Lincoln

Continental

1940-2020

The Lincoln Continental was first produced as a personal vehicle for Ford Motor Company President Edsel Ford. In 1938, Ford commissioned a one-off design he wanted ready for his March 1939 vacation from company Chief Stylist Eugene T. Gregorie. Using the blueprints of the streamlined Lincoln-Zephyr as a starting point, Gregorie sketched a design for a convertible with a redesigned body; allegedly, the initial sketch for the design was completed in an hour. Interest from well-off friends was high; Edsel sent a telegram back to Michigan that he could sell a thousand of them. In reference to its European-inspired design, the Lincoln-based prototype received its name: Continental. Immediately, production commenced on the Lincoln Continental, with the majority of production being convertibles and a rare number of coupes. These were extensively hand-built and the total production run is around 5,100 units.

 

The 1956 Continental Mark II was the successor to the 1939–1948 Lincoln Continental and was developed as the worldwide flagship vehicle of the Ford Motor Company. The Continental was marketed as a seperate marque within the Ford Group. As the most expensive American-produced automobile of the time (being largely hand-assembled), the Mark II was marketed against the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and the Bentley Continental. It was produced solely as a two-door hardtop coupé for the 1956 and 1957 model years. The high cost of its assembly led to its discontinuation after the 1957 model year. 

 

In 1958, Continental was reintegrated into Lincoln, though Ford marketed it briefly as a sublabel - “Continental by Lincoln.” The new Mark III, followed by the Mark IV and Mark V, were among the largest unibody cars ever built, their baroque styling and lavish chrome embodying the height of late-fifties design. Officially sold under the Continental name, they were in practice regarded by dealers and the public simply as Lincolns. Despite their engineering ambition and grandeur, these enormous cars soon fell out of favor. By 1960, buyers were beginning to favor sleeker and more modern designs, making the large, elaborate Mark V seem outdated. It also faced stiff competition from other luxury brands, including Cadillac, which offered more affordable and equally luxurious models. The Continental Mark series was discontinued in 1960, only to be revived again in 1968.

 

In 1961, as Lincoln redesigned its model line, the Continental went from being a flagship marque over Lincoln to the only model line sold by Lincoln for the next 16 years. It marked a complete break from the excess of the 1950s. Designed under Elwood Engel, it was smaller, cleaner, and far more restrained than its predecessors. Its crisp lines, unadorned surfaces, and rear-hinged “suicide” rear doors gave it an instant identity, while its solid unibody construction and exceptional build quality set new standards for refinement. The Continental of the 1960s became a design icon, famously serving as the official presidential limousine. Subtle updates in later years preserved its dignified character, while engines and dimensions gradually grew to meet the market’s demand for power and comfort. Through the 1970s, the Continental remained Lincoln’s flagship sedan, culminating in the vast 1977–1979 generation. By then, the world had changed, and smaller, more efficient cars were on the rise.