The Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. Over the next 63 years, despite these cars sharing under-pinnings with less expensive Ford automobiles, Continental was usually a distinguishly-styled, highly-equipped luxury car. In the Lincoln line, the Continental nameplate was commonly reserved for its flagship model. When the nameplate was moved to a smaller platform, the largest cars became the Lincoln Town Car. At the close of the 2002 model year, the Continental ended production, largely replaced by the Lincoln LS.

The Continental name was revived in 1955 as a separate Ford brand, with its sole model being the Continental Mark II. This version was a unique design with the highest quality control ever seen in the automobile industry. High-class luxury abound in the new Continental - and with very limited availability, it appeared even more exclusive than the original.

Continental for '56 was one of the most expensive cars in the world, it rivaled Rolls-Royce. Vehicles such as these were image builders for companies, as well as test beds for new ideas and concepts. The Continental Mark II was sold for just two model years, with about 3,000 total units built. Between the tales of dealers turning potential buyers away because they were not deemed to be the right kind of people to own Continental, and its sticker price found affordable by only the world's wealthiest, the Continental became almost mythical. The celebrity-riddled owner's list for the original Continental read like a who's-who - including Elvis Presley, the Shah of Iran, Nelson Rockefeller and Henry Kissinger among others. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Continental)