An editorial in Auto Extremist during which publisher Peter De Lorenzo bemoans the current state of Lincoln, reminded me of a feature article in Collectible Automobile four years ago. It featured the design story of the 1961 Lincoln Continental, the car that saved the marque... yet again. In the article, writers Jim and Cheryl Farrell remind us that Lincoln had almost gone under three times in the past 80 years. De Lorenzo suggests that if Ford doesn't get its Lincoln act together soon, there'll be a fourth and final sinking. Incidentally, I'm in complete agreement, for nothing Lincoln has come out with in the past decade even remotely resembles what made the car so prestigious in the past.

In the late 1950's Ford Product Manager Robert S. McNamara had actually decided the car should be terminated due to its poor sales performance; how it survived, and the political infighting that occurred to keep the name alive reads like a soap opera, but great design was the key. Ironically, after several unsuccessful proposals were made, the basic styling came from a design intended for the '61 Thunderbird which William Clay Ford had decided was "too nice" for a T-Bird. Appropriately stretched to Lincoln dimensions it became the Continental seen above, America's last 4-door convertible and the last car with suicide doors. If only Lincoln would develop something this pure and elegant today, it might have a chance. Unfortunately its 2008 "initials" sedan, the MKS, just isn't going to make it. Except for the interesting split grille, the MKS could be any car from anywhere.

[Photo: Ford]