Thirty years ago in 1993, Lincoln upped its game in the personal luxury segment by kicking off a six-year production run for its new Mark VIII coupe. The Mark VIII was both longer and wider than the outgoing Mark VII, and best of all, it had a motor that would later be repurposed in the Ford Mustang Cobra.
The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Letart, West Virginia. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Garage-kept, excellent condition,” the listing says.
This coupe comes from the Mark series’ last generation, as there was no direct successor to this model. In fact, the “coupe” market in general has all but dried up in the new-car marketplace today aside from sports cars and a handful of hatchbacks. The Mark VIII rode on the FN10 chassis and shared engineering with the Ford Thunderbird, the Mercury Cougar, and – as we’ll see shortly – the Ford Mustang.
A facelift was applied in 1997 that brought rounder front and rear fascias, a larger grille, and an aluminum hood. In addition, the “hump” in the trunk lid that was reminiscent of the spare tire enclosures of prior generations became significantly toned down.
In line with the car’s luxury aspirations, appointments were relatively advanced for the time. The Mark VIII came standard with automatic climate control, two-position memory for the driver seat, illuminated keyless entry, and automatic headlights. On top of that, buyers could opt for a power moonroof, an upgraded JBL audio system, and more. For model year 1996, the base price of the Mark VII crept above $40,000 for the first time, commanding $40,290 at dealership showrooms.
Showing just 32,853 miles on the odometer, today’s example is well-preserved. Performance buffs take note: Power comes from a 32-valve InTech 4.6-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. This Modular V8 was closely related to the engine that would later power the fourth-generation Mustang Cobra, making this Lincoln a bit of a “sleeper” in terms of driving dynamics.
The seller says that the car remains all-original with exception of replacement shock absorbers. The listing says, “Runs great, lows of power with good gas mileage.” The Michelin tires are new, too, so this car is ready to roll.
The asking price is $11,000 for this primo-condition Mark VIII.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com