Editing Lincoln Motor Company (section)

===1990s===
Lincoln entered the 1990s nearly matching rival Cadillac in vehicle sales, but now faced competition from newcomers [[Infiniti]] and [[Lexus]].

For 1990, the Town Car underwent a full redesign (after following the traditional nine-year Lincoln model cycle). As the model line represented over half of all Lincoln sales,<ref>{{cite web|date=2007-06-08|title=How Lincoln Cars Work |work=HowStuffWorks|url=https://auto.howstuffworks.com/lincoln-cars14.htm|access-date=2018-05-22}}</ref> a redesign of the Town Car proved risky, but was also mandated by passive-restraint requirements and fuel-economy improvements. Shedding its sharp-edged exterior lines to allow for a far sleeker exterior, the Town Car adopted many rounded styling elements from the Mark VII; traditional elements also returned, including a formal rear roofline, radiator-style grille, chrome trim, and C-pillar quarter windows. Delayed until the 1991 model year, the Lincoln Town Car marked the debut of the 210&nbsp;hp 4.6&nbsp;L [[Ford Modular engine|Ford Modular V8 engine]], the first overhead-cam 8-cylinder engine used in an American car since the [[Duesenberg Model J]]. Built on a revision of the Panther platform, the 1990 Lincoln Town Car shared its underpinnings (but no exterior panels) with the 1992 [[Ford Crown Victoria]] (dropping the LTD prefix) and [[Mercury Grand Marquis]].

To meet federal requirements, Lincoln marked the debut of several safety features within Ford Motor Company and within the American luxury segment. Following the 1989 debut of dual airbags in the Lincoln Continental (1990 in the Town Car), antilock brakes (ABS) made their return on the Continental (1988) and on the Town Car (1992).

Following the 1993 introduction of the Mark VIII (see below), the Continental underwent a redesign for 1995, introducing a new version of the [[Ford Taurus (third generation)|Ford Taurus]] chassis. Styled closer to the Mark VIII, the Continental dropped its V6 in favor of a 4.6L V8 engine from the Mark VIII (tuned for front-wheel drive) to better compete with Japanese and European luxury sedans (in terms of power output).

The Lincoln model line underwent a significant transition for the 1998 model year. Alongside a mid-cycle revision of the Continental, the Town Car underwent a complete redesign of its body. The tallest Lincoln sedan in 40 years, the 1998 Town Car adopted the rounded exterior of the Mark VIII and Continental with a completely new interior. The [[Lincoln Navigator]] (see below) made its debut as the first Lincoln SUV, as the division fielded four model lines for the first time.

Bolstered by the launch of the Navigator, 1998 marked the first year Lincoln outranked Cadillac in vehicle sales (by over 4,500 vehicles).<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Dell|first=John|date=1999-05-06|title=Cadillac Apologizes to Lincoln for Inflating Sales Numbers |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-may-06-fi-34467-story.html |access-date=2018-05-22}}</ref> <gallery mode="packed">
File:90-92 Lincoln Town Car.jpg|1990–1992 Lincoln Town Car
File:95-97 Lincoln Town Car.jpg|1995–1997 Lincoln Town Car
File:LTC Signature 1998-2002.png|1998–2002 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
File:92-94 Lincoln Continental.jpg|1994 Lincoln Continental
File:1995-1997 Lincoln Continental.jpg|1995–1997 Lincoln Continental
File:98-02 Lincoln Continental.jpg|1998–2002 Lincoln Continental
</gallery>

====Lincoln Mark VIII====
For the 1993 model year, the Lincoln Mark VII was replaced by the [[Lincoln Mark VIII]]. The first generation of the Mark series originally branded as a Lincoln, the Mark VIII remained a variant of the [[Ford Thunderbird (tenth generation)|Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar]], shifting from the 1980 Fox chassis to the FN10 chassis (a Lincoln version of the [[Ford MN12 platform|MN12 chassis]]). Placing further emphasis on handling, the Mark VIII retained rear-wheel drive and adopted four-wheel independent suspension (with the Mark VIII and Thunderbird/Cougar as the only American-produced four-seat cars of the time with both chassis features). The body was streamlined further to modernize its exterior (relegating the spare-tire decklid to vestigial status). In massive contrast to its 1970s predecessors, the Mark VIII was given a cockpit-style interior, with all controls oriented towards the driver.

Alongside a standard trim, the LSC (Luxury Sports Coupe) made its return as the flagship Mark VIII model; Designer Editions were discontinued. Though positively received by both critics and buyers, sales of mid-size luxury coupes were on decline during the 1990s. After the 1998 model year, the Mark VIII was withdrawn (outliving the Thunderbird and Cougar by a year). As of current production, the Lincoln Mark VIII remains the final generation of the Lincoln Mark series. In various forms, elements of the Mark VIII design were adopted by other Lincolns (the 1995 Lincoln Continental, the 1995 Lincoln Town Car interior, and the 1998 Town Car exterior) and other Ford Motor Company products (the Ford Windstar minivan interior).

<gallery mode="packed">
File:93 Lincoln Mark VIII (9674876061).jpg|1993 Lincoln Mark VIII
File:93 Lincoln Mark VIII (9678105220).jpg|1993 Lincoln Mark VIII
File:1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC in red, front left.jpg|1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC
File:1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC in red, rear left.jpg|1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC
</gallery>

====Lincoln Navigator====
[[File:1st Lincoln Navigator -- 07-11-2012.JPG|thumb|1998-2000 Lincoln Navigator]]
For 1998, Lincoln introduced the [[Lincoln Navigator]] full-size SUV, its first new nameplate since the Versailles (outside of the Mark series), derived from the [[Ford Expedition]] (itself based on the [[Ford F-Series (tenth generation)|Ford F-150]]). Developed as a competitor for the [[Range Rover (P38A)|Range Rover]], [[Mercedes-Benz M-Class]], and [[Toyota Land Cruiser (J80)|Toyota Land Cruiser]]/[[Lexus LX|Lexus LX450]], the truck-based design of Navigator allowed increased cargo and towing capability over its competitors (rated at 8,500 pounds for 1999). The Navigator also offered standard third-row seating for up to 8 passengers (offered only on the Land Cruiser/LX).

Sharing no common bodywork with the Expedition forward of the windshield, the Navigator shared several design elements from the 1998 Town Car, including its use of body-color bumpers, chrome license-plate surround (the only chrome on the rear liftgate), and conservative use of chrome (primarily on the grille, door handles, and window trim); in modified form, the grille was later used on the later Lincoln LS and Lincoln Aviator.

In an extended debut model year, the Navigator became the second-most popular Lincoln vehicle behind the Town Car, selling 71,000 examples. In response, General Motors launched its own luxury-brand full-size SUVs, deriving the [[GMC Denali|GMC Yukon Denali]] and [[Cadillac Escalade]] from the [[Chevrolet Tahoe]].