Lincoln LS, 'American Luxury,' Wins Motor Trend's 2000 Car of the Year
24 November 1999
Lincoln LS, 'American Luxury,' Wins Motor Trend's 2000 Car of the Year
PHOENIX, Nov. 24 -- When the Lincoln LS was named Motor
Trend's 2000 Car of the Year today at the Phoenix Auto Show, it capped off a
banner year for the California-based car company as Lincoln solidifies itself
as the premier provider of American luxury.
"Research shows this is the automotive award most respected by consumers,
so we at Lincoln are very honored to receive Motor Trend Car of the Year,"
said Lincoln Mercury president Mark Hutchins. "The LS had to beat out an
international field of competitors, and that is as it should be because the LS
was designed from the start to go tire to tire with the best the world's auto
makers can offer."
Receiving the 2000 Car of the Year award for the Lincoln LS holds added
cache this year since it is the first time since 1975 that Motor Trend
combined both import and domestic vehicles into one competition -- pitting the
LS against more than 30 international competitors.
Since it went on sale in June, the LS has been a "home run" for Lincoln.
"Our dealers ordered up all of our 1999 production in the first two months,"
said Hutchins. "And the international motoring media have given it a lot of
praise, describing the LS as the best American car they have tested."
Lincoln last received the Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1990 for the Town
Car, the only time, prior to this year, Lincoln had won in the first 50 years
of the award. "We don't intend to wait that long before winning again,"
Hutchins said, "especially looking at our future product offerings."
A Company for the New Century ...
The Lincoln LS was designed and engineered to balance American style and
luxury with European driving dynamics. "The LS is an American original," said
Charles Repp, chief program engineer for Lincoln LS. "It is the product of an
international team, working together to bring the finest elements of the
global car-makers craft in a distinctly American luxury package."
With the arrival of the LS, and the Navigator before that, the company is
charting a new course for Lincoln. "We will continue to provide our loyal
customers with upgraded and refined Town Cars and Continentals," said
Hutchins. "But at the same time, we will develop an entire new series of cars
and specialty vehicles to grow this great brand globally."
The LS, while initially launched in the United States, will help Lincoln
take its vision of American luxury to the world market. "We believe our
American luxury vision will resonate not only in Boston and Burbank, but in
Tokyo and Toronto as well as Hong Kong and Helsinki," Hutchins continued.
In fact, after testing the LS against the other 29 global competitors for
Car of the Year, the editors of Motor Trend wrote: "The LS is a car that
wholly changes the image of what an American luxury sedan can be."
About the LS ...
The LS, starting at $31,450, offers athletic and confident performance,
while surrounding its occupants with comfortable, yet functional luxury. It
comes equipped with either a V-6 or V-8 engine, producing 210 or 252
horsepower, respectively. Either powertrain can be ordered with an electronic
five-speed automatic with overdrive, or an available dual gate SelectShift(TM)
that gives the driver the choice of manual or automatic gear selection. In
addition, the V-6 can be ordered with a five-speed manual transmission -- the
first manual gearbox in a Lincoln since the 1951 Cosmopolitan.
Lincoln Mercury, based in Irvine, Calif., markets the full line of Lincoln
and Mercury vehicles. The Lincoln line includes Town Car, Navigator,
Continental and LS. The Mercury product line includes Cougar, Sable, Grand
Marquis, Mountaineer, Villager and Mystique. Additional information on the
Lincoln and Mercury product lines can be found at lincolnvehicles.com and
mercuryvehicles.com .