Or perhaps the beginnings of the Mark Series?
As part of a series on Lincoln's first all new line of cars after World War II, here are two examples of the best Lincoln had to offer in the early 1950s.
The 1950 Lido
The 1951 Lido (Updates for '51: note the different grille, bumper, side trim, and the special gold hood ornament lifted from the Cosmopolitan)
The 1950 Capri
The 1951 Capri (Updates for '51: note the different grille, bumper, side trim, and hood ornament.)
This handsome pair of two door Lincolns was only made for two years, and in limited numbers, with the Lido, based on the "EL-Series" Mercury style body, and the Capri, which was based on the top line Cosmopolitan.
Both were an answer to Cadillac's Series 62 Coupe deVille in terms of the market. In the early 50s the deVille was fairly exclusive, unique in the Cadillac line, and not yet a mainstay volume seller.
1950 Cadillac Coupe deVille
The Caddy is a pretty car, no doubt about it, but I prefer the more conservative and smooth styling of the Lincoln. No fins or dagmar bumpers for me, thank you very much. Make mine the bathtub :)
In the early 1950s, Lincoln was not yet producing the Mark Series of endlessly customizable personal luxury cars. Instead there was the top line Cosmopolitan Capri flagship coupe, and the Lido, top of the lower EL-Series line. Both coupes are a good example of making the most of what you have. Lincoln took existing models, and jazzed them up with extra chrome, unique interior panels and trim, a special gold hood ornament on the Lido, and my favorite part-full vinyl roofs, in one of their first appearances on a production car. No mechanical alterations were made to differentiate the driving experience in any way from the standard Lincoln. It was all about presence and distinctive looks. These classy cruisers foreshadow the Lincoln Marks of the 1970s, when a vinyl roof, nice interior and cool color combination were the ticket. The feeling of exclusivity one gets as the owner, and having a personalized feel, is what sold these cars in the 50s, and the Mark IV and V in the 70s. The big difference is that the Lido and Capri were never high volume cars, with only a few thousand produced, while tens of thousands of Marks were sold. But the basic premise was the same from a business perspective. Keep production costs low while increasing profit and brand recognition, through cosmetic modifications. It's worth mentioning that 1950-51 were not good sales years for Lincoln, and both the Capri and Lido were pricey, several hundred dollars more than their base counterparts, which was a lot back in the early 50s. These factors ensured that sales would be low and that the cars would become collectible down the road.
Lido interior
Standard EL-Series Interior
I prefer the "business coupe" Merc styling of the Lido, although I will admit the Capri does have a certain grace to it, with a classy two door sedan look, similar to the 40s Continental. What do you think? I just can't get past those giant pieces of chrome tacked onto the fenders on the Capri. Thank goodness they got rid of them on the '51. The Cosmopolitan ultimately makes a stronger visual impact, and really makes more sense, because it looks so different from any other Ford. The poor Lido will never be able to shake the "'49 Mercury Blues", to quote country singer Alan Jackson.
Both cars are identical, mechanically speaking, and according to "HowStuffWorks.com" the Lido is a little lighter (about 250 lbs.) and thus quicker with the same 337 ci Flathead V8, making around 150 hp. By 1951, the venerable Flathead was still reasonably competitive, only 10 horsepower shy of Cadillac's new OHV V8, but Lincoln decided it was time to drop the Flathead after 1951. Cadillac and Chrysler had switched to overhead valve engines, and Lincoln would do the same in 1952 with their Y-Block. 1951 would be the last year for the Flathead powered Lincolns.
If desired, considerable speed could be attained on the open road, upwards of 100 mph in fact. But then these cars were never about speed. Lots of torque at low RPMs, and smooth, quiet power delivery were what the Flathead powered Lincoln was all about. Not to mention dependability fitting for an engine built just as much for Ford truck duty as for wafting big Lincolns along.
The Lido and Capri may not be the most groundbreaking Lincoln's ever built, but they had an important role in the building of Lincoln's image following World War II. In the early 50s all the automakers were trying to establish their place in the market and did so through styling and engines. Lincoln put their money on styling, and made some of the most distinctive looking cars on the road, love 'em or hate 'em. It's just a shame that they had to look so much like the Mercury of the era, causing much confusion. 1952 took Lincoln in a different direction, and although the new design was more contemporary, they didn't have the polarizing, head turning look that these cars did. Lido and Capri did Brougham before Brougham was cool.
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