Remember when Lincoln aimed a punch directly at European sport sedans about 25 years ago? The LS, a midsized luxury car produced from 2000-2006, was a true “sleeper” of a sedan that rode on the Ford DEW98 platform (the same underpinnings used by the Jaguar S-Type).
“What a luxury car should be,” Lincoln called the LS in advertising. And one magazine ad said, “The new Lincoln LS will get you to your destination in record time. Pity.”
The LS checked the boxes for many things that buyers were looking for in an engaging luxo-sedan, including rear-wheel drive, an available manual transmission, 50/50 weight distribution, and standard leather seating. The car’s styling was penned by Helmuth Schrader, a German-born designer who was clearly influenced by European cues. Some media outlets even went so far as to say that the LS had a BMW 5 Series feel with a 3 Series price tag. And Motor Trend editors were so impressed with the car that they named it the “Car of the Year” in 2000.
Powertrain-wise, there were a couple of available options. The base engine was a 210-horsepower 3.0-liter Duratec V-6, and a Jaguar-sourced 252-horsepower 3.9-liter V-8 was available. For buyers seeking an engaging driving experience, V-6-equipped cars could be optioned with a five-speed manual transmission. Stick-shift LS models were rare when new, and they are nearly impossible to track down today. Most cars came with the five-speed automatic.
On display during a recent Phoenix-area car show was this well-kept 2000 LS V8. It was equipped with the Sport package, which added a stiffer suspension, tighter steering, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Now that the LS has been out of production for two decades, it’s nice to see a survivor out on the road every once in a while, and even more of a treat to see one proudly parked at a car show.
