1983 Lincoln Continental

1983 Lincoln Continental Givenchy Designer Series Sedan Designer edition Lincolns were introduced in 1976 and survived all the way to 2003. But in the days when People Magazine was a must read and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous must watch TV, the designer series provided an extra air of wealth to normal Lincolns. Givenchy, Bill Blass, Gucci, and Cartier got into the act and cobranded with Ford to offer the luxury Designer Series. For consignment, a 1983 Lincoln Continental Givenchy Designer Series sedan with 8,168 miles on the odometer but a mileage exemption on the title, but one look inside and out tells us those miles are the real deal. In 1983, there were five Designer Editions: the Cartier, available on the Town Car; the Gucci and Bill Blass versions on the Mark VI; and the Givenchy and Valentino editions on the bustle back Continental. Hagerty.com  Exterior That bustle backed design also graced Cadillac Sevilles at the same time, but it's particularly striking on this special edition which puts a Midnight Black shroud over Platinum Mist Silver and allows that rear section and C-pillar to really shine. The Continental kit is understated and becomes part of the slope, flanked by columnal vertical tail lights that accentuate the angle. Continental heritage is maintained up front with a prominent central grille bookended by square sealed beams and sizable amber markers. 15-inch wheels wear wire wheel covers and white walled Michelins. Up close, the blue, red, and gray stripe that delineates the two tones becomes obvious. The paint and trim are excellent on the car with imperfections noted as a chip on the hood, a few on the roof, and some slight bubbling on a door edge.  Interior Here's where Hubert's hand really shows, beginning on the luxurious door panels that greet you with robust gray materials including velour, simulated burlwood, and a band of carpet more plush than anything in your house, and all four doors present cleanly. Givenchy's archival garments used ribbon to create embellishment and romantic styling, so it's no surprise to find them wrapped around the edges of all the Radcliffe charcoal gray seats, beginning with the gray velour buckets up front, each of which get their own control panel. Ribbons decorate the rear as well, with button accents also in black. A gray leather wrapped steering wheel fronts a digital dash that begins a panel of dressy black that continues the width of the dash, framed in burlwood, and over a center stack that maintains a piano black motif and houses the AM/FM/Cassette radio and A/C panel, black knobs and levers included. The carpet is astoundingly plush, akin to what you would find in a Rolls Royce, and you'll find it lining the trunk including the trunk lid! The headliner is standard foam back felt, some of which is loosening up on the visors.  Drivetrain In '83 no one was thinking about dressing up engine bays and it was long before decorative plastic shrouds were used, so Mr. Givenchy will have to settle for the standard look, which presents cleanly here. It's a 302ci V8, fuel injected and rated at 130 horsepower.  It's backed by an AOD 4-speed automatic transmission that routes the drive back to the rear Ford 7.5 axle.   Undercarriage Clean conditions prevail underneath where power disc brakes are equipped on all four wheels. A single exhaust routes burnt fuel rearward and through its original muffler while suspension consists of coil spring front and rear with a 4 link in back.  Drive-Ability Luxury from 1983 still translates to luxury by today's standards. In fact, some people would say it was better from a comfort perspective! We experience that lulling comfort as we float this Lincoln around the test loop where it performs well and while 130 horsepower won't win you any races, it certainly creates enough momentum and a good bit of quiet while doing so. We note the power antenna is not working and the trunk struts are starting to give up