The first Lincoln Continental was born in 1939 from a commission by Edsel Ford to Eugene T. Gregorie to create a sophisticated, personalized car based on the Lincoln Zephyr. Gregorie's quick sketch resulted in a sleek design with a long hood and a signature rear-mounted spare tire, a style that embodied European elegance. Edsel absolutely had to have the prototype before he went down to vacation in Florida BECAUSE he wanted to show it off to all his rich friends.. After Edsel Ford and his friend

The Lincoln Continental was created in 1939 as a custom, one-off car for Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford II and president of Ford Motor Company. The Continental was designed by Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie. Inspired by European design, the sleek convertible was an instant success with Edsel's friends, leading to limited production that year and 400 cars in 1940. This elegant car with its signature trunk-mounted spare tire became a luxury icon and was selected by the Museum of Modern Art as an example