Vehicle Description
Following the downsizing and adoption of the Panther platform for
the 1980 model year, the Lincoln division was faced with a critical
issue. After the discontinuation of the compact Lincoln Versailles
early in 1980, Lincoln was left with two full-size sedans. Although
each brand-new for the model year, the Lincoln Continental and
Continental Mark VI were functionally identical vehicles. Aside
from the "Continental tire" trunklid and hidden headlamps of the
Mark VI, the two vehicles offered little differentiation.
The Lincoln Continental made its return in early 1981 as a 1982
model. To further separate Continental from the Town Car, Lincoln
designers shifted the car into the mid-size segment. Though again
marketed against the Cadillac Seville, the 1982 Lincoln Continental
was never officially considered by Lincoln as the replacement for
the Versailles. Marketed solely as a four-door sedan, the
Continental was the first (and currently, only) Lincoln ever to
wear the "Continental trunklid" of the Mark series. It shared its
wheelbase and powertrain with the Mark VII introduced for the 1984
model year.
Using the lessons learned from Lincoln Versailles and badge
engineering, Lincoln stylists took great care to differentiate the
expensive Continental from the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar
XR7 sharing a common chassis with it; unlike the Versailles, no
visible body panels were shared.
Shifting from the Ford Panther platform to the Ford Fox platform,
the Lincoln Continental became a mid-size car for the first time.
In its redesign, the Continental would lose nearly 9 inches in
wheelbase and 18 inches in length, along with over 400 pounds of
weight.
Although it would be the shortest-wheelbase Lincoln ever (at the
time), the Continental would use a stretched 108.5" wheelbase
version of the Fox platform used by the Ford Thunderbird and
Mercury Cougar. In marked contrast to its Cadillac Seville
competitor, which switched to a front-wheel drive GM platform, the
Continental retained the use of rear-wheel drive.
The 1982 Lincoln Continental was fitted with two different engines.
The standard engine was a 131 hp carbureted version of the 5.0L V8.
At no cost, a 3.8L V6 (shared with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury
Cougar64 #fn64) was an option; it was the first non-V8 Lincoln
since 1948. Both engines were discontinued for the 1983 model year,
replaced by the fuel-injected 5.0L V8 from the Town Car. All three
engines were fitted with the 4-speed Ford AOD overdrive
transmission. As a response to the diesel engine options available
in Cadillacs and a number of European luxury brands, Lincoln
introduced an optional 114-hp 2.4L turbodiesel inline-6 sourced
from BMW (with a ZF 4-speed automatic transmission) for 1984. WIth
only 1,500 sold, the diesel-powered Continental was rarely ordered
and discontinued after the 1985 model year.
The seventh-generation introduced two features as industry firsts:
gas-charged shock absorbers and self-sealing tires.
Here at Hollywood Motors, we pride ourselves on selling quality
classic cars at affordable prices. Please keep in mind that all of
our classics are pre-owned vehicles, not new vehicles. We describe
these automobiles to the best of our knowledge, and place many
photos on our website. We are not responsible for misprints or
typos. With any pre-owned vehicle, there may be minor
imperfections, and we encourage you to come and inspect our
inventory in person before you buy any vehicle.
