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Lincoln Versailles.

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The original Lincoln Versailles from the 1970s was Ford’s attempt to compete with the Cadillac Seville. We know Cadillac is currently working on 2 brand-new sedan models based on the Ultium platform. Buick has already shown the Electra-L EV sedan concept, and Lincoln is probably not far behind since the brand is now more popular in China, where sedans are still very popular, and where they have already been selling the Lincoln Zephyr for a while now.

The illustration above shows what a new-generation Lincoln Versailles EV could look like.

The original Lincoln Versailles came out in 1977 to compete with Cadillac‘s popular Seville model. While the Cadillac was very different from other cheaper GM models (Even if it used a similar platform), Lincoln chose to save a few bucks and just revised the front and rear ends of their popular Ford Granada to come up with their new smaller Lincoln. And that didn’t really fool anyone, with sales of only around 15,000 the first year and dropping to under 9000 in 1978.

For 1979, Ford decided to spend a bit more to make the Versaille look more like a Lincoln and it worked with sales jumping to 21,000 units. But dropping to under 5000 for its last year, 1980. While the Cadillac Seville was selling over 53,000 units in 1979.

Ford abandoned the Versailles after just 4 years and there has been no new generation since.

I think such an old-fashioned and cheezy name on a very modern Lincoln EV sedan would be a lot of fun. And since they will probably produce at least one new EV sedan, why not us it…

Conversation 15 comments

  2. The way things are going, I don’t think Lincoln has long to live. The brand is starved of truly unique product and now that Ford has seemingly paused all new EV development, I don’t think there is anything new in the pipeline beyond updated / redesigned existing product.
    Ford might as well buy any sold luxury brand of Stellantis and start fresh.

  4. LINCOLN needs a CAR but go with the name TOWN CAR because it was a BEST SELLER then stop playing & return to the suicide doors PLEASE & give it a convertible with different motor options and some new bold colors inside & out put some forus on the back like reading lite, mini freezer, mini table, power seats, chargers, nice rims …I really like the design

  5. Lincolns have been in my family since I was a kid. I’m now 70 years young. I will always love and drive a Lincoln. They can’t be phased out.

  6. Is the T-Bird ,come back.By Ford? I own a 2023 Lincoln Black Av. And it’s one off the nice ‘s driving experience I had.

  7. I have owned 3 lincoln town cars. I live them for the styling, appointments inside and our. Please bring a good looking Town Car back. You’re public would love to drive In luxury again.

  9. A Continental redux from a few years ago?
    No thanks.
    Lincoln seems to be on life support.

  10. I have been a Ford man since the mid-60s. We have always known that the top of the line models were just the base models with extra trim added to make them more like the base models should have been. The Lincolns of the 60s did a pretty good job lifting the Continentals above the base models. Back then we had the steps of Ford and Mercury before we got to Lincoln. Nevertheless we knew what we were driving. My family and I started driving Lincoln Town Cars in the mid-70s and have done so ever since. But when the Ford Motor Company stopped building sedans in the 2,000 teens it became impossible. But from the 70s to the 90s, the Lincoln Town Car was a great luxury car by any standard. The Lincolns had a presence about them that far exceeded Cadillac and it showed. The Big Three told us the American car buying public stopped buying sedans and our beloved station wagons. Of course we did! You can’t buy something that’s no longer being made, and they began pushing SUVs on us. The SUVs were technically trucks and therefore were exempt from the federal restrictions relative to gas mileage. But they fooled us, we know a truck when we see one. So, we started buying the used Big Three sedans and wagons because they were great machines and we still loved them. And many of us were forced to by foreign sedans and wagons such as they were. I always thought as an auto maker it wasn’t a very good business strategy to not build cars. Yes the US buyers buy a lot of trucks, but that’s not all we buy. Look around our streets, you’ll see plenty of sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks, they just are no longer American brands. I always felt the Big Three would bring back sedans and wagons, but with new technologies. Well the new EV technology hasn’t exactly been the success they hoped for, and now we’re going back to ICEs, and that’s because the American EVs are only half baked just like the way the Big Three have always done. Where does that leave us? I’m hoping it just leaves us further away from good EVs but we will one day get there, and when we do, we will see our beloved Lincolns and even Mercurys come back but much more evolved but every bit the traditional American luxury cars we never stopped loving. In any event we wait, and continue to believe that our favorite cars will be back better than ever. Are most of you thinking I have totally lost my grip on reality? Let’s hope I’m not. Let’s hope the Big Three will hear us and do the right thing.

  11. Making it an EV would be a waste. Throw a twin turbo V6 or a sweet V8 under the hood and you got yourself a true American luxury car. EVs are over-rated. And to rely on a new EV under a recycled badge/name to bolster a luxury brand like Lincoln? That’s not a good move. It’s akin to recycling all these crappy Hollywood reboots of late.

  14. I’m 71 have owned a Large Luncoln since my first of 3 used 57 Premiere in my teens and 20’a on to a 1966 Continental concurrent ’69 then a 1970 big one to over time 3×1976 for myself and family a 1999 Cartier which I still have going strong at 299870mi and bought my dream car the one Auto Week said Ford had abandoned not to be built, then I saw one on the road in April of 2002, I was soon in the show room in my suit on the floor under the car, 8 held off a bi5 andvwas yravel8ng to Sacramento often the 88 8n fine trim after it being stripped on the outside and over $3000 in body and paint at a l9cal dealer trim was als9 replaced and it has a full vinyl top. It got towed from a handicap spot with no notice and was released and refunded from the big box place. In towing it they knocked the exhaust off and further folded it double. I had to travel and phoned u0 Hertz at the Western White House where I knew there was always one in reserve, yes they did O wen5 8n and initiated the rental and went outside to await the hand off, There was a Silver Birch that drove up, I admired it but didn’t realize it was for meafter some time I went back to the counter told it had the keys in it, had 8bknown when it drove up in its testorone majesty I could have walked up and sat down while the valet held and cl9sed thevdo9r for me truly a spectacle as i5 was the ’99 on steroids let alone the new frame spension with rack and pinion steering. I drove that rental for 60 days then trecked out to a new dealership out to a new dealership 30 miles away where I fo7ndva exact copy and made my deal. The rental sat in front of their showroom for two days before I retrieved it. Fantastic car. 7 have since seen 9nevwith a supercharger installed. I now drive a late model Supercharged 5.0 L Jaguar XJL, still not a Lincoln or is it? P,S. they discontinued that 2n 2019 so what next.

  15. I’m 71 have owned a Large Luncoln since my first of 3 used 57 Premiere in my teens and 20’a on to a 1966 Continental concurrent ’69 then a 1970 big one to over time 3×1976 for myself and family a 1999 Cartier which I still have going strong at 299870mi and bought my dream car the one Auto Week said Ford had abandoned not to be built, then I saw one on the road in April of 2002, I was soon in the show room in my suit on the floor under the car, 8 held off a bi5 andvwas yravel8ng to Sacramento often the 88 8n fine trim after it being stripped on the outside and over $3000 in body and paint at a l9cal dealer trim was als9 replaced and it has a full vinyl top. It got towed from a handicap spot with no notice and was released and refunded from the big box place. In towing it they knocked the exhaust off and further folded it double. I had to travel and phoned Hertz at the Western White House where I knew there was always one in reserve, yes they did, went in and initiated the rental and went outside to await the hand off, closed my eyes and when I opened them was a Silver Birch that I admired, wow, I was slightly groggy, didn’t realize it was for me, after
    some time I went back to the counter asked why it was taking so long —, it was out front, the keys in it, had I not been napping I would have made a grand exit in my new Lincoln Town House it’s majesty, apparent styling as my 1999’s big dad, fresh from a steroided gym work out. I got in and drove off, didn’t get out of driving it until I took delivery of my own which I searched on line inventory and was able to make a good deal which was predicated (was a gloomy rainy day) on us arriving within an hour (Magic Lincoln Mercury in the city of Valencia near the Magic Mountain Theme Park) [for those of you that
    not felt and experienced a gloomy night coming home exhausted from a full day at Disneyland, my dad at the wheel, my youngest brother between he and mom, myself my sister two brothers comfy in the back seat, safe and secure under the Landau hardtop, grand, great machine hunkered down, mated to the road, solidly smooth, her engine’ omnipotent and distant synchromatic deep, powerful glorious purr gliding at speed, mated to the road, traveling (in that epooh the freeway was for all intention and purpose, deserted, after 7pm) dad told me that 90 mph was the effortless sweet spot, Her engine’ distant deep near indecernable purr, her powerful heart, singing an ode.
    powerfull valiant secure.] after a full inventoried the exact Executive, I wanted the leather steering wheel, (like the feel of it) I could have walked up and sat down while the valet closed my door in majestic, grand spectacle as most passers by turned their head for a second look at Lincoln’s bold yet understated styling. ’99 on steroids let alone the new frame and spension with rack and pinion steering. I drove that rental for 60 days then trecked out to a new Lincoln Mercury dealership 30 miles away where I found an exact copy and made my deal. That rental sat in front of their showroom for two days before I retrieved it. Fantastic car. I have since since encountered a private supercharger installed. I now drive a late model Supercharged 5.0 L Jaguar XJL, though not Lincoln smooth I have often said that there is no car that rides as smooth as a big Lincoln sedan
    P,S. they discontinued the XJ series before 2019 it was the epitome of engineering with many industry firsts, au Courant magically masterfull forward engineering, the culmination, divident summation of Jaguar, known for it’s mighty and elegant engines. Yes sir I’ll have another of either.

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