1988 Lincoln Continental Photos, engines & full specs

Lincoln introduced the eighth generation of the Continental in 1987 for the 1988 model-year, which was more than its customers expected from this land yacht.

The Continental was already a well-known luxury vehicle on the American market. After all, the first generation was launched in 1940. But while some of its famous predecessors had to compete only against Cadillacs or Chryslers, the eighth iteration of this nameplate had to stand against European brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But Ford's luxury brand had a few aces up its sleeves.

Unlike the seventh generation, which sported wedged shapes and four squared headlights, the eighth generation of the Continental came with shaved edges and wide headlights. On the front fascia, the waterfall grille was narrower than before, and the lower bumper was rounded and made from plastic. From its profile, the elegant limo-style sedan boasted body-colored trims and a third window behind the rear doors, integrated into the C-pillars. At the back, the flat deck with sloped sides lost the bump for the spare wheel as on previous Continental generations.

Inside, the luxurious vehicle offered room for four with comfortable seats. One of its most intriguing options was the LED instrument panel, which looked futuristic for those years. At the front, Lincoln offered a wide benchseat to fit three adults or two individual seats. There was mostly room for two adults at the back due to the tall center transmission tunnel.

The Continental was available with a pneumatic, self-leveling suspension that greatly improved comfort. Moreover, a sport setting allowed the massive land yacht to perform better and become more of a driver-oriented vehicle than any another exec-limo from Lincoln's lineup.