Featured in this article is a beautiful Lincoln Premiere Convertible. Lincoln automobiles have been produced since 1917.The Premiere was a luxury car model sold by the Lincoln-Mercury Division of the Ford Motor Company for the 1956 to 1960 model years.
The inspiration for the Premiere model goes back to Ford’s 1955 Futura Show. More awareness was achieved years later with the Hollywood “Batmobile” which had a design inspired from a Lincoln Futura concept car.
Lincoln is the luxury brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and the brand was named after President Abraham Lincoln. Ford acquired the company around 1922. The Lincoln brand was positioned closely against its General Motors counterpart Cadillac. To this day the Lincoln remains the only luxury nameplate of Ford Motor Company.
Lincoln’s 1957 Styling Changes
Major restyling took place for the 1957 Lincoln. Among the changes were big blade like rear fins, four headlights instead of two, more chrome trim and an engine with more horsepower. As large as these new tail fins were, it’s said that Lincoln management wanted these new tail fins to be two inches higher but designers nixed the idea. The Lincoln tail fins were already among the biggest in 1957. With that being said, tail fins were a trademark of many car models during the late 1950’s but for Lincoln it was only in 1957 that their models had what one might call true tail fins.
Production started in 1939 with only about two dozen hand built models made. In 1952 Ford created the Continental Division. This new division would serve as a stand alone division to handle the Continental Mark II. As it turned out the Continental Division folded after the 1957 model year and the model was again a part of the Lincoln Division.
1957 Lincoln Premiere Convertible Specifications
One engine was available for the 1957 Lincoln Premiere. This was a 368 cubic inch V-8 delivering 300 horsepower, up from the 285 HP of the 56 model.
Transmission was a Turbo-Drive three speed automatic.
Brakes were four wheel hydraulic drum.
Front suspension was independent coil springs with a stabilizer bar. Rear suspension
The Lincoln Premiere production numbers totaled 41,531 vehicles for the 1956 model year and 35,225 for 1957.
The wheelbase for both model years, 1956 and 1957, was 126.0 inches, three inches longer than the 1955 model, and for 1957 the overall length was increased almost two inches to 224.6. Width of the 1957 Premiere was 80.3 inches and height was 60.2 inches. Both slightly larger than the 56 models. Curb weight averaged about 4,700 lbs.
The 1957 entry level Capri had the same dimensions as the 57 Premiere and most might say it looked extremely similar.
Related Auto Museum Online articles are found on the links below…
References for this article includes..Ford / Lincoln Archives….. The Lincoln Motorcar by author Thomas E. Bonsall….The Lincoln Story : The Post War Years by author Thomas E. Bonsall…Lincoln & Continental 1946 -1980 : The Classic Post War Years by author Paul R. Woudenberg.
The 1957 Lincoln Premiere Convertible Collector Car
Lincoln has produced plenty of classics. One of the finest was the 1961 Continental. This was a luxurious beauty with straight lines and minimum chrome and it packed 300 HP.
The Lincoln Premiere may have been the top design during the 1950’s. The Premiere was positioned above the Capri but below Ford Motor Company’s Continental Mark II during 1956 and 1957.
The rarest 1957 Lincoln Premiere model is the convertible with only 3,665 produced. It’s a rare automobile today. Current values for the 1957 convertible are around $50,000-$60,000 plus or minus depending on age and degree of restoration, mileage and originality.
(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)