And for that matter, let the Japanese wow the world with curvaceous $60,000 works of art that, unfortunately, a typical family must struggle to get into.

The Lincoln Town Car holds itself to a different standard. It's unabashedly big and boxy on the outside; unashamedly cavernous and comfortable on the inside.

It's also a classic American luxury car. It has every luxury feature known to man and a big V8 to turn the rear wheels and make it all go.

That's not to say the Town Car is outdated. True, an extraordinary increase in the popularity of European and Japanese prestige cars - not to mention the Cadillac Seville - has helped redefine what many Americans want in a luxury model. As a result, the Town Car and the Cadillac Fleetwood are just about the only two cars that still adhere to traditional American standards: vast dimensions, parlor-plush interiors and an ultra-soft ride.

But Ford has continued to revise and refine the Town Car, making subtle but important changes inside and out that, in Ford's opinion, make this an even more stately car for 1995.

Three versions are available to suit your pocketbook and style: the Executive Series, Signature Series and Cartier Designer Series. Our Cartier test car offered heated leather seats and traction control, which brought its price close to $42,000.

If your taste has been swayed by the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, you'll find the Town Car a thoroughly modern rendition of what you expect an American luxury car to be.