by Over most of past week, but more specifically over the past weekend, auction house Mecum held a large sale event over in Dallas, Texas. This August, as part of our V8 Month coverage, we talked at length about the most high-profile vehicles on the list for that. But we missed this beautiful and rare 1957 Lincoln Premiere Landau hardtop. And so did prospective buyers, as the car is now with a new owner.
The Lincoln Premiere was around for just four years, manufactured between 1956 and 1960 to slot between the mighty Continental and the lesser Capri. Both two- and four-door body styles were made, with seating capacity that could reach up to six people.
The Premiere Landau hardtop, introduced in 1957, was of the four-door variety. It came with all the styling changes the Blue Oval introduced in the range that year, including the so-called canted rear blades, the fins at the rear that made (and still make) the car look so special.
Technically, model years 1956 and 1957 are part of the first generation of the model, and were offered with a 368ci V8 engine, while the second gen, the one that also ended the bloodline, hid under the hood a 430ci unit.
The one we have here, being a first generation, comes with the smaller powerplant tucked in there, which is linked to an automatic transmission. It comes in a white body wrapped over a champagne and tan interior, and according to its seller, it is one of just 1,451 made in this specification.
Photo: Mecum
“This specification” includes, apart from the said color choices, a heater and defroster, tinted glass, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power antenna, air conditioning, and overhead ventilation system. And last but not least, the car sits on a set of whitewall wheels boasting the correct-full size covers.
The Premiere is not pristine, as it did undergo a restoration process back in 2002. That work included the rebuild of the engine and transmission, the overhauling of the gauges, and the re-chroming of the brightwork.
The Premiere Landau went under the Mecum hammer this past weekend with a little over 30,000 miles (over 48,000 km) on the clock, of which just 500 (800 km) were added after the restoration 20 years ago. It also went under the hammer as the holder of a win in the 1949-1957 category at the 2010 Western Lincoln Show of Ventura, California.
With all of the above working in its favor, the car, which sold with no reserve, had no trouble fetching just one hundred dollars short of $54,000, so everyone dreaming about such an addition to the collection might feel disappointed. We don’t know who purchased it, but there’s little doubt in our minds we’ll get to see this beauty up for grabs soon enough.
