Who Owns Lincoln?

Lincoln was founded in 1917 by Henry Leland and his son Wilfred Leland in Detroit, Michigan. Henry Leland was already a legendary figure in the American automotive industry, having previously founded Cadillac in 1902 and sold it to General Motors in 1909. Leland named the new company Lincoln after Abraham Lincoln, whom he had voted for in his first presidential election in 1864.

Lincoln initially struggled financially, and in 1922, Ford Motor Company acquired Lincoln for $8 million. Henry Ford's son Edsel Ford took a keen interest in Lincoln and championed the brand's development, overseeing the creation of some of Lincoln's most iconic designs. Under Edsel Ford's influence, Lincoln became known for its elegant, custom-bodied vehicles and its association with American presidential transport.

Lincoln's most famous historical connection is its role as the official presidential state car. The Lincoln Continental was used by President John F. Kennedy and was the vehicle in which he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. The brand has maintained its association with presidential transport for decades, with custom Lincoln limousines serving as the official presidential state car through multiple administrations.

During the mid-20th century, Lincoln produced some of its most iconic designs, including the 1956-1957 Continental Mark II (considered one of the most beautiful American cars ever made), the 1961-1969 Continental (known for its suicide doors), and the 1977-1979 Continental Mark V. These vehicles established Lincoln's reputation for distinctive American luxury design.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Lincoln struggled to maintain relevance against Japanese luxury brands (Lexus, Acura, Infiniti) and German luxury brands (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi). Ford invested in a brand revival beginning around 2012, repositioning Lincoln as a more premium, design-forward brand with a focus on SUVs. The Lincoln Navigator, Aviator, Corsair, and Nautilus form the current SUV-focused lineup.