Lincoln (automobile)
Encyclopedia
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...

 of the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.

History

The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland
Henry M. Leland
Henry Martyn Leland was a machinist, inventor, engineer and automotive entrepreneur who founded the two premier American luxury marques, Cadillac and Lincoln. Retrieved December 30, 2008....

, one of the founders of Cadillac (originally the Henry Ford Company
Henry Ford Company
The Henry Ford Company was the second company for Henry Ford, founded November 3, 1901. It resulted from the reorganization of the Detroit Automobile Company, his first unsuccessful attempt at automobile manufacture a year before. In March 1902, Ford left the company following a dispute with his...

). During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors. He formed the Lincoln Motor Company, named after Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...

, his longtime hero, to build Liberty aircraft engines
Liberty L-12
The Liberty L-12 was a 27 litre water-cooled 45° V-12 aircraft engine of 400 horsepower designed both for a high power-to-weight ratio and for ease of mass production.-History:...

 with his son Wilfred using cylinders supplied by Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

. After the war, the company's factories
Lincoln Motor Company Plant
The Lincoln Motor Company Plant was an automotive plant located at 6200 West Warren Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, later known as the Detroit Edison Warren Service Center. The complex was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, due to its historic association with World War I Liberty...

 were retooled to manufacture luxury automobiles.
The Lincoln Motor Company was active until April 30, 1940. The following day, it became the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company.

Purchase by Ford

The company encountered severe financial troubles during the transition, coupled with body styling that wasn't comparable to other luxury makers, and after having produced only 150 Lincoln L-series
Lincoln L-series
The Lincoln L series was Lincoln's first model. It was built in Detroit, Michigan and was introduced in 1917. The engine offered was a 384.8 in³ 60° L-head V8.- Before Ford :...

 cars in 1922, was forced into bankruptcy and sold for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

8,000,000 to the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 on February 4, 1922, which went to pay off some of the creditors.

The purchase of Lincoln was a personal triumph for Henry Ford, who had been forced out of his second company (after Detroit Automobile Company
Detroit Automobile Company
The Detroit Automobile Company was an early American automobile manufacturer founded on August 5, 1899, in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first venture of its kind in Detroit. Automotive mechanic Henry Ford attracted the financial backing of three investors; Detroit Mayor William Maybury, William...

) by a group of investors led by Leland. Ford's company, renamed Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...

 in 1902 and purchased by rival General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

 in 1909, was Lincoln's chief competitor. Henry had previously produced luxury vehicles under the Ford name, called the Ford Model B
Ford Model B (1904)
See also Ford Model B Ford Model B was an upscale touring car introduced in 1904. It was Ford's first car to use the front-engine layout, with a large 24 hp 4-cylinder engine positioned at the front behind a conventional radiator...

 in 1904, the Ford Model F
Ford Model F
The Ford Model F is an automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company. It was a development of the Model A and Model C, but was larger, more modern, and more luxurious. It was a four-seater phaeton with running boards and a side-entrance tonneau standard. Production started in 1905 and ended in 1906...

 in 1905, and the Ford Model K
Ford Model K
Ford Model K was an upscale automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1906 and replaced the earlier Model B. The model K was aimed at the top end of the market and featured an inline-6 giving 40 hp...

 in 1906 but they weren't accepted by the automotive buying market. When Henry acquired Lincoln, it quickly became one of America's top selling luxury brands alongside Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...

, Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...

, Marmon, Peerless
Peerless
Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio from 1900 to 1931. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles. Peerless' factory was located at 9400 Quincy Avenue in Cleveland...

, Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...

, and Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...

. Ford made no immediate change, either in the chassis or the V8 L-head
Flathead engine
A flathead engine is an internal combustion engine with valves placed in the engine block beside the piston, instead of in the cylinder head, as in an overhead valve engine...

 engine which was rated 36.4 SAE and produced 90 bhp at 2,800 rpm. An unusual feature of this power unit was the 60 degree separation of the cylinder blocks that helped to cut down on synchronous vibration found with similar engines with 90 degree separation produced at the time. After the Ford takeover, bodywork changes and reduced prices increased sales to 5,512 vehicles from March to December 1922.

At the direction of Henry's son Edsel
Edsel Ford
Edsel Bryant Ford , son of Henry Ford, was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was president of Ford Motor Company from 1919 until his death in 1943.-Life and career:...

, in 1923 several body styles were introduced, that included two- and three-window, four door sedans and a phaeton
Phaeton body
A Phaeton is a style of open car or carriage without proper weather protection for passengers. Use of this name for automobiles was limited to North America or its products....

 that accommodated four passengers. They also offered a two passenger roadster and a seven passenger touring sedan and limousine, which was sold for $5,200. A sedan, limo, cabriolet and town car were also offered by coachbuilders Fleetwood
Fleetwood Metal Body
Fleetwood Metal Body was an automobile coachbuilder. The name derives from Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, home of the company at the start, and lived on for decades in the form of the Cadillac Fleetwood and various Fleetwood trim lines on Cadillac cars....

, Derham
Derham
Derham may refer to:* Derham , an American coachbuilderPeople with the surname Derham:* Enid Derham* Katie Derham* Michael Derham* William Derham...

 and Dietrich
Dietrich Inc.
Dietrich Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded by Raymond H. Dietrich. It was later called Raymond H. Dietrich and finally Ray Dietrich Inc....

, and a second cabriolet was offered by coachbuilder Brunn
Brunn & Company
Brunn & Company was an American coachbuilder founded by Hermann A. Brunn in Buffalo, New York. He was the father of Hermann C. who initially work for his father, then was employed by the Ford Motor Company after Brunn & Company closed in 1941. Hermann A...

. Lincoln contracted with dozens of coachbuilders during the 1920s and early 30s to create multiple custom built vehicles, to include American, Anderson, Babcock, Holbrook, Judkins, Lang, LeBaron
LeBaron Incorporated
LeBaron Incorporated was a design and coach building company from 1920 until 1953.American designers Raymond H. Dietrich and Thomas L. Hibbard had met while working for Brewster. Tiring of the corporate environment they started freelance work in their spare time and when William H...

, Locke, Murray, Towson, and Willoughby in the 1920s. Murphy, Rollston
Rollston
Rollston Company was an American coachbuilder. The company built bodies for chassis supplied by Bugatti, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Cord, Duesenberg, Ford, Hispano-Suiza, Lancia, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Minerva, Packard, Peerless, Pierce-Arrow, Rolls-Royce, Stearns-Knight and Stutz.Harry Lonschein...

, and Waterhouse were added in the 1930s.

Prices for the vehicles built by these coachbuilders went for as much as $7,200, and despite the limited market appeal, Lincoln sales rose about 45 percent to produce 7,875 cars and the company was operating at a profit by the end of 1923.

In 1924 large touring sedans began to be used by police departments around the country. They were known as Police Flyers, which were equipped with four wheel brakes, two years before they were introduced on private sale vehicles. These specially equipped vehicles, with bulletproof windshields measuring 7/8 of an inch thick and spot lights mounted on the ends of the windshield, also came with an automatic windshield wiper for the driver and a hand operated wiper for the front passenger. Police whistles were coupled to the exhaust system and gun racks were also fitted to these vehicles.

Optional equipment was not necessarily an issue with Lincolns sold during the 1920s, however, customers who wanted special items were accommodated. A nickel plated radiator shell could be installed for $25, varnished natural wood wheels were $15, or Rudge-Whitworth center-lock wire wheels for another $100. Disteel
Disteel
Disteel brand pressed-steel automobile wheels were manufactured by the Detroit Pressed Steel Company, and were introduced in 1917 as an alternative to wooden artillery wheels with demountable rims. Pressed steel wheels were an alternative to fragile wooden wheels which would crack on impact with...

 steel disc wheels were also available for $60. Lincoln chose not to make yearly model changes, used as a marketing tool of the time, designed to lure new customers. Lincoln customers of the time were known to purchase more than one Lincoln with different bodywork, so changing the vehicle yearly was not done to accommodate their customer base. In 1927, Lincoln attached a greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...

 as the hood ornament, then in the 1930s used a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 with a red cross in the center and a knights helmet at the top as the official emblem. The introduction of a coat of arms for Lincoln coincided with the introduction of a Ford coat of arms starting in the mid-1950s. The coat of arms appeared on various Lincoln models until the mid 1950s where the coat of arms evolved into the framed four pointed star that is currently in use.

In 1932, Lincoln introduced the V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....

-powered KB platform
Lincoln K-series
The Lincoln K-Series was a line of luxury vehicle produced by Lincoln from 1931 to 1942. While the original K-Series featured a 385 in³ V8, a V12 became standard in 1933...

 along side the V8 powered KA platform with an all new streamlined appearance. In 1933, Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie, at the styling
Automotive design
Automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans...

 studio created by Edsel Ford
Edsel Ford
Edsel Bryant Ford , son of Henry Ford, was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was president of Ford Motor Company from 1919 until his death in 1943.-Life and career:...

, began designing the smaller Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr was a marque for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line 1936-40. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury, introduced 1939, bridged the wide gap between Ford's V-8 De Luxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle...

, which led to the first Continental, a bespoke one-off
Bespoke
Bespoke is a term employed in a variety of applications to mean an item custom-made to the buyer's specification...

 specially created for Edsel Ford, Henry's son.

Lincoln-Zephyr

The smaller Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr was a marque for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line 1936-40. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury, introduced 1939, bridged the wide gap between Ford's V-8 De Luxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle...

 was introduced for the 1936 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....

 as a marque of its own, it featured a 267 CID V12
Lincoln-Zephyr V12 engine
Ford Motor Company's Lincoln division produced two other L-head V12 engines from 1932, but required a more compact unit for their new streamlined Lincoln-Zephyr line. As Ford had just introduced their Flathead V8, this was the logical starting point for a new Lincoln V12 line...

, it was very successful, its first year increased Lincoln sales almost ninefold. It remained a separate marque until the end of 1940 modelyear and then became a model under Lincoln when the large Lincoln Twelve was discontinued, from 1941 model year all Lincolns were based on Zephyr chassis and when production started after the War the Zephyr name was not continued.

Continental

It started as a one-off project car for Edsel Ford, who wanted a European-style car unlike the boxier designs his father's company produced, to drive around on vacations in Florida. Gregorie sectioned a 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr V-12 Convertible Coupe 4 inches (10 cm), this custom built personal car was given the styling features known from later Continental Marks including the vertically mounted spare tire.
The car was put in production for the 1940 modelyear as a model under Lincoln-Zephyr, in June 1940 the Club Coupe was added and from 1941-48 it was a model under Lincoln marque. When production ceased in 1948 a total of 5322 had been built.
The Continental's spare tire mount was very distinctive, those who work on custom car
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...

s still call adding a similar mount a "Continental kit
Continental tire
A Continental tire is an upright, external, mounted spare tire behind an automobile's trunk compartment. The term also describes a non-functional bulge that is stamped into the trunk lid or a cosmetic accessory to the rear of the car giving the impression of a spare tire mount.-Development:The...

".

The Continental Mark II
Continental Mark II
The Continental Mark II was a personal luxury car produced by the Continental Division of the Ford Motor Company in 1956 through 1957. Many aficionados of the automobile consider the Continental Mark II one of the classics of the postwar period.-History:...

 revived the concept. It was now a separate marque developed by the Continental Division, production ran between June 1955 and May 1957.
The Mark II had a basic list price of $10,000, the same as a Rolls-Royce that year. The Continental Division was formed on October 16, 1954 and overseen by Lincoln Division on July 18, 1956, they continued producing cars under the Continental marque for 1957-59 and again from 1969-85.

During 1968 and 1980 (the 1969 Continental Mark III was introduced in April 1968) Lincoln-Mercury Division produced its Lincoln Continental alongside with the Continental Mark models, this has caused a lot of confusion concerning the two marques, but Continental was a separate marque as well as a modelname for Lincoln during these years.

Town Car

The Continental became Lincoln's flagship model until 1981 when the Town Car
Lincoln Town Car
The Lincoln Town Car is a full-size luxury sedan that was sold by the upscale Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company; it was produced from 1981 to the 2011 model years...

, previously the Continental's top trim level, became its own model and took over that role.

Navigator

In 1998 Lincoln was the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, helped by the massive success of the Navigator
Lincoln Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV built by the Ford Motor Company for its luxury division, Lincoln. Introduced as a 1998 model, production began May 14, 1997 with sales beginning in August. The Navigator was Lincoln's first SUV as well as its first four-wheel drive capable vehicle...

 SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...

, and a redesign of the Town Car as well as the Continental.

Renaissance as global brand

Lincoln was one of the Premier Automotive Group
Premier Automotive Group
The Premier Automotive Group , was a group within the Ford Motor Company which was formed in 1999 to oversee the business operations of Ford's high-end automotive marques....

 brands from 1998 to 2002, but was pulled out due to Ford's new marketing strategy of separating its import brands from its domestic marques. In recent years the company had fallen behind Japanese, European, and American competitors for a lack of new models. The company has reacted to remedy this, however, by sharing parts and platforms with other Ford divisions worldwide in an attempt to bring more new models to market faster. The result is the introduction of several new models, starting with the 2006 Mark LT
Lincoln Mark LT
The Mark LT is a luxury pickup truck that was manufactured by the Lincoln division of American automaker Ford Motor Company. It first went on sale in January 2005 for the 2006 model year. The Mark LT is a successor to the failed 2002-only Lincoln Blackwood , Lincoln's only other pickup truck, which...

 pickup (later replaced by the Platinum trim version of the Ford F-150), Zephyr (upgraded and renamed Lincoln MKZ
Lincoln MKZ
The Lincoln MKZ, initially named the Lincoln Zephyr, is a mid-size, entry-level luxury car from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform-mate for the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan; the vehicles were based on the CD3 platform,...

 for the 2007 model year) and the MKX
Lincoln MKX
The Lincoln MKX is a mid-size luxury crossover from Ford's Lincoln division and a de facto successor to the Lincoln Aviator luxury SUV. It debuted as a 2007 model in December 2006 as a production version of the Lincoln Aviator Concept shown at the 2004 North American International Auto Show...

 Crossover SUV. Subsequent model launches were the MKS
Lincoln MKS
The Lincoln MKS is a full-size luxury sedan from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKS first appeared in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in January 2006 with the production version, a 2009 model, appearing later at the Los Angeles International Auto...

 sedan in 2009 and the MKT
Lincoln MKT
The Lincoln MKT is a full-size luxury crossover utility vehicle, first unveiled as a concept vehicle at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. It entered production at the Oakville Assembly plant in July 2009 as a 2010 model. It shares the same crossover D4 platform as the Ford Flex and...

 "Touring" crossover for the 2010 model year.

Lincoln vehicles are currently officially available in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...

, American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...

, Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...

, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

. Lincoln competes with other luxury brands, mainly Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...

 of Ford's American arch rival General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

, but also to a lesser extent with brands such as Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...

 of Toyota, Infiniti
Infiniti
is the luxury division of automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989 in North America. Marketing operations have since grown to include the Middle East, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, China, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Infiniti began sales in additional...

 of Nissan, Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...

 of Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

, and Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....

 of Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...

.

Expanded lineup replacing Mercury

On June 2, 2010, Ford officially announced the closure of the Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...

 line by the end of the year. Derrick Kuzak, Ford's head of product development, said seven new or updated Lincoln product lines would be developed over four years to make up for Mercury's loss. One of these would be Lincoln's first compact car
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...

.

On August 27, 2011, Lincoln was re-founded as replacing the Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...

 brand.

Presidential cars

Lincoln has a long history of providing official state limousines for the U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

. The first car specially built for Presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln V12 convertible called the "Sunshine Special" used by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...

. It remained in use until 1948.

A 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan called the "Bubble Top" was used by Presidents Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...

, Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

, Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....

, and once by Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...

. It was retired in 1965.

The Lincoln limousine made famous in Dallas was a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, custom built by Hess and Eisenhart
Centigon
Centigon is today a division of the Carat Security Group but it traces its roots back to coach builders O'Gara-Hess and Eisenhardt and Sayers & Scovill....

 of Cincinnati, and known as the SS-100-X. The Secret Service had the car fitted with a 1962 grill for aesthetic reasons. It was in use from 1961 to 1977, having undergone extensive alterations which made it an armor-plated sedan after Kennedy's assassination. A 1969 Lincoln was used by Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

 and a 1972 Lincoln used by Presidents Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...

, Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...

, Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

, and Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...

. A 1989 Lincoln was the last Presidential Lincoln as of 2004. Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...

 supplied Presidential limousines in 1983, 1993, 2001, and 2004.

The John F. Kennedy limousine
SS-100-X
SS-100-X was the U.S. Secret Service code name for the Presidential limousine used by the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. It is the car that Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in 1963...

 also included a "Plexiglas" bubble top to be used in the event of inclement weather. The 1961 vehicle was notorious for its inadequate cooling of the rear of the passenger cabin while the bubble top was in place, particularly in sunshine. In order to prevent excessive heat and discomfort to the passengers, the top was often removed prior to parades, as was the case in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

Though it was always assumed that President Lyndon Baines Johnson had the car destroyed after the assassination of President Kennedy, the 100-X was turned over to the Secret Service, Army Materials Research Center, Hess & Eisenhart, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, and Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 for retrofitting of armor plating, permanent sedan roof, new interior, improved air-conditioning system, electronic communications equipment, bulletproof glass, a new paint treatment, as well as cosmetic alterations to remove damage incurred during the assassination, among other changes. The car is also on display at the Henry Ford Museum.[5]

The Johnson Administration also used three 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousines. Two limousines for the President and one for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...

, as well as a 1968 "stretch" Lincoln to be used in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

. This vehicle is on display at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of 13 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The library houses 45 million pages of historical documents, including the papers of Lyndon Baines Johnson and those of his close associates and others...

.

The 100-X was modified again in 1967. Later, under President Richard Nixon, the large one-piece glass roof was replaced with a smaller glass area and a hinged roof panel. It remained in service until 1977 and resides in its final configuration at the Henry Ford Museum.

President Nixon ordered a 1969 model limousine, through Lehman-Peterson of Chicago. This vehicle also had an added sunroof so that Nixon could stand upright when appearing before parade-goers if desired. This vehicle was equipped with several features, such as retractable hand grips and running boards, options later copied by Hess and Eisenhart. This car is now located at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California.

In 1974, Ford supplied a 1972 Continental model which was stretched to 22 feet (7 m), outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 CID V8 engine. This limousine was used by Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan, and is on display at the Henry Ford Museum. This model was also altered a number of times during its history, including a full body redesign in 1979. This was the limousine that Reagan was about to enter during his assassination attempt in 1981.

Historic

  • Lincoln Blackwood
    Lincoln Blackwood
    The Blackwood was a pickup truck from the Lincoln division of American automaker Ford Motor Company. It sold in the United States in 2002 only, and sold in Mexico 2002 and 2003....

     (2002)
  • Lincoln Capri
    Lincoln Capri
    The Lincoln Capri was a full-size automobile sold by Ford's Lincoln luxury division. It was introduced for the 1952 model year and discontinued soon after the 1959 model year....

     (1952–1959)
  • Lincoln Continental
    Lincoln Continental
    The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...

     (1941–1948, 1961–1980, 1982–2002)
  • Lincoln Cosmopolitan
    Lincoln Cosmopolitan
    The Lincoln Cosmopolitan is a full-size sedan sold by Lincoln from 1949 to the early 1950s. The Cosmopolitan featured four-speed manual transmission and a 5.5  liter 152 hp V8 as well as an "aerodynamic" hood ornament. Like the Continental of the 1960s, the Cosmopolitan featured suicide...

     (1949–1954)
  • Lincoln Custom
    Lincoln Custom
    The Lincoln Custom was a custom limousine and long-wheelbase touring sedan from Ford's Lincoln luxury division, manufactured only in 1941 and 1942...

     (1941–1942)
  • Lincoln Custom
    Lincoln Custom
    The Lincoln Custom was a custom limousine and long-wheelbase touring sedan from Ford's Lincoln luxury division, manufactured only in 1941 and 1942...

     (1955)
  • Lincoln K-series
    Lincoln K-series
    The Lincoln K-Series was a line of luxury vehicle produced by Lincoln from 1931 to 1942. While the original K-Series featured a 385 in³ V8, a V12 became standard in 1933...

     (1931–1940)
  • Lincoln Lido
    Lincoln Lido
    The Lincoln Lido was an entry-level luxury car in 1950 designed as a lower priced Lincoln. It was produced from 1950 to 1951, however reappeared as a special show car in 1963 called the Lincoln Continental Lido. The 1950 to 1951 model featured a vinyl or canvas-covered roof, fender skirts, and a...

     (1950–1951)
  • Lincoln Mark Series (1956–1998)
  • Lincoln Premiere
    Lincoln Premiere
    The Lincoln Premiere is a luxury car sold by Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury division. It was produced in both 2 and 4 door versions both seating 6 people. A limousine version was also offered, which had the same wheelbase as the sedan version, but its cabin extended further back, allowing for...

     (1956–1960)
  • Lincoln Sport
    Lincoln Sport
    The Lincoln Sport was a 2-door roadster by Ford's luxury Lincoln division in the early 1920s....

     (1949–1951)
  • Lincoln Versailles
    Lincoln Versailles
    This is about the Lincoln vehicle produced using the Versailles nameplate. For the Ford vehicles sold under the same nameplate, see Ford Versailles...

     (1977–1980)
  • Lincoln H-series
    Lincoln H-series
    The Lincoln H-series were offered from 1946 to 1948 as full-size luxury vehicles. Their appearance was very similar to the popular Lincoln Continental hardtop and convertible which appeared in 1948. This series of vehicles continued to use the 292 in³ 65° L-head Lincoln V12...

     (1946–1948)
  • Lincoln L-series
    Lincoln L-series
    The Lincoln L series was Lincoln's first model. It was built in Detroit, Michigan and was introduced in 1917. The engine offered was a 384.8 in³ 60° L-head V8.- Before Ford :...

     (1920–1930)
  • Lincoln-Zephyr
    Lincoln-Zephyr
    Lincoln-Zephyr was a marque for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line 1936-40. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury, introduced 1939, bridged the wide gap between Ford's V-8 De Luxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle...

     (1936–1940), a car line priced between Ford and Lincoln.
  • Lincoln-Zephyr (1941–42)
  • Lincoln-Zephyr Continental (1940)

Recent

  • Lincoln LS
    Lincoln LS
    The Lincoln LS is a mid-size, rear wheel drive sedan from Lincoln. For its production run from 1999 until 2006, it was based on the Ford DEW98 platform, which was shared with the Jaguar S-Type and Ford Thunderbird...

     (2000–2006)
  • Lincoln Aviator
    Lincoln Aviator
    The Lincoln Aviator was a mid-size sport utility vehicle produced by the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln luxury division. It was introduced in 2002, and production ended in 2005. The Aviator was built exclusively at Ford's St. Louis Assembly plant in Hazelwood, Missouri...

     (2003–2005)
  • Lincoln Zephyr (2006)
  • Lincoln Mark LT
    Lincoln Mark LT
    The Mark LT is a luxury pickup truck that was manufactured by the Lincoln division of American automaker Ford Motor Company. It first went on sale in January 2005 for the 2006 model year. The Mark LT is a successor to the failed 2002-only Lincoln Blackwood , Lincoln's only other pickup truck, which...

     (2006—2008)

Current and potential models

Lincoln currently uses a new naming system with most models bearing a three-letter designation beginning with "MK" instead of a name, starting in 2007. The Navigator
Lincoln Navigator
The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV built by the Ford Motor Company for its luxury division, Lincoln. Introduced as a 1998 model, production began May 14, 1997 with sales beginning in August. The Navigator was Lincoln's first SUV as well as its first four-wheel drive capable vehicle...

 and Town Car
Lincoln Town Car
The Lincoln Town Car is a full-size luxury sedan that was sold by the upscale Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company; it was produced from 1981 to the 2011 model years...

 names remain, but all other models use the new nomenclature.
  • Lincoln MKT
    Lincoln MKT
    The Lincoln MKT is a full-size luxury crossover utility vehicle, first unveiled as a concept vehicle at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. It entered production at the Oakville Assembly plant in July 2009 as a 2010 model. It shares the same crossover D4 platform as the Ford Flex and...

     (2010—)
  • Lincoln MKS
    Lincoln MKS
    The Lincoln MKS is a full-size luxury sedan from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKS first appeared in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in January 2006 with the production version, a 2009 model, appearing later at the Los Angeles International Auto...

     (2009—)
  • Lincoln MKX
    Lincoln MKX
    The Lincoln MKX is a mid-size luxury crossover from Ford's Lincoln division and a de facto successor to the Lincoln Aviator luxury SUV. It debuted as a 2007 model in December 2006 as a production version of the Lincoln Aviator Concept shown at the 2004 North American International Auto Show...

     (2007— )
  • Lincoln MKZ
    Lincoln MKZ
    The Lincoln MKZ, initially named the Lincoln Zephyr, is a mid-size, entry-level luxury car from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform-mate for the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan; the vehicles were based on the CD3 platform,...

     (2007— )
  • Lincoln Navigator
    Lincoln Navigator
    The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV built by the Ford Motor Company for its luxury division, Lincoln. Introduced as a 1998 model, production began May 14, 1997 with sales beginning in August. The Navigator was Lincoln's first SUV as well as its first four-wheel drive capable vehicle...

     (1998— )
  • Lincoln Town Car
    Lincoln Town Car
    The Lincoln Town Car is a full-size luxury sedan that was sold by the upscale Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company; it was produced from 1981 to the 2011 model years...

     (1981—2011)

Concept cars

  • Lincoln Continental 1950-X (1952)
  • Lincoln Anniversary (1953)
  • Lincoln Maharaja (1953)
  • Lincoln XL-500 (1953)
  • Lincoln Mardi Gras (1954)
  • Lincoln Futura
    Lincoln Futura
    The Lincoln Futura was a concept car designed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company. It was built by Ghia entirely by hand in Italy at a cost of $250,000 and displayed on the auto show circuit in 1955...

     (1955)
  • Lincoln Indianapolis(1955)
  • Lincoln Continental Town Sedan (1965, 1969)
  • Lincoln Coronation Coupe (1966)
  • Lincoln Coronation II (1967)
  • Lincoln Mark III Dual Cowl Phaeton (1970)
  • Lincoln Continental Concept 90 (1982)
  • Lincoln Continental Concept (1983)
  • Lincoln Quicksilver (1985–1986)
  • Lincoln Continental Next Generation Mark (1986–1987)
  • Lincoln Vignale (1987)
  • Lincoln Machete (1988)
  • Lincoln Marque X (1992)
  • Lincoln L2K (1995)
  • Lincoln Sentinel (1996)
  • Lincoln Special LS (1999)
  • Lincoln Mark 9 (2001)
  • Lincoln Continental Concept (2002)
  • Lincoln Navicross
    Lincoln Navicross
    The Lincoln Navicross was a concept car by the Ford Motor Company's luxury Lincoln division. The Lincoln Navicross was first unveiled at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show....

     (2003)
  • Lincoln MK9
    Lincoln MK9
    In 2004, car maker Lincoln introduced two concept car models intended to fill the void left in the Lincoln line-up by the Mark Series which was discontinued in 1998. These models were the Mark X and MK9. Concerning the heritage of the Mark the Ford Motor Company press release states, "Throughout...

     concept (2004)
  • Lincoln Mark X concept (2004)
  • Lincoln MKR
    Lincoln MKR
    The Lincoln MKR concept car was a premium four-door coupe design, as introduced during the 2007 North American International Auto Show. It's chassis was based on the Ford D2C platform as used in the Ford Mustang. The MKR signaled the next-generation of premium Lincoln vehicles, introducing the...

     concept (2007)
  • Lincoln C
    Lincoln C
    The Lincoln C is a concept car manufactured by the Lincoln division of Ford, which was unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show....

    concept (2009)

Further reading

  • David Burgess-White, "Lincoln", in World of Automobiles, Volume 10. London: Orbis Publishing Ltd, 1974.


  • The Cars of Lincoln-Mercury, George H Dammann & James K Wagner, Crestline Publishings 1987. ISBN 0-912612-26-2


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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