Lincoln Continental: Did it Almost Destroy Cadillac.

On October 2, 1939 an assembly line was set up to begin the manufacture of the Lincoln-Zephyr Continental. By the end of 1939, 25 had been produced and were designated 1940 models. The cars could be had for about $2,640 which is about $60,000 in 2024 dollars. The first generation ended production in 1948.
The second generation ran from (1956-1957)
After an eight-year hiatus, for the 1956 model year, the Continental nameplate made its return; to launch the vehicle, Ford created a namesake "Continental" division centered around its new flagship vehicle.
At its 1956 launch, the Continental Mark II was the most expensive automobile sold by a domestic manufacturer in the United States, rivaling the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.
At $10,000 which is about $115,000 in 2024 dollars, the Mark II cost nearly the same as five Ford Customlines.
With a large number of power-equipment features included, the Mark II was offered with only a single option: air conditioning, priced at $595 which is a whopping $6800 in 2024 dollars.
In total, 2,996 Continental Mark IIs were produced. Ford estimated it lost nearly $1000 on every Continental Mark II produced.
The third generation of the continental was from (1958-1960)
If you ask me, I think the 2nd gen looked a lot more stylish than the 3rd gen. What do you think? Leave us your comments below.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Hey everyone, I sell posters of your favorite cars on eBay. Please check out my store www.ebay.com/str/paylessposters

[@wydopnthrtl]

I was the water pump design engineer on the 9th gen. It was my first project where management handed over full design responsibility to me. At the time our "competitor" was the 4.6L Northstar from GM. It was a good experience but honestly... my love was for the RWD Fords that I was doing design work for. Just something inside me said (and still says) the front wheel drive cars will NEVER be a true performance vehicle. As your coming off a late apex and rolling into full throttle... there is no way a FWD car can give a stir to the soul as well as a RWD car can. Steer with the rear is NOT just a slogan.

[@chrislong8986]

I have a question why did ford didn't make the generation you worked on , have a longitudinal front-wheel drive setup similar to chrysler's LH platform or the first gen Oldsmobile Toronado

[@wydopnthrtl]

@@chrislong8986 We made the 9th gen continental FWD. Why they wanted a FWD? I don't know but I can guess. Better MPG and lower cost are for sure. I suspect that is why. Also that's what GM was doing at the time. "The 1995-2002 Continental was the only production vehicle in which a Ford Modular family engine was mounted transversely, and the only one to use it in a front wheel drive application" Insider tip... the reason the WP was different than the RWD WP was because we moved the FEAD (front end accessory drive) was to make it closer to the front of the block. Meaning... I designed a shorter version of the WP to help move the serpentine belt closer to the front face of the block. So it would be shorter and fit transversely. Also its 7 ribs were thinner because it didn't have to support as much load when the AC compressor kicked on.

[@jacoballred]

Reasons people seek to restore Lincoln's. Backthen Lincoln's were something the working class couldn't afford. It's about Luxury Not horsepower.

[@charlesb7019]

Sadly, both Cadillac and Lincoln have destroyed themselves. Should never have abandoned their luxury CAR customers.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

I agree!

[@allenwayne2033]

Yep, you are so right!

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

Agree, they abandoned luxury for "BMW sport" - now everything has to look like a "pod" and do 0-60 in 3 seconds! No one builds "luxury" cars anymore and I'm so thankful I was able to experience them.

[@claybarnett6350]

Sadly, their car customers abandoned them (or passed on) like all other companies’ car customers. Sedan lover here (G70 3.3T here, never owned an SUV) but most folks want a higher / easier seating position. I’m 6’5” and being tall is overrated. 😂

[@phantom0456]

There’s a reason that both marques build and sell more Navigators and Escalades than any other models, and it’s because that’s what people buy. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.

[@troynov1965]

Those 2nd gens are some of the best looking cars ever made. I heard they lost money on every one of them even selling for 10 grand a piece.

[@locustsun]

The sound on this was incredible! The Continental Mk. II commercial really dazzled my eardrums, I'm not sure what that was, but I need more!!!

[@ContiDemo]

Currently own both 1979 and 2017 Lincoln Continental and it's been a learning experience maintaining the older one as it's at 104k miles. Would never give it up because they don't make it no more.

[@josephpiskac2781]

The Mark 2 a masterpiece and too expensive.

[@petertornabeni602]

Imagine FoMoCo had Edsel been in charge through the 1960s - the third generation wasn’t attractive however, give Lincoln credit for standing out - you knew that was a Lincoln

[@jamesbosworth4191]

Even as a kid, I liked the 58 - 60 Lincoln. I may be in the minority, but I have never been a follower.

[@komradkolonel]

Personally I prefer Lincolns over Cadillacs. I've found that the Lincolns are generally better made. This was especially true back in the 70s and into the early 80s. Cadillac lost a lot of customers to Lincoln during that time.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for sharing!

[@billolsen4360]

I drove limousines during the 1980's and agree with you. The Cadillacs all had very noisy engines, which Lincolns didn't.

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

Cadillac lost a whole lot of customers when the downsized models came out in '85! That was the last year I've stepped foot in a Cadillac showroom - and wanted to vomit as I was leaving!!

[@dominickcarcione8446]

1969 - 71 Continental Mark III was the best model.

[@2006gtobob]

Honestly, I preferred the bustleback Continental over the bustleback Seville by far. RWD makes all the difference to me. The interior also just seemed better overall. Lincoln may have been late to the game with downsizing, but they got it right. Once Lincoln decided to go FWD with the Continental, it was over. The Town Car kept that division alive.

[@nolarobert]

I just try to pretend the 3rd Gen (1958-60) didn't exist. They were not attractive vehicles. The 4th Gen aka the JFK Continental was gorgeous. Lincoln made some great land yachts in the 70s. It is a shame that Lincoln stopped making the Continental in favor of going all-in on SUVs. I think they would still be competitive in the luxury car market.

[@annenelson5656]

There’s a reason most car services use black Lincoln Town Cars. They’re reliable, comfortable, have understated good looks. The 1970s and 1980s weren’t the best, fortunately designers didn’t give up on it.

[@AnnCastro-r2j]

Fascinating history! The Lincoln Continental really had an impact. We sent you an email, take a look.

[@grantkoeller8911]

The 1982 mark 6 was the best looking Lincoln

[@renj6531]

7:40 correction the 7th gen was from 1984 to 1992 for the mark series and 1982- 87 for the 4 door sedans

[@mike-jc9zd]

I had a brand new 1981 Lincoln Town car four-door red red leather interior. Wonderful car. I sold it just 2 years ago

[@Thunder_6278]

Mark V was the most famous and the ultimate threat to Caddy.

[@edwardskoda2409]

If you are talking about the 77 to 79 Mark V you are correct, however, the Mark lV from 72 to 76 also was a huge success and outsold the Eldorado in almost ever year.

[@AdamWaffen]

No, it wasn't. It's sales were a joke- about 5% of Cadillac sales. Remember, read, THINK, then write. In that order.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

The 56-57 Continental MkII cost $1000 more to make than the $10K sticker price.

[@edbarker8636]

Well the 82 Continental signature series was a wonderful car the Mark 7 was a wonderful car so was the Mark 8

[@timshelby2324]

Mark ii are the best .

[@billolsen4360]

3:27 I agree that the 2nd generation Continental Mark II looked a lot better vs the 1958-60 3rd generation. However, the 3rd gen Mark looked really stunning with Eva Marie Saint behind the wheel in that Alfred Hitchcock movie "North By Northwest."

[@madmike2624]

2nd gen. by far was the most attractable of the generations IMHO.

[@honestone490]

My dad owned a 1989 Lincoln town car. He only bought V8 engines. He didn't like the 1990 version which won Motor Trend's car of the year. His last Lincoln he bought was the 2000 Town car and when he passed away in 2017 he only had 60000 miles on it.

[@billwashburn8568]

2nd gen was amazing and now valuable if you can find a survivor

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

True!

[@timothykeith1367]

Lincolns were the best riding cars

[@GeeEm1313]

The most recent Continentals were beautiful. Its sad that they're hated.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

True

[@nintendork900]

I have a 2017 Continental. It's a great car but there are just a few omissions that I think led to its demise. It wasn't long enough wide enough or spacious enough in the back to truly be a full-size sedan competitor. This was due to its use of a modified mid-size platform (fusion). It also would've benefitted from RWD, a V8 option, and suicide doors.

[@dmandman9]

I don’t think you illustrated the 1988-1994 Continental exterior . It was essentially a stretched Taurus/sable with air springs. It even had the same 3.8 v6. It sold pretty good for a Lincoln. It was the beginning of FWD in Lincoln’s.

[@600wheel]

Love this channel🤘😎🤘🍺🍺

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

my uncle Dan owned a used Mark 7 Continental and then a town car when I was a child in the 90s

[@suze816]

My mom had a 1984 Continental.. When my parents learned that the body style for the 1990 Continental was going to be VERY different; rounded, and more aerodynamic, my mom traded her 1984 model for a 1989 "Signature Series"model w/ a Landau top.. The last of the "shoe box" look.. That was her last car as she was getting older and decided on her own to stop driving, herself.. My older brother kept her Continental in excellent condition (including conditioning the leather seats) until 2003 when our family sold it.. My brother would joke, saying the hood ornament was for "sighting in pedestrians".. We were awful 😄

[@RADIUMGLASS]

People hate the third generation but go look at one in person and it will change your mind. I remember getting to look at one when I was 16 opening the door and getting inside was a thrill.

[@johndawid8059]

I have looked at one in person. It did not change my mind, LOL! I'm sorry but they look as if a child got ahold of a French Curve ruler and used every shape and curl to design a car! Or it was the first instantiation of the "Design By Committee" protocol. Circles, squares, curves, oblongs, scallops, angles, lions and tigers and bears oh my! But in fairness, I'm a couple generations from the folks who lived at the time these vehicles would have been offered. Tastes were different then. This would have been the choice for those who wished to avoid Cadillac's ugly automotive catfish-in-steel expression, as well as Imperial's Torque Flite Pushbutton cluster smirking from the left side of the dash while the driver groped with their right hand for the non-existent transmission shift lever. Or searched through the clutter of gauges, pods, buttons, dials, callouts, lights, sliders and switches trying to figure out just how to get the Finest Expression Of the Forward Look to actually go forward.

[@ksandhoff1]

1 owned a Mark 111 this one looks like a cross eyed kid

[@honestone490]

3:18 I think the reason the 3rd generation doesn't look as attractive as the 2nd generation is because of the hideous ugly off-setting of those dual headlights and dinosaur looking rear fins. The 2nd generation looks more like an extended more elegant rounded version of the 1st generation Thunderbird. The side sheet metal and rooftop offers better fluidity and the simple but classy headlights look more European in styling befitting that of a Mercedes, Bottom line is that the 2nd gen Lincoln was expensive to produce sold for a list price of $ 10,000. Ford was hoping this model would compete instead with European luxury cars which it didn't.. It cost way more than a Cadillac or a Chrysler Imperial which was its true competitors. The 3rd gen Lincoln sold for around 6000 instead and competed nice with its other domestic counterparts. The 3rd gen model was still hideous looking though. No getting around that.

[@giuliopedrali4794]

Apart the masterpieces 1956 and 1961 Continentals, the 1975, 1977 / 1979 Lincoln Continental 2 door was a masterpiece, but also 70s and 80s downsized Cadillac not was a joke.

[@AdamWaffen]

Today on "Internet Revisionism For Clickbait.." Only in 1999 did Lincoln outsell Cadillac. Continental sales were a joke compared to Cadillac sales

[@marcom2248]

Drive a Lincoln or a Cadillac from that time and then a BMW or Mercedes from the time, and you know excactly why the american dinosours failed.

[@majorwilkesjr.5827]

I'll take the 8th gen with no hesitation

[@fob1xxl]

I owned a 1984 MARK VII and loved it. Metallic blue w/white interior. A real show stopper !

[@kaharold]

My Aunt Had A 1978 Lincoln Mark 5 AND That is The Only Car I ever Rode in That Was So Quiet AND Smooth Riding...

[@600wheel]

Second gen has T-Bird vibes and then again with the seventh

[@BigWill63]

For some reason you skipped over the Mark III and Mark IV, two important cars that saved Lincoln from having Ford close the division.

[@dannyr9842]

You completely skipped the Lincoln Mark-8 1993/1998 !!!!!!!!!

[@ksandhoff1]

I sold it and upgraded to a 1972 Rolls Royce Corniche coup, for $35,000 in 1978 I sold it 1984 for $37,000

[@MisterMikeTexas]

YT retro man Charles Phoenix loves the 3rd Gen Continentals. I can't say I blame the guy.

[@johnlentz2193]

1959 Continental Mark IV is my choice for beautiful style.

[@NLJosh83]

I'm not sure why there was so much Mark VII featured in a video about Continentals...

[@Argumedies]

Son yur gunna drive me to drinkin ifin you dont stop driving that HOT ROD LINCOLN!

[@jaybartlett4090]

Like all except 80s and 90s, fancy TBirds

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the video. I appreciated seeing this car in this edition. I am a fan of Lincoln. The only one I was not too fond of was Mark VII. It was the headlights as there should have be two headlights on each side of the grille. It was too close to Thunderbird and Cougar. You can see it. Mark VII served its purpose to Ford and Lincoln. I could not deny that. I was so glad when Mark VIII arrived. It was not until years later I learned Mark VI did not do too well. I rode in one of those. I thought it was cool. Mark V was the ultimate. The market changed. Continental changed over time. You covered the Lincoln brand and Continental quite well. The Lincoln Zephyr lives in China. It is not sold in the United State. Lincoln Zephyr: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIbNfXd7q9tpsLc

[@chrislong8986]

My personal favorite generations are the 9th especially 2000-02 years and 5th

[@ThomasWBaldwin]

sweet

[@michaelbergschneider2446]

Second Gen is stunning.

[@lawrencemartinez8548]

I have a 2001 Lincoln Continental that to this day looks brand new. My most favorite car in the group. 100,000I miles and still runs great. The only thing I have done is replace the air shocks for regular shocks..

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Awesome!!

[@erickriebel4366]

The Lincoln Mark III I think was the best car of the entire time of that period of time when they switched over to Mark 4 it started slipping but they are still way better than the Cadillac Eldorado it's not even a fair comparison and I had them both

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

The build quality of the MK's - especially the MK III - always seemed better than the Eldorado's!

[@madmike2624]

It's funny. the Lincon was Edsil's idea, but his flagship line named after him was the ultimate flop!

[@madmike2624]

@@johnedwards6208 Parden my spelling.

[@giuliopedrali4794]

I design cars for hobby, Lincoln Continental was beautiful like Cadillac, but not in 1958, 1970 and in the 80s

[@thumperjdm]

@5:35 Nice to see a second Continental in that shot. 😎

[@giuliopedrali4794]

1995 Lincoln sedan is a great design

[@600wheel]

2 door 98 with the 4 valve is a car I gotta have and stick shift swap it

[@wydopnthrtl]

Lots of sensor and trans problems. But they are nice and there still are some high quality cars out there. Keep your eye out for one!

[@600wheel]

@@wydopnthrtl Rife sensors and a T-56 magnum problem solved

[@wydopnthrtl]

@@600wheel Figure out how to power the meter, transmission, and engine with an aftermarket controller and it would be a great car. btw, I designed the water pump on those Mark 8's Shalom

[@wydopnthrtl]

@@600wheel IMO... a "built" trans and either a flash to control or an aftermarket controller... a very good and underrated car... YES. Also, some of those early all aluminum engines had significant oil consumption. Problem is.. like a Jaguar (which I own) they can be very good cars but due to popular opinion... are not and will not be worth very much to most people. (My 03 S-Type is repaired properly and will move properly (130+ mph)... but its value is low)

[@600wheel]

@@wydopnthrtl my mechanic friend own a shop and a guy pulled up in that same Jaguar with transmission problems and my friend scanned it and told him what the scanner said and the guy just walked away and said “you can keep the car” my mechanic dug into it a little more a month later and ended up fixing it for a few hundred dollars (new filter pan and fluids if I remember correctly) and then selling it as quickly as possible. Sadly yes there are some great cars out there but because of the Internet will never get the recognition they deserve but is good for guys who don’t mind getting their hands dirty

[@addiewinnie]

I liked the early to mid 70s model

[@marcomoreno8188]

You got alot of data missing n u didnt talk about the Lincoln Mark lll

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yup..There is a time limit. After 5 minutes the average viewer loses interest. There is a lot more I could have talked about. There is ALWAYS a lot more we can talk about but not always worth it. Thanks. We hope you are a subscriber

[@EdwinEdwards-cb7ol]

Loved the 65!!

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

My favorite MK is the MK 3, one of the most beautiful cars ever to grace the hwy IMO - although I wouldn't turn down a MK 4 or 5 either - after that I think they lost their "uniqueness" and became just Fords! The MK 2 is nice and all but without updates would be impractical and really not safe to drive in 2024 - and can you imagine the cost of repairs if you ever wrecked it??

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Couldn't agree more!

[@giuliopedrali4794]

For an Italian lovers of car design, the question is always : why americans, now in 2024 not make true car yet?

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

I ask that everyday!

[@davewettlaufer7885]

well put together documentary, Thanks

[@jimbo5728]

I enjoy the videos here. Is the voice AI?

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Appreciate ya watching. NO AI. We were radio personalities who happen to love cars. We READ A SCRIPT rather than adlib like some of the other reality car channels. It's not for everyone and we get it. Hope this helps.

[@garyv2196]

2nd