Lincoln Continental Mark IV

Design

The Continental Mark IV retained the traditional "long-hood, short deck" coupe proportions of the Mark III, retaining its sharp-edged fenders, hidden headlamps, and signature faux Rolls-Royce style grille and decorative Continental spare. (The spare tire was in fact stored immediately behind the rear seat.)

The Mark IV and sixth-generation Ford Thunderbird were closely badge engineered variants of each other, with an increased parts commonality compared to the Mark IV's previous generation. The roofline, doors, and inner body panels were shared, with otherwise different outer body panels below the roofline.

In 1973, the Mark IV received revised front bodywork, necessitated by the addition of 5-mph bumpers. For 1974, a 5-mph bumper was added to the rear body work, moving the taillights from the bumper into the rear bodywork.

All Mark IVs were equipped with a vinyl roof. The Mark IV introduced a rear side window, termed an opera window, an almost universally specified option in 1972 that became standard the following year and remained through the discontinuation of the Mark VI after 1983.

The instrument panel featured faux wood trim, marketed as Kashmir Walnut Woodgrain Matina, with inset panels marketed as Baby Burl Walnut Woodgrain appliqué. {{cite web

Mechanical specification

All Mark IVs were equipped with the 460 cuin-4V Ford 385 series V8 (with two valves per cylinder, "4V" is in reference to the four-venturi Autolite carburetor). Rated at 365 hp in the Mark III, the 460 was carried over to the Mark IV. For 1972, rated output fell to 212 hp SAE net due to an industry-wide shift to reporting SAE net horsepower as the standard for measuring engine output to better reflect real-world engine performance as installed in vehicles.

All examples of the Mark IV were equipped with a Ford C6 three-speed automatic transmission, and Lincoln's Both front seats were power adjustable.

Performance was not quite competitive with contemporary premium personal luxury cars, including the equally large Cadillac Eldorado, its direct competitor.

Designer Series

For 1976, Lincoln-Mercury introduced optional appearance packages, marketed as the "Designer Series", with flourishes by notable fashion designers (Bill Blass, Givenchy, and Pucci, and the famed jeweler Cartier. Each package featured an individually coordinated exterior and interior color combination with specific trim and interior fabrics. The opera window was fitted with the signature of the corresponding designer, and the dash was fitted with a 22-karat gold-plated dashboard plaque, which could be engraved with the name of the original owner.

File:1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Givenchy designer series (front).jpg|Front 3/4 File:1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Givenchy designer series (rear).jpg|Rear 3/4 File:1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Givenchy designer series (interior).jpg|Interior

Sales and pricing

A total of 278,599 Mark IV's were produced:

Specifications (1976 model)

Notes

References

• Automotive Mileposts. Lincoln Continental kit. Retrieved on May 7, 2005.

References

1. (). "Directory Index: Lincoln/1973_Lincoln/1973_Lincoln_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com.
2. (). "Directory Index: Lincoln/1974_Lincoln/1974_Lincoln_Continental_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com.
3. (). "Directory Index: Lincoln/1976_Lincoln/1976_Lincoln_Continental_Mark_IV_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com.