1996 Ford Crown Victoria vs Oldsmobile LSS Comparison Test Drive
Huge rear-drive sedans used to dominate America’s highways. For 1996, this once-plentiful species had dwindled to just a few domestic nameplates: the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis, and two offerings from General Motors: the Chevrolet Caprice and the Buick Roadmaster.
As a class, they moved from commonplace to niche, selling steadily but moderately to people who still appreciate their roominess and view their dimensions as a safety plus. Conservatively styled, their objective is to provide comfort, convenience and value in a big package built for highway cruising.
Comparing the Ford Crown Victoria to Chevrolet’s Caprice Classic would have been easy. Putting it up a front wheel drive large car, from what once was a domestic near luxury marque took double the scrutiny.
Were it not for the Aurora, the venerable rocket brand might have fizzled its final spurt earlier than it eventually did. But since Oldsmobile was temporarily restabilized in orbit, the immediate challenge was to spread the Aurora’s heavenly glow throughout the rest of the lineup. That was precisely the mission of the ’96 LSS: Think of it as an 88 sedan liberally sprinkled with Aurora stardust.
The LSS badge was first used in 1993,to offer Eighty Eight customers an alternative to wire wheel covers and whitewall tires. For ’96, the LSS was a stand-alone model that no longer wears any Eighty Eight identification whatsoever. Consistent with the Aurora strategy, rocket logos and Oldsmobile badges also were downplayed on this large touring sedan to help charm borderline import shoppers into the fold. The Aurora’s influence is particularly evident in the LSS’s exterior design, which was an amalgam of standard Eighty Eight sheetmetal with overtones from Oldsmobile’s aggressive “Hammer” design study of 1993. The general theme was clean simplicity, with less chrome trim than you’d find on a typical Olds. A new-for-’96 face (shared with regular Eighty Eights) features low-profile headlamps and a twin-port grille. Wheels were five-spoke versions of the Aurora’s rim design.
Which large car would you choose? FWD, or RWD? Ford or Oldsmobile?
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