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Junkyard Gem: 1979 Lincoln Versailles

Sometimes a car manufacturer creates a chassis design that continues to make money for decade after decade, and that's just the jackpot that the Ford Motor Company hit when it built the 1960 Ford Falcon. While that car itself stayed in production in Argentina all the way through 1991, the real payoff for Dearborn came with the many vehicles that ended up being built on modified versions of that platform. There was the original Mustang, of course (and its Mercury Cougar sibling), but also the Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet and its successors, the Ford Granada, Mercury Monarch and Lincoln Versailles. That last car is one of the rarest of all the 1960 Falcon descendants, and I've managed to find a nice example in a boneyard in Sparks, Nevada. The Lincoln Versailles wasn't the first Ford product to be named after Louis XIV's pad in France. That honor went to the mid-1950s Ford Vedette Versailles, a flathead V8-powered sibling to the Simca Vedette and Chambord. The Lincoln Versailles was built from the 1977 through 1980 model years. The idea was that it would compete with the very successful Cadillac Seville, a Chevy Nova-based luxury sedan that debuted for the 1976 model year. These cars were not big sellers, with just over 50,000 produced during their four model years. This one is the first junkyard example I've seen for at least 20 years. The Versailles came with a sturdy 9-inch rear axle assembly and was equipped with disc brakes all the way around. Since it bolts straight into a 1964-1973 Mustang (and many other related Fords), a Versailles rear is always the first thing purchased when one of these cars hits the junkyard. This one probably got yanked by the very first junkyard customer who recognized what it was. The interior is still very, very nice. The front seats appear to be the "Flight Bench" split-bucket type, done up in turqouise "Champagne Dorchester" cloth. You wouldn't see an interior this luxurious in a Granada! And I would know, since I took my first driver's test in my family's 1979 Granada. A factory AM/FM/8-track radio came as standard equipment in this car. For an extra $321 ($1,395 in 2022 dollars), you could have a factory CB radio as well. The aftermarket also provided trunk-mount CBs. A Cartier-badged mechanical-digital clock was also standard equipment. This is essentially the same clock that went into much cheaper Fords of the decade. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Ford extends shutdown, Stellantis confirms layoffs due to chip shortage

Ford and Stellantis this week announced new production cuts due to the global semiconductor shortage, with popular models including the Ford F-150 and Jeep Grand Cherokee facing cuts. Stellantis plans to temporarily lay off workers at one facility as production is curtailed.  According to Automotive News, Ford is extending shutdowns at some of its North American facilities into May. The Blue Oval has been forced to reduce or idle production of both its redesigned F-150 pickup and the popular Explorer due to the chip shortage. The Mustang, Transit, Edge, Lincoln Nautilus and Aviator will also continue to be affected. Stellantis is planning to temporarily lay off workers at a Jeep plant in Detroit during April and May due to a shortage of semiconductor chips. The company will cut two work crews at its Jefferson North plant in Detroit for three weeks starting April 26, then call them back and lay off a third crew from May 17 through the week of May 31, according to a schedule obtained by Bloomberg News. The plant on Detroit’s east side normally operates two shifts with three work crews six days a week to keep it running 20 hours a day. “Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry,” company spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement. “Due to the unprecedented global microchip shortage, Jefferson North will adjust its production schedule through the end of May.” Jefferson North employs about 4,800 hourly workers and makes the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the top-selling Jeep model last year, and the Dodge Durango SUV. A redesigned version of the Grand Cherokee is scheduled to start production in August, according to researcher AutoForecast Solutions. This article contains reporting from Bloomberg. Plants/Manufacturing Ford Jeep Lincoln Technology chip shortage

2025 Lincoln Navigator spy photos reveal overhauled styling

Prototypes of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator have been circulating for several months, but this is the first time we've seen one wearing less-modest camouflage, showing off elements of its new body and trim for the first time. Lincoln's big family hauler has been around long enough — since 2018, in fact — that it's due for a redesign. It was updated in 2022, when it gained BlueCruise (then called Lincoln ActiveGlide, a name the brand has since left behind) and lost a little horsepower. From what we can see here, the 2025 Navigator will retain most of its core styling. The belt line crease on its flanks is still obvious beneath this camo, as is the gradual taper to the rear portion of the greenhouse. The hood appears to retain its generally soft shape, and in fact may even be more bulbous than the one it replaces. We can also see from the front angle here that Lincoln is playing around with the Navigator's lighting "signature," with more upright components likely replacing the narrow, horizontal slits under the current model's swoopy headlamps.  The changes in the rear appear to head in the other direction. Rather than softening the tailgate, Lincoln's designers seem to have put down their sanders in favor of chisels. The sharp outward protrusion beneath the rear glass is new, and we're guessing it houses a full-width taillight setup similar to, but more pronounced than, the current look.  Details remain sparse, but with Cadillac inching ever closer to releasing the Escalade IQ (it's due next summer), we wouldn't be surprised to hear that Lincoln is stepping up its electrification game for the next round. The company's 10-speed automatic transmission was designed from the ground up to handle a hybrid system. Is it time? Related video: Featured Gallery 2025 Lincoln Navigator Spy Photos View 11 Photos Green Rumormill Spy Photos Lincoln SUV Future Vehicles Luxury