80 years of the Lincoln Continental brings back suicide doors

How do you celebrate being in the automotive business for 80 years? For Lincoln, it means putting out a special edition model which cemented the brand's iconic luxury status for years to come.

After six decades, Lincoln has officially brought back the 'coach-doors' to commemorate the brand's 80^th birthday. Say hello to the Lincoln Continental 80^th Anniversary Coach Door Edition. First revealed on the 1961 Continental, the unique center-opening doors became a signature look for Lincoln and was forever associated with the luxury brand.

“The center-opening doors became synonymous with the Lincoln Continental, even though they were only featured primarily in the ’60s. But they struck such a chord that they’re still remembered so fondly today,” said David Woodhouse, Design Director at the Lincoln Motor Company.

Like its predecessors, the 80^th Anniversary Continental blends form and function seamlessly. The coach-doors open 90-degrees which makes for easy ingress and egress from the vehicle. Moreover, the doors can be opened electronically which allows for smoother and easier access. To make it stand out from the rest, Lincoln installed a special door sill plate that will show its exact number in its production run. It even has a special plaque placed on the rear center console that highlights the Continental's 80th Anniversary status.

Step inside, and you are greeted by a meticulously-crafted interior complete with loads of in-car amenities. From 30-way power-adjustable rear seats, active noise control, a Revel Ultima sound system, and a rear center console with climate and entertainment controls, Lincoln did not skimp on equipment for the special edition Continental. Other available extras inside a stowable tray table, tablet holders and a wireless charging pad for your gadgets / smartphones.

Aside from giving passengers plenty of toys to play with, Lincoln also extended the car's wheelbase by more than 150mm. Not only did this allow designers to install the bigger coach doors, but it also gave the Continental best-in-class legroom in its segment.

Under the hood, the Continental is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. It puts out a healthy 405 PS along with a stump-pulling 542 Nm of torque. In addition, there are three driving modes available for the Continental; Normal, Sport and Comfort.

Only 80 examples of the 80^th Anniversary Continental will be made by Lincoln and are set to arrive in Q2 of 2019.