History of Lincoln Cars
How much do you know about the history of The Lincoln Motor Company? It was founded by a man named Henry Leland in 1917, who founded it with his son and named it after his hero, Abraham Lincoln. Leland had been a co-founder of Cadillac in 1902, and he and his son Wilfred had managed it after General Motors acquired it in 1908.
In 1917, though, the Lelands wanted to do something different. They formed the Lincoln Motor Company in order to manufacture motors for Liberty aircraft during World War I, and when the war ended, they found themselves with a modern manufacturing plant that wasn’t being used to manufacture anything. Because of his background in luxury cars, Henry Leland decided to manufacture a new luxury motorcar: the Lincoln motorcar, first completed in 1920.
Post War Difficulties
The economy was tumultuous after the war, and this caused dissent within the Lincoln stockholder group. The company suffered financially and the history of the Lincoln car could have ended there, but the company was sold in 1922 to the Ford Motor Company. This was notable for Ford, and with the top U.S. coachbuilders working on designs, the Lincoln brand quickly rose to the top of the luxury car market. The main competition came from Cadillac, Leland’s first company, which had been purchased by General Motors in 1909. Throughout the 1920s, Lincoln offered a variety of vehicles, from roadsters to elegant open town cars, and when the luxury market began to disappear during the Depression, Lincoln continued to build superb automobiles. In fact, Lincoln soon began producing the Continental, its most well-known vehicle.
History of Lincoln Continental Cars
The first Lincoln Continental was built to be a personal vehicle for Edsel Ford, who was then the president of the Ford Motor Company. Ford had the idea to revive the Lincoln Victoria with a more modern approach that reflected European styling, and had the prototype produced in 1939. Edsel and his friends enjoyed the vehicle so much that it was soon offered as a limited production car. In the first year of production, only 25 Lincoln Continentals were built, but by 1940 it was becoming an icon of automotive design, with a production of 400 vehicles that year that led to 20 years of popularity.
History of Lincoln Mercury Cars
In the meantime, Ford had introduced the Mercury brand of cars, a mid-priced line of automobiles meant to bridge the gap between Ford and Lincoln. In 1945, the two brands were merged, creating the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company. This division represented the Continental, the Edsel, and the Merkur, among many other successful models, but in 2010, Ford ceased production of Mercury vehicles, completely phasing out the brand in 2011 in order to refocus marketing and engineering on the Ford and Lincoln brands.
History of the Lincoln Town Car
The Town Car was one of the best selling American luxury cars, and served as America’s most used chauffeured car. It began, though, as a style of Continental, back in 1922. It appeared on different trim levels of the Lincoln Continental between 1959 and 1980 before becoming a model in its own right in 1981. The Town Car has received several awards and recognitions during its 25 year run. It’s spacious and has the highest possible safety rating, as well as being ranked by Forbes as one of the best chauffeured cars, and, in 1990, being named Motor Trend Car of the Year. The last Lincoln Town Car was produced in 2011, and a successor has not yet been designated for this vehicle.
Current Day Lincoln Cars
The Lincoln Motor Company is now a global brand, with dealerships as far flung as China. It’s well-known as Ford Motor Company’s luxury division, and has made a name for itself in the automotive industry. The current model lineup is diverse, featuring two sedans, three crossovers, two SUVs and two limousines. The combination of performance, luxury, and elegance that has always been the basis of Lincoln’s appeal is still evident in the new models available today.
New Hampshire’s Premier Lincoln Dealer
The Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917, and State Motors Lincoln was established in 1919. We have grown and evolved with Lincoln, serving customers along the Seacoast Region with distinction for over a century. Driven by dedication to providing the highest-level customer experience, we have a long history of excellence that sets us apart from other Lincoln dealerships. It’s more than just longevity: we’ve also received numerous prestigious honors. Our team is a multiyear recipient of the Lincoln Motor Company’s coveted President’s Award, which is only awarded to the top five percent of Lincoln dealers nationally. Because we exemplify Lincoln’s commitment to customer satisfaction and service, and we always put the customer’s needs first, we’ve earned a reputation for excellence that’s led to many loyal customers over the years and made us the premier Lincoln dealer in New Hampshire. If you have questions or would like to learn more about how we can help you find your dream car, call or contact us today.