The Lincoln Versailles was not a bad car despite the reputation of that era and having been obviously designed after the much less expensive Ford Granada. This 1977 Lincoln Versailles with 41,000 miles looks like it was just plucked from the showroom, it appears to be in time-capsule-like condition. It’s being offered up at the Outstanding Auction at Cowtown Acres in Peshtigo – in Peshtigo, Wisconsin on May 19th.
Ford’s Lincoln division was looking for a response to Cadillac’s Seville which was meant to help Cadillac with fuel economy in their offerings after the gas crunches of the early-1970s. The Seville also gave somewhat of a nod towards better handling imported cars which were becoming more popular in the US market. Lincoln needed a competitor for the Seville, which at that point owned the US personal luxury car market. The new-for-1975 Granada/Monarch platform would be the one that Ford used and it’s hard to not see a Granada when looking at a Versailles. The 1979 and 1980 models are my personal favorites with the elongated rear roof treatment and two-tone paint. I think that’s an almost perfect design and a perfect size. I don’t need a 19-foot long car, ever.
This example looks like it was just driven out of a showroom. The auction house has a couple of this owner’s cars up for sale at the same auction and they say that “All of these cars are in Immaculate Condition from a lifetime Collector.” This one looks perfect and I would have to believe that a first-year Versailles will eventually be collectible. It’s 41-years old now and a lot of us grew up in this era and we look for cars like this one, or we will eventually. The trunk is almost nicer than our house is, if sadly not actually nicer than our house is. It’s plush!
Other than some wear on the dash vent on the right side, for some odd reason, and a small spot on the carpet also on the right side, I don’t see a single thing else in the interior that doesn’t look like new. The door panels look perfect and the back seat, for being basically in a Granada/Monarch, looks like it would be a nice place to ride around France in while being driven to Versailles. The Versailles used very high-end materials and had almost flawless fit and finish but sales were hurt at least partly due to the fact that it was based on the cheaper Granada.
Ford didn’t go all crazy-go-nuts on this engine like Cadillac did with their Seville, this one came with either a 302 V8 or a 351 V8 with between 122 and 135 hp. There is no mention how this one runs but I’m guessing that it runs as perfectly as it looks. Some investigation before the auction would be wise, however. I would love to have a Lincoln Versailles, it’s just enough unusualness for my unusual tastes. For the record at the auction, Hagerty is at $6,900 for a #2 excellent 1977 Versailles. Have any of you owned one?
I had a chance to buy a Versailles in 1987, still kicking myself for not anteing up for it
There’s been an incredible one donated to our museum. It’s to be sold.
I was a supplier to Ford during that time, and one of the inside jokes about the Versailles was, “Gosh – it looks JC Whitney has somehow developed a grille kit for the Granada” (which was originally going to be the ’75 Maverick, and which had Pinto underpinnings), so triple the fun. It was not only “designed after the Granada”, it was a Granada with the usual more stuff on/in it to be sold as a Lincoln. All in all, not exactly Ford’s best effort.
No Pinto underpinnings. The Versailles was just a highly evolved Falcon.
I think the Seville is a better looking car, but would be happy with either.
I have an 84 Seville and the only thing I don’t like about it is that the 4.1 is slow. Other than that, a nice riding car.
My Dad’s second last car was a 79 Versailles.
I was amazed at how nice it was to drive and how much it did feel like a “baby Lincoln”.
Unfortunately it had mechanical issues that defied all repair attempts and was quickly dealt on an 80 Chevy Caprice.
Hello Bill
I’ve had the pleasure to have had 3 Versailles, the first was of course my dream car…in 1980 was a 1979 triple silver with bucket seats and wire wheel covers. Should have kept that one!Anyone have a nice one for sale with buckets?
These were odd cars, a front of a Lincoln, and the back of a Granada. May have been the answer for the late ’70’s, but to me, a mere shred of what a Lincoln used to be.( and I took my road test on the old mans ’68, so I know what big Lincolns are like.)
Many of these were sacrificed for their disc brake rear axle assemblies. I know I did it to one that was well past its prime. The 9″ disc brake rear end lives under my ’68 Mustang now.
Best thing about these cars. Rear end and front end for disc brakes for ‘Stangs.
Scrap the rest.
Finest materials? The absolute finest in thermoplastics available. And how many board feet of plastic walnut applique went on that dash? And I’m sure no amount of hyperbole was spared in the advertising of these. Strained Ford’s resources to the utmost, I’m sure. A really shiny turd!
Well, my 1978 VW Rabbit had a lot of cardboard dashboard material, so imports at the time hardly did the job better than the domestics.
We used to have a Mercury Monarch we purchased new in 1976. It was a fine car, until it ran off the road in black ice and went down a steep embankment of broken up concrete being used as riprap and into the Long Tom river. Totaled the car but it did drive even after that.
For anyone here studying Marketing, the Versailles would have been considered a ‘me too’ product.
I had an employee who bought a new Versailles when the model was first released – he absolutely loved the car. Outside of a bit of added styling and maybe some somewhat upmarket materials, I couldn’t see where the premium was over my father’s amazingly-reliable, high-mileage ’76 Monarch.
Gee I thought it was a Mercedes! Lol. The best part of that was the disc brake rearend! Great for 65-66 mustangs!
Make mine Dove Gray, with Grey leather or velour interior. Second choice would be Jade Metallic with matching leather or velour. Beautiful car then, beautiful car now.
If you put the car in park, you couldn’t get the 8-track tape out of the radio! Leave it to FMC to probably engineer a theft deterrent for your Peter Frampton tape.
Reminds me so much of a Granada.