This is a very convincing compilation of material, I´ve been going it through back and forth several times now, and I find it hard to understand Fords marketing in any other way than that they considered Continental as a separate brand. Looking at the history it´s also very understandable that they wanted to use the heritage of Edsel Fords original custom built Continental Cabriolet from 1939 and the Mark II from 1956 to put the 1969+ Marks above the ordinary Lincolns. It´s also mentioned by Lee Iacocca in his autobiography from 1984, that this was his intentions with the Mark III, even if it doesn´t say anything about the brand of the cars.
This is also the reason why the original Mark III, IV and V are "erased" from Fords version of the history, they had nothing of the original styling concept in them. This is how it looked in the 1977 brochure: http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Lincoln/1977_Lincoln/1977_Continental_M- ark_V_Brochure/197720Mark%20V-02.html

However, this didn´t stop Ford from selling the 1958-59 models under the Continental brand, in 1960 the Mark V is sold under Lincoln name. See especially the 1959 brochure, it can´t be more explicit, Continental is a separate brand even after that the Continental Division closed down in 1958.

1958:
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Lincoln/1958_Lincoln/1958_Lincoln_Broch- ure/dirindex.html
1959:
http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/lincoln/59linc/59linc.html
1960:
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Lincoln/1960_Lincoln/1960_Lincoln_Broch- ure/dirindex.html

From what I can find in different sources the intention with the Mark II was to build and sell at least 2500 per year for 4 years, to make profit. This happened only for 1956, for 1957 the orderbooks rapidly dried out and sales stopped at about 450 cars. So they decided to cut the losses and stop production. My guess here is that they then rapidly made an update of the coming new 1958 Lincoln models, putting a new roof on it and calling it Continental Mark III to have anything to sell for 1958. However, this was a different type of car and during 1958 they closed the division, moved the brand in under Lincoln-Mercury Division for 1959 and began phasing over the Continental name to a modelname under Lincoln for 1960.
Unfortunately the introduction of these coincided with the 1958 recession, when the autosales dropped by 31% over 1957 so sales was disappointing.

From what I can find this is the reason that the next generation of Marks re-used the number III when it was released in spring 1968 as 1969 model, the style with long hood, short rear deck and the "Continental-Kit" on the trunk lid showed the heritage back to the 1939 custom built car.
This time it was also a commercial success, according to Mr Iacocca it sold so well during the coming five years that it was largely responsible for giving the Lincoln-Mercury division a profit of almost 1 billion dollars the best year. The biggest success he had in his career, according to his autobiography.

Naturally this gave the Marks a special position at Ford, it was aimed right and it worked fine. I can´t see any reason for them not to try using the brand Continental from the beginning, and with the following success keeping it above the Lincolns. Looking through the material above makes that rather evident in my view.

The mentioned book from the Crestline series is also a strong argument, I don´t have that one myself but I´m familiar with the series. When coming to accuracy there are few books that can compete, they´re well written and detailed. They´re also made in close cooperation with the manufacturers historical archives. And given that it was released in 1987, one year after that the Continental brand was given up and again moved down to a modelname under Lincoln, only, it seems very strange that this fact was taken just out of the blue.

Finally, the VIN-argument, the detailed 17-character VIN-codes introduced in the early eighties required an individual character for the Make. The Continentals had their own as it seems. Not there that´s much of a doubt in my mind, but does anyone of you have access to an original Workshop Manual for these from the early eighties? I suppose it´s spelled out in it, like it is in my 1966 Shop Manual for Comet, Falcon, Fairlane and Mustang.

So far I see no reason to keep them listed as Lincolns.

I have no direct knowledge of these as they weren't sold in Australia in any great numbers, but I always believed they were sold here as Lincolns. I would suggest they were probably sold in some markets as Lincolns and in others as Continentals, the same way Valiants were sold in some markets as Plymouths, others as Chryslers, and even some markets as Dodges. As a general rule for most of them (ie all the US cars) it would appear the evidence suggests a name change to Continental as Marque, however I suggest it be held in reserve to label them as Lincoln's if they were indeed sold in overseas markets as such.

This ad would indicate they were sold as Lincoln Continentals in Australia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiefordadverts/5040700605/

Except the car in that ad is a sedan. The way I understand rmbb's argument, the Continental brand was used only for the 1969-1985 Mark Series (Mark III, Mark IV, Mark V, Mark VI, and early Mark VIIs) and the 1982-1985 Continental sedan. All the Mark Series cars were coupes. At the same time the Mark Series were being sold, there was also a Lincoln Continental sedan that was not in the Continental brand. Automakers can never make it easy for us.

One can definately question Fords wisdom in marketing the cars this way, one Continental as a make and one as model, side by side.
And it gets even worse with 1980-83 Mark VI when they became available as 4-door versions, that looked pretty much the same as the normal Lincoln Continental Sedan, that from 1981 changed name to Town Car.

http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/lincoln/81linc/81linc.html

http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/lincoln/81linc1/81linc1.html

From the 1980 Canadian Brochure:
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Lincoln/1980_Lincoln/1980_Lincoln-Cdn_Folder/19802020%20Folder-02.html
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Lincoln/1980_Lincoln/1980_Lincoln-Cdn_Folder/19802020%20Folder-03.html

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've never seen any Continental dealerships anywhere.

Well, I don't believe there were any Imperial dealerships either...

Interesting topic, enjoyed reading comments.

ANTP -> I suggest we let the reclassification commence.

I will first let the server move finish Once all is working file, I'll do the Lincoln name change

This is going to take a lot of getting used to.


And owlman, I've never seen Plymouth dealerships separate from Chrysler ones, but I have seen Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships that also sold Imperials.

I'm not sure if I like this change. The 1969-1985 Mark coupes were indeed marketed as Continentals. I have a 1973 brochure of Continental Mark IV which proves it and my Mk IV doesn't have any Lincoln badges anywhere.

But generally speaking people refer to these cars as 'Lincoln Continental Mark something'. These cars were registered as Lincolns (at least in Europe). Every website and also period car catalogue say it's a Lincoln Continental. Actually I didn't even know about this Continental/Lincoln issue until now. People who come to IMCDB will search Mark IV's under Lincoln brand I guarantee that.

Maybe there could be a feature like a warning or note that appears when you click Lincoln on the makes list saying 'Some Continental models may be listed under the Continental marque' ?

Yes, that's one of the features that I have to add. It would be useful in lots of cases (Vauxhall/Opel, Ford Capri, etc.)
Maybe I should add such feature and then only process with the renaming of the Continental.

Another ad for Continental Mk II. Ad clearly says Continental Division Ford Motor Company, not Lincoln Division
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiefordadverts/5219720692/

Note that the mkII is already listed as continental make

It would be satisfying if the Wikipedia page on Continental would be put together. The part on Continental, which is now a part of the Lincoln page, is an amazingly confusing and, of course, immensely incorrect account of Continental history. This is quite depressing since folks out there wanting to make heads and tails of the various Lincoln and Continental models end up more confused than they ever were before.

Has anyone contacted the Ford Motor Company to ask them about this? It seems like that would've settled things once and for all.

I'm with Ddey, not once did I ever see the name "Continental" on the "Ford Lincoln Mercury" sign at any dealership or "Continental" sprawled across the facade. Then again I never saw an Imperial dealership either. All were made as new cars in my lifetime.