Honestly, I really liked the Mark VI, but wow, the Mark VII was revolutionary when it was introduced. My parents friend had the first one I ever saw, a fully loaded LSC. To my 12 year old eyes, this car was amazing. I LOVED all of the buttons and everything the screens could tell the driver. I was into cars at this point and knew this was based on the Fox body platform and just about every performance product available for this chassis would work on this car. My parents' friend was a doctor and on call seemingly 24/7. He was the first person I knew with a cell phone, a Motorola brick phone and even more amazingly, his car had a microphone and the phone would play through the cars stereo...in 1984. It wasn't Bluetooth by any means, but it worked flawlessly. I loved the car overall. Smooth enough ride, fast enough, and it looked really, really good.
Reminds me of a guy my mother dated in the early 90's when I was a kid who had the first Cadillac STS that I'd seen, somewhere around 1992-1993, not sure if it was a Northstar or not... The long LED 3rd brake light in the back was so distinctive and ultra modern at the time that I thought the car cost a million bucks when he picked her up in it - He's been my step father since 1995.
The Mark VII LSC and the 5.0 HO was a terrific combination, very adequate performance and luxury. 01/18/2024: Just a quick update, last week I purchased a 1991 LSC. 25,400 miles, not a single blemish anywhere. Even has the original Eagle GT+4’s mounted to a perfect set of wheels. I’ve always admired the LSC and as luck would have it I was at the right place, right time. I’m still pinching myself to see if this isn’t a dream.
I think it would have been even better had ford introduced the triton v8s by this point, perhaps as a Lincoln-exclusive engine line to trickle down to the lower divisions later on
A friend of mine had an 87 LSC. He was a charismatic fellow and I always felt the LSC suited his nature. Unfortunately it was to be his last car as a stroke took him in his prime. I always remember Vic when I see one of these in silver. Great man; great car.
Wow that was sad and powerful with just those few words - Reminds me of when I see a 1994 Ford Crown Vic or similar year (94 was the only year with her tail light design though), it was the last car my grandmother bought before she passed, teal green in color.
I remember reading years ago that Ford was working on a cylinder deactivation system along the lines of the Cadillac V864 around the same time as Cadillac but decided it couldn't be made to be reliable so Ford may have dodged a bullet on that too..
I owned a’92 Mark VII LSC, I absolutely loved that car. It was one of the most comfortable and good riding cars I’ve ever owned, it also handled quite well for the time despite its girth and weight.
These were awesome cars! My parents had an 86 LSC back when I was in high school. I took my driving test in it. They were not only beautiful but were also extremely well built.
I had the 1986 riviera T-Type in high school in 1992, I was very proud to impress my friends who were amazed by the GCC and seats with adjustable wings bolsters and headrest. Best car IMO.
I have a Mark VII setting in my garage and I like it just the way it is. I still don't like that I have to take my eyes off the road to adjust a lot of things on the screens of modern cars. Bring back tactile feel !!!!!
The 1980s Buick system had the same problem you astutely point out in EVs and other vehicles today. "One Screen to Rule Them All". Most people don't like having to scroll through three or four menus and sub-menus to perform basic functions. This was true in 1987 and it is true today. Judging by the buttons on the steering wheel Ford avoided this problem...to an extent. It seems like their system would have been greeted far more warmly than GM's.
As a kid I was an old soul- Mk V and VI still among my favorite cars! After I got my license and was done with my awkward first car, I moved up to an STE, in fact went on to own 2 of em. LOVED the American Audi! That digidash really wowed my buddys. Then after that I had 2 Mk VII LSCs, then after THAT had 2 Mk VIIIs- first was the Deep Jewel Green of the VII in your vid, last one was a black LSC from the final year, 1998. The VIIIs pulled like a freight train with their Cobra engines, I still say they were way underrated on power. Anyway loved this vid, not only because I had never heard of the Comtech deal, but because it covered so many great cars from my past!
@@RobertBowman-gy9hw I had a '97 Mark VIII in the early 00's when I was in my mid/late 20's (and looked much younger) and everyone thought I'd borrowed my Dad's car - nope, it was mine. Fantastic car - unfortunately it didn't work for my living situation at the time (REALLY tight parking space) so I sold it. Best car I had.
The Mark VII was a decisive move away from '70s malaise era styling that surprised many people then. This Lincoln is still quite good looking but any surviving cars have deteriorating plastics both inside and out which are hard to restore. The Comtech UI story is very interesting!
In 1990 I bought a low mileage Mark Vll LSC that I had for over 20 years & put 300,000 miles on it, it was midnight blue with color keyed wheels & gold ornamentation. I now drive a 19 Continental & wish I still had the Mark!!! 👍👍🙂
My parents owned both an 85 and a 91 Mk VII, with the 91 being an LSC. They bought them used, but both were just beautiful cars. Later, I was able to buy an 88 LSC for a really great price, because the owner thought it had a bad rod knock. Turns out it was just loose junk in one cat converter, and after a couple of full throttle runs the knocking noise disappeared. I loved that car! All black, with tan interior and I lowered it 1". Easy to do with the air springs. I drove it for 55k miles, but eventually the Teves anti lock/power brake assembly died, and it would have cost over $900 just for parts, and that is with an employee discount!(I worked at a Ford dealer). By then the car was 11 yrs old, with 115k miles, so I traded it in for a new 99 Escort ZX2. Going from an LSC Mk VII to an Escort was a bit of a letdown, but that Escort turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever owned!
As an aside, when the Mk VIIIs came out, I wanted one soooo bad, but I actually liked the interior of the Mk VII much better. A Mk VII with a MkVIII engine would have been so cool!
The problem is modern cars often put too many things on the touchscreen. Functions that will be utilized while driving, such as sound system volume and climate controls, should be accessible with no more than a quick glance and then by feel. Taking your eyes off the road for more than a second can be dangerous when you're doing 75.
I worked at large Lincoln dealer during the eighties and the introduction of Mark VII was quite exciting. Although a two door luxury car wasn't for everyone, it was sporty enough to make some people rethink their priorities. I never saw or even heard of the Comtech model, but some of the new technical features introduced were quite advanced for the time. Looking back at the air suspension I remember how , at the time, it was so advanced that it was scary for the techs. I'll agree that the LSC model was a great package and when the SEFI engine was introduced it just got better. The Mark VII and Continental with the Diesel engine not so much.
These were great cars! And I really wish I'd had the opportunity to see one of the Comtech-equipped cars in action. This particular model is a wonderful color to boot.
My parents bought a new 1990 black MkVII LSC with those great looking grey BBS style wheels. We had an 85 T-bird that was basis of the 7, and that proved to be an excellent car. My dad went into the Lincoln dealer after seeing an article about it in C&D, Scientific American, or one of his other enthusiast magazines. He was a physicist, and bummed he couldn't get it with the touchscreen. But he bought it anyway. Such a wonderful car. One of the very few truly exceptional Lincolns in the last fifty years.
In 1988 my brother and his wife were each gifted a new Mark VII LSC from the law firm they both worked for. Not a 3 year lease, but outright purchase. I drove my brother’s a fair amount over several years and I loved it. For the time I wouldn’t have changed anything about it. The electronic climate control was just fine as well as the traditional radio. I have a 2016 Toyota with a touchscreen and I wish it didn’t have a touchscreen!
I appreciate how automakers were willing to push technology as far as they could. Heck, digital dashes with VFDs were practically new tech, most computers were Z80s or 8086s, and interface through a CRT? Pure sci fi! Give 'em credit: for the time, it was just as groundbreaking as the Aston Martin Lagonda, much more reliable, and less than a tenth the price.
I wonder if any of the Comtech Mark VIIs still exist. I would love to drive one. What's interesting about these is the Comtech freed up space for the equalizer, which otherwise was never available in a Mark VII. When Lincoln first offered a CD player in the 1987 Town Car - the first car to ever do so, at least in the USA - it was a separate unit mounted below the dash in addition to the cassette player based head unit in the dash. The Mark VII didn't have a CD player available until 1990, when they revised (and cheapened) the interior, and even then it was a choice of either a cassette based head unit or with a CD player...never both due to lack of space on the dash. The JBL stereo was great though...while the imaging wasn't perfect, the overall sound was excellent, especially in the 1988. Though I am biased, I truly feel the Mark VII LSC was the best overall car produced in the United States in the 1980s. Other cars may have done this or that better, but as a complete package, it gave a wonderful experience that no other American car matched so completely, let alone beat. In my family, we had both an '88 in Dark Shadow Blue with the Shadow Blue interior that we got new and had for six years until it was in an accident, followed about six months after by a used '91 black/black SE. The '91 was very nice, and I had it for a long time, but the '88 was a better car. Everything was just right in the '88, and we had one where Ford must have had some fun with building the engine, because it was certainly faster than an average Mark VII with the same engine. I know of a couple other people who also had this experience where their '88 was faster than it should have been, and not by a little. Our '88 probably ran 7 seconds 0-60, or not much slower vs the usual 7.9 seconds or so. The '88 handled better, with better steering, a better made nicer looking interior with thick rugs, and so on. I can't fault the car in any real way. By '89, Lincoln revised the steering for the worse, and took away the locking push button visors, a sign of things to come. For whatever reason, they did something (which I don't know the details of) with the JBL stereo in '89 as the parts have different E9 part numbers (vs E8), so the '88 has a one year system...the system in the '91 we had sounded great, and it had the CD player, but there was a certain je ne sais quoi with the system in the '88 that was even better. Could be partially due to the head unit being different, but I wonder about the other part numbers in the system and what possibly changed with them. I also missed the '88s automatic dimming mirror that instead of being electrochromic, was mechanical and motorized to move the glass framed portion of the mirror up and down as needed, with a variably adjustable distance control, to set how close or far lights behind you would make the mirror "dim". Lincoln first offered this in 1983, the last year of the Mark VI. I still like it better than modern electronic rearview mirrors, and the noise it made when it moved added charm. Lastly, I can't get over how little the Mark VII has "aged". Aside from it having traditional bumpers, it doesn't really look "old". It really was "what a luxury car should be", at least as far as US luxury cars, back then.
Interesting. I was not aware of that trial. I have a Bill Blass 87 Mk7. It is a great car. I do like the Mk6 and have 2 x four doors - which was the best looking as the 2 door needed a longer wheelbase. The Mark 6 would gave sold well eventually per the Town car as the economy recovered.
I had a 1988, 1990, and 1992 LSC. They were unique and great driving cars. It was always fun to open the hood and show people the 5.0 HO engine with factory headers.
I love the Mark VII. Beautiful in its day and still a stunner. I feel Lincoln really dodged a bullet by not introducing the Comtech. Buick most certainly paid a price with their GCC. Even if introduced in a vehicle geared towards younger people it was simply way ahead of its time. I get it that the early 80s was a time for electronic gizmos but touchscreens were still a couple decades away from acceptance.
Keep wishing. It's so commonplace now that it would likely cost manufacturers more to develop and offer an alternative that most people wouldn't buy. Look for an absolute base model of a vehicle that is often sold to fleets (think cargo vans, barebone pickup trucks) and you might find something.
Computers need output devices. That’s all a screen is. The computer’s addition to fine engine control and diagnosis cannot be achieved mechanically. Just follow a vehicle from the 70’s down the road sometime.
We can always hang a portable radio or similar on a sunshade or some knob. Like some of our dads did when the cheapest car they bought didn't have a radio. He would hang a transistor radio on a door window crank.
I found Junkyard Gold , A pair of leather seats from a 1985 Mark VII that fit n my 88 Thunderbird and to my surprise when installing found the power seat wiring was there under the carpet in my base model Thunderbird that did not have power seats, Thanks Ford !
I had a 1987 Mark VII- LSC. Rose exterior and almost matching interior. A beautiful car that listed for $27,000. One of my favorite items on the car was the power Recarro seats with an extendable leg support. I kept it for 9 years. I didn't drive it everyday and never in the winter. When I took it in for service at the Mercury/Lincoln/Ford dealer, I was always moved to the head of the line if there was a wait with other cars.
My uncle had add a 1988 champagne colored mark 7 back in the day. I remember as a little kid playing with the power seat buttons buttons on the top of the doors. It seemed like a cool car but I remember him getting rid of it because he said no matter what type of tires he had put on the car it had a weird tendency to always want to hydroplane on the freeway. Years later I met a guy who's brother was paralyzed from the neck down because his mark 7 hydroplaned and flipped on I 95 crushing in the roof because I guess back then the car didn't really have much of a safety structure.
I’d love to see a video of a top five or top 10 vehicle list that you would like to obtain if it’s because it’s like these where they have unique features or if it’s just some car that you’ve always liked the styling of. You have such an impressive collection, I would imagine by now it Hass to be something pretty special to be worthy of adding to the fleet.
I always liked this Mk VII, ahead of its time for sure. My modern car has the usual touchscreen, but it also has the necessary physical buttons and dials for ventilation and radio, as it should of course.
Since it appears the Mark VII had those steering wheel controls versus the more spartan Riviera tech, I think it would have been better received. Further it appears there was still familiar dashboard radio controls.
I would imagine the average consumer of Rivieras and Mark VIIs were in their atleast their mid-late 40s and probably more likely their 50s, and probably outside of banking or premium white collar work had never touched a computer so they were probably like “what did they do to my favorite car?” I think if you exchanged the ashtrays and cigarette lighters for cup holders and told a friend or one of your children you could use this Comtech Lincoln in particular they would be like the controls are a bit strange but like going from one modern car to another they would quickly adjust and think nothing of it. And as far as tactile controls, I recently had to use both and rented Ford Edge and a Lincoln Nautilus on two trips, I have to say I absolutely hated no knobs or buttons or any kind for climate control, tho the Lincoln did have more controls but the remotely located keyboard transmission selector was hard to get used to and again required taking your eye away. Column shift (ideally for console space conservation not even nostalgia ) and knobs for temp and fan speed I really wish would become logical prevalence.
I own a 17 Cadillac Escalade with touch screen everything and absolutely hate it. It is so distracting and dangerous. Although the 6.2L/8 speed combo is delightful. I specifically ordered my 21 Ram 2500 Laramie with the small screen and knobs for controls and love it. We prefer the Ram to the Caddy any day of the week.
I have to say the Lincoln had a better unit. The controls on the wheel make a huge difference in usability. I dated a girl who had an '86 Riviera with that CRT touch screen. That thing was a disaster! Had to pull over to turn the heat up. With no haptic feedback to the buttons, you couldn't tell WHAT was happening!!! Plus, the CRT was really wonky when it was really cold out, taking at least 10 minutes to "warm up" before it would work. Lincoln made it work with the wheel controls!
My '06 Acura TL still has big knobs to tune the radio and change the volume ... steering wheel stalks to turn on the headlights, and to run the windshield wipers. I can't imagine having to navigate a menu system while driving to perform these functions.
I work at the auto ports in Canada and we get all the cars from Japan and Korea and China One of our customers is Tesla… Probably the most annoying car to drive that comes threw our port! They drive everyone nuts. You have to flip threw an iPad that’s glued to to dash just to turn the wipers on adjust the steering wheel 🤦♂️
Nice idea in concept, but the execution is lacking. Poor user interface with the tiny buttons, no haptic response in those days, and the screen is out of a proper sight line for the driver. To read the screen, the driver's eyes not only have to leave the road, they need to refocus. A screen up high in the visual sight line could be read without requiring an eye refocus. That's hard to pull off, not only stylistically, because now the reach to the touch screen becomes long enough to require the driver move in the seat. This is the same problem with today's touch screens, made even worse with their giant size. Eyes need to be off the road for a significant amount of time to digest all the displayed information.
Growing up our neighbor was a supervisor in Ford electrical engineering. He consistently brought home a Comtech. He let me drive it a few times. I remember the system check and the calendar function. I tried to see how car back the calendar would go and stopped at 1732. It would have kept going. My dad worked in a different department at Ford and drove the car occasionally. He said they really struggled with the distraction the screen would cause. The only thing that was different on them externally was a Comtech badge on the lower right corner of the deck lid.
I wish I could read what those three things are in the upper right quadrant... 🙂 It is also interesting to note in the end video that all those buttons on the steering wheel apparently had even more buttons behind them.
I marvel at your knowledge and resources of automobiles. Thank you for sharing. Concerning touchscreens in cars, I have a 2024 Outback Limited and it has a huge touchscreen in the center of the dash. And your observation about touchscreens lack the tactile touch of knobs and levers is spot on. Although I love the technology afforded to the driver and passengers, I find smooth touchscreens annoying and cumbersome while driving. The Subaru has retained on/off/volume control knob and a radio station control knob, plus flush mechanical buttons for temperature and defrost controls. And the touchscreen lacks, hmm, what shall a say, lacks the ability (for the driver/user) to integrate various commonly used functions. The various functions are neatly sorted between an assortment of screens, but I have to float from screen to screen during normal operation. Okay, I am driving, using the Outback Maps function, but to change my Pandora settings, I have to go to a screen where the Android Auto button appears, then press the Android Auto button, then press the small Pandora button, the press the function of Pandora I want to change. I realize some of these common functions can be set as presets, one still has to search through the presets for the desired one. Hopefully, some engineer will negotiate through the copyrights, licenses, patents, and trolls, to create a custom screen where the user can put his or her frequently used/changed touchscreen tasks. Again, thank you for sharing these amazing cars.
The late '84 and '85 Riviera's had the CRT screen as an option. Many think it was 1986, but most likely that was because it was standard equipment in that year and in a new body style. That said, I like how cool the Lincoln system looked.
i really think ford was listening to its customers at the time much more than gm was and i don’t believe that any major manufacturer currently is listening to people today because who can afford the vehicles being made right now it’s insane
I bought a pre-owned 1985 Mark VII LSC in February of 1986. Drove it for 6 years and absolutely loved it. The seats had so many adjustments and were ultra comfortable. Sadly, many non-car people mistook it for a Thunderbird. I still think it was one of the most beautifully styled cars of the 1980’s. I never heard of the COMTECH Mark VII but I like the concept. I noticed that the electronic gauges in the COMTECH were more comprehensive. My 1985 LSC only had a speedometer and fuel gauge and they were electronic.
It still confuses me that Ford switched the Thunderbird and Cougar to the new MN12 platform but kept the Lincoln on the Fox for a few more years. Loved both of them.
I had a 1985 Mark VII LSC back in the day. One of the finest automobiles I've ever had the pleasure to drive. Silky smooth and plenty of performance. Tremendously fun to drive. It was the American equivalent of the Mercedes Benz 500 SEC.
I can't stand touch screens in cars. If you want a secondary system to do more in-depth procedures like systems check and changing settings, that's okay I guess. But for normal functions that are used regularly. Like the radio, hvac system, etc. I think those things should have buttons, switches and knobs or different sizes and shapes so you can memorize them and use these features without looking away from the road. This is why I don't ever want a modern vehicle. Well, that and the fact that they're all garbage crossovers with too much unnecessary technology.
SHCOKED that it wasn't pointed out how the side styling was directly lifted from late 60s Toronado, that heavy side line and wheel arch line. It has been discussed SO much in previous videos, and I know it wasn't the topic of this video, but these 2 cars, decades apart, sharing such a similar mission and with some similar cutting edge (but ALSO) similar styling features!
I think people dislike touch-screens for their dangerous complexity while driving. Imagine trying to work them with a gloved hand in winter, trying to watch a slippery road and needing the windshield defogger IMMEDIATELY--and having to go to the screen, then a sub-screen. And a sub-sub-screen for other items. Like texting while driving, they're fun for passengers, dangerous for drivers.
That 302 was an engine that Lincoln should have engineered for more horsepower. The motor had 300 hp potential…. Probably a hell of alot more - even so, Ford had the 1980’s locked up with hit after hit. Small car or large car didn’t matter. GM had no design but total chaos in computer technology. How that happened - who knows. Jack Telnack deserves total credit for Fords success absolutely !
Rented a new LSC, (black on black) on a trip to San Francisco and Napa. I considered myself strictly a euro-sportscar guy, but that car nearly converted me. It' was really a high watermark for balance between comfort and handling in the American idiom.(with 4 wheell discs!) I would be tempted to buy a decent one, but you seldom see them. Rust?
I had a '90 LSC Mark VII for 3 years and at the end of the lease moved "up" to the new '93 Mark VIII. Other than the "Romeo" 4.6L in the '93 it turned out to be the worst mistake I ever made in car buying, and the last domestic vehicle that I bought/leased from new ever since. The Mark VII was just so much nicer a vehicle from stem to stern.
The Mark VII LSC was bad and when I say bad I mean Michael Jackson BAD. I remember I was about 20 and this kid I knew got a settlement for an injury and took his cash and bought a Mark VII LSC. It was a fun car and I still think it's a good looking car. Im glad it didnt get the Cougar back window. As far as the touch screens, I'm ok with them overall. I currently drive a Silverado and its more than acceptable. I do however require a tactile volume control (which I have) as well as steering wheel controls.
A huge step forward from the Mark VI, but I could never overcome the lack of flush glass on the doors, taking it out of plane with the rear quarter windows. It just screamed compromise. The Mark VIII fixed that, and got a proper wheelbase and IRS as well.
Ford would have done okay with the Comtech. The Toro and Riv were fighting being and undersized, massively overpriced vehicle that people didn’t like that also had an annoying CRT. Ford added redundant steering wheel buttons that greatly improved the functionality. They also would have put it in a well liked product. They should have built it.
I always loved these. A buddy had in highschool has a baby blue LSC, i loved that car. This was in like 03. The bought it from an older guy it only hsd like 60,000 miles on it. Eveything worked. Rode smooth as butter, wasnt fast but it had enough power to get up and go.
Many times you refer to CRT screens in your video. I sincerely doubt that any car used Cathode Ray Tube screens in the 1980s or any other time. That would involve parts like a high voltage transformer, deflection yoke, and a longer tube extending out the rear of the unit. The only place I ever saw CRT screens in motor vehicles was in large motor homes with the very early backup cameras and displays. I suggest you research what these screens really were and name them correctly. They could have been LED, LCD, Plasma, or whatever the technology of the time was.
I had a 91. It was a complete beater I bought for $450. The interior was hammered. I lifted it, cut the fenders, and put 30” mud terrain tires on it. What a fun car.
Mark 6 was a beautiful car. At the time my neighbor owned a Ford dealeeship. He drove a brand new Mark 6 and it looked amazing. I still remember admiring it. The Mark 7 to me looked like a cheaper version of the Mark 6
Do you see that rather vacant looking deck lid ? Will a lot of our customers saw it too. One day my boss looked at me and said "I wonder what it would look like if we added Continental on the deck lid". A couple hours later a Mark VII shows up in my stall with a bag full of letters spelling continental on the front seat. I had to design a template where are all the holes would have to be drilled. It was always quite nerve-wracking task, even though I don't remember making any mistake I knew I could end up with a really unhappy customer and boss.
Yea , well if most Americans had their way , cars would be exactly the same as they where in the 60’s . Who wants a 3.0 liter turbo six that makes 400 hp , when you can have a 7.7 liter V8 that makes 400hp . Change is scary .
Hey! I was wondering if you would do a video on the VII. I currently own a last year 92 LSC SE in Garnet red over black leather with charcoal BBS wheels. It's a wonderful driving car. My car stickered for 38k! I've never heard of this Comtech model. Interesting.
It's funny every Mark VII I've seen always seems to have air ride issue. Totally deflated and your car ends up looking like a low rider. As for the instrument panel and steering controls. Way to busy
I wonder how many pedestrians paid the price for some engineer who thought it would be a good idea for a driver to need to look away from his surroundings while he performed a hitherto simple task like adjusting the sound volume. Another case of "change for the sake of change", something Microsoft are also notorious for in my opinion.
Touch screen for common or important functions is horrible and dangerous. A driver should be able to do wipers, lights, glove box, adjust heat, demist and volume without taking their eyes off the road for more than a fraction of a second
I wonder if the touch screen would have been better received, if Buick would have incorporated a volume knob, tuning knob and a bank of radio preset buttons.
Great video while it looks cool screens that control the climate control system and radios are irritating. Its just as distracting as texting while driving. Used to have a bmw 528i as a daily driver i can change stations adjust the temp an fan speed all by feel we have taken a few steps backwards in ergonomics
Touch screens seem as silly today as they did then. I have no problem with functional technology, but in general the screens are as obtuse as the fins on a fifties car. Same goes for push button start.
Ford really did dodge a bullet by not introducing the Comtech touch system. I drove many mid 80's Riviera's in my travels working for Avis Rent-A-Car back then, as well as an airport parking lot attendant. Of course you see a screen like that, you try it out. What a piece of junk! A friend of mine has a couple Buick Reatta's from the late 80's/early 90's and the same screen is in there. He loves it...well he's a bit weird...haha.
Honestly, I really liked the Mark VI, but wow, the Mark VII was revolutionary when it was introduced. My parents friend had the first one I ever saw, a fully loaded LSC. To my 12 year old eyes, this car was amazing. I LOVED all of the buttons and everything the screens could tell the driver. I was into cars at this point and knew this was based on the Fox body platform and just about every performance product available for this chassis would work on this car.
My parents' friend was a doctor and on call seemingly 24/7. He was the first person I knew with a cell phone, a Motorola brick phone and even more amazingly, his car had a microphone and the phone would play through the cars stereo...in 1984. It wasn't Bluetooth by any means, but it worked flawlessly. I loved the car overall. Smooth enough ride, fast enough, and it looked really, really good.
Reminds me of a guy my mother dated in the early 90's when I was a kid who had the first Cadillac STS that I'd seen, somewhere around 1992-1993, not sure if it was a Northstar or not... The long LED 3rd brake light in the back was so distinctive and ultra modern at the time that I thought the car cost a million bucks when he picked her up in it - He's been my step father since 1995.
@@Stressless2023yeah he was definitely hitting it raw 😄
@@rickc303 Well she had my brother in 96 and my sister in 01 so that's a given 😂
The Mark VII LSC and the 5.0 HO was a terrific combination, very adequate performance and luxury. 01/18/2024: Just a quick update, last week I purchased a 1991 LSC. 25,400 miles, not a single blemish anywhere. Even has the original Eagle GT+4’s mounted to a perfect set of wheels. I’ve always admired the LSC and as luck would have it I was at the right place, right time. I’m still pinching myself to see if this isn’t a dream.
I think it would have been even better had ford introduced the triton v8s by this point, perhaps as a Lincoln-exclusive engine line to trickle down to the lower divisions later on
A friend of mine had an 87 LSC. He was a charismatic fellow and I always felt the LSC suited his nature. Unfortunately it was to be his last car as a stroke took him in his prime. I always remember Vic when I see one of these in silver. Great man; great car.
How sad
Wow that was sad and powerful with just those few words - Reminds me of when I see a 1994 Ford Crown Vic or similar year (94 was the only year with her tail light design though), it was the last car my grandmother bought before she passed, teal green in color.
I remember reading years ago that Ford was working on a cylinder deactivation system along the lines of the Cadillac V864 around the same time as Cadillac but decided it couldn't be made to be reliable so Ford may have dodged a bullet on that too..
I owned a’92 Mark VII LSC, I absolutely loved that car. It was one of the most comfortable and good riding cars I’ve ever owned, it also handled quite well for the time despite its girth and weight.
why didnt you keep it?
I didn't think they were that heavy considering they were based on the fox platform.
These were awesome cars! My parents had an 86 LSC back when I was in high school. I took my driving test in it. They were not only beautiful but were also extremely well built.
I 💙'd my Chrystal Blue '89 MK VII LSC with Bill Blass Blue leather interior and Moonroof. I never knew about these special MK's. Thanks for posting.
I had the 1986 riviera T-Type in high school in 1992, I was very proud to impress my friends who were amazed by the GCC and seats with adjustable wings bolsters and headrest. Best car IMO.
86 Riviera VS Mark VII, not even close!!
I had an 86 Riv in Alaska and it was GREAT! Plowed through the snow and just a great driving car.
I have a Mark VII setting in my garage and I like it just the way it is. I still don't like that I have to take my eyes off the road to adjust a lot of things on the screens of modern cars. Bring back tactile feel !!!!!
I absolutely love my Mark VII. I have an 86 LSC. I’ve been thinking about selling it to buy something older, but it’s SUCH a nice car to drive
I had an 86 and an 89 LSC. Loved both of them like they were my children, and liked them more than the Cadillacs that I owned from the same era.
The 1980s Buick system had the same problem you astutely point out in EVs and other vehicles today. "One Screen to Rule Them All". Most people don't like having to scroll through three or four menus and sub-menus to perform basic functions. This was true in 1987 and it is true today.
Judging by the buttons on the steering wheel Ford avoided this problem...to an extent. It seems like their system would have been greeted far more warmly than GM's.
As a kid I was an old soul- Mk V and VI still among my favorite cars! After I got my license and was done with my awkward first car, I moved up to an STE, in fact went on to own 2 of em. LOVED the American Audi! That digidash really wowed my buddys. Then after that I had 2 Mk VII LSCs, then after THAT had 2 Mk VIIIs- first was the Deep Jewel Green of the VII in your vid, last one was a black LSC from the final year, 1998. The VIIIs pulled like a freight train with their Cobra engines, I still say they were way underrated on power. Anyway loved this vid, not only because I had never heard of the Comtech deal, but because it covered so many great cars from my past!
Same. I was a 100 when I was five and I loved Lincolns.
@@RobertBowman-gy9hw I had a '97 Mark VIII in the early 00's when I was in my mid/late 20's (and looked much younger) and everyone thought I'd borrowed my Dad's car - nope, it was mine. Fantastic car - unfortunately it didn't work for my living situation at the time (REALLY tight parking space) so I sold it. Best car I had.
Fascinating! I had never heard of the "comtech" system, until now.
The Mark VII was a decisive move away from '70s malaise era styling that surprised many people then. This Lincoln is still quite good looking but any surviving cars have deteriorating plastics both inside and out which are hard to restore. The Comtech UI story is very interesting!
Thank Philip Caldwell. He helped usher in a new era at Ford.
Yeah, plastic really need to be kept in garages and hidrated so they don't break like plaster
Back when Lincoln was an innovative brand. Miss those days.
In 1990 I bought a low mileage Mark Vll LSC that I had for over 20 years & put 300,000 miles on it, it was midnight blue with color keyed wheels & gold ornamentation. I now drive a 19 Continental & wish I still had the Mark!!! 👍👍🙂
Love the last generation Lincoln Continentals. Very underrated cars.
I have a 97 Mark Viii How is the 2019 Continental??? Im thinking of replacing my Mark with one. What do you think??
@@jakereal3604 I can recommend the Continental, it's roomy, comfortable & handles well for a large car.
My parents owned both an 85 and a 91 Mk VII, with the 91 being an LSC. They bought them used, but both were just beautiful cars. Later, I was able to buy an 88 LSC for a really great price, because the owner thought it had a bad rod knock. Turns out it was just loose junk in one cat converter, and after a couple of full throttle runs the knocking noise disappeared. I loved that car! All black, with tan interior and I lowered it 1". Easy to do with the air springs. I drove it for 55k miles, but eventually the Teves anti lock/power brake assembly died, and it would have cost over $900 just for parts, and that is with an employee discount!(I worked at a Ford dealer). By then the car was 11 yrs old, with 115k miles, so I traded it in for a new 99 Escort ZX2. Going from an LSC Mk VII to an Escort was a bit of a letdown, but that Escort turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever owned!
As an aside, when the Mk VIIIs came out, I wanted one soooo bad, but I actually liked the interior of the Mk VII much better. A Mk VII with a MkVIII engine would have been so cool!
The problem is modern cars often put too many things on the touchscreen. Functions that will be utilized while driving, such as sound system volume and climate controls, should be accessible with no more than a quick glance and then by feel. Taking your eyes off the road for more than a second can be dangerous when you're doing 75.
I worked at large Lincoln dealer during the eighties and the introduction of Mark VII was quite exciting. Although a two door luxury car wasn't for everyone, it was sporty enough to make some people rethink their priorities. I never saw or even heard of the Comtech model, but some of the new technical features introduced were quite advanced for the time. Looking back at the air suspension I remember how , at the time, it was so advanced that it was scary for the techs. I'll agree that the LSC model was a great package and when the SEFI engine was introduced it just got better. The Mark VII and Continental with the Diesel engine not so much.
These were great cars! And I really wish I'd had the opportunity to see one of the Comtech-equipped cars in action. This particular model is a wonderful color to boot.
My parents bought a new 1990 black MkVII LSC with those great looking grey BBS style wheels. We had an 85 T-bird that was basis of the 7, and that proved to be an excellent car. My dad went into the Lincoln dealer after seeing an article about it in C&D, Scientific American, or one of his other enthusiast magazines. He was a physicist, and bummed he couldn't get it with the touchscreen. But he bought it anyway. Such a wonderful car. One of the very few truly exceptional Lincolns in the last fifty years.
In 1988 my brother and his wife were each gifted a new Mark VII LSC from the law firm they both worked for. Not a 3 year lease, but outright purchase.
I drove my brother’s a fair amount over several years and I loved it.
For the time I wouldn’t have changed anything about it.
The electronic climate control was just fine as well as the traditional radio.
I have a 2016 Toyota with a touchscreen and I wish it didn’t have a touchscreen!
I appreciate how automakers were willing to push technology as far as they could. Heck, digital dashes with VFDs were practically new tech, most computers were Z80s or 8086s, and interface through a CRT? Pure sci fi! Give 'em credit: for the time, it was just as groundbreaking as the Aston Martin Lagonda, much more reliable, and less than a tenth the price.
I wonder if any of the Comtech Mark VIIs still exist. I would love to drive one. What's interesting about these is the Comtech freed up space for the equalizer, which otherwise was never available in a Mark VII. When Lincoln first offered a CD player in the 1987 Town Car - the first car to ever do so, at least in the USA - it was a separate unit mounted below the dash in addition to the cassette player based head unit in the dash. The Mark VII didn't have a CD player available until 1990, when they revised (and cheapened) the interior, and even then it was a choice of either a cassette based head unit or with a CD player...never both due to lack of space on the dash. The JBL stereo was great though...while the imaging wasn't perfect, the overall sound was excellent, especially in the 1988.
Though I am biased, I truly feel the Mark VII LSC was the best overall car produced in the United States in the 1980s. Other cars may have done this or that better, but as a complete package, it gave a wonderful experience that no other American car matched so completely, let alone beat. In my family, we had both an '88 in Dark Shadow Blue with the Shadow Blue interior that we got new and had for six years until it was in an accident, followed about six months after by a used '91 black/black SE. The '91 was very nice, and I had it for a long time, but the '88 was a better car. Everything was just right in the '88, and we had one where Ford must have had some fun with building the engine, because it was certainly faster than an average Mark VII with the same engine. I know of a couple other people who also had this experience where their '88 was faster than it should have been, and not by a little. Our '88 probably ran 7 seconds 0-60, or not much slower vs the usual 7.9 seconds or so. The '88 handled better, with better steering, a better made nicer looking interior with thick rugs, and so on. I can't fault the car in any real way. By '89, Lincoln revised the steering for the worse, and took away the locking push button visors, a sign of things to come. For whatever reason, they did something (which I don't know the details of) with the JBL stereo in '89 as the parts have different E9 part numbers (vs E8), so the '88 has a one year system...the system in the '91 we had sounded great, and it had the CD player, but there was a certain je ne sais quoi with the system in the '88 that was even better. Could be partially due to the head unit being different, but I wonder about the other part numbers in the system and what possibly changed with them. I also missed the '88s automatic dimming mirror that instead of being electrochromic, was mechanical and motorized to move the glass framed portion of the mirror up and down as needed, with a variably adjustable distance control, to set how close or far lights behind you would make the mirror "dim". Lincoln first offered this in 1983, the last year of the Mark VI. I still like it better than modern electronic rearview mirrors, and the noise it made when it moved added charm.
Lastly, I can't get over how little the Mark VII has "aged". Aside from it having traditional bumpers, it doesn't really look "old". It really was "what a luxury car should be", at least as far as US luxury cars, back then.
Interesting. I was not aware of that trial. I have a Bill Blass 87 Mk7. It is a great car. I do like the Mk6 and have 2 x four doors - which was the best looking as the 2 door needed a longer wheelbase. The Mark 6 would gave sold well eventually per the Town car as the economy recovered.
I had a 1988, 1990, and 1992 LSC. They were unique and great driving cars. It was always fun to open the hood and show people the 5.0 HO engine with factory headers.
That’s one busy steering wheel. 😂
I love the Mark VII. Beautiful in its day and still a stunner. I feel Lincoln really dodged a bullet by not introducing the Comtech. Buick most certainly paid a price with their GCC. Even if introduced in a vehicle geared towards younger people it was simply way ahead of its time. I get it that the early 80s was a time for electronic gizmos but touchscreens were still a couple decades away from acceptance.
I wish OEMs would quit putting touch screens in cars. Bring back buttons and dials. SCREEN DELETE!
There are still new models all over the world without Touchscreens. Buy those or old ones without it.
Keep wishing. It's so commonplace now that it would likely cost manufacturers more to develop and offer an alternative that most people wouldn't buy.
Look for an absolute base model of a vehicle that is often sold to fleets (think cargo vans, barebone pickup trucks) and you might find something.
Why would they pass up on a $5000 replacement charge when it finally goes kaput?
Computers need output devices. That’s all a screen is. The computer’s addition to fine engine control and diagnosis cannot be achieved mechanically. Just follow a vehicle from the 70’s down the road sometime.
We can always hang a portable radio or similar on a sunshade or some knob. Like some of our dads did when the cheapest car they bought didn't have a radio. He would hang a transistor radio on a door window crank.
I found Junkyard Gold , A pair of leather seats from a 1985 Mark VII that fit n my 88 Thunderbird and to my surprise when installing found the power seat wiring was there under the carpet in my base model Thunderbird that did not have power seats, Thanks Ford !
Love this channel! Thanks Adam!
I always found the Mark VI sedans to be quite attractive.
Another good subject for a video could be the unique reflective holographic dash display on the 95-02 Lincoln Continental.
I had a 1987 Mark VII- LSC. Rose exterior and almost matching interior. A beautiful car that listed for $27,000. One of my favorite items on the car was the power Recarro seats with an extendable leg support. I kept it for 9 years. I didn't drive it everyday and never in the winter. When I took it in for service at the Mercury/Lincoln/Ford dealer, I was always moved to the head of the line if there was a wait with other cars.
My uncle had add a 1988 champagne colored mark 7 back in the day. I remember as a little kid playing with the power seat buttons buttons on the top of the doors. It seemed like a cool car but I remember him getting rid of it because he said no matter what type of tires he had put on the car it had a weird tendency to always want to hydroplane on the freeway. Years later I met a guy who's brother was paralyzed from the neck down because his mark 7 hydroplaned and flipped on I 95 crushing in the roof because I guess back then the car didn't really have much of a safety structure.
wow, you're releasing clips thick and fast, love them!
I’d love to see a video of a top five or top 10 vehicle list that you would like to obtain if it’s because it’s like these where they have unique features or if it’s just some car that you’ve always liked the styling of. You have such an impressive collection, I would imagine by now it Hass to be something pretty special to be worthy of adding to the fleet.
I always liked this Mk VII, ahead of its time for sure. My modern car has the usual touchscreen, but it also has the necessary physical buttons and dials for ventilation and radio, as it should of course.
Since it appears the Mark VII had those steering wheel controls versus the more spartan Riviera tech, I think it would have been better received. Further it appears there was still familiar dashboard radio controls.
I agree that it was best left off at the time. I think the feedback from the test cars was likely spot on.
I would imagine the average consumer of Rivieras and Mark VIIs were in their atleast their mid-late 40s and probably more likely their 50s, and probably outside of banking or premium white collar work had never touched a computer so they were probably like “what did they do to my favorite car?” I think if you exchanged the ashtrays and cigarette lighters for cup holders and told a friend or one of your children you could use this Comtech Lincoln in particular they would be like the controls are a bit strange but like going from one modern car to another they would quickly adjust and think nothing of it. And as far as tactile controls, I recently had to use both and rented Ford Edge and a Lincoln Nautilus on two trips, I have to say I absolutely hated no knobs or buttons or any kind for climate control, tho the Lincoln did have more controls but the remotely located keyboard transmission selector was hard to get used to and again required taking your eye away. Column shift (ideally for console space conservation not even nostalgia ) and knobs for temp and fan speed I really wish would become logical prevalence.
That Mark 7 was a Gorgeous car in its day.
I Always Wanted that body style.
It was a “fancy” Ford T Bird.
STILL gorgeous. 👍
I own a 17 Cadillac Escalade with touch screen everything and absolutely hate it. It is so distracting and dangerous. Although the 6.2L/8 speed combo is delightful. I specifically ordered my 21 Ram 2500 Laramie with the small screen and knobs for controls and love it. We prefer the Ram to the Caddy any day of the week.
I have to say the Lincoln had a better unit. The controls on the wheel make a huge difference in usability. I dated a girl who had an '86 Riviera with that CRT touch screen. That thing was a disaster! Had to pull over to turn the heat up. With no haptic feedback to the buttons, you couldn't tell WHAT was happening!!! Plus, the CRT was really wonky when it was really cold out, taking at least 10 minutes to "warm up" before it would work.
Lincoln made it work with the wheel controls!
My '06 Acura TL still has big knobs to tune the radio and change the volume ... steering wheel stalks to turn on the headlights, and to run the windshield wipers.
I can't imagine having to navigate a menu system while driving to perform these functions.
I loved the LSC, but I'm so thankful I didn't get one after seeing all their problems.
I work at the auto ports in Canada and we get all the cars from Japan and Korea and China
One of our customers is Tesla…
Probably the most annoying car to drive that comes threw our port! They drive everyone nuts. You have to flip threw an iPad that’s glued to to dash just to turn the wipers on adjust the steering wheel 🤦♂️
Nice idea in concept, but the execution is lacking. Poor user interface with the tiny buttons, no haptic response in those days, and the screen is out of a proper sight line for the driver. To read the screen, the driver's eyes not only have to leave the road, they need to refocus. A screen up high in the visual sight line could be read without requiring an eye refocus. That's hard to pull off, not only stylistically, because now the reach to the touch screen becomes long enough to require the driver move in the seat.
This is the same problem with today's touch screens, made even worse with their giant size. Eyes need to be off the road for a significant amount of time to digest all the displayed information.
Other than the trunk hump, this was a gorgeous car! I wanted one back in the day but it was way out of my reach.
Growing up our neighbor was a supervisor in Ford electrical engineering. He consistently brought home a Comtech. He let me drive it a few times. I remember the system check and the calendar function. I tried to see how car back the calendar would go and stopped at 1732. It would have kept going.
My dad worked in a different department at Ford and drove the car occasionally. He said they really struggled with the distraction the screen would cause.
The only thing that was different on them externally was a Comtech badge on the lower right corner of the deck lid.
I wish I could read what those three things are in the upper right quadrant... 🙂
It is also interesting to note in the end video that all those buttons on the steering wheel apparently had even more buttons behind them.
I marvel at your knowledge and resources of automobiles. Thank you for sharing. Concerning touchscreens in cars, I have a 2024 Outback Limited and it has a huge touchscreen in the center of the dash. And your observation about touchscreens lack the tactile touch of knobs and levers is spot on. Although I love the technology afforded to the driver and passengers, I find smooth touchscreens annoying and cumbersome while driving. The Subaru has retained on/off/volume control knob and a radio station control knob, plus flush mechanical buttons for temperature and defrost controls. And the touchscreen lacks, hmm, what shall a say, lacks the ability (for the driver/user) to integrate various commonly used functions. The various functions are neatly sorted between an assortment of screens, but I have to float from screen to screen during normal operation. Okay, I am driving, using the Outback Maps function, but to change my Pandora settings, I have to go to a screen where the Android Auto button appears, then press the Android Auto button, then press the small Pandora button, the press the function of Pandora I want to change. I realize some of these common functions can be set as presets, one still has to search through the presets for the desired one. Hopefully, some engineer will negotiate through the copyrights, licenses, patents, and trolls, to create a custom screen where the user can put his or her frequently used/changed touchscreen tasks. Again, thank you for sharing these amazing cars.
The late '84 and '85 Riviera's had the CRT screen as an option. Many think it was 1986, but most likely that was because it was standard equipment in that year and in a new body style. That said, I like how cool the Lincoln system looked.
I hate touch screens in cars. Distracting and dangerous.
i really think ford was listening to its customers at the time much more than gm was and i don’t believe that any major manufacturer currently is listening to people today because who can afford the vehicles being made right now it’s insane
Give us back sealed-beam headlights that are cheap and only require one screwdriver to replace in the middle of the night!
I owned a dark blue 89 lsc. My favorite car that I have ever owned.
I bought a pre-owned 1985 Mark VII LSC in February of 1986. Drove it for 6 years and absolutely loved it. The seats had so many adjustments and were ultra comfortable. Sadly, many non-car people mistook it for a Thunderbird. I still think it was one of the most beautifully styled cars of the 1980’s. I never heard of the COMTECH Mark VII but I like the concept. I noticed that the electronic gauges in the COMTECH were more comprehensive. My 1985 LSC only had a speedometer and fuel gauge and they were electronic.
It still confuses me that Ford switched the Thunderbird and Cougar to the new MN12 platform but kept the Lincoln on the Fox for a few more years. Loved both of them.
I'm considering a nice,low mileage SLC,but I wonder if the 80's era electronics and computers would be problematic.
I had a 1985 Mark VII LSC back in the day. One of the finest automobiles I've ever had the pleasure to drive. Silky smooth and plenty of performance. Tremendously fun to drive. It was the American equivalent of the Mercedes Benz 500 SEC.
Love your videos. That Mark VII was a beauty and very advanced as you said.
I can't stand touch screens in cars. If you want a secondary system to do more in-depth procedures like systems check and changing settings, that's okay I guess. But for normal functions that are used regularly. Like the radio, hvac system, etc. I think those things should have buttons, switches and knobs or different sizes and shapes so you can memorize them and use these features without looking away from the road. This is why I don't ever want a modern vehicle. Well, that and the fact that they're all garbage crossovers with too much unnecessary technology.
Will designers never learn? Customers want physical buttons. (Once they get over the bright shiny technology on the test drive).
SHCOKED that it wasn't pointed out how the side styling was directly lifted from late 60s Toronado, that heavy side line and wheel arch line.
It has been discussed SO much in previous videos, and I know it wasn't the topic of this video, but these 2 cars, decades apart, sharing such a similar mission and with some similar cutting edge (but ALSO) similar styling features!
BBtB! Bring back the buttons!
Faux spare tire hump actually started on the ‘56 Mark II
True
I would much rather have a switch or button than a touch screen
I think people dislike touch-screens for their dangerous complexity while driving. Imagine trying to work them with a gloved hand in winter, trying to watch a slippery road and needing the windshield defogger IMMEDIATELY--and having to go to the screen, then a sub-screen. And a sub-sub-screen for other items. Like texting while driving, they're fun for passengers, dangerous for drivers.
Nice video!!
That 302 was an engine that Lincoln should have engineered for more horsepower. The motor had 300 hp potential…. Probably a hell of alot more - even so, Ford had the 1980’s locked up with hit after hit. Small car or large car didn’t matter. GM had no design but total chaos in computer technology. How that happened - who knows. Jack Telnack deserves total credit for Fords success absolutely !
Rented a new LSC, (black on black) on a trip to San Francisco and Napa. I considered myself strictly a euro-sportscar guy, but that car nearly converted me. It' was really a high watermark for balance between comfort and handling in the American idiom.(with 4 wheell discs!) I would be tempted to buy a decent one, but you seldom see them. Rust?
I had a '90 LSC Mark VII for 3 years and at the end of the lease moved "up" to the new '93 Mark VIII. Other than the "Romeo" 4.6L in the '93 it turned out to be the worst mistake I ever made in car buying, and the last domestic vehicle that I bought/leased from new ever since. The Mark VII was just so much nicer a vehicle from stem to stern.
The Mark VII LSC was bad and when I say bad I mean Michael Jackson BAD. I remember I was about 20 and this kid I knew got a settlement for an injury and took his cash and bought a Mark VII LSC. It was a fun car and I still think it's a good looking car. Im glad it didnt get the Cougar back window. As far as the touch screens, I'm ok with them overall. I currently drive a Silverado and its more than acceptable. I do however require a tactile volume control (which I have) as well as steering wheel controls.
A huge step forward from the Mark VI, but I could never overcome the lack of flush glass on the doors, taking it out of plane with the rear quarter windows. It just screamed compromise. The Mark VIII fixed that, and got a proper wheelbase and IRS as well.
Ford would have done okay with the Comtech. The Toro and Riv were fighting being and undersized, massively overpriced vehicle that people didn’t like that also had an annoying CRT. Ford added redundant steering wheel buttons that greatly improved the functionality. They also would have put it in a well liked product. They should have built it.
I always loved these. A buddy had in highschool has a baby blue LSC, i loved that car. This was in like 03. The bought it from an older guy it only hsd like 60,000 miles on it. Eveything worked. Rode smooth as butter, wasnt fast but it had enough power to get up and go.
Many times you refer to CRT screens in your video. I sincerely doubt that any car used Cathode Ray Tube screens in the 1980s or any other time. That would involve parts like a high voltage transformer, deflection yoke, and a longer tube extending out the rear of the unit.
The only place I ever saw CRT screens in motor vehicles was in large motor homes with the very early backup cameras and displays.
I suggest you research what these screens really were and name them correctly. They could have been LED, LCD, Plasma, or whatever the technology of the time was.
I had a 91.
It was a complete beater I bought for $450.
The interior was hammered.
I lifted it, cut the fenders, and put 30” mud terrain tires on it.
What a fun car.
Mark 6 was a beautiful car. At the time my neighbor owned a Ford dealeeship. He drove a brand new Mark 6 and it looked amazing. I still remember admiring it. The Mark 7 to me looked like a cheaper version of the Mark 6
Do you see that rather vacant looking deck lid ? Will a lot of our customers saw it too. One day my boss looked at me and said "I wonder what it would look like if we added Continental on the deck lid". A couple hours later a Mark VII shows up in my stall with a bag full of letters spelling continental on the front seat. I had to design a template where are all the holes would have to be drilled. It was always quite nerve-wracking task, even though I don't remember making any mistake I knew I could end up with a really unhappy customer and boss.
Yea , well if most Americans had their way , cars would be exactly the same as they where in the 60’s . Who wants a 3.0 liter turbo six that makes 400 hp , when you can have a 7.7 liter V8 that makes 400hp . Change is scary .
Hey! I was wondering if you would do a video on the VII. I currently own a last year 92 LSC SE in Garnet red over black leather with charcoal BBS wheels. It's a wonderful driving car. My car stickered for 38k! I've never heard of this Comtech model. Interesting.
The Buick wasn't properly proportioned, while the Mk VII was a classic right off the assembly line.
It's funny every Mark VII I've seen always seems to have air ride issue. Totally deflated and your car ends up looking like a low rider. As for the instrument panel and steering controls. Way to busy
I wonder how many pedestrians paid the price for some engineer who thought it would be a good idea for a driver to need to look away from his surroundings while he performed a hitherto simple task like adjusting the sound volume.
Another case of "change for the sake of change", something Microsoft are also notorious for in my opinion.
I think the Mark VII has much better exterior styling than the Ford or Merc. It evades looking long and skinny and awkward and out of proportion.
Touch screen for common or important functions is horrible and dangerous.
A driver should be able to do wipers, lights, glove box, adjust heat, demist and volume without taking their eyes off the road for more than a fraction of a second
I drove an LSC a few times in 85 and it was a blast, fat Eagle GT's pushed by a smooth 5.0. Interior was awesome for the times.
I wonder if the touch screen would have been better received, if Buick would have incorporated a volume knob, tuning knob and a bank of radio preset buttons.
Great video while it looks cool screens that control the climate control system and radios are irritating. Its just as distracting as texting while driving. Used to have a bmw 528i as a daily driver i can change stations adjust the temp an fan speed all by feel we have taken a few steps backwards in ergonomics
Lincoln came out with disastrous looking cars year after years. They do better know but man, it took them forever.
Rolling techno toys. When these systems fail they will fail big $$$. KISS!
Touch screens seem as silly today as they did then. I have no problem with functional technology, but in general the screens are as obtuse as the fins on a fifties car. Same goes for push button start.
Ford really did dodge a bullet by not introducing the Comtech touch system. I drove many mid 80's Riviera's in my travels working for Avis Rent-A-Car back then, as well as an airport parking lot attendant. Of course you see a screen like that, you try it out. What a piece of junk! A friend of mine has a couple Buick Reatta's from the late 80's/early 90's and the same screen is in there. He loves it...well he's a bit weird...haha.
People hate change. GM should have tried it in a Pontiac or Olds. Younger demographic
I think the best words for that Mark VI are ungainly and depressing...
Ford did it the right way, lets see if customers like it first on a small sample. GM, everyone gets it.
I love the Mark VI. Much more manageable than the Mark V, and to me, much nicer looking than the VII