The History of the Lincoln Continental

The Lincoln Continental was first designed by Bob Gregorie as a one-off for Edsel Ford in 1938 and was based on a modified Zephyr. In 1939, the Lincoln Continental was officially rolled out as a coupe and a convertible was added the following year. Many notable celebrities owned the car, including Frank Lloyd Wright, who called it “the most beautiful car in the world." The Continental got an update when U.S. automobile production resumed after World War II, including a bold new grille and an impressive hood with a V12 underneath. A Lincoln Continental was even used as the pace car for the 1946 Indy 500. The luxurious Continental Mark II was introduced in 1956 and retailed for around $10,000, making it one of the world’s most expensive cars at the time. Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor owned the car (Taylor’s was a gift from the studio for the making Giant and was painted in a custom shade that matched her eyes.) The famous hood ornament was created by designer Bob Thomas for the model; it was then adopted for all Lincolns going forward. Interestingly, the 1958 - 1960 Continentals were the largest unit-body cars ever produced. James Brown drove a Lincoln Continental Mark III and Jock Ewing drove the Continental Mark V on Dallas. Presidents and dignitaries often traveled in Continentals, too; in fact, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, he was riding in a modified ’61 Lincoln Continental code-named X-100. The car had a reputation for luxury, and in 1976, the Mark IV was even offered in several designer options, which included the Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy, and Pucci Editions. In the 1980s, the car became smaller and less angular, and by the time the Mark VIII debuted in 1992, it was no longer particularly distinguishable from other luxury cars with a rounded design. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the Lincoln Continental became the town car of choice in Manhattan. It was favored by car service companies because of its longevity, low cost of repair, and upscale image. In 2002, the Lincoln Continental was discontinued, but it was brought back in the mid-2010s before eventually being discontinued again in 2020. However, its legacy as a luxury car lives on and it is frequently depicted in TV shows and movies.