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 - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By F.T. - August 14 - 8:26 pm

  Have nothing but good things to say about truck. Lots of power and super handling. Love the third row seat which is standard on the Aviator. The HID lights and the heated and A/C seats are also nice touches. Now the bad - the dealership has not been able to fix the squeak in steering column. The rear end humms and also needs replaced. Still love the truck, will be looking a new dealership the next time.

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  Good made Better - 1998 Lincoln Navigator
  By jtr02a - August 14 - 10:00 am

  My family has loved owning this Navigator, it is wonderful for Boy Scout campouts and long distance travel. We purchased this vehicle because our family is growing (65", 64", 511", & 510") and needed more leg and headroom and this was perfect. Aside from the obviously bad mpg (on all SUVs) and slightly underpowered acceleration (for a Lincoln, great compared to "normal" SUVs), this is a great, stable SUV. We own several Lincolns and will definitely continue to buy. The newer models seem to have corrected most of the imperfections found on the 98.

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  Great Car So Far - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By JHL - August 13 - 7:56 pm

  Ive owned at least 60 cars and trucks during my lifetime, from sports to luxury, from utility to fancy. This car is one of the finest that Ive come across, its very comfortable and has adequate power, I do a lot of highway driving and I bought this car for comfort and I feel that is has the most comfort of anything Ive owned thus far. The fact that is gets 23 mpg on the road for a car this big is great in my book, I had a 78 Chrysler New Yorker that got 7 mpg when it was new. I have a high degree of confidence in this car, I just traded a Continental with 131k miles and it was a great car.

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  Love my LS - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By ccarl1 - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Congrats to Lincoln on a great attempt to compete w/ the Germans. This car is fun, looks great, and is very comfortable. Only serious gripes are with the V6, fake wood, vinyl for seatbacks and headrests, and a small paint match flop. My 3.0 V6 and Getrag Manual is underpowered for this 4000lb car. The manual makes up for some of the V6s shortcomings. This car has a clean interior thats easy to use and easy on the eyes. One ext flop, my body paint doesnt quite match the fascias. I have the Silver Birch and when the sun hits the side of the car, theres a difference in the amount of metallic in the body paint compared to fascia paint.

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  Finally, Americans Make Something - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By CharlieManCharlie - August 12 - 10:00 am

  American cars have been know to lack in quality and durabilty. For the last years luxury cars made by American automobile makers have lacked everything that is much needed. Yet, this Lincoln Town Car Signature Series is the best competition fro cars like Mercedes Benz, Lexus, and BMW. I Saw This Car, And Loved It You Will Too.

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  Quite a ride for $2,900.00!!! - 1997 Lincoln Continental
  By John - August 11 - 3:13 am

  I bought a 1997 used Lincoln Continental for a measly 2900 bucks in December of 2004. It has proven itself to be a reliable, comfortable, and quick automobile. I have put about 22000 miles on it in a year and 3 months and the only repairs it required were brakes and a set of tie rod ends. It also is fairly economical for a large sedan with a V8, I get about 22.5 MPG average.

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  23000 and few problems - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By Mongo - August 9 - 7:16 pm

  Such a nice highway cruiser. Pulls a medium size RV nicely as well. A few petty problems, but the dealer has done very well to handle them.

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  LS is great American car - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By likeusluxury - August 9 - 3:16 pm

  I have had a 2004 Lincoln LS and now a 2002 Lincoln LS. Bought both used, and hav out over 65,000 miles on the two. Great cars. Had 2 mchanical incidents in that time. Nothing major. Blast to drive. Safe. Would highly recommend.

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  Could Be Better... - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By Roger2Texas - August 9 - 6:00 am

  Car rides smooth in city, absorbs bumps very well. Have had problems with A/C vacuum valve that controls recirculation of air. Had replaced twice, seems to be messing up again. A/C vacuum makes weird noises when car first started. On highway, car seems to sway a lot. This being the 3rd Town Car Ive owned, this has the worst handling quality on highway (especially with full load of 6 people). Bumpers quality is not as good as previous models, maybe should consider purchasing a Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis for a cheaper price (cuz they are off the same assembly line!!) Dont let the Lincoln logo fool you.

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  2001 LS V8 Sport - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By mlv - August 7 - 6:40 pm

  Great car, fun to drive, great performance. Free routine maintenance for 3 years.