A Brief History of Lincoln Motors

Founded in 1917, Lincoln Motors is a subsidiary of Ford that produces luxury sedans. Since its inception, the company has survived many ups and downs in the automobile industry. It has even survived bankruptcy. Currently, it manufactures the MKS and MKZ models and also has a wide selection of SUVs. In addition, the company is working on a number of future projects.

In the early 1900s, the Lincoln Motor Company produced presidential limousines. They also built the Liberty Aircraft engines for the government during World War I. However, the economy was slow after the war, and Leland's company was not financially stable. Therefore, in 1922, it was sold to the Ford Motor Company. The financial troubles were solved when the company secured a $10 million contract to produce Liberty V12 aircraft engine.

During the 1930s, Lincoln Motors started producing a line of luxury cars that competed directly with Cadillac. In 1932, the company introduced the Lincoln Model K, which offered coachbuilt bodies, as well as a V-12 engine. The model was designed to compete against the Cadillac 355, Chrysler Imperial, and the Duesenberg Model J. It was a new design that was also longer and more expensive than its predecessors. It was available in a variety of body styles, including coupes, station wagons, and limousines. The company also introduced the Mark series, a series of luxury sedans.

The Continental Mark IV revived the designer edition concept, which had been used by American Motors Corporation. It featured four designer editions that included a 22 karat gold-plated instrument panel plaque and designer signatures on the opera windows. It was a success. The average annual sales of the new Continental were double that of the previous generation. This helped the brand achieve record total sales in 1989.

The company was originally formed by Henry Leland, who was a machinist and inventor. He was the first president of the company and was also the first president to vote in 1864. In 1920, Leland restyled the company into a high-end automaker. He had a vast knowledge in precision machining. He partnered with other great coachbuilders of the day. These partnerships ultimately led to the development of several body styles.

For the 1946 model year, Lincolns were renamed H-series. They were still built on the Zephyr chassis. A new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine made 245 horsepower. This engine was paired with a front-wheel drive (FWD) drive system. In addition, the company also added a notchback roofline to the model, which allowed the rear seat to be moved rearward. The company also positioned the price of the model higher for 1935.

The company's models are now available in a dozen countries, including U.S.-owned territories. Lincoln Motors has also joined the battle of SUVs with the MKX and Navigator, two full-size luxury sport utility vehicles that debuted in the late 1990s. They are scheduled to be updated in 2021.

During the 1970s, Lincoln Motors introduced a number of naming traditions. For example, the company rebadged the Ford F-150 as the Mark LT, and they also began using the three-letter nameplates. They also erasing evidence of badge engineering.