Lincoln executives will give no details, but they promise that Ford's luxury division will produce a "flagship sedan" within the next two to 2-1/2 years. Insiders tell us that the Lincoln LS sedan chassis is the starting point for the new car. That means rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine. This flagship will sell at a price above the Town Car, and will compete directly with imports such as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus LS 430 and the new STS that Cadillac is preparing for 2006.
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Lincoln executives will give no details, but they promise that Ford's luxury division will produce a "flagship sedan" within the next two to 2-1/2 years. Insiders tell us that the Lincoln LS sedan chassis is the starting point for the new car. That means rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine. This flagship will sell at a price above the Town Car, and will compete directly with imports such as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus LS 430 and the new STS that Cadillac is preparing for 2006.
They're calling a smaller LS-type Lincoln the "flagship?" I find that strange. Isn't a flagship usually the full-size, most luxurious car in a line up? For example, Bonneville is Pontiac's flagship. Park Ave. Ultra is Buicks, etc. Usually the largest. I wonder if this LS will try to compete with the likes of the supercar CTS-V? They can try.
Just because it is based on the LS platform doesn't mean it will be a small car.
For example, the CTS, STS, and SRX all share he same platform, yet are all very different sizes.
Of course, the LS is already about the size of a BMW 5 series, so maybe it will be just the next generation of that car.
Lincoln executives will give no details, but they promise that Ford's luxury division will produce a "flagship sedan" within the next two to 2-1/2 years. Insiders tell us that the Lincoln LS sedan chassis is the starting point for the new car. That means rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine. This flagship will sell at a price above the Town Car, and will compete directly with imports such as the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus LS 430 and the new STS that Cadillac is preparing for 2006.
but 5 series and teh e class arent flagships either.
If it's looking to compete with the Lexus LS, it's possible that it can be the top-model without being the largest. But, can't it be as big as the Town Car on the LS platform? Is it impossible?
I agree, the LS platform/architecture whatever (DEW98), is pretty adaptable, and I dont see any reason why they cant produce a world-class sedan off of it if they play their cards right, im already pretty impressed with the LS/S-Type as it is, and thats coming from a purist who isnt too happy about the Ford-ized Jag, so Id say from this news, and some of their autoshow candy they can certainly pull some punches.
__________________ "You ough'ta go and find a brain sale... And find a cheap one, cause you ain't got no trade-in!" - Red Fox
I agree, the LS platform/architecture whatever (DEW98), is pretty adaptable, and I dont see any reason why they cant produce a world-class sedan off of it if they play their cards right, im already pretty impressed with the LS/S-Type as it is, and thats coming from a purist who isnt too happy about the Ford-ized Jag, so Id say from this news, and some of their autoshow candy they can certainly pull some punches.
Do you remember where Jaguar was going before the Fordization of the Co.
Do you remember where Jaguar was going before the Fordization of the Co.
Hey I say let em' go out with dignity man! If they cant hold it together thats their fault, but if you come in and rescue em' with a product line that honestly is only about 40 percent true Jag per vehicle then its sort like holding up a house with a wooden foundation, I mean theyre still alive, but theyre a semblance of what they used to be. Im not saying its a bad thing, the S-Type R is downright awesome, but the X-Type is a Taurus looking joke, and it shows where things start to get out of hand, you cant just "force feed" a pseudo-budget engineered vehicle in the bottom end of an inherently luxury automakers lineup which has a longstanding history, and just "hope" for the best without beginning to change the key dynamics of the brand altogether (bringing it down?). In this case, the XJ is the last of the real Jags, and the X-Type only exists because competition was sorely needed for the C-Class, CTS, and 3 Series, and you know what, you can TELL thats the only reason it exists. Dont just stick a cheap vehicle in there because you dont have something to compete. To me thats just like a form of disrespect to those who helped build the brand. The S-Type could have been boosted in several key areas and given a broader range of options and cost to eliminate the need for the X-type altogether. Cross your fingers, the Jag SUV (who knows, itll probably be based on a Volvo) is suredly not far from fruitfulness (and Jags engine just got nipped for the upcoming RangeStormer too)
I can honestly say though, if Ford somehow SVT-ed the Lincoln LS V8 (but please Ford dont put SVT badges on my Lincolns!), id probably take it hands down over the S-Type R any day, the performance aspect is the only reason I like the Jag side of DEW98 anymore than Lincoln, I have a pretty high respect for Lincolns, just not nearly as much as Cadillac, but thats what I love about cars. From one year to the next, they could shake things up completely and that might change. (Cue Bachman Turner Overdrive's You Aint Seen Nothin Yet!)
