1985 Lincoln Continental Only21k on 2040-cars

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2020 Lincoln Corsair gets a price, and there's a wide range

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair configurator is open for business, and that means we also know the luxury compact crossover's price. It starts at $36,940, including the $995 destination charge. If you try your hardest and tick every single box Lincoln lets you, it's possible to get the price above $60,000. We're not suggesting you do that like we did, but it's always interesting to know how high it can go. Read everything we know so far about the 2020 Lincoln Corsair The base price gets you a Corsair "Standard" that is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder making 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque sent to the front wheels. If you want all-wheel drive, Lincoln forces the selection of the "Standard I" equipment package, which ends up resulting in a $3,600 increase. That package consists of ambient lighting, a universal garage door opener, navigation and 18-inch wheels. One of the more expensive boxes you're likely to check on the entry-level trim is the Co-Pilot360 Plus Package for $3,050. That includes a bunch of driver assistance gear like adaptive cruise control, lane centering, sign recognition and evasive steering assist. A $2,500 Premium Package nets premium leather seats, a panoramic roof and 19-inch wheels. 2020 Lincoln Corsair View 12 Photos Of course, you can skip a lot of the option and package jumping by choosing the "Reserve" trim that begins at $43,625 with some premium stuff already included. This also unlocks the ability to get the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, which makes 280 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Selecting this forces the Reserve I package and all-wheel drive onto the table, which gives you a ton of equipment, but also increases the price by $6,740. This makes the cheapest Corsair with the most powerful engine start at $50,365. You can go crazy from there, tacking on the Reserve II Package for features like adaptive suspension, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, wireless charging pad, digital gauge cluster and rain-sensing wipers. Like we said, this thing can get near or over $60,000 without much effort. The Corsair's base price compares favorably to other compact luxury crossovers like the $41,995 BMW X3 and $40,700 Mercedes-Benz GLC. However, adding in a desirable option like the higher-output engine brings the price up considerably.

Junkyard Gem: 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III

The story of the Continental features plenty of fascinating plot twists during its off-and-on 1940-2020 history, and one of the most interesting is the car that resulted from the decisions of the Ford Motor Company's mighty warlord during the 1960s: Lee Iacocca. That was the 1969-1971 Continental Mark III, a car that printed bales of money for Ford. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those cars, found in a Northern California car graveyard recently. Iacocca wanted a Lincoln to compete with Cadillac's snazzy new Eldorado coupe, and he wanted to do it on the cheap. Since the original Mustang had been so profitable in large part because it was based on the Falcon compact, the same philosophy would be used for the new Lincoln coupe. The Ford Thunderbird, which had become a well-over-two-ton behemoth by 1967, would provide the Mark III's platform; this had the added benefit of using excess production capacity at the T-Bird's assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan. Focus groups disliked the Mark III, but Iacocca and Henry Ford II ignored them and pushed forward with production. This worked out well; Mark III sales beat the Eldorado's immediately and the platform-sharing with the Thunderbird kept costs low and profits fat. Along with the Mustang and the Chrysler minivan, the Mark III stands as one of Iacocca's greatest business triumphs. These cars used to be reasonably easy to find in wrecking yards, but they've been junkyard rarities for at least the past decade. This one lived a hard life. The 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8, rated at 365 horsepower and 500(!) pound-feet of torque, was gone when I arrived. The chrome received a gold-plating treatment by a customizer at some point. It's possible that this car was once a good-looking lowrider, but that would have been decades ago. About the only remaining hint of its former opulence is the rear seat. The MSRP for this car was $7,281, or about $59,286 in 2023 dollars. The 1970 Cadillac Eldorado cost $6,903 ($56,208 now). Of course, the out-the-door cost for both cars would have been quite a bit higher, after not-so-optional options had been added by the customer. This individually decisive motorcar has no peer.

Lincoln dons the Black Label

"We're really trying to simplify for the customer on their terms." - Paul Bucek
Lincoln is launching a Black Label service and customization program in December at 32 dealerships across the country in a bid to attract new and more upscale customers.