Refinements to the interior of the 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII come
on the heels of last year's redesign of this innovative sport
coupe, which aims to offer buyers the optimum blend of spirited
driving performance and luxurious comfort. The Mark VIII is powered by a
32-valve DOHC V-8 engine packing 280 horsepower (290 in LSC trim)
at 5,750 rpm and 285 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm. It has
fully independent computer-controlled air suspension and is a
rear-wheel drive model.
The 1997 model year introduced several significant changes to
the Mark VIII. Among
these:
An improved high intensity discharge headlamp system
(HID), provides the industry's largest single-piece
headlamp housings that use HID light sources. The HID
system, which improves night visibility, was pioneered on
the limited edition Mark
VIII LSC introduced during the 1996 model year
Low-beam illumination is magnified 2.7 times beyond the
light provided by conventional headlamps. At the rear, a
48-inch neon tube improved both the visibility and the
response of the Mark's
center brake lamp. By trimming a fifth of a second from
the time necessary for illumination, the chance of a
rear-end collision at 60 mph is reduced. Drivers have an
additional 17 feet to react. Puddle lamps integrated into
the outside rearview mirrors illuminate the ground
whenever the keyless entry system is used to unlock
doors. In addition, a string of red LEDs across the lower
edge of the mirrors gives traffic at the rear and side
plenty of warning of the Mark VIII driver's
intention to turn
A driver's side mirror tilts down for better visibility
during backing and an electronic message center can be
used to personalize 10 functions for two drivers (such as
seat and mirror positions, door lock operation, English
or Metric display units, and the length of the autolamp
delay). The same alpha-numeric display reports the time
remaining until the next oil change as well as cellular
telephone information. Thanks to the addition of
long-life nickel-metal-hydride batteries, the Mark's optional cell
phone can be used hands-off inside the car or carried
away in a pocket or purse for remote operation.
For 1998, carpeting is upgraded and a cassette deck replaces a
CD player as standard equipment with the JBL audio system. (Two
optional CD systems are offered: a no charge single-play
dash-mounted system in place of the cassette deck or an optional
10- disc trunk-mounted changer.)
