This Capri was one of the largest cars Lincoln ever built — bigger than the Cadillacs and Imperials it competed with, with styling even its own era called excessive.
Lead trim: Capri 430 cu in MEL V8 (1959) · up to 375 hp
Lincoln Capri1958–1959
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Lincoln Capri yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThis Capri was one of the largest cars Lincoln ever built — bigger than the Cadillacs and Imperials it competed with, with styling even its own era called excessive.
These were the first Lincolns produced at the new Wixom, Michigan plant, on a unibody platform like the Lincoln-Zephyr and the original Continental; although brochures argued Continental Division was still a separate make, the car shared its body with that year's Lincoln. The Capri was the base model of the Lincoln line, with the Premiere positioned higher in standard equipment. Lincoln lost over $60 million during 1958–1960, partly reflecting the expense of developing perhaps the largest unibody car ever made, and the 1958 full-size Lincoln sold poorly in all models because of the U.S. recession. On a 131.0 in wheelbase and 229.0 in long (227.1 in in 1959), 80.1 in wide and up to 4,810 lb (landau sedan, 1958), they are the longest Lincolns ever produced without 5-mph bumpers, larger than contemporaneous Cadillacs and Imperials, with canted headlights and scalloped fenders whose styling many considered excessive; the 63.1 in front and 63.0 in rear shoulder room set a Lincoln record that still stands. The all-new 375 hp 430 cu in (7.0 L) MEL V8 with a 3-speed Turbo-Drive was a welcome addition (11-inch drum brakes; the page gives no 1959 rating). 1958 sales were 6,859 (the landau sedan making up almost half at 3,014), and 7,929 in 1959, but the Capri was not renewed for 1960, when a namesake "Lincoln" model line combining the Capri's trim with the Premiere/Mark V facelift replaced it (a 2-barrel carburetor reduced the 430 to 310 hp across all three).
Collectors Spotted in the Lincoln Capri Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Lincoln Capri yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capri 430 cu in MEL V8 (1959) | 1959–1959 | 7.0 L V8 | 350 hp | 490 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Capri 430 cu in MEL V8 (375 hp, 1958) | 1958–1958 | 7.0 L V8 | 375 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This Capri was one of the largest cars Lincoln ever built — bigger than the Cadillacs and Imperials it competed with, with styling even its own era called excessive.
The 1956-57 Capri borrowed its look from two space-age show cars, the Mercury XM-800 and the Lincoln Futura — Lincoln chasing the Space Race on a production sedan.
The Capri wasn’t just a showroom cruiser — it raced in the Pan American Road Race’s stock car class from 1952 to 1954, sweeping first through fourth in 1952 and 1953, then first and second in the race’s final year.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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