Lincoln dream car first with glass roof

by David Burrell In early 1953 the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford decided to revive the Detroit Auto Show, which had not been held since 1...

by David Burrell

In early 1953 the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford decided to revive the Detroit Auto Show, which had not been held since 1941. 

The company was keen to offset the impact of GM’s Motorama dream car extravaganzas and boost Mercury-Lincoln sales. 

The auto show would also help promote Ford’s 50th anniversary as a company.

The event was a big success, and did exactly what Ford had intended.

More than 90,000 visitors were treated to a Ford-only show.

The star of the event was the Lincoln XL 500 dream car.

Ford said it was a “glimpse of what is ahead in automotive styling and mechanical features” and many of its design themes ended up in Ford cars during the next two to three years. 

The four-seater boasted a fibreglass body painted bright scarlet. 

The major feature was its all-glass roof, variations of which would be a hallmark of subsequent Ford dream cars and production cars.

The steering wheel hub contained the automatic transmission gear selectors. 

This idea was later used on the Edsel.

1953 Lincoln XL 500

1953 Lincoln XL 500

1953 Lincoln XL 500

 

As is usual with dream cars, Ford proclaimed it contained many electrically operated accessories, though given the car was non-operable, it is hard to verify that claim.

The event also included seven long forgotten Lincoln show cars.

Their names described their one-off paint colours, custom interior upholstery and special trim: Anniversary, Maharajah, Kentucky Colonel, Cadet, Midshipman, Bahamian and Contemporaire.

Four thousand dollars’ worth of gold-plated bumper bars, and just about every other exterior and interior metal surface greeted those who gazed at the Anniversary. 

The gold was worth more than the car itself.

The Maharajah was upholstered in red and gold brocade. 

Its interior hardware was gold plate, with carpet of Bengal red plush. The exterior was a blush pink.

The Kentucky Colonel’s mint julep green exterior was offset by a white interior and green carpet.

No word on whether it came with a bucket of deep fried, extra crispy chicken wings, though.

Everyone stood to attention for the Cadet.

The PR folks said it was a “salute” to the West Point Military Academy. 

Seats are trimmed to match the famed coats worn by West Pointers.

The Navy was not forgotten, either.

The Midshipman’s nautical theme emulated a seafaring craft. 

Interior fabrics were navy and white broadcloth, with white nylon rope piping. 

For the Bahamian, Ford’s stylists chose a suntan theme (yes, no kidding).

It was all dark brown, tan and cream. 

The Contemporaire was a study in black and white, with a glass roof.

This appeared a couple of years later in mainstream Ford models.

Few photos exist of these rarely photographed cars.

David Burrell is the editor of retroautos

1953 Lincoln Contemporaire

1953 Lincoln Contemporaire

1953 Lincoln Anniversary

1953 Lincoln Bahamanian

1953 Lincoln Cadet

1953 Lincoln Kentucky Colonel

1953 Lincoln Maharajah

 

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