This past Friday evening, I eschewed my normal, low-key, indoor routine for a bus trek up to the neighborhood of Rogers Park, which is the one just north of mine (Edgewater). Sometimes a four-day work week, even though shorter than a normal, North American Monday-through-Friday, can feel even longer – especially if it falls at the end of the month. When I was a teenager, my dad used to call me out all the time for procrastinating (which I deserved), but what I’ve learned is that such behavior is often just human nature. I’ve sometimes been rewarded with some of my greatest triumphs when I had waited until I was good, ready, and inspired to execute the task ahead of me.
With that said, last week I experienced a combination of frenzy, dishonesty, and laziness from many of my external-facing clients that was maddening. (When does someone else’s failure to plan properly become your problem?) I dealt with it. Regardless, as of last summer, Rogers Park and its beautiful, leafy side streets and tranquil beaches facing Lake Michigan have become something of a haven for me, and some solitude within earshot of softly lapping waves was exactly what the doctor had ordered last Friday night. My heartbeat started to return to a normal level, my thoughts slowed their racing, and an inner calm set back in. I gave myself pats on my own back for muscling through that tough week. On my way home from one of those quaint, picturesque beaches, these Lincolns came into view.
My initial thought was that they must be owned by the same household, given their proximity to one another and the presence of the matching rubber bumper-cover guards. Due to the narrowness of the street on which they were parked, I was unable to get a full profile shot that included both cars from stem to stern (hence the composite image above), but I was gobsmacked by the huge disparity in the proportions and overall look of both cars.
Both are attractive, but while the Mark VIII was still adhering to the long-low-wide aesthetic as late as the 1990s, the current MKZ is decidedly taller, stubbier and blockier. The high-waisted MKZ looked almost like a truck in front of the low-slung Mark VIII.
Granted, twenty years separates the initial introduction of each example: this generation of MKZ came out for model year 2013, and the first Mark VIII (the last in the reborn Mark series of personal luxury coupes that appeared for each consecutive year from 1969) made its debut for model year ’93. This Mark VIII features the mild refresh that arrived for ’97 and held on for swan song ’98. This second-generation MKZ is from before the 2017 facelift, as it still has the “walrus teeth” grille up front.
These cars and the years that separate them perfectly illustrate the final shift in the tastes of luxury car buyers from two-door personal luxury coupes to four-door sedans. I’m unable to distinguish the exact model year of the newer car outside of it being from the 2013 – 2016 model years, but in each of those years, in excess of 30,000 units were sold, with the four-year average being roughly 32,000 sales. By comparison, the final Mark VIIIs sold in paltry numbers: only about 16,400 for ’97, and only 6,100 for ’98. (This was against about 20,100 Cadillac Eldorados for ’97, and 18,400 for ’98. The Eldorado would also soldier on until model year 2002.)
Our own Jason Shafer had written a compelling precis earlier this year on an ’84 Lincoln Town Car that effectively summarized the history of the styling and brand identity of various Lincolns over the years, and perhaps that’s what inspired this piece. I had always assumed that the Mark coupes had always been the flagship models (and during some years they were), but as early as ’82, they were not necessarily the most costly cars in the Lincoln lineup. Similarly, the MKZ is a mid-range vehicle within Lincoln’s current product porrfolio. A case could be made for both cars occupying a similar space within their respective Lincoln lineups, as fundamentally different as these designs are from one another.
Echoing my own challenges from the past workweek, my thought is that there may be some panic going on within the Lincoln Motor Company right now, as this brand still seems to continue to struggle (for what now seems like decades) to find solid, lasting success with their contemporary lineups. I’m sure some of the product planners, engineers and marketers of 2019 are asking themselves why their predecessors let so much brand equity escape over the years, having procrastinated as they had done with attempting to keep the Lincoln brand current and relevant in the general marketplace as their core buyer demographic aged. Still, I get it – old-style Lincolns had still been selling, as unchanged as they had been, to older buyers.
Count me as a fan of the new Continental, and I had high hopes for its success, though sales continue to falter. Here’s hoping for another reinvention for the Lincoln brand that more successfully links the cachet of its past with a distinct product line and styling keyed for prolonged success here in North America. Regardless, it was a pleasure and very nice end to a not-great work week to run into these distant relatives while on the way home from one of my places of tranquility.
Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.
Friday, May 31, 2019.
Mark me down as someone who also had high hopes for the new Continental.
It really is an attractive car.
I’ve loved Lincolns since the late 1970s.
The 2019 Lincoln Continental:
I have owned a few Lincolns over the years, 72 Continental TC,72 coupe,97 TC and 98 TC. the MKZ i find alluring for some reason,it’s nice enough and unpretentious i especialy like the rear end of the car. it also seems well built. The only thing i cannot stand is the name,i may have very well owned one by now if not for the confusing names Lincoln had at that time. similar to what Cadillac has now. The Mark 8 is a great looking car and to me worthy of the Mark lineage. it’s styling looks sleek and modern. I am a huge fan of the new Continental(especially with the suicide doors)enough has been written about how these cars got lost in the caring of the father companies(Cadillac included). At least we all have our memories of when these car companies rulled the roost.
You know those commercials for theme parks you see every spring, the ones showing the latest, dandiest roller coaster ride? And, then, after seeing this commercial, how you say to yourself “oh, hell no”?
Lincoln seems to have had a trajectory similar to these roller coasters. It starts off well enough, climbs mightily, then things get chaotic from there with lots of ups, downs, twists, and turns, but never quite reaching its former height. However, this thrill ride is still going – I’m optimistic about the outcome but, like a lot of roller coaster rides at their conclusion, there’s always somebody puking.
Cadillac has had a similar roller coaster ride. As has Chrysler, a brand that is but a mere shadow of its former self.
I hold out hope for both Lincoln and Cadillac but Lincoln’s horrific model nomenclature since about, oh, 2005, has been ridiculous. And Cadillac has become pathetic in how it keeps chasing the German brands. We all know what happens to the dog that chases the UPS truck too often. Thump, thump.
Of the two, I hold more hope for Lincoln than I do Cadillac. And this is from a guy who if he ever wanted a luxury car would likely buy a Lincoln or Cadillac.
I would say that the roller coaster ride that is modern Lincoln has largely ended with the introduction of the Navigator and the switch to actual names. They’ve carved out their own brand identity and are about to debut the Aviator and Corsair, two vehicles that should be popular when they hit the streets.
Lincoln has at least figured out that competing directly with BMW is a dead end for an American luxury brand. People who want a BMW will simply buy the real thing.
Jason, I love the roller coaster metaphor. One could say that the Jeep Commander that Will Stopford wrote about yesterday followed a similar trajectory.
You mention Chrysler. This past Saturday, this very topic came up about how Chrysler has just one passenger car – which is an old one, and one that (I believe) is not slated for replacement? Is that it?
When I think back as recently as maybe ten-fifteen years and seeing many print ads for Chrysler-branded products in mainstream periodicals like “Time”, and compare it to now, it’s downright depressing. Makes me almost pine for the days of Landau-roofed K-car variants.
You also bring up an interesting question as to which American luxury car brand, between Cadillac and Lincoln, has more of a pulse in 2019. I don’t know that I either agree or disagree with you!
American luxury – has that become an oxymoron?
It really is a shame that Chrysler, Cadillac, and Lincoln are no longer a viable candidate for consideration when one is looking for a car of status and quality. Yes, the OEMs are the reason behind the quality standpoint, but one might argue that the quality went down well before the status symbol qualities died out. Up to the 1960s, one knew that a person driving a new Lincoln or Cadillac or Chrysler had ‘made it’, at least to a standard above most. The cars were both aspirational and inspirational, as one could reasonably work hard, save up, and eventually own one. People often did so, later in their career, thus you saw a lot of middle aged folks buying them. Now, that seems to be the same people buying Kia Souls, as those people can’t or won’t afford a new BMW, Audi, or Mercedes, and the Soul ends up being practical and affordable. Did the people change, or did the market change so much that it killed itself? Did American Luxury die of starvation or did it hang itself?
American luxury didn’t die, it went down market. When a Ford Taurus can cost over $40,000, and is pretty luxurious, there isn’t any reason to buy up unless you’re just plain loaded or are desperate to impress.
I still love the design of the Mark VIII even after all these years and it’s probably the most recent Lincoln I’d consider ever buying. Such a beautiful car!
The MKZ seems pretty nice for a new car, and I really like the Mark VIII (especially that shade of green), but what really draws my attention is the apartments. There’s just something right about those 1920s brick buildings, and the warm lights at dusk just seem inviting.
Dan, I’m glad you paid special attention to the brick buildings. All the old, brick buildings – some of which come right up to Lake Michigan – are part of what makes this neighborhood so magical.
I spent the weekend in a neighborhood full of Chicago-style bungalows (in Berwyn). The brickwork was fabulous to behold.
Thanks for the insight into the hard side of insurance work. I hadn’t bothered to think about it before, but it’s sort of obvious…. the clients who require specific attention are the idiots. Non-idiots file rational claims and feel satisfied with the results.
Thanks, Polistra. I’m actually on the underwriting side of things (versus claims), but it can be a similar scenario to the one you described. 🙂 On balance, I do like what I do. I just expect others to work as hard as I do.
Joseph, thank you again for such a well written post. I truely enjoy your style of writing, your photographs, and expressive nature that comes through. Just wonderful!
Regarding the MKZ, I’ve grown to really appreciate these cars, especially with the new trademark grille, which to me looks classy and cheesy at the same time. I do feel Lincoln needs to rename this car ASAP, to fit in with the names they are now using for their SUV’s. I don’t think “Versailles” would work…
Regarding the Mark VIII, I was never a big fan of these cars when they came out, as I felt they were to different and plain compared to the Mark VII, which to me was an amazing car in looks, style, and to some extent performance.
Regarding the new Continental… all I can say is “wow”. That car is all about American luxury. It looks amazing and it’s not trying to be (sorry Cadiillac), anything but American luxury.
I’m not a fan of SUV’s, but I really feel that Lincoln has done a good job with theirs. They look more elegant than quasi sporty and don’t have all that gimmicky polarizing styling that Lexus IS using, or the dull, boring, non classy styling our friends at Cadillac use.
Looking forward to your next post!!!
Yeah unfortunately the MKZ will die as the MKZ, it didn’t go back to the Zephyr name since it was scheduled for replacement.
NJcarguy, thank you so much for the kind words.
I also like the current MKZ (with the refresh), and I think it is legitimately a great-looking car, and it looks just premium enough without appearing stuffy.
And to your point about the Mark VII, it did look leaner and more athletic than the Mark VIII, and I feel the vestigial “Continental spare time” hump on the newer car could have been executed more gracefully, but I do like the overall look of both cars.
These could perform quite well. And unlike a Northstar, the Intech was reliable.
https://youtu.be/d5vofamRBYg
what do these cars have on their back bumpers?
Pads that are supposed to prevent damage if someone uses the bump to park method of parallel parking.
aha ok thank you for telling me. so sometimes people push to park?
Patrick, in many Chicago neighborhoods (including Rogers Park and Edgewater), this is often the case!
Yeah unfortunately no way to narrow down the year of the MKZ. If we could see the engine badge we could narrow it down a bit. That particular 19″ wheel was available through the entire run except on the 2.0H cars in which case it has to be from no later than mid 2015.
The VIII was a car that I was always interested in. Of course when they were new or almost new it just didn’t make sense for us. Young kids in car seats made a 2dr out of the question for the main family ride and other priorities meant no expensive toy cars.
Since then I’ve thought about them many times and would occasionally search for them on Craiglist. Unfortunately now that they are 20+ years old it is getting harder and harder to find a nice one.
I recently got the itch for a new toy and VIIIs were in the search, alas nothing was interesting enough to make the call and go see it in person. Too many have lost their air suspension to mechanics that don’t know how to fix it or see the coil conversion as a easy way to make some good money. While I loved the initial version the face lift was such an improvement to me that I’d only consider the 97-8 cars. The problem with them was the HID headlights which, being the first means, the replacement lamps are no longer available. The factory headlights to convert to Halogen are also long out of production. So I did have some pretty narrow specs of a 97-8 that still had the air suspension but had the factory Halogen kit installed, not some cheesy aftermarket HID bulb conversion.
So alas with something else coming along that I did pull the trigger on I guess I’ll never have an VIII or I could be able to replicate the picture.
You’re righter than right: Lincoln Mark VIII headlamps—early small and late large, halogen and HID—aren’t just plain ol’ ordinary discontinued. They and all their components are Super Triple Secret Intergalactic Royal Crown Chinpokomaster Discontinued™, and that situation developed very quickly, even while the cars were still pretty common on the roads.
The headlamps, especially the early ones, are far too small to do more than just barely meet the minimum legal intensity requirements, even though the halogen version used one of the highest-output bulb types, (its output was severely crimped by voltage drop from underspecified wiring and switches). Moreover, because they’re so small, the reflectors and lenses run very hot, which makes for fast and severe deterioration of the cheap, not-very-durable plastic materials they’re made of. With headlamps in brand-new condition, passable performance can be wrung out of the system by dint of relays, decent wiring, and thoughtfully-chosen bulbs…but anything close to brand-new condition is fleeting on those lamps.
The HID system was also, in addition, a different kind of bad. It was a system co-developed by Ford and GTE-Sylvania, with that duo’s customary priorities: cheap, legal when new, and cheap. It is a DC system nothing like the AC system that was already well standardized in Europe and Asia (and was fine for use in the USA; Ford just chose not to use it). That Ford/Sylvania DC system was only used on the Mark VIII—No other make, no other model, no other years. Component reliability and durability were very poor. The ’97 facelift gotbigger headlamps, but kept the problem-prone Sylvania DC HID system.
When Osram bought Sylvania from GTE in ’97, they quickly discontinued this troublesome system. Repair parts dried up in a hurry—occasionally one still sees bulb/igniter units or ballasts on eBay, almost always dubious used units at ridiculous prices.
Ford offered halogen headlamp retrofit kit for the ’97-’98 cars. It, too, was fleeting; they didn’t make many of them, and once they were all sold out, well, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So-called “HID kits” are just as bad an idea in these headlamps as in any other (likewise “LED bulbs”), but if one can find a set of the HID lamp housings in good condition, they can be made to work well and reliably. Doing so requires a couple of small custom-machined parts, then a world-standard D2S bulb and its AC ballast can be effectively installed and everything works properly (until the cheap lenses cloud up terminally, then you’re hosed again).
Similar situation at the rear with the fancypants neon central tail/brake light panel: doesn’t stay working and doesn’t stay fixed and parts are N/A.
Twenty years of rising beltlines and shrinking glass space on full display here. I’m accustomed to seeing so many newer cars on the road that the sheer massiveness of the MKZ sheet metal isn’t shocking until a more lithe older design is parked immediately behind it. Then the MKZ looks like an air compressor pumped it up to 100 psi. It’s gonna blow!
I’m actually not fond of the Mark VIII styling. Far too rounded, too 90s. I prefer some edges and lines.
Seeing this picture, I do wonder about the complaints of today’s sedans being too low and difficult to drop into, and thus the market shift to CUVs. The MKZ has the height and stance of a crossover compared to the low MK VIII.
Petrichor, to your point about edges / lines / curves, I agree that the Mark VIII came out at a time when the pendulum had reached its apogee (is that the right word?) on the “rounded” side, before swinging back to the middle and over to straight lines. I also like a blend and balance of lines and curves, and some of my favorite car designs (I don’t know why, but the second-generation Chevrolet Corvair comes to mind, specifically) have just that.
A fascinating pairing. I have always considered the MKZ to be sleek and low – and compared to something like the MKS it was. But then you put it next to a Mark VIII and – just wow. The MKZ suddenly turns into a bread truck.
I think the Mark VIII was Lincoln’s last try at a genuine luxury car. And the mechanical/electronic complexity that goes with that territory makes me scared to own one now. I do think they are attractive, though.
Snobs drive expensive cars. Snobs want everyone to know they have the best. Once upon a time, that meant snobs drove Cadillac, Lincoln, Packard, Imperial, and a long time ago – Duesenberg. For generations, Cadillac and Lincoln developed a design based upon snob appeal. Big, long, low sedans with giant engines.
But snobs are always looking for new ways to show off their superiority. If they want their neighbors to think that they are fast and sporty, they drive a sports car. If they want their neighbors to think that they are a part of the latest fashions, they drive the newest cars. Cadillac and Lincoln ads paired the latest fashions and jewels to the interiors and fabrics deemed snob-worthy. Imperial bragged that their Imperial badges were recognized by the IRS as jewelry.
Yet, snobbery demanded more. it wasn’t enough to have a Cadillac or a Lincoln. Snobs decided that they needed to show off by getting what they snobs drive in other parts of the world. “My car is not just the greatest car in the neighborhood – it is the greatest car anywhere in the world.”
For that level of snobbery – you have to buy a non-American car. Lincoln and Cadillac couldn’t compete with that. Worse, Lincoln and Cadillac lowered their quality and prestige by selling to anyone with a hankering for a parking spot at the local Piggly Wiggly.
So, when they lost the snob appeal, both brands assumed that their lost customers wanted them to be like the German and Japanese brands. However, that wasn’t the only problem. These buyers were not interested in what Cadillac and Lincoln had to sell them. They wanted a BMW. They wanted a Lexus. They wanted a Mercedes. If either Cadillac or Lincoln actually made a BMW, a Lexus, or a Mercedes, the snobs still would not have bought a Cadillac or a Lincoln.
What Cadillac and Lincoln needed to recognize is that by chasing after German and Japanese brands, they became inauthentic. Authenticity is irreplaceable. Snobs don’t buy inauthentic cars, or you’d see them in South Korean luxury knock-offs. Instead of emphasizing their legacies and inspiring these global wannabes back to American luxury – Cadillac and Lincoln abandoned their legacies. It was their legacies that made these brands authentic, not cheap German/Japanese knock offs. Cadillac and Lincoln needed to make new Cadillacs and Lincolns that were American luxury cars worthy of their legacies. Not a Cimarron, an Allante, or a Versailles.
Cadillac and Lincoln are down to a point where they just have to pay their bills by selling SUVs. Perhaps with the shift from sedans to SUVs, these former luxury brands can rekindle that attraction that snobs find irresistible.
We’ll see. But – you live by snob appeal – you die by snob appeal. No one buys snob cars just because they’re good cars. Snobs buy snob cars because they need to impress other snobs, right?
While I agree with a lot of what you posit, the argument that popularity made the American luxury brands lose their snob appeal may be a bit off. Yes, a real snob moves on to the next new thing when others start buying what they have, but the move to imports may have had more to do with the whims of fashion. Fashion is fickle. Take Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers. They were the cheap sneakers of my youth, but they are became high dollar, snob-appeal kicks just because some folks thought them cool. Had the style mavens decided that Saabs were high status cars, they would have been the choice car of snobs. Hummers are proof. They briefly sold in high numbers for high prices, just because they were the fashionable “it” car of the day, until they weren’t. Popularity makes things fashionable, then suddenly it all becomes horribly unfashionable and the next big thing takes off. American Luxury just became unfashionable, and until “they” (whoever that arbiter of good taste really is) decides it is fashionable to be seen driving such a car again, it is up in the air whether Lincoln, Cadillac, or Chrysler will survive long term.
I find it funny when people bash on Lincolns’ nomenclature, because I could never refer to the Marks as intended – the featured coupe above has always been to me the “Mark Vee-Eye-Eye-Eye“ and though I am now able to recognize Roman numerals I can’t shake this from my head. Their current naming scheme, which I don’t care for is at least easier to pronounce but just as bad as the older one.
That said I do very much like the new Continental and think it’s one of the best names in automotive history.
I had to laugh Joseph at your comment
“When does someone’s failure to plan become your problem?”
The joys of being in the service industry! When I worked for the government I couldn’t count the number of times people would show up having ignored everything until the proverbial roof fell on them and then when that was politely pointed out, give me the “I pay your salary so it’s up to you to fix it” line.
The joys of dealing with human beings. Some were good, some were bad and some to this day I’m still not sure what the h@#$ they were.
Thanks for the memories 😎
Haha!! Bill, you just reminded me that I’ve paraphrased that old saying, “Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”
Some days when this is in effect, I may mutter to myself, “I hate people”. (Actually, the truth is, I would say that out loud…). But I don’t really mean it. In a way, I think of occasional aggravation that comes with the job as being security of sorts. It’s really not a bad profession.
Thanks for these great pics and words Joe. Interesting responses here. I use a restored ‘97 Mark VIII as my daily driver. In my opinion it’s one of the last unique Lincolns and it’s that uniqueness that Lincoln should go back to. I’d love to see a Mark IX with a retro interpretation of the VII (I have one of those too) or VIII shapes and a supercharged Coyote V8 with world class handling and braking to match and all the luxury accoutrements. I know that’s only a dream though as Lincoln is woefully lost as a marque. I’ll keep enjoying my Mark VIII for as long as possible. Beautiful paint (now) and working HIDs and taillamp bar! And the purchase price was $600! (Although I don’t dare add up what Ive spent since 😉
Thank you, Rich. Yours, and some of the other comments, have me curious to search online for the prices of things like headlamps and taillamp bars (and other obtainium). I realized the Mark VIIIs are over twenty years old by now, but I had no idea some parts were so expensive to source.
Like the ultimate 60’s car was the Continental and just as the Mark V is the ultimate 70’s car the Mark VIII is the ultimate 90’s car.
The 80’s were not kind to Lincoln (or Cadillac for that matter) …
But a reasonable argument exists that the current Navigator is the ultimate car of this decade.