1979 Lincoln Mark V

The Mark V hardtop coupe had the highest factory base price in the 1979 Lincoln lineup, selling for just over $13,000, and a total of 75,939 examples were produced. Few changes were made to the car; a new Collector's Series was added, replacing the previous Diamond Jubilee Edition. The Mark V had an improved heater and new door and ignition locks. Along with the Collector's Edition, four designer series were offered again.

The Collector's edition added a golden grille and came with a choice of white or midnight blue clearcoat metallic paint. They had a Landau vinyl roof with matching accent moldings. 'Collector's Series' script was placed on the rear pillar, had a unique hood ornament and paint stripe, and gold-painted vertical grille bars. Coach lamp and color-keyed bumper guard pads and horizontal rub strips helped distinguish the exterior of Collector's Series from the other Mark V models. Inside, they had midnight blue power bucket seats in a unique sew style. Lincoln also offered optional Twin Comfort Lounge seats in white or dark blue leather-and-vinyl. Other modifications included a leather-covered instrument panel, ebony wood-tone applique insert in steering wheel rim and hub, leather-bound tool kit and owner's manual, unique keys with wood-tone applique insert, plush blue carpeting, and leather-covered padded console. They had interval wipers, illuminated entry, power vent windows, and several other luxury enhancements.

Powering the Lincoln Mark V was a 400 cubic-inch V8 overhead valve engine offering 160 horsepower. The engine was mated to a SelectShift three-speed manual transmission with disc brakes at all four corners.

The Bill Blass edition had two-tone paint with hood, decklid, and upper bodysides in white. The lower bodysides and decklid contour were done in midnight blue metallic. Those models ordered with the optional full vinyl roof had the Bill Blass name placed in the opera windows. The Bill Blass editions rode on color-keyed turbine-style cast-aluminum wheels.

The Cartier edition came in light champagne paint with a matching Landau vinyl roof. A standard metal-finished roof was available for no additional cost. The bodyside moldings were done in a light champagne color, and a single thin, dark red paint stripe ran along the bodysides. The Cartier signature could be found in the opera windows and a Cartier interlocking-C logo could be found on the decklid.

The Emilio Pucci edition had turquoise metallic body paint, a full vinyl roof in midnight blue, and white leather-and-vinyl interior trim with midnight blue accents. Along the side were midnight blue bodyside moldings. In the opera windows were the Pucci signature.

The Givenchy model was painted in crystal blue metallic body paint with a crystal blue front half-vinyl roof. They had dark crystal blue bodyside moldings and dual tape strips on bodysides, hood, and decklid. The stripes on the hood and decklid came to an end in a double-G logo. The logo could also be found in the opera window.

These designer models, except for the Pucci edition, rode on turbine-style cast-aluminum wheels. The Pucci edition had wire wheel covers. All these designer series had a new electronic-search AM/FM stereo radio with a Quadrasonic 8 tape player.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015