The Lincoln Motor Company secured a $10 million government contract in 1917 and started a journey that transformed automobile manufacturing forever.
Lincoln's Global Drive
Edsel Ford once said, "Father made the most popular cars; I want to make the best," and that's precisely what The Lincoln Motor Company did. So, here's how the company began and continues to craft its cars.
The Birth Of Lincoln
Henry Leland and his son Wilfred established Lincoln Motor Company in 1917. Initially, they focused on manufacturing Liberty motors for World War One, naming the company after Abraham Lincoln, the first president Henry voted for.
Multi-Brand Partnership
Lincoln secured a $10 million government contract (equivalent to $237.8 million today) to produce Liberty V12 aircraft engines. The Lelands built their Detroit plant as a final assembly facility, sourcing parts from Ford, Buick, Cadillac, Marmon, and Packard.
Financial Crisis
By January 1919, production of these engines stopped as the conflict ended. Hence, Lincoln aimed to move into automobile manufacturing. It brought out its first model in September 1920, the Lincoln Model L, which unfortunately did not serve them well.
Ford's Acquisition
So, after facing financial troubles in the post-war economy, Ford Motor Company acquired Lincoln through a receiver's sale in February 1922 for $8 million. Edsel Ford, Henry Ford's son, became the company's president and changed its direction.
