The party was over.  The pent-up demand for cars after W.W.II had been fairly well supplied by 1948.  Up until then, any warmed-over pre-war model was quite acceptable.  But the normal laws of economics dictated that once this demand had been met, the various players would actually have to compete against one another.  This meant new products.  Lincoln answered the challenge with an entirely new car for the 1949 model year, first offering it for sale in April, 1948.

    Two models were produced.  The Lincoln, with a wheelbase of 121 inches, and weighing about 4000 lbs, cost $2575 for the door.  The upscale Cosmopolitan rode a wheelbase of 125 inches, weighed about 4200 lbs, and was priced at $3238 in the door style.  Both cars were powered with Lincoln's all-new flathead V8 of 337ci.  At 152 horsepower it was about equal to Cadillac's 160.  But it was not an overhead valve engine and would only last 3 years.  Initially only a 3 speed manual transmission with optional overdrive was available.  Later in the year the GM Hydramatic would be an option.

    Common to several cars of this era, the new Lincolns had the appearance of a bathtub.  Hudson, Nash, and Packard would all introduce cars at about this time with a similar type of style.  Evidently it was not considered unacceptable as the White House leased a fleet of these Lincolns for President Truman.  This marked the first time that the White House stable of vehicles did not include several different makes of American luxury cars.  And the '61-'69 Lincoln 4 door would not be the only post- W.W.II "suicide door" Lincoln as all 1949-51 Lincoln 4 doors were.  Curiously however, the '49-'51's did not garner the appellation "suicide door Lincoln" as did those of the '60's.

    While not quite the smash hit that the Continental was, the 1949 Lincoln was adequate enough to remain basically unchanged through 1950 and 1951.  Sales were very good and the car was a success.  But something new was needed by 1952.

    Lincoln seemed to go a different way in 1952.  An entirely new body style, much more sporting, would be copied by Pontiac in 1955.  New ball joint front suspension and an engine done from a clean sheet of paper.  This one was a properly designed overhead valve V8 of 317ci.  At 20 cubic inches less than the previous engine it put out 8 more horsepower, being rated at 160.  Only one wheelbase was offered and Lincoln split the difference between the two used from '49-'51.  Nineteen fifty-two's would stretch to 123.  Somewhat on the small side for the largest Lincoln offering, but this, combined with the ball joint suspension would make these excellent performers.  Not exactly what a Lincoln had represented, they nonetheless were quite successful in racing.  A club even exists today celebrating the cars, The Road Race Lincolns.  They especially excelled in the Pan American Road races.  The Hydramatic was made standard and it would not be until the 2000 Lincoln LS that a Lincoln would again be available with a manual transmission.  Two trim levels were available.  The Cosmopolitan was now the less expensive and the Capri was the top of the line.   Weight was about 4200 lbs and an average price was $3300.

                               1956 Lincoln                                                                                1957 Lincoln
 

    Horsepower was increased substantially to 205 for 1953.  Minor styling changes were made in '53, '54, and '55.  In '55 the displacement was increased to 341ci and horsepower to 225.  Major styling changes were made in '56 and '57.  But the biggest news for Lincoln in the mid-fifties was not from the bread-and-butter Lincolns.

    Barely had the ’49 Lincolns become used cars but what there arose a demand for the return of the Continental.  In 1952 an entirely separate department at Ford was formed, the Continental Division, to design a new Continental outside the influence of the Lincoln division.  Headed up by one of Henry Ford’s grandsons, William Clay Ford, their goal was to create a car in the spirit of the original Continental, which would compete at the top end of the luxury market.  Introduced in October, 1955, as a two door only, the Continental MKII carried the highest price tag of any car made in America, emptying one’s wallet of a hefty $10,000.  That at a time when a Lincoln Premier 4 door was about $4400.  The only option was air conditioning the car being otherwise replete with all expected power accessories (including a tachometer).

    Though it used the standard Lincoln engine and transmission, these were thoroughly tested and balanced.  The quality of all other materials was of the highest order, including Bridge of Weir leather from Scotland.  Car Life (Nov., 1955) described its styling as having, …”simple distinctiveness of line and an air of supreme elegance”.   While it did not appear to be a large car, its wheelbase of 126in and weight of about 5,000 lbs made it the equal of any luxury car of the day.   In July, 1956, Motor Life tested one and said that, …”the richness and attention to detail must be seen to be appreciated.  It amounts to a new standard of finish for U.S. cars and this, along with the outstanding ride and steering, is what the buyer gets for his money.”

    The standard Lincoln line for 1956 received a significant facelift, garnering it an award for excellence in automotive design from the Industrial Designers Institute.  The basic car was largely unchanged otherwise.  The bottom of the line was now the Capri and the new for ’56 Premier became the top of the line.  Engine displacement was increased from 341ci to 368 and horsepower rose a remarkable 27% from 225 to 285.  The electrical system exited the dark ages going from 6-volt to twelve.

    The MKII was fairly popular during its first few months of the 1956 model year but few people had $10,000 to spend on a car.  Sales dwindled to a trickle thereafter and in 1957 the decision was made to cancel further production.  Updates to the ’57 were essentially limited to the changes in the engine of the standard Lincoln.  The MKII sold 2,558 in 1956 and 442 in 1957.
 
    Engine horsepower was increased in 1957 to 300.  The Capri and Premier received mild styling revisions for 1957.  Quad stacked headlights replaced the single ones.   Rear doors and two-door quarter panels received a fake scoop, and further giving the car a quintessential late ‘50’s look, the height of the tail fins was raised and they came to a more pronounced point.   But it would not be until the next year that Lincoln would embark on the truly bizarre in styling.
 
 

    Lincoln’s first new post-war car in 1949 was clearly intended to compete in the luxury class.  But the direction changed in 1952, and while it was still fairly high-priced the new models were more performance oriented.  Lincoln proved that it did a splendid job of this with the many racing victories that they achieved.  But gradually, through 1957 the car was altered to take on more of a luxury feel.  When the 1958 models were initially being planned, the decision was made to resume a direct assault on Cadillac.  Thus they were longer than Cadillacs, and except for the Fleetwoods, had a longer wheelbase at 131inches.  Unique for a car of this size, Lincoln returned to unit body construction.  But it was soon discovered that the advantages of unit body construction diminish as the size of the car increases.  By the time one reaches the size of the ’58 Lincoln there really are no advantages; and some particular problems do arise. But the ’58 did have more interior room than a Cadillac.  This car was definitely attempting a frontal assault on its nearest rival.

    In an attempt to retain some of the mystique of the discontinued MKII, the top of the line Lincoln was called the Continental MKIII and sported its own roof treatment.  This included a standard vertical electric rear window that rolled down into the back seat.   But nothing else, save a few trim items and standard gadgets, differentiated this from the Capri and Premier.  In 1960 the bottom of the line would simply become known as Lincoln; the middle of the line would remain the Premier.

    Filling the engine compartment of all Lincolns in 1958 was an all-new engine of 430ci.  Producing an industry shaking 375 horsepower it would propel this approximately 5,000lb car to 60 mph in under 9 seconds.  But its almost race-like tuning resulted in an engine that was not sufficiently smooth for a luxury car.  In 1959 it was de-tuned to 350hp.  In 1960 carburetion was reduced from four to two barrels and horsepower fell to 315.  Nineteen fifty-eight and nine models had coil spring rear suspension.  Problems arose with this and in 1960 the change was made to leaf springs.  But the biggest shock of this car in 1958 had to be the styling.

    Keeping pace with the styling excesses of the late ‘50’s, Lincoln adopted quad slanted headlights for its all-new car in 1958.  Combine this with a large “scallop” on the front fenders and these Lincolns assume bizarre styling.  Lincoln’s admission of this is clearly seen in that the ‘61’s look entirely different—and far more artistic—than the ‘58-’60.  The scallop was vestigial in 1959 but the front bumper ends were shaped to look like a plane turned at a 90-degree angle.  The “plane” was removed for 1960 but large bumper “bombs” were fitted to the front.

    Not having produced a factory limousine or formal car since the 1942 Custom, Lincoln offered the Limousine and Town Car in 1959 and ’60.  This was a standard length Continental that was sent to the coachbuilders Hess and Eisenhardt in Cincinnati, to which they added a formal padded roof.  The limousine included a partition window between the front and rear seats but passengers in the Town Car had to suffer with the chauffeur listening in on their conversations in the Town Car.  Back seat interiors were standard Continental wool broadcloth.  The Town Car front was this also but the Limousine front was leather.  The limousine received a radio and air conditioning controls in the rear.  Production of the limo totaled 49 in 1959 and 34 in 1960.  A mere 78 of the Town Cars were chosen by buyers in 1959 and 136 in 1960.  At $9500-$10,000 these cars rivaled the MKII in price.

    Lincoln started the decade offering a luxury car of the first order.  Not sure of its direction, it swayed toward performance in the middle, and then back to luxury at the end.  Styling went from bathtub to bizarre.  In the decade to come, Lincoln would forever establish itself as a builder of  premium quality luxury cars with styling that would not be equaled by any of its competitors.  By the end of the '60's, "suicide doors" would become synonymous with Lincoln.