Classic Cars at Lincoln’s Heritage

1937 Lincoln-Zephyr Coupe-Sedan

Introduced in 1936 under the guidance of Edsel Ford, the Lincoln-Zephyr was the first commercially successful aerodynamic car. The Chrysler and DeSoto Airflows debuted in 1934, but were not broadly accepted. In contrast, the Zephyr family grew to 85,640 cars by 1939. Of this number, only 5 percent were Coupe-Sedans. Amazingly, records today show that only fourteen 1937 Coupe-Sedans still exist, and the car displayed... more 

1937 Lincoln-Zephyr Coupe-Sedan

Introduced in 1936 under the guidance of Edsel Ford, the Lincoln-Zephyr was the first commercially successful aerodynamic car. The Chrysler and DeSoto Airflows debuted in 1934, but were not broadly accepted. In contrast, the Zephyr family grew to 85,640 cars by 1939. Of this number, only 5 percent were Coupe-Sedans. Amazingly, records today show that only fourteen 1937 Coupe-Sedans still exist, and the car displayed here is surely the best example. An enduring Lincoln design element is its distinctive split grille, executed to recall the bow wave of a boat gliding through water. With headlamps faired into the fenders and long side windows that curve to match the sweeping bodylines, the car's inherent streamlining captured the public's imagination. Powered by a 267-cubic-inch V12 producing 110 horsepower, the Zephyr was acclaimed for outstanding highway manners, appropriate to a car named after the Burlington Zephyr streamlined train of the era.

Owner: David Caparone, Paso Robles less