Lincoln Continental Mark III (1958-1960) and all the luxury of that time (10 photos)
Lincoln Continental Mark III - the most monstrous product of the era "Detroit baroque", in which elements of the aerospace style were carried to the point of absurdity. The car of the previous generation could compared with antique sculpture, but sales did not live up to expectations, and not only because of the fabulous price: the discreet style of the Mark II scared off buyers who wanted to see the top car of the corporation Ford more luxurious! And then, as they say, "Ostap suffered ...". 
Ford rushed in pursuit of the main supplier of automotive luxury - Cadillac, trying to surpass it, including in size. IN As a result, Lincoln Continental Mark III became the largest in history car with a load-bearing body! Probably, then engineers and marketers thought it was only the beginning, but the economic recession of the late 1950s and a general change in fashion, put an end to the era of aerospace style. Lincoln changed the direction of design development at the wrong time, rolling out extremely pompous land cruiser, and the market has seen a downward trend dimensions and the rejection of excessive amounts of chromium! The consumer is full satiated with an abundance of chromium, and there was less money.
Lincoln Continental Mark III equipped with the largest in the line Ford 7-liter V8 with 375 horsepower and automatic gearbox with the amazing name Turbo-Drive. Drove a car briskly enough, accelerating to a maximum speed of 190 km/ h, but equipped with drum brakes all around. The time was like this: accelerate and cars have already been taught to sparkle well, but not to turn and brake Very.
The design of the Continental Mark III was made in the fashion of the 1950s, moreover, Lincoln stylists "tried" even more than their colleagues, created a new Ford brand in the middle price range - Edsel. Both groups of stylists did not anticipate changes in consumer preferences, which resulted in significant losses. The Edsel brand was completely liquidated, and the Continental branch lost its independence and the Continental Mark III became top model Lincoln, although before that, no one had no doubt it's a Lincoln.
The design, of course, is controversial, but at the junction of eras this happens: the post-war era of excesses in automotive design was ending, but beautiful American cars did not become less. Just beauty became different, at least during the 1960s in the United States in this Everything was in perfect order. But in the early 1970s broke out fuel crisis and everything went down the drain, but then the Lincoln Continental did not disappoint. 
