The Lincoln Continental is a range of mid-size and full-size luxury vehicles manufactured by Lincoln, a Ford Motor Company luxury division in the United States.
Lincoln initially adopted the Continental nameplate in 1940, and several generations have adopted it since then. The Continental has appeared in all segments of the Lincoln portfolio, from the flagship to the basic model, during its manufacturing run. The early generations of the Lincoln Continental are among the most sought-after cars on the collector market.
History of Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Continental First Generation (1940 - 1948)
In 1940, the first generation Lincoln Continental was released. These new automobiles came in coupe and convertible versions and were backed by a 4.8L V12 engine. Due to the beginning of WWII, manufacturing of the first-generation Continental was interrupted in 1942. Following WWII, Ford rebuilt its brand structure, and production resumed in 1946 and continued until 1948. From 1939 through 1941, Lincoln Continentals had the same body design; built on the Lincoln-Zephyr, the Continental had minor modifications from year to year. Lincoln set the coupe's starting selling price at $2,727 ($55,263 for the 2022 exchange rate), and the price for the cabriolet was ($2,778 $56,297 for the 2022 exchange rate).
Lincoln Continental Second Generation (1956 - 1957)
The Continental Mark II is an ultra-luxury coupé produced by Ford's Continental Division and serves as the company's global flagship car. For the 1956 model year, the Mark II was launched. The Mark II, like its counterpart, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, was practically hand-built, earning it the most expensive American-made car on the market at the time. Each product sold costs Ford money. The Continental Division's only product line was the Mark II. The automobile came from a European manufacturing tradition, with "Mark II" designating a second generation.
Lincoln Continental Third Generation (1958 - 1960)
The year was hectic, as Lincoln attempted to get into the luxury vehicle market, which the Cadillac Eldorado ruled. It was a period of huge fins, and Lincoln intended to surpass its rivals. It succeeded in every aspect. For the 1958 model year, Lincoln launched the 3rd generation of the Lincoln Continental. The 1958 Continental Mark III, 1959 Continental Mark IV, and 1960 Continental Mark V were the third generation of Continentals, each constructed for a single model year. These automobiles had a 7.0L V8 engine and came in various body configurations, including coupe, sedan, landau, convertible, and limousine.
Lincoln Continental Fourth Generation (1961 - 1969)
The fourth-generation Continental is one of Lincoln's most well-known automobiles, with a notable presence in pop culture. The company unified the Lincoln line into one model for 1961. A new Lincoln Continental replaced all versions after a $60 million ($569,329,765 for the 2022 exchange rate) loss on the 1958–1960 automobiles development. The fourth-generation, which debuted in 1948, was only available as a four-door sedan and convertible until its 1966 facelift.
Lincoln Continental Fifth Generation (1970 - 1979)
Lincoln debuted the fifth-generation Continental for the 1970 model year. Lincoln wanted to update the Continental for the 1970s following a nine-year manufacturing run, based on the popularity of the Mark III launched the year before. Significant changes were made in the fifth generation, including the introduction of body-on-frame construction to cut costs. Lincoln sold the fifth-generation Continental as a coupe or sedan powered by a 6.6L or 7.5L V8 engine.
Lincoln Continental Sixth Generation (1980)
With the approaching implementation of federal fuel-economy standards (CAFE) posing a financial threat to Ford Motor, full-size sedans from Ford and Mercury were downsized extensively for the 1979 model year. Lincoln was the last American brand to unveil a slimmed-down product lineup for the 1980 model year. The Lincoln Continental had become the opposite of the newly released Continental Mark VI, the first Mark series model range smaller than its ancestor, in yet another significant model shift. After the 1983 model year, the Mark VI was overtaken by the Mark VII, a completely different car.
Lincoln Continental Seventh Generation (1982 - 1987)
When Lincoln debuted the 7th generation of the Continental in 1982, Ford said it would be the greatest performing Lincoln until that point.
Luxury vehicles were not about driving or quarter-mile times, and they indeed weren't in the 0 to 60 category until tomorrow. They needed to strike a fair trade-off between performance and convenience, with the latter taking priority.
Lincoln Continental Eighth Generation (1988 - 1994)
The 8th generation Lincoln Continental debuted in the luxury category in 1988, marking a significant shift for both the carmaker and the marque. Lincoln introduced the seventh-generation Continental as the company's mid-range vehicle, available only as a four-door sedan. The seventh-generation Lincoln Continental was produced through 1987 and had an inline-six, V6, or V8 engine.
Lincoln Continental Ninth Generation (1995 - 2002)
The ninth-generation Continental arrived in the industry just in time for Christmas 1994, continuing the American luxury brand's transverse-mounted V8 engine adventure. To move into the top spot in the market, Lincoln created a new generation of its mid-size sedan luxury car. While it wasn't a game-changer for the company, its air-springs in all four corners and three drivetrain configurations surprised many customers.
Lincoln Continental Tenth Generation (2017 - 2020)
A redesigned tenth-generation Continental came on the market in the fall of 2016, following a fourteen-year hiatus from the Lincoln model range in 2002. The 2017 Lincoln Continental replaces the Lincoln MKS. Lincoln marketed the tenth-generation Continental as a four-door sedan with various V6 engines. The manufacturer ended the production in 2020.
Price
Lincoln sold the first Continental model with an MSRP of $2,727 ($55,263 for the 2022 exchange rate), and the last 2020 model was sold with an MSRP of $47,300. Lincoln also manufactured different trim levels for the last generation:
- Standard - $47,300
- Reserve - $60,865
- Black Label - $71,200
Features
2020 Lincoln Continental Exterior Features
The Lincoln Continental bears a striking resemblance among famous luxury rivals, with a traditional styling that many will find attractive in a premium sedan. The car is a clean and attractive big cruiser, with its front-wheel-drive posture being the only thing that genuinely screams out. Standard specification comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, with 19- and 20-inch wheels available as options. Customers may add premium LED headlights to the standard adaptive xenon headlights. For 2019, a limited-edition Coach Door variant with rear suicide doors and distinctive badging was launched, and orders for 2020 were processed as well.
2020 Lincoln Continental Interior Features
When it comes to the Lincoln Continental, luxury is a big thing, and the interior represents that concept. Whether you choose simulated or genuine leather, the interior is luxuriously outfitted, and a slew of comfort and utility features come as standard. Vintage is the theme here, with plenty of shiny accents to suit the upholstery. Even though the technology doesn't equal that of European rivals, the infotainment system is simple to operate. The settings for the various tech elements are laid out reasonably.
Specs
The Lincoln Continental engine delivers 335 hp (250 kW) at 5,700 rpm and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm) at 3,500 rpm of torque. The Continental accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) in 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph (249 kph) and a curb weight of 4,224 lb (1,916 kg). Lincoln sold all-wheel-drive (AWD) and front-wheel-drive vehicles for the Continental model powered by a 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6 and a 2.7L Twin-Turbo V6 Gas engine.
Release Date
Lincoln sold the first-generation Continental in 1940, and the last-generation 2020 model was released in the fall of 2016.