The 1968 Le Grande Marquis was created by Lincoln-Mercury to test a few novel and nifty ideas in vehicle design.

We’re guessing that the photo above illustrates the primary reason for the existence of the 1968 Le Grand Marquis: to experiment with a dual-opening deck lid that, according to the Lincoln-Mercury divsion, was based on the Magic Doorgate. The two-way opening for the Ford Motor Company’s station wagons was developed by engineer and polymath Don Frey for the 1966 model year. (See our feature on the Magic Doorgate here.) The trick deck lid was the major modification on what began as a production Marquis.

In this application, the two-way hardware was arranged so the deck lid could be opened from the rear as with a conventional trunk, or opened from the curb side for greater safety and convenience. Also, a portion of the rear quarter panel was integrated with the deck lid to provide a larger and lower opening. Obviously, the idea never went any further, and without trying it ourselves, it’s difficult to say how useful the feature actually was. Evidently, it was judged not handy enough to justify the additional cost of the two-way hardware.

We were just as intrigued by the prototype’s revised front end and headlight arrangement with four slim rectangular lamps. All through the ’60s, the Detroit carmakers continually experimented with unusual headlamp setups, sometimes in collaboration with the industry’s lighting suppliers. Lincoln-Mercury didn’t reveal if there was a technical partner here.

Stylists at the time must have felt severely limited by the prevailing U.S. headlamp standards, which limited them to two choices: a pair of 7-in round sealed-beam lamps or four 5.75-in units. They wouldn’t find real freedom until the lighting standards were opened up for the 1988 model year, permitting separate bulbs and lenses.

Other features on Le Grand Marquis included a formal vinyl roof covering that eliminated the rear quarter windows and a pair of fixed glass sunroofs, a feature that was only mentioned, never explained in the press literature. A standard 1968 Marquis two-door hardtop is pictured below for reference.

From there, the prototype Le Grand Marquis was forgotten, apparently.  All that remains are a few photos and press materials. Mercury did get plenty of mileage from the name, however. Introduced in 1967, the Marquis became the stand-alone Grand Marquis (minus the French definite article) in 1983 and remained in the Mercury lineup all the way to the end. The last Mercury to roll down the production line on January 4, 2011 was a Grand Marquis.