When Ford supremo Jac Nassar wanted his own Lincoln LS8 made into a Merc-beater, the aftermarket modification company Special Vehicle Concepts were already well on the pace - cos they were starting with a damn' good car. Nope, V8 American sports sedans never used to be like this....
The Lincoln LS8
These days, rapidly disappearing is the American 'bigger is better' luxo-cruiser tradition. One example? The Lincoln Division of Ford Motor has recently released the LS, designed to compete head-to-head with European sport/luxury sedans like the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the Japanese Lexus GS. This is a big task to take on - and Lincoln is the first US company to try it. But there's plenty of Euro experience behind the car - key individuals from the parent Ford company were involved in the new car's development. These included Ford Group Vice-President of Product Development Richard Parry-Jones (who also oversaw the development of the Ford Focus in Europe), and chief designer Helmuth Schrader, from Ford's European operations.
Designing a European shape is one thing, but engineering a true rear-drive sport/luxury experience for the driver is vastly more difficult. But the LS8 hits the mark with true Euro appeal -crisp, razor-sharp handling, and a firm, sporty ride. It is an exciting car to drive through twisty roads, exhibiting a precision, balance, and sharpness not found on any other American sedan. Its looks are deceiving; take away the Lincoln badges and the LS looks like it came off the nearest European dealership's showroom. The mid-size LS has chiselled good looks from its low front end, steeply raked front A-pillars, high-arched roof, and high-backed rear bootlid with a slightly lipped rear edge.
Besides aggressive good looks, several fundamentals contribute to the LS's sporty appeal. Most important is its extremely rigid rear-drive unibody structure - developed for both the LS and Jaguar S-Type - that provides a solid platform for fine-tuning the suspension. The Lincoln's full double-wishbone underpinnings make extensive use of aluminium components to minimize both unsprung and overall weight, and are tuned to produce a firm, controlled ride that handles bumps and corners with European style. Lincoln's near perfect 52/48 weight distribution gives the car a pleasantly neutral feel, predictable handling dynamics and high-levels of overall steadiness that are needed when you're testing your skill at the edge or during an accident-avoidance situation.
Dynamic safety includes 4-wheel disc brakes (297mm at each wheel), 4-channel ABS, all-speed traction control, and Ford's new AdvanceTrac stability control system, which adds an extra margin of safety during aggressive cornering or on slippery road surfaces. All of these factors contribute to keeping you out of an accident - but if a collision occurs, the LS's front and seat-mounted side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, sophisticated crush zones, and safety cage construction will help to protect the occupants.
LS buyers can choose between two engines: in the LS6 a 3-litre V6 (157kW at 6500 rpm), or in the LS8, a new 3.9-litre 188kW V8 engine, the latter based on the 4-litre AJ26 used in the sibling Jaguar XK8. Both use double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, aluminium blocks and heads, and meet all Low-Emission Vehicle standards.
Unfortunately no manual gearbox is available in the V8-powered car; in lieu of a manual, drivers can opt for Lincoln's SelectShift system, which allows manual gear selection of the 5-speed automatic. Even in this auto form, a standard LS8 despatches the standing 400 metres in 15.4 seconds. The SelectShift option is available as part of the attractive Sport Package that also includes lower profile Firestone Firehawk P235/50V tyres that (wrapped around great looking 5-spoke, 17 x 7.5 cast aluminium wheels), revised shock valving, thicker anti-roll bars, recalibrated power rack and pinion steering, engine oil cooler, and a full-size spare tyre.
So how about an LS model with the Jaguar XJR 280kW supercharged V8? Well Lincoln hasn't produced it, but the aftermarket is already heading that way fast....
Jac's LS8
The car shown here belongs to the boss. Jac Nasser, the president of Ford Motor Company, wanted to make a loud statement about Lincoln's all-new, mid-size luxo/sport sedan. He turned to expatriot New Zealander Peter Cameron, owner of Special Vehicle Concepts (SVC) of Newport Beach, California. Peter was told to expect a new Lincoln LS8 and to do a 'maximum' upgrade, inside and out. The end result of SVC's design and engineering is the 2000 Lincoln LS SuperSport.
The 4-piece body kit is SVC factory approved and features a restyled front bumper with high intensity fog lamps, smoked tail lamps, a ground effects package and a racy looking, custom Bentley-style mesh grille. Under the rear bumper are twin, chromed, dual exhaust pipes to make the more powerful engine breath easier. Further enhancing the great new looks are giant Michelin 255/35 Pilot Z4 tires that are wrapped around gorgeous 19 x 8 inch 7-spoke custom alloy wheels.
The 3.9-litre V8 engine has been equipped with a Turbo Dyne Electric Supercharger and a computer upgrade. Maximum boost is 6 psi in two stages - high boost at open throttle, and low boost at up to 4000 rpm. Power is now rated at 243kW at 6000 rpm, up 29 per cent. The 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) time has been shortened to only 6.1 seconds - more than a second faster than stock!
To handle the extra horsepower, the suspension has been tweaked and lowered 25mm with Eibach coil springs. A thicker rear sway bar and large urethane bushings are in place to keep everything working smoothly and quietly. The stock gas shocks from this already excellent handling sport sedan remain in place. The engineers at SVC tell me that their version of the LS8 should pull 0.99g's on the skidpan. To stop the SVC Lincoln LS SuperSport more effectively, the brakes were replaced by a SVC high performance brake package that consists of larger, cross-drilled rotors, new brake pads, and stainless steel brake lines.
SVC didn't forget about the interior - it was also upgraded to the 'maximum'. First, the seats were removed and replaced by more comfortable, more supportive, and softer sport leather seats with perforated facing and colour-coordinated piping, front and rear. To add more warmth and luxury to the LS8, a real wood dash, console, and door trim panels were also installed. Thicker, custom carpeted floor mats with the SVC logo were added for more foot comfort, while the side and rear windows were tinted titanium for more privacy. Soundproofing and acoustical enhancements were also made to make the interior of the SVC version LS8 quieter on the inside while driving.
With the super-quiet interior you'll be more able to enjoy the upgraded creature comforts such as the Clarion Auto PC with a very powerful AM-FM stereo radio, CD player with nine crystal clear speakers, plus a custom multi-media system with navigation, voice-mail, phonebook, and Internet access. Just below are the controls for the TV tuner/DVD player with twin 7-inch headrest monitors for the back seat passenger to enjoy. Each rear seat gets total control of what they see via separate controls mounted onto the pull-down rear centre console. You'll also find a custom mounted hands-free cellular phone with auto stereo muting.
We'd guess that Jac's pretty happy with his RWD supercharged V8 grunt, all wrapped up in that super luxurious package....
Contact:
SVC + 1 949 722 7100, Fax + 1 949 722 0100
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