The Continental lost luster when significantly downsized in 1982. And many Continental fans covered their eyes when the all-new, front-wheel-drive 1988 model arrived with a weak V6 and bland styling. Cadillac easily outdid the car, which finally got a fairly slick body and the current V8 in 1995.

The 1998 Continental is essentially the same as that 1995 model, but has an even sleeker body, refined interior, improved ride and more low-speed torque for better responsiveness.

Ford Motor wants its Lincoln models to have a "family resemblance." The Continental thus looks a lot like the dramatically restyled 1998 Lincoln Town Car and even a bit like the new Lincoln Navigator sport utility. As a bonus, the 1998 Continental also looks a little like the Jaguar XJ sedan from the rear. After all, Ford Motor owns Jaguar and an upcoming new Jaguar will share Lincoln components.

The 1998 Continental has a new grille flanked by rakish-looking headlights and a bolder new plastic hood and front fenders. Front overhang is reduced for a trimmer look and the rear end looks more substantial. The bottom of the windshield was moved forward and its glass slanted rearward at a steeper angle for a zoomier appearance. Huge tires add to the more-muscular look by completely filling wheelwells—although the tires cause too much road noise in the otherwise quiet interior.

Styling is nicely proportioned, and many who garage the Continental for the first time will discover that the car takes up more space than they expected.

The new model has a fair amount of chrome, which causes the grille to be almost blinding on a sunny day. But the chrome looks appropriate, and Lincoln knows that older buyers of the car want some glitz.

Actually, the new Continental blends the hot-rod nature of race-winning Lincolns of the early 1950s with the poshness of later models. The 260-horsepower of its smooth 32-valve, dual-overhead camshaft V8 whisks it from 0-60 mph in just 7.8 seconds. That's pretty quick for a big luxury sedan, but the 3,868-pound car is hefty and often feels as if it could use at least another 30 horsepower in tight driving situations.

The Continental's 4.6-liter V8 is only average in size for such a heavy car, and rivals such as the Cadillac Seville offer up to 300 horsepower. The base price of the new Continental is $37,830, and those paying that kind of money deserve extra punch from the V8.

The smooth-shifting 4-speed automatic transmission's overdrive gear should downshift quicker, but at least it allows the V8 to loaf at 2,400 rpm at 75 mph and helps deliver decent highway fuel economy—an estimated 24 mpg. (The city figure is 17, but expect only 15 in real-world driving in congested areas.) Changes to engine electronics allow use of regular-grade gasoline; costlier premium fuel now is recommend, but not required.

A highlight of the posher interior is a classic-looking analog clock with a chrome bezel and hands—a small touch, but a toney one. Everything from bird's-eye maple accents to smooth-working controls contributes to an uptown feel. Nicely designed power-window controls are conveniently located, and the substantial cupholders are strategically placed in the console area. However, the headlight switch looks and feels cheap.

Curiously, I never could get completely comfortable in the driver's seat, despite a handy Mercedes-style power seat control and wide range of power adjustments. Also, the front seats offer little side support when curves are taken briskly.

Five- or six-passenger seating is offered, but the Continental only comfortably seats four tall adults—and there isn't a surplus of room despite the car's large exterior dimensions. Rear styling cuts down on the size of the opening to the large trunk.

A driver still can select different amounts of steering effort—from low to high—by pushing a dashboard button. But that feature seems silly without the $595 "Driver Select System" adjustable suspension. That suspension was standard for 1997 and allows plush, normal or firm shock absorber settings for everything from highway cruising to driving on winding mountain roads.

The standard suspension actually is just fine for most driving and helps deliver fairly sharp handling. The ride is improved, thanks to new features such as gas-pressurized shock absorbers and revised spring rates. The steering works best in its "normal" mode with the standard suspension, although it feels rather numb.

While the car stops well, the brake pedal feels mushy and thus doesn't lend itself to good brake modulation. The standard anti-lock brake hardware is quieter during brake modulation and activation of the standard traction-control system.

While hardly inexpensive, the new Continental only costs $550 more than the 1997 model and has so much equipment that few options exist. However, many may want the $290 heated seats, $1,515 power sunroof and $350 polished aluminum wheels, which definitely enhance the car's appearance.

Airbags are de-powered to inflate with less force, and nifty small items include a "battery saver" that turns off headlights so the battery won't go dead when a driver accidentally leaves those lights on.

If only the new Continental had 30 more horsepower. . . .