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1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV

Chief of Design Bob Gregorie was tasked by Edsel Ford to create a one-off car for his personal use, birthing the first Continental. Mr. Ford used the convertible during his spring vacation in Florida in 1939 where it was an instant sensation, prompting it to enter limited production. Over the years that followed, the Continental nameplate embodied the highest elegance and engineering excellence produced by Ford.

1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV photo
Hardtop Coupe
The first generation of the Lincoln Continental styling continued through 1948. The Continental name then took an eight-year hiatus, returning in 1956 as part of the second generation, again wearing European-influenced styling. The Continental was technically not a Lincoln since it was manufactured by Ford's new Continental division. The cars were sold and serviced through Lincoln dealers and used a Lincoln drivetrain. They were among the most luxurious and elegant American cars available and came equipped with power brakes, steering, windows, seats, and vent windows. Most of the production was hand-built. Power was sourced from a 368 cubic-inch V8 delivering 285 horsepower. The factory price of $10,000 was twice the cost of Cadillacs, and production was understandably low, with only 2,550 delivered in 1956 and another 444 in 1957 before being discontinued. The Continental Division was canceled for 1959, although its model line remained through 1960 as part of the model cycle.

The Continental underwent extensive changes for 1958 to widen its sales potential and to lower its price by forty percent. To boost production, the Continental model line became more in line with other Lincoln products, incorporating many design elements except for the trim, grille, and roofline. Instead of hand-built construction, these Continentals shared its chassis and much of the exterior with the Lincoln Premiere. They were given a reverse-slant roofline, retractable 'breezeway' rear window, and division-specific grille. The mechanical components were shared with the Lincoln Capri and Premiere, including the unibody construction, 430 cubic-inch MEL V8 engine, and a three-speed Turbo-Drive automatic. One of the more inventive features was the 'Auto Lube' lubrication system, which was designed to automatically lubricate key components from a central reservoir.

The Continental Mark IV of 1959 received minor styling updates including the elimination of Dagmars from the front bumpers. The 'Continental III' fender was is replaced by separate 'Continental' and 'Mark IV' badging, the grille was restyled slightly, the highlight clusters were now integrated into the egg-crate grille, and side sculpting became much less deeply drawn.

1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV photo
Hardtop Coupe
The fresh and modern shape of the Continental Mark III was the work of some of the best-known designers of the era, including George Walker and Elwood Engel who both held high-level positions in the Ford styling department at that time, along with the Chief Stylist of Lincoln, John Najjar. Najjar was replaced by Don Delarossa as Lincoln Chief Stylist in 1957 and helped develop the 1960 Mark V.

The 1959 Lincoln model lineup consisted of the Capri, which was a few inches shorter than the previous year's model, had a redesigned rear panel pattern, canted headlights that were integrated into the restyled grille, and changes to the chrome and trim. The Premiere had similar styling to the Capri but with Premiere nameplates. The top-of-the-line model was the Continental Mark IV, available in six body styles that included an executive limousine, formal sedan, sedan, convertible, hardtop coupe, and hardtop sedan. The hardtop sedan and sedan were both priced at $6,845 while the hardtop coupe listed for $6,600. The executive limousine was the most expensive and exclusive, with 49 examples built at a factory base price of $10,200. The formal sedan followed a similar formula, priced at $9,200, and 78 examples built. The hardtop sedan was the most popular with 6,146 examples built, followed by the convertible which had 2,195 sales. Standard equipment included tinted glass, Travel-Tuner radio with dual speakers, Six-Way power seats, and power vent windows.

All 1959 Lincoln models were equipped with power brakes, power steering dual exhaust, automatic transmission, electric clock, remote-control outside mirror, and windshield washer. Nearly all of the Lincolns built in 1959 had a radio, and just over half had air conditioning.

1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV photo
Hardtop Coupe
Without a doubt, the Lincoln Continental was the ultimate symbol of prestige and privilege.


by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2020

1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$590-$6,598
1959 Continental Mark IV
$10,230-$22,750
1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Price Range: $6,598 - $10,230

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Continental Second Generation

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
12,550
131.00 in.
8 cyl., 430.00 CID., 350.00hp
$5,770 - $6,220
11,126
131.00 in.
8 cyl., 430.00 CID., 350.00hp
$6,598 - $10,230
11,086
131.00 in.
8 cyl., 400.01 CID., 160.00hp
$6,595 - $10,235

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