Lincoln

Lincoln Motor Co. is the luxury brand of the Ford Motor Co. Today, Lincoln cars, both modern and vintage, remain sought after by car enthusiasts and collectors.

Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Lincoln cars are mostly sold in North American markets, but in recent years, the company has expanded to markets in China, the Middle East and South Korea.

In 2015, Lincoln sold 101,227 vehicles in the United States.

Lincoln was founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and due to financial issues, was sold to Ford in 1922. The company was named after President Abraham Lincoln. The first vehicle was created in 1920.

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Lincoln built custom vehicles with optional equipment installed, such as wood steering wheels, steel disc wheels and nickel-plated radiator shells.

In 1945, Ford merged the Mercury and Lincoln divisions together, naming it Lincoln-Mercury, which would last until 2012 before having its name changed again to the Lincoln Motor Co.

In the late 1990s, Ford moved Lincoln operations to their newly formed Premier Automotive Group (PAG). Other companies in the group included Jaguar, Volvo, Aston Martin and Land Rover, who are all owned by Ford as well. The PAG was created to oversee all of Ford’s international luxury brands in their production and operations.

Being grouped with other brands helped Lincoln evolve its vehicle design and helped provide inspiration for new models. In 2002, Ford rearranged the PAG and removed Lincoln-Mercury from the group.

With car design, Lincoln vehicles have gone through some recent changes thanks to the launch of their MK-Series. Lincoln released its MK-Series vehicle concept in 2006, with production starting in 2009.

The MKR model was the first Lincoln vehicle to feature a contemporary grille that was designed as a split “bow-wave.” This design was influenced by the original 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr model and the grille is seen on other recent models Lincoln has released.

Additionally, the MK-series has helped Lincoln achieve rapid growth within the U.S. luxury brand industry in recent years.

In 2014, Lincoln began its “Black Label” program in North America, offering special features and materials for each car. Popular Lincoln models include: MKZ, Navigator, MKX, Continental and MKT. Lincoln also specializes in limousine production.

Lincoln has had multiple logos throughout its history. During the 1920s, Lincoln had a running greyhound hood ornament on their vehicles. In the 1930s, Lincoln’s logo consisted of a coat of arms with a knight helmet at the top. By the 1950s, the coat of arms changed into a framed four-pointed star that is still used today.

In addition, Lincoln has had a tradition of providing official limousines for the U.S. presidents. Franklin D. Roosevelt rode in the first specially built vehicle, which was the 1939 Lincoln K-Series V12 convertible. Lincoln continued to provide cars for the president until 1989, with George H. W. Bush as the last president to commission a Lincoln car.