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Wednesday, January 5, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C3 AUTOMOTIVE This is a Lincoln? By Malcolm Gunn SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER W ho would have believed that Ford would/could build a radically downsized model with the Lincoln brand proudly affixed to the grille? Well, the 2000 Lincoln LS will definitely shatter a few myths about what has been, up to now, a brand of car that only your rich, great uncle drives. Some of you out there are no doubt saying `ya, ya, we've seen a small Lincoln before .. . and it died.' Back in the mid-1970s, there was the Versailles, a gussied-up Ford Granada complete with a thickly padded landau roof, trendy disco-era opera win dows and a faux spare tire bulge in the trunk lid. When disco eventually died, so did the Versailles. This time around, Lincoln has left nothing to chance. The LS's honest-to-goodness European heart and soul begins with a chas sis it shares with the equally all-new Jaguar S-Type (Jaguar is now a Ford subsidiary). Automatically, this reduces the overall proportions to fit the definition of a European big car and means less overall Weight and front and rear overhang. The car's wheel arches are also nicely filled up with the LS's tire and wheel combo, resulting in a shape that conveys a readyfor-business appearance that's commonplace with many European luxury marques. The smooth-looking sheetmetal con tours convey a strong sense of visual purpose, but the LS still manages to retain certain styling cues that tell the world it's a North American-designed road car. The LS offers a choice of two engines. The LS V6 features a 3.0-litre Duratec engine that produces 210 horsepower, the same output as a V8-powered Town Car. Ordering this engine allows you to choose either a five-speed automatic, or one of two option al transmissions: a five-speed automatic with Ford's SelectShift; or a Getrag-built five-speed manual. The Getrag transmission is actually part of the LS's sport package that also includes 17-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspen sion, full-size spare, engine oil cooler and leather-wrapped steer ing wheel and shifter knob. If more power and torque is what you seek, the LS V8 comes through with its 3.9-litre DOHC V8, which offers 252 horsepow er and a heart-racing 267 lb-ft of torque. The only minor disap pointment is that the manual gearbox cannot be ordered with the V8-- for now at least. But you do get some extra standard good ies with this engine option, such as moisture-sensitive windshield wipers, leather seats (heated in front), memory-position driver's seat, tilt/telescopic steering wheel and outside mirrors and a uni versal garage-door opener. Like any good BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the Lincoln LS is a real driver's car that comes with almost perfect 50/50 weight dis tribution, a sophisticated suspension setup and plenty of airbags and other safety-related equipment (including optional GPS tracking) to satisfy even the most jaded Euro-car purist. It also comes -- or can be ordered with -- all the luxury items that North American drivers demand in our premium luxo-rides. The LS is a toned, beautiful machine that should give the com petition a run for its money. With the right mix of power and amenities, it's certain to capture a whole new audience of loyal Lincoln lovers. 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