1982 Lincoln Mark VI Bill Blass

"The 1980 design revision and change to the Panther platform significantly reduced the size of the vehicle—the new model was 14 inches (360 mm) shorter and rode on a wheelbase 6 inches (150 mm) shorter than before—and the new car was 500 pounds lighter. Nevertheless, aside from being the only Mark series ever available as a 4-door sedan, the Mark VI retained most of the styling cues of the 1977 Mark V. Even though the car was significantly smaller, it kept the hallmark opera windows, Rolls-Royce style grille and the trademark vestigial spare-tire hump on the deck lid. As with other 1980 Lincolns, the Mark of that year was available with significantly increased levels of, at the time, high-technology electronic equipment. A digital instrument cluster using Vacuum Fluorescent Displays, pushbutton keyless entry, Automatic Overdrive (AOD) 4-speed automatic transmission, and fuel injection on the 302 in³ (4.9 L) engine were all new introductions for 1980. Reliability of these systems was problematic for the first few years, which earned these cars a poor reliability record for 1980, 1981 and 1982. Revisions and modifications to the electronics improved the cars' reliability record for 1983. With the old boats, Continental and Mark V, retired after 1979, the new Lincolns for 1980 were highly anticipated cars. When Ford introduced the downsized Lincolns to the press, they were an immediate hit, being more efficient and more spacious than the corresponding Cadillacs of the same year, which had been downsized for 1977. The new Lincolns used new assembly techniques, and had aluminum pieces in the body and mechanicals to lighten the cars, in addition to the 800 pounds (363 kg) weight loss (---Note: Previous commentary states 500 lbs. saved. Advisable to further confirm this information) they received from the redesign. The old 460cid V8 was history, replaced by a fuel-injected version of Ford's 302cid (5.0 liter) V8, and a carbureted version of the 351cid V8, though the latter lasted only for 1980."