Lincoln Mk VII

Saturday 7 March 2015
The Lincoln Mark series was a series of personal luxury cars that long served as the flagship of the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company.
Lincoln introduced the Mark Series when the Continental Division was integrated into Lincoln for 1957; the Mark was the most expensive model in the lineup. In 1961, Lincoln returned to a single-model line, dropping the Mark series.
In 1968, the Mark series was re-introduced as a personal luxury car, as the Lincoln Continental Mark III. Future Mark models shared platforms with the Lincoln Continental series but typically represented the sportier coupe segment. In 1998, the discontinuation of the Mark VIII ended the series.
The legacy of the Mark Series lives on in the current Lincoln naming scheme; since 2007, all models have adopted an "MK" alphanumeric prefix, with the exception of the Navigator and the now-discontinued Town Car.
The Continental Mark VII, later just called the Mark VII, was introduced in 1984. It rode on the Ford Fox platform that was originally used by the 1978 Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr. Mark VIIs were manufactured at the Wixom Assembly Plant in Wixom, Michigan through 1992.
The Mark VII had most of the comfort, convenience, and performance options that were available in the 1980s. This included all power accessories, leather seating, keyless entry, an onboard computer and message center, digital instruments (on all except the LSC models after 1986). All Mark VIIs came with full air suspension with an electronic ride control system. Mark VIIs also came with a 4-speed automatic transmission, stainless steel tubular headers, dual exhaust, and either a SEFI or throttle body fuel injection (dependent on model). Some 1987 models and all 1988 models also received a horsepower and torque boost thanks to a larger throttle body and better flowing cylinder heads.
The Mark VII was also the first American vehicle with electronic 4-channel anti-lock brakes (November 1984, six months before the Corvette). It was also the first American vehicle with composite headlights. The vehicle also featured a unique four-wheel air suspension that developed a problematic reputation.
The standard engine was Ford's 302 cu in (4.9 L) Windsor V8, equipped with fuel injection. A high-output version of this engine was available in the Mk VII LSC. The LSC model also included sport-tuned suspension and gearing. In 1984 and 1985 a 2.4L BMW inline-6 diesel engine was available but it was rarely ordered.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 4900 cc
- horsepower: 205 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 175 km/h