Lincoln Versailles
Encyclopedia
This is about the Lincoln vehicle produced using the Versailles nameplate. For the Ford vehicles sold under the same nameplate, see Ford Versailles
The Lincoln Versailles is the first compact
luxury car from the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company
. Sold from 1977 to 1980, 50,156 were produced. The Versailles was sold as a 4-door sedan and was the last car manufactured on the 1960 Ford Falcon platform.
Ford used the Ford Granada
and Mercury Monarch
as the base for a compact Lincoln sedan.
During the 1980 model year, the Versailles was discontinued without a direct replacement. In 1982, after three decades as a full-size car, the Continental became a mid-size car nearly the same size as the Versailles. Based on the Ford Fox platform
, it wore an entirely different body from its Ford counterparts. In the mid-2000s, the division revisited the concept of an entry-level luxury car with the Lincoln Zephyr (renamed the MKZ). Although still an openly badge-engineered Ford/Mercury (in this case, the Ford Fusion/Milan
); the MKZ has fared better in terms of sales than the Versailles.
, which led to the high usage of badge engineering to save money. Although they had used unique platforms, powertrain, and bodies as recently as the late 1950s, the full-size Ford
and Mercury product lines differed only in grille and trim. Until the Versailles, however, care had generally been taken to give Lincolns a distinct appearance and feel, in order to hide their sometimes humble origins although by the 1970s the similarities were very apparent. However, by mid-decade, even the Continental shared a number of components with Ford products.
The aftermath of the 1973 fuel crisis also exposed a significant hole in the Lincoln lineup: Lincoln had no smaller luxury cars to compete with foreign automakers (primarily the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
) and Cadillac, which introduced the Seville in 1975. While the Seville shared its underpinnings with the Chevrolet Nova, it had been modified to the point that General Motors gave it a separate platform designation.
Unable to afford to rebody the Granada from the ground up, Lincoln stylists gave the Versailles its own look with several subtle changes to the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch. The Versailles received a Lincoln-style front clip, with quad headlights, a Continental-style grille, and wheel covers shared with other Lincolns. In the rear, the trunk lid wore a spare tire bulge inspired by the Continental Mark coupe (lettered "Lincoln" instead of "Continental"). How well the styling transferred from the Continental/Mark V to a compact car may have been a source of debate, but the controversy laid in the middle ¾ of the car; it was largely identical to the Mercury Monarch also sold in Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. Doors and windows were interchangeable and the roofline was identical. Inside, the potential Lincoln buyer faced the same dashboard design as the budget-minded Granada customer (greeted with only a speedometer and fuel gauge). In a detail-oriented segment, the windshield wipers remained present and exposed, long after hidden wipers had become expected not just on luxury cars but even on intermediates. Most tellingly, the base model Versailles for model year 1977, was exactly the same car (except for the trunklid) as the top of the line 1976 Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia; the latter could have been purchased for 50% less than the Lincoln counterpart.
Although the Versailles openly bore a resemblance to the Granada/Monarch when it was introduced in 1977, the difference between it and its stablemates became clearer in terms of quality control and control over NVH
. Going beyond factory standards for the Granada and Monarch, the Versailles was designed with “matched balance driveline parts, low-friction lower ball joints, double isolated shocks, reinforced chassis areas and plenty of insulation. Balanced forged aluminum wheels wore Michelin X-radials. Quality control at the plant was strengthened to the point of dynamometer testing of the engine/transmission, a rigorous water spray test to pinpoint body leaks, and a simulated road test. Bodies received the first clearcoat paint on a regular production car.”
For 1979, some differentiation between the Versailles and the Monarch/Granada was provided when it received own notchback roofline with a carriage-style landau vinyl roof
. This was done by the use of a hidden fiberglass cap and required the use of separate rear window frames. The car was also introduced some genuine firsts to the industry. The Versailles was the first American car to use halogen headlights and the first to use clearcoat paint, which would shortly spread throughout the industry. Buyers evidently noticed, because sales went up to 21,000, then virtually stopped. The Versailles was withdrawn before the end of the 1980 model year with only about 4,000 produced, although prototypes for the next generation design had already been built.
In a break with Lincoln tradition of the time, and the Cadillac Seville of the same period (the "Elegante" package from 1978), the Versailles was available in standard sedan form only with no "designer editions" or luxury packages adding to its title (i.e.-"(Title) Edition").
After 1980, Lincoln remained out of the luxury mid-size market for a couple of years, then re-entered the market in 1982 with the downsized Lincoln Continental
; the midsize Continental was also a clone of a midsize Ford, but fared far better due to extensive differentiation between it and its Ford counterparts.
The car's mechanicals, along with its body, were somewhat lackluster. The standard 351 cu in (5.8 l) V8 was carbureted, as opposed to the Seville's fuel injected 350 cu in (5.7 l). Even worse, Ford's situation with regard to the tightening fuel-economy standards was precarious, as it had not been able to afford as fast a downsizing of its line as GM had managed. Consequently, almost immediately the Versailles was cut back to the smaller 302 cu in (5 l) V8, which was a common option in the Monarch with which the Versailles shared Lincoln-Mercury showroom space.
The rear differential used in the Versailles was the tried and true Ford 9 inch, but equipped with rear disc brakes, replacing the drums on the Granada and the Monarch. A Versailles complete rear end assembly or brake setup can be fitted to many other 1960s & 1970s Ford products, making them a popular swap. In its brake setup, the Versailles did measure up to its Cadillac rival. A unique and rigorous quality-control regime was also used at the factory, according to advertising. The car sold 15,000 units in its first year, compared to the Seville's 45,000 that same year. For 1978, sales were about half of the mediocre 1977 figure.
The car's close relationship to the Granada had an unforeseen consequence. Although the Versailles was a sedan-only model, its trim and mechanical parts would bolt right onto a Granada coupe. An unknown number of these two-door conversions were made by owners with a sense of humor, particularly as donor Versailles began to depreciate and show up in wrecking yards.
|-
! Calendar Year
! American sales
|-
| 1977
| 15,434
|-
| 1978
| 8,931
|-
| 1979
| 21,007
|-
| 1980
| 4,784
|}
Today, the Versailles' lack of success is working in its favor. The fairly small number produced has given the car rarity value, and Versailles values are reportedly going up. As the enthusiast site lincolnversailles.com puts it, "Finding few Versailles buyers during the late 1970s, today it is being viewed as a future classic. Low mileage and restored Versailles are, now, being advertised with list prices from $5,500 to $10,000."
Ford Versailles
The Ford Versailles is an automobile. Two different vehicles have been sold as the Ford Versailles:* 1954-1957 in France* 1992-1996 in Brazil-France:...
The Lincoln Versailles is the first compact
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
luxury car from the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. Sold from 1977 to 1980, 50,156 were produced. The Versailles was sold as a 4-door sedan and was the last car manufactured on the 1960 Ford Falcon platform.
Ford used the Ford Granada
Ford Granada (North America)
The Ford Granada was a mid-size car built and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from 1975–1982, along with its sister models, the Mercury Monarch, and Lincoln Versailles. The Granada was touted by Ford as a rival to the similarly sized Mercedes-Benz 280 of the time. The Granada and...
and Mercury Monarch
Mercury Monarch
The Mercury Monarch is a compact sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company; it was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division from 1975 to 1980....
as the base for a compact Lincoln sedan.
During the 1980 model year, the Versailles was discontinued without a direct replacement. In 1982, after three decades as a full-size car, the Continental became a mid-size car nearly the same size as the Versailles. Based on the Ford Fox platform
Ford Fox platform
The Ford Fox platform is a rear wheel drive, unitized-chassis, automobile architecture used by Ford Motor Company in North America. Introduced for the 1978 model year, it would go on to be produced until 1993 in its original version; a substantial redesign of the Ford Mustang in 1994 extended its...
, it wore an entirely different body from its Ford counterparts. In the mid-2000s, the division revisited the concept of an entry-level luxury car with the Lincoln Zephyr (renamed the MKZ). Although still an openly badge-engineered Ford/Mercury (in this case, the Ford Fusion/Milan
Mercury Milan
The Mercury Milan is a mid-size sedan based on the Mazda designed Ford CD3 platform built by Ford Motor Company and distributed by the Lincoln-Mercury division. It is a twin of the Ford Fusion, while being slotted below the luxury-spec Lincoln MKZ sedan...
); the MKZ has fared better in terms of sales than the Versailles.
History
During the late 1970s, Ford did not have as much development capital to spend on its vehicles as General MotorsGeneral Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, which led to the high usage of badge engineering to save money. Although they had used unique platforms, powertrain, and bodies as recently as the late 1950s, the full-size Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and Mercury product lines differed only in grille and trim. Until the Versailles, however, care had generally been taken to give Lincolns a distinct appearance and feel, in order to hide their sometimes humble origins although by the 1970s the similarities were very apparent. However, by mid-decade, even the Continental shared a number of components with Ford products.
The aftermath of the 1973 fuel crisis also exposed a significant hole in the Lincoln lineup: Lincoln had no smaller luxury cars to compete with foreign automakers (primarily the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz W114
The Mercedes-Benz W114 and W115 models are a series of coupes and sedans introduced in 1968 by Mercedes-Benz, manufactured through model year 1976, and distinguished in the marketplace by nameplates designating their engines....
) and Cadillac, which introduced the Seville in 1975. While the Seville shared its underpinnings with the Chevrolet Nova, it had been modified to the point that General Motors gave it a separate platform designation.
Comparison to Granada
Although the Versailles openly bore a resemblance to the Granada/Monarch when it was introduced in 1977, the difference between it and its stablemates became clearer in terms of quality control and control over NVH
Noise, Vibration, and Harshness
Noise, vibration, and harshness , also known as noise and vibration , is the study and modification of the noise and vibration characteristics of vehicles, particularly cars and trucks...
. Going beyond factory standards for the Granada and Monarch, the Versailles was designed with “matched balance driveline parts, low-friction lower ball joints, double isolated shocks, reinforced chassis areas and plenty of insulation. Balanced forged aluminum wheels wore Michelin X-radials. Quality control at the plant was strengthened to the point of dynamometer testing of the engine/transmission, a rigorous water spray test to pinpoint body leaks, and a simulated road test. Bodies received the first clearcoat paint on a regular production car.”
1979 facelift
Vinyl roof
Vinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobile's top. This covering was originally designed to give the appearance of a convertible to models with a fixed roof, but eventually it evolved into a styling statement in its own right. Vinyl roofs were most popular in the American market, and...
. This was done by the use of a hidden fiberglass cap and required the use of separate rear window frames. The car was also introduced some genuine firsts to the industry. The Versailles was the first American car to use halogen headlights and the first to use clearcoat paint, which would shortly spread throughout the industry. Buyers evidently noticed, because sales went up to 21,000, then virtually stopped. The Versailles was withdrawn before the end of the 1980 model year with only about 4,000 produced, although prototypes for the next generation design had already been built.
In a break with Lincoln tradition of the time, and the Cadillac Seville of the same period (the "Elegante" package from 1978), the Versailles was available in standard sedan form only with no "designer editions" or luxury packages adding to its title (i.e.-"(Title) Edition").
After 1980, Lincoln remained out of the luxury mid-size market for a couple of years, then re-entered the market in 1982 with the downsized Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Continental
The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...
; the midsize Continental was also a clone of a midsize Ford, but fared far better due to extensive differentiation between it and its Ford counterparts.
Technical specifications
| engine displacement Engine displacement Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches... , type Engine configuration Engine configuration is an engineering term for the layout of the major components of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine. These components are the cylinders and crankshafts in particular but also, sometimes, the camshaft.... | max. motive Motive power In thermodynamics, motive power is an agency, as water or steam, used to impart motion. Generally, motive power is defined as a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover. The term may also define something, as a locomotive or a... power Power (physics) In physics, power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. For example, the rate at which a light bulb transforms electrical energy into heat and light is measured in watts—the more wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit... at rpm Revolutions per minute Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis... | max. torque Torque Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist.... at rpm | transmission Transmission (mechanics) A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 351 CID Windsor V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
135 bhp @ 3,200 |
275 lbft @ 1,600 |
3-speed C4 Ford C4 transmission The Ford C4 was a three-speed, medium-duty automatic transmission introduced in the 1964 model year and produced through 1986.It featured an aluminum alloy three-piece case . This was significantly lighter than earlier cast iron Cruise-O-Matic designs... automatic Automatic transmission An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually... |
| 302 CID Windsor V8 | 133 bhp @ 3,600 |
243 lbft @ 1,600 |
|
The car's mechanicals, along with its body, were somewhat lackluster. The standard 351 cu in (5.8 l) V8 was carbureted, as opposed to the Seville's fuel injected 350 cu in (5.7 l). Even worse, Ford's situation with regard to the tightening fuel-economy standards was precarious, as it had not been able to afford as fast a downsizing of its line as GM had managed. Consequently, almost immediately the Versailles was cut back to the smaller 302 cu in (5 l) V8, which was a common option in the Monarch with which the Versailles shared Lincoln-Mercury showroom space.
The rear differential used in the Versailles was the tried and true Ford 9 inch, but equipped with rear disc brakes, replacing the drums on the Granada and the Monarch. A Versailles complete rear end assembly or brake setup can be fitted to many other 1960s & 1970s Ford products, making them a popular swap. In its brake setup, the Versailles did measure up to its Cadillac rival. A unique and rigorous quality-control regime was also used at the factory, according to advertising. The car sold 15,000 units in its first year, compared to the Seville's 45,000 that same year. For 1978, sales were about half of the mediocre 1977 figure.
The car's close relationship to the Granada had an unforeseen consequence. Although the Versailles was a sedan-only model, its trim and mechanical parts would bolt right onto a Granada coupe. An unknown number of these two-door conversions were made by owners with a sense of humor, particularly as donor Versailles began to depreciate and show up in wrecking yards.
Sales
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Calendar Year
! American sales
|-
| 1977
| 15,434
|-
| 1978
| 8,931
|-
| 1979
| 21,007
|-
| 1980
| 4,784
|}
Today, the Versailles' lack of success is working in its favor. The fairly small number produced has given the car rarity value, and Versailles values are reportedly going up. As the enthusiast site lincolnversailles.com puts it, "Finding few Versailles buyers during the late 1970s, today it is being viewed as a future classic. Low mileage and restored Versailles are, now, being advertised with list prices from $5,500 to $10,000."