Lincoln

Lincoln is a luxury automaker that produces high-end vehicles for the American market. As a subsidiary of Ford, Lincoln distinguishes its models from those of its parent company through additional luxury features, more powerful engines, and unique styling.

Lincoln's lineup includes cars, pickups, and SUVs, with a history dating back to 1917 when the company was founded by Henry Leland, the man behind Cadillac. The brand was named after Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, who was Leland's childhood hero. Early Lincoln models included the L Series and K Series, but the brand struggled financially and was ultimately purchased by Ford in 1922.

In the 1930s, Lincoln established itself as a luxury-car maker, producing premium status-mobiles that competed with Cadillac. The launch of the Zephyr in 1936, inspired by the sleek design of a diesel-powered express train, was a big success for the brand, and at one point, nearly 80 percent of all Lincolns sold were Zephyrs.

The '40s saw the introduction of the glamorous Continental, developed by Edsel Ford, son of Ford's founder Henry Ford. The Continental's distinctive "suicide-style" rear doors and use as U.S. presidential limousines made it an iconic vehicle of the '60s, with more than 1 million Continentals sold.

In the '70s, Lincoln launched the Mark IV and the Versailles, the latter of which failed to impress due to its similarity to its less exclusive twin, the Ford Granada. In 1981, Lincoln released the Town Car, which became the brand's flagship vehicle. The Mark series continued to evolve, with the introduction of the Mark VI and the Mark VII, which could even be powered by a BMW turbodiesel engine.

The '90s saw the debut of the Mark VIII, with its four-cam V8 and air suspension, as well as Lincoln's first SUV, the Navigator, based on the Ford Expedition. The new millennium marked the debut of the midsize LS sedan, which shared much of its platform with Jaguar's S-Type sedan. More recently, Lincoln has updated its lineup with the MKS and MKZ sedans and the MKX crossover SUV. While some of its offerings fall short of the competition in areas such as performance and refinement, Lincoln remains a favorite of car buyers seeking all-American luxury.