AUTO HISTORY
In 1977, motivated by an oil crisis and a popular downsizing at Cadillac, Lincoln introduced the Versailles, a lamb in wolf’s clothes that the public all but ignored.
The 1970s were a watershed decade for the American auto industry. Slipping away were the freewheeling days of the 1950s and ’60s, replaced by two "oil crises," spiralling fuel prices and new fuel economy, emissions and safety legislation. It was a dramatic transformation for what had once been a largely self regulating business.
Besides these technical hurdles there was a longer range, potentially more dangerous offshore threat: The accelerating encroachment of imported luxury cars.
After failing to permanently repel the imports with the 1960 compacts and 1971 subcompacts, it was even more alarming to find upscale midsize cars like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar selling in quantity. Detroit was proud that its cars were bigger, more luxurious and lower priced than anyone else's.
Cadillac responded first with its "international size" Seville based on the mundane X-car (Chevrolet Nova, et al.) platform. The Chevy was so well camouflaged hardly anyone noticed.
The Seville, introduced in mid1975 as a 1976 model, was about 610 mm (two feet) shorter than regular Cadillacs. Taking a cue from the foreigners, Cadillac priced it higher than any other Cadillac except the limousine.
The new smaller Cadillac sold a surprising 60,000 in a longer-thannormal first model year, prompting Ford to immediately started planning a competitor.
Being behind, Ford rushed its new luxury compact and it would become immediately apparent that the 1977 Lincoln Versailles was a very thinly disguised Ford Grenada/Mercury Monarch. The only new stampings were a Continental-inspired tire hump moulded into the trunk lid and a new grille/headlamp assembly featuring the Continental's Parthenon style grille.
The Versailles had the corporate 5.7 litre (351 cu in.) (5.0/302 version in California for emissions reasons) overhead valve, 135 horsepower V-8. It came with a two barrel carburetor rather than the more sophisticated fuel injection of the Seville and its import competitors. Suspension was front coil springs, rear leaf springs and four wheel power disk brakes.
The 2,791 mm (109.0 in.) wheelbase was 111 mm (4.4 in.) shorter than the Seville's, while overall length was very close at 5103 mm (200.9 in.). At 1792 kg (3950 lb) the Versailles was some 204 kg (450 lb) lighter.
To entice buyers to pay almost three times more than for a very similar looking Grenada/Monarch, Ford emphasized the extensive effort put into enhancing the luxury and quality.
For a quiet vibration-free ride increased attention was paid to the chassis and running gear. The driveline was carefully balanced and the conventional driveshaft universal joint was replaced by a smother double cardan type.
The floorpan was reinforced and a flexible coupling was fitted to the steering shaft to reduce road shock through the steering wheel. Additional rubber bushings isolated noise and vibration and more than 45 kg (100 lb) of sound deadening material was added to the body. Each Michelin X steel-belted radial tire and its forged aluminum wheel was precisely matched and balanced as a unit.
Versailles received extensive quality control during and after assembly with every one undergoing dynamometer and road simulation testing. Particular attention was paid to sealing, fit and finish. The Versailles was the first American car to receive a clear acrylic finish over base paint, known as clearcoat. Cadillac's Seville couldn't match the little Lincoln's lustre.
Lincoln applied its expertise in luxurious interiors to the Versailles. In additional to power everything there was air conditioning and AM/FM stereo search radio. Carpets were deep and arm rests, instrument panel and steering wheel were leather covered.
The original flush of interest produced an encouraging 15,434 sales in its shortened 1977 model year compared with about 45,000 Cadillac Sevilles for the full year.
The 1978 Versailles was virtually identical, although the California 5.0 litre V-8 engine was now standardised and fitted with a new electronic engine control system. Alas, Versailles’s lookalike status caught up with it and only 8,931 were sold while Seville boomed along at almost 57,000.
For 1979 Ford extended the roof 203 mm (8 in.) for a more formal profile and increased rear headroom and door size. It also received a significant American first in halogen headlamps that were twice as powerful as regular sealedbeams.
The new profile renewed some sales interest and in spite of a price almost the same as the Mark V Lincoln, the Versailles sold 20,007 1979s.
For 1980 Ford apparently decided that if a high price was good a higher one was even better, increasing the Versailles by approximately $2,000. This and a decline in car sales brought on by the second "oil crisis" reduced sales to 4784 1980s.
The Lincoln Versailles was quietly discontinued in 1980 after just over 50,000 total sales in four model years.
While Seville and Versailles were credible efforts, luxury imports went on to establish a permanent place in the North American marker.