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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  Stay Away! - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By Kamil - January 8 - 2:16 am

  Rides nice, comfort and luxury, but American car makers still have a long way to go! This car is very unreliable, had so many issues, transmission, heated seats, fog lights, torque converter, remote starter. Americans can create nice options but cant seem to make them last. The car has 54k and has problems like it was over 150,000! The electronics stink on this thing. Every fuse or some module goes every month. Its still under warranty, and thats how I will sell it!

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  Millions of retired guys cant be wrong - 1997 Lincoln Town Car
  By K Kraus - January 8 - 12:03 am

  Just brought home my "new too me" 97. Previously owned a 91 and two 85 Crown Vics. Im 42 and have owned nearly 40 cars in my life, without question the 91 to 97 Town Cars will go down as legends. They strike the perfect balance of ride, fuel milage, comfort, dependability, performnce and just about every other catagory I can think of. The only short coming is driving in snow, but thats only because of RWD, but really, if you have half a brain, youll be fine. If you dont get 22-24 MPG and 250,000 miles out of one of these, you arent trying. And trust me, once you drive one, you will want to put 250,000 on it. All other cars will fall short, way short. If you are looking to buy one, DO IT

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  Sassy Car - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Heltonkj - January 7 - 2:00 am

  Great car, I purchased a black on black and get tons of comments on the car-all positive. I love driving the car and it handles well; except it is missing front wheel drive and unfortunately I purchased the car on a winter that we received 12 plus inches of snow in one day and it does not handle well at all compared to the Taurus that I had in snow. It actually did well up to 6 inches of snow tho. The car runs so quiet folks dont even know that the engine is running.

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  Lincoln Aviator - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By marmil - January 7 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle has outstanding style, performance as well as utility. Much preferred over the Lexus GS 470. Gas mileage could be better as could reliability: power steering pump replaced, a few rattles fixed, poor fit on some body panels.

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  4TH LINCOLN TC - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By JOHN LAFFERTY - January 7 - 2:00 am

  HAD A 1999 AND JUST TRADED FOR THE03. I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THIS AND FIND IT TO BE WHAT I EXPECTED.

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  Excellent choice - 2007 Lincoln Town Car
  By ACW - January 6 - 9:23 pm

  These cars are very well built. 2008 is very likely to be the last year that the Town Car is available. There is simply no ride quality to equal that of the town car. The engine is well refined and superior to the all aluminum NorthStar power plant of the Cadillac (which is well known now for its grievous unreliability.) This car is heavy, safe, and handles extremely well for its size. The fuel mileage is great for this car (avg. 25mpg on the road). It is sad to see this icon of American luxury go. If you want traditional a\American luxury, the reliability of rear wheel drive, and the reliable, versatile, and inexpensive to maintain modular engine, you need to seriously consider this car

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  Awsome Car - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By E - January 3 - 7:30 pm

  At first i was skeptical about buying a lincoln but after driving this car it has completely changed my thoughts about the car company. This is a great car. Its fast, handles great and looks great in the black i got it in. Interior materials are tip notch and this car is easily up there with the RX350 and ML350. Gas milage is great even though i have only had it about a week now. The optional THX surround sound w/ navi is worth the splurge and so is the panorama sunroof....Great car overall....

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  6,000 miles and zero defects - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By CocoaOwner - December 27 - 9:13 pm

  Ive driven my MKX 6,000 miles -- about half and half road trips and in-town. In-town handling is just outstanding, comfort is fine (I need to get some window tinting done, though). While I prefer the sofa-style comfort of a Town Car for long trips, I was very pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the MKX turned out to be on a long trip -- Im 62" and hefty and still there was very adequate room and comfort. There has not been one thing wrong with the vehicle -- fit and finish are great. I added correct-color side ding protection strips and a Weathertech cargo mat. Though its no muscle car, both acceleration and braking exceeded my expectations.

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  12 Month Owner - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By Big Dave - December 26 - 2:23 pm

  Excellent driving experience. Highly recommend for a great experience. A completely diffrent feel for the road.

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  Nice SUV - 2008 Lincoln Navigator
  By bal - December 26 - 11:03 am

  This car is an overall good vehicle. It has room for 7 passengers which makes it convenient for families with children. The car is very large and takes a little bit to get used to if you havent driven an SUV before. The sound system is great. Very reliable and well built. The only problem we had was an electrical one with the window which was fixed under warranty.