Lincoln Premiere Coupe 1956

by

Model number: 4673

Review of the model:

If you like me, only think on Lincolns cars in the Continental range, we have been missed some of the more conventional Lincoln from the mid 50´. In this case we are talking of the Lincoln Premiere Coupe from 1956.

This very car is a big one, it houses up to six persons in comfort! The trunk is likewise a vast room with lots of space. In the period, the Continental-kit was a famous feature you could add to your car. The kit was an extra option for more space in the trunk, as the spare wheel is mounted on an extension just before the rear bumper – This increased the length of the car even more! No wonder why, these cars was often called Land-yachts. They were as big as medium sized speedboats at their time.

The manufacturer of the Hong Kong based Sun Star have been fast to produce a Platinum series of the beautiful car. Let’s see a bit closer on this mammoth of a model car. My model here, have the color of Fairmont Blue / Admiralty Blue. This is in my opinion a handsome car, with a touch of a Presidential appearance. In other words, this car can be justified parked outside a country club as well as an international office building. Sun Star have reproduced the dark blue color, in a high quality metal paint work, with some of the smallest metal grains I ever seen on a model – good Job Sun Star!

But I have earlier talked about Sun Star low quality control, and this time was maybe the worst case so far! The model after it had been painted, the quality control department spotted an imperfection in the paint, choose to give the paint a spot grinding – and repaint the area with a brush!! Not a lucky decision for a model buyer. The body of the model should been discharged. To make matter worse, the hubcaps was loose, the front light lens too, and lastly the drivers backrest was assembled wrong…….And the steering wheels Colum was jammed due to wrong assembling.

If the model was sold from a local dealer, just around the corner, it will surely have been delivered back. Now you may think it will be hard for me to praise the model car after such an experience! But again, it’s a lottery. When Sun Star shines, as they often do, they really shine! – I was just unlucky. I am sure the next model in the box will have been perfect.

This is otherwise a very fine well-made model car. All the parts are well made. The chrome is perfect and shines as a star. The fitting are superb. The details in the engine room as well in the interior are marvelous. If you collect Classic cars in scale 1:18; I will highly recommend this model from Sun Star. But the poor QC on this particular model will cost a few stars!

I will give this model 4 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and a little movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

History:

1956 Lincoln Premiere - Jim Donnelly

 Everything, it seemed to many, was new at Lincoln in 1956. It was Lincoln's first full model year as a standalone division of the Ford Motor Company, having been severed from Mercury the previous year (the Continental Mark II coupe, incidentally, carried on as its own division). Lincoln celebrated by completely revamping not just the styling of its automobiles, but also its power train and basic model lineup. The base--a relative term, to be sure--Capri series was augmented by a new, premium range, appropriately called the Premiere and immediately recognizable by its gold-anodized scripting.

There was more, plenty more. All Lincolns gained 3 inches in wheelbase, plus 12-volt electrical and the added fillip of an optional dashboard-pushbutton lubrication system. Lincoln got a horsepower boost of great significance in 1956. Its OHV V-8 was enlarged to 368 cubic inches, and produced 285 gross horsepower, fed through a four-barrel Carter carburetor. The extra urge was truly needed, as all of the 1956 Lincolns scaled out to comfortably more than two tons. The sole driveline was Lincoln's own Turbo-Drive automatic transmission.

The major consequence of the Lincoln model realignment was that the entry-level Capri lost the convertible as one of its body styles; the Premiere became Lincoln's sole convertible model. If you found yourself in any Premiere, including the two-door hardtop or four-door sedan, you found yourself occupying a very good place. By 1956 standards of appointments and materials, the Premiere was positively sybaritic. Among the accoutrements were brocaded cloth upholstery with leather inserts, a rear center armrest, full carpeting, a four-way power driver's seat, power windows, chrome window moldings, eye-grabbing full-length body side moldings, fender skirts and power steering. Options included both heating and air conditioning, the former something of a curiosity, though the option list was understandably brief.

Obviously, given that the previous Lincoln body dated back to 1952, the Premiere's styling was the big news. Talk about a one-act drama: The Lincolns gained a full foot of overall length, and a new look based on gently creased sides, moderately tall tailfins with integrated vertical taillamps, and deeply hooded headlamps framing a massive front bumper. We ought to point out that in 1957, the Premier line grew to include a fourth body style, the newly popular pillarless four-door hardtop, along with quad headlamps.

The Premiere was an enormous success for Lincoln in 1956. More than 82 percent of the 50,000-plus Lincolns delivered that year were in the Premiere line. That sales total represented a nearly 85 percent increase over 1955's numbers, boosting Lincoln to 14th in the national race. The Premiere enjoyed an unexpectedly long lifespan with people who followed cars. In fact, it's still with us today. How's that? Because a 1956 Premiere convertible like our spectacular subject car was made into the Futura, a show car with two semi-bubble roofs that starred in a Glenn Ford movie. George Barris later acquired it and remade it into TV's original Batmobile.

SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: OHV V-8, 368-cu.in., Carter four-barrel carburetor
Horsepower: 285 @ 4,400 RPM
Torque: 401-lb.ft. @ 2,800 RPM
Transmission: Three-speed automatic

Price new: $4,747                                                                                                                                          

Overview
Model year	1956
Assembly	Mahwah, New Jersey, United States Maywood, California, United States Dearborn, Michigan, United States Wayne, Michigan United States St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Designer	Bill Schmidt
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door hardtop 2-door convertible 4-door sedan 4-door hardtop
Related	Lincoln Capri Mercury Montclair
Powertrain
Engine	368 cu in (6.0 L) Lincoln Y-block V8
Transmission	3-speed Turbo-Drive automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	126.0 in (3,200 mm)
Length	223.0 in (5,664 mm)
Width	79.9 in (2,029 mm)
Height	60.0 in (1,524 mm)
Curb weight	4,500–4,900 lb (2,000–2,200 kg)

 

Old brochures of the Lincoln 1956

Video of the real car from Youtube

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Aug. 2017 Rev. Aug. 2018

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