When the Lincoln Mark VIII debuted, it showcased the flexibility captured within the big-body sedan’s massive redesign. It was no longer simply a dressy version of the Thunderbird, or a step up from a Mustang with leather seats. It was suddenly a Lexus competitor, a car that was blessed with three of the most critical ingredients: great looks, solid power, and a healthy assortment of technological doo-dads that made it drive far better than a car this size should. This particular Mark VIII is offered here on Facebook Marketplace for just $5,500, which looks like a steal.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Terry for the find. Despite all of those attributes, the Lincoln hasn’t waltzed into the automotive history books as an absolute home run. When they do show up, they still attract a crowd, and as such, I wouldn’t expect this one to stay listed long. It’s a shame they don’t always command a higher price, especially when cars like this one appear to be in very good condition for having 100,000 miles. The paintwork appears clean with no major dings or dents running down the sides. I suspect many of these were used gently as grandpa cruisers when they were new.
Lincoln didn’t just stop with the exterior, however; it also chose to thoroughly massage the cabin. The interior refresh marked a dramatic shift for Lincoln, coming across as equal parts modern and comfortable. Traditional Lincoln shoppers were not disappointed by the comfortable surroundings, along with acres of leather. New customers would appreciate the quick steering with excellent turn-in and feel, as noted by road test editors at the time. The center console is home to a trusty 4R70W 4-speed automatic transmission.
When new, the 32-valve four-cam V-8 came with an elaborate plastic engine cover, which was apparently discarded in this car. That’s no big loss, but it does dress the engine bay up a bit. Power and torque are both healthy, with 280 b.h.p. and 285 pound-feet of torque, good enough to project the big coupe to 60 miles per hour in under 7 seconds. Taking all that in, this is still a terrific option for a daily driver or a car to limit to weekend use on backroads or the interstate. For all the talk of how expensive fun cars have become, this is one of the last great bargains.
I’ve always liked the Mark VIII’s. Specifically inside: the curved, flowing instrument panel and the close-at-hand console-mounted controls. I also liked the styling, especially the first few model years with the smaller headlights. They came in some attractive colors.
In hindsight, they were quite the change from the tidier Fox-based Mark VII. Today, I’d say the Mark VII (LSC especially) has a bigger following, but these do have their charms.
I agree with Jeff’s write-up, this one looks good for 100,000 miles, and it’s cheap. You won’t see yourself coming and going. Kind of the end of the two-door large personal coupe era?
Agreed. These seem to be under appreciated cars
Good deal already gone.
My biggest worry with this car would be the 28 year old “technological doo-dads”. Can those things even be replaced or repaired? Other than that, these were top of the line.
The “click to edit” thing never works for me. I meant to say 28.
I’ve got three Lincolns. An 87 Mark 7, and 89 and 99 Town Cars. I’ve owned the two older cars for over twenty five years and never had any major problems. Used and new parts are still readily available for all three.
Sold. Not surprised; nice car, little money.
Had a 98 in dark green metallic. The air suspension gave a nice balanced ride. Always gave me a smile when coming off the highway you could feel and see the car rising. Loved that wrap around dash too. This LSC in red is most tempting. Nice write up.
If they still built these, I’d buy one….
…the whole idea of competing with the Germans as if we had an Autobahn was idiotic. We have interstates with speed limits… The expensive cars went from cushy to uncomfortable…. hard seats and stiff ride.
We Boomers are retired and the kids are gone… we want large comfy 2 doors with a huge trunk so we can travel comfortably…. we don’t want to take the airlines anymore… we did that.
In fairness, I bought a new 94 Chrysler LHS back then which had extremely cushy seats and a nice ride, and got 27 mpg at 70…. was the last of the American large cars. Ford and GM took the ”German thing” too far… and then the cars turned into football looking crossovers… sheesh.
Had a 93 in this color. With that 4.6L engine and suspension, these drove like a hot rod. Got a speeding ticket the 2nd week I had it. Also averaged 26 mpg on the hwy.
did they come with a bmw diesel
That was the Mark VII (and the Continental), from the mid-80’s. The uptake rate was apparently quite low, perhaps a few thousand units in total.
I like the VIII much more than the VII. I saw 2 Mark VIIIs at a car show that were hot rodded. One is unusual, two are cool. I would be very tempted to use Mustang engine/5 speed for more fun.
Always wanted on of these, but as bud lee pointed out, those high tech doo dads are long out of production. Tried to get an OEM alternator for my 2009 Town Car this week. All gone. For whatever reason, depreciation killed the VIII. Town Cars sell for far more
rock auto has 2 dozen choses
Back when Lincoln knew how to build REAL luxury cars.
I have a 97 MarkVlll, all black with 90,000 miles. Show room clean. Runs strong. I love cruising in it.