Lincoln Continental Mark II | 1957

Lincoln Continental Mark II | 1957

Highlights:

– 6.0-litre (368 cui) V8 petrol engine, automatic transmission

– Imported from California to Germany in 2014

– Extensively restored by 2018, including a respray in the original black colour

– Interior completely reupholstered in leather, with new carpeting throughout, including the trunk

– Valuation report from 2018 (German grading scale), assessing the car at grade 1- with a market value of €80,000

The seller offers for sale this 1957 Continental Mark II, powered by a 6.0-litre V8 engine, paired with an automatic transmission. The car was imported from California to Germany in 2014 and subsequently underwent an extensive restoration, completed by 2018, including a respray in its original black colour, a complete leather reupholstery of the interior, and new carpeting throughout, including the trunk. The restoration is documented with a large number of photographs. A valuation report from 2018, using the German grading scale, assessed the car at grade 1- and a market value of €80,000. According to the seller, the car has seen relatively little use since the restoration and presents in good, well cared for condition.

The Mark II was the sole product of the Continental Division, a standalone marque that Ford Motor Company created in 1955 specifically to build it, positioned above Lincoln as the company’s worldwide flagship. Although it was sold through selected Lincoln dealers and shared its drivetrain with contemporary Lincoln models, the Mark II was never badged or marketed as a Lincoln. Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1955, it was conceived as a successor to the prewar Lincoln Continental and was built to an almost handmade standard, with metal-finishing and paintwork that took far longer than on any comparable production car of the era. Power came from a 368-cubic-inch V8, producing 285 hp in 1956 and 300 hp in 1957, driving through a three-speed Turbo-Drive automatic. Production was tiny even by luxury-car standards: around 2,550 cars in 1956 and just 444 in 1957, with an estimated 1,500 or so believed to survive today. Despite its high price, Ford lost money on every Mark II sold, and the model, along with the Continental Division itself, was discontinued after the 1957 model year.

Understated rather than flamboyant at a time when much of the American industry was reaching for ever larger fins and chrome, the Mark II is widely regarded as one of the finest American car designs of the 1950s, and its ultra-limited production has made it one of the rarest genuine production cars of its era; period owners included Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. A thoroughly restored, well-documented example like this one offers a comparatively accessible route into ownership of a car that was, by design, never meant to be common.

Condition of the bodywork & paint

4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.

Condition of the interior

4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.

Technical condition

4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.

Overall condition

4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.

This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.

We encourage all potential bidders to inspect the vehicle before placing a bid. Please contact us by phone or email to schedule an appointment.

All auction vehicles offered have a reserve price. You have only won the item if the seller accepts your bid.

Price changes and errors reserved. The 14-day right of withdrawal does not apply to this auction.

This vehicle comes from a private collection and is currently located in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany.

This vehicle drives, brakes and shifts.

The vehicle has a German registration. The buyer is responsible for registration in his own country and responsible for delivery and collection of any vehicle purchased at the auction.

The description of this vehicle is, to the best of the seller’s knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Route 66 Auctions requests a range of detail about the vehicle from the seller and performs a level of due diligence. However, potential buyers must independently satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description. We strongly advise potential buyers to view or arrange inspections as well as conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to bid or buy.

Please note that it is not uncommon for classic or collectible vehicles to have received cosmetic repairs in the past, to rectify damage or refresh appearance, and this work may be hard to see even upon visual inspection. Unless there is an explicit statement by the seller to the contrary, please assume that any vehicle could have had bodywork or paintwork. Photographs may not reflect the exact true colour or exact full condition of the vehicle. It is a bidder’s responsibility to assure themselves of the colour and condition of a vehicle, including its interior and the existence of any remedial bodywork or paintwork, before committing to bid or buy.

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