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131-640: The Lincoln Town Car is a model line of full-size luxury sedans that was marketed by the Lincoln division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company . Deriving its name from a limousine body style , Lincoln marketed the Town Car from 1981 to 2011, with the nameplate previously serving as the flagship trim of the Lincoln Continental . Produced across three generations for thirty model years,

262-492: A front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) layout. The FR layout is more expensive to produce and produces lower fuel economy than a front-wheel drive layout; however, it allows for larger engines (particularly straight-six , V8 , and V12 ) to be used. Some American luxury cars during the 1970s through the 1990s switched to a front-wheel drive layout with transverse engine , due to the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and

393-498: A 2-rows option with four seats, which typically have more features than their cheaper counterparts. By the early 2020s, manufacturers have found additional strategies to improve technologies, such as new materials, new systems, and improving exteriors. Examples of luxury MPV models include Mercedes-Benz V-Class , Lexus LM , Buick GL8 , Hongqi HQ9 , Toyota Alphard , Volvo EM90 and the Zeekr 009 . Downsize (automobile) In

524-655: A 3.55:1 limited slip differential (code 'K') and an improved cooling package for the engine and transmission. 2bbl carburetor (Canada 1981–1984) During the late 1970s, the sales of the Lincoln Continental had held steady and the Continental Mark V would go on to outsell its Cadillac Eldorado counterpart. In the development of the Lincoln Town Car, the design themes of the 1977-1979 Lincoln Continental and Mark V would both influence

655-540: A 4-speed AOD overdrive automatic. In October 1990, the 302 (marketed as 5.0 L) V8 was replaced by a 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS) 4.6 L SOHC Modular V8 for 1991 models; for the 1994 model year, the optional 210 hp dual-exhaust version of the engine became standard. Shared with the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis, the SOHC version of the 4.6 L Modular V8 would see use in

786-651: A change than with the full-size downsizing, the 1981 Ford Granada shed three inches in length, four inches in width and wheelbase, and approximately 300 pounds of curb weight over its 1980 predecessor. For 1983, the Ford and Lincoln-Mercury mid-size and full-size product ranges underwent further downsizing efforts, through the use of badge engineering. In a decision to continue their production, Ford moved its full-size product lines upmarket under their top-trim nameplates (Ford LTD Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis). In an effort to bolster sales of its mid-size sedans, following

917-537: A conservative update of the existing Town Car to a European-style body in the design language of the 1988 Lincoln Continental (FN-9, designed in 1984). The final compromise of the committee sought to keep the identity of the Town Car while introducing a contemporary vehicle for the 1990s. In the interest of fuel economy, the Lincoln Town Car was required to become more aerodynamic (reducing wind noise), but key parts of its design were integrated into its design, with its radiator-style grille, chrome trim, and opera windows. In

1048-480: A convertible, the design deleted the C-pillar quarter windows. During the 1980s, the Lincoln Town Car would undergo several exterior revisions. For 1985, the model was given a mid-cycle facelift. In addition to (slightly) improving its aerodynamics, the design was intended to visually shorten the car (though the length was essentially unchanged). The front and rear bumpers were redesigned, better integrating them into

1179-560: A direct response to the 1973 oil crisis, the first automobiles to undergo downsizing in the interest of increased fuel efficiency were the full-size GM B-body and C-body platforms (used by all divisions except GMC). Used by the Buick LeSabre/Electra, Chevrolet Impala/Caprice, Cadillacs, Oldsmobile 88/98, and Pontiac Catalina/Bonneville, the B and C-bodies were among the best-selling car platforms in North America at

1310-584: A direct successor of the Town Car, the Lincoln MKS would become the longest American sedan until 2016 (overtaken by the Cadillac CT6 ). From 1980 until 2007, the Lincoln Town Car was assembled in Wixom, Michigan , ( Wixom Assembly ) alongside the Lincoln Continental, LS, and Mark VI, VII, and VIII. After Wixom's closure, Town Car production moved to Southwold, Ontario , ( St. Thomas Assembly ) alongside

1441-407: A leather-grained vinyl full-length covering with center pillar coach lamps was fitted. For Signature Series and Cartier trims, a padded vinyl coach roof (covering the rear half of the roof) with a frenched (smaller) rear window opening was fitted; the coach roof was also an option on standard-trim Town Cars. On non-Cartier Town Cars, a full-length cloth (canvas) roof was an option; imitating the look of

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1572-594: A long-travel coil-spring suspension and an aluminium V8 engine. In the mid-1990s, the SUV market expanded with new entrants. By the mid-1990s, the entry-level Ford Explorer and upscale Jeep Grand Cherokee were the market leaders for SUVs. The fastest-growing sector of this market was for the so-called luxury SUVs, which included the Jeep Grand Cherokee ... the Grand Cherokee's allure: "This vehicle

1703-594: A major design constraint, the design team was not to make any major reductions in size to the Town Car, preserving its large interior and trunk space as key marketing points to buyers. In 1984, a second factor driving the design of the FN36 project was initiated, as the United States government introduced regulations mandating passive restraints on vehicles produced after September 1, 1989; along with automatic seat belts , out of necessity, automakers began to reconsider

1834-580: A marketing standpoint, the consolidation of the Continental, Continental Town Car/Town Coupe, and the Mark VI proved catastrophic. Following the early 1980 withdrawal of the slow-selling Lincoln Versailles , Lincoln-Mercury dealers offered three highly similar vehicles across a wide price range in the same showroom. The discontinuation of the Versailles also marked the return of Lincoln exclusively to

1965-655: A mid-cycle revision, Fox-platform mid-size sedans adopted the Ford LTD and Mercury Marquis nameplates. To reverse their poor reception in the marketplace, the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar XR7 underwent a complete redesign, with the Cougar returning exclusively to a coupe bodystyle. To eliminate model duplication within the Lincoln brand, the Lincoln Continental was rebranded the Lincoln Town Car for 1981, with

2096-452: A new upholstery design and new two-tone (metallic beige) platinum added alongside the traditional platinum silver and two-tone arctic white. Sail America Commemorative Edition This special edition 1987 Signature Series model came in white with a blue carriage roof and had a white leather interior with blue piping and special badging. Ford Motor Company was one of the corporate sponsors of the "Sail America Foundation" syndicate, and owner of

2227-814: A number of other Ford vehicles within the Ford light-truck line, remaining in production into 2014. For 1993, the AOD transmission was converted to electronic operation, becoming the AOD-E. In 1994, along with a mid-cycle refresh, the 1995 Town Car received the higher-torque 4R70W from the Lincoln Mark VIII. Luxury vehicle#Full-size A luxury car is a car that provides above-average to high-end levels of comfort , features, and equipment. Often, more expensive materials and surface finishes are used, and buyers expect better build quality . The usually higher pricing and more upscale appearance are often associated with

2358-550: A personal vehicle for his father, Henry Ford. Later, the " sedan de Ville " was used as a model name by Cadillac, the primary rival to the Lincoln Continental from the 1950s to the 1990s. For 1959, Lincoln augmented its pre-existing Continental lineup with the addition of two formal sedans known as the Town Car and Limousine. Both new vehicles featured pillared construction and interiors of broadcloth and scotch-grain leather as well as deep pile carpeting. No options were offered, all equipment including air conditioning being standard;

2489-570: A proposed Gucci edition Town Car that had been in the works. Gucci Edition 1989 Signature Series Gucci Edition had a special blue canvas roof with fluorescent B-pillar light and a special blue badge on the C-pillar with the word signature. It was designated in the VIN as code 84. For the 1985 model year, the Cadillac DeVille and Fleetwood , traditional competitors of the Lincoln Town Car, shifted to front-wheel drive platforms (although,

2620-460: A response to consumer demand. Faced with returning the Lincoln model line to profitability for the 1961 model year, the Lincoln Continental shed nearly 15 inches in length and 8 inches in wheelbase from the previous 1960 models (the largest Ford cars ever made without 5 mph bumpers). The same year, Mercury shifted to a Ford-based chassis for its full-size model range, shedding 6 inches of wheelbase. Downsizing (in an effort to improve efficiency)

2751-553: A separate marque (e.g. Lexus , launched by Toyota in 1989) or purchased one (e.g. Bentley , by Volkswagen in 1998). Occasionally, a luxury car is initially sold under a mainstream marque and is later rebranded under a specific luxury marque (for example, the Hyundai's Genesis to Genesis G80 as well as the Citroën DS to DS 5 ). For mass-produced luxury cars, sharing of platforms or components with other models

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2882-402: A separate strategy from Ford and General Motors, adapting existing vehicle architecture for new model segments. For the 1979 model year, the success found by GM and the upcoming introduction of smaller full-size cars by Ford necessitated a response from Chrysler. Unable to commit resources to downsize its full-size C-platform chassis (redesigned in 1974), Chrysler was relegated to introducing

3013-415: A smaller front-wheel drive sedan; after the 1979 fuel crisis, gasoline prices were predicted to reach $ 2.50 per gallon and Ford Motor Company had lost $ 1.5 billion for 1980. However, by 1984, full-size Lincoln sales had rapidly increased, with 1984 sales up 300% over 1980. Instead of ending the product cycle of the Lincoln Town Car, Ford product planners instead chose its front-wheel drive mid-size platform (of

3144-481: A status symbol for conspicuous consumption . However, since many European luxury car buyers shy away from conspicuous consumption, brands offer buyers the option of removing exterior badges that identify the model name or engine size. The suspension system of most luxury cars is tuned to prioritize ride quality over handling , however, some are marketed as "sports luxury" and have a greater emphasis on handling characteristics. Traditionally, luxury cars have used

3275-401: A time when luxury car sales suffered a 1% decline, and non-luxury SUV sales were flat. By 2004, 30% of major luxury brands' U.S. sales were SUVs. Crossover SUVs became increasingly popular in the mid-2000s, and manufacturers also began to produce luxury versions of crossovers. The Lexus RX was the earliest luxury crossover on the market, and it has since been the best-selling luxury vehicle in

3406-515: Is common, as per modern automotive industry practice. A compact executive car or a compact luxury car is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car . In European classification, compact executive cars are part of the D-segment . In North American terms, close equivalents are "compact premium car", "compact luxury car", "entry-level luxury car" and "near-luxury car". Compact executive cars are usually based on

3537-422: Is moved from above the left headlight onto the grille and changed to a large sans-serif script. In the rear, the brushed-metal panel was given a pinstripe finish and all badging was moved from the panel onto the trunk lid. All models feature a landau roof with a smaller, more formal "frenched" rear window. All non-Cartier models also include an embedded Lincoln "star" emblems in their opera windows The interior of

3668-548: Is possible to reduce engine capacity by 60% and still achieve the torque curve of a modern, large-capacity naturally-aspirated engine, while encompassing the attributes necessary to employ such a concept in premium vehicles. From 1977 to 1982, in order, General Motors would physically downsize its full-size, intermediate, compact, and subcompact vehicle product lines as each platform completed its model cycle. The strategy included vehicles from every General Motors division (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac). As

3799-461: Is proof you can have a true off-road vehicle without giving up luxuries and amenities" with the Jeep providing a crucial new intangible factor for buyers—image. The SUV models generated higher profit margins than passenger cars, and car manufacturers began introducing new luxury SUVs during the late 1990s. SUVs such as the 1995 Lexus LX , 1997 Mercedes-Benz M-Class , and 1998 Lincoln Navigator were

3930-446: The 1973 gas crisis , Chrysler introduced larger and heavier 1974 full-size models for Plymouth, Dodge, and Chrysler. In contrast to Ford and General Motors, full-size vehicle sales of Chrysler would never recover from the gas crisis, along with other factors, the company was nearly forced into bankruptcy by the end of the 1970s. Forced to concentrate its remaining resources on development of fuel-efficient compact cars, Chrysler created

4061-690: The American automobile industry , downsizing was a direct response to the 1973 oil crisis , which resulted in the enaction of CAFE fuel economy standards in 1975. By 1980, each auto manufacturer producing cars and light trucks for sale in the United States were required to produce an average of 20 mpg across their entire product line. In response, as full-size car lines completed their model cycles, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler Corporation sought to introduce full-size product lines with increased fuel efficiency while preserving interior dimensions as closely as possible. In 1977, General Motors became

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4192-617: The Chrysler K-cars , they were the first front-wheel drive cars developed entirely within the company. In comparison to their predecessors, the K-Cars shed over 28 inches of body length, 13 inches of wheelbase (at 99.6 inches, only 1.2" longer than the subcompact Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon), and up to 1,200 pounds of curb weight (depending on model). Though far smaller than their predecessors in exterior footprint, interior dimensions changed little, with 6-passenger seating remaining intact;

4323-459: The GM Zeta platform from 2008 to 2017, produced by Holden (GM Australia). Following the downsizing of General Motors full-size vehicles, for 1977, GM A-platform (intermediate/mid-size) vehicles shared a common wheelbase and larger exterior dimensions than full-size B/C-platform counterparts. To eliminate the design overlap and to expand the fuel efficiency of the entire GM model line, for 1978,

4454-604: The Mark VII exited the full-size segment, shifting the Mark Series into a different market segment. A model year removed from the extensive downsizing of its full-size model range, the Lincoln division underwent a revision of its nameplates. Following the discontinuation of the compact Versailles sedan, Lincoln was left marketing six nearly identical vehicles (Continental, Continental Town Car, and Continental Mark VI, all offered both as two-door and four-door sedans). For 1981,

4585-545: The R-body vehicles, matching Ford and GM in exterior footprint. Wearing all-new exterior sheetmetal, the Chrysler R-platform vehicles were a revision of the 1962–1978 Chrysler B platform (produced for the intermediate segment). With poor sales (outside of fleet markets), Chrysler ended production of R-platform vehicles, becoming the final fullsize Chrysler vehicles until the 1992 LH-platform vehicles. To replace

4716-613: The Rolls-Royce Phantom , Maybach 57 and 62 , Hongqi L5 , Bentley Mulsanne , Cadillac Celestiq , Toyota Century , and Aurus Senat . High-end sports cars which are targeted towards performance rather than luxury are not usually classified as ultra-luxury cars, even when their cost is greater than US$ 100,000 . The history of a brand and the exclusivity of a particular model can result in price premiums compared to luxury cars with similar features from less prestigious manufacturers. Ultra-luxury cars are usually selected as

4847-422: The official state car . Grand tourers are essentially high-performance luxury vehicles. These vehicles are generally two-door coupes and are made for long-distance driving, combined with the luxury of an executive car or full-size luxury car . Long before the luxury SUV segment was defined and became popular, the 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer was marketed at the time as a fully-equipped station wagon. It

4978-479: The 1920s, a town car was a body design typically used for limousines. The description originated from the horse-drawn carriage that featured an open chauffeur's compartment with a fixed roof for the passengers. During that era, the fixed rear roof horse-drawn carriage became a limousine and the term "de Ville" in French meant "for town (use)". In 1922, Edsel Ford purchased a custom-built Lincoln L-Series town car as

5109-531: The 1950s, including the Toyota Crown (1955–present), Prince/Nissan Gloria (1959–2004), Nissan Cedric (1960–2015), Mitsubishi Debonair (1964–1998), Nissan President (1965–2010), Toyota Century (1967–present), Mazda Luce/929 (1969–1991), and Honda Legend (1985–2021). Since the 1980s, overseas sales of Japanese luxury cars have increased, challenging traditional European luxury brands. Several East Asian manufacturers have created sub-brands for

5240-527: The 1970-1979 full-size Lincolns. As the lightest full-size Lincoln in 40 years, the 1980 Continental/Town Car came within less than 200 pounds of the curb weight of the compact-sized Versailles. The new Panther platform meant reduced overall size, better suspension geometry, and upgraded power steering with a reduced turning diameter by over 8 feet (compared to the 1979 Lincoln Continental). For 1984, gas-pressurized shocks were added. To achieve better Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) results, Ford discontinued

5371-458: The 1977 General Motors B-platform redesign, Ford launched the Panther platform for Ford and Mercury (Lincoln was delayed to 1980). In contrast to 1978, the 1979 Ford LTD and Mercury Marquis lost over 15 inches of length and 800 pounds, giving them a smaller exterior footprint than the "intermediate" Ford LTD II. However, full-size sedans were able retain nearly identical interior dimensions through

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5502-637: The 1978 model year; after 1982, the wagon version of the K-car was the sole station wagon sold by Chrysler. Introduced in 1984, the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan were the first minivans to reach production by an American manufacturer. While three inches shorter than the K-cars, the Voyager and Caravan could be configured to hold up to 7 passengers; with seats removed, interior volume closely matched

5633-738: The 1979 fuel crises which eliminated many FR platforms in favor of the more economical front-wheel drive (FF) layout. From the early 2000s, several of these American luxury cars reverted to FR layouts. Since the introduction of the Bentley Continental GT in 2003, additional luxury grand tourers feature all-wheel drive . Prior to World War II , a wide array of European producers made luxury cars, including Rolls-Royce , Bugatti , Delage , Delahaye , Talbot-Lago , Bentley , Alvis , Avions Voisin , Isotta Fraschini , Horch , Simson , Stoewer , Maybach , Mercedes-Benz , Hispano Suiza , Daimler Company , and Spyker . France

5764-416: The 1980s era of downsizing, Chrysler explored alternatives for large family vehicles. After its development at Ford in the 1970s into a running prototype, Lee Iacocca revived minivans at Chrysler as an alternative for full-size and mid-size station wagons, developed alongside the K-cars. Declining sales, along with lack of development funds, led Chrysler to withdraw production of full-size station wagons after

5895-632: The 1984 Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz , the replacement for the Fairmont. For 1986, the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were introduced as the front-wheel drive replacement for the Ford LTD and Mercury Marquis. Although sharing nearly an identical wheelbase, the Taurus was 6 inches shorter than the LTD. Following the introduction of the Taurus, the use of downsizing through the Ford model line largely stopped. At

6026-415: The 1987 America's Cup winning yacht Stars & Stripes 87. Special Edition The 1988 Town Car Signature Series was available with a $ 2,461 (~$ 5,471 in 2023) 'Special Edition package', which included a carriage roof (giving the appearance of a convertible top), wire-spoke aluminum wheels, JBL audio system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and leather upholstery with contrasting-color piping. This replaced

6157-524: The 1988-1989 Town Car would require a redesign of the steering column and entire dashboard, dual airbag were moved to the FN36 project, making them an intended standard feature. In March 1986, the design freeze for the project occurred, with an intended production start of mid-1989. The second-generation Lincoln Town Car would become the first domestic Ford vehicle engineered outside of the company and constructed by foreign suppliers, with International Automotive Design of Worthing, West Sussex, England handling

6288-691: The 1989 model year; neither model line saw a direct replacement. With the exception of the Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler, the 1989 M-platform vehicles were the last rear-wheel drive Chrysler cars produced until the 2005 introduction of the LX platform. For the 1981 model year, Chrysler would adopt a much more radical form of downsizing, replacing the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré with the Dodge Aries/Plymouth Reliant . Known as

6419-427: The 1990s. The personal luxury car emerged into mass popularity and affordability as an America-specific category of popularly-priced cars made from the 1950s by the four domestic manufacturers (GM, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC) that reached peak popularity in the 1970s. The cars were stylized, mass-produced two-door coupés or convertibles , relying on standard components. These distinctively styled cars were targeting

6550-527: The 2003 model year. Cartier Designer Edition In 1982, in a trim level shift, the Cartier Edition was moved from the Mark Series to the Lincoln Town Car. As before, the special-edition package consisted of exclusively coordinated exterior colors and interior designs, with the Cartier logo embroidered in place of the Lincoln "star" emblem on the seats. For 1987, the package underwent a redesign with

6681-590: The 2010s. For example, Rolls-Royce Cullinan , Bentley Bentayga , Aston Martin DBX , Maserati Levante , Lamborghini Urus , and Ferrari Purosangue . Some brands, such as Lincoln , have even moved to an all SUV and/or crossover lineup. Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz , Toyota , Lexus , Buick , Hongqi , Zeekr and Volvo have marketed upscale luxury MPVs as luxury vehicles, mainly marketed for Asian markets. Luxury MPVs generally have 3-rows of six or seven seats; however, range-topping flagship models may also offer

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6812-441: The 351 becoming an option for Ford and Mercury). In Canada, the 302 V8 remained carbureted until 1985. In 1986, the 302 V8 was revised to 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS), following a redesign of the fuel-injection system with the introduction of sequential multi-port fuel injection. These engines are identifiable by their cast aluminum upper intake manifolds with a horizontal throttle body (vertical throttle plate); this replaced

6943-425: The 400 and 460 big-block V8s in its full-size cars. For 1980, a 130 hp (97 kW; 132 PS) 4.9 L V8 (the 302 engine was marketed as a "5.0 L" V8) was standard. A 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS) 351 cu in (5.8 L) V8 was available as an option. Following the introduction of the Lincoln Town Car in 1981, the 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 became the only available engine (with

7074-589: The A-platform shifted to front-wheel drive; the remaining A-platform variants (two-door coupes and coupe utilities) were redesignated under the GM G-platform. For 1988, all GM G-body vehicles were downsized slightly and replaced by the front-wheel drive GM10 platform (later the GM W platform), which also was phased in as the replacement for Chevrolet and Pontiac variants of A-platform vehicles. The downsizing of

7205-679: The Cadillac model line) were downsized, becoming front-wheel drive, mid-size sedans. From 1986 to 1990, the sole rear-wheel-drive sedans produced were the Chevrolet Caprice and Cadillac (Fleetwood) Brougham; the Buick Roadmaster sedan was introduced for 1992. Following the end of the 1996 model year, General Motors ended production of the B-platform. While not intended as a direct replacement, GM sourced sedans based from

7336-531: The Chevrolet Vega in exterior size, the interior dimensions closely matched the previous-generation X-platform sedans. While its A-platform counterpart continued through 1996, the X-platform was discontinued in 1985, replaced by several different designs. To avoid overlap with the GM J platform, the GM L and N platforms did not undergo any significant size reductions, largely ending downsizing through

7467-474: The Continental Mark VII was introduced for 1984, Lincoln pared its full-size line down solely to the Town Car four-door sedan. At the time of its launch, the Town Car had been slated for replacement by front-wheel drive model lines (in anticipation of further volatility in fuel prices); as fuel prices began to stabilize, demand initially rose for the model line, leading Lincoln-Mercury to produce

7598-673: The European Commission. The next category of luxury cars is known in Great Britain as a "luxury saloon" or "luxury limousine," and is known in the United States as a full-size luxury sedan, large luxury sedan, or flagship sedan. It is the equivalent of the European F-segment and the German Oberklasse segment. Many of these luxury saloons are the flagship for the marque and include

7729-486: The Fleetwood Brougham retained its rear-drive platform and styling). At the time, Lincoln marketed the larger size of the Town Car as a selling point. In response to the downsized Cadillacs, Lincoln introduced a series of advertisements in late 1985 titled "The Valet" which depicted parking attendants having trouble distinguishing Cadillacs from lesser Buicks (Electras) and Oldsmobiles (Ninety-Eights), with

7860-650: The Ford Taurus) to become the next-generation Lincoln Continental. In August 1985, Ford designers began sketching and constructing clay models of competing designs under lead designer Gale Halderman and Ford Group Design Vice President Jack Telnack, with a final design chosen in May 1986; two full-scale (1:1) proposals were reviewed by a four-member design committee, chaired by CEO Donald Petersen , Jack Telnack , Ford President Harold Poling , and William Clay Ford , vice-chairman. Various proposals were considered ranging from

7991-642: The GM compact segment. For the subcompact segment, General Motors transitioned its model range to front-wheel drive in 1981 for the 1982 model year. Following the 1980 discontinuation of the H-platform , GM introduced the J-platform , with models for each division (except GMC). While longer in wheelbase than its Chevrolet Monza predecessor, the Chevrolet Cavalier was shorter in length, with higher-efficiency powertrains. Nearly concurrent with

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8122-629: The GM intermediate product lines (A-platform) underwent their own downsizing. Essentially abandoning the intermediate designation in favor of becoming mid-size vehicles, the A-body vehicles adopted a footprint slightly smaller than the X-body compacts. In a reduction similar to the full-size model lines, the A-body downsizing shed approximately 12–15 inches (30–38 cm) of body length and 500–1,000 pounds of curb weight (depending on model configuration). In 1982, GM downsized several of its mid-size sedans, as

8253-789: The General Motors X-platform compact vehicles for 1980 also coincided with the transition of GM to front-wheel drive. Although the company had produced front-wheel drive vehicles since 1966, the 1980 X-cars were the first front-wheel drive GM vehicles outside of the luxury car segment. Replacing the Chevrolet Nova, the Chevrolet Citation (alongside the Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega, and Pontiac Phoenix) shed 20 inches of length, six inches of wheelbase, and 800 pounds of curb weight. While nearly matching

8384-539: The Limousine came with a glass partition between the front and rear seats. In place of the reverse-slant roofline used by all other Continentals (including convertibles), the Town Car/Limousine was styled with a notchback roofline with a heavily padded vinyl top and an inset rear window. In addition to the slightly restrained styling, the change in the roofline was also functional. To add rear-seat legroom,

8515-777: The Lincoln Continental shifting to the mid-size Fox platform; the Panther-based Continental Mark VI was replaced by the Fox-based 1984 Continental Mark VII , sharing its wheelbase with the Lincoln Continental sedan. In the shift to front-wheel drive, the Ford Escort replaced the Ford Pinto and Ford Fiesta. Although larger than the Pinto, the Escort was adapted into several other vehicles, including

8646-417: The Lincoln Town Car became the longest-length regular-production sedan sold in the United States. The second-generation Town Car was developed from 1985 until 1989 under the codename FN36, at a cost of US$ 650 million, led by project manager John Jay. Following its downsizing to the Panther platform in 1980, the Lincoln Town Car was originally slated to be discontinued by the middle of the decade and replaced by

8777-519: The Lincoln Town Car featured many advanced luxury options for its time. Signature Series and Cartier models featured 6-way power seats (and manual seatback recliners) for the driver and front passenger; the Lincoln Town Car adopted a split front bench seat previously seen on the Mark coupes. Several electronic features included an optional digital display trip computer showing the driver "miles to empty" and (based on driver input) an "estimated time of arrival". A keypad -based keyless entry system unlocked

8908-425: The Lincoln Town Car was introduced, consolidating the Continental and Continental Town Car into a single model line slotted below the Continental Mark VI. Identical to the 1980 Lincoln Continental, the Lincoln Town Car was offered as a two-door and four-door sedan (the Town Coupe nameplate was discontinued). Largely overshadowed by its Continental Mark VI counterpart, the Town Car two-door was discontinued for 1982. As

9039-418: The Lincoln Town Car was the first Ford vehicle to feature a CD player as an option (as part of a 12-speaker JBL premium stereo system); while 1984 was the final year for the option of 8-track players and CB radios for the Town Car. In a functional change, the horn button was moved from the turn-signal lever to the steering wheel hub. The door trim was changed from wood to upholstery matching the seats. For 1986,

9170-473: The Lincoln models. Although extended three inches in wheelbase over its Ford/Mercury/Mark VI coupe counterparts, the 1980-1989 versions would have the shortest wheelbase ever used for a full-size Lincoln at the time (10 inches shorter than its 1979 predecessor). The 1980 Continental/Town Car was the shortest Lincoln since the Versailles . In the interest of fuel economy and handling, the Panther chassis reduced weight by up to 1,400 lb (635 kg) compared to

9301-430: The Mark IV coupe, with the Town Coupe given a large rectangular opera window. The Continental Town Car proved to be a success for the division, becoming the most popular Lincoln vehicle of the 1970s (as the Mark IV and Mark V were not technically branded as Lincolns). For the 1980 model year, Lincoln became the final American brand to market downsized full-size cars . In its redesign, the Lincoln Continental shifted from

9432-541: The Mercedes-Benz brand, later joined by BMW , which acquired Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 1998, as well as Volkswagen which much later controlled or acquired additional brands such as Audi , Porsche , Bentley , Lamborghini , and Bugatti brands. In the Soviet Union, the manufacturer ZiL (then called Zis) began producing representational limousines in the mid-1930s. In the early 1950s, GAZ joined with

9563-642: The Mustang ever, the 1974 Mustang II was 6 inches shorter than the 1964½ debut version. For 1977, Ford revised the placement of the Ford Thunderbird in its product lineup. In an effort to split the model from the Continental Mark V , the Thunderbird was made the replacement of the slow-selling Ford Elite (becoming a counterpart of the Ford LTD II and Mercury Cougar). Along with eliminating

9694-632: The North American-specific "intermediate" size segment. As a quicker and lower-cost alternative to complete model redesigns, a second strategy transitioned nameplates of larger vehicles to smaller ones as part of model updates. The term engine downsizing is used when a manufacturer introduces a smaller-displacement engine (though not necessarily lower-output) for a product line in the interest of higher fuel economy. The University of Bath published research carried out by its Powertrain and Vehicle Research Centre which demonstrated that it

9825-791: The R-platform, for 1982, the Chrysler New Yorker and Plymouth Gran Fury nameplates shifted to the Chrysler M platform . An evolution of the compact 1976–1980 Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volaré, the M-platform vehicles matched the 1973–1977 GM A-platform vehicles closely in wheelbase and length. Supported primarily by fleet sales, the Dodge Diplomat (which replaced the Dodge St. Regis) and Plymouth Gran Fury were produced through

9956-636: The Reliant and Aries were classified as mid-size vehicles by the EPA. Alongside the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, over 40 vehicles were derived from the K platform from 1981 to 1995 (not including minivans) in several size segments. Due to its large number of derivatives, Chrysler would replace the K platform in the compact, mid-size, and full-size segments (with the PL, JA, and LH platforms, respectively). In

10087-583: The Town Car adopted a far more contemporary image, bringing it in line with the Continental and Mark VII. In addition, the Town Car adopted a new range of safety and luxury features and would mark the debut of a powertrain that would see usage in a wide variety of Ford Motor Company vehicles. The Town Car was named the 1990 Motor Trend Car of the Year . The Town Car's redesign gave the model a significant sales boost in 1990, helping Lincoln achieve record total sales that year. The second-generation Town Car became one of

10218-467: The Town Car between 1986 and 1989. This decline was mostly blamed on its aging design and the increased popularity of the Continental which had been fully redesigned for 1988. The 1980–1989 Lincoln Continental/Town Car utilized the Panther platform shared with Ford and Mercury. Delayed to the 1980 model year due to engineering issues, the Panther platform meant radically different exterior dimensions for

10349-407: The Town Car name returned as a trim package option, including leather seating surfaces and deeper cut-pile carpeting. For 1971, a limited-edition (1500 produced) Golden Anniversary Continental Town Car commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of Lincoln. For 1972, the Town Car was introduced as a sub-model of the Lincoln Continental model line. On nearly all examples, a vinyl top covered the rear half of

10480-470: The Town Car through the 1980s with few visible changes. Over 200,000 were sold in 1988, the highest ever for the model line. However, this increase was mostly due to an extended 1988 Town Car model year which ran from March 1987 to October 1988 instead of the usual 12-month period. Conversely, the 1987 Town Car with its shortened model year only had sales of just over 76,000. Although remaining Lincoln's top-selling model, calendar-year sales declined each year for

10611-461: The Town Car was marketed directly against luxury sedans from Cadillac and Chrysler . Marketed nearly exclusively as a four-door sedan (a two-door sedan was offered for 1981 only), many examples of the Town Car were used for fleet and livery ( limousine ) service. From 1983 to its 2011 discontinuation, the Town Car was the longest car produced by Ford worldwide, becoming the longest mass-production car sold in North America from 1997 to 2011. While not

10742-460: The Town Car was produced with 11-inch rear drum brakes (identical to its 1989 predecessor); for 1991, they were replaced by 10-inch solid rotor disc brakes. Due to development delays in the Modular engine program, the 1990 Lincoln Town Car was released with the same powertrain as its predecessor: the 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS) 302 cu in (4.9 L) small block V8 engine with

10873-445: The Town Car would go from over a year behind its production date to two weeks ahead of schedule. To lower the development and production costs of the extensive redesign, Ford Motor Company retained the Panther platform for the Lincoln Town Car, continuing its use of rear-wheel drive. In a major change, rear air suspension (introduced as an option for all three Panther vehicles in 1988) became standard equipment on all Town Cars. For 1990,

11004-576: The US. Some luxury crossovers are built on a platform shared with sedans or hatchbacks. For example, the Infiniti FX is based upon the same platform as the Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes. While early luxury crossovers released in the late 1990s have resembled traditional boxy SUVs, later crossovers, such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6 , have been designed with a sporting appearance. Despite

11135-485: The best-selling full-size U.S. luxury sedans. Town Car sales quickly declined again and would drop below 100,000 in 1995 for the first time in over ten years. This decline mirrored what had been going on in the luxury car market as buyers’ tastes shifted more towards nimbler, performance-oriented models, and eventually SUVs. Following the discontinuation of the Cadillac Fleetwood by General Motors after 1996,

11266-571: The bodywork. The rear fascia was redesigned; distinguished by redesigned taillamps, and the trunk lid was better integrated with the rear fenders. For 1986, to meet federal regulations, a center brake light was added in the rear window. For 1988, the grille was updated with a brushed-metal panel between the taillamps, which now featured the reverse lamps. 1989 models are distinguished by special trim features including satin black paint for grille blades, trim between headlights, and amber (instead of clear) front parking lamps. The "Lincoln" front-end badging

11397-679: The cargo-carrying capability of a full-size station wagon. While the Dodge Caravan was an all-new nameplate, the introduction of minivans effectively downsized the Plymouth Voyager, previously the counterpart of the Dodge Ram Wagon. After 1988, Chrysler exited station wagon production entirely until the debut of the LX-platform Dodge Magnum in 2005. Ford Motor Company would become the first American auto manufacturer to introduce downsized model lines, largely as

11528-650: The downsized GM offerings, the Ford Torino and Mercury Montego were updated and renamed the Ford LTD II and Mercury Cougar; while matching the GM B-body sedans in exterior footprints, the LTD II/Cougar remained intermediate-segment sedans in terms of interior dimensions. For the 1979 model year, Ford became the final American manufacturer to introduce downsized full-size product ranges. As a response to

11659-525: The duplication, the marketing revision produced a smaller and less costly Thunderbird that competed against the quartet of GM A-body personal luxury coupes and the Chrysler Cordoba for the first time. As a response to the 1977 GM downsizing of its full-size vehicles, Ford showcased the size of its full-size model line (now longer than a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham ) to consumers skeptical of smaller exterior footprints. To more directly compete with

11790-475: The engineering, while Japan-based Ogihara Iron Works supplying all of the Town Car body panels from its own factory near the Wixom plant. To improve quality of prototypes, project managers broke from automotive industry precedent, requiring successive hand-built prototypes to be built to production-level quality to determine the locations and causes of specific issues of tooling and manufacturing. From 1988 until 1989,

11921-576: The entry-level luxury segment remained strong throughout the GFC, due to prices being lowered to compete with well-equipped non-luxury cars. For example, in Canada, several luxury manufacturers set sales records in August 2009, due mostly to discounted pricing on entry-level luxury vehicles. Some auto manufacturers market their luxury models using the same marque as the rest of their line. Others have created

12052-422: The exterior design of the 1980 Continental/Town Car. As with its predecessors, the Town Car featured nearly flat body sides, sharp-edged fenders, and a radiator-style grille. Hideaway headlamps gave way to exposed halogen headlamps (the first on a full-size Lincoln since 1969). Another first included fully framed door glass (retractable vent windows were now standard); in contrast to its Ford and Mercury counterparts,

12183-417: The first American manufacturer to introduce downsized versions of its full-size product line. By the early 1980s, the downsizing practice had expanded to nearly all size segments as product lines completed model cycles within each company. Outside of the full-size segment, American manufacturers began to align more closely with European and Japanese manufacturers in size segments, leading to the abandonment of

12314-421: The first SUVs produced by these luxury car brands. Some of these early luxury SUV models used unibody construction, becoming part of the trend moving away from the body-on-frame construction traditionally used by off-road vehicles. During the mid-2000s, SUVs from luxury car brands grew by almost 40% in the United States to more than 430,000 vehicles (excluding SUV-only brands like Hummer and Land Rover ), at

12445-419: The front-seat head restraints were replaced with a taller 4-way articulating design; walnut burl trim replaced much of the satin black trim on the lower dash. For 1988, the instrument cluster was updated; for Town Cars with analog gauges, the instrument panel was given round dials in square bezels. In addition, new wood trim was added to the dashboard and steering wheel. At its 1980 launch, the Lincoln Town Car

12576-451: The full-size sedan segment, leaving nothing to sell against European-brand luxury vehicles. For the 1981 model year, Lincoln underwent a revision to transition its full-size model range from three nameplates to one, commencing a multi-year transition throughout all three Ford divisions. For 1981, the Continental went on hiatus, with Lincoln shifting the nameplate to a mid-size sedan for 1982. The Mark VI ended its model cycle in 1983; for 1984,

12707-505: The history of the automobile. Several car classification schemes include a luxury category, such as: Luxury cars have traditionally emphasized higher levels of comfort and safety. Manufacturers often introduce new safety technologies and comfort amenities on luxury models before they are available on more affordable models. Some brands, like Audi and BMW have expanded their marketing by "introducing lesser priced and strip-down economy versions of their products." Luxury vehicles can be

12838-526: The increased popularity of crossover models, traditional luxury SUVs remain in production. Examples include the Lexus LX , Infiniti QX80 , and Lincoln Navigator . Research data from the mid-2000s suggested that luxury SUV buyers did not consider traditional luxury cars (e.g. sedans and coupes), therefore the SUV is becoming the key to bringing new customers into luxury dealerships. Luxury car companies have increasingly introduced SUV or crossover models in

12969-509: The interest of fuel economy and weight reduction, the B/C-platform ended the use of "big-block" V8 engines outside of the Cadillac division; after 1980, a 350 cubic-inch V8 was the largest engine fitted in a B-body chassis. In 1985, General Motors underwent a further downsizing of many of its nameplates using the B-platform chassis. With the exception of station wagons, the full-size cars of Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac (along with most of

13100-482: The lack of a historical legacy has hindered these efforts. In 2014, Citroën introduced DS Automobiles sub-brand to market luxury cars. Pre World War II intermediate car manufacturers like Renault , Fiat , Opel , Lancia , Škoda , Riley , Praga , Peugeot , Hillman and Tatra made luxury cars but were forced to make economy cars and superminis post World War II . Following World War II, Germany rose to become an export powerhouse, building on success with

13231-511: The large end of the compact size range); the intermediate Ford LTD II was not replaced. For 1980, the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar XR7 were redesigned, adopting an extended-wheelbase Fox platform. For 1981, the mid-size Ford Granada and Mercury Cougar (previously a counterpart of the intermediate Ford LTD II) were downsized, becoming higher-trim versions of the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr . While less extensive of

13362-612: The largest production sedan in North America to a design with a smaller exterior footprint than Cadillac. The Continental Town Car returned as the top trim for the Lincoln model range; in its own downsizing, the Mark series introduced the Continental Mark VI . Though technically not badged a Lincoln, the Mark VI shared its chassis and much of the body with the Continental to reduce development and production costs. While Lincoln had brought downsized model lines to production, from

13493-500: The market. In the 2000s, both Ford and General Motors produced luxury pickups: 2002-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT , 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood , and 2006-2014 Lincoln Mark LT . In the late 2000s, the Cadillac CTS and Cadillac DTS led to a resurgence in the brand's luxury sedans. The equivalent sedan from the Ford group, the 2008 Lincoln MKS , was also regarded as a significant improvement over previous models. In 2010, BMW

13624-642: The marketing of luxury cars. The first of these was the 1986 launch of Acura (a Honda sub-brand), followed by Lexus (Toyota) in 1989, Infiniti (Nissan) in 1989, and Genesis (Hyundai) in 2015. The time of the 2007–2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession was the first time since the Great Depression that the luxury car market suffered considerably, something not seen in previous economic downturns. Many such customers saw their net worth decline during this time. For example, some of

13755-474: The needs of individual customers, not an entire family. The longest running model lines were the 1958-1997 Ford Thunderbird , 1956-1998 Lincoln Mark Series , and the 1967-2002 Cadillac Eldorado . In 1990, American luxury brands dominated, with Cadillac selling over a quarter-million cars, and Lincoln had its best year ever at 231,660 units. However, the market was changing with an ever greater acceptance of smaller, more efficient imported luxury brands while at

13886-584: The newest automotive technology. Several models are available in long-wheelbase versions, which provide additional rear legroom and may have a higher level of standard features. Examples of luxury saloons / full-size luxury sedans include the BMW 7 Series , Jaguar XJ , Cadillac CT6 , Genesis G90 , Audi A8 , Mercedes-Benz S-Class , Lexus LS , Hongqi H9 , Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte . Luxury cars costing over US$ 100,000 (as of 2007) can be considered as "ultra-luxury cars". Examples include

14017-427: The platform of a mid-size car (also known as large family car or D-segment ), while some models may be based on a compact car (also known as small family car or C-segment ). Executive car is a British term for an automobile larger than a large family car . In official use, the term is adopted by Euro NCAP , a European organization founded to test for car safety. It is a passenger car classification defined by

14148-499: The postwar era. From 1946 until the late 1990s, Cadillac was the top-selling brand of luxury cars in the U.S., while Lincoln was second. The most successful and long-running model names during this era were the Cadillac DeVille , Lincoln Continental , and the Chrysler Imperial . The Lincoln Mark Series and Cadillac Eldorado were positioned in the personal luxury category, and competition between them continued into

14279-426: The question "Is that a Cadillac?" answered by the response "No, it's an Oldsmobile...or Buick." At the end, the owner of a Lincoln would appear with the line "The Lincoln Town Car, please." The commercial campaign saw the emergence of a new advertising slogan for the brand, " Lincoln. What a Luxury Car Should Be. " which was used into the 1990s. The marketing campaign was unable to turn around declining Town Car sales. It

14410-498: The rear seat was repositioned without any modification to the wheelbase. In the years to follow, both Imperial and Cadillac would redesign the rooflines on their own range-topping vehicles (the LeBaron and Fleetwood Sixty-Special) to appear more formal and limousine-like. One of the rarest vehicles ever produced by Ford Motor Company, 214 Town Cars and 83 Limousines were produced from 1959 until 1960; all were painted black. For 1970,

14541-495: The redesign. For 1980, the Lincoln Continental (renamed Town Car for 1981) became the final nameplate of American full-size sedans to undergo downsizing; from 1977 to 1979, it was the longest mass-produced car sold in North America. Following the downsizing of Ford and Lincoln-Mercury full-size product lines, Ford shifted towards downsizing its mid-size product ranges, adapting them to the Ford Fox platform (introduced in 1978, at

14672-586: The roof, with a full-length configuration optional. A raised molding over the roof incorporated coach lamps on the B-pillars . For 1973, Lincoln introduced a two-door variant of the Continental Town Car, named the Town Coupe. As with the Town Car, the Town Coupe included a standard vinyl roof. As part of the 1975 redesign of the Lincoln roofline, the Town Car adopted the oval opera windows of

14803-558: The rooflines of 1981-1989 Town Cars feature a vertical quarter window in the C-pillar . After only 4,935 two-door Town Cars were sold in 1981, the body style was discontinued for 1982. In the shift from rebadging the Continental to the Lincoln Town Car for 1981, Lincoln replaced the "Continental" badging above the headlights with "Town Car", which was removed in 1984. A padded roof was standard equipment on all Town Cars, with its design determined by trim level. On standard-trim Town Cars,

14934-497: The same time, the domestic manufacturers were downsizing their models with product decisions that backfired on quality and brand respect. Since the late 1990s, Japanese and German brands have sold the most luxury-type cars in the United States. However, the Cadillac Escalade has led the luxury SUV segment sales in the United States since its introduction in 1998, with the highest sales for 15 out of its first 20 years on

15065-595: The similar Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercury Grand Marquis. The final Lincoln Town Car was produced on August 29, 2011. Within the Lincoln model line, the Town Car was not directly replaced; the nameplate was used from 2012 to 2019 to denote livery/limousine/hearse variants of the Lincoln MKT . For 2017, the revived Continental replaced the MKS, closely matching the Town Car in wheelbase and width. In

15196-967: The somewhat smaller "Chaika" model range. In 2018, Aurus Motors was established to produce luxury vehicles for the Russian market. The luxury car phenomenon began at the start of the automobile industry when the wealthy frequently invested in manufacturing such models to gain social prestige. Emphasis was also placed on custom-built coachwork. The 1920s and 1930s were the apogee of production of these very large luxury automobiles from many manufacturers. The significant North American manufacturers from 1910 until 1940 included Auburn , Buick , Cadillac , Chrysler , Continental , Cord , Daniels , DeSoto , Duesenberg , Franklin , Imperial , LaFayette , LaSalle , Lincoln , Marmon , Packard , Peerless , Pierce Arrow , Ruxton , Stearns-Knight , and Stutz . The Great Depression put many luxury car manufacturers out of business; others would hold on before going defunct during

15327-537: The steepest drop-offs came at the high end, including the BMW 7 Series and Rolls-Royce Phantom , and in 2010 Mercedes-Benz dropped the price of the W212 E-Class . The unusually sharp decline in luxury car sales has led observers to believe that there is a fundamental shift and reshaping of the luxury automotive market, with one industry official suggesting that the marques no longer command the premiums that they used to and another saying that conspicuous consumption

15458-419: The time. On average, from 1976 to 1977, engineers shed an average of 12 inches of body length and 750–800 pounds in curb weight (with some vehicles losing over 1,000 pounds of curb weight). For 1977 only, the full-size GM product line adopted a smaller exterior footprint than the A-platform intermediates; careful engineering led to negligible reductions of interior space over preceding full-size vehicles. In both

15589-459: The traditional throttle body with a carburetor-style top-mounted air cleaner previously used. Introduced in the Lincoln Continental for 1980 and marketed in all Panther-platform vehicles in 1981, the Lincoln Town Car was equipped with the 4-speed AOD automatic overdrive transmission, the sole transmission of 1981–1989 examples. All Town Cars from 1980 through 1989 were available with an optional trailer towing package that included dual exhausts ,

15720-545: The use of airbags as passive restraints. By 1988, dual airbags remained nearly unused in cars sold in the United States, with the exception of the Mercedes S-Class ( Mercedes-Benz W126 ) and the Porsche 944 . To comply with the legislation, Lincoln introduced the 1988 Continental with dual airbags, becoming the first Ford Motor Company (and first domestically produced vehicle) with them standard. As adding airbags to

15851-801: The users' higher social status compared to low- and mid-market segment cars. The term is relative and partially subjective, reflecting both objective qualities of a car, as well as the projected and perceived image of the vehicle marque . Luxury brands rank above premium brands , though there is no clear distinction between the two. Traditionally, most luxury cars were large vehicles , though smaller sports-oriented models were produced. " Compact " luxury vehicles such as hatchbacks and off-road capable sport utility vehicles are more recent expansions of luxury qualities in various cars. Increasing comfort features, materials quality, interior space, innovations, and or performance have consistently been competitive strategies between car makers practically throughout

15982-402: The vehicle through a 5-digit combination (factory-programmed or owner-programmed). Mounted above the driver's door handle, the keypad allowed the driver to lock all four doors; after entering the code, the driver could unlock the doors or release the trunk lid. Along with keyfob-based systems, the keypad system is still in use on Ford and Lincoln vehicles (as of 2021). As part of the 1985 update,

16113-611: The window frames were painted matte black. While chrome trim remained around the headlamps and window frames, in a break from Lincoln tradition, it was deleted from the top of the fenders. Though mechanically similar to the Ford LTD and Mercury Marquis (the Ford LTD Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis after 1983), the Lincoln Town Car shared visible body panels only with the Continental Mark VI. In contrast to its Ford, Mercury, and Mark VI counterparts,

16244-510: Was a leading producer of powerful luxury automobiles before World War II. After World War II, the French government used puissance fiscale tax regulations to encourage manufacturers to build cars with small engines, and French motorists to buy them. The Maserati-powered Citroën SM and the Citroën C6 were arguably the last domestic French luxury cars. In the 2010s, some French manufacturers have attempted to develop luxury cars, however

16375-550: Was first phased in as Ford introduced the 1974 Ford Mustang II . Designed before the 1973 fuel crisis, the Mustang II was developed as a response for consumers who felt that the Mustang had grown too large through its various 1960s updates. Shifting from Ford Falcon underpinnings to the Ford Pinto , the 1974 Mustang II shed nearly 14 inches of length and 13 inches of wheelbase from its 1973 counterpart. The smallest model of

16506-454: Was no longer attractive in poor economic conditions. Additionally, mainstream brands have been able to offer amenities and devices such as leather, wood, and anti-lock brakes, previously found only on luxury cars, as the costs decline. However, luxury vehicle sales remained relatively high compared to their non-luxury counterparts. This was aided by growing interest in luxury vehicles from emerging markets such as China and Russia. Sales in

16637-467: Was offered in two trim levels, a standard/base trim and a Lincoln Town Car Signature Series (a name shared with the Mark VI, though with less exclusive features). In 1982, Lincoln adopted the Mark-Series tradition of Designer Series editions as the Cartier Edition was shifted from the Mark VI to the Town Car, becoming the top trim level; the Cartier Edition would remain part of the Town Car line through

16768-459: Was only after an all-new redesigned Town Car was introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year that sales temporarily rebounded. After ten years on the market (nine of them as the Town Car) relatively unchanged, the Lincoln Town Car was given an extensive redesign inside and out, being launched on October 5, 1989, as a 1990 model. In a move to bring a new generation of buyers to the Lincoln brand,

16899-532: Was the best-selling luxury vehicle manufacturer by sales, with Audi and Mercedes-Benz the second and third highest selling luxury brands. Chinese manufacturer Hongqi was launched in 1958, making it the oldest Chinese luxury car marque. Later newcomers joined taking advantage of the rise of electric powertrains, with NEV brands such as Nio in 2014, Lynk & Co in 2016, HiPhi in 2019, and Zeekr in 2021 producing luxury electric and hybrid vehicles. Japanese manufacturers have been producing luxury cars since

17030-420: Was the first off-road SUV to offer a V8 engine and automatic transmission along with luxury car trim and equipment. Standard features included bucket seating , a center console, air conditioning, a seven-position tilt steering wheel, a vinyl roof , and gold-colored trim panels on the body sides and tailgate. By the late 1970s, optional equipment included an electric sunroof. The 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited

17161-488: Was the spiritual successor to the Super Wagoneer and was the first four-wheel drive car to use leather upholstery. The Range Rover was released in 1970 as a two-door vehicle for off-road durability with few "creature comforts." A four-door version was added in 1981, and the model was pushed upmarket in 1983 by introducing an automatic transmission (Chrysler's A727 TorqueFlite ) as an option. The Range Rover had

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