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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  I hate my Lincoln - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By I hate my car!! - June 27 - 9:30 am

  I bought my car 3 years ago and it has been nothing but a problem. I will never, ever buy another Ford/Lincoln again. Everything is very costly. My car needs repairs that cost well over 2000 dollars and the stupid car is only worth 1800! I do not recommend anyone purchasing this car.

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  Worse than my 74 Fiat - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Mike Bauer - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Overall this car was a good idea by Ford, but a bad try, flawed in execution and design. Two transmissions replaced, several recalls, stranded us several times. Spent months at a time in the dealership garage. A real lemon. If you buy one of these used (I recommend you dont!) have them run your VIN Number and get a reapir history and make them throw in an extended warranty. Car looked good, handled well, decent performance, poor fuel economy.

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  Expect more - 2008 Lincoln Town Car
  By Vance - April 28 - 12:43 pm

  I have put about 5000 miles on the car since I bought it. I noticed the next day that when cruising at almost any speed, it would periodically hesitate or jerk. It was so subtle that I was not even sure if it was the car or the road. I drove it on some smooth roads and I continued to notice the jerking. I have taken it to the dealer 3 times and now they are telling me that they worked for 2 days with ford and cannot figure out what is wrong. Ford is telling them that it is a nuance of how the car drives. I think its a computer flaw that the average driver does not feel. The shop foreman and a mechanic rode with me twice and they both felt what I was telling them. They still cant figure it out

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  An Overall Disappointment - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Ocean - March 5 - 1:50 pm

  This car has been a major disappointment as we came from a 2003 Lincoln LS V8 that was averaging the same fuel economy :18 MPG. While the MKZ is AWD, it has less power and a smaller V6 engine. The build quality and the materials is way below sup bar. The hard plastics and the gaps in between the interior and exterior panels is ridiculous. The wood trim looks fake, the dashboard has this twin look going on, that seems as if you could move the steering wheel and gauges over to the other side. Speaking of gauges, the retro looking dash is not cool, its very cheap looking! Note to Lincoln: Hire some better designers and stop looking to the past. This will be a long 3yr lease.

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  Good BUT! - 1999 Lincoln Navigator
  By gswar2003 - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I can sum it up for you buy it before 100,000 miles. It was great until that point i have replaced pretty much everything except the engine. cheap inside. Great car to travel in not an everyday 100,000 miles.

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  2008 MKX - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By frtiz - February 10 - 1:00 am

  So far the driving experience has been good. Not quite as comfortable as my 04 Saab 93 though.

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  Driving Me Crazy - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By DC Driver - January 21 - 5:03 am

  I love the looks of the truck but its been in the shop more than any car Ive ever had. First, small things - Ive had three turn signal lights replaced in less than two years. Theres also a very noticable "clunk" in the transmission every now and then. Now the truck is cutting off periodically while Im idling in traffic. The dealership "reset the computer" and it ran fine for a few weeks but it died on me again this morning in rush hour traffic. Very dangerous! Im getting rid of it ASAP.

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  Not so thrilled - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By EDF - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Im 50/50 on the Aviator. However, the brushed silver console scartches so easy and if you buy this vehicle to truck kids around, it gets scratched up quickly. If you use all three rows, forget putting anything in the back. I can barely fit an umbrella stroller. Lastly, I never had a V8, and didnt realize how much gas it eats up. If I had to do it again, I would go with a Volvo or Acura SUV. I told the dealer I wasnt happy with my choice and he basically said tough.

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  Worst vehicle ever - 1998 Lincoln Continental
  By Mr. G - December 31 - 12:13 pm

  Undoubtly the worst car I have ever owned. I have put 1000s of dollars keeping this car running. I bought it at 70K and have about 127K now. It has cost me more agrivation than any other car I have owned. The front end linkage has been replace serveal times, the wheel bearing have been replace on both side twice, the steering rack has been replaced, the water pump has been replace and much more not to mention the little things. Like the roof quit working, the window control quit, the heated mirror went out and on and on.

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  Just got rid of this piece of junk - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By BadLT - December 18 - 12:03 am

  Bought the truck with 36K miles on it from the dealer. Ran great for a month and then went to hell. 1 year and a settlement from ford later...yes I said settlement on a used truck, the tranny is shot, rear end is shot tie- rods are shot, it leaks water and the roof rattles. Dealer told me 7K to fix everything...by the way the truck only has 54K miles!. Great looking truck..and easy to look at cause it was never running.