Constructing a concept car demands Lincoln Mark X substantial resources from an automaker. This isn’t a frequent occurrence, happening neither annually nor necessarily once a decade. Concept cars typically signify one of two things: testing public reactions for an impending model or introducing a new styling language across the company’s product range.
Lincoln Mark X
As visual statements about brand positioning and future direction, concept cars must meet various criteria. They need to exhibit exceptional aesthetics, durability, and often showcase intricate details and high-quality materials—similar to the custom hot rods competing for accolades at events like the Grand National Roadster Show, Goodguys Street Rod of the Year, or Autorama’s Ridler award.
The 2004 Lincoln Mark X concept car is an intriguing example, set to cross the auction block at Mecum’s Glendale event on Friday, March 8, 2024. This concept car, with lot number F222, offers a glimpse into the future of Lincoln’s styling, designed by James Powers, who had a significant history with Ford in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Powers, a key stylist during Ford’s transformative shift in styling during the late ’50s, collaborated with head stylist Elwood Engel. Engel played a pivotal role in steering Detroit away from intricate surface details and towards clean, unbroken forms. Powers worked on the design of the 1961-1963 Ford Thunderbird before establishing his own design agency in 1964.
The genesis of the 2004 Lincoln Mark X concept traces back to Powers’ dissatisfaction with Ford’s retro-themed redesign of the Thunderbird for 2002. In response, Powers independently designed the Mark X, drawing inspiration from Lincoln’s rich history. Ford was impressed by Powers’ drawings and commissioned the creation of the Mark X concept for the 2004 auto show circuit, investing over $1 million in its construction. Unfortunately, elements of the Mark X concept were later repurposed in the 2007 Lincoln MKX and the 2007 Lincoln Navigator, receiving mixed reviews.
Reflecting influences from the iconic 1961-1964 Lincoln Continental, the Mark X concept features a filigreed eggcrate grille, knife-edged septum, and a stately slab-sided form unified by a high, stainless-steel trim beltline. Powers designed the Mark X around the new Thunderbird platform (DEW98), demonstrating proportions and powertrain inspired by it. The concept received acclaim as a styling breakthrough and showcased a Lime Sorbet interior with White Corian accents, polished aluminum, dark chrome, natural grain leather seating, plush sheepskin flooring, and tone-on-tone stitching. The drivable concept, based on the DEW98 architecture, boasts a 3.9-liter DOHC V-8 aluminum engine with 280 horsepower and 286 foot-pounds of torque, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.
Surviving concept cars like the Mark X are rare, often retained by the manufacturer or destroyed after their usefulness. The Mark X concept was publicly auctioned by Ford on August 12, 2010, and has been part of Powers’ private collection since. After Powers’ passing in March 2023, the concept was inherited by Karl Brook, his stepson and consignor to the Glendale Mecum auction.
Despite Lincoln possibly missing a significant opportunity with the 2004 Mark X, the concept remains a unique part of automotive history. While its potential auction price is uncertain, considering its historical provenance, immediate recognition as a Lincoln, well-preserved condition, and original quality, it is anticipated to fetch somewhere in the quarter-million to half-million-dollar range.
