When Bigger Was Better: 1977 Lincoln Mark V Cartier

There was a time when a luxury coupe could stretch nearly 20 feet, wear enough chrome to catch a parking lot’s attention, and carry an engine big enough to make fuel economy an afterthought. The 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V was a fine example of Detroit’s land-yacht era. Listed on Craigslist in Ionia, Michigan, this Lincoln shows 64,000 miles and is priced at $18,500 or best offer. The seller describes it as a two-owner, garage-kept car with a clean title and no rust.

The Cartier was part of Lincoln’s Designer Series, which brought a fashion-house approach to automotive trim. Along with editions bearing the names of Bill Blass, Givenchy, and Emilio Pucci, the Cartier featured coordinated colors and special interior touches. This car’s Dove Gray finish, matching vinyl roof, opera windows, concealed headlights, and turbine-style wheels make it a distinctive example of the era.

I have a personal connection to this particular Mark V. When I was 12, my childhood friend’s father bought a brand-new one in this exact color combination. I can still remember seeing it for the first time and thinking what a beautiful car it was. That impression stuck with me, and I’ve wanted one ever since. There’s just one problem: my garage isn’t big enough. If it were, I’d be working out a deal with the seller right now, with the Lincoln parked right alongside my 1991 Ford Mustang GT convertible!

Then there’s the engine. This example has the optional 460-cubic-inch V8, a big-block with a four-barrel carburetor rated at 208 horsepower and 356 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers might not sound like much from 7.5 liters, but the 460 was built for effortless low-speed pull. The three-speed C6 automatic was well suited to the job. California buyers couldn’t get the 460 in the 1977 Mark V because of emissions requirements.

The Mark V has a couple of interesting quirks. Its hidden headlight doors run on engine vacuum rather than electric motors, and aging vacuum lines can make a parked Lincoln look like it’s winking at you. The raised trunk-lid hump mimics the external spare-tire styling of earlier luxury cars, though the actual spare sits inside the trunk.

The seller says this Lincoln earned a Top 20 award at St. Ignace and points readers toward photos of the underside. Would you take this Mark V with its 460 V8, or would you rather have one of the smaller-engine versions? Thanks to Tony Primo for sending this Lincoln our way.