Continental Mark IV
| Continental | |
|---|---|
 Continental Mark IV (1973)
|
|
| Mark IV | |
| Production period: | 1972-1976 |
| Class : | Upper class |
| Body versions : | Coupe |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 7.5 liters (143–156 kW) |
| Length: | 5560-5795 mm |
| Width: | 2025 mm |
| Height: | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 3060 mm |
| Empty weight : | 2630 kg |
| Previous model | Continental Mark III |
| successor | Continental Mark V |
The Continental Mark IV was a luxury vehicle made by the American automaker Ford Motor Company and produced from 1972 to 1976. It was the second generation of a series of luxury models founded in 1968 with the Continental Mark III , which is referred to as the Continental Mark Series and which was positioned above Lincoln's standard models.
nomenclature
The Continental Mark IV was manufactured by the Lincoln-Mercury Division of the Ford Motor Company . As with the predecessor Mark III, the Mark IV was officially marketed as the Continental Mark IV . With this model, Ford continued the tradition of the Continental Division , which was an independent subsidiary from 1956 to 1960 and produced high-quality luxury vehicles, including a Continental Mark IV (1959) offered in various body styles . The reference to the Continental Division was made for marketing reasons in order to document the exclusivity of the Mark IV.
There is cause for misunderstanding insofar as Lincoln used the term Continental (without the addition “Mark”) since 1961 as a pure model name for some of its models. These vehicles, which were positioned below the Continental Mark series, were given the brand name Lincoln and were called Lincoln Continental. Technically (except in the case of the later Mark VI) they had nothing to do with the Continental Mark models.
Model history
The Continental Mark IV was technically closely related to the 1972 Ford Thunderbird . Both vehicles used the same ladder frame and the same chassis. Externally, however, the Thunderbird and the Mark IV differed significantly.
The Mark IV took over the essential design features of the Mark III: The body structure of the Mark IV again followed the "Long Nose Short Deck" pattern. The bonnet of the Mark IV was even longer than that of the Mark III, and the rear section was even shorter. The imitation spare wheel cover in the trunk lid was retained, as was the radiator grille based on the Rolls-Royce model; however, the latter became narrower. In the first model year of the Mark IV, the front bumpers were partially lowered to allow for a higher grille. With the 1973 model year, wide, heavy safety bumpers were introduced that ran horizontally and no longer allowed any deepening. The grille was then significantly lower. With the Mark IV, Lincoln introduced the so-called “ Opera Window ”, an oval window in the C-pillar. The Opera Window was an extra in the first model year. The buyers valued this detail very much, so it was standard equipment from 1973 onwards. The Opera Window remained a special distinguishing feature of the Mark series until the Continental Mark VI ; only the later, emphatically aerodynamically designed models Mark VII and Mark VIII dispensed with this detail.
The drive technology remained unchanged. Lincoln continued to use the 7.5-liter eight-cylinder engine, the performance of which was nominally reduced due to the changeover to a modified measuring system that now takes net values into account. In 1972 the output was 212 SAE -PS, in 1973 it was 208 HP, in 1974 220 HP, in 1975 only 194 HP and then in 1976 202 HP. The fluctuations arose with regard to changing emissions regulations, to which Lincoln responded with adjustments to the engine output. The power reductions were achieved by using a relatively small carburetor and a correspondingly small intake manifold. With a cautious driving style, an average consumption of around 18 liters per 100 kilometers in a third mix was theoretically possible; German measurements, however, showed an average consumption of 24 to 26 liters per 100 kilometers. However, the power reduction could be bypassed without great effort. With comparatively small interventions, the motors were able to develop an output of over 450 DIN PS in a wide speed range.
Overall, the Continental Mark IV was a very large and heavy car. Like its predecessor, it was heavier than Lincoln's standard models. Although the Mark IV had grown significantly in external dimensions, it offered less passenger and trunk space than the Mark III. This was due to the shortening of the passenger compartment. The high ladder frame also reduced the headroom. The passengers therefore had to take a very inclined position in the car. The trunk was dominated by the spare wheel, which was stored horizontally, which led American reporters to believe that it was "only of limited use".
The American automobile manufacturer Clénet Coachworks built the Clénet Series I , a retro-style roadster that used the passenger cell of the MG Midget , on the chassis of the Continental Mark IV between 1977 and 1979 .
Designer Series
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For the 1976 model year, Lincoln introduced special equipment variants that were associated with the names of certain fashion designers. The idea of a special designer variant goes back to the American Motors Corporation , which introduced a Hornet "Gucci" in 1971. Lincoln offered Mark IV versions by Bill Blass , Cartier , Hubert de Givenchy and Emilio Pucci in 1976 . The versions each had their own paintwork and a special interior:
- Bill Blass's Mark IV was painted dark blue and had a cream-colored vinyl roof and cream-colored side stripes. Blue velor or blue genuine leather was used in the interior. The surcharge for the Bill Blass version was $ 1,500 (leather) or $ 2,000 (velor).
- Cartier designed the Mark IV “very conservatively” outside and inside in dove gray. There were also red and white accent strips made of vinyl on the sides of the car. The surcharge for the Cartier version corresponded to that of the Bill Blass version.
- The Givenchy version of the Mark IV was painted turquoise and had a white vinyl roof. The interior was also kept in turquoise. The wood of the dashboard differed from the standard version: instead of the walnut paneling, light ash wood was used. The surcharge for the Givenchy version was $ 1,500 (leather or velor interior).
- Emilio Pucci's Mark IV version was painted dark red and was connected to a silver-colored vinyl roof. The surcharge corresponded to that of the Bill Blass variant.
distribution
The Continental Mark IV achieved higher sales figures than the Continental Mark III. It was Lincoln's most successful single model from 1972 to 1976; in a few years twice as many Mark IVs were sold as Lincoln Continentals. The Mark IV also beat the clumsy Cadillac Eldorado , which was located in the same market niche.
The production of the Mark IV was distributed over the model years 1972 to 1976 as follows (for comparison the production figures of the Cadillac Eldorado Coupé and Convertible):
| Model year | Continental Mark IV | Cadillac Eldorado |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 48,591 | 40,074 |
| 1973 | 69,437 | 51,451 |
| 1974 | 57,316 | 40,412 |
| 1975 | 47,145 | 44,752 |
| 1976 | 56,110 | 49.184 |
Technical specifications
| Technical data Continental Mark IV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental | Mark IV | ||
| Engine: | Eight-cylinder V-engine (four-stroke) | ||
| Displacement: | 7536 cc | ||
| Bore × stroke: | 110.74 x 97.79 mm | ||
| power | 194 to 212 hp | ||
| Compression: | 9.5: 1 | ||
| Mixture preparation: | 1 quadruple carburetor (Motorcraft) | ||
| Cooling: | Water cooling | ||
| Transmission: | Three-speed automatic | ||
| Front suspension: | Wishbone coil springs |
||
| Rear suspension: | Rigid axle coil springs |
||
| Brakes: | front and rear disc brakes | ||
| Body: | Steel body on ladder frame | ||
| Wheelbase: | 3060 mm | ||
| Dimensions (length × width × height): |
5795 × 2025 × 1350 mm | ||
| Empty weight: | 2630 kg | ||
| Top speed: | 190 km / h | ||
literature
- Richard M. Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980 . New York (Beekman House) 1984. ISBN 0-517-42462-2 .
Web links
- Detailed model description of the Mark IV with numerous images on the website www.lincolnclub.eu
- Sales brochure of a Continental Mark IV from 1976 (with designer series)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The larger value results from the use of large-volume safety bumpers at the front and rear, which were mandatory from 1974.
- ^ Auto catalog 1976/77, p. 191.
- ↑ Albert R. Bochroch: American Cars of the Seventies, p.27: "very limited space".
- ↑ Albert R. Bochroch: American Cars of the Seventies, p. 19
- ↑ Description of the individual equipment variants with numerous images on the website www.lincolnclub.eu ( Memento of the original dated August 31, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed September 26, 2011).
- ↑ Description of the equipment variant on the website www.lincolnclub.eu ( Memento of the original from August 31, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed September 26, 2011).
- ↑ Production figures according to Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930–1980, p. 106 ff., P. 438 f.
- ↑ Data from: Auto catalog 1976/77, p. 190 f.
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