Kim Jong-il Rides a 1976 Lincoln Hearse to His Grave [Video]
So we won’t be the ones talking about how this funeral was probably staged and highly choreographed, but rather the irony that Kim Jong-il’s final ride was in an American car, a 1976 Lincoln Continental to be exact.
Despite freezing temperatures and plenty of snow out in Pyongyang, North Korea, tens of thousands of citizens were not only enlisted to help clear the snow from the 40-mile parade route, but also stood by to bid their leader farewell. The funeral procession involved several classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles, something Kim Jong-il had taken a liking to when he was alive.
But perhaps being transported atop an American Lincoln is a family tradition, as Kim Jong-il’s father, Kim il-Sung was also taken off in a Lincoln during his 1994 funeral.
Watch the news report below:
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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The ultimate disgrace for the prestigious American Lincoln Town Car - participation of the nasty dictator Kim Jong II. As the proud owner of two of these fine classic vehicles, I take this as a personal affront. If we could only get these vehicles back here so they could be decently buried.....
The reporter said "American cars from the 50s"! They are 76s. So much for American journalism. And why shouldn't they lead the Mercedes? The Lincoln is a far more luxurious and stately automobile. At least, it was in 1976. If only Americans took as good care of our classic cars as the Koreans do.