Through the 1930s and '40s Cadillac gradually rose to the top in American prestige ranking. The 1930s Depression had eliminated such competitors as Marmon, Pierce-Arrow and Duesenberg, and weakened Packard and Lincoln. After the Second World War Cadillac still ruled, but in the 1950s Ford Motor Company set out to challenge that position.

Ford's 1956 Continental Mark Il had two missions: to displace Cadillac as North America's leading luxury car; and to recapture the magic of the original Lincoln Continental.

The original Continental evolved in the late 1930s when Ford Motor Co. president Edsel Ford (Henry's son) asked Ford's chief stylist Eugene Gregory to design a sporty "European" type car for his personal use.

Gregory based Edsel's special on the attractive V12-powered Lincoln Zephyr. He lowered it, bobbed off the teardrop rear end, stretched the rear fenders and mounted the spare tire vertically behind the trunk, "continental" style.       

It was so popular in Edsel’s social circle that Ford put it into production as the 1940 Lincoln Continental. Eventually referred to as the Mark I, it was built from 1940 to '42, and following the Second World War, from 1946 to '48.

Ford had planned to replace the Mark I sooner but company resources were concentrated on mainline models, including the 1949 Ford which was a stunning success and the car credited with saving the company.

With its return to prosperity Ford set out to recapture the original Continental's glamour by creating America’s most luxurious car. As a reincarnation of the great classics of the 1930s, Ford sought to have it ranked with the world's top makes, including Rolls-Royce.

The projected selling price was $7,500 to $8,000 (it was ultimately $10,000), about twice the price of regular Lincolns. Even then, its primary goal was not to make a big profit, but to replace Cadillac as the most prestigious nameplate. A Continental Division was formed to give the Mark II divisional status.

From several styling proposals Ford's executive committee selected one from a team that included Gordon Beuhrig of Cord 810/812 fame. Termed "modern formal," it combined clean, contemporary lines with styling cues related to the original Continental.

The Mark II had an understated eggcrate grille and the long-hood/short-deck motif of the original. Horizontal fenders swept back to a point just ahead of the rear wheels, then kicked up slightly before continuing to the tail lights.

The Mark II had the original's formal "blind spot" roofline, but the real link was the "Continental" spare tire shape stamped into the trunk lid. The real spare was mounted in the trunk under this hump, preserving authenticity but making trunk access awkward.

In an era of excess, chrome trim was used sparingly and no two-tone paint schemes were available. The fuel filler cap was concealed behind the left tail light, a la Cadillac.

Extensive preparation and care went into body finishing. Panels were painted and hand-sanded several times, followed by two coats of lacquer. Chrome plating was used extensively, not for appearance, but to protect such areas as the door end panels and door jambs.

Although there was a certain cost-no-object approach, the line was drawn at the powertrain. A V12 was considered but deemed too expensive, so Lincoln's new-for-1956 6.0 litre V8 was used, fitted with special cast aluminum valve covers. Each was dynamometer tested.

The rest of the driveline including the standard equipment three speed automatic transmission was also from Lincoln, although with more extensive testing. Air conditioning was the only option.

The Continental was quietly elegant inside. When leather upholstery was ordered it was Scottish Bridge of Weir. The brushed-finish instrument panel of four equal sized round dials included a tachometer.

The Continental Mark II came only as a hardtop coupe. A retractable hardtop was considered but abandoned, although it saw brief production in the 1957-59 Ford Skyliner.

Following extensive publicity the Mark II was introduced at the 1955 Paris Auto Show, followed by several exclusive North American "by invitation-only" showings.

In spite of its high price, about 1,300 Continentals were sold during the last quarter of 1955, many to celebrities such as politician Barry Goldwater, actor Frank Sinatra, and the Shah of Iran. But after strong initial sales it was all downhill. Only about 1,300 were built during 1956 and 450 in 1957, when production ceased.

There were several reasons for the Mark II’s early demise. First was the $10,000 price, which, although high is said to have lost Ford $1,000 on each car. Sales may also have suffered due to its plain appearance in an era of styling flamboyance.

In spite of the lack of market success the Continental Mark II was a beautiful example of classic elegance married to modern engineering, a valiant attempt to recapture the spirit of the great cars of the thirties. Unfortunately for Ford that era had passed.