1976 Continental Mark IV
Designer Edition Opera Windows

1976 was the first year for the Designer Series Continental Mark IV. While all Mark IV automobiles included a Cartier clock as part of the standard equipment list, the inclusion of this timepiece does not qualify the car as a Cartier Designer Edition.

In order to be an authentic Designer Series automobile, a car must include specific paint finish color, vinyl roof color, body side paint stripes, interior trim, and the designer's signature in the opera window. Only then can a car truly be called a "Cartier Edition," "Bill Blass Edition," "Emilio Pucci Edition," or "Givenchy Edition." Despite these facts, Lincolns of all makes and models are frequently referred to as a Cartier Edition, when they are in fact, not.

This phenomenon is certainly not limited to just the 1976 models, and the fact that the Cartier clock was included as early as 1969 on all Continental Mark III cars, when there was no such thing as a Designer Edition, seems to not be considered. Hopefully, this is not done intentionally by a person attempting to sell a Lincoln with the thought of getting more money for it due to its "special" status.

We've listed the specific paint and color codes below to make it easy to identify if a 1976 Mark IV truly is a Designer Edition—or not.

Cartier Designer Edition

Body Color Code: 1N - Dove Grey
Paint Stripe Code: Custom Red and White
Vinyl Roof Code: YE - Dove Grey Valino Grain Custom Landau Vinyl Roof
Interior Trim Code: JS - Dove Grey Majestic Cloth (Knit)
     KS - Dove Grey Leather

Bill Blass Designer Edition

Body Color Code: 3P - Brite Dark Blue Diamond Fire Metallic
Paint Stripe Code: Custom Cream and Gold
Vinyl Roof Code: LV - Cream Normande Grain Custom Landau Vinyl Roof
     Cream or Dark Blue Wide Bodyside Mouldings
Interior Trim Code: JB - Dark Blue Versailles Velour
     KB - Dark Blue Leather and Vinyl with Cream Cross Straps

Emilio Pucci Designer Edition

Body Color Code: 2S - Dark Red Moondust Metallic
Paint Stripe Code: Custom Silver and Lipstick Red
Vinyl Roof Code: LP - Silver Normande Grain Custom Landau Vinyl Roof
     Red or Silver Wide Bodyside Mouldings
Interior Trim Code: JD - Dark Red Versailles Velour
     KD - Dark Red Leather and Vinyl

Givenchy Designer Edition

Body Color Code: 45 - Aqua Blue Diamond Fire Metallic
Paint Stripe Code: Custom Black and White
Vinyl Roof Code: LW - White Normande Grain Custom Landau Vinyl Roof
     White or Aqua Blue Wide Bodyside Mouldings
Interior Trim Code: JK - Aqua Blue Velour Cloth
     KK - Aqua Blue Leather and Vinyl