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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  AMERICAN COMFORT - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By STINGER - February 28 - 10:00 am

  DRIVABILITY IS COMFORTABLE AND QUIET. CONNIE ALWAYS FEELS IN CONTROL. LOTS OF POWER-ETC IS AN ESSENTIAL FEATURE. CONTROLS ARE LOCATED WELL. INSTRUMENT LIGHTING IS DIM IN DAYLIGHT W/HEADLIGHTS. COMPUTER SYSTEM AND DRIVER IDENTITY FOR SETTINGS/READOUTS IS GREAT. STYLING IS OK--CAR IS NOT VERY DISTINCTIVE--APPEARANCE OVERALL RESEMBLES A FORD CROWN VIC.

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  our towncar - 2001 Lincoln Town Car
  By Egor - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Great road car, feel safe, not cramped, comfortable, easy to get in and out of, feel rested when you arrive. Not as much fun as our ninja motorcycle but great transotation in or out of town.

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  Bang for the Buck - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By Dude - February 19 - 8:56 pm

  Very reliable car, better than the two BMWs I owned. Smooth, quiet ride. Tranny is starting to go at 94K but thats normal for these cars. Ill get it replaced. Looks great and other than the two coil packs that failed and the locked up rear caliper the car has been a real joy. Ill keep it another 94K and laugh at all the dopes with the leased status symbols they can barely afford.

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  My 2nd big Ford - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By Aaron Bouser - February 4 - 3:37 am

  I owned an 04 Crown Vic for a long time. I sold it to a friend and missed it, so I looked for another. Decent Crown Vics are getting harder to find, but these Lincolns are quite available. I am really sold on the Panther platform, and the Lincoln is mechanically familiar to me. Durable and relatively simple. I bought this car gently used, and I find that I like it more than the CV. Its a little bigger, a whole more comfortable, ride wise. Mine is a pewter, bluish silver color and I quite like it. The technology gap is a little behind some of my other vehicles, but they are newer. Mine has the back up beeper parking assist, which really works pretty well. It has a single CD player sound system. The sound, deep bass and crisp highs, is really good, but with no "aux" input, that really limits what I can listen to. Thats kind of a downer, but hey, it is an older car. One thing I love is the interior lighting. Each door has a light, each seat position has an overhead light and theres under dash floor lighting. Ten (10) lights come on when you turn on the interior lights. I like that..it looks cool. This car, like my CV, gets decent MPGs, especially for how big a car it is. Its whisper quiet inside and quiet enough that the guy at the carwash commented on it. The trunk is enormous. I play in a band, and its got plenty of room for two electric guitars in cases, my amp, gig bag and pedalboard. I can carry all my music stuff in the trunk and not have to put any items in the passenger area. Nice. Plus, the air ride suspension keeps the car level even with a trunk load of heavy gear. I love this car so far. The performance? Its not a drag racer and it stops like my pick up. I dont want that kind of performance, though. I want a smooth, quiet ride. Thats what I get with this car. After all, its a Lincoln.

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  Comfortable Land Yacht - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Tim R. - February 3 - 4:00 pm

  I have owned 4 town cars and one navigator. The town cars have all improved in quality, and this car is no exception. Very smooth, quiet, and the ultimate road car. I love the steering wheel controls for the stereo, ac, and Cruise. The car now has 122,000 miles on it. Repairs have included a new rear axle (bearings went out), 2 sets of brakes (rotors tend to warp), and 4 (!) new drivers side power window switches! The cd changer isnt working properly. Other than that, just regular maintenance. It has been quite reliable and gets reasonable gas mileage for such a large car. On state highways going 65, I get 27 mpg. On i90 going 80 mpg, I get 22-23 mpg. Very comfortable car!

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  Big Lincoln - 2007 Lincoln Navigator
  By Drew - February 1 - 10:26 pm

  This is a great truck. Easy to drive taking into consideration its size. I dont think I could ever go back to a car

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  Outstanding performance - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By techman - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The LS is billed as a combination of luxury and performance and delivers both, especially performance. The V-8 is smooth and has plenty of power and torque, but the most impressive thing about the car is the handling. Its responsive, goes where you point it and corners like its on rails -- a real thrill to drive! I considered earlier models, but the refinements in the 2003 model sold me. Lincoln obviously listened to owners. I have no regrets so far and would recommend the car. Test drive one and find yourself some curves!

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  Better than average - 1999 Lincoln Continental
  By speedboy3000 - January 25 - 4:15 pm

  This is my third car, and a hand-me-down from my father. I have been driving it for 3 years now. I hated it when I first got it, as a big, boat like sedan was not fitting for the outdoors man in me. However, its slowly grown on me. 175,00 miles on it currently, second transmission was replaced at 105,000. The air ride suspension went out on it and replaced with struts. The engine is strong and reliable. The 4 speed transmission was a horrible implementation. Its a beast in the snow, never failed up the ski mountain, and I have nicknamed it "The Snow Boat". Overall, compared to similar age and mileage cars I have seen, this has been, and I swallow my pride to say, superb.

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  Need to improve the outlook on luxury - 2007 Lincoln Mark LT
  By sae185628 - January 24 - 9:50 am

  I bought this truck because it was dealer used and had only 12,000 miles on it. The truck rides great and seems to have power although I have not towed anything with it. Visually its a beautiful truck, but it has errors that should not be on luxury vehicles. The chrome rocker panels are wavy looking. The drivers seat is already showing signs of tear and wear with only 13,100 miles on it. The shifter feels cheap and the gas mileage is horrendous. 12-13mpg average. The touch screen for the radio and navigation is a pain to scroll through. No rear air controls. The brake dust is comparable to Mercedes and BMW.

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  Lincoln Town Car - 1995 Lincoln Town Car
  By Libby - January 17 - 10:00 am

  This has been an excellent automobile with virtually no problems at all.