On October 2, 1939 an assembly line was set up to begin the manufacture of the Lincoln-Zephyr Continental. By the end of 1939, 25 had been produced and were designated 1940 models. The cars could be had for about $2,640 which is about $60,000 in 2024 dollars. The first generation ended production in 1948.
The second generation ran from (1956-1957)
After an eight-year hiatus, for the 1956 model year, the Continental nameplate made its return; to launch the vehicle, Ford created a namesake "Continental" division centered around its new flagship vehicle.
At its 1956 launch, the Continental Mark II was the most expensive automobile sold by a domestic manufacturer in the United States, rivaling the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.
At $10,000 which is about $115,000 in 2024 dollars, the Mark II cost nearly the same as five Ford Customlines.
With a large number of power-equipment features included, the Mark II was offered with only a single option: air conditioning, priced at $595 which is a whopping $6800 in 2024 dollars.
In total, 2,996 Continental Mark IIs were produced. Ford estimated it lost nearly $1000 on every Continental Mark II produced.
The third generation of the continental was from (1958-1960)
If you ask me, I think the 2nd gen looked a lot more stylish than the 3rd gen. What do you think? Leave us your comments below.