LE BARON
Power User
By the mid 1930s, the Great Depression was mercilessly wiping out America’s grandest luxury car brands. Pierce Arrow, Duesenberg, and Marmon were vanishing, and Lincoln was sliding toward the exact same fate. Its custom Model K cost as much as a suburban house, leaving dealerships practically empty.
Edsel Ford knew the company needed a completely fresh playbook. Working with designer Bob Gregorie, he introduced the aerodynamic Lincoln Zephyr. Unlike the awkward Chrysler Airflow, the Zephyr captured stunning Art Deco elegance with its raked prow, flush headlamps, and tapered teardrop tail. Under the hood sat an exclusive flathead twelve cylinder engine, yet the car was priced affordably at $1,300.
By 1939, the three window coupe gained hydraulic brakes and that iconic central instrument tower. Zephyrs quickly represented over 80% of Lincoln production, keeping the company alive while legendary rivals quietly died.
Edsel Ford knew the company needed a completely fresh playbook. Working with designer Bob Gregorie, he introduced the aerodynamic Lincoln Zephyr. Unlike the awkward Chrysler Airflow, the Zephyr captured stunning Art Deco elegance with its raked prow, flush headlamps, and tapered teardrop tail. Under the hood sat an exclusive flathead twelve cylinder engine, yet the car was priced affordably at $1,300.
By 1939, the three window coupe gained hydraulic brakes and that iconic central instrument tower. Zephyrs quickly represented over 80% of Lincoln production, keeping the company alive while legendary rivals quietly died.