Continental Mark II

368 cubic-inch Lincoln Y-block V8 (1956 Continental Mark II of Henry Ford II)

The rear-wheel-drive Continental Mark II is constructed using a body-on-frame chassis layout. To lower its body and to optimize the use of dual exhausts, the Mark II uses a "Y" shaped frame designed for the model line.[9][10] A fully boxed crossmember was placed under the front seats, with six tube-style crossmembers located through the rest of the chassis.

While the suspension layout itself was largely adapted from the Lincoln model line, to improve the handling and ride of the 5,000 pound vehicle, the Mark II introduced speed-sensitive shock absorbers for the front wheels.[9]

To streamline production, powertrain components were adapted from the Lincoln model line and checked through the division's quality-control program during production.[9] The 368 cubic-inch Lincoln Y-block V8 powered the Mark II, paired with the 3-speed Turbo-Drive automatic transmission. For 1956, the engines produced 285 hp, increased to 300 hp for 1957. For a distinctive appearance, the engine had unique finned, cast-aluminum valve covers. Because the engine sat lower than in the Lincoln—and at a different driveline angle—a special oil pan was necessary “to provide the required volume of oil for extremely steep grades.” [8] In a 1956 report from Popular Mechanics, the Mark ll produced 16.7 mpg at 50 mph.[13]

While Continental was planned as a three-model range, the Mark II two-door hardtop coupe was the sole model to reach production. Sharing its 126-wheelbase with the Lincoln model line, the Mark II was over four inches shorter, two inches narrower, and over three inches lower than the Lincoln Premiere and Capri. In an extensive contrast to other American luxury cars, the body of the Mark II was conservatively styled, with chrome limited to the bumpers, grille, rocker panels, and window trim. Few curves were added to the body, with the exception of a body accent line on the fenders and doors.

In a notable departure from both American and European styling precedents, neither tailfins nor pontoon fenders were seen; a swing-away left taillamp hid the fuel cap from view. To update the Continental tire styling feature, Ford engineers moved the vertical tire inside the trunk; as the spare tire was still vertically mounted, the "tire bulge" design was introduced in order to allow for the trunklid to close.[9]

While Continental was intended largely as a luxury vehicle, interior elements of the Mark II were intended to make the vehicle more personal than a typical American luxury vehicle.[15] Central to the interior design was the wraparound windshield (mounted 8 inches further rearward than in a Lincoln).[15] In contrast to Lincoln and Mercury vehicles of the time, the Continental Mark II was given a vertically angled steering wheel (with a full set of gauges grouped behind the steering wheel).[15]

The Continental Mark II would have an extensive list of standard equipment for the time, equipped with power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, power vent windows, and full instrumentation, including a tachometer and a low-level fuel warning.[15][1] In total, the Mark II was offered with nineteen standard exterior colors and 43 interior design schemes (with five interior fabrics).[15] In a break from other luxury products offered by competitors, two-tone paint combinations were not available, while privately the customer could be accommodated if the appearance was desired.[1]

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  1956 Continental Mark II
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  1956 Continental Mark II, rear view
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  1957 Continental Mark II
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  1957 Continental Mark II, rear view
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  Interior view
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  Left taillamp, which conceals fuel fill

Detail of wheel cover (assembled by hand)

In place of style or outright performance, to justify its exclusive price, Ford Motor Company sought to market the Continental model line as the highest-quality American automobile;[16] in line with the coachbuilt cars of the 1930s, the Mark II was largely hand-built.[7] While sharing its design with the standard Lincoln model line, each Continental Mark II engine was effectively factory-blueprinted; after selection from the Lincoln assembly line, the engine was disassembled and reassembled after numerous quality-control and performance inspections.[9][1] Each of the four wheel covers was hand-assembled with individually fastened vanes; each letter of "Continental" was individually bolted onto the trunklid.

As American leather was sprayed vs vat dyed, Bridge of Weir leather (imported from Scotland) was used throughout the interior;[17] as Continental felt the results were better-wearing, the leather used the Vat dye process and was dyed in the United States.[16] While metallic-style exterior paints had become popular on 1950s American luxury cars, durability concerns forced Continental to adapt lacquer-based paint colors (the first Ford Motor Company vehicle to do so).[16]

During the development of the Continental division by Ford Special Products, Ford Motor Company sought to develop the most stringent quality control programs ever seen in the American automotive industry, coming up with seven major initiatives for Continental. The quality control program included all employees at the assembly facility, from assembly workers to upper management. In one instance, a transporter truck of Mark IIs was returned to the factory as a gate security guard noticed a paint defect on one vehicle.[16]

For 1958, the Continental branding underwent further confusion. Though Continental no longer existed as a stand-alone division, the branding was used for a new car, as Ford introduced the Continental Mark III.[18] Developed under a mandate to reduce its price to $6,000 (more competitive with Cadillac Sixty Specials and Imperial LeBarons). One of the largest cars ever built by Ford Motor Company, the Mark III was forced to abandon hand assembly, now built alongside the Lincoln Premiere; the model line was distinguished by its reverse-slant rear-window roofline (on all bodystyles, including convertibles).

For 1959, the Mark III became the Mark IV, though receiving only minor model-year changes. For 1960, Ford introduced the Lincoln Continental Mark V, effectively ending the use of the stand-alone Continental name.[19]

For 1961 production, Ford condensed the Lincoln brand solely to a single Lincoln Continental nameplate, dropping any generational nomenclature. With the exception of the 1977-1980 Lincoln Versailles, Continental was the exclusive nameplate used by Lincoln until the 1981 rebranding of full-size Lincolns as the Lincoln Town Car.

For the 1969 model year, Ford Motor Company introduced the Continental Mark III flagship personal luxury car. Though the nameplate had been used in 1958, the design was developed as a contemporary successor of the Mark II, effectively removing the 1958-1960 generation retroactively from the Mark Series.

Far less expensive than the Mark II, the Mark III was derived from the Ford Thunderbird, sharing its chassis and wheelbase.[20] One of the most advanced American vehicles of the time, the Mark III was fitted with full power equipment, full instrumentation, air conditioning, and was one of the first vehicles offered with an optional sunroof and anti-lock brakes. Many features of the exterior design of the Mark III was adopted by the Lincoln Continental for 1970, influencing Lincoln design through the end of the decade.

Through the 1970s, Ford followed the Mark III with the 1972 Mark IV and the 1977 Mark V; the latter two generations are derived from the 1972 Ford Thunderbird chassis.

In response to the Continental Mark II, General Motors released the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham four-door hardtop. Taking over the lead for most-expensive American car, the Eldorado Brougham cost US$13,074 ($136,224 in 2022 dollars [12]), over $3,000 more than the Mark II. The first four-door Eldorado, the Brougham was fitted with rear-hinged coach doors, a stainless-steel roof, additional lower chrome body trim, and four front headlights. One of the most sophisticated cars of its time, the Eldorado Brougham was fitted with self leveling air suspension, cruise control, automatic parking brake, power windows and door locks, and power trunk release and antenna.

A second-generation Eldorado Brougham was produced from 1959 to 1960; styled by GM, the limited-production $13,075 model was assembled in Italy by Pininfarina. More conservatively styled than its predecessor, the second-generation Eldorado Brougham previewed many design features introduced on early 1960s Cadillacs (including smaller tailfins). In contrast to its predecessor, the new generation shared greater commonality with the standard Eldorado, though air conditioning, automatic high beams, and cruise control remained.

For 1967, GM redesigned the Cadillac Eldorado; while remaining the flagship two-door Cadillac, it was repackaged as a personal luxury car, sharing a front-wheel drive chassis with the Oldsmobile Toronado. Following the 1969 debut of the Mark III, Ford and General Motors established an informal brand rivalry between their company flagship luxury vehicles (similar to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro). Through the 1998 withdrawal of the Lincoln Mark VIII, both the Eldorado and various generations of the Mark Series competed directly against one another in the marketplace (with the exception of the 1980-1983 Continental Mark VI).

Motor Trend reviewed various generations of both model lines against one another in a "King of the Hill" series through the 1970s and 1980s.

For 1986, Ford took a definitive stance over the Continental brand name; after existing as a sub-marque sold through Lincoln-Mercury for 18 years, the Continental Mark Series was officially rebranded as a Lincoln model line. The Continental Mark VII became the Lincoln Mark VII, adopting Lincoln badging and a Lincoln VIN designation.[21]