1969-1978 - Marks III, IV & V

The Lincoln Continental Mark III was introduced in 1968, as a 1969 model, and available through 1971. The idea for the Mark III goes back to 1965 when then FoMoCo president Lee Iacocca directed Design VP Gene Bordinat to "put a Rolls Royce grille on a Thunderbird". Based on the 1967 four-door Thunderbird platform, the Mark III competed in the same price bracket with Cadillac's front-wheel-drive Eldorado and Chrysler’s Imperial Crown Coupe, both bowing for the 1967 model year. The Continental Mark III outsold Eldorado and Crown Coupe, holding the mantle as the top selling of the highest priced personal luxury cars through to the late 1970s.

The Mark III took many of its design cues from the Ford Thunderbird whilst managing a requisite degree of separation to ensure the cars were not confused in the market place, or on the road. The original concept was first proposed by Lee Iacocca who told his product men to “put a Rolls Royce grille on a Thunderbird”. Distinguishing features included a prominent square grille, hidden headlights, continental spare tire hump in the rear deck-lid and the longest bonnet in autodom.

The 1970 model introduced a technical innovation - the first US vehicle with radial tires as standard equipment. 1970 also debuted the Sure-Track anti-lock braking system. Powertrain remained the same 460 cubic inch (7.5 liter) Ford big block and heavy duty three-speed automatic as offered on other models in the Lincolns range.

The Mark IV carried over the major design themes of the Mark III including the grille and faux spare tire trunk lid, though grew both longer and wider as it again shared the longer Thunderbird platform. In 1972, Lincoln introduced small oval windows in the C pillar, referred to as opera windows – a styling feature harking back to the optional portholes in removable hardtops on 1955-57 Tbirds. Mark IV power remained unchanged though with significantly less power thanks to lower compression and smog equipment.

Released in 1977, the Continental Mark V was a major revision of the Mark IV, the rounded styling of the previous generation replaced by sharp edges and straight lines. Interior design remained similar to the previous model, the Mark V actually larger at over nineteen feet in length. Electrical systems and mechanical components shared less with other Fords, and was therefore more difficult to service than the previous Marks. The 460 cubic inch V8 no longer remained the standard engine, replaced with the 400 V8, the 460 becoming an option on both 1977 and 1978 models. No longer available from 1979, the 460 was consigned to history with the introduction of the smaller, lighter and duller Mark VI.