Lincoln Continental Mark VII

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Lincoln Mark VII
Manufacturer	Lincoln
Parent company	Ford Motor Company
Production	1984–1992
Assembly	Wixom, Michigan
Successor	Lincoln Mark VIII
Class	Personal luxury car
Body style(s)	2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Platform	Ford Fox platform
Engine(s)	5.0L 225 hp V8
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	108.5 in (2756 mm)
Length	202.8 in (5151 mm)
Width	70.9 in (1801 mm)
Height	54.2 in (1377 mm)

See Lincoln Mark for a complete overview of the Lincoln Mark Series.

The Continental Mark VII, later shortened to just Mark VII, was a rear wheel drive luxury coupe from Lincoln. Introduced for the 1984 model year, the Continental Mark VII shared its platform with the Ford Thunderbird, Mercury Cougar, and Lincoln Continental (the Ford Fox platform from the code name of the first program using the platform. The Fox platform was originally introduced for the 1978 Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr. The same platform was also utilized as the base for the 1982 - 1987 Lincoln Continental sedan - the Mark VII's four-door companion. Like it's predecessor the Lincoln Continental Mark VI, the Mark VII was manufactured at the Wixom Assembly Plant in Wixom, Michigan through 1992. It was replaced by the Lincoln Mark VIII in 1993.

The Mark VII held a lengthy standard equipment list, including an onboard trip computer / message center and digital instruments (on all except the LSC models after 1986). Mark VII's also came with full air suspension at all four wheels. It was the first American vehicle with electronic 4-channel anti-lock brakes (6 months before the Corvette). Mark VII also had the distinction of being the first American vehicle with composite headlights.

Contents 1 Trim Levels 2 Engines 3 Mark VII National Club 4 External links 5 Awards 6 Lincoln Mark Series 7 In Pop Culture

[edit] Trim Levels

There were 4 trim levels to start with: Base, Versace Designer, Bill Blass Designer, and LSC. The Versace had unique stitched seats, the Bill Blass had pillow top seats with the initials "BB" etched in the backrest. By 1988, only the Bill Blass and LSC remained.

The LSC was a performance oriented model, designed to compete against European luxury coupes like the BMW 630/635CSi and the Mercedes-Benz 500/560SEC. It had a stiffer suspension, dual exhaust, sport leather seats, a higher output engine (until 1988 when all came with the 225 hp (168 kW) 302 from the Mustang GT) and sport styled 15-inch (380 mm) rims. Base Mark VIIs and the designer series had wire rims and even an optional geometric rim. In 1988, 16 in (406 mm) turbine rims appeared on the LSC. For 1989, 16 inch rims based on the BBS RA Series appeared on the LSC. In 1991, the wheels became standard on both the Bill Blass and the LSC as the LSC suspension was standardized across the board. The LSC also had analog gauges (1986 onward) with a speedometer, tachometer, fuel level gauge, coolant temperature gauge, and separate trip and regular odometers. The Bill Blass model continued with digital instruments - just a speedometer, fuel level gauge, and trip odometer. All Mark VII's featured a power deck-lid release (through an interior mounted button) and electric pull-down, in which the trunk lid was partially lowered by hand, and then automatically pulled down about an inch by a motor mounted inside the trunk latch. Also standard on all Mark VII's was an automatic dimming high-beam module. This worked via a sensor located adjacent to the rear-view mirror, and sensitivity could be adjusted by a dial located on the dashboard. Of notable mention is the Mark VII GTC, a Lincoln-Mercury dealer-sold car built by Cars & Concepts with monorchromatic paint, a body kit, and available performance upgrades. A select few were sent to Jack Roush Performance for suspension enhancements and optional 5.8L and T5 manual transmission conversions. The Comtech Mark VII, with a CRT touch screen, may only have existed in prototype form.

Trim Levels by year:

• 1984-1987 Continental Mark VII (Base)
• 1984-1985 Versace Designer Edition
• 1984-1992 Bill Blass Designer Edition
• 1984-1992 LSC (Luxury Sport Coupe)
• 1990-1992 LSC SE (Monochromatic paint and trim, Midnight Black, Garnet Red Metallic, Electric Current Red Metallic and Titanium Metallic)

[edit] Engines

The engine choices were a 5.0 L V8 and an ultra-rare (200-500 made) 2.4 L Straight-6 diesel. The diesel was a BMW design with a turbocharger. Rumors have it that a 5-speed manual transmission was bolted to at least 1 of these diesels. It was available on all trim levels until the engine was dropped after 1985.

Engine options:

• 2.4 L I6, 115 hp (86 kW) Diesel (1984-1985) w/ ZF 4 Speed Automatic

Several variations of the 5.0L V8

• 140 hp (104 kW) CFI (1984-1985) w/ AOD 4 Speed Automatic
• 180 hp (134 kW) CFI (1985 LSC) w/ AOD 4 Speed Automatic
• 150 hp (112 kW), (112 kW) 250 ft·lbf SEFI (1986-1987) w/ AOD 4 Speed Automatic
• 200 hp (149 kW) SEFI (1986-1987 LSC) w/ AOD 4 Speed Automatic
• 225 hp (168 kW) 300 lbf.ft (407 Nm) SEFI (1988 - 1992 ALL) w/ AOD 4 Speed Automatic

[edit] Mark VII National Club

• Mark VII Club

[edit] External links

• lincolnsonline.com: A very informative forum with helpful members.
• fordvschevy.com: A good source of Mark VII information.
• thelincolnmarkviiclub.org Another very informative forum with helpful members.
• www.westcoastlincolns.net: Community for West Coast Lincoln owners.

[edit] Awards

The Mark VII LSC was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1986.

[edit] Lincoln Mark Series

Lincoln Mark Series

[edit] In Pop Culture

In the television series Dallas, Jenna Wade (Priscilla Presley) drove a gold Mark VII. In the last few episodes, J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) drove a silver Mark VII. His character's father, Jock Ewing (Jim Davis) drove a silver 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V.

Timothy Dalton drives a Lincoln Mark VII while in Key West, in the 1989 James Bond film "License to Kill".

On the television series Knots Landing, Karen Mackenzie (Michele Lee) drove a Mark VII in the middle years of the series. She was the owner of 'Knots Landing Motors'. Although never mentioned directly, it is presumably a Ford franchise as new Ford vehicles are featured in the showroom's background.

v • d • e Lincoln, a luxury division of Ford Motor Company – road car timeline, 1970s–present
Type	1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Mid-size																																					Zephyr/MKZ
								Versailles																							LS									MKS
													Continental						Continental							Continental			Continental
Personal	Mark III		Mark IV					Mark V			Mark VI				Mark VII									Mark VIII
Full-size	Continental					Continental					Continental		Town Car								Town Car								Town Car
SUV																																		Aviator
																													Navigator					Navigator				Navigator
Crossover																																						MKX
Pickup																																	Black­wood				Mark LT

In King of New York, Actor Larry Fishburn drove a 1988 Black LSC