8. Lincoln Continental Mark III
The Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company was enjoying considerable success during the ’60s. This was mostly thanks to the Continental sedan, which they introduced in 1961. It was a landmark model in many aspects. With healthy sales numbers, Lincoln turned to the personal luxury market with the innovative, advanced 1969 Mark III Coupe. It proved to be one of the best personal luxury cars Ford Motor Company ever made.
Ford introduced the Continental in late 1968, Mark III, building it on a Thunderbird chassis. It also had a new and powerful 460 V8 engine. Since the new model used most of the existing mechanics, Lincoln concentrated on the design and equipment. The front had a big chrome grille, reminiscent of Rolls Royce models and hideaway headlights. The trunk had a cool-looking spare wheel hump with Continental lettering. In combination with the vinyl top, the wheel hump made Mark III’s design unique and special. Buyers had a long list of optional extras to choose from, too. This was also the first U.S.-made car with standard radial tires. Ford replaced Mark III with Mark IV in 1972. It remains one of the finest personal luxury automobiles of the period.