The Coolest Lincoln Ever Made But Never Sold Had A V12 From A Supercar

Here’s a look at what could’ve been a very alternate reality for Lincoln, and it’s going under the hammer

Back in the early 2000s, Lincoln was a brand rooted in tradition, offering a lineup that hadn’t quite caught up with the pace of design innovation. In 2002, the company had five core vehicles on the market: the Blackwood pickup, the Navigator, the Town Car, the Continental, and the LS. Of those, all but the LS featured what was, at the time, very dated swoopy styling.

Then came along what you see here, the Continental Concept, and it promised to launch Lincoln into the new millennium with twelve cylinders. Sadly, the executives at Lincoln and Ford never had the guts to build it. That’s a shame, but now, you can buy the only example ever built.

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Built as a true return to form for the brand, this Continental concept had a 6.0-liter V12 from Aston Martin under the hood. It sent all 414 horsepower (308 kW) and 413 lb-ft (559 Nm) of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox. If that’s not a flagship sedan drivetrain, nothing is. Things got way better though because the rest of the design followed suit.

Distinctive Design, Inside and Out

The exterior design is commanding, broad, and blends trends of the day with retro nods to older Continentals. In fact, it even has 22-inch wheels and proper rear-hinged rear doors. On top of that, the doors are powered to open and close without the operator needing to physically move them. The door handles are flush against the door, too.

Once inside, the door cards are full of luxury features including full-sized umbrellas. The rear-seat center console has space for a pull-out laptop of sorts, climate controls, and media controls. The front seats share the same retro-futuristic design. Silver trim accents tan leather upholstery across several large flat panels. Analog gauges stare back at the driver from a simple but wide cluster.

Photos Mecum

One of a Kind, With Some Caveats

When first unveiled, there were two of these Continental Concepts. One was a ‘roller’ or in other words, an undrivable lightweight display piece. The other was this vehicle, which may or may not be drivable after some servicing. Importantly, it can’t be made street legal, but that wouldn’t stop some from trying.

Those interested in picking up maybe the greatest Lincoln built during this century should check out Mecum’s Chicago auction taking place on September 20. There’s no guidance on the car, and it does appear as though there is a reserve as of this writing, so it’s tough to say what it’ll go for, but whoever gets it will have a truly special piece of history.

Check out the listing here before someone else snags this glorious what-could-have-been.

Photos Mecum