Manufacturer Lincoln (Ford) Class full-size luxury car Predecessor Lincoln EL-series | Production 1948–1954 Layout FR layout | |
 | ||
Successor Lincoln Premiere (sedan)
Lincoln Capri (coupe) | ||
The Lincoln Cosmopolitan is a full-size luxury car that was sold by Lincoln from the 1949 through the 1954 model year. All Lincolns were manufactured at Lincoln Assembly, Dearborn, Michigan, while some were sent in "knock-down kits" to regional factories at Maywood Assembly, Maywood, California, Edison Assembly, Edison, New Jersey, or St. Louis Assembly, St.Louis, Missouri, and assembled locally.
Contents
In 1950, under the Harry S. Truman presidency, legend has it that Truman held a grudge with General Motors because they would not give him use of their cars during his run for the 1948 presidential election; thus, he chose Lincoln for the presidential state car. The White House leased ten Cosmopolitans, built by the Henney Motor Company for Lincoln, and modified by the Hess and Eisenhardt Company. The cars were modified with extra headroom to accommodate the tall silk hats popular at the time, and were painted black. Nine of the automobiles had enclosed bodies, while the tenth was an armored convertible especially for President Truman. The tenth Cosmopolitan was 20 feet (6.1 m) long, 6.5 feet (2.0 m) wide, and weighed 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg), 1,700 pounds (770 kg) heavier than a stock Cosmopolitan. All ten cars were outfitted with 152-horsepower (113 kW) V8 engines "with heavy-duty Hydra-Matic transmissions." In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had the Cosmopolitan convertible fitted with a Plexiglas roof that became known as the "Bubble-top"; it remained in presidential service until 1965.
1949–1951
1949 was significant to the Ford and Lincoln lines due to the introduction of the 1949 Ford and the 1949 Mercury Eight, which became very popular with customizers who created "Lead sleds" from it. All were brand new bodies.
The Cosmopolitan featured a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission supplied by General Motors or a base three-speed manual and a 5.5 liter (337 cubic inch) 152 hp V8 as well as an "aerodynamic" hood ornament. Like the Continental of the 1960s, the Cosmopolitan featured suicide doors, which opened from the B-pillar. In 1949, new coil springs were added to the front. The headlights and tail lights on the Cosmopolitan reflected a new styling trend appearing on customized vehicles called "frenching" where various items were recessed into the bodywork, along with a new styling appearance called "ponton".
In 1951, power window and seats were standard.
1952–1954
When it was restyled in 1952, it was paired with a new full-sized model named the Lincoln Capri. The engine was replaced with the new OHV 317 cu in (5.2 L) Lincoln Y-Block V8. Front leg room was 42 inches (1,067 mm). Bodies were brand new again.
Powered by the 317 cu in (5.2 L) Lincoln Y-block V8, Lincolns won the top four spots in the Stock Car category of the Pan American Road Race in both 1952 and 1953. In 1954 (its final year) Lincolns took first and second place.