Lincoln - Ranked

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror)
03/31/2015 at 11:48 • Filed to: None

Lincoln has been a hot topic since they showed us the Continental concept car, so let's take a moment to look at the 10 best Lincoln ever made in the history of Lincoln

10 - Lincoln Mark VII LSC

LSC stood for Luxury Sport Coupe, which was a very adequate description. Some call it the American 635Csi.

9 - 1955 Continental MarkVII

Looks a bit like an early t-bird, but all cars were looking the same in the 50's

8 - 1997 Lincoln Navigator

A true trend-setter

7 - 1975 Lincoln MarkIV

The ultimate "personal coupe"

5 - 2001 Lincoln LS

A true modern sport sedan available with a manual

4 - Lincoln Mark VIII

A technological masterpiece with a touch of nostalgia. Also the last "Mark"

3 - Lincoln Blackwood

A even more baller trend-setter. I know it's a very polarizing car, but the Blackwood is the reason why pick-ups trucks are so expensive today.

2 - 1962 Continental

Perhaps the most iconic Lincoln ever, probably because of the suicide doors. If Rolls-Royce can still do it, Lincoln should do it too.

1 - 1965 Continental coupe

You think the sedan is iconic, what about this one ?

DISCUSSION (64)

CalzoneGolem > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 11:54

1: Abraham

jariten1781 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 11:56

I disagree with more than half of this list...also why no pre-war?

Kinja'd!!!

Margin Of Error > jariten1781
03/31/2015 at 12:00

Pre-war car all look the same. It's difficult to differentiate a Lincoln from a Packard.

Margin Of Error > CalzoneGolem
03/31/2015 at 12:01

I think he's overrated.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:01

Kinja'd!!!

No. Just, no.

pauljones > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:01

I think you've missed a fair number of excellent Lincoln cars, not the least of which include the Zephyr, the original Continental, and the early Cosmopolitan. I also have no idea what the heck the Mark IV or the Blackwood are doing on this list. The Mark IV, while popular in its day, is utterly awful in retrospect. The Blackwood was interesting idea, but with poor execution - the later Mark LT was much better executed, but proved to again be a failure.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:01

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously?

Margin Of Error > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 12:05

I think the Blackwood showed the world that trucks could be luxurious too. The Blackwood was a failure, but it is extremely relevant in the grand scheme of things, that's why the Blackwood matter and is so high on the list.

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 12:06

Read my reply to PaulJones

RallyWrench > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:06

Other than that the Navigator and Blackwood are horrible abominations, I'll go with it. I don't care for the LS myself, but the MarkVIII is sort of neat, if painfully 90's. Needs some prewar flavor though, when Lincoln was on a roll. Add the Zephyr and 1941 Continental, maybe the K-series, and we're good.

Margin Of Error > RallyWrench
03/31/2015 at 12:07

I think pre-war Lincoln deserves its own list.

CalzoneGolem > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:09

He's easily in the top ten Lincolns of all time.

Margin Of Error > CalzoneGolem
03/31/2015 at 12:12

Don't forget he was a politician.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:12

People who weren't around for it could cay the same about most eras of cars. If I put an 3 or 5 door 80s Chevette, Tercel, Corolla, Escort and Civics next to each other, most people wouldn't be able to tell which is which.

RallyWrench > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:13

Agreed, there's more than 10 knockouts there.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:16

It showed the world that no one wanted to pay $20k more for a 2WD only truck with a bed liner and pinstripes. It was a complete failure. The Escalade was already out to show how to make a luxury truck and the SUT version came out at about the same time, except with an actual bed instead of a permanent compartment.

CalzoneGolem > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:20

He also had a beard. Which none of these Lincolns do.

CalzoneGolem > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:21

2: They Might be Giants' second album

Kinja'd!!!

pauljones > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:25

Relevant in what way?

In the one year that the Blackwood was on the market, Ford already had a trim level (the King Ranch) that matched in almost every way, save for the fully lined "trunk" that the bed was turned into. The Blackwood was little more than a marketing ploy to try to get people to pay more money for an F-150 King Ranch that had half of its actual purpose as a vehicle stripped away. The only competition is would spawn would be the Escalade EXT, which sold poorly for much the same reasons. The later Mark LT was somewhat better attempt in terms of execution, but still suffered from the same core problem as the Blackwood and the EXT - the idea that a truck with a luxurious interior should not be as capable of a work vehicle as a lesser-trim truck.

Ford learned this less by continuing the King Ranch, and later introducing the Platinum trim line for the F-150. These trucks were every bit as luxurious inside, but had actually value as trucks. GM already had that lesson down with GMC Sierra Denali, and more recently the High Country trim line on the Silverado.

At the end of the day, the market that the Blackwood was supposed to sell to simply never existed, and other than two minor (and equally failed) attempts, inspired nothing but regret from those behind the idea of a luxurious pickup incapable of being used as an actual pickup.

As for it being the truck that began the spiral of increasing luxury and cost in the world of pickups, I'd say that's false, too. That started decades before hand with the likes of the Jeep Honcho, Dodge Lil' Red Express, and others.

The Blackwood was a fun niche idea, but ultimately failed due to that niche not really making any real sense to begin with.

TotallyThatStupid > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:25

Kinja'd!!!

I really want to like these for what they are - RWD four-doors with a manual that aren't a BMW or an esoteric Mercedes-Benz. This is probably the nicest one I've ever seen. I will need to hit the Googlez to see about them - are they all junk, what are people building with them, etc.

pauljones > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:28

That's kind of like saying that all people of a given background look the same after seeing a handful of photos. There's a great deal to distinguish them if you're familiar with them, but I can certainly see how it would be hard to distinguish them without any familiarity.

Margin Of Error > CalzoneGolem
03/31/2015 at 12:33

Beards are hygienically deficient.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/13/hip…

Margin Of Error > TotallyThatStupid
03/31/2015 at 12:35

Same car as the Jaguar S-type

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 12:35

Why ?

MultiplaOrgasms > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:37

Mid 30s-ish Lincoln

Kinja'd!!!

Mid 30s-ish Packard

Kinja'd!!!

Since most pre-war luxury cars had coachbuilt bodies, none looked the same. The usual trick to identify pre-war stuff is to look at the radiator grille.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 12:40

Nailed it. It was crap, was always crap, should never have had a Lincoln badge on it, and is definitely not one of the best Lincolns or even one of the above average ones.

MultiplaOrgasms > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:40

Kinja'd!!!

V6 only.

TotallyThatStupid > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:41

Right. I know the V8s can give some trouble, but I know little of the V6/manual combination.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:41

Unreliable piece of shit? It's just a badge engineered Jag that wasn't even a good Jag.

JR1 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:43

Too many modern Lincolns on this list. The Navigator I can get behind but the others didn't really leave a mark on the brand at all. Also the first generation Continental deserves a sport as does the original Capri which was the best racing success story Lincoln ever had. But I like your thinking. It is fun to celebrate Lincoln history.

pauljones > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 12:44

Don't get me wrong - I don't actually think that the Blackwood was crap. The King Ranch it was based on was very luxurious, and so it couldn't do any wrong in that area. I just think it that from a product evolutionary standpoint, it was simply a dead-end akin to solar-powered flashlights and glow-in-the-dark sunglasses.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 12:46

I consider it crap because they threw away the functionality of the truck and added to the price tag. The King Ranch F150 is a ridiculously comfortable truck. This is useless as a truck, so is therefor crap.

Margin Of Error > JR1
03/31/2015 at 12:53

The Capri ?

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 12:54

I think that's a bit harsh.

Margin Of Error > TotallyThatStupid
03/31/2015 at 12:54

Manual are by design very simple and easy to fix.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 12:55

If you say so. I want to like them so much, but there's a reason for your local craigslist being flooded with them in the $1-2k range. You get what you pay for.

Zohaibman72 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:01

As cool as the blackwood is, the 1990s dodge Ram did more so what you said the Blackwood did. It moved trucks from work horses to actual desirable vehicles with luxury options. Another Lincoln would take this spot better.

I agree with your Navigator completely, it brought baller trucks into the world, but the Blackwood? ehh

Zohaibman72 > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 13:01

They look great but all I've heard is bad news. This one specifically looks fantastic, but I wouldn't trust it. The Jag this was based off was a Mondeo to begin with, right?

Zohaibman72 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:03

I think the Town Car deserves a spot somewhere, yeah it's a Crown Vic, but its the staple limosuine of the 2000s, iconic Panther platform.

Navigator needs to be higher up.

Margin Of Error > Zohaibman72
03/31/2015 at 13:07

Yeah it was an heart-breaking decision to take the TC out of the list.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:08

You forgot the Mark V

Kinja'd!!!

Margin Of Error > Zohaibman72
03/31/2015 at 13:09

I guess we could debate that for long hours with a few bottles of peachscnapps

Zohaibman72 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:09

The Navigator and Town Car are the only Lincolns I've actually ever been in, both pleasant experiences. I really like the LS but I heard it's not very reliable.

CalzoneGolem > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:23

So was everything in those times. Don't you get it? He was a filthy bearded man of the people and being paid by the people and then he got shot.

desertdog5051 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 13:23

Couple things: #9 was a Mark II if I remember correctly. #1 is not a pic of a 65. I used to own one and they looked like this. Note front turn signals.

Kinja'd!!!

cornerslide > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 13:46

True, it failed in the end. But the point is the higher trim levels in trucks became something they weren't before. Appealing to the affluent. Do you think Cadillac came up with their Avalanche like Escalade model for any other reason?

pauljones > cornerslide
03/31/2015 at 14:05

...Except that it didn't.

As I pointed out, luxury trucks existed long before the Blackwood.

Other than a Lincoln badge, a bed transformed into a wood-lined "trunk" and a neutered towing and payload capacity, the Blackwood (and subsequently the Mark LT) offered nothing that that an F-150 King Ranch didn't offer. Premium trucks have long appealed to the affluent for their combination of luxury of and utility. Remove the utility, and the become pointless little creations that die early deaths. Just like the Blackwood, the Escalade EXT, and the Mark LT. The only reason that the Escalade EXT lived as long as it did was a result of excess production capacity and an attempt to strangle Ford out of what little market ever existed for these things.

Given that the Blackwood spawned a mere two competitors with a combined sales total of roughly the same as a month's sale of F-150 King Ranch trucks, and that all three are dead, I'd say the Blackwood wasn't so much influential and it was a curious footnote in automotive history.

cornerslide > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 14:18

Except that.............This could be said of a whole bunch of trucks considering Fords F series sales. In this trim level or others. To say that it was a realization that this trim level existed drove any one to do anything doesn't validate the reasoning to me.

JR1 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 14:32

Kinja'd!!!

The 52/54 Capri took the top 4 spots in the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico all three years the car was in production. The race is like the Targa Florio or Millie Migila. Pretty great racing pedigree if you ask me.

pauljones > cornerslide
03/31/2015 at 14:34

Well, considering that the King Ranch is a single trim level was virtually equivalent in luxury to the others, and it likely outsold the entire production run of the other three trucks in a matter of a few months at most, I'd say that all the more damning of the argument for the Blackwood's supposed "innovation." But at the end of the day, it doesn't have to validate the reasoning to you - it validated the reason to the automotive market. The sales numbers back that up.

I don't really know what else to tell you on that one. I respect the opinion that the Blackwood was influential and therefore a great Lincoln, but that doesn't change the simple truth that the facts don't really back up that particular argument.

Margin Of Error > JR1
03/31/2015 at 14:42

You should write a story on this, very interesting

JR1 > Margin Of Error
03/31/2015 at 14:55

I wrote one yesterday on the Continental history but if I get bored I will write something up on this as well. Good tip thanks!

By the way I saw people were giving you crap for the Blackwood. While I wouldn't say it was my favorite Lincoln I can see why you included it. I have always liked the Blackwood

cornerslide > pauljones
03/31/2015 at 15:09

I don't know whether I would consider the Blackwood "innovative" or not. I just don't think sales numbers is the way to prove it. Chevys out sell Cadillacs. Fords out sell Lincolns. My feeling is truck buyers want trucks, appontments aside, and I don't think they equate that with Lincolns or Cadillacs.

Margin Of Error > JR1
03/31/2015 at 16:03

Thanks !

Margin Of Error > CalzoneGolem
03/31/2015 at 16:10

That's kinda ironic.

Margin Of Error > Zohaibman72
03/31/2015 at 16:11

No, that was the X-type that was based on the Mondeo.

The LS/Ford T-Bird and/Jag St-Type were another car.

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/31/2015 at 16:12

Since then, people are spending that extra 20K on Harley-Davidson/Longhorn versions.

The Blackwood started that trend.

Margin Of Error > desertdog5051
03/31/2015 at 16:13

The car in your picture is disgusting.