This 1978 Emilio Pucci Lincoln Continental Mark V Was Peak Malaise Era Personal Luxury Coupe Madness

Chapters:

0:00 Pop-up Headlight Demo
0:26 Intro - Weather, Cat Report, Peter's Golf Cart, Birds
4:12 Rant about terrible drivers
6:19 Introduction to car and Events of 1978
11:40 Overview of the Mark V
18:36 Designers and all about Emilio Pucci
29:14 Exterior - Trunk - Engine
34:52 Quarter Top - Values
36:43 Interior
40:57 Window Sticker
43:07 Start up and drive

Without a doubt, the personal luxury coupe era peaked in the mid to late 1970s, with many cars having wretched excess and ultra luxurious accoutrements - but no car of that era wasted real estate or thumbed its nose up at the Malaise Era more than the 1977-1979 Lincoln Mark Vs, and particularly the designer-series Marks. At 230 inches long, the car was enormous for virtually no reason at all. Only the Lincoln Town Coupe exceeds it in length at 233 inches, and if that indeed classified as a 2-door sedan, then this is the longest 2-door car ever made by the Ford Motor Company - and it was made in the very heart of the time car manufacturers were under extreme pressure to downsize.

While GM was already making their luxury cars smaller, Ford expanded the dimensions of the Mark V, and even kept a 460 cubic inch big blog going through 1978. It was wretched excess at it's best - or worst, if you're opposed to wretched excess.

Lincoln also continued, and even expanded their use of editions styled by famous designers. In this year, 1978, you could choose from no fewer than four - Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy, and this one, styled by Emilio Pucci. While designers still had their hands in cars over the next couple of decades, I don't think it was ever again done as brazenly as they did with the Mark Vs, and that's why they're becoming increasingly collectible today - it was very much the end of an era.

In-depth review and test drive by Bill. Vehicle is for sale at Autohaus of Naples, on the web at www.AutohausNaples.com, or by phone at (239) 263-8500.

Link to prior Mark V videos with focus on company and model history:
   • This Enormous Lincoln Mark V was a De...  
   • The Lincoln Continental Mark V Was Th...