When this Continental’s run ended in 1948, so did an era: it’s the last car from a major American automaker ever sold with a factory V12.
Lead trim: Continental 292 cu in Lincoln-Zephyr V12 (1940–1941) · up to 125 hp
Lincoln Continental1940–1948
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Lincoln Continental 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.
FactWhen this Continental’s run ended in 1948, so did an era: it’s the last car from a major American automaker ever sold with a factory V12.
The Lincoln Continental debuted for the 1940 model year as a personal luxury car (a coupe and a cabriolet designed by Bob Gregorie, 1938; developed from an Edsel Ford prototype of 1939), based on the Lincoln-Zephyr (Zephyr from 1941) and, after the war, on the standard Lincoln (internally H-Series). Powered by the 292 cu in (4.8 L) Lincoln-Zephyr V12 on a 125.0 in wheelbase, it was 209.8 in long, 75.0 in wide and 62.0 in high for 1940–41 and 218.1 in, 77.8 in and 63.1 in for 1942–48, 4,000–4,300 lb. The Continental received minimal updates through 1942: push-button door catch releases for 1941, and for 1942 squared-up fenders and a revised grille replacing the "waterfall" style (only about 200 of that type were built before wartime suspension of production). It returned as a 1946 model with a refreshed grille, walnut wood trim added for 1947, and 1948 was the last year, as the division redeveloped its 1949 line as an upgraded Mercury; Bob Gregorie left in 1946 after the death of Edsel Ford. Base retail was US$2,727 for the coupe and US$2,778 for the cabriolet; the trunk-mounted spare tire inspired the term "Continental tire". The 1939–1948 Continental is recognized as a "Full Classic" by the Classic Car Club of America, and the 1948 Continental and 1948 Lincoln were, as of 2015, the last cars produced and sold by a major U.S. automaker with a V12 engine. The page gives no horsepower rating.
Collectors Spotted in the Lincoln Continental Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Lincoln Continental 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental 292 cu in Lincoln-Zephyr V12 (1940–1941) | 1940–1941 | 4.8 L V12 | 120 hp | 220 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Continental 292 cu in Lincoln-Zephyr V12 (1942, 1946–1948) | 1942–1948 | 4.8 L V12 | 125 hp | 220 lb-ft | — | 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
When this Continental ended production in 2020, it took the last Lincoln sedan sold in America with it — the brand has been SUVs only ever since.
When this Continental died in 2002, Lincoln didn't give its successor the name back — the closest replacement arrived seven years later as the alphanumeric MKS.
This Continental made Ford the first American carmaker to put airbags on both sides of the dash as standard — only Porsche's 944 Turbo had done it first, anywhere in the world.
For 1985 this Continental quietly became an ABS pioneer, adopting 4-channel anti-lock brakes far more advanced than the "Sure-Track" system Lincoln had used back in the 1970s.
The 1982 Continental quietly introduced an American first: gas-charged shock absorbers, tech so effective Ford later retuned it for the Mustang SVO.
This 1980 Continental made Lincoln the last American brand to finally downsize its full-size cars — and the shortest Lincoln since the Versailles.
This generation held the line as a full-size land yacht longer than any other American nameplate — Lincoln didn't downsize the Continental until the 1980 model year.
This generation’s convertible ditched its roof but not the weight: frame reinforcements to compensate made it one of the heaviest passenger cars Ford ever built.
The 1959-60 Continental Town Car and Limousine hold a grim superlative: the heaviest American standard-wheelbase sedans built since World War II.
The 1958 Continental Mark III convertible is the longest mass-produced convertible in US history — beaten by only one car ever built, the ultra-rare 1934-37 Cadillac V16.
When this Continental’s run ended in 1948, so did an era: it’s the last car from a major American automaker ever sold with a factory V12.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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