Chassis No. C5681056

With the vision to create an ultra-luxurious automobile, Ford set up the Continental brand at the beginning of the 1950s. The "Special Products Division", for which Henry Ford II's brother William Clay Ford was responsible, were given enormous financial resources with a clear objective to develop a luxury vehicle that ranked above the previous American luxury brands, and, in fact, aimed directly at customers who had previously owned a Rolls-Royce.

Penned by legendary designers Gordon Buehrig and John Reinhart, the Continental Mark II was launched at the 1955 Paris Auto Salon and stunned with its now-timeless design and presence. The Mark II was both technically and luxuriously ahead of the competition and was assembled by hand in a designated factory, where the paintwork was elaborately done in numerous time-consuming steps, and the engines were extensively balanced. The price was nearly $10,000; in comparison, the most expensive Cadillac models cost about half, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing cost "only" $6,820. Representing the pinnacle of luxury American automobile manufacturing at the time, the list of prominent owners included Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Elvis Presley. Less than 3,000 examples were made before Ford ceased production, as the enormously high manufacturing costs made it uneconomical to sell the Ford family's "labor of love."

This remarkable example of the rare and exceedingly luxurious Continental Mark II model boasts both long-term ownership and professional restoration work carried out in the past decade. According to the Continental Mark II Database, this example was completed by hand during August of 1955, and painted Naiad Green matched by a light and medium green interior; one of just 34 examples in this livery. The car is reported to have been acquired by the previous owner's father directly from the original owner in 1961, and then driven by him regularly until 1970, at which point the car was stored away. In 2014, while in the son's care, a two-year restoration was undertaken, which included a professional repaint of the stylish bodywork by Ferrari of Ontario in its current period-appropriate Medium Green Iridescent Light Metallic color, while the interior was refinished in correct upholstery sourced from England. The chrome was carefully refurbished and detailed, while mechanical aspects of the car were addressed by RM Auto Restoration. Post restoration, the Continental was shown at the 2016 Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Sold out of 60-plus years of single-family ownership in 2022, the car has since formed part of the renowned collection carefully assembled by the late Judge Cassini. A pedigreed example benefitting from decades of devoted ownership, the Continental is accompanied by a sales brochure and owner's manual, custom car cover and the original keys. The epitome of 1950s American luxury, the elegant Continental Mark II set the standard for the era and remains one of the most coveted designs ever conceived.