1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible 🇮🇹

The fourth generation of the Continental (1961–1969) was completely redesigned based on a proposal originally intended for the Ford Thunderbird. Lincoln dropped all their other products and made the Continental their sole offering beginning in 1961. This would be the first Continental product to actually carry a Lincoln name badge, previously it was just Continental but now it was Lincoln Continental.

The gigantic proportions of the 1958-60 Continental was replaced with a more normal size car that would comfortably fit in a regular parking space, 14.8 inches shorter with an 8 inch shorter wheelbase. Initially, the car only came as a sedan or four-door convertible. The convertible had a fully automatic retractable top that stowed in the trunk. The innovative top mechanism was one of the main reasons that Car Life Magazine awarded the car the, “1961 Engineering Excellence Award.”

The new Continental in 1961 ushered in two very important marketing innovations. It was the first car to offer a 2-year / 24,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and Lincoln publicly messaged that they would not be redesigning the car every year, a clear jab at rival Cadillac.

In 1964, the Continental got its first of two mid-cycle revisions. The wheelbase grew three inches adding additional leg room for back seat passengers. The roofline was squared off more in the rear and the side glass was made flat to increase headroom. The grille was redesigned making it flatter and more upright while the rear grille was replaced with a much simpler decklid with trim panel. Interiors also got a refresh with a revised full width instrument panel, new door panel designs and a fresh pallet of upholstery options. Yet, the refreshed Continental did not stray far from the design language established in 1961.

Lincoln bucked tradition by not raising prices in 1965, despite adding front-disc brakes to an already lengthy list of standard equipment. Styling updates were minimal.  A vinyl roof covering for sedans was a new option at $105 and proved quite popular. Air conditioning, which now reached a 90-percent installation rate, at  $505 and individual power front seats at $281 were the only other extras.

The fourth generation of the Lincoln Continental was a sales success, although Ford executives hoped for a lot more.  Sales increased every year starting in 1961, peaking in 1966. The convertible was never a big appeal to buyers. Convertible sales stayed below 4,000 units before the body style was dropped completely after 1967. But, Lincoln was unable to make a dent in Cadillac sales. During the 1960s Lincoln was selling 33,000 to 55,000 cars per year, while Cadillac was moving 150,000 to 200,000 plus cars per year.