The Lincoln Continental makes a distinctive design statement. A rounded interpretation of the Lincoln waterfall grille blends with the headlamp clusters to sweep into a brightly trimmed front fascia, while massive tail lamps wrap around into the muscular rear quarters. The overall impression is round, organic, yet solid and impressive.Front fenders, hood and deck lid are made of a sheet-molding compound that is more resistant to dents and dings. The large door handles use the lever-style design that requires flipping your hand over. I can manage to pinch my pinky in them because I'm clumsy and often in a hurry. The driver's door is fitted with a keypad for unlocking the car without a key; many longtime Ford buyers like this feature and it's being used on the latest 2003 models, but we think it detracts from the appearance of the car. The trunk boasts nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo capacity, considerably more than the Cadillac Seville, comparable to the DeVille and Buick Park Avenue Ultra. The trunk lid raises high and out of the way, while a low lift-over height makes loading and unloading a lot easier. Raising the hood reveals an attractive engine compartment. The washer fluid container, oil filler and other necessaries are out in the open, and the cooling system is maintenance-free.
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