1985 Lincoln Continental | Retro Review
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- The Lincoln Continental was a gorgeous luxury sedan and a worthy Euro competitor.
Show 417 | Original Airdate 03-19-1985
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I love the sense of occasion those ‘80s luxo-barges had. They gave off this air of elegance and I distinctly remember how comfortable those Lincolns and Cadillacs were (as a kid in the ‘80s).
In my opinion, there are no SUVs that can capture the poise and elegance of a luxury sedan. Even those so-called “coupe SUVs” don’t come close.
Man, I miss the ‘80s and ‘90s. *sigh*
Me too. The cars of the mid to late 80's was so epic! They really made you feel like you where driving a luxury car.
Damn, $26000 thats $75,000 in 2024
An entry-level ‘85 Mercedes S-class was north of $50k!
That is an absurd amount of money given the underpinnings and (lack of) build quality. Then again, I guess Lincoln did the same thing with the Continental name a few years ago with predictable results. I still like them, though.
Yeah, I was thinking for that money, that better be real wood veneer!
My dad bought one in 1985, it was a great car.
That interior is sumptuous, deep crushed velour seats that hug you and love you! 😅
What? The seats are flat as shit.
@@MercOne
No they weren’t. They are far more comfortable the leather covered brick of a seat they give us now.
@@MercOne Typical uniformed commentary i would expect from someone with the handle @MercOne.
@@dodgeguyz Amen to that. Was just out cruising in mine yesterday. Thick pile carpeting, SOFT leather (unlike the cardboard they give you now) and a smooth quiet ride. Don't forget the one-finger steering and low-effort brakes. Serene, low-stress driving ;)
@@RobertSmith-js2kzYeah to bunch of junk worshipers. We had all these junk cars years ago. Detroit at its worst.
ABS history lesson is awesome!
Indeed, but this was not the first American car to offer ABS despite their claim as such. Ford first offered their “sure-trak” ABS braking system on the 1969 Thunderbird and also the Mark III.
Chrysler also offered a Bendix designed ABS system on 1971 Imperials.
@@chriswilkerson1493 That wasn't the first time Ford marketed something as such around this time. For most of my life until recently, I thought Ford invented and voluntarily included 5 mph bumpers as a feature on all their cars, because that's what their TV commercials led me to believe.
I thought that was the coolest thing I ever saw as a kid and totally geeked out over it. Come to find out it was government regulation since the early 70s. 🤣
140hp, 20mpg, and an 11.2 second run to 60. Gotta love the 80s!
Hey, better than the mid '70's: 165hp and 13mpg.
I like how they referred to it as a "strong V8" with all of a 140hp and 250ftlbs of torque and tried to act like that 11 second + 0-60 was something to be proud of. They weren't fooling anybody. Just 15 years prior to this Lincolns could be had with the big 460ci V8 that made something like 360hp and 450ftlbs of torque or so, the 1980's really is a dark blemish in the American automotive world.
None too pokey. That was good performance at the time.
Try getting 20mpg with a modern V8
@@nathanmcdonald610 That is a strong V8. For comparison, the least powerful 4.6 V8 in 1991 put out 265 ft/lbs of torque. The 1990s GM 305 put out 260ft/lbs. The GM 4.3 V8 in the last 1990s Caprice put out 255 ft/lbs. You need to understand, at that time luxury and performance meant strong response as in low end torque not top end horsepower. That said, it was definitely a strong V8. If you ever drove one you'd never guess it only has 140hp because you'd be balls deep in that torque band enjoying peak torque at 2,000rpm. You can't get that with a modern V8. Also this V8 was putting out 225hp/300tq in 1988 so....there's that.
I was a kid when these were new and my dad's friend had one. Man they were nice looking cars. I thought even back then that the Lincoln was very classy and more modern than Cadillac.
Just for the record, the first American Car to have a 4-wheel anti-skid braking system was the 1971 to 1973 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron. It was made by Bendix.
It was optional. The Lincoln's got it standard and with four wheel discs. Lincoln's also were the first to come standard with composite aero headlamps. And dual front airbags in 1989 Continental.
Cars of the 80's ❤
....ohh and 70's and 60's too :))
This design was largely a holdover from the 70s.
@@KenanTurkiye I'd say it all peaked in the early 2000s before everyone started going turbo, super extreme CANBUS and touchscreen. And now people just can't afford new stuff anymore, at least new trucks.
We're in a dark period right now. I hope we can pull out of it. Maybe things will be better than ever in the future.
@@HAL-dm1eh I'm no commie but certainly wild wild capitalism ain't doing us people any favors either. :)
@@HAL-dm1eh ....I do like my cars 'analog', old style, old smell, old feel, I may be quirky for some, but I like old stuff. :)
For example my dream car isn't a warp speed Rimac, a shiny Lamborghini, or a sizzling Ferrari but a red Karmann Ghia with a large bridgeport 13B rotary engine, with all the noise and smells. :)
I had a 1984 model. I loved the way the dashboard looked at night. Even the word “Continental” above the glovebox was backlit. That 12 button trip computer was pretty entertaining too.
I wish we still had interstate cruisers
We still do...they're just pickup trucks.
My Harley Roadglide is an interstate cruiser.
My HD Roadglide is an Interstate cruiser.
@@aaronbehindbars 🤣 hardly.
@@RobertSmith-js2kzModern half-ton trucks are some of the quietest, most comfortable vehicles you can buy. It sounds like you've not experienced that.
Wow! That Mustang Vignale looks like a very nice design! Would look decent even today in 2024!
Might have actually happened if Ford hadn't gone down the fwd Mazda Mustang path for the 88 model year. The fan outcry when the new fwd Mustang spy shots started appearing (plus cheap gas again) made Ford do an about face and change the new Mustang to Probe and keep selling the old Mustang basically as is. And TBH- the exterior of the late 80's Mustang was not the issue... it was the interior. Wow so cheap. But then again- a 5.0 LX was a performance steal back then (with mods).
@@BReal-10EC Probe has an odd story as it started as a Mustang and it's 3rd gen was repurposed for the Mercury Cougar. It never got to properly find its place between the Escort GT and V6 Mustang.
no it wouldnt 😂
@@SantanKGhey1234 Check out the 87 Lincoln Vignale (ford liked that name). It's actually really cool- the real production cars never look as good as the concepts.
An EV car
The Mark 7 bounce is amazing lol
I drove one of these. The mpg will surprise you. And you'd never guess it only has 140hp. These cars aren't built for "0-60". They're built for responsive acceleration without having to floor the throttle to get it. Horsepower tells you how fast an engine can get work done or how fast it can move its pistons and how much fuel it will burn doing it. Torque tells you how much work an engine can do or how much load its crankshaft can carry. Low horsepower high torque at low rpm is what you want and this engine gives you that.
That’s the dumbest shit like since, ever. All that to cover for it being underpowered.
@@MercOnethe late 70's when emissions and gas mileage required major design changes, most auto manufacturers believed that we would not have v-8 engines anymore.
So the new "style" was that if you couldn't have performance, then you added what you could.
Digital screens mostly mean cheap and clumsy now, but in the 1980's, many people listed after digital watches and clocks. Fuel injection was seen as a liability, so it was often overlooked or not talked about at all.
Another thing that they could add without killing gas mileage or adding power, was making the case handle better, and isolating you from the road.
The reason this luxury badge has a v-8 engine was to make big power, it was for the well off retired old fart that wanted to tell people he had a v-8 and had always owned a v-8.
By severely limiting power output, emissions also dropped drastically, the same carberated v-8 was down to 112hp just three years earlier. Fuel injection added torque, fuel economy, and power after a nearly 20 year drop in power output.
So yes, 140hp does not seem like much, but it was significantly more power than years past and often more than its competitors. It was more efficient, returning nearly 5 mpg better with lower emissions.
A low reving quiet v8 gives you the feeling that the engine isn't doing much, and gives you a false sense of power.
Let's keep in mind, the 1984-85 mustang GT, the "last year" of the carberated performance engine was down to 200hp, with 175 hp being top dog with an automatic transmission. The same year Camaro topped out at 152hp, and dodge didn't even hardly make v-8 passenger cars and were in their death throws hoping the caravan minivan could save them from bankruptcy.
@@lilsammywasapunkrock Yeah they made junk. We know.
I loved those Lincolns back then.
I love thoes Lincolns 85-88
😂LOL seeing that car bounce up and down in heavy braking like that or even heavy throttle gives you a thought on how floaty that ride was!
Basically like sitting in a huge plush recliner and driving.
Means it was junk. Terrible engineering.
@@MercOne means it rode better than the crap being made now...
@@SuperBooboo02Yep if you don’t understand anything about ride and handling balance. This was dangerous junk. It’s why Lincoln is out of the car business today.
@@MercOne Lincoln is FAR from being "out of the car business" 😏. I don't like the SUV craze but Lincoln is still going ☺
@@jonathansmith1590 I think he means the actual "car" business since Lincoln only offers SUV's now - I'll admit some of them are actually nice looking though, especially the new Lincoln Nautilus.
The motorized day-night mirror. Electrochromatic mirrors were only a couple years away at that point. Pretty cool though.
We had this in an '88 Mark VII...loved it. Always thought it was cooler than what followed, and especially loved that you can dial in the distance to when it would react.
Very cool! Although it’s worth noting some of the early electrochromatic mirrors could adjust their sensitivity as well.
@@tylermacconnell217 Yes, but I don't recall any that had a continuously variable distance control like this.
The Vignale looks better than what Ford makes today, that is sad!
Mark VII and this car appear to be from different eras.
It's because this is when the big 3 wasn't scared to lose a little money and they something new. Now it's all studies and boring cars
Under the skin they are EXACTLY the same car. I've owned both. Currently have an '87 Conti. They FLOAT.
@@RobertSmith-js2kz I envy you Americans for these cars. We don't have them over here in Europe.
@@wp8022 trust me, you never see these around anyways.
@@wp8022 these are very rare in the US today, too. You’ll still see a lot more W126 S-class from this era around than Lincoln’s.
I love that silver LSC! The interior of the continental and LSC was so plush and had tons of character.
My uncle had one of these when I was a kid in the late 80s. It was blue with blue interior and smelt like cigarettes lol!
He got the Smokey Blue interior option, obviously!
According to the legend, the lincoln is still rocking back and forward after that emergency stop ;)
Someone please build a time machine so we can go back to the 80's
Yes, please
I agree
Holy moly I didn't think MotorWeek would cover the refreshed version of the 1982 Continental! I have both.
I love those Lincoln’s 👏🏽👏🏽👍🏾
Thanks Joyce
She was always cute...
Haven’t seen one of these in years. Always liked the styling of them though.
I have a 86 Givenchy. Love that pos
I had an '84 Givenchy. Probably the best vehicle I ever owned. Utterly reliable and luxurious.
My great aunt, Roberta, had one. Most of the older members of our family had some nice cars. I'm not sure what made me love the look and ride of this car, most.
I had a 1985.5 Mitsubishi Starion ESI, 2.6 liter 4 cyl, turbo, intercooler, rear abs, 4 wheel independent suspension, rear limited slip diff, automatic climate controls, seemingly upteen way adjustable seats. Very comfortable and rated at 170hp and 220 torque. Fun car. I am surprised this Mitsubishi had many of the "high end features" this Lincoln had and a few more.
You could also get a fuel injected turbo charged 2.3 in the 83-86 thunderbird, making 150hp with the 5 speed, while they "upgraded" the mustang in with the SVO model with the same 2.3 turbo with a few tweaks and an intercooler, making over 200hp. They later included a neutered 190hp version in the 87-88 thunderbird's as well.
@@lilsammywasapunkrock I had a neighbor with the 2.3 turbo t-bird, I think it was an '84 model. In the 6 months they owned it, it was at the dealership 4 of them. They traded it for an Aerostar.
I had 2 LSC's they were TANKS! The Continental as fugly and the definition of an "old man" car. In fact many older people that I knew at the time wouldn't drive one because of the stigmata that came with how it looked.
The brakes and ride, and comfort level on these cars were amazing.
The cherry red velour interior looks stunningly luxurious in the Lincoln continental!! I miss cars with cherry red interior colors along with navy blue interiors.
With those plush rear seats, the only things that are missing are seat back tv’s and a remote. I can see how easy it would be to fall asleep in one of those.
That was Ford's premium "cat house" interior"
I never cared for the styling. But, it absolutely had a fantastic ride. Of course, that air ride suspension ended up being a nightmare for owners…bags leaked and software problems that cause the suspension to sit down…all very expensive to replace.
300 per airbag in 1991, replaced one, for sale sign went up. The dealer said good thing you brought it in, the compressor in the trunk runs 500.00
Interesting, and certainly had some good features for an eighties car. (though that trunklid is a bit much) Nice to see a luxury car of that era without a damn vinyl covered roof for a change.
These never get preserved 😢
The driver was truly brave going through the slalom like he did
The 1985 Lincoln Continental is the Washington 4 door sedan on the GTA San Andreas video game.
My buddies dad was an airline pilot and he had one of these back in the day. These cars were ridiculous is what we remember. As it turns out the American car buying consumer was saved by the Japanese. Case in point the first maxima, next the accords were winning all kinds of awards at that time and then just five years later the first Lexus. They had this car for a couple of years and then the engine locked up. After that, I know they also went Japanese.
We had one of those in my childhood. To me it was a car before it’s time. We even have tinted windows and not a lot of personal vehicles had tinted windows at the time. We even had a Toyota minivan 1986 model that came with privacy glass and blinds on rear seating that was kind of rare too. But I miss the 80s.🙏🏽
With the Fox platform, that Lincoln Continental is a Mustang in a tuxedo; you gotta love that Vignale, too.
My wife’s father had one! Boy that luxoboat was so smooth on the road! You would fall a sleep while sitting in the back! 😂👍
I remember the Lincoln. In 1986, Cadillac downsized it's models. Ford/Lincoln didn't.
GM downsized most full size cars around 1976...
There were two eras of downsizing at GM. 1977 -1979 . Those cars were still large. The new C and B bodies had the dimensions of the 1973-1977 A Bodies. Then GM downsized again in the 1980's from 1985-1987. That one went too far and was bad and cost GM market share. Those cars were too short and too narrow. They started upsizing the cars in 1989. It was completed by 1992.
11.2 sec 0-60 is “none too pokey”? Even in the mid-80s, that was quite slow. And yikes…the way it bounced on heavy braking! These things were really only good at one thing: feeling like you were driving a couch 😂
you might be surprised how well these cars handle. and they have plenty of torque to do what needs to be done. 99.99% of your daily driving does not consist of the 0-60 run. something that most low information people can not comprehend.
Handling? Compared to what? A bus?
@@MercOne 🤣
Perfect to watch on Independence Day.
Beautiful car❤
I had a gold Matchbox Continental as a kid. I've always loved the tire bump in the back.
I had a 1985, it was the best car i have ever had, but soo expensive to maintain. The recall on the vaneer wood trim was a nightmare too. I sold mine and bought an 85 Buick LeSabre. I could replace the whole suspension system on the Buick for the price of one airbag on the Lincoln!
I love my 85 continental. It needs a little love being so old at this point, but ive never driven a smoother car before.
....lol even that hand looks 1985 :)) 4:50
Robert Duvall drove one just like it in “The Apostle”
Absolutely beautiful!
I do miss velour seats, so comfy as a kid. That 0-60 was slow give the car has 250 lb-ft torque.
Me too. Velour interiors are comfortable with a soft, elegant feel. Today's cars have cloth interior which feels like the material has been supplied by Under Armour or Adidas.
Thank you for the Lincoln video. It is appreciated. This was great to see. That V8 finally got more power too. I recall when this design came put in 1982 and then they upgraded it. I prefer the front end on this car compared the the one of Mark VII. This car was nice back then. Ford had a lot of cars on that platform.
Thanks for leaving the Ford Vignale concept car at the front of the video. The Conti is yawn... but this was in the mid 80s when Ford was planning to replace the Mustang with the Mazda based Probe. This may have been a styling exercise to get people ready for the (Probe) Mustang. Though 4x4? Sierra drivetrain? Interesting time. They also used the Vignale name for an 87 Lincoln Concept that was really nice looking.. also AWD.
Bad ass Lincoln! would love to have one now....
Had an 82 Continental signature series loved that car just needed a little more go
Beautiful car.
my mom remembers when abs brakes were first becoming a thing. probably the most important safety feature ever added to cars, followed closely by 3 point seat belts and airbags.
agree 100%
Love it!
I think that the first anti-skid braking system was from Lincoln around 1970 on the Mark III. I think it was for rear wheels only. Cadillac Eldorado around that same time also offered it, as did Imperial... I think they were a 4-wheel anti-lock system... that option didn't stick around very long on any of them though.
What a beauty!!!
I’m liking the look at the car show cars from long ago. Keep that up!
And a lot of us forget this car was Fox based!
That comment about the vignale being potential competition for audi in the WRC was actually pretty unifomed because they already had the Escort RS2000 and the proposed Group S category for 1988 would've included an evolution of the RS2000 with a bigger engine and F1 style aero.
The Fox Platform Continental's design was a response to the bustleback Seville. I didn't see too many of these Lincolns when I was a kid in the 80s and 90s.
Please oh please can mw or someone please tell.these manufacturers to male cars with interiors like this again!! Not everyone wants a black or grey dour interior with hard narrow seats. This Lincoln looks warm, cozy, inviting and oh what a concept, color!!!. Love the soft velour. This is a real luxury interior unlike today's hard, cold austere appointments.
Neo-nauseous styling? I wonder if they were as unforgiving of the Seville's far more polarizing looks?
I bet this thing would be a nice daily driver, even today.
Those LSC's were awesome, for the time. The Continental was hideous!
John sure hated digital instrumentation back then😅.
As I recall these were also offered with a BMW sourced diesel. Not many takers.
No mention of the optional BMW diesel straight six (Not surprised).
Beep boop beep I'm the future. 75k in 2024 for a wheezy V8 boat is wild.
My parents bought a new 1987 Lincoln continental it was a beautiful car
My parents bought a new 1987 Continental. All that tech was just a disaster waiting to happen. The entire dashboard went out on the ride home from the dealership and the air suspension would constantly break down.
My dad had an 84 Continental Givenchy and he actually let me borrow it.
Why is it that every retro review you post, I think that I wish I would have purchased one of those when it was new and I was younger.
I wonder how many times that rearview mirror works lol. Thank God for monochromatic mirrors
I'm willing to bet the Vignale Mustang's design trickled down to the first-gen Mazda MX-6. It's just too uncanny of a resemblance, especially since Ford owned Mazda around this time. I always loved that way those MX-6's looked.
As for the Continentals, I never was a big fan of that hump in the back. But over time those cars had a way of growing on you though.
Our 2020 Continental Black Label has all options, is all wheel drive and will hit 0-60 in a little over 5 seconds. Came a long way. Just wish it had the fake tire😅
I have simply got to treat myself. A 2005-2011 LTC, OR a Buick Park Avenue 2003-2005. Modern autos are just a get you from A to B boring contraptions.
Oh boy! Bouncy suspension! lol
Was that Mustang Vignale a big hint at the upcoming Ford Probe?
Did he just say "neo-nauseous styling"? 😂. I know it's the nostalgia kicking in again, but I sure miss those floating luxo-barges, there is just something honest about them, making no pretence to be anything else but cushy, fluffy transportation.
They should have put a stiffer rear sway-bar in, and slightly firmer front shocks. It would have handled much better.
That's what the LSC was for. This was aimed at traditional Lincoln buyers, a dying breed even then. They knew it wallowed like a pig in deep mud, but that's what they wanted.
This was a boss's car. Like the description of Pauli in Goodfellows "He didn't look like he could move fast, because he didn't have to". Let the workers and lower management worry about the commute and getting there on time. You arrive when you want to and are going to be comfortable getting there.
Cant figure out why MW hated on Digital Gauges so much, now thats all there is. I liked my Fords with the digtal stuff.
Some early ones, especially LED gauges, were twitchy. Long term (beyond warranty) reliability was hit or miss.
There's also the factor of "not what I'm used to". Similar to how a dog can freak out after you rearrange the furniture. Everything is still there, it might even be in a better position, but you've trained your brain to accept something else as normal and this isn't it.
@@christopherconard2831 I had tons of these cars (mostly Fords) for years after they were new. Never had any gitches. Same thing with several Lebarons and New Yorkers. VCDs not LEDs.. I think MW just didnt like them.
The nicest fox body granada/zephyr/fairmont/versailles
What about the thunderbird?
My parents had this exact car and color. It handled like a wet sponge. The tech was neat for it's time.
i prefer the more conservative front end of the 1982-83 Continentals
I had a 1982 Continental, the first year of its production; it had every available option. I preferred the look of the front end on the 82-83, but the backend of the 84-87. The seats on mine were the same as the one on the 1985 shown in the video and were as comfortable as they looked. The replacement 1988 model was a disappointment in comparison.
Me in 1985: I’ll wait for the Cadillac to offer Antilock brakes, thanks
Fun Fact: The Continental also came without an optional Turbodiesel inline six sourced from BMW. It wasn't popular, and only 1500 were equipped with that engine. From what I've heard, it was more reliable than the infamous Oldsmobile V8 diesel.
it was a BMW 2.4 4-cylinder Diesel.
The engineers at FORD went downhill over the the decades. They need to bring back these type of cars
Beautiful car and so powerful 😍❤️
Still like them. Match one with an LSC. That would be nice.
The Cont-Nentle
Esses carros sumiram? Ninguem colecionou?
Os melhores
I’ll take two
Still in the malaise era. However, in a few years, the hp would come back. Automobile manufacturers had to offer what they could at that time, under the hood.
Those Vignale Mustang side windows are reminiscent of the Subaru SVX.
And the modern f-series pickups with the dip line in the door, as well.