Lincoln Premiere
Between 1956 and 1960, the Lincoln Premiere was a mid-priced luxury car between the Capri and the Continental Mark II. 1956 was also the year that Lincoln unofficially declared war on Cadillac, and the upstyled Premiere was to be a major weapon in that fight. In fact, some people content that the Premiere was the best-looking Lincoln ever built.
Bill Schmidt depended heavily on the Mercury XM-800 show car from 1954 when he designed the Premiere. However, he gave the new car a wider wheel base and a greater overall length. So, both the two-door and four-door versions could easily accommodate six people. Today, collectors highly prize these automobiles, especially the ragtops and convertibles. They are quite rare. In fact, the ‘56 Premiere convertible was the only such model that Lincoln produced that year.
1956-57 Premiers
These vehicles had a number of cutting-edge features to draw customers. For example, the factory-installed air conditioning used ceiling-mounted vents instead of dash-mounted vents. The mechanism pulled air from the top of the car using clear plastic vents, cooled it, then blew it into the passenger area. Other examples include the Multi-Luber push-button lubrication and Linc-o-matic automatic transmission. Additionally, some features which were optional on lower-priced models, such as four-way power seats, were standard on the 1956 Premiere.
Beneath the hood, the Premiere had a 285hp V8 engine. ‘57 Premieres had a 300hp engine, which was still less powerful than the Hemi engines inside many of the Premiere’s competitors. In addition to independent front suspension that gave drivers added control, these vehicles also had the rear fins and hooded headlights that were typical of many Lincolns produced during that era.
1958-60 Premiers
These Premieres were among the longest and heaviest cars ever produced. Partially because of this design, and also partially because of the car’s unibody construction, Lincoln lost about $60 million in 1958. A nationwide recession certainly did not help. The Premiere’s marketing placement also hurt. Most buyers would rather splurge for a Continental or go with a more modestly-priced Capri.
For these second-generation Premieres, designers added two extra headlamps, bigger fins, and more chrome. To some, these additions made the new Premieres ostentatious even by late 1950s standards. There was no corresponding engine upgrade, which may have made the new Premieres slightly underpowered. That might have helped depressed sales. However, that extra bulk also meant extra room, especially in the back seat.
