The Detroit News's view

Ford’s upscale Lincoln brand got a major revival this year with the addition of the super-size sport-ute Navigator that’s been selling like crazy. But that’s not all that’s new for 1998. The Lincoln Continental, which has been around in one form or another for 57 years, gets a substantial redesign.

The freshening is critical, especially with a luxury market that’s crammed with lots of sexy offerings, including its principal domestic competitor, the brand-new Cadillac Seville. Lincoln doesn’t claim to be a world-beater, but they think they’ve got North American tastes figured out pretty well when it comes to the $38,000-plus price range.

She: I want to talk about some of the great mysteries of life. Like why some guys go nuts for a garage with a drain in the middle of the floor. Or why any woman over 40 would wear frosted lipstick. And why chrome on cars turns some people on. To me, the less chrome, the better. But that’s not the thinking on the redesigned Continental. They actually added more this year. What’s up with that?

He: To me, one of the great mysteries of life is why a woman would want to sleep in the same bed with her husband and two schnauzers.

She: This is about style, not sexuality.

He: I don’t know, I think the ’98 Continental is pretty sexy. A heck of lot more sexy, in fact, than last year’s car. It seems to me that Lincoln has finally figured out how to make one of its cars look like a Jaguar. And a very nice one, I might add. Oh, and that chrome grille, honey? That’s a longstanding Lincoln signature – one that probably won’t turn off that many Lincoln loyalists.

She: I still think there’s too much chrome. I hassled the Continental brand manager about it, but he insisted they weren’t “overly abusive” with it. He said to Continental buyers, chrome was like jewelry and they like it, so the designers added a bit more to the bumper, a strip on the rear end and even chromed the sockets of the bulbs in the taillamps.

He: Tacky. But you’re focusing on the minutiae when they did a far more dramatic restyling to the exterior, including those neat new reflector-style headlamps and a nicely resculpted rear end. The result, I think, is the most distinctive luxury car design in the domestic field. Far more distinctive than, say, the Lexus LS400, which also gets a face-lift for ’98.

She: I appreciate what Lincoln did with the Continental. It’s kind of like automotive liposuction. They reduced the front overhang by two inches and peeled the front corners back by four inches. The overall effect gives the Continental a much more contemporary feel, especially when you add those high-tech headlamps. And the fact that there’s less overhang made it feel easier to park to me because I could see where the nose was a bit better.

He: From the driver’s seat, the ’98 Continental doesn’t look or feel all that new. But I never had a problem with the cabin or the vehicle dynamics. The Continenta l’s cockpit is sensibly laid out and lavishly furnished, with some very handsome new bird’s eye maple trim and supple leather upholstery. That power lumbar adjustment should be mandatory on every luxury car, as far as I’m concerned.

She: They’ve made some sensible but subtle changes to your living space in the Lincoln. The radio controls are now on the steering wheel and there’s a sharp little analog clock on the instrument panel that to me is a lot more like jewelry than the chrome trim. In fact, it looks suspiciously like the clock on the old Infiniti J30. They’ve also added two cupholders in the rear and an optional mobile cellular phone with a nifty hands-free feature.

He: One area where Lincoln often doesn’t get enough credit is on the performance side. The Continental’s chassis is surprisingly competent, and certainly on a par with the best Japan has to offer in terms of control, stability and ride comfort. The twin-cam 4.6-liter V-8 makes 260 horsepower, which is siderably less than the Seville and the LS400, but feels perfectly adequate for most driving situations here in the states.

She: I like the fact that the Continental has standard antilock brakes and traction control, but I was surprised to see that you can’t get side air bags yet. That bothered me because even my cheaper Volvo sedan has them – in fact they are standard across that entire car line. I’d be inclined to give the Continental four stars if it had included things like side air bags and maybe a standard CD changer. It just irks me that our test car cost more than $44,000 once you added goodies like that. But maybe they figure their audience of mostly 50- to 70-year-olds still hasn’t gotten hip to CDs.

He: That’s funny. I feel much younger driving the ’98 Continental than I do most of the Cadillac and Lexus products. I suppose a lot of this is in your head, but I look at that Lincoln now and I see an American Jaguar. Call me an old fuddy-duddy, but it’s one of my favorite cars on the road right now.

She: I’d rather have a Navigator. But if I were ready for a luxury sedan, the Lincoln would be a good choice because it does what it’s supposed to do quite well. And the chrome does seem to grow on you after awhile.

1998 Lincoln Continental

Type: Front-wheel drive, five-passenger luxury sedan

Price: Base, $37,830; as tested, $44,820 (includes $670 destination charge)

What’s new for ’98: Redesigned interior and exterior, including new console, upgraded traction control, upgraded engine electronic control

Standard equipment: Air conditioning, four-way adjustable headrests, leather-wrapped steering wheel, two-way power lumbar support, leather seats, tinted glass, bright dual exhaust tips, 16-inch aluminum wheels, power heated mirrors with tilt-down feature, concealed radio antenna, power mirrors, power seats with two-setting memory function, air filtration system, variable-assist power steering, remote keyless entry, floor mats, bird’s eye maple wood trim, battery saver, rear-window defroster, AM/FM stereo cassette with radio, tachometer, intermittent wipers

Safety features: Dual air bags, antilock brakes, anti-theft alarm system, five-passenger three-point safety belts

Options on test vehicle: RESCU package ($2,225) includes voice-activated cellular phone, JBL audio system, universal garage door opener; personal security package ($750) includes run-flat tires and low-pressure alert warning light; power moonroof ($1,515); front heated seats ($290); highly polished aluminum wheels ($350); driver-select system ($595); compact disc changer ($595)

EPA fuel economy: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway

Engine: 4.6-liter V-8; 260 hp at 5750 rpm; 270 lb-ft torque at 3000 rpm

Transmission: Four-speed automatic

Competitors: Audi A6, BMW 540i, Buick Park Avenue Ultra, Cadillac Seville, Infiniti Q45, Lexus GS400, Mercedes-Benz E420, Volvo S90

Specifications : Wheelbase, 109 inches; overall length, 207 inches; curb weight, 3,868 pounds; legroom, 41.9 inches front/38.0 inches rear; headroom, 39.2 inches front/38.0 inches rear; shoulder room, 57.1 inches front/56.6 rear

Where built: Wixom

12-month insurance cost, according to AAA Michigan*: $1,206

* Rates based on an average family of four from the Livonia area whose primary driver is aged 40 with no tickets who drives 3-10 miles each way to work. Rates reflect multicar discount and, where appropriate, discounts for air bags and seat belts.