Rarely does a manufacturer turn out one brilliant design after another
after yet another, but that is exactly what happened with the Continental
Mark III, Mark IV, and Mark V series. Spanning a period of more than 10
years, these cars set new standards year after year for design excellence,
glamour, and prestige. Occupants received admiring glances from strangers
by merely having the good fortune of riding in such fine automobiles. A
smooth, solid ride and quiet cabin are areas where these cars excelled
above the rest, calming passengers and isolating them from the turmoil
of the world outside. Everything looked different through the tinted windows
of a Lincoln Continental.
The 1977 Continental Mark V was an evolution of the Mark IV. A bit more
squared off, it retained all of the Mark's trademark features, including
the handsome chrome grille, concealed headlamps, and front turn signal
assemblies mounted at the forward edge of the front fenders. In back, the
deck lid hump returned, and the tail lamps were once again placed vertically,
as they were on the Mark IIIs, in the ends of the rear quarter panels.
The Opera Windows returned, as did the luxurious interiors, which were
very similar to the Mark IV interiors, especially the instrument panels,
which utilized the same basic layout and shape, but had some controls rearranged
slightly.
The Designer Edition Marks designed by Cartier, Bill Blass, Givenchy, and
Pucci made their second appearance in 1977, with new colors and trims selected
to awe Lincoln buyers. The Luxury Group options were expanded again to
include additional color schemes, allowing Lincoln's customers to design
their own car. Front fender vents echoed vintage cars of days gone by,
and looked particularly good on the Mark V. Sales skyrocketed as customers
rushed to their Lincoln Dealers to buy the new Mark V.
It was more of the same for 1978, but a very special Diamond Jubilee Edition Continental Mark V [links in this article will open in a new window] was available to celebrate
Ford Motor Company's 75th Anniversary. Available in Diamond Blue or Jubilee
Gold, these special Marks came loaded with almost every optional feature
as part of the standard equipment list. Buyers shopping around for the
best new car deal weren't likely to buy one, as the Diamond Jubilee Edition
package added a whopping $8,000 premium to the price of the car! A leather-bound
tool kit was provided in the luggage compartment, and a matching umbrella
was stowed away in a console storage compartment. A simulated diamond chip
was laminated into the beveled glass Opera Windows, and real and simulated
Ebony woodgrain inserts graced the interior panels. 5,159 Diamond Jubilee
Editions were sold in 1978, and 16,537 Marks were equipped with one of
the four Designer Series packages.
What do Lincoln, the color blue, and Tom Selleck all have in common? The
1979 Collector's Series Continental Mark V! Lincoln's ad agency signed up Tom Selleck himself to appear in the printed
advertising for the 1979 Collector's Series Mark V. This would be the final
year for the traditional-sized personal luxury car, and the Collector's
Series was Lincoln's way of commemorating the occasion, while giving buyers
who wanted "the last of the big ones" something special to purchase.
The Collector's Series was very similar in packaging to the Diamond Jubilee
Edition of 1978, but was offered in Midnight Blue or White paint. A lighter
shade of blue and a silver were also made available later in the year for
the Collector's Series. The 460 V-8 that had propelled all Marks since
1969 was gone, leaving the 400 V-8, which was introduced in 1977, as the
sole power plant.
The Mark VI that would follow for 1980 was a much-changed car; it would
lose close to 700 pounds in weight, six inches in its wheelbase, and 14
inches in overall length. Still a great looking car, down sized to fit
the demands of the time. But it didn't have that boulevard cruiser look,
or the commanding presence of the Marks that preceded it. Somehow, it was
missing something that it had once had. Sales dropped off sharply from
1979 as Lincoln's customers weren't totally accepting the new, smaller
car. The 1979 Continental Mark V's were firmly ensconced in an era where
bigger was better, and fuel economy didn't matter as long as the passengers
inside were pampered. 1979 truly marked the end of an era at Lincoln. Eras
may not be the end of time, but automobiles like the Mark V will never
be built again. As the last traditional-sized production personal luxury
car, the Continental Mark V was without question the best one to bid farewell
to a form of motoring that will be missed by many for years to come.
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