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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  06 Lincoln Signature LTD - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By Chas in NJ - May 22 - 3:53 am

  Bought the car for price, size, safety, and most of all, American made. As far as I am concerned, no foreign name plate can come close. Everything works fine; ride and handling are exceptional for this size vehicle. Only 400 miles since November, but I look forward to using this car much more.

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  Great Car Finally takes on the Japanese - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Keith - May 22 - 1:50 am

  Performance is fine could use a little more HP.. But gas Mileage is good. THX is unreal. Handling is great. Interior is American all the way. love it. Air conditioned seats nav ststem unreal comfort A++....Buying a VETT soon and the Lincoln is for the Family have fun

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  Great Truck - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Texcursion - May 20 - 11:26 am

  This is definitely a Guy car, very cool interior, good engine, great gas mileage for being a V8. Awesome sound system. Owners will be definetly happy with this truck, unlike the Blackwood, this is meant to be what it is, a very good looking F150 like truck, except with tons of class.

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  Nothing beats this Lincoln! - 1998 Lincoln Continental
  By Greg - May 20 - 2:16 am

  Car had 97k on it when I bought it. Today it has 173,000 and still runs excellent. Zero problems! Zero. Had to replace tires of course and I believe maybe the tie rod ends are ready to be replaced. Expensive, but big deal compared to what Ive saved.

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  Value for the money - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By Dave - May 18 - 8:40 am

  This is my second Lincoln, Gave the first one to my son who still drives it with no problems. I liked it so much I bought another one for myself. First time I ever purchased 2 of the same types of vehicles. I have nothing negative to say about them

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  Very nice Car - 2010 Lincoln MKS
  By schuhfly - May 17 - 1:50 pm

  The MKS is a very comfortable car , great electronics Sync is great, Leather seats are nice, the only (2) real beefs are that when you accelerate quickly the front end is a little sloppy I would think with AWD that this wouldnt happen, and #2 as this car goes around curves it is very loose in handling. , i would think that that would be a little smoother these days, and easier to handle around corners. Styling is great , cabin noise is acceptable, when using bluetooth phone the volume has to be adjusted every time and is not load enough

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  Great Car - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By rpickoff - May 17 - 1:06 am

  This car is a find. Well built, comfortable and great ride. Interior very well-appointed. Nice, thoughtful details. The nicest AWD sedan available in my view. I am getting around 26 mpg on the highway.

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  Great Vehicle! - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By rlwillia - May 11 - 3:50 pm

  Leased my MKX in March of 2007. After 16,500 miles and three long road trips of 1400 miles round trip and driving back and forth to work every day, this is an outstanding vehicle. No maintenance issues, reasonable gas mileage for an SUV, great features and very comfortable interior, seats, and drive feel.

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  Owner - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By Dan Boone - May 11 - 1:23 pm

  Driven mostly on short trips and very satisfied with mileage in town, 20 MPG. On a 2550 mile trip this past summer we experienced 31 MPG. Ride is very comfortable.

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  Happy MKZ Owner (3 weeks w/ 1,400 miles) - 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
  By rubesemi - May 10 - 10:59 pm

  I turned in a 2008 CTS-4 w/ the hotter engine, and enjoy the MKZ more so, albeit for different reasons. The vehicle is solidly built, w/ no glitches. The THX sound system is the equal to the CTS Bose, and the Bluetooth phone quality is outstanding. The Nav is also very nicely done. It is a very quiet ride, not too soft with reasonably good handling; I find it to be very responsive and stable in almost all conditions. I replaced the stock tires with Blizzak WS70s for MI winter driving, and the improved traction over the low rolling friction stock tires is noticable and welcomed. I managed 43.0 mpg in to work this am; 31.5 highway trip @ 75 mph w/ winter tires.