The Lincoln Mark VIII is a grand touring luxury coupe marketed by Lincoln from the 1993 to 1998 model years over a single generation, manufactured at Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant. Succeeding the Lincoln Mark VII, the Mark VIII shared underpinnings with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. Following the 1998 model year, the Mark VIII was discontinued without replacement, remaining the last model of the Lincoln Mark series. Development Development of the Mark VIII (FN-10) began in 1984 with a projected release for the 1990 model year. Design work began in 1986 and was oriented toward evolutionary changes. By 1987, Lincoln designers emphasized interior design, as ordered by then Ford design director Dave Rees. In the autumn of 1988, FN-10 development was pushed and went through several revisions. This was done to further develop a more precise product to accommodate the use of a DOHC modular engine, using the upcoming MN12 platform due to be launched in December 1988. Having seen designs of upcoming models from competitors, Ford ordered a radical redesign, a departure from any previous Lincolns, while retaining styling cues. By November 1988, under Ford designer Kyu Kim, Ford presented a design named "Stretch I", featuring scalloped sides, full length taillights, the spare-tire hump, waterfall grille, small c-pillars, a full-length headlight setup, two air-inlets on the front bumper, taillights that flowed upward on the sides rather than downward on the production car — and devoid of chrome. A clay mockup of Stretch I was finalized within four weeks. "Stretch I" was shown in 1:1 scale in clay to Lincoln executives on December 12, 1988. Appalled by the design, the executives ordered several changes to the exterior. As a result, "Stretch II" was created during early 1989, by adding chrome in several places and moderately revising the front and rear end treatments. Stretch II represented about 70 percent of the finished product, with details revised up to mid-1989. The final design freeze of the FN-10 Mark VIII occurred, scheduled for an April 1992 start of production and June 1992 launch as a 1993 model year vehicle. FN-10 prototype mules in modified Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar bodies began road-testing in 1990. Full-body prototypes later commenced road-testing in the first half of 1991. In February 1991, launch was delayed by 6 months to December 1992. The 1993 Mark VIII was unveiled by the press in March 1992 and officially introduced