Lincoln Continental Mark III
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The Continental Mark III is a personal luxury car marketed by Lincoln from 1969–1971 model years. The namesake successor of the 1956–1957 Continental Mark II, the Mark III again served as the flagship vehicle of Ford Motor Company. Offered as a two-door hardtop coupe, the Mark III was noted for its hidden headlights, rear spare-tire trunk bulge recalling the Mark II and its Rolls-Royce styled grille.
Continental Mark III | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Lincoln (Ford) |
Production | 1968–1971 |
Model years | 1969–1971 |
Assembly | Wixom Assembly, Wixom, Michigan |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Personal luxury car |
Body style | 2-door coupe |
Layout | FR layout |
Related | Ford Thunderbird (fifth generation) Lincoln Continental (1961–1969) |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 460 cu in (7.5 L) V8 (385 family) |
Transmission | 3-speed C6 automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 117.2 in (2,977 mm)[1] |
Length | 216.1 in (5,489 mm) |
Width | 79.4 in (2,017 mm) |
Height | 53.0 in (1,346 mm) |
Curb weight | 4,866 lb (2,207 kg) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Continental Mark II |
Successor | Continental Mark IV |
The Mark III was developed as a direct competitor to the Cadillac Eldorado, creating a three-decade market rivalry between the Continental Mark series and the Eldorado.
To lower development and production costs over its largely hand-built predecessor, the Mark III shared its chassis underpinnings with the four door Ford Thunderbird. Model-specific design elements, including hidden headlamps (with body-color covers) and the Rolls-Royce-style grille distinguished the Mark III from the Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental — while borrowing the same roof structure and rear windows, retractable into the C pillar, from the two door Thunderbird. Later models featured genuine walnut interior accents and a Cartier-branded clock. In a first for an American car, the 1970 Mark III was fitted with Michelin "X" Radial Tires as standard equipment.[2]
Ford manufactured the Continental Mark III at its Wixom Assembly Plant facility (Wixom, Michigan) alongside the Thunderbird and the Lincoln Continental. For 1972, in alignment with the redesign of the Thunderbird, the Mark III was superseded by the Continental Mark IV.