•True survivor car
•Next-to-last model year example; one of 21,007 Versailles made in 1979
•Possibly original miles
•302 CID V-8 engine (VIN code F)
•C-4 three-speed automatic transmission (code TR)
•Silver Metallic exterior with vinyl half-roof
•Dark Red leather interior
•Air-conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, cruise control, power windows, power locks, power sideview mirrors, power front seats and steering wheel
•Sunroof and Continental kit
•First production vehicle sold with clearcoat paint, halogen headlights in North America
•Documentation included actual sales brochure
In many cases, imitation in the automotive universe was not just a sincere form of flattery, it often meant an acute loss of sales if not followed.
In the mid-1970s, Cadillac threw down the gauntlet when it came out with its compact Seville for 1975. Originally designed as a new model to attract younger buyers and to challenge the growing sales of imported models from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, the Seville soon found a home with Cadillac’s more traditionally-aged customers as they decided a smaller car with V-8 power and all of the same bells and whistles as a Fleetwood or Sedan de Ville was just as good or better.
Coinciding with the launch of the Seville, Ford picked up the gauntlet when it began development of a Lincoln-branded competitor to the model line, tasked with bringing the model line to market for the 1977 model year. Adopting the Lincoln Versailles name, Ford used the body architecture of the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch compact sedans. Sized closely against GM’s X-body compacts, the Granada/Monarch served as the foundation for the Versailles. However, Ford lacked GM’s seemingly bottomless resources, which played a large role in the Versailles sharing a large degree of its body panels with its Mercury counterpart. To further streamline development, the Versailles adopted the design features of the highest-trim Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia (which was discontinued for 1977). Thanks to the lack of funds, Ford’s camouflage was much less obvious on the Versailles than the Seville’s, which most non-enthusiasts never knew shared its basic bits with the humdrum X-body line.
Made in Ford’s Wayne, Michigan factory in April 1979, this small Lincoln is finished in Silver Metallic with a half-vinyl roof that matches the paint. This is one of 21,007 Versailles made in 1979. The paint and trim are all in very good order. The chrome bumpers fit tightly to the body while the engine bay and interior trunk are very tidy.
This Versailles rolls on new Milestar Touring SLE white stripe radials, size 205/75R14 at all four corners. Each tire is mounted to a steel wheel and topped with a factory wire wheel cover. The tires and wheel covers are all in very good condition.
Under the counterbalanced hood is a 302 CID V-8 (VIN code F). Backing this motor is a C-4 three-speed automatic transmission. The rear differential used in the Versailles was Ford nine-inch with rear disc brakes, replacing the drums used on the Granada and the Monarch. Driver convenience features include air-conditioning, power front seats, power steering, power disc brakes, sunroof, cruise control, power locks, power windows, power steering column and power sideview mirrors.
Inside, the car’s Dark Red leather interior looks fantastic. The front buckets and rear bench seat are sumptuous-looking. There’s a corresponding dark red carpet and headliner with sunroof. The red dashboard, two-spoke steering wheel and other places are adorned with faux wood to add warmth. The inner door panels are richly appointed like the seats. A column-mounted shift lever and a factory AM/FM stereo complete the interior.
In line with the Seville’s lofty price, the Versailles was the most expensive Lincoln sedan. The first Lincoln manufactured outside of Wixom Assembly since 1957, the Versailles was produced alongside the Mercury Monarch and Ford Granada. The model was
•Next-to-last model year example; one of 21,007 Versailles made in 1979
•Possibly original miles
•302 CID V-8 engine (VIN code F)
•C-4 three-speed automatic transmission (code TR)
•Silver Metallic exterior with vinyl half-roof
•Dark Red leather interior
•Air-conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, cruise control, power windows, power locks, power sideview mirrors, power front seats and steering wheel
•Sunroof and Continental kit
•First production vehicle sold with clearcoat paint, halogen headlights in North America
•Documentation included actual sales brochure
In many cases, imitation in the automotive universe was not just a sincere form of flattery, it often meant an acute loss of sales if not followed.
In the mid-1970s, Cadillac threw down the gauntlet when it came out with its compact Seville for 1975. Originally designed as a new model to attract younger buyers and to challenge the growing sales of imported models from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, the Seville soon found a home with Cadillac’s more traditionally-aged customers as they decided a smaller car with V-8 power and all of the same bells and whistles as a Fleetwood or Sedan de Ville was just as good or better.
Coinciding with the launch of the Seville, Ford picked up the gauntlet when it began development of a Lincoln-branded competitor to the model line, tasked with bringing the model line to market for the 1977 model year. Adopting the Lincoln Versailles name, Ford used the body architecture of the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch compact sedans. Sized closely against GM’s X-body compacts, the Granada/Monarch served as the foundation for the Versailles. However, Ford lacked GM’s seemingly bottomless resources, which played a large role in the Versailles sharing a large degree of its body panels with its Mercury counterpart. To further streamline development, the Versailles adopted the design features of the highest-trim Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia (which was discontinued for 1977). Thanks to the lack of funds, Ford’s camouflage was much less obvious on the Versailles than the Seville’s, which most non-enthusiasts never knew shared its basic bits with the humdrum X-body line.
Made in Ford’s Wayne, Michigan factory in April 1979, this small Lincoln is finished in Silver Metallic with a half-vinyl roof that matches the paint. This is one of 21,007 Versailles made in 1979. The paint and trim are all in very good order. The chrome bumpers fit tightly to the body while the engine bay and interior trunk are very tidy.
This Versailles rolls on new Milestar Touring SLE white stripe radials, size 205/75R14 at all four corners. Each tire is mounted to a steel wheel and topped with a factory wire wheel cover. The tires and wheel covers are all in very good condition.
Under the counterbalanced hood is a 302 CID V-8 (VIN code F). Backing this motor is a C-4 three-speed automatic transmission. The rear differential used in the Versailles was Ford nine-inch with rear disc brakes, replacing the drums used on the Granada and the Monarch. Driver convenience features include air-conditioning, power front seats, power steering, power disc brakes, sunroof, cruise control, power locks, power windows, power steering column and power sideview mirrors.
Inside, the car’s Dark Red leather interior looks fantastic. The front buckets and rear bench seat are sumptuous-looking. There’s a corresponding dark red carpet and headliner with sunroof. The red dashboard, two-spoke steering wheel and other places are adorned with faux wood to add warmth. The inner door panels are richly appointed like the seats. A column-mounted shift lever and a factory AM/FM stereo complete the interior.
In line with the Seville’s lofty price, the Versailles was the most expensive Lincoln sedan. The first Lincoln manufactured outside of Wixom Assembly since 1957, the Versailles was produced alongside the Mercury Monarch and Ford Granada. The model was