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LincolnLincoln is an American luxury automobile brand, operated under the Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and acquired by Ford in 1922, Lincoln has been manufacturing vehicles intended for the upscale markets since the 1920s. Lincoln's prevalent competitor Cadillac, was also founded by Henry M. Leland having acquired the assets of The Henry Ford Company. While Lincoln was the best selling luxury marque in the United States as recently as 2002, Lincoln lost ground to its competitors. To combat this recent slide in sales Lincoln has unveiled three new models, the MKZ sport sedan, MKS luxury sedan, and MKX crossover sport utility vehicle.
1917 The Lincoln Motor Company is founded in Detroit by Henry Leland to build Liberty aircraft engines for the First World War.
1920 The first Lincoln car, the 'L' series, is introduced.
1922 The Ford Motor Company acquires Lincoln at the urging of Edsel Ford.
1936 The Lincoln Zephyr, the first successful streamlined car, is introduced.
1940 Zephyr becomes the basis for the original Lincoln Continental - a car Frank Lloyd Wright declared to be the most beautiful in the world. It also was the first vehicle honored for design excellence by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
1956 The Continental Mark II, which was developed under the direction of Edsel Ford's son, William Clay Ford, establishes the classic hood, cabin and deck proportions of the modern luxury coupe.
1961 A new Continental is introduced. It remains one of the most enduring designs of all time. Its sheer body surfaces, unique center-opening doors and chrome accented upper shoulder line established a signature look for Lincoln that was totally unique.
1968 The Lincoln Mark III, the first of a new generation of Mark-series coupes, is introduced.
1970 The Continental is redesigned. The new car is built on a 127-inch wheelbase frame and offers V-8 engines that range in size up to 460 cubic inches (7.5-liters). Throughout the 1970s, Continental is offered with a Town Car package that included special leather seats and wood appliques in the cabin.
1981 The Lincoln Town Car is introduced as its own line. The new car is built on a 117.3-inch wheelbase and is powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 engine.
1990 The second-generation Town Car is introduced. The car is powered by the venerable 5.0-liter V-8. The wheelbase is unchanged. For the first time, Town Car is offered with dual front air bags, speed-sensitive power steering and rear air spring suspension. Anti-lock brakes are optional.
1998 The third-generation Town Car is introduced. The wheelbase is slightly longer than the previous car, but the exterior design is more contemporary. The engine is a modern overhead cam 4.6-liter V-8. A Watt's linkage rear suspension and other chassis refinements are adopted.
The Navigator is introduced. As the first American luxury sport-utility vehicle, it became an overnight success. Fully 60 percent of Navigator customers are new to the Lincoln brand.
1998 - 2001 Lincoln Mercury relocates its headquarters from Detroit to Irvine, Calif., in the heart of the country's largest market for luxury vehicles. Its permanent headquarters opens in 2001.
1999 The Lincoln LS is introduced and is named Motor Trend's 2000 'Car of the Year.' Fully 70 percent of LS customers are new to the Lincoln brand.
2000 Dedicated Lincoln design, product development, purchasing, finance and manufacturing organizations are established.
2001 The Lincoln MK 9 concept is unveiled. Together with the Continental concept, it points to the design direction of future Lincoln vehicles.
The 2002 Lincoln Blackwood is launched. It faithfully recreates the 1998 concept vehicle.
The 2003 Lincoln Town Car is unveiled by Ford Motor Company President and Chief Operating Officer Nick Scheele at the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn.
2002 The 2003 Lincoln Navigator is revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the all-new 2003 Lincoln Aviator is revealed at the New York Auto Show. The new Navigator, Aviator and Town Car will be joined by a new 2003 LS later in the year.
The Lincoln Continental concept is introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It embodies elegance, simplicity and restraint.
Presidential cars
Leland named the brand after his longtime hero Abraham Lincoln, for whom he had voted in the first presidential elections for which he was eligible.
Lincoln had a long history of providing limousines for the U.S. President. The first car specially built for Presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln V12 convertible called the "Sunshine Special" used by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It remained in use until 1950. A 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan called the "Bubble Top" was used by Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and once by Johnson. It was retired in 1965. The Kennedy car was a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible. It was in use from 1961 to 1977, having undergone extensive alterations which made it an armor-plated sedan after Kennedy's assassination. A 1969 Lincoln was used by Nixon and a 1972 Lincoln used by Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush. A 1989 Lincoln was the last Presidential Lincoln as of 2004. Cadillac supplied Presidential limousines in 1983, 1993, 2001, and 2004.
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