Full-sized luxury is over. We’ll never see great land yachts like the Lincoln Town Car ever again. Trucks, sure, that seems to be where the market is headed, but a truck isn’t a Town Car. And for smooth, quiet luxury transportation, nothing quite feels like a rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame luxury car. Add in one of the great engines of the late 20th century (Ford’s legendary 5.0), a long list of options, a great color combination, and no winters, and this 1989 Lincoln Town Car takes you on a luxury cruise the likes of which we’ll never see again.

Bright Cotillion White has always been a popular Town Car color, and on the car’s angular bodywork it absolutely looks great. This is one of those wonderful cars that has led an easy life, tucked away during the winters and never exposed to snow or salt. The trim proportions and bright white paint work together to hide the car’s enormous size—it’s longer than an F150—and the formal look has aged rather well over the past 30 years. It’s familiar but not ordinary. The paint still shines up beautifully with no signs of bodywork or accident damage and as I mentioned, it has never suffered through winter weather so rust issues are eliminated. By the time this 1989 Town Car was built, Ford had pretty much perfected the breed, so the doors swing closed with a reassuring THUD, and it takes some muscle due to the oversized weather seals that keep it so quiet inside. The padded half roof adds an air of formality, along with the rectangular opera window which, in one form or another, was a Continental trademark for decades. Twin gray pinstripes stretch the length of the car, tying in with the gray leather interior, but it’s hardly flashy. And despite being a big American luxury car, there’s not really that much chrome—big bumpers, an upright grille, and some jewelry, but it doesn’t seem like it’s trying too hard. There’s just enough to make it look expensive, and it’s all in fantastic condition. Even the plastic extensions around the bumpers are intact—most of them cracked simply as a function of time.

Gray leather is a pleasant change from the usual burgundy velour, and it keeps the interior bright and airy without losing any of the luxurious feel. The big front seats envelop you like your favorite char in your living room, which was surely the intent, and the leather itself remains in great shape with only a few wrinkles to show the passage of time. Deep carpets help with the hushed feeling and the dash is covered in enough faux wood to at least warm the place up a little so it’s not totally monochromatic. Everything was standard and it all works: automatic climate control, power windows, locks, seats, and mirrors, cruise control, and a great-sounding Sony AM/FM/CD stereo that was added in the recent past. The 72,705 miles showing on the odometer are an authentic reading, although the car looks, feels, and acts more like 7200 miles than 72,000. All the gauges are fully operational, including the clock, although it covers little more than the basics. Rear seat space is huge by today’s standards and the seat shows virtually zero wear, and climbing in feels special, I don’t care who you are. The headliner remains taut and all the courtesy lights work, giving it a personal feel. There’s also a positively massive trunk, which is fully upholstered and includes a full-sized spare with cover and the original jack assembly.

This Town Car is powered by Ford’s legendary 302 cubic inch V8, better known as the 5.0. It’s related to the one in the Mustang, albeit tuned for smoothness and silence instead of all-out performance. But the good news is that it’s virtually indestructible and does a fine job of pulling 4000 pounds of Town Car around without ever working very hard. There are plenty of signs of maintenance throughout the years and it’s completely stock, right down to the rubber boot over the distributor and all the original markings and details. I don’t know if you want to show this car, but it’s probably a good choice for preservation classes if that’s your bent. With electronic fuel injection, it always starts easily, idles smoothly, and generally goes about its business with no fuss, just as you’d expect. There’s a very subtle V8 purr from the single exhaust pipe, but it’s very much in line with the car’s luxury mission. Parts are plentiful and cheap, making this a car that will always be easy to maintain.

Underneath you’ll see some surface scale on the heavy metal suspension bits, but no rot in the critical areas—look at those ultra-clean floors! Ride quality is superb and this car floats over broken pavement better than anything you’ll buy today, one of the perks of body-on-frame construction. Ford’s AOD 4-speed automatic transmission features a deep overdrive so it’s a superb highway cruiser, particularly with tall 2.73 gears out back. Recent work includes new front brake rotors and calipers, new hoses, and a new muffler and tailpipe. The A/C has also been converted to R134a refrigerant, so it’s effective and will easy to service in the future. Automatic load leveling was standard, and the system appears to be fully operational, making the Lincoln ideal for road trips. Factory “turbine” alloy wheels are beautifully preserved with no curb rash and carry 215/70/15 whitewall radials.

Documentation includes a full set of factory owner’s manuals.

We’ve sold a number of these big luxury cars and this might be the best one yet. Attractive colors, great options, and wonderful preservation make this a great car to enjoy as intended—on the road. There’s still nothing else like piloting one of these luxury cruisers down the highway, letting the big V8 just loaf along and guiding it towards the horizon with a fingertip. Experience top-of-the-line luxury for a fraction of the cost of anything else in its weight class. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.