Turquoise is like, one of my favorite colors for cars of the ’50s. So when I saw these exquisite photos of a 1959 Mark IV Continental recently auctioned at Bonham’s Cars, I became–rhapsodic!
I imagine myself walking into this scene: I behold the pale blue sky and I feel the warmth of the California sun, contrasted with the sharp coolness of the distant mountains. The verdant palm trees pierce the sky with their pointed green leaves. Ranch-style haciendas with clay tile roofs recall the glory of Colonial Spain. Pink flowers add a note of cheer in the foreground…
…and, in the center of it all, this tour-de-force of Mid-Century Modern car design. A stylist’s bold vision, forever stilled in metal and glass–its rich turquoise hue brings to mind the sparkle of a fine jewel; the beauty of the deep blue sea.
I approach closer. I see canted headlights–a unique styling note that makes it seem even wider than it is. There’s the respected “Continental” name in elegant gold script. A silver Continental star sits confidently atop the broad hood. There was no more Continental Division in 1959, but the name was used for the top tier Mark IV, although very much based on the Lincoln.
The rear is all angles and points, suggesting rockets and advanced aircraft. The tail lights resemble jet exhaust pods–ready to light up and launch this vehicle into the stratosphere. Dreamers of the 1930s and ’40s imagined such cars would come to be in the year 2000–but it’s here in 1959.
The broad, flat, reverse-angled, power-operated rear window with its chrome canopy suggests architectural trends popular at the time. Its sweeping flourishes give a sense of forward motion.
A chromium jet soaring forward suggests swift, effortless travel. Turbine wheelcovers remind you of the Continental Mark II.
I grasp the door handle, open the vault-like driver’s door and take a look inside. The bubble windshield, “War of the Worlds” automatic headlight dimmer, jet-cockpit steering wheel with chrome horn ring effortlessly controlled by power assist–all these things tell us: Certainly, this is “The car of the Future.”
The view behind the wheel: boldly futuristic, yet surprisingly minimalist. One of the most beautiful steering wheels ever. What a privilege it would be to actually drive this machine–every man a king; every woman a queen!
The artistic yet functional instrument panel in burnished gold. Rocket knobs control various functions. Turning the AIR SYSTEM knob rotates the broad needle in an adjacent gauge, which lets you select ventilation, degree of heat, and windshield defroster. Such imaginative engineering!
Roominess! With that open-air feeling of hardtop design.
Matching blue interior: rich, sumptuous; modern yet classical, with its button-tuck bolsters.
You can see and feel the quality workmanship in these door panels: power window switches, side-view mirror adjuster, sleek inside door handle, stylized fabrics, bright metal accents–a Victorian mansion on wheels–but styled for the Jet Age.
Under the forward-tilting hood: a 430 cubic inch V-8 engine with 350 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque. Thundering power at the tip of your toe. Modern upgrades are visible.
We now bid adieu to this fabulous Continental. In case you’re curious, it recently sold for $29,120, which includes the 12% auction premium.
These 1958, ’59, and ’60 Lincolns were all of one generation–being the longest, lowest, most spacious, and most powerful Lincolns ever built. The 1958 model introduced a new engine, new suspension, and unitized body construction along with all-new styling. There were many unique options offered including an FM radio tuner, automatic starting, push-button power lubrication, automatic headlight dimming–and many artistic and subtle color choices, single and two-toned (roof painted a contrasting color). In many ways, these cars were considered “the ultimate”.
In 1961, the 1958-60 generation was superseded by an all-new Lincoln Continental. We can see some design continuity between the two–the emphasis on a flat, boxy, rectilinear profile; and the very sparing use of chrome trim. It turns out that the ’61 Continental really was the “Car of the Future” as its styling elements set the stage for the look of cars throughout the 1960s and beyond. As to which generation of Lincolns and Continentals is better–I would say that each expresses a form of greatness in its own way. It’s really a question of taste. I will say that there was a certain kind of “magic” in the 1958-60 models, with their bold sculpturing and space age inspiration. Despite their rather low production numbers, quite a few of them have been preserved–which shows that these Lincolns were built with quality, and that some people truly appreciated what they had; cars that were in their own way, uniquely special.
Further CC Reading:
Vintage Ad: 1959 Continental Mark IV Town Car and Limousine–“Masterpieces of Rare Beauty”–Emphasis On The Rare by Paul Niedermeyer
1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Coupe–Fallen Riches by Stephen Pellegrino
First, I simply adore that color. That light metallic turquoise remained popular well into the 1960’s. This car approximates the interior color of my 66 Fury III, and I loved being surrounded by that color every time I got into that car for the entire 4 years I owned it. Somehow, I never got a car painted that color. If anything had been close on any new car I ever bought, I would have chosen it in a heartbeat.
You also dredge up my boyhood crush on these, which was probably at its peak when I was around 13 years old. My best friend’s father maintained that they were complete junk, and had stories of one owned by an exec at the company where he worked when it was a fairly new car. I didn’t care – if I had come across one for sale when I was a teenager, I would have bought it. And probably run out of money immediately once its aging components started giving up, one by one. So thanks for this one, you have made my morning!
One problem so many of these had was that the big clear piece of glass (or plexiglass, not sure which) over the instrument panel would get a big vertical crack in the middle of it. I read somewhere that someone started making a reproduction of a stronger material, it looks like this one was replaced (or the owner has artfully arranged the steering wheel to keep it out of the photos).
Also, I wonder if this car was the inspiration for the very similar steering wheel on the 66 Olds Toronado
I love the turquoise as well. My mom had 2 different shades of turquoise for her Chevy Bel Airs, a 1961 followed by a 1967. Then she reprised a similar color for her ’93 Mercury Sable (during the early 90s resurgence of teal and turquoise).
Amazing, what a piece of art.
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when that car was sold originally. I want to see the moment where someone walked into the showroom and said THAT’S the car I want.
These cars make a 1958 Buick look restrained: they are just peak ‘bad taste’. I do like the colour though.
I think these Continentals are adorably grotesque. I’m at once fascinated and horrified by them. So many gratuitous design elements seem to be violently opposing one another. Yet, their presence is unescapable and unmistakable. This beautiful color is particularly forgiving of its eccentricities and proclivities. In a modern world where so many cars look like nothing, it’s sobering and intoxicating to see a car that looks like everything.
Yes, there is everything right and everything wrong with this car. Angles jutting out everywhere, curves and circles and sharp angles. Amazing it could even move under its own power.
Yet the colour really sparkles.
$29K doesn’t seem like a wildly overpriced number for this rolling contradiction.
Agree with this entire assessment. (Even though I LOVE the car.)
It is absolutely fascinating, when ‘modern’ custom builders talk about something that does or “Just doesn’t Flow”.. this Lincoln, as much as I love most every detail, I wouldn’t say any (even any 2) of these detail items ‘Flow’ in any sense of the word.
Still love it though.
29K seems lower than I would have expected as well.
$29K of some unknown other person’s money doesn’t seem much for this.
If we were talking $29K of mine, well…..no sale.
I also love turquoise as well as the teals in the 1980.
As a child I was impressed by these 1958-60 Lincoln’s, especially the 1958 models. I am also very fond of the 1957-58 space age themed Mercury Turnpike Cruisers. Back when these Lincolns were new a neighbor had a 1958 or 1959 Lincoln convertible, triple black. The convertible’s also had the drop-down back-glass. Wow, that was really special.
I hate the styling but love the color. My dad’s ’64 Continental was the same or similar color, with leather seats with a metallic turquoise finish to match. As the leather aged, the finish cracked, unlike vinyl.
That steering wheel evokes an aircraft yoke with the black part, the white kind of disappearing into the background.
I still have my AMT 3-in-1 model of a convertabile version. Mine has a REAL leather interior thanks to scraps I scrounged from a, IIRC, wallet factory when we lived in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. in the early 50s! It also has 4 POST spring “suspension” where the 4 screws attach the chassis to the body shell. Sadly I painted mine in a now very mundane silver metallic. Frankly I always considered this a design that only George Barris could love, altho the Turquoise color does help immensely! 🙂 DFO
I’m sold! Where do I sign to drive off in my new Lincoln Continental? Great essay, Stephen. I have always liked these cars. They are a dream.
Robert’s description of these being “adorably grotesque” is spot-on. The color scheme and background are absolutely perfect, though. It’s amazing that the gorgeous 60’s Continentals came right on the heels of this lovable monstrosity.
Minor personal pet-peeve of mine: clean up those tires!! I’m surprised the auction house didn’t address that before posting those photos. They don’t have to be slathered in Tire Wet, but at least give the blackwalls a good scrubbing and a mild dressing. The rest of the car looks so spotless in comparison.
An eloquent paean to these truly amazing cars that look unreal. I was aware of Cadillacs as a kid in Austria but not these, and it was a huge shock the first time I encountered one. They were extremely rare in Iowa City. I was quite blown away. As I still am every time I try to take one of these in.
It was Lincoln’s moon shot, and it didn’t quite make it, but I’m glad they tried.
A fantastic, over the top automobile for when too much isn’t enough .
My late friend Garnet Kelly had one of these way back in the day, he rented it out for use in a Lucille Ball movie .
This is more flamboyant than my ’65 Lincoln was, glad to see there’s still a few left .
-Nate
Interesting to see an AC compressor under the hood yet no factory AC controls or vents inside the car. Couldn’t see any evidence of dealer or aftermarket AC either – but that compressor must be connected to something.
There is a long, thin, black aftermarket AC panel under the dash. I had to enlarge the dash photo to see it, because I wondered the same thing.
The auction site photos show a basic black plastic aftermarket A/C unit under the dash. Not like the elaborate factory installation at all!
Wouldn’t the position for factory air be in the lower left quadrant of the dial?
I doubt there was a way to route aftermarket a/c through those hollow armrests on the front doors to cool off the back seat, though.
There’s an article in this site about the 58-60 Lincoln HVAC setup, but I can’t figure out how to link to it.
These cars were very rare in Canada. The first time I saw one was about the year 2005, when I saw on for sale next to the highway. I stopped for a look and I was just flabbergasted that such a car could exist! All the lines and styling features were just over the top, especially those headlights. The styling was not so successful as not that many were sold. Pretty tough to compete with Cadillac in those days.
I think most of us have mixed feelings about these cars. At a fundamental level they’re arguably grotesque, but at some point you experience them more as expressive of a time and place. And that time is certainly gone forever, so fantasy and nostalgia start creeping in.
The colour is fantastic, making it seem lighter and more ethereal than its enormous mass and complexity would normally permit. The only aspect that doesn’t fit the overall look for me is the instrument panel. It’s simple to the point where it suggests a place marker for some final (richer and more bejewelled) design that will come later. In a car with overwhelming amounts of detail it seems a little underwhelming. ‘Simple elegance’ isn’t what this car is about!
For me cars of the 50’s are filtered through my perception of them as the child I was at that time (i.e. somewhere between 3 and 4 feet tall). The details on cars of that era – Buicks, Mercury, Cadillacs, Lincolns – were all the more stunning when experienced at eye level. This one would have been an early acid trip.
Amazing condition for one of these, given that many parts for it haven’t been made in years. Restoring a ’58-60 Continental is not like restoring a ’55-57 Chevy.
That is quite a beautiful car. If I’m not mistaken, the 1958 to 1960 Marks were still badged Continentals, not Lincolns. They didn’t become Lincoln Continentals until 1961.
It’s a bit less than perfectly clear cut. The Continental Division was folded into the Lincoln Division on July 18, 1956. For the 1958 and 1959 model years, the name Continental still existed but it was now now clearly a variant of Lincoln. In 1958, it was still referred to as “Continental Mark III” in the brochure shared with Lincoln. In 1959, that was clearly changed, and now it was used as a suffix to the “Mark IV” name. The 1959 brochure is for both the Lincoln and the Mark IV (see below), and the Continental is repeatedly referred to as “Mark IV Continental” to avoid making it sound like Continental was still a genuine brand of its own. And for MY 1960, the Mark V was now fully dubbed “Lincoln Continental”. It was all part of a phased transition.
So technically yes, this is a Mark IV Continental, but clearly a product of the Lincoln Division. And as such, it can be helpful to have the Lincoln name up there in the title for reference. But I will edit out the Lincolns in the text.
Thanks for the clarification, Paul. Very interesting the way they did it.
Love the car, and this take on it. The details shown in the pictures make it easy to get lost in what each stylist had meant to convey with east pointed piece of chrome, stylized dingbat, and button-tufted piece of upholstery. And I immediately heard Gershwin in my head when I had originally read the title. Nicely done, Stephen.
”Its rich turquoise hue brings to mind the sparkle of a fine jewel; the beauty of the deep blue sea”
It reminds me of something that may live in the deep blue sea.
Sorry Mr Pellegrino I couldn’t resist.
An amazing car in a beautiful color.
Amazing, condition. Amazingly, huge. Finding covered parking for something this massive would be a job.
Maybe the ’61 Lincoln overrides all, but to me this car, no matter how upmarket, screams Mercury. In a visual sense. Might or might not have been that way in person, but to me decades later that’s what I see.
Mercury is not a bad thing, but it’s not a Lincoln.