The period from 1952-1954 was significant in Lincoln history. The Lincoln Capri was a full-size automobile sold by Ford’s Lincoln luxury division. It was introduced for the 1952 model year and dropped after the 1959 model year. Competing against the Cadillac Series 62 and Packard Series 400, the Capri sold 14,342 copies in its debut year, and nearly double that, 26,640, in 1953. It readily outsold its stablemate, the Cosmopolitan, each year until the Cosmopolitan’s demise. The Capri was named the safest car for 1955 by Life.
Lincoln wasn’t ready with a total redesign for 1955, so its cars were among the most conservative in that banner Detroit sales year, despite an extensive facelift. Still, they were crisp, clean, and elegant. Though the wrapped windshield held sway most everywhere else, the ’55 Lincolns didn’t have one, and were thus more practical. Interiors remained luxurious combinations of high-quality fabrics and top-grain leather.