2006 Lincoln Town Car Review

The Lincoln Town Car is a long standing model that represents a large, traditional American rear-wheel-drive V8 luxury car. While the 2006 Town Car is a top vehicle choice for limousine services, it is also a favorite among traditional and conservative buyers who want lots of room and a soft and quiet ride.  The Lincoln Town Car is a traditional American luxury sedan. It's roomy and comfortable. It's smooth and stable. The Town Car was extensively re-engineered for the 2003 model year with a new frame, a new rack-and-pinion steering system, a new brake system, and new front and rear suspensions. This resulted in improved handling. Revised front and rear styling distinguished the changes, but the styling revisions were subtle For 2006, the Town Car's trim levels changed to: Signature, Signature Limited, Designer, and Signature L. Town Car is a traditional American luxury sedan, it is the highest-rated American car in the mid-luxury segment, according to a J.D.Power and Associates customer-satisfaction study; 60 percent of all Town Car customers are repeat buyers. Some 75 percent of limousine and livery fleets are made up of this large American luxury sedan.

Powering the '06 Town Car

 All Town Cars have the same engine; a 239-hp 4.6-liter V8.The four-speed automatic transmission produces quick downshifts. The engine and transmission moves from place to place quietly and efficiently, but lacked excitement and do not represent the current state of the art. Other cars in this class come with more powerful engines with a great deal of technical sophistication. The new paradigm in transmissions is five speeds, not four, with full electronic control of upshifting and downshifting and an electronic torque management program for smoothness. The Town Car transmission has partial electronic controls and only four speeds, which offers less flexibility, eats into gas mileage and dates the car. To make to soft-sprung Town Car handle like more youthful Lincolns, the Division has given it hydroformed rails for the front part of the frame, relatively lightweight front suspension components mounted to a cast-aluminum cross member, monotube shock absorbers, powerful front brakes, carefully selected tires, sophisticated body and suspension mounts and variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering.

The suspension system, which includes automatic load leveling in the rear, keeps the car relatively flat in the corners and provides a smooth, quiet highway ride and substantial amounts of understeer, just the right thing for a big, long, heavy car.  Careful positioning of the rear shock absorbers, plus directional rear body mounts, has reduced skating, the tendency of many rear-drive, live-axle cars to hop sideways in tight turns. The braking system features 12.0-inch ventilated discs in front, 11.5-inch ventilated discs at the rear, with stiff twin-piston calipers a large vacuum booster. The system comes with Brake Assist, which delivers maximum braking force when it detects quick, hard brake pedal inputs.ABS (antilock brake system) is, of course, standard. Brake pads are formulated not only for long wear but to produce less dust, so owners who insist on immaculate wheels may not have to wash them as frequently.

2006 Lincoln town Car Design

 The Town Car's formal appearance leads off with a chrome vertical-bar grille that's flanked by quad-beam halogen headlights. A stand-up ornament is mounted at the front of the hood. High-intensity-discharge headlights are optional on uplevel models. Large taillamps bring up the rear. Little has changed since Lincoln last re-styled the Town Car for 2003. Up front, a chromed, waterfall-style grille is flanked by quad-beam headlamps with a jeweled appearance. The trunk lid opening is wide and low to make loading and unloading easier.

Inside the Lincoln Town Car

The Town Car, which seats up to six occupants, offers an elegant interior. There's plenty of burl walnut veneer all around the interior, plus brushed satin metal panels, and a winged analog clock at the top center of the dash. Equipped with a 40/20/40-split front bench seat.  Standard equipment includes eight-way power seats for the driver and outboard front passenger, power lumbar support, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable pedals and extended rear parking assist. The doors open wide to make it easy to get out of the front and rear seats. A fold-down front armrest with a double-hinged top can be opened to either the driver's or passenger's side. There are also hinged storage bins in the front doors, a large glove box. With thick insulation in the floor, firewall and pillars, the inside of the Town Car is extremely quiet.  The long-wheelbase Signature L offers 45.4 inches of rear seat leg room, with 116.3 cubic feet of total passenger volume, compared to the standard model's 108.7 cubic feet.

2006 Town Car Lineup

 The 2006 Town Car is available in four trim levels and two wheelbase lengths. Sharing the standard wheelbase are the Signature, Signature Limited, and Designer Series. Signature L, on the longer, 123.7-inch wheelbase, provides more headroom for all passengers and nearly six inches of additional legroom for those sitting in the rear seat. The Executive series, which was once the base consumer model is now available for commercial livery only.

Signature is a fully equipped luxury car, with premium leather seating surfaces, eight-way power driver and passenger seats with power lumbar support, dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control, overhead console, extended rear park assist, 17-inch 12-spoke machined aluminum wheels, dual-power remote-control heated outside mirrors with auto-dimming on the driver's side, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, power-adjustable pedals, driver and passenger front dual-stage and side-impact airbags, CD player, remote fuel filler door release, remote keyless entry system, and keyless entry keypad on driver door.

Signature Limited adds Soundmark audiophile dual-media sound system; leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with wood inserts and audio, speed and climate controls; full power trunk with key fob open and close; memory driver's seat, pedals and mirrors; heated front seats; and its own 17-inch, 10-spoke machined aluminum wheels.

Designer adds chrome trim on the B-pillar, door handles, and its unique18-spoke wheels. Provence leather seating surfaces, adjustable rear head restraints, and two-tone door panels brighten its interior.

Signature L begins with Signature-level equipment and adds folding front and rear arm rests with storage; a rear seat amenities package with dual power points, four-way rear head restraints, tissue bin, illuminated cigar lighter, heated rear seats and remote controls for audio, climate and front passenger seat. A heavy-duty front stabilizer bar helps compensate for its six-inch longer wheelbase.

Summary

Current Town Car models deliver a more secure, confident sensation than pre-2003 Town Cars by offering a greater connection with the road. This sedan yields a surprisingly appealing driving experience. Town Cars are exceptionally stable on the expressway and especially easy to drive; they deliver a smooth yet controlled ride. The sedan is very quiet, but you can hear the engine. Braking is less pleasing because the pedal may exhibit a long dead spot before the brakes become effective. The Town Car may be considered outdated for some, but it benefits from quietness, materials, and pure spaciousness, and the Signature L has more of that than any other luxury car on the market.