Lincoln is the luxury brand of Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and acquired by Ford in 1922, Lincoln has manufactured vehicles since the 1920s. Leland named the brand after his longtime hero Abraham Lincoln. The following is looking back the progress the company has made to date.
Lincoln Liberty
While this isn’t a car, it’s where Lincoln got its start: aircraft engines. This engine, and others like it, were Lincoln’s first undertaking during WWI, as well as its start in the world of mass production.
Lincoln L-series
With the war over, Lincoln turned to luxury car manufacturing. The L-series was the company’s first offering, but sadly it was not a big hit. A cold reception coupled with the post-war recession forced Lincoln into bankruptcy, until Henry Ford came along.
Lincoln L-series by Ford
Once Ford took over, the L-series was given a facelift. A body restyle by Edsel Ford was put in effect, as well as a number of mechanical improvements like better carburetors and hydraulic shocks. The L-series continued to be gradually updated throughout its life until it ceased production in 1930.
Lincoln L Dietrich Convertible Coupe
Grace, elegance and speed. That's what these cars were all about, hence the greyhound emblem adorning the hood. Lincoln only produced 75 of these Dietrich-bodied cars over a two-year period. It’s unknown how many of them still exist today.
Lincoln K-series
An entry level model during its debut. However, if the customer had the means to do so, it could be ordered with completely custom coachwork. Early models sported a V8. Later on a V12 became standard. Convertible models were done by coachbuilders LeBaron, a name familiar to Chrysler fans. The K-series was actually a fairly affordable model during its time.
Sunshine Special
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s state car, and possibly the start of Lincoln’s history of crafting presidential limos. No one is certain of how the car got the nickname Sunshine Special. The most popular rumour attributes the name to its retractable roof. Modifications included sirens, a two-way radio system and wide running boards and grab handles for Secret Service agents.
Lincoln Derham Sport Sedan
This one of a kind car was built on a whim by the Derham Coach Company during the great depression. A risky enterprise, but luckily, it paid off. It featured unique styling cues like its inverted teardrop headlights, as well as a design nearly unheard of at the time - a retractable sunroof. This car would eventually sit in a barn for two decades. before undergoing an extensive restoration and winning first in class at Pebble Beach in 2004.
Lincoln-Zephyr
Zephyr was the Greek God of the west wind - a gentle wind that signalled the arrival of Spring. Lincoln’s version may not be a god of the wind, but it was shaped by it. It was one of the earliest examples of a streamlined and aerodynamic vehicle. The Lincoln-Zephyr lineup eventually paved the way for one of the best known Lincoln models
Lincoln Continental Mk. 1
A mostly handmade, smooth riding car with a long, sleek body and a V12 under the hood. Sounds like it should've been a Rolls-Royce. The first generation Continental was once called the most beautiful car in the world by architect Frank Lloyd Wright - a man who knows a thing or two about style.
Lincoln Continental Mk. 1 Cabriolet
Though it was initially created as a one off for Edsel Ford, the cabriolet Continental eventually went into a very limited production run after Edsel saw the kind of reception it garnered. New York’s Museum of Modern Art honoured this car in an exhibition. It was the first car to receive such treatment from the museum.
Lincoln Cosmopolitan
President Harry Truman’s ride of choice. Allegedly, GM had snubbed his vehicle requests during his campaign, so when Truman was elected, he let Ford supply him. This limo became known as the “Bubbletop” because of a detachable glass canopy that allowed the president to be seen when parading, even on a rainy day.
Continental Mk. 2
The Continental was back, but not under Lincoln’s name - it was simply known as the Continental Mark II. At nearly five times the cost of a regular Ford, the intention was to create the ultimate in American-made luxury. They were entirely hand built and saw a fanatical level of quality control. It was only available for two years. Ford reportedly lost money on each one sold.
Lincoln Continental Mk. 4
When a car has unique doors, people tend to take notice for some reason. Mercedes-Benz did it with the 300SL and Lamborghini did it with the Countach. Lincoln did it with their Mk. 4 Continental which featured suicide doors. Like the Merc’s gullwing doors, Lincoln implemented the suicide doors purely for practical purposes.
X-100
If Pimp My Ride were around in the 1960s, this is probably the kind of thing you’d see. The X-100 was the infamous Presidential Limo where U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The car was a heavily modified Mk. 4 Lincoln Continental. It had features like a hydraulic adjustable rear seat to elevate the president and an assortment of removable hardtops. Modification reportedly cost the U.S. government nearly $200,000.
Reagan’s Car
Though its use wasn’t solely restricted to President Reagan, this limo gained its reputation while the States were under his reign. An attempt on Reagan’s life was thwarted by this beefed up Continental. While the car was bulletproof, its armour actually caused the very injury it was made to prevent - a bullet ricocheted off the car and struck Reagan, though not fatally.
Lincoln Town Car
Town Car was previously a trim level for Lincoln’s flagship Continental, but was eventually made into its own model as car companies began to downsize in the 80s. The town car left the factory with features that were pretty advanced for the age, like a fully digital trip computer that estimated time of arrival and also supplied an approximate range until empty.
Lincoln Navigator
Before the Escalade, there was this, the Navigator. Lincoln enjoyed a massive amount of sales with this luxury SUV. It was an early star in the custom SUV scene with many celebrities taking the wheel of a blinged out Navigator. Lincoln says over half of their Navigator customers were new to the brand.
Lincoln LS
Designed to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the Lincoln LS was Lincoln’s attempt at rear-wheel drive, mid-size luxury. This car shared the same platform and equipment with the Jaguar S-type, since, at the time, Ford owned Jag as well. The LS received updates throughout its life until 2006 when it ceased to remain competitive and was discontinued.
Lincoln Blackwood
A pickup truck may not be the first thing to spring to mind when one thinks of luxury, but Lincoln’s Blackwood got a lot of people thinking just that. Sadly, it didn’t deliver. Only produced for one year, the Blackwood couldn’t find the compromise between practicality and luxury - something Cadillac’s Escalade EXT was able to do. Lincoln later tried again with the more successful Mark LT.
Lincoln MKZ
The new MKZ is Lincoln’s first offering since its re-branding as the Lincoln Motor Company. It shares the same platform as the well-liked 2013 Ford Fusion. Lincoln will be offering it with a 2.0-litre EcoBoost, a 3.7L V6 or a hybrid based on the 2.0L engine. The hybrid powertrain is expected to be priced similarly to the gasoline-only models.
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Lincoln Liberty
While this isn’t a car, it’s where Lincoln got its start: aircraft engines. This engine, and others like it, were Lincoln’s first undertaking during WWI, as well as its start in the world of mass production.
Lincoln L-series
With the war over, Lincoln turned to luxury car manufacturing. The L-series was the company’s first offering, but sadly it was not a big hit. A cold reception coupled with the post-war recession forced Lincoln into bankruptcy, until Henry Ford came along.
Lincoln L-series by Ford
Once Ford took over, the L-series was given a facelift. A body restyle by Edsel Ford was put in effect, as well as a number of mechanical improvements like better carburetors and hydraulic shocks. The L-series continued to be gradually updated throughout its life until it ceased production in 1930.
Lincoln L Dietrich Convertible Coupe
Grace, elegance and speed. That's what these cars were all about, hence the greyhound emblem adorning the hood. Lincoln only produced 75 of these Dietrich-bodied cars over a two-year period. It’s unknown how many of them still exist today.
Lincoln K-series
An entry level model during its debut. However, if the customer had the means to do so, it could be ordered with completely custom coachwork. Early models sported a V8. Later on a V12 became standard. Convertible models were done by coachbuilders LeBaron, a name familiar to Chrysler fans. The K-series was actually a fairly affordable model during its time.
Sunshine Special
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s state car, and possibly the start of Lincoln’s history of crafting presidential limos. No one is certain of how the car got the nickname Sunshine Special. The most popular rumour attributes the name to its retractable roof. Modifications included sirens, a two-way radio system and wide running boards and grab handles for Secret Service agents.
Lincoln Derham Sport Sedan
This one of a kind car was built on a whim by the Derham Coach Company during the great depression. A risky enterprise, but luckily, it paid off. It featured unique styling cues like its inverted teardrop headlights, as well as a design nearly unheard of at the time - a retractable sunroof. This car would eventually sit in a barn for two decades. before undergoing an extensive restoration and winning first in class at Pebble Beach in 2004.
Lincoln-Zephyr
Zephyr was the Greek God of the west wind - a gentle wind that signalled the arrival of Spring. Lincoln’s version may not be a god of the wind, but it was shaped by it. It was one of the earliest examples of a streamlined and aerodynamic vehicle. The Lincoln-Zephyr lineup eventually paved the way for one of the best known Lincoln models
Lincoln Continental Mk. 1
A mostly handmade, smooth riding car with a long, sleek body and a V12 under the hood. Sounds like it should've been a Rolls-Royce. The first generation Continental was once called the most beautiful car in the world by architect Frank Lloyd Wright - a man who knows a thing or two about style.
Lincoln Continental Mk. 1 Cabriolet
Though it was initially created as a one off for Edsel Ford, the cabriolet Continental eventually went into a very limited production run after Edsel saw the kind of reception it garnered. New York’s Museum of Modern Art honoured this car in an exhibition. It was the first car to receive such treatment from the museum.
Lincoln Cosmopolitan
President Harry Truman’s ride of choice. Allegedly, GM had snubbed his vehicle requests during his campaign, so when Truman was elected, he let Ford supply him. This limo became known as the “Bubbletop” because of a detachable glass canopy that allowed the president to be seen when parading, even on a rainy day.
Continental Mk. 2
The Continental was back, but not under Lincoln’s name - it was simply known as the Continental Mark II. At nearly five times the cost of a regular Ford, the intention was to create the ultimate in American-made luxury. They were entirely hand built and saw a fanatical level of quality control. It was only available for two years. Ford reportedly lost money on each one sold.
Lincoln Continental Mk. 4
When a car has unique doors, people tend to take notice for some reason. Mercedes-Benz did it with the 300SL and Lamborghini did it with the Countach. Lincoln did it with their Mk. 4 Continental which featured suicide doors. Like the Merc’s gullwing doors, Lincoln implemented the suicide doors purely for practical purposes.
X-100
If Pimp My Ride were around in the 1960s, this is probably the kind of thing you’d see. The X-100 was the infamous Presidential Limo where U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The car was a heavily modified Mk. 4 Lincoln Continental. It had features like a hydraulic adjustable rear seat to elevate the president and an assortment of removable hardtops. Modification reportedly cost the U.S. government nearly $200,000.
Reagan’s Car
Though its use wasn’t solely restricted to President Reagan, this limo gained its reputation while the States were under his reign. An attempt on Reagan’s life was thwarted by this beefed up Continental. While the car was bulletproof, its armour actually caused the very injury it was made to prevent - a bullet ricocheted off the car and struck Reagan, though not fatally.
Lincoln Town Car
Town Car was previously a trim level for Lincoln’s flagship Continental, but was eventually made into its own model as car companies began to downsize in the 80s. The town car left the factory with features that were pretty advanced for the age, like a fully digital trip computer that estimated time of arrival and also supplied an approximate range until empty.
Lincoln Navigator
Before the Escalade, there was this, the Navigator. Lincoln enjoyed a massive amount of sales with this luxury SUV. It was an early star in the custom SUV scene with many celebrities taking the wheel of a blinged out Navigator. Lincoln says over half of their Navigator customers were new to the brand.
Lincoln LS
Designed to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the Lincoln LS was Lincoln’s attempt at rear-wheel drive, mid-size luxury. This car shared the same platform and equipment with the Jaguar S-type, since, at the time, Ford owned Jag as well. The LS received updates throughout its life until 2006 when it ceased to remain competitive and was discontinued.
Lincoln Blackwood
A pickup truck may not be the first thing to spring to mind when one thinks of luxury, but Lincoln’s Blackwood got a lot of people thinking just that. Sadly, it didn’t deliver. Only produced for one year, the Blackwood couldn’t find the compromise between practicality and luxury - something Cadillac’s Escalade EXT was able to do. Lincoln later tried again with the more successful Mark LT.
Lincoln MKZ
The new MKZ is Lincoln’s first offering since its re-branding as the Lincoln Motor Company. It shares the same platform as the well-liked 2013 Ford Fusion. Lincoln will be offering it with a 2.0-litre EcoBoost, a 3.7L V6 or a hybrid based on the 2.0L engine. The hybrid powertrain is expected to be priced similarly to the gasoline-only models.
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