Will Lincoln's Next Town Car be based on a Stretched, AWD, V8-Powered Ford Five Hundred?

Considering that the wheelbase of the Five Hundred is 2,868 mm (112.9 in), a stretch of 125 mm would bring the wheelbase to

If Lincoln were to use the Five Hundred's platform, it will only be the AWD model. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

2,993 mm (117.8 in), which would be slightly larger than that of the Town Car, just short of three meters. As it stands, the 2004 Town Car's wheelbase is larger than many high-end European luxury cars.

A secondary point to consider is that if Lincoln were to use the Five Hundred's platform, it will only be the AWD model. Lincoln hasn't had a front-wheel driven vehicle in its range since the demise of the Continental several years back, and considering its customer base and determination to uphold a prestigious image, they're not about to start with their high-end executive model. As for power, Mascarenas said a V8 could fit in the engine bay.

In a time where Chrysler and

Although the plan for a Five Hundred based Town Car sounds most viable, keeping the current Town Car underpinnings is still an option that's on the table. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

General Motors are switching to rear-wheel drive, Ford feels that it's best to stick with what they've got. Mascarenas stated, "I'm not sure the customer needs rear-wheel drive," which furthers the idea that a rear wheel driven Town Car isn't going to be produced. With no suitable, modern rear-driven platform on hand, it appears that Lincoln will be doing the second best thing, following the footsteps of Jaguar and its X-Type by introducing all-wheel drive.

Although the plan for a Five Hundred based Town Car sounds most viable, Mascarenas also suggested that keeping the current vehicle's underpinnings could be an option. The old Panther-based chassis has been in production since 1978, and is currently shared with the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Marauder.