the traditionally more conservative New Yorker buyer--began opting for
the more lavish, more expensive LHS with its bucket seats and taut suspension.
So in 1995, the long-lived New Yorker nameplate faded into oblivion.
We're not spending a lot of time lamenting the passing of the New Yorker,
however, because the LHS is a much more enjoyable car to drive. Those buyers
opting for the LHS were no dummies.
The LHS is the latest in a long line of full-size Chrysler luxury sedans,
but this class is part of a vanishing breed. This fall, the LHS will shrink
toward midsize sedan dimensions, in part because Chrysler's research shows
most customers prefer smaller cars.
So while plenty of people still want a full-size luxury sedan, their
choices are continuing to narrow. The 1997 LHS may represent the last opportunity
to keep Chrysler on the full-size shopping list.
And we're here to tell you there are good reasons to keep this year's
LHS on that full-size shopping list. Besides its sporty nature, the LHS
offers a lot of value. There's only one model available and, priced at
$30,850, it comes with a high level of standard equipment. The only option
on our car was a premium sound system, which brought the total to $31,150.
Compared with other domestic luxury cars, the LHS is about $7,400 less
expensive than a Lincoln Continental and about $9,400 less than a Cadillac
Seville. It also stacks up well against the smaller imports, going out
the door about $5,500 less than an Infiniti J30 and about the same as a
Lexus ES300. Next Page