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The 1987 Lincoln by Vignale debuted at the 1987 Chicago Auto Show. It was based on a Thunderbird / Cougar, V8 engine, all-wheel drive, with front & rear independent suspension
Developed to provide 'a glimpse of what the high-performance, luxury touring car of the 1990s might be like,' the Lincoln by Vignale had an elegantly simple design. The most interesting styling cue is noticeable at the back, with a Continental spare wheel motif between the wide taillights. The fine detail provided the two-seater convertible an interesting look that we believe has withstood the test of time.
Despite the 'Vignale' name, the car was designed by Ford's North American Design Center, and as you can see, it looked pretty much production-ready. That's because Lincoln wanted to have something that could hit the assembly line as soon as possible to go up against the Pininfarina-designed Cadillac Allanté. But rather than putting the car on sale, Lincoln decided to wait and see whether the Allanté would turn out to be a hit. Ultimately, it remained purely a concept and show car.
The Lincoln by Vignale was built by Ghia in Turin, Italy, and was exhibited not only with a removable hardtop but also with a speedster tonneau cover and a fabric roof. It was allegedly based on a Cougar / Thunderbird and had a V8 Lincoln engine sending power to both axles, which featured an independent suspension. The vehicle was engineered with multi-beam headlights that allowed the designers to create a sleeker appearance by lowering the front end.
It's a shame that it did not go into production as it would have probably been a worthy adversary to the Allanté, which remained in production until 1993.
Source: Concept We Forgot: 1987 Lincoln by Vignale. https://www.motor1.com/news/94249/concept-we-forgot-1987-lincoln-by-vignale/
Images: Lincoln; Glen.H - Photostream
