Lincoln-Zephyr

Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln-Zephyr V-12 four-door sedan (1938)
Overview
Manufacturer	Lincoln (Ford)
Production	1936–1940
Assembly	Lincoln Assembly, Detroit, Michigan
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size luxury car
Body style	4-door sedan 4-door convertible sedan 2-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door convertible coupe
Related	Lincoln Continental
Powertrain
Engine	267 cu in (4.4 L) L-head 110 hp (82 kW) V12
Transmission	3-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	122–125 in (3,099–3,175 mm)
Length	202.5–210 in (5,144–5,334 mm)
Height	69 in (1,753 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Lincoln Continental Mark series

The Lincoln-Zephyr was the lower-priced line of mid-size Lincoln luxury cars from 1936 until 1940. The Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury, introduced in 1939, bridged the wide gap between Ford's V-8 De Luxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle "companion car", the Chrysler Airstream, and Packard's entry level Packard One-Twenty.

The car was conceived by Edsel Ford and designed by Eugene Turenne Gregorie. The Zephyr's V-12 engine was unique in its class, with the LaSalle having a V8 and the Chrysler and Packard straight 8s.

Introduced on November 2, 1935, as a 1936 model, the Lincoln-Zephyr was extremely modern with a low raked windscreen, integrated fenders, and streamlined aerodynamic design, which influenced the name "zephyr", derived from the Greek word zephyrus, or the god of the west wind. It was one of the first successful streamlined cars after the Chrysler Airflow's market resistance. In fact, the Lincoln-Zephyr actually had a lower coefficient of drag than the Airflow, due in part to the prow-like front grille on the Zephyr. The Lincoln-Zephyr succeeded in reigniting sales at Lincoln dealerships in the late 1930s, and from 1941 model year, all Lincolns were Zephyr-based and the Lincoln-Zephyr marque was phased out. Annual production for any year model was not large, but accounted for a large portion of the Lincoln brand's sales. In its first year, 15,000 were sold, accounting for 80% of Lincoln's total sales.

Production of all American cars halted in 1942 as the country entered World War II, with Lincoln producing the last Lincoln Zephyr on February 10. After the war, most makers restarted production of their prewar lines, and Lincoln was no exception. The Zephyr name, however, was no longer used after 1942, with the cars simply called Lincolns.