Lincoln Mark Series

Under the name Lincoln Mark Series, a series of exclusive luxury vehicles is summarized, which offered the American car manufacturer Ford during the period 1956-1960 and 1969-1998. The vehicles were located in the model hierarchy, respectively, above the regular Lincoln models; they were mostly - but not always - the most expensive cars of the Ford Motor Company.

The description of the models is not uniform over the years and are in many respects rise to confusion. In most cases, the cars were not sold as a Lincoln, but as Continental.

The vehicles of the Mark -Series coupes were regularly, only in a few model years, sedans and convertibles were available also. In 1969 the Mark coupes competed in the segment of the so-called Personal Luxury Cars with the Cadillac Eldorado, in a few years with the Imperial Chrysler. In the U.S., the models of the Mark -Series are considered the embodiment of the American luxury coupes. The production of the last Mark coupe model ended in 1998 after the demand was substantially decreased. In model year 2002, the production of the Cadillac Eldorado was also adjusted, and the chapter of the American Personal Luxury coupe was completed.

Special design feature of all market models is the large bulge of the trunk lid ( deck lid hump ), through which the impression like being under it a standing -mounted spare tire. This was a tribute to the first series which actually still wearing a spare tire in a metal shell on the tail, which then was more the case for any future model. However, the brand-shaping effect was so strong, the conversion rates of other car manufacturers, which allowed the actual fitting a spare wheel behind or on the trunk lid as a " Continental kit " were called.

Nomenclature

The cars of the Mark Series were usually not referred to by Ford as Lincoln's, although they were mostly produced by the Lincoln - Mercury Division. As a brand and model name brought them to the 1980s, the very concept of Continental, supplemented by a written in Roman numerals Supplement ( Mark II to Mark VIII).

The decision to market the Mark coupes as Continental rather than Lincoln, has its roots in the Continental Division, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, which existed 1955-1960 and produced the first post-war Mark. This tradition all later models should take it, even if the Continental Division was acquired by Lincoln in 1960 and no longer independently came into existence in the corporate structure. In the literature, accordingly, only the models of vintages are usually listed from 1956 to 1960 as Continentals, while the new, 1969 launched Mark -Series is assigned to the Lincoln.

The nomenclature used for the Mark Series is misleading in several respects. The problem is that is also Lincoln's standard models from 1961 used the term Continental. There, however, Continental was just a model name that was associated with the brand additional Lincoln. Thus, these vehicles were called Lincoln Continental. In 1983, then also the vehicles of the Mark -Series were called Lincoln Continental Mark VII and Mark VIII.

Furthermore, was the numbering of the individual mark- coupes are not free of contradictions. In model year 1958, Continental Mark III, which was based on the Lincoln Premiere and was offered as a sedan, coupe and convertible appeared. His successor in model year 1959 was Continental Mark IV, and the 1960 version was called the Continental Mark V. When Lincoln 1969 a new Personal Luxury Car imagined, got this model ( again ) the name Continental Mark III. Ford wanted to build on the now legendary Mark II of 1956; at the same time the heavy Lincoln branch of the years 1958 to 1960 were as it were hidden from the company's history. The Mark III and Mark V models of the years 1958 to 1960 are therefore in the American automobile literature sometimes referred to as "The lost cord " means.

Model history

The first models (1940-1948)

The term was first used in 1940 Continental for a trim level of the Lincoln Zephyr ( a sedan ). The car was manufactured in 1940 as a coupe and as a convertible. Due to lack of capacity, production was interrupted and then continued again after 1946 during the Second World War. Although the car is often referred to by collectors as the Mark I, the Mark name arose only with the appearance of the Mark II. The name of the car was just Lincoln Continental. In the Year of 1940 was the name Lincoln Zephyr Continental for both body styles. There are also instructions and photos of a 39er Continental. Here are photos of the prototype, which was driven by Edsel Ford. From 1940 to 1948 caused a total of 2277 convertibles and 3047 coupes.

Continental Mark II (1955-1957)

→ Main article: Continental Mark II

The Continental Mark II was built from 1955 to 1957 as the top model of the Ford Group of the established for this purpose Continental division. The model number should be 1939 to 1948 provide the car with the Lincoln Continental the years into a superior line, a generally accepted stylistic masterpiece of its time.

Conceived was the Continental Mark II is not the largest or strongest, but as most luxurious and most elegant American car of the time. While competing brands then experimented with chrome and tail fins, the Mark II had almost European with its clean, understated lines. Although the Continental Mark II was not officially a Lincoln, but a Continental, but was sold through select Lincoln dealer and waited there. Even the 6.0 -liter V8 and the transmission came from the Lincoln - shelf.

The Mark II was manufactured mainly by hand to exacting standards; several layers of lacquer were polished by hand. Due to the complicated production of the Mark II cost 10,000 U.S. dollars, as much as a former Rolls- Royce or two Cadillac.

Famous Mark II buyers were Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and the Shah of Persia.

From Mark II until summer 1957 1.769 coupes and convertibles were built two.

The independence of the Continental brand already ended with the cessation of production of the Mark II in the summer of 1957. In the model years 1958 to 1960, however, Ford used the brand of very high quality equipped versions of contemporary Lincoln models. They were designated Continental Mark III (1958 ), Mark IV (1959 ) and Mark V ( 1960). These models differ from the cheaper Lincoln Premiere solely by the additional chrome trim and the design of the roof: The Continental models had a slanted, the passenger compartment retracted rear window that could be electrically sink (so-called Breezeway window ). The Continental Mark III to V sold in only small numbers, on the one hand because of the onset of 1958 in the U.S. recession, partly because their design was controversial. In the individual model years emerged 10.275 ( Mark III, 1958), 7851 ( Mark IV, 1959) and 11,056 ( Mark V, 1960) copies of the Continental Mark.

In the model years 1961 to 1968 there was no Continental Mark.

Continental Mark III (1968-1971)

In April 1968 Ford reactivated with the Continental Mark III, the old name, overlooked in the numbering but the Continental Mark III to V of the years 1958 to 1960 to represent the new Mark III as a direct successor to the Mark II. Henry Ford II in this context was of the view that it had not been worth the heavy, unattractive models of the late 1950s, to bear the name Continental.

The Mark III was competing directly with the 1966 published new Cadillac Eldorado with front wheel drive. The design of the Mark III was typical Lincoln, from the Rolls- Royce -like grille until the indicated reserve wheel book stays in the trunk lid; the latter an introduced with the Mark II design feature which contributed for decades all Continental models. The Mark III was one of the first cars with ABS. The Mark III was powered by a 7.5 -liter eight-cylinder engine (460 cui American- made). Until the summer of 1971 originated from the Continental Mark III a total of around 79,000 copies.

Continental Mark IV (1971-1976)

For model year 1972 Ford launched the Continental Mark IV The design elements of the Mark III with a high, narrow grille, covered headlights and pseudo - reserve wheel book stays in the trunk lid and the Mark IV was added and further developed; the design scheme " Long Hood Short Deck" has been overused here so far that the Mark IV, although significantly longer and wider than its predecessor was, but offered considerably less space for passengers and luggage. The Mark IV platform shared with the concurrent Ford Thunderbird. Was first introduced, the so-called Opera Window, an oval window in the C-pillar, which remained a special distinguishing mark- Series up to the Mark VI. With the 1976 model year Lincoln led to a Mark IV Special models, the optical design of the hand of famous fashion designers came and were therefore called Designer Series; a marketing idea, held at the Continental and Lincoln for many years. 1976, there were versions of Bill Blass, Cartier, Hubert de Givenchy and Emilio Pucci, which differed from each other by an independent paint and interiors. The models of the Designer Series were 1,500 to 2,000 $ more expensive than the standard cord. The Mark IV was built in five years, more than 278,000 times.

Continental Mark V (1977-1979)

For the model year 1977 appeared under the name Continental Mark V, a remake of the Prestige coupe. The body of the car was redesigned; used in technical terms, the Mark V, however, largely the components of its predecessor. The frame remained unchanged, hence the wheelbase has been adopted without modification. Although the length of the vehicle grew to 5.85 m, the Mark V was almost 250 kg lighter than its predecessor. At the same time, the space grew in the interior. The design was a total but more edgy, especially in the C-pillar. The roof was now running in the special form of a Landau Roof. A standard 6.6 -liter eight-cylinder engine with 182 hp was used; 1977 and 1978 was (except in California ) surcharge in the amount of $ 133, a 7.5 liter big engine with 211 hp available. The designer models Blass, Pucci, Givenchy and Cartier were in changed color combinations, continued. 1978 brought Ford to celebrate the 75th birthday of a consolidated Mark V Diamond Jubilee Edition out, which was characterized by two standing for election special paint finishes and a more extensive luxury facilities. 1979 replaced a collector's edition version called the last year's special anniversary model. Over the course of three years, Lincoln provided a total of nearly 229,000 copies of the Mark V here.

Continental Mark VI (1980-1983)

For the model year 1980 appeared with the Mark VI a new, in the dimensions significantly reduced edition of Lincoln's flagship model. Unlike the previous series, the Mark VI was not only available as a two-door coupe, but also as a four-door sedan. The Mark VI based unlike his predecessor not to the chassis of the Ford Thunderbird, but on the Panther platform, the Ford Group, which was introduced in 1978 with the models Ford LTD the associated Mercury version. Thus, a significant reduction was achieved: compared to the previous model, the length shortened by 450 mm; at the same time, the new models were lighter by up to 400 kg. On the same technology was also based the new edition of the Lincoln Continental, which was also available as a sedan and a coupe and priced ranked below the Mark VI. The Mark VI and the Lincoln Continental shared not only the technology but also the most body parts. Externally distinguished the Mark VI and the Lincoln Continental primarily through the design of the front end; in addition, there were other, mostly lying in the field of cosmetic styling differences. The mark is used as a drive source VI eight-cylinder engines with displacements of 4.9 or 5.8 liters available; the range of services and ranged from 131-142 hp. From model year 1981, the larger engine accounted for; at the same time the performance of the 4.9 -liter engine increased to 147 hp. The concept of special and designer editions were also maintained for the Mark VI.

From Continental Mark VI approximately 134,000 copies were manufactured in four years, of which about 69,000 four-door.

Lincoln Mark VII (1983-1992)

Basics

For the model year 1984, Ford presented a completely new Lincoln Mark VII ( the name Continental accounted for by model year 1986 ) on the Fox platform introduced in 1977 Ford Fairmont. The deliverable at the Mark VI sedan accounted for again, the Mark VII, there were only as aerodynamically shaped coupé. However, there was below the (now ) Towncar called standard vehicles from 1982, a compact sedan called the Lincoln Continental, which shared the technical basis with the Mark VII. Stylistically, the Mark VII was much more modern than its predecessor. The design was recognized European trains and broke significantly with the design concepts of its predecessors. The profile was reminiscent of the BMW E24. Typical characteristics such as the Lincoln - edged grille and the simulated spare wheel trim in the trunk lid remained intact. Dimensions and weight went back on.

The Mark VII had some technical innovations that first appeared in American car production. These included a four-phase ABS, which was initially available as an option, then from 1986 belonged to the standard equipment, and sealed wide-band headlamps. The dashboard was designed purely digital; green LCD displays provided information on speed ( in mph and km / h ) speed and some more details.

On the drive side were initially two, later only one engine available:

• Base engine is a 142 -hp 4.9 - liter V8 with four-speed automatic. Its output was gradually increased noticeably over the years.
• At no extra charge, there was in a few years if desired a 2.4 liter turbo diesel, the BMW zulieferte. The engine was rarely chosen; the American consumer guide attributes this primarily to the fact that the problematic diesel engines from General Motors would have impaired the reputation of diesel in the U.S. long term.

History of development

The sale of the Mark VII started with four trim levels: base, Versace Designer Series, Bill Blass Designer Series and LSC. The LSC (Luxury Sports Coupe ) was a version with a sportier appearance.

In 1985, the LSC an uprated 183 PS version of the V8.

From 1986, ABS was standard on all models. The performance of the 4.9 - liter in the LSC was increased to 203 hp in the other models he now came to 152 hp. The turbo diesel was omitted.

1988 accounted for the base coupe, the program remained the LSC, now with 228 horsepower, and the Bill Blass Designer Edition.

In 1990, the grille was changed; 1991/92 there was the LSC with Special Edition package that included special colors and BBS wheels.

In the summer of 1992 ended the production of the Lincoln Mark VII after 190,000 units had been built.

A number of Mark VII vehicles found their way to Europe, primarily through the operation Luxembourg Euro Cars, which was the largest importer of American Ford models in the 1980s and 1990s in Europe.

Lincoln Mark VIII (1992-1998)

In autumn 1992, debuted with the Lincoln Mark VIII for the time being last representative of the Mark series. The new model was given its own variant of the personnel Luxury MN12 platform, called ' FN10 for Full-Sized North American Project # 10 He was with his flat face even more designed for good aerodynamic than its predecessor. Still was in the trunk lid the indicated reserve wheel Tung book. In the program there was only a single model without additional designation, powered by a 4.6-liter V8 ( the so-called modular V8 ) with 209 kW ( 284 hp) and four-speed automatic.

1994 added a memory function for the power seats and mirrors, the standard equipment.

In the spring of 1995 appeared, limited to 5000 pieces, a new edition of the LSC with special wheels, xenon headlamps and 216 kW ( 294 hp) version of the 4.6 -liter V8. In the model years 1997 and 1998, the LSC added as a regular production model, the base coupe.

In 1997, the Mark VIII underwent a minor facelift with revised front fascia, now standard xenon headlights and several minor changes to the equipment.

In the summer of 1998, the production of the Mark VIII ended after 122,000 copies.

Swell

• Flammang, James M / Kowalke, Ron. Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999. Krause Publishing, Iola 1999. ISBN 0-87341-755-0
• Lichty, Robert: Standard Catalog of Ford 1903-1990. Krause Publishing, Iola 1990. ISBN 0-87341-140-4
• "Encyclopedia of American Cars 1940-1970 " by Richard M. Langworth and the editors of Consumer Guide, pp. 119, ISBN 0-517-294648, first published in 1980 © 1980
• Auto Motor Sport, Issue 4 (14 February 1979)