1970 Lincoln Continental - Continental Mark III

Lincoln’s first personal luxury coupe

One of the most luxurious coupes of its era

Remarkably original condition

Beautiful colour combination

The Lincoln Continental Mark III was Ford’s answer to a fairly simple question: why should Cadillac have the business of outrageously expensive luxury coupes all to itself? Henry Ford II personally involved himself in finding an answer. In 1968, Lincoln duly unveiled the Mark III – big, heavy and endowed with precisely the degree of restraint Americans considered restrained at the time. In Europe, that much car with just two doors must have looked like decadence cast in steel.

Technically, Lincoln helped itself generously to the corporate parts bin. The underpinnings came from the Ford Thunderbird, while beneath the seemingly endless bonnet sat a 7.5-litre V8 rated at a nominal 365 SAE hp. What mattered less than the power itself was the manner in which it was delivered. The Mark III was never meant to be sporting. It was meant to ensure its occupants noticed as little of the speed as possible.

Visually, on the other hand, Lincoln made rather more of an effort. A vast radiator grille bore a not entirely coincidental resemblance to Rolls-Royce, the obligatory spare-wheel bulge dominated the rear, and the headlights disappeared behind electrically operated covers. Subtle it was not.

Despite its substantial price, the Mark III proved a success and established Lincoln’s Mark series as a serious rival to the Cadillac Eldorado. It embodied American luxury in wonderfully unapologetic fashion: plenty of chrome, even more displacement and enough sheer size to keep the outside world at a comfortable distance. Understatement was definitely not among its strengths.

This Lincoln Continental Mark III was built on 3 April 1969 and delivered to its first owner on 20 April 1970. It later crossed the Atlantic to Europe before eventually finding its way to an enthusiast in Austria.

That a Mark III of such considerable dimensions is not necessarily the handiest proposition on European roads should surprise no one. This one, however, was regularly driven rather than simply parked in a garage as an American monument. Its present owner was captivated by the Detroit luxury liner’s enormous presence and its many playful details. The remarkably original condition of the vast coupe did the rest.