Lincoln Motor Company
Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland, naming it after Abraham Lincoln; in 1922, Lincoln was acquired by Ford. Following World War II, Ford formed the Lincoln-Mercury Division, pairing Lincoln with its mid-range Mercury brand through 2010. In 2012, Ford rebranded the Lincoln division under its original name, Lincoln Motor Company. Originally founded as a freestanding division above Lincoln, Continental was integrated within Lincoln in 1959. The Continental-branded Mark Series was marketed through Lincoln starting in 1968, adapting the Lincoln name in 1986. The Lincoln star emblem is derived from a badge first used on the 1956 Continental Mark II.
Lincoln Mark series
In 1958, the Continental Division was integrated into the Lincoln-Mercury Division, which managed the Continental as a separate marque within the division. The division introduced the Continental Mark III, IV, and V to replace the Continental Mark II; they served as the flagships of the Lincoln-Mercury Division. For 1961, Lincoln was pared down to a single model line. The Continental name was suspended as a marque as the Mark series vehicles were discontinued and Continental became the sole Lincoln model name.