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The Lincoln LS is a mid-size, rear-wheel drive executive sedan that was sold by Lincoln. For its production run from 1999 until 2006, it was based on the Ford DEW98 platform, which was shared with the Jaguar S-Type and Ford Thunderbird. LS versions were originally to be called LS6 and LS8 depending on engine choice, but those designations were replaced with "LS V6" and "LS V8" after Toyota's Lexus division became concerned about the potential for naming confusion with its Lexus LS.〔(Edmunds.com Inside Line - ''Stars, Stripes and a Healthy Dose of Das Vaterland'' - 01 Jan 1999 )〕 Along with the related Jaguar S-Type, it is the first entry-level luxury car offered by a Ford brand since the Merkur Scorpio and XR4Ti ended production in 1989. The LS was introduced in June 1999 as a 2000 model-year vehicle. It was the first Lincoln in decades to offer an optional manual transmission (V6 model only). With its available V8 power, rear-wheel drive and 50/50 weight distribution, the LS was an attractive alternative to European sports sedans. Prices for the LS from the 2000 to 2004 model years ranged from just over $30,000 for a base V6 model in 1999, to around $45,000 for fully equipped Special Edition V8 LSE trims in 2004. The LSE trim added a new revised front and rear fascia, all red taillights, rounded foglights, and a new front grille. By 2006, prices ranged from $39,945 for a base model to $49,100 for a top-of-the-line LS. The increase in base price was caused by the elimination of the entry-level LS V6, which in turn moved the now V8-only LS from the entry-level luxury segment to the mid-level luxury segment. Production of the LS ended on April 3, 2006. All Lincoln LS models were manufactured at Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant which was idled in 2007, as part of The Way Forward. About 262,900 LS models were built. Of those, only 2331 were manual V6s.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Lincoln LS run will end )〕 ==2000–2002== In 1999, the LS debuted as Lincoln's first rear-wheel drive sport luxury sedan for the 2000 model year, under influence from the newly established Premier Automotive Group. The LS was devised to appeal to a younger generation of luxury car buyers not common to Lincoln, as well as to those who would have normally chosen auto manufacturers such as BMW or Mercedes-Benz for a luxury sport sedan. Though related to the Jaguar S-Type, which was introduced the same year, the LS was distinctive in style and content because the S-Type and LS each had its own design team. In designing the LS to be competitive in its segment, Helmuth Schrader, the LS' German-born chief designer, said of the car, "In a segment defined and dominated by BMW and Mercedes, the car had to have a functional, no-nonsense look. This redefines the Lincoln brand, but we still had to make sure it was recognizable as a member of the same family as the Town Car, Continental, Mark VIII, and the Navigator."〔Phelan, Mark. "Lincoln LS: Ford's car du jour." Automotive Industries Magazine. Sep. 1998.〕 Heeding this insight, the LS featured an understated, well-proportioned exterior design with squared rectangular fog lights. The body was tightly sculpted with short front and rear overhangs to emphasize an athletic appearance while well-rounded wheel housings were intentionally made small to suggest that the car's wheels were larger than their actual size. The greenhouse of the LS offered spacious headroom and was accentuated by a smoothly arched roofline. Completing the exterior were subtle chrome accents on the front and rear fasciae and Lincoln's signature waterfall grille. Relative to the exterior, the interior of the LS bore a stronger resemblance to the S-Type, with a similar dashboard layout, gauges, and controls. The interior of the LS was simple, straightforward, and comfortable. Large gauges were designed to convey sportiness, while other controls, such as audio and climate controls, were positioned in the car's center stack for convenience to both the driver and the front passenger. The steering wheel could be wood- and leather-wrapped while wood accents continued around the interior on the door panels and dashboard area. Leather seating surfaces were standard and the front power bucket seats were bolstered for a firm feel like the LS' European competitors. Other standard interior features included power windows, power door locks with keyless entry, power heated mirrors, automatic headlights, air conditioning with automatic climate control, cruise control, and an AM/FM cassette radio. Some of the available options included a six-disc in-dash CD changer (only accessible through the glove box initially; changed on later models), a power moonroof, and a universal garage door opener. As mentioned above, the Lincoln LS shared a platform and equipment with the Jaguar S-Type. The DEW98 platform on which the cars were based was a rigid chassis that featured independent double wishbone (short-long arm; SLA) front and rear suspensions for excellent handling and ride quality. Enhancing ride quality further, as well as increasing interior space, was the LS' large wheelbase. Four-wheel antilock disc brakes were standard while Ford's ''AdvanceTrac'' traction control system was available as an option for improved driving control. A number of suspension components, as well as the hood, decklid, and front fenders, used aluminum to save weight. The LS came with standard 16-inch alloy wheels while 17-inch wheels were available through an optional sport package. The sport package for only an extra $1000.00, gave a stiffer suspension, 17-inch rims and a "slap shift" selecter. The battery of the LS was positioned in the spare tire well inside the car's trunk because too little room for it was left in the engine bay. However, moving the heavy battery and its interconnecting cables to the rear of the vehicle contributed to its near-50/50 weight distribution. The base LS was powered by an all-aluminum 3.0 L DOHC V6 that was a variant of the Jaguar AJ-V6 engine. Optional in the LS was an all-aluminum 3.9 L DOHC V8, a shorter-stroke variant of the Jaguar 4.0 L AJ-26 V8. The V8 was not offered as a manual because the Getrag could not handle the torque produced. Both engines required premium-grade gasoline for optimum performance. Ford's 5R55S five-speed automatic transmission with an optional manual shift ability called ''SelectShift'' was standard with either engine, while a Getrag 221 five-speed manual transmission was available for V6-equipped LS models through an optional sport package. Automatic transmission-equipped cars featured a 3.58:1 rear-axle ratio, while manual transmission-equipped versions came with a 3.07:1 rear-axle ratio. The available manual transmission made the LS the first Lincoln since the 1951 Cosmopolitan to have this option. In spite of this, Lincoln stopped production of the manual-transmission model LS after 2002 due to low sales figures; only 2,331 were produced. Road tests by ''Motor Trend'' and ''Car and Driver'' found that a V8-equipped LS could accelerate from zero to in the low seven-second range, while V6 models were up to two seconds slower in the same test. The LS was named ''Motor Trend's'' Car of the Year for 2000, and was nominated for the North American Car of the Year award, as well. Early 2000 LS models included a full-sized spare tire. This was changed (starting in February 2000) to a space-saving spare tire, to reduce weight to keep the car in the midsize class per government specifications. However, the spare tire well in all LS models still has space for a full-sized spare. The powertrain control module in 2000-2002 automatic transmission models with the ''SelectShift'' option originally would not allow the car to start off in first gear when shifting manually (the car started in second gear). It would quickly shift to first gear, however, if the throttle were depressed more than 60%. Second-gear starts were programmed to meet fuel economy regulations as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This was changed in 2003 when the regulations were amended and first-gear starts were permitted. In 2002, the LSE (Limited Special Edition) package was introduced in V6 and V8 versions, with a revised fascia including round fog lamp openings and a special metallic grille treatment, and with enlarged lower body rocker panels, special wheels, and twin dual-exhaust tailpipes. Also for 2002, V6-equipped LS models gained and of torque. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lincoln LS」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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