The gauges on the instrument panel are bright and nicely styled. A multi-function electronic message center permits the driver to track time between oil changes, control seat and mirror positions, switch the traction control system on or off, change the display unit from English to metric, and operate the autolamp-delay function. The alpha-numeric display also provides cellular telephone data, and the Mark VIII's optional cellular phone can be used either inside the car or from a remote locale.

The leather seats are cozy and offer the driver a lot of cushion. Power seats that provide six adjustments offer enough configurations to ensure a comfortable and proper seating position.

To ease exit from the vehicle, the driver's seat floats back two inches and the steering column ascends upward whenever the key is taken out of the ignition.

Because the Mark VIII LSC sports a $39,000-plus base sticker price, it should come as no surprise that the vehicle is equipped with a long list of luxury features as standard equipment.

They include: anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control, speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, 16-inch chrome wheels, air conditioning with automatic climate control, power windows, power door locks, power heated mirrors, message center with trip computer, burled walnut wood applique, leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power-tilt telescoping steering column, driver's seat memory with remote recall, six-way driver and passenger power seats, and remote keyless entry.

Trunk-mounted CD changers offer the advantage of being able to load up a magazine with hours of music without having to mess around with compact discs, a nice feature when traveling. Their disadvantage is that they are a bit fussy when you've got a disc in hand that you want to quickly try out.