Overview & Reviews

Lincoln is an automaker with a long history of building upscale vehicles for the American market. A division of Ford, Lincoln differentiates its vehicles through additional luxury features, more powerful engines and unique styling. The automaker's lineup includes cars, pickups and SUVs.

The company was established in 1917 by Henry Leland, an automotive parts manufacturer who had previously founded the Cadillac brand. He named the company after his boyhood hero: the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln. Early Lincoln models include the L Series and the K Series. The company quickly hit dire straits, however, and was bought by Ford Motor Company in 1922.

Lincoln had found its niche in the luxury-car segment by the 1930s, riding high with the likes of Cadillac as a purveyor of premium status-mobiles. The 1936 model year saw Lincoln's launch of the popular Zephyr. The car's name and styling were inspired by the sleek lines of the Burlington Zephyr, a diesel-powered express train that boasted record-setting speed. The car was a big hit for Lincoln; at one point, nearly 80 percent of all Lincolns sold were Zephyrs.

The '40s also saw the rise of the glamorous Continental. The vehicle's development was shepherded by Edsel Ford, son of Ford's founder Henry Ford. After World War II, Lincoln maintained its premium status with vehicles like the Mark II and the '60s-era Continentals, which gained fame through their "suicide-style" rear doors and use as U.S. presidential limousines. The Continental Mark III luxury coupe rolled out in 1968 and by the late '60s, more than 1 million Continentals had been built.

The 1970s saw the launch of the Mark IV as well as a new Lincoln, the Versailles. The Versailles was the first midsize sedan from the marque, and right from the start, it missed the mark with the public. The Versailles was based on the Ford Granada platform, and many blamed its failure on its obvious similarity to its less exclusive -- and less expensive -- twin.

In 1981, Lincoln released its now iconic Town Car, the full-size luxury sedan that has since served as the marque's flagship. Though its moniker had been used to designate trim levels in previous years, 1981 was the year in which the Town Car came into existence as an individual model. Lincoln also distinguished itself during these years as the first American car line to offer antilock braking. The Mark series continued to evolve, and shrunk down considerably with the debut of the Mark VI. That velvet-lined cruiser was followed mid-decade by the Mark VII, which was more European in nature and could even be powered by a BMW turbodiesel engine.

The '90s saw the debut of the Mark VIII, which featured a four-cam V8 and air suspension. By this time, sport-utility vehicles had emerged as a segment to be reckoned with, and Lincoln made the most of this trend by launching its very first SUV, the Ford Expedition-based Navigator, for 1998. Bedecked in chrome and fitted with plush leather and luxury features galore, the massive truck was a breakout hit.

The new millennium marked the debut of the Euro-flavored, midsize LS sedan that shared much of its platform with Jaguar's S-Type sedan. More recently, Lincoln has dropped the long-lived Town Car and updated its lineup with the MKS and MKZ sedans as well as the MKX crossover SUV in hopes of attracting a new generation of consumers. Some of its offerings fall short of the competition in areas such as performance and refinement. Still, the marque is a favorite of car buyers seeking a generous dose of all-American luxury.

User Reviews:

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  Love it , Love it, Love it! - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Rune47 - December 28 - 11:43 pm

  Yes, this car was built to compete with the European sport luxury sedans, and not only complete, they topped them! If not for the transmission it would have been top rated overall but slipped a bit as its not so great at low rpms. But it is one of the smoothest transmissions you will operate and on the highway it shines! Great power @ upper speeds too! This car is rated as one of the TOP 5 safest cars of ALL TIME! I love its understated elegance and the engineers put some work with the all aluminum fenders and hood and putting the battery in the trunk to acheive a 50-50 weight balance and is one of the reasons for the superior handling. The alum. J-8 eng. is sweet! The Jaguar platform too!

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  Beyond Expectations - 2017 Lincoln Continental
  By Bill - December 27 - 12:00 am

  I ordered the Continental in July. I was starting to get inpatient and wondering if it was going to be really worth the wait. Well, let me tell you that from the second I seen the Continental Pull up from getting out of detail, right away I knew it was worth the wait. This car is just BEAUTIFUL plain and simple. The pictures do it no justice, they do not capture the elegant curves that this Lincoln has. While I was waiting for it to be built, I was considering Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Cadillac. I am SO happy I waited it out and stuck with Lincoln. There is just something special when you stand back and look it at. It has many throw backs to the classic Lincolns while also including all of todays modern technology. The ride is so quiet and smooth. The massaging seats are AMAZING! I never wanna get out of the car! The door handles are awesome, just pull and the door opens effortlessly. All I can say is go to a showroom and go see it and drive one. Like stated above, all the elegant and classy curves are not captured on the photos that I have seen so far. Im SO impressed. By the way, Im 35yr old guy and Im proud to drive this AMERICAN CLASSIC! I have the Black Label, Diamond Black exterior, Thoroughbred interior (gorgeous combo), 3.0 AWD. I would recommend at least getting the Reserve if able, the Black Label is just incredible.

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  who would have told me? - 2002 Lincoln Continental
  By al - December 26 - 9:33 pm

  As a younger person I would have never thought of a Lincoln but my friend at the dealer insisted I tested this car when I got fed up with my Mercedes and so I did and it was the beginning of a love affair: I love this car. I will drive it as long as I can. I also own a Jaguar and it sits mostly in the garage because this Lincoln is such as sweet ride.....I get 24 miles on the highway!! with a V-8? incredible but true. I had the software upgraded and the mileage is greater than before. I most definitely recommend this car and scold Ford for dropping out of the line in favor of what? the plastic-cheap LS? Fire the CEO!!

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  sweet navigator! - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By hotnav888 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  this is the best car i have ever owned in my life! It looks soooo nice inside and out. It has the coolest features a car can have. its performance is stunning, it has awesome towing capacity and payload, and acceleration is brisk enough for me. Braking is awesome, and it literally stops as well as my 2003 viper. This car also handles like a car, very agile. It is very capacious, and my children dont complain about space.

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  Private Citizen(s) Evaluation - 2000 Lincoln Town Car
  By Harry Sperry - December 24 - 10:00 am

  The 2000 Lincoln Town Car Signature is a pleasure to drive, quiet & roomy. We (My wife and myself) have had no problems of any kind.

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  Aviator Review - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By SD MAN - December 22 - 2:36 am

  Outside mirrors tend to shake at higher speeds

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  LINCOLN - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By HEEMA 24 - December 21 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS THE BEST VEHICLE I HAD EVER HAD I ALREADY HAVE A NISSAN PATHFINDER BUT THE NAVIGATORS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE NISSAN THE NISSAN IS GARBAGE COMPARED TO THE NAVIGATOR.

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  2001 Lincoln Town Car Cartier is one of the best! - 2001 Lincoln Town Car
  By D. S - December 20 - 1:26 pm

  They FLOAT over the road surface... not as floaty as the 90s Tow Cars, but yes, they still float. With air ride bumps are not even a consideration. Personally I dont want a sports car feel that corners like its on a rail. I like that floaty-boaty feel! When your spending big money for luxury car.. thats exactly what you want it to feel like, period! The engine is as storing is the day I bought it.. and the appearance is just as good. Every vehicle acts differently depending on who the owner/driver is, and mine has been somewhat pampered. With just over 191 THOUSAND "and not stopping anytime soon", its my daily driver. 117,000 miles out of the factory brakes before needing a change. Just bought the 3rd battery, and went the first 10 years without spending a cent. Finally at 150,000 miles the air ride shocks started to weaken, so I had them changed for another set. NO! I did not resort to coil & springs! No even an option. Other than that, I have adored this car since the day it was built. Only a very few complaints.. and not the car itself, but the design. Whos bright idea was it to make the headlights detachable (for bulb changing purposes I guess) lock in place with 3 tin clips? When hitting a hard bump, they wobble. And its noticeable to me and drivers in front of me. Secondly, the easy in/exit moving seat stopped working early on. Dealer said hes surprised I got that far. He told me.. dont last, never did, hasnt seen one work right since day one. I would have had it fixed, but it required full seat replacement.. and cost huge money. Thankfully it stopped in the exact position I use and like. Other than that, I am shooting for 250, thousand. These Town Cars last forever. Gas mileage is good. Rated at 17&25. 6 disc CD changer in the trunk. HUGE trunk. And eve after 15 years, its still unmistakably Lincoln. People ask.. when are you going to buy a new car. Answer: when they bring Town Car back! Id rather drive a 15 year old Lincoln, htan something lesser thats brand new.

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  Just got rid of this piece of junk - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By BadLT - December 18 - 12:03 am

  Bought the truck with 36K miles on it from the dealer. Ran great for a month and then went to hell. 1 year and a settlement from ford later...yes I said settlement on a used truck, the tranny is shot, rear end is shot tie- rods are shot, it leaks water and the roof rattles. Dealer told me 7K to fix everything...by the way the truck only has 54K miles!. Great looking truck..and easy to look at cause it was never running.

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  Solid. - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By t328 - December 15 - 4:31 pm

  This was my first car, and overall, its been outstanding. The timeless exterior and interior design are, in my opinion, more attractive than the latest generation. I havent had trouble with rattles or squeaks, and all of the trim pieces have been extremely durable. Its been very reliable, just a couple of minor fixes here and there. The driving dynamics are reminiscent of a much smaller car, and the acceleration is impressive. The air ride suspension makes Texas dirt roads feel like the Nurburgring. Naturally, fuel economy is a pain; I usually get around 14 mixed. However, I drive pretty assertively and use regular gas. Overall, fantastic vehicle, I just wish I could afford the gas.