1956 Lincoln Premiere hardtop coupe
The 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II was the mid-'50s successor to the original Continental of the '40s. It was magnificently styled by a team including John Reinhart, William Clay Ford, and Gordon Buehrig. Engineer Harley Copp's unique "cowbelly" frame dipped low to permit high seating without a tall body.
With Multi-Drive three-speed automatic and a
balanced, individually tested Lincoln V-8, the Mark II was marketed as an image
leader intended to steal Cadillac's thunder in the ultra-luxury class.
Despite
beautiful styling, it didn't sell well, probably because its price was so close
to the (then) breathtaking $10,000 mark.
Ford had not originally seen the Mark II as a profit-maker, yet because the firm lost $1,000 on each one sold, the urge to cheapen the car for 1958 proved irresistible. A Mark II cabriolet was contemplated, but never actually produced on a series basis.
Pluses of the 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II:
- A famous postwar car
- Timeless, elegant styling
- High-quality materials
- Strong club support
Minuses of the 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II:
- Not nearly as elegant a driver as it is a looker
- Interiors rather plain for this class of car
- High operating costs
Production of the 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II:
- 1956: 1,325
- 1957: 444
Specifications of the 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II:
Wheelbase, inches: 126.0
Length, inches: 218.5
Weight, pounds: 4,800-4,825Price, new: $9,695-$9,966
Engines for the 1956-1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II:
Type Size Horsepower Years ohv
V-8 368 cid 285/300 1956-1957
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