The newest Lincolns may have been advertised as the finest in forty years, but finest in what respect could be de- bated. They were definitely the largest, heaviest and most cumbersome of just about any new vehicle on the road in 1960. They were also probably the most luxurious, most powerful and most fully equipped of any Lincoln up to their time.
Lincolns were also most likely the roomiest
These Lincolns were also most likely the roomiest and most comfortable to ride in of any to that time. So to a point the advertising is true. For 1960, the large and boxy styling of the 1958–59 models was continued. Up front, all Lincoln models still carried dual headlamps, canted at about a 45-degree angle from the massive front bumper.
The grill was of a fine mesh made up of small horizontal bars on the Lincoln and Premiere. The Continental Mark V used a slightly finer looking grille.
The reared styling, while massive, was a rather simple affair, with grille work that mimicked the front end right above the rear bumper. Tail lamps were small horizontal lenses within the bumper area.
Body sides continued as long, flat slab sides, with a horizontal crease running body length, and dropping slightly at the rear. The body feature line that exaggerated the front wheel opening styling continued.
Also carried over was the unitized body and frame construction, which the Lincoln shared with the Ford Thunderbird. Standard power continued to be the 430 CID V8 engine, which was also found optionally this year in the Ford Thunderbird.
All Lincolns were treated to a newly designed rear suspension system for this season also. The only change to the model line was the renaming of the Capri, to sim- ply Lincoln.
Lincoln 1 9 6 0 2-Door Hardtop Premiere 4-Door Landau Hardtop
Continental Mark V 4-Door Landau Hardtop Continental Mark V 4-Door Town Car Sedan
Model year production: 24,820, down 7.75% from 1959. Base price range: $5,253 to $10,230. Domestic market share: 0.41% (14th place).
Industry average base price: $3,391. Lincoln average base price: $6,709. Introduction date: September 1959. Assembly plants: Wixom, MI (Y).
Data plate identification: Eleven digit code read as follows: 0 for 1960; 2nd digit is assembly plant code; 2-digit model number (see listings below); 5th digit is engine code; 400001 and up for serial number. Example: 0Y82H400001 is a 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V 4-Door Sedan with a 430 CID V8 engine, serial number 400001, built in Wixom, MI.
Powertrains Gross Engine Transmission Engine HP Code Availability All models 430 CID, 4-bbl., V8 315 H Turbo-Drive Automatic S
Major Options Lincoln Premiere Continental Air conditioning (manual) $475 $475 $475 Automatic head light dimmers $46 $46 $46 Tinted glass $54 $54 S Power door locks $39–$64 $39–$64 $39–$64 Power windows $95 S S 6-way power seat $119 $50 S AM radio Leather upholstery $100 $100 $100 Speed control $97 $97 $97 Remote control trunk release (sedans) $53 $53 $53 Options common to most models.
(S = Standard equipment.) Items may be standard equipment, optional at different pricing, or unavailable on certain models. This chart is only a guide.
Paint Colors
Code Presidential Black A Royal Red Metallic B Turquoise Mist Metallic C Blue Haze D Saxon Green Metallic E Sunburst Yellow F Empress Blue Metallic H Green Velvet Metallic I Crystal Green Metallic K Sultana White M Platinum N Executive Gray Metallic P Sheffield Gray Metallic Q Columbia Blue Haze Metallic R Honey Beige T Rose Glow Metallic U Summer Rose V Regency Turquoise Metallic W Black Cherry Metallic X Briar Brown Metallic Y Desert Frost Metallic Z
1960 • Lincoln 50 Lincoln “New achievement in classic design: Lincoln ‘town car’ elegance.”
Nameplate year of origin: 1920 (used most years for base level models—with few exceptions). Current body style lifespan: 1958 through 1960 (Capri nameplate in 1958 and 1959). Predecessor to this model: Capri (1956 to 1957). Replacement for this model: Continental (1961 to 1969). Percentage of division’s sales volume: 28.85%. Corporate siblings:
None. Primary competition: Cadillac Sixty-Two and Imperial Crown. Notable changes: New grille and minor revisions. Major standard equipment:
Nylon and vinyl bench seat, rear center armrest, padded instrument panel and sun visors, electric clock, heater and defroster, Travel-tuner AM radio, windshield washers, remote control outside mirror, power steering, power brakes, Twin-Range Turbo-Drive automatic transmission, full wheel covers and 9.50 ⋅ 14 WSW tires.
Measurements Wheelbase 131.0″ Length 227.2″ Width 80.3″ Height 56.7″ Legroom—front 44.1″ Legroom—rear 46.1″ Headroom—front 34.9″ Headroom—rear 33.8″ Luggage capacity (cu. ft.) NA Fuel capacity (gals.) 25.0
Models Available Change from Shipping Change from Style Number Base MSRP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY 2-Door Hardtop 63A $5,253 +7.16% 4917 1,670 -24.09% 4-Door Sedan 53A $5,441 +6.90% 5016 1,093 -16.69% 4-Door Landau Hardtop 57A $5,441 +6.90% 5012 4,397 -0.45% TOTALS Avg. price $5,378 +6.98% Production 7,160 -9.69%
LINCOLN “America’s first ideally-sized fine car.”
Ford Motor Company and Lincoln-Mercury Division in particular had much to be proud of with the introduction of the 1961 Lincoln automobiles. For probably the first time in history, Lincoln beat its competition to market with a modern, stylish automobile for the new decade, one that
would set trends for other luxury cars to follow. The new design was highlighted by a near total lack of chrome, very slab-sided bodies, and a very formal roof line. The front end was somewhat Ford-like in appearance, featuring a full- width grille with a horizontal bar between the headlamps.
Continental 4-Door Convertible Continental 4-Door Sedan
The bumper ends capped off the lower portion of the razor- edge fenders. The back end mimicked the front with blade- like tail lamps mounted in small fins at the rear quarter trailing edges, and a grillwork between the two fins.
Overall, the new Lincolns were more than a foot shorter than their predecessors. Who said Lincolns weren’t downsized until 1980? Another leg up on the competition came in the form of the new 4-Door Convertible model.
No two-door Lincolns were available at all, as they had never been big sellers in this market. So when a convertible was developed, it was designed around the 4-Door Sedan. This unique 4- Door convertible was the first factory produced model
available from the Big Three since prior to World War II. Convertible top operation was similar to that pioneered on the Ford Thunderbird with electric and hydraulic motors operating the deck lid, and storing the top below the car’s body lines.
This had the unfortunate effect of limiting lug- gage space, but that is not usually a major concern of con- veritable buyers. Power continued to come from the 430 CID V8. Interiors were of a new design and were very formal in appearance also, with an instrument cluster that was years ahead of the competition in layout and design.
With the introduction of the 1961, Lincoln simplified its lineup to a single nameplate: Continental. Model year production: 25,160, up 1.37% over 1960. Domestic market share: 0.47% (13th place) ranking. Base price range: $6,069 to $6,715. Industry average base price: $3,048. Lincoln average base price: $6,392. Introduction date: September, 1961. Assembly plants: Wixom, MI (Y).
Data plate identification: Eleven digit code read as follows: 2 for 1962; 2nd digit is assembly plant code; 2-digit model number (see listings below); 5th digit is engine code; 400001 and up for serial number. Example: 1Y82H800001 is a 1961 Lincoln Continental 4-Door Sedan with a 430 CID V8 engine, serial number 400001, built in Wixom, MI.
