Welcome to the Hooniverse Obscure Muscle Car Garage, a regular feature which aims to expand the notion of what a muscle car is, and to have some civilized discussion while doing so. After years of square-lined formality, Lincoln’s premium coupe took a dramatic new direction with the 1984 Mark VII. Though it shared a platform with the bustleback Continental, this swoopy semi-fastback was derived from the new-for-’83 Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar. The result was smooth, distinctive, and more visually aerodynamic than any previous Mark. It also marked the return of the fabled “Hot Rod Lincoln” in the form of the LSC. Can this be classified as a muscle car? Reintroducing the Lincoln Mark VII LSC.
The Mark VII held a lengthy standard equipment list, including an onboard trip computer / message center and digital instruments. Mark VII’s also came with full air suspension at all four wheels. It was the first American vehicle with electronic 4-channel anti-lock brakes (6 months before the Corvette). Mark VII also had the distinction of being the first American vehicle with composite headlights. A humped trunklid, modest taillamps in the rear fender trailing edges, and a toned-down Mark grille were stylistic links with the past, but the car was clearly aimed at a very different clientele: younger, affluent buyers who’d been defecting to high-dollar, high-status imports, a group Lincoln had never courted before. It was also a bold challenge to Cadillac’s Eldorado, which was still relatively overblown.
The Mark VII was an instant critical success, especially the performance-oriented LSC (Luxury Sport Coupe) — the fabled “Hot Rod Lincoln” come to life. Enthusiast magazines even thought it a credible rival to the vaunted BMW 6-Series and Mercedes-Benz SEC. No wonder. Where the base and Designer models had a soft ride and traditional appointments, the LSC boasted a firmer suspension with fat performance tires on handsome cast-aluminum wheels, plus multiadjustable sport bucket seats and Lincoln’s best cloth or leather upholstery. For 1985 it adopted the Mustang GT’s high-output V-8 with 165 bhp (versus 140 for other models). The ’86 got an even hotter port-injected engine with 200 bhp (versus 150 bhp on other Marks), plus standard ABS four-wheel disc brakes and a nice set of analog gauges (replacing the digital/graphic electronic display retained for its linemates). Engine refinements extracted another 25 bhp for 1988-90.
With all this, the LSC was the most overtly sporting Lincoln since the very first Continental and the most roadable Lincoln since the “Mexican Road Race” days. It was also one terrific buy at initial prices of $23,700 — about half the cost of erstwhile German competitors. Lincoln-Mercury planners thought lesser VIIs would outsell it, but buyers confounded them by ordering more LSCs — enough that by 1988, the original four models had been cut to just LSC and the Bill Blass Designer Edition. Overall Mark VII sales were good: 30,000-plus in the first season 15,000-38,000 thereafter. Prices inevitably escalated, reaching the $27,000 level by decade’s end, but standard equipment also kept growing even as trim variations thinned. The 1990s boasted an important new safety feature in a standard driver-side airbag, which also brought a reworked, slightly more ergonomic dash.
Performance for the LSC was pretty good for the 80′s. The 1988 version recorded a 0-60 time of just under 8.0 seconds, with a quarter mile elapsed time of 16.10 Seconds, and a little over 101 mph. Top speed for this Luxury Hot Rod? Electronically limited to 120 MPH. Remember, this was with the 225 HP 5.0L V-8 that was used in the Mustang, and the LSC weighed close to 3,800 Lbs.
So there you have it, a Lincoln from the 80′s, with performance intentions, cool looking, Rear Wheel Drive, and a very lively V-8 up front. Is this enough to be called a Muscle Car, and is it Obscure Enough to be parked within the garage, or is it just another 80′s curiosity that should be forgotten. Let me know, as I look forward to each and every comment.
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Please Note: All Images are screen grabs from around the web. If you want credit for any image, please let me know in the comments section. Thank You!
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