The all-new Lincoln LS is aimed squarely at the BMW 5-series and hits its target right on. And it costs about $10,000 less. If you've never thought of owning a Lincoln, read on. You might change your mind.

There is no way to tell by looking at it, but the Lincoln LS is the sister car to the Jaguar S-Type. They both share floor pans, engines and suspensions. Beyond that, though, they are different, especially in the design of the body. The style of the S-Type harks back to fabulous Jags of the past, while the LS looks toward Lincoln's future.

Most controls work well, though I found the mirror adjustment switch hidden from view and awkward to use. There are several audio packages costing $565 to $695 including a six-disc CD changer placed conveniently in the glovebox.

All seats are finished in leather; realistic burled walnut trim is used on doors and around the controls. The driver and front passenger seat offer power adjustment controls. An optional package allows the driver's seat to automatically move back, which makes getting in and out easier. A memory function maintains seating positions for two people. The remote key fob can be used to open all windows for quick ventilation on hot days.

Rear-seat passengers are taken care of nicely. The seats have a slightly raised position for a better forward view. Yet rear-seat headroom is as good as any in this class, according to Lincoln. Legroom is reasonable as long as the front seats are not positioned too far back. The rear seat back can be folded down in a 60/40 split for access to the trunk; that's unusual for a luxury car, but a great convenience for carrying skis and bulky cargo. The trunk offers a reasonable amount of space.

The sport package comes with 17-inch wheels, low-profile tires and what Lincoln calls the European suspension. This $32,250 model offers excellent handling and a smooth ride. The steering is one of the nicest of any car on the road as it gets stiffer the faster one drives. It makes the car as much fun to drive on windy mountain roads as a sports car.

A sporty driving experience is also available by ordering the SelectShift automatic transmission with either with the V6 or V8 engine. This is the first time a Ford product has used this type of transmission: The driver can select either fully automatic or manual shifting. In the manual mode, the driver changes gears by pushing the gearshift lever forward to shift up or by pulling it back to shift down. (A computer makes sure that the driver does not try to shift down when the car is going too fast. And it will shift up automatically if the driver forgets to shift when the engine reaches the redline.) The SelectShift transmission is included when the sport suspension package is ordered.

In a brief drive in a V8 with the standard 5-speed automatic transmission, we found the steering was not as crisp and the car supplied a cushier ride. It was still a lot better than one would expect from a Lincoln but not as sporty as a BMW.

The dynamic handling of the LS is world class because the engineers spent considerable time developing a car with a nearly perfect 50/50-weight distribution -- half the weight is on the front wheels and half is over the rear wheels. Most cars have a definite weight bias toward the front end. Lincoln managed this balancing act by moving the battery to the trunk and making the hood and front fenders from lightweight aluminum.

With a pedigree as good as this, the LS should be world class -- and it is. In fact, with its competitive pricing the LS is a serious alternative to the traditional BMW for a driver who wants a luxury sedan that is fun to drive. The LS is the sort of car for the person who wants to be different from the others in the country club driving up in their Mercedes-Benz or BMW.