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
The Continental Mark series is a series of personal luxury cars that were marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company under various nameplates, including the short-lived Continental Division. The Continental Mark Series was marketed from 1956 to 1960 and from 1968 to 1998, always serving as the flagship of Ford Motor Company in North America.