system, which has been relocated further away from the driver's cabin.

Those changes, in concert with improvements in body insulation and sealing,

combine to significantly reduce engine noise.

Meanwhile, the new coil-on-plug ignition system--in which each spark

plug has its own coil--helps extend tune-up intervals to 100,000 miles--presuming,

of course, normal driving conditions and regular fluid changes.

The 4.6-liter twincam 32-valve InTech V8 engine sends 280 horsepower

to the rear wheels on the standard Mark VIII, and 290 on the LSC. That

added up to plenty of launch power in our test car, as well as excellent

response at highway-passing speeds.

And make no mistake--when it comes to handling, cornering and weavy

lane-changes, the Mark VIII is light years away from its floaty Town Car

cousin. Thanks to its new speed-sensitive variable-assist steering, new

all-speed traction control, larger front stabilizer bars and retuned shocks,

the LSC proudly lived up to its sport-coupe credentials, as it nimbly and

confidently negotiated twisty country roads north of Detroit.