Lincoln Continental Mark VI

Side-by-side comparison: 1980 Mark VI and 1978 Mark V

The Continental Mark VI is based on the Ford Panther platform, shared with the Lincoln Town Car and other Ford Motor Company full-size cars of the 1980s into the late 2000s in North America. The Mark VI is rear-wheel drive with body-on-frame construction; it is fitted with coil-spring suspension on all four wheels.

In comparison to the Continental Mark V, the Mark VI is 800 pounds lighter and nearly 14 inches shorter than its predecessor. The Mark VI is the only version of the Panther platform that is built on two different wheelbases. The four-door sedan shares the 117.4 wheelbase with the Lincoln Continental/Town Car; the two-door utilizes the 114.4 wheelbase shared by the Ford and Mercury variants prior to 1998.

In order to remain in compliance with increasingly stringent federal fuel economy standards (under CAFE, Ford Motor Company was required to average 20.0 MPG for all of its vehicles for 1980), significant changes were made to the powertrain for the Continental Mark VI. The 460 and 400 cubic-inch V8s seen in the Mark V were replaced in favor of lower-displacement V8 engines.

The standard engine for the Mark VI was a 302 cubic-inch V8, producing 140 hp. The first Ford V8 produced with fuel injection, the engine was marketed by its 5.0L metric displacement (slightly rounded up from the technical 4.94L figure). As an option, a 351 cubic-inch (5.8L) V8 was offered; it used an electronically-controlled 2-barrel carburetor. After 1980, the 351 was discontinued on the Mark VI, due to poor sales and the lack of a distinct power advantage over the 5.0L V8.

Both engines were paired to the AOD automatic transmission; introduced for 1980, the AOD replaced the commonly used 3-speed configuration with a 4-speed overdrive configuration, significantly lowering engine RPMs (and fuel consumption) at highway speeds. The 4-speed AOD was standard equipment on the Mark VI and all Lincolns (except the Versailles) for 1980 and was adopted by Panther-chassis Ford and Mercury vehicles for 1981.

Continental Mark VI with optional touring lights (1982 Signature Series two-door)

As the Mark V remained throughout its production, much of its sharp-edged design played a role in the design of the downsized Panther-platform Lincolns.[1] While the hardtop roofline of the two-door was replaced by a fixed B-pillar (with framed door glass), the Mark VI two-door shared a similar roofline with its predecessor; the four-door shared its roofline with the Lincoln Town Car (distinguished by oval opera windows).

In line with its flagship model status, the Mark VI had more ornate styling than the Lincoln Town Car, including hidden headlamps, fender vents (non-functional), C-pillar oval opera windows, and forward-sloping taillamps; the Continental tire trunklid returned nearly unchanged from the Mark V.

The Mark VI also was one of the first cars seen with several features commonly seen today; it came with the all-new Keyless Entry System, digital instrumentation (VFD), and trip computer. Also, it was the first year for the EEC III engine management system which kept fuel economy high and emissions low, an industry first.

As an unusual option, the Mark VI offered "touring lights", which mounted low-power lights on the hidden-headlamp doors. The touring lights were turned on when the headlight switch was in the parking light position. While giving a soft glow, they did not provide sufficient light to drive in dark conditions and did not function as daytime running lights. This generation was also installed with Ford's "Auto Lamp" feature, and if the system was active, the touring lights would not be used when the conventional headlights came on (stowing the touring lights).

Alongside the standard Continental Mark VI, two additional trims were offered within the model line, including the Designer Editions and the flagship Signature Series.

For 1980, the Signature Series was available in both coupe and sedan formats. Intended as a successor to the 1979 Collector's Series option package, the Signature Series included nearly every available feature as standard equipment. The option was offered with either burgundy or silver exteriors; all vehicles came with a red interior (leather or velour upholstery). When first introduced in September 1979, final cost could exceed $24,000 USD which converts to approximately $84,545 in today's dollars.

Unique features included a rechargeable glove box flashlight, special seat sew pattern, gold and Macaser Ebony wood treatments and a complete digital instrument cluster with fully electronically controlled EEC III engine with a 4-speed AOD, and a leather-bound tool kit in the trunk.

The Signature Series returned for 1981; red and silver exteriors were again offered, with black and white exterior colors becoming an option near the end of the model year. As with 1980, all examples were produced with red interiors, in leather or velour. For 1982 and 1983, the Mark VI Signature Series underwent a revision, as it became available in any exterior and interior color offered for the Mark VI. The tool kit and glove box flashlight were no longer featured as well.

1980 Continental Mark VI Bill Blass Edition two-door

For 1980, Designer Editions made their return to the Mark Series coupes, including Cartier, Pucci, Bill Blass, and Givenchy Editions. As before, each Designer Edition option carried exclusive exterior and interior color combination and additional equipment over the standard-trim Mark VI; these editions remained unchanged through 1982.

For 1982, the editions underwent a shuffle of sorts, with the Pucci edition moving from the sedan from the coupe. The Cartier edition was shifted from the Mark VI to the Town Car, leaving the Bill Blass and Givenchy edition coupes.

For 1983, the Givenchy Edition was shifted to the Continental, leaving the Bill Blass coupe and Pucci sedan; a coupe version of the Pucci edition made its return as a mid-year introduction.