A Forgotten Grand Tourer  

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 07/16/2015 at 13:13 • Filed to: Lincoln Mark VII

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Lincoln was once a company that wanted to fight with the Germans and make cars that are both appealing to luxury buyers and to the performance enthusiast in all of us. Their first attempt to enter the market of grand tourer occurred in 1983 with the Lincoln Mark VII.

The Fox Body platform was good for Ford. It brought the Mustang out of the 70’s and back into the hearts and minds of car enthusiast. Thankfully during the 1980’s Ford had the good sense to give Lincoln a new start. With the threat of Germans amassing higher and higher every day Ford believed the Lincoln Mark VII would be the answer. Based on the same platform as the Mustang and benefitting from the 5.0 the Mark VII was something different for the brand. By 1986 Car and Driver recognized Lincoln was making a name for itself with the Mark VII and awarded it one of the 10 Best Cars sold that year.

By 1988 the Lincoln Mark VII was given it’s most potent engine option a V8 cranking out 225hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque. Propelling this stately luxury car along at a rapid pace for the era. The car reached 60 in eight seconds and a top speed of 137mph. Not bad considering it weighed 3,700 pounds.

Today the Lincoln Mark VII can be picked up for less than the price of a fancy flat screen TV. If you want one in perfect condition it can still be found for less than 7k. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Furthermore with the aftermarket available for the Mustang and the Mark VII the Lincoln can be and is an easily modifiable car.

Photo Credits

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http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:17

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Wow, that’s a pretty attractive vehicle.

JR1 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/16/2015 at 13:18

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Yeah it is one of the best looking modern Lincolns.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:24

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Certainly attractive, but I prefer the Mark VIII.

JR1 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 07/16/2015 at 13:26

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Never been a fan of that cars styling

GhostZ > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/16/2015 at 13:27

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Most of the continental/Mark series actually aged pretty well, but with styling from each of their eras.

MultiplaOrgasms > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:28

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You could also get one with a Diesel and maybe a manual.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:29

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The Mark VIII is awesome too, especially when customized (and I usually hate torque thrusts).

JR1 > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 07/16/2015 at 13:29

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Wow that does look excellent when it is customized

JR1 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 07/16/2015 at 13:30

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I take it back. After looking at a few pictures it looks pretty sleek

holytaco904 > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:30

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I always really thought that these cars had a very sinister look to them. Would be an excellent candidate for 4-Valve 4.6 Cobra motor.

JR1 > holytaco904 07/16/2015 at 13:31

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They do look very sinister. Like almost Buick GN sinister.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:32

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Yeah... I always liked the Mark VII.

I wished they would have also dropped the Mustang engine into the Town Car as an option as well.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:33

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LOL. I do prefer the pre-facelift ones without their beak nose.

JR1 > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 07/16/2015 at 13:33

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That would have been cool. Like a semi-muscle 4 door

RallyWrench > JR1 07/16/2015 at 13:38

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I love these things. I’d be perfectly happy to swap a T5 in and daily one.

RallyWrench > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 07/16/2015 at 13:41

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You hate Torq-Thrusts? You monster! No one hates Torq-Thrusts. Torq-Thrusts are love, Torq-Thrusts are life. It’s one of the Universal Wheels, one of the few that looks good on anything.

JR1 > RallyWrench 07/16/2015 at 13:41

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It is a shame it didn’t come with a manual but Lincoln was trying to copy Mercedes and the SEC didn’t have a manual either.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > RallyWrench 07/16/2015 at 13:48

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That’s the (albeit zero world) problem, people just slap them on everything. 18” Chrome torq-thrusts just ruin classics. Painted are better.

RallyWrench > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 07/16/2015 at 14:07

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Chrome, I agree completely. The only “real” Torq-Thrusts are a gray painted.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 07/16/2015 at 14:49

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As much as I like some of the cars that came before and after, that vehicle looked like cheap, Florida buy-here-pay-here fodder from the moment it rolled off the assembly line.

Aero > JR1 07/16/2015 at 14:50

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I love mine.

Montalvo > JR1 07/16/2015 at 15:05

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My father had a MK VII LSC, completely black inside and out. It would get stupid hot when left out in the sun. The metal seatbelt buckles would be like lava. My earliest memory is my father flogging it down an long straight off ramp. G-force, loud noise and father-son bonding. Caught the gearhead bug at age 3 in a Lincoln of all things.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/16/2015 at 15:11

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In black I think it looks awesome. Like Buick GN awesome.

JR1 > Aero 07/16/2015 at 15:12

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You should do an Oppo review. I would love to know how it drives.

JR1 > Montalvo 07/16/2015 at 15:13

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I imagine if you put an aftermarket 5.0 exhaust on it the Lincoln would sound like a total beast.

Montalvo > JR1 07/16/2015 at 15:31

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Yeah, the problem was that shortly after, the Germans started really upping their game. He dropped the LSC for a BMW 540i and then the 550i when that came out. Now his DD is a new M6 gran coupe. I got hooked on BMWs as well because of it but I will never forget that Lincoln. It would be pretty cool to find it again if it hasn’t been scrapped turn the sinister level to 11 and hold onto it for nostalgia’s sake.

JR1 > Montalvo 07/16/2015 at 15:33

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I don’t blame him for switching. The Germans make top notch stuff.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 07/16/2015 at 15:34

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I will at least say it’s an improvement.

JR1 > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 07/16/2015 at 15:35

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I do agree that some of the chrome can look very cheap