comparative ease. Alas, its EPA figures, at 16/24 mpg, continue to underline the inefficiency of this outmoded powertrain.

The 2011 Town Car’s interior space, seat comfort, and luggage capacity (21 cubic feet) are, on a more positive note, complemented by traditionally abundant appearance and cabin amenities. Such goodies include 17-inch alloy wheels, premium leather upholstery, front power-adjustable and multi-level-heated bench seats, a fold-down rear-seat center armrest with storage, digital keypad door locks, power windows and heated mirrors, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, dual-zone climate control, leather, alloy, and wood dash, steering wheel, and cabin trim accents, memory for driver’s settings, and a 190-watt premium sound system with 6-CD changer and nine speakers. The stretched Signature L adds heated rear seats to the standard equipment list.

Options are at a premium, with only the Continental Package’s 18-spoke polished chrome alloy wheels and upgraded upholstery, and a deck-leveling trunk organizer as available amenities.

Long touted as one of the safer sedans on the market, the 2011 Town Car boasts standard four-wheel disc ABS, traction control, front side-mounted airbags with head-protection chambers, a remote anti-theft alarm, cornering headlights, and dusk-sensing, auto-delay-off headlight technology. Daytime running lights and HID headlights are available safety equipment.

When owners and drivers complain about the 2010 Town Car, tepid performance from its out-classed V8 powertrain usually tops the list. Laments regarding poor mileage figures, dated styling, and insipid handling characteristics often follow this legitimate gripe. There are those owners, however, who say that the Town Car overcomes many of its shortcomings with its capacious cabin, titanic trunk, royal ride, and cornucopia of creature comforts.