The Lincoln Mark series has been about a two-door with style, power, luxury and an element of…I don’t quite know how to word that last part. For the original Lincoln Continental Mark I, the element was rarity and exclusivity, seeing how it was based on a one-off concept that was commissioned by Edsel Ford. The Continental Mark II was elegence…the shape of the Mark II is one of class and beauty, an amazingly restrained and tasteful design in the mid of the 1950s. Continentals from the end of the Mark II to 1961 were huge and obnoxious, the 1960s cars…you know, the four-door droptop generation…were tidy and clean, and then you get the 1970s mix of elegance and excess before diving into a bit of a hangover. The 1980s saw the Mark VII return to form gorgeously with Fox blood in it’s veins, and until the very end it stood out as a sharp design that was still clinging to the idea of personal luxury long after that dream had faded out.
Between you and me, reader, I prefer the Mark VII LSC because it’s the closest version to what I believe Lincoln should’ve been aiming for, which is the iron fist in a velvet glove treatment. Luxury is nice, but it means little if it doesn’t have power. Power is nice, but style turns brute force into art. Making sense? Okay, how about this: if you’re trying to play top trumps, why neglect one facet of the equation? Why half-ass it? 
The Mark VIII was based on the MN-12 platform that underpinned the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. That meant V8 power, independent rear suspension, and for the Lincoln, a swoopy coupe body loaded with leather. Did you expect anything less? Well, underhood, you should have. A 290-horsepower version of the four-valve 4.6 was what greeted prospective buyers at the top of the game, which for the late 1990s wasn’t anything to sneeze at, but in a heavy car loaded with all sorts of equipment, it was burdened. Which makes us wonder why Lincoln didn’t pop into an SVE meeting to inquire about one of the Eaton blower-assisted 4.6L V8s for a Mark VIII. The SVT Thunderbird plan had been canned, mainly because the MN-12 platform as a whole was considered a black sheep among Ford higher-ups, but why not send the Mark VII out on a strong note?
Or why not build one yourself? Eibach springs, Terminator Cobra equipment, and a blower on a super-clean car like this 1998 LSC would be unreal. We’d use the Terminator’s five-spoke wheels to ditch those weird, spiral-spoke deals and leave most everything else alone. It looked good, it felt good and after a mod list like that, it’ll run like a day-trader who’s just seen the market imitate a Greg Louganis plunge straight downwards, as fast as it can while screaming it’s lungs out.
Always felt like this was one of the best looking cars of the 90’s.
I was working for the company that designed the exterior lighting so I got to see a lot of them from the clay studios to pre-production versions.
I just don’t feel like they have aged as poorly as some other cars from that era.
Awesome cars ! I loved mine but the parts can be spendy. Even headlamp assemblies and side view mirrors are several hundred. Worth it for the fast , smooth and quiet ride tho’. Now if Ford would just stretch the Mustang and build the next Mark/LSC.
I know these cars, especially Gen II extremely well. That appears to be a very nice car with reasonable miles. Asking price is within reason also.
As for mods to them….
Several sources for air ride to coil conversions. Some better than others. All are fixed ride height, whether stock or lowered. No adjustable set-ups from reputable companies. I’m a fan of the air ride. This system lowers itself 1″ at speed. If lower static ride height is desired, repositioning the sensors is simple. Key to the system is proper maintenance and service with OEM NOS parts. “Rebuilt” front strut/sir spring assemblies are crap….
Power…. You’re looking at major mods, a lot of money, and a transmission to make a blown Terminator or 5.4 Aluminator work. Better off staying NA with the best options being 99/01 Cobra or FRPP M-6007-A46NA 4.6 long block. If you can find one. If you have money to burn, go with the FRPP Coyote/GT350 based Aluminator XS52 (M-6007-A52XS).
Honestly the Mark VIII InTech responds well to simple intake and exhaust mods and most of all a gear change to 3.73:1 ratio with ECM tuning wakes that engine up gets the sled moving in a hurry.
Regardless of how much power is added, every bushing in the IRS must be upgraded along with solidly mounting the center section and adding higher strength half shafts.
I loved my ’93, seemed the perfect blend of performance and luxury.
Most definitely I would have liked another hundred horsepower, definitely wouldn’t have overtaxed the stock long block – in pre production testing they were seeing “standard issue” (not the Cobra engine) four valve 4.6s built at 400 horsepower having no problem passing durability testing.
Better exhaust breathing, the Cobra camshafts and reasonable boost would put it right at 400 without ruining a beautiful road car.
Very few suspension upgrades and the high speed handling is excellent.
These cars aren’t street/drag race material, they’re personal luxury/performance cars – the kind you can drive every day, in comfort and luxury, and still haul ass if the mood strikes.
That’s a pretty cool combination in my book.
That’s in really nice shape. I’d leave it alone and take care of it. Nice car!
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Lincolns of Distinction.
Every Mark VIII build you could want including a coyote swapped 5 speed.
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2018/04/24/that-time-lincoln-built-a-land-speed-mark-viii-and-set-a-182-mph-record-at-bonneville/