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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  Harley Hauler - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By Harley Hauler - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I love the way the Navigator drives, It drives a lot smaller than it really is. I pull a 21 trailer with 4 Harley dressers and after you get them rolling you almost forgit theyre back there. The problem comes as you try to get them rolling, as you pull away from a stop light you can watch the gas guage go down faster than the speedo goes up. All kidding aside the Navigator is a really great SUV, I would like to see more power, as for the gas mileage, you knew it was going to be bad before you purchased it, so no complaints

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  New car bargain - 2004 Lincoln LS
  By garsarno - December 19 - 5:30 pm

  Bought this new 2004 base LS, with the only option being the Ceramic White Metallic paint, MSRP of $33,295 for $22,000, with $5,000 rebate, additional $1,000 rebate for trading a Buick Park Ave, plus $5,295 additional dealer discount. For $22,000 - great car. Had to return for transmission adjustment (2-3 upshift) during first week.

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  Good Job America - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By d1a1s1 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Just bought this car a week ago, instantly fell in love with it. Has a good balance of performance and comfort. Great V8 and havent had any transmission gripes as of yet. Think woodtrim could be a little more realistic as do others. Door locks should unlock once cars placed in park if there going to automatically lock once cars in motion. All in all great car. Good job America.

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  Expensive Upkeep - 1999 Lincoln Continental
  By NHContinental - December 14 - 11:46 pm

  Have 1999 Lincoln Continental, approx. 215,000 miles, second owner - bought with 22,000 miles. Very comfortable during long highway driving but expensive to keep up. On 3rd transmission, replaced water pump, replaced inner and outer tie rods and a bunch of other suspension parts, found out today that it needs ball joints, new serpentine belt and more suspension parts. Estimate Ive put about $ 8000. In repairs since 2001 purchase for 21k. Body has held up well, but mechanically its dollaring me to death.

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  not too bad - 1999 Lincoln Navigator
  By bigunit - December 12 - 10:00 am

  the truck has been great but I have problems with the transmission.

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  Poorly designed seats - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By S. Ward - December 10 - 9:40 am

  Bought this Aviator about 6 months ago and cannot get comfortable in the driver or front passenger seats. Seat bottom wedges you in. Dealer Service Manager and Lincoln Service no help!

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  White Chocolate - 2007 Lincoln Mark LT
  By White Chocolate - December 9 - 1:26 pm

  Looks great with 20 inch wheels and the paint job. Good feel driving it and good sound from the Sirius stereo.

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  THE BEST AMERICAN SPORTS SEDAN - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By LOUIE CABALLERO - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE NEW 02 LS MODEL.I TRADED A 00 LS V8 FOR THE LSE V8. I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE BETTER RIDE QUALITY AND MUCH BETTER ENGINE PERFORMANCE.I AM ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE 03 V8 MODEL WITH ALL THE CAR ISSUES ADDRESSED. MUCH NICER INTERIOR AND INCREASED HP AND TORQUE. OVERALL AN EXCELLENT AMERICAN MADE CAR THAT DESERVES A TEST DRIVE IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A BENZ,AUDI, OR BMW. TRUST ME YOU WILL BE VERY IMPRESSED HOW MUCH 40,000 CAN GET YOU.

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  Big - 1998 Lincoln Town Car
  By jncertain - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Nice big car. Reliable with great dealer service.

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  Giving Detroit and MKX a try - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By MKX in DC - October 14 - 11:36 am

  Pros: We were shopping for a luxury SUV Crossover. We have not owned an American car in decades. We test drove the usual suspects, the RX350, Honda Pilot, Acura MDX, but kept coming back to the MDX because of its powerful 2.7L Ecoboost engine, generous cabin space, Sync 3 (Do not get the older version of Sync), as the Sync 3 is fantastic and quite intuitive. The 4 year warranty made us feel better about buying American. We have had our MDX for a month now and love it! We will be taking it on a long road trip soon and we will report back about how the MDX performed. Cons: Gulps down fuel and seem to always be filling it up.