100 Years of Excellence: Celebrating Lincoln History
Established in 1922, Lincoln has been one of the defining forces in luxury automobiles for the past 100 years. To celebrate our centennial, we’re taking a moment to reflect on where we’ve been and look forward to where we’re going! It’s been a long road since our founding years and the introductions of the very first Lincoln vehicles, and we’re proud of our past and excited for the future. To celebrate 100 years of quality, craftsmanship, and true vehicle excellence, take a look at some Lincoln history with us!
THE BIRTH OF LINCOLN
Henry M. Leland was a notable machinist, engineer, and automotive entrepreneur in American history. Not only is Leland our founder here at Lincoln, he also founded Cadillac in 1902 with none other than Henry Ford after he left the Ford Motor Company. After seven years of working on Cadillacs, Leland sold the company to General Motors in 1909, although he remained on as an executive until 1917.
In 1917, several years into World War I, Leland left his position as President of Cadillac, feeling compelled to do something to aid his country in the war. In response to this surge of patriotism, he started the Lincoln Motor Company, manufacturing Liberty V12 aircraft engines. This continued until the end of the war, when Leland and his son, Wilfred, switched gears from making aircraft engines to making luxury automobiles.
At the beginning of 1920, the Lincoln Motor Company was officially recognized as an automaker, and later on that year, the very first Lincoln car, a 1921 Model L, was born.
BUILDING A LEGACY
The Lincoln Model L ran on a 357.8 cubic inch engine that produced 90 horsepower, and it cost $4,300 in 1920. Henry Leland was so well known for the precision of his vehicles that each one read “Leland Built” on their radiator badges. However, they struggled to capture the style and look that people expected from their vehicles, and in 1921 Lincoln was struggling financially, but was saved when Henry Ford purchased the company for $8 million. His son Edsel Ford took over as president in 1922 and began a new era of Lincoln vehicles.
Lincoln began to strive to be at the forefront of automotive innovation, and introduced lots of great features to their vehicles, including debuting coach doors on the Continental in 1961, adding integrated visor-mounted garage door openers on the Lincoln Versailles in 1977, and launching its first hybrid electric vehicle– the MKZ Hybrid– in 2010. In 1997, the 1998 Navigator was released, and later went on to become the #1 selling vehicle in the luxury SUV segment. It was a century of hard work and dedicated persistence, but eventually Lincoln became what it is today!
A FUTURE OF INNOVATION
Lincoln has its roots in both classic craftsmanship and forward-thinking innovation, and that’s exactly what we plan to emphasize as we begin building a new century of our history. We have big things in the works that we can’t wait to introduce, such as Lincoln’s first ever fully electric vehicle debuting next year, an important step towards our goal of having a fully electrified lineup by the year 2030. We also plan to continue refining our technologies such as Lincoln ActiveGlide and our Grand Touring plug-in hybrid models.
1936
Lincoln Zephyr Sedan
1940
Lincoln Zephyr Continental Cabriolet
1949
Lincoln Cosmopolitan Convertible
1954
Lincoln Capri Coupe
1955
Lincoln Continental Mark II Coupe
1961
Lincoln Continental Convertible Sedan
1979
Lincoln Town Car
EMBARKING ON A NEW CENTURY
From the start, Lincoln has always focused on developing forward-thinking ideas that enhance driving experiences for everyone. We've continued to add sophisticated new features over the years, but have always stuck to our core values: craftsmanship, quality, and carefully-designed details that enliven the senses. As we boldly enter our next century,
Here’s a closer look at the future of automotive luxury and Lincoln innovation.
Lincoln’s First All-Electric Vehicle Arrives Next Year
Our first all-electric Lincoln is just the start of our commitment to a fully electrified lineup by 2030. Equipped with advanced features and services, by mid-decade our goal is for half of Lincoln sales around the world to be zero-emission vehicles.
PLUG-IN HYBRID MODELS
Our Grand Touring vehicles deliver premium power and advanced capabilities as Lincoln continues to evolve and shift toward electrified performance. Today, there are three PHEV options within the Lincoln lineup — the Aviator Black Label Grand Touring, Aviator Grand Touring, and Corsair Grand Touring. Featuring twin-turbocharged engines and plug-in hybrid technology, our Touring models deliver unmatched capability, convenient charging, and versatile options for choosing the most convenient ways to use your Lincoln’s electric power.
The innovative 2022 Navigator boasts a wide range of impressive updates and new features, like a 13.2" infotainment display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a convenient 5.8" display located between the captain's chairs in the second row. We are also delighted to show our newest technology, ActiveGlide, that works as a hands-free driver aid for relaxing luxury behind the wheel.
LINCOLN ACTIVEGLIDE
Our Lincoln ActiveGlide technology uses a combination of sophisticated camera, radar, and driver monitoring technologies. It also gives drivers access to a signature mapping system that offers a Level 2 advanced driving assistance feature that will become available on future Lincoln vehicles. In practice, after a driver enters a designated Hands-Free Blue Zone that is safe for hands-free operations, ActiveGlide can take complete control of the vehicle to offer a reliable and relaxing hands-free driving experience.
With a proud history in the rearview mirror and a bright future through the windshield, Lincoln is an automaker that has earned its reputation for quality, innovation, and excellence! We’re grateful for all of our loyal customers who have come on this journey with us, and we’re excited to have you join us for the new things to come. If you’re interested in seeing what we have in store, take a look at our current inventory here!