1957 Continental Mark II
Produced solely as a two-door hardtop coupe, the Continental Mark II was assembled largely by hand at a dedicated facility in Allen Park, Michigan. Ford’s Continental Division built 2,996 examples for 1956 and 444 for 1957 before the model was discontinued.
Understated and deliberately restrained, the Mark II wore minimal chrome ornamentation and carried no fins, setting it apart from virtually every American luxury car of the period.
Each body received multiple coats of hand-sanded lacquer paint polished to a high finish, and completed cars were shipped to dealers under protective covers.
Beneath the long hood sat a 368 cubic inch Lincoln V8 (rated at 300 horsepower) paired with a Turbo-Drive three-speed automatic. Standard equipment included power steering, brakes, windows, and seats, while air conditioning was among the few factory options.
Priced at $9,966, the Mark II reportedly cost Ford more to build than its retail price.
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