FORD will offer its own version of the Amercian dream early next year in the shape of the all-new Lincoln LS. The arrival of the premium- priced executive contender coincides with the demise of the Ford Scorpio, but crossover from one model to the other will be limited.

Mike Wear, Ford's director of fleet operations, said: 'Only 10% of Scorpio sales were models costing more than £26,000, the premium D-sector where the Lincoln is aimed.' He expects company cheque books to account for the bulk of Lincoln sales, but distribution channels and sales targets have yet to be set for the car - unveiled at the New York Motor Show last week.

With an anticipated price tag of between £25,000 and £30,000, Ford does not expect the Lincoln to match the Scorpio's 5,000 annual sales, and will pitch the car instead at premium German competitors. The Lincoln LS (L for luxury and S for Sport) will come with two engines - a 3.0-litre, V6 24-valve unit and a 3.9-litre, V8 32-valve unit - combined with a choice of two transmissions, the five-speed automatic and dual-gate SelectShift with manual overdrive.