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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  Betsys LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Betsy - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Front seat configuration not suitable for larger person. Only problem with car occured when heat gage pegged for about 8 minutes and annunicator indicated power was being reduced. Subsequently a factory fix has replaced the thermostat.

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  Thanks for not bailing out Ford - 2010 Lincoln MKZ
  By antrocks1980 - December 24 - 12:03 pm

  Im so glad I didnt go with an import too. Yeah they are made in Mexico and yes they contain foreign parts and assemblies. And yes the thing was based off of a Mazda 6. BUT Im glad to be contributing to FoMoCo (American Holdings) who continues to improve leaps and bounds over the competition. Its my first nice car and is very comfortable for my long legs. Nice smooth-quiet ride. Im happy with it. Lots of nice features. I owned an 07 Taurus and it was a great car so I decided to give FoMoCo another go and Im glad I did. Beefy car.

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  Last Ford for us.............. - 1999 Lincoln Continental
  By vroy - December 8 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned many Ford products but this one is the best on luxury and the worst on performance quality. It is the end of an era. With 71,000 Im replacing a transmission $2200.00. Ford cant make up its mind to rebuild or replace, duh, the torque converter failed and ruined the transmission and they cant decied what to do???? Power seat tracks that failed, outside power mirrors failed, and two of eight coils failed at $120.00 each to replace at less that 50K miles. I never had that much trouble with a Mercury Topaz with 200K miles or my F-150 with 125K miles, or my Mercury Cougar with 130Kmiles.

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  Canada SUV - 2007 Lincoln Navigator
  By Phil Thompson - November 29 - 2:10 am

  Dealership service has been good. This vehicle is huge, smooth and very reliable for driving in the mixed Northern weather. The main problem is the very poor gas mileage.

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  Died already - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By mricha02 - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this vehicle for about 6 months and its been GREAT!! Until....all of the sudden I was riding down the street, the dash lights went dim and the truck died. Its been in the shop for a week and they still dont know whats wrong. Some sort of electrical problem. Theyve already replaced the battery and alternator. Not what I expected from a 50K vehicle! Thinking about going with Nissans new fullsize SUV when it comes out.

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  Beware!!! - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By Gerald Stratos - November 24 - 2:06 am

  I bought my beautiful LS V8 sprt pkg. In March 05 and been having trans problems, (it likes to shift to neutral when coming to a stop while still in drive!!! at cold startup) Also, the rack and pinion seeps fluid, the alignment is shaky, and the motor misfires horribly. Its not over yet! My door handle wont open the drivers door from the inside. I have to roll my window and open it from the outside. This is not pleasant during the winter... I still owe 12,500 on the darn thing... Im looking to trade it off. Oh and the chrome wheels are peeling terribly near the centercaps. Not to mention the weather stripping is coming loose as well. yours truely, Helpessly suckered in Mogodore

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  The best car I have owned - 1997 Lincoln Continental
  By Lee W. - November 8 - 2:00 am

  I have to say my Lincoln is the best car I have owned. There is nothing like a big luxury car. Ride and performance are exceptional. The black paint is decent for the 110,000 miles on it. I have recently had the rear- view mirror problem everyone else is experiencing. Also, the front passenger door has a bad connection which causes the door to show ajar when it is not. This is not a big deal except the interior lights come on when stopped. If anyone can tell me how to economically replace the rear-view mirror, I would appreciate it. I would defineately buy another, though. Great car!

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  good - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By rz - November 7 - 10:00 am

  good vehicle and fun but a little tight interior wise for a big person

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  Looks nice, very rough trans - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Marc - November 7 - 6:53 am

  My Zephyr looks great. I put 20" rims and low profile tires from the start and the car looks great. The tires the dealer sold me were horrible (Nitto) but I replaced them with Michelins that are much better. Car is comfortable and rides fairly well on the freeway. I always get people telling me they love how it looks too. The biggest problem is the transmission and the poor fuel economy. The transmission has been poor from the start, with very jerky upshifting almost predictable when trying to accelerate from a rolling 40 MPH. The transmission actually jerks so hard that the car almost comes off the ground. I am really not looking forward to that repair bill that come inevitably.

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  Finally a good American Car - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By V8 in FL - November 6 - 10:13 pm

  Have put 40000 miles on my LS in 2 years. It is great. Have only had to take it in to have the AC head unit replaced, and then just GTO (gas, tires and oil) for the rest. It still handles great, and i get about 20 MPG driving a mix of city and highway every day. Just a great car.