Grand Design

Ford’s curious Thirties amalgam of radical and conservative

A closer look at the facinating Lincoln Zephyr.

The groundbreaking Lincoln-zephyr began as a speculative venture by independent Detroit body-maker Briggs Manufacturing. Briggs saw the potential of presenting Ford’s struggling Lincoln division with something to sell. It engaged Dutch designer John Tjaarda from General Motors and encouraged development of his innovative rear-engined ‘Sterkenburg’ concept cars.

Lincoln boss Edsel Ford – son of Henry – proved receptive to the idea and Tjaarda’s ‘Briggs Dream Car’ mock-up was displayed as part of Ford’s 1933 travelling Exhibition of Progress, then at the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago.

Public reaction was carefully canvassed. Four out of five observers liked the streamlined styling, but only around half responded positively to the engine position. Behind closed doors, similar-looking frontand rear-engined prototypes had already been built and were being tested.

The production Lincoln-zephyr that emerged in 1935 was smaller, lighter and dramatically more modern than anything the upmarket brand had offered previously. It had a front-mounted V12 engine and conventional prow, but its plunging swage lines bore witness to the profile of the Dream Car. The design was not without flaws and its suspension and braking systems reflected Ford’s conservatism. Its body structure, however, was state of the art and it brought V12 motoring to a wider audience than ever before.