1970 Continental
They hit their mark. Lincoln had started the decade of the '60's with the intent of gaining ground on Cadillac. They1970-1979
1970 Continental
Lincoln could not retain the same styling indefinitely. Nineteen-seventy brought an entirely new body for the Continental. The '61-'69 non-Marks had been a unit body (the floor pan and inner structure of the car serve the function of a frame). But in '70 Lincoln returned to a more traditional body-on-frame design. However, they preserved many of the styling treatments of the '61-'69. These included a slab-sided design, blade-like fenders, and a small rise in the doors at the rear. A new feature was hidden headlights. Gone were the suicide doors. Unfortunately so were the vent windows. For the first time since 1965 a full set of gauges graced the dash. Wheelbase from 1969-1970 increased from 126in to 127. Weight was actually down about 300lbs. Sure-Track brakes, an anti-lock system on the rear, were optional. (Anti-lock brakes were not an invention of the late '80's.) The 460 engine would be the only one available in a Lincoln through 1976. Horsepower was still rated at 365 gross (equating to approximately 235 net). Some MKIII's had had air pumps (smog pumps) added in 1969 but in 1970 all Lincolns got air pumps and all big block Lincolns of the '70's would have them. In its August, 1969 issue Motor Trend commented about the '70 Continental, "If it's possible to improve an already excellent luxury car, we think Lincoln has." Base price for a 4-door was $6,211.
The MKIII for '70 was essentially unchanged from '69. Sure-Track brakes were standard on the MKIII. Wood trim was now wood instead of plastic. Motor Trend (July, 1970) found the MKIII more luxurious than the Eldorado. Sales of the MKIII were 21,432; and for the Eldorado, 23,842, a very good showing for a Lincoln versus a Cadillac. The MKIII base price was $7,281. The best of the Mark v. the Eldorado was yet to come. Sales of all Lincolns were 59,127. This was down somewhat from 1969, but would not be the trend.
1971 Mark III Mark III Interior http://www.deenet.net/markiii.htmNineteen seventy-one included minor styling changes, primarily for the grille on the Continental. Automatic temperature control air conditioning became standard equipment. The MKIII asserted its assault on the rival Eldorado and virtually equaled it 27,091 to 27,368. The Cadillac's sales included a convertible. Coupe for coupe, the MKIII exceeded the Eldorado by 6,523 vehicles. Motor Trend again voted it the winner over the Eldorado (July, 1971). Horsepower rating for both Lincolns was 365 gross (about 235 net).
Little change was made to the Continental for 1972. Little change was needed. Power mini-vent windows were included in the Town Car option. Compression was lowered from 10.5:1 to 8.5:1, allowing the car to be run on regular gas instead of premium. This reduced both emissions and horsepower; the rating was now down a full 10% to 212 net. But the big news was with the Mark.
1972 Mark IVLincoln had taken on Cadillac in the personal luxury market quite well. But the time had arrived for a new model. Though an entirely different car from the MKIII, the MKIV exhibited many styling elements of the MKIII. The resemblance was clear. Lincoln knew the basic concept was a winner so they retained the long hood/short deck look. As well as the spare tire hump and tall grill. To become a Lincoln hallmark over the next ten years was the oval opera window, introduced this year on the MKIV. Curiously, according to the factory brochure, it was actually optional, though few if any were built without it. Motor Trend did a turnaround and voted the Eldorado the better of the two (July, 1972). They said it was the better performing car. They did say that the Lincoln was the winner on "styling and general 'luxury' appeal" and wondered if that should have made it the winner as that is normally why people buy cars like these. The public concurred on this latter point and MKIV sales exceeded the Eldorado by a full 21% this year. Not since the '57 MKII outsold the '57 Eldorado Brougham had a Lincoln model exceeded a comparable Cadillac in sales. But the Lincoln gain on Cadillac would not stop in 1972.
1973 Continental
Ever more dictating the design of an automobile, the Federal government mandated in 1973 that all cars be equipped with a 5-mph bumper on the front and a 2 1/2 at the rear. This added about 130lbs in weight. Not bashful of its product, the Lincoln brochure claimed that the MKIV was, "Quite simply, the most beautiful automobile in America." (Was the now-standard opera window part of that?) The public seemed to agree as sales of the MKIV exceeded the Eldorado by 35%. But Motor Trend again voted for the Eldorado as the better of the two. The first special edition Lincoln Mark became available this year with the introduction of the Silver Luxury Option Group. Overall sales of Lincoln represented 42% of Cadillac's sales, for a new record. Changes to the Continental were limited to minor refinements.
Mechanical changes were further necessitated by emissions regulations. New this year was the EGR valve (exhaust gas recirculation). This device rerouted some of the exhaust gases back into the combustion chamber to cool it off, resulting in lower levels of nitrous oxide. Compression was reduced to 8.0:1 though due to other minor modifications horsepower was actually up to 219. Electronic ignition became optional on the MKIV during the year.
No new grand changes surfaced in 1974. Models remained the same, but all vehicles now had 5-mph bumpers on the rear. Other safety requirements resulted in structural modifications that raised the curb weight of the Continental 4-door to 5,384. Electronic ignition was now standard; no more points to set. The MKIV received additional sound insulation and thicker carpeting, filtering out more of the noises that the drivers of lesser cars would have to tolerate. Special edition MK's included the Silver Luxury Group and the Gold Luxury Group. Mark IV sales continued to advance relative to the Eldorado, now exceeding it by 42%. A new option this year for the MK was a quick-defrost front and rear windshield.
1975 Continental
Time had arrived in 1975 for some restyling. The Continental coupe was given a rectangular opera window lending an air of privacy to the rear seat passengers. And one of the most luxurious interiors ever was to make its debut in 1975 on the Town Car/Coupe option with the appearance of the loose-pillow style seats. Power mini-vent windows were included in the Town option and available on all other Lincolns. Gasoline shortages prompted the addition of an optional 8-gallon auxiliary fuel tank for the Continental. The oil pressure gauge was deleted in favor of a warning light. Curb weight for the Town Car four door was now 5,424. Oval opera windows were standard on the Continental 4-door. Four-wheel disc brakes became standard on the MKIV (was this now a Grand Touring automobile?) and were optional on the Continental. Even a lumbar support was available on the MKIV. Several MKIV luxury groups were available, including the silver one, and the new white and red "lipstick" edition. Vinyl roofs on the MKIV were now a landau style.
Emissions standards further tightened their grip, requiring the use of catalytic converters. Horsepower was down to 206. Motor Trend noted in Dec., 1974, comparing a Town Coupe to a Coupe de Ville that, "In the field of sheer opulence, we have to name the Lincoln as the winner." Road Test (May, 1975) claimed that the Continental's 65 decibels at 70mph made it the quietest car they had ever tested-and that was during a comparison test that included a Cadillac and an Imperial! They also said the Lincoln was "the most 'luxurious' of the three cars, the most comfortable, and the easiest to drive." This year the MKV only barely eked out a victory over the Eldorado, bettering its sales by only 5%. Sales of all Lincolns held steady at 38% of Cadillac's.Ninety seventy-five had given Lincoln its second best sales year for the Continental in the '70's, so why fix something that was not broken? Only small changes occurred on this model in 1976. Opera windows were back to optional status on the sedans. Elegance was enhanced this year by the addition of the optional coach roof on the Town models. This covered the rear half of the roof and hearkened back to the classic '30's when the rear seat passengers were isolated from those who did the driving for them. Numerous items that had once been standard on both the Continental and Marks were now made optional.
This was also the year that Lincoln introduced a tradition that is still with us today: Designer Series cars. Four of them were available in this inaugural year on the MKIV: Cartier, Givenchy, Bill Blass, and Emlio Pucci. And the Cartier has given rise to "Cartier Confusion". Each of these Designer Series cars came equipped in a certain color scheme and that color scheme only. Just because a Lincoln has a "Cartier" clock does not mean it is a "Cartier" edition. It must be in the proper color scheme and have the Cartier identification in the opera window to be a Cartier edition. As if these were not enough to choose from, Lincoln also offered many different luxury group combinations on the MKV.
Cadillac's sales of the new in Seville in the long model year of 1976 combined with the rest of the line gave the division an all-time record. Yet Lincoln's percentage of Cadillac's sales actually increased slightly over the previous year to 40%. But the best was yet to come.
Two years had passed since there had been any significant styling change to the Continental and 1977 would bring about a new look-actually borrowed from the MKIV. Lincoln had adopted a high narrow grill for the MKIII in '69 and this had become a standard for the Mark series. So popular was it that it was applied to the Continental for '77. Lincoln had added the last feature that would make the Continental one of the best looking cars of the '70's, one of the best looking Lincolns ever, and perhaps one of the most attractive of all post-WWII American cars. Sound only like someone's opinion? Thirty-nine percent more people bought Continentals in 1977 than in the record year of 1976. Cadillac's sales of its de Ville/Fleetwood in 1977 were only 23% greater than 1976.
Early in the year the 460 engine was standard but later the 400 became standard and the 460 made optional. Horsepower for the 460 was 208; for the 400, 179. Some believed the Town editions had become too gaudy, so the Williamsburg editions were created. These were 4-door models that came in either gray or burgundy and deleted the opera window, the coach lamps, and the wide body side moldings.The Designer Series for 1977
1977 Designer Series: Pictured Above L-R: Cartier TR: Blass Middle: Pucci : Btm Givenchy
The MKIV had been a phenomenal seller but had been production for 5 model years, a rather long life for a car of that time period (indicating its popularity). So, Lincoln stylists sharpened their knives and gave the MKIV a razor-edged look. The MKV was introduced in 1977 and would prove wildly successful, selling more in each year than the MKIV ever did. Weight of the MKV was some 600 lbs less than the MKIV though wheelbase was about an inch more. The 400 engine was standard with the 460 optional. Designer series editions included the same four as in '76.
In mid-year 1977 Lincoln formally took on Cadillac in the downsized luxury niche. Cadillac had had great success with the Seville and Lincoln had to respond. In answer they offered the Versailles. Not really much of a challenge to Cadillac, it was merely a Granda with numerous luxury touches and a Mark style grill. It was powered by the 302 or 351 depending on when and where you bought one. But it did not seem to take away from sales of the Continental and Marks as they both experienced significant increases over 1976.1978 Diamond Jubilee MKV No reason to tamper with success, so the only major changes for Lincolns in 1978 were the addition of several special edition cars. At the top of the entire Lincoln line was the Diamond Jubilee MKV. This car commemorated Ford's 75th anniversary. Painted in either Diamond Blue (a light silver blue) or Jubilee Gold, these cars came equipped with features not even available on any other Mark V. These included color coordination of numerous exterior trim items, a tool kit, an umbrella, a leather covered owner's manual, bucket seats with a full-length center console, a leather covered dash, and "Diamond Jubilee Edition" script laminated into the opera window. Carpet was twice the usual thickness at 36oz. These were only a few of the numerous items that were unique to the DJE. Gadgets were plentiful and included the new "Miles-to-Empty" digital readout on the dash. The price for this edition--over and above the cost of a standard MKV--was $8,000, or about 75% of the price of a base MKV; or, enough to buy another whole car in Ford's stable. It was the first production Lincoln to be priced over $20,000.
Mild alterations were applied to the Continental. An entirely new dash was created, leaving now the fuel gauge as the only dash gauge. The fender skirts of previous years were deleted. The 400 was standard and the 460 optional, the last year this venerable engine would be offered in a Lincoln.
The Versailles was still available but sales fell off from 15,434 to 8,931. It was just easier to spend a fraction of the price and get a Granada or Monarch.
The 1979 Collectors SeriesMuch effort had to be expended toward meeting emissions standards and fuel economy requirements in 1979. Thus, few resources were left to make any significant mechanical changes this year. Only the 400 engine was available in the large cars, and was rated at a mere 159 horsepower. This represented a drop of about 32% in standard horsepower since 1970. Curb weight of the Town Car was now down to about 4850lbs, a reduction of some 600lbs in just 4-5 years. This would be the last year anti-lock brakes would be available for several years. To replace the Diamond Jubilee, Lincoln created the Collector's Series editions-a one-year only package-for both the Continental and MKV. These were officially available in navy blue or white with navy blue interiors. But a few navy blue over silver ones were made, with navy blue interior. Standard interior fabric was a material unique to the Collector's Series cars. Carpet was twice the normal thickness at 36oz and the trunk carpet was the same as the standard 18oz floor carpet in the other Lincolns. Leather wrapped owner's manual, umbrella, and tool kit were standard. Of the approximately 25 optional items on a Continental, roughly 19 of them were standard on a Collector's Series. CS prices topped $16,000 for the Continental version and $21,000 for the MKV-without any options. This made the fully equipped MKV almost 3 times the price of a 1970 MKIII.
The Marks continued to offer the same four Designer Series cars. The selection of Williamsburg Town Cars was now expanded to seven colors. The Versailles was still available and with a new roofline that looked more elegant; and sales actually increased to 21,007.Lincoln had ended 1969 by producing 31% of Cadillac's sales. By the end of 1979 its sales represented 49.7% of Cadillac's. The '70's had held the same kind of magic for Lincoln that the '60's had.
