The Ford Crown Victoria is now dead - R.I.P.

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This is so interesting.
I could not figure out for anything why for the last two weeks all that I have been seeing on Car Carriers with New Ford Crown Victoria's! I just could not wrap my head around it. I kept thinking they were just very good shape used cars. When I would get closer however I would see that they were new.
I know why now!
These were awesome cars! I wonder what the "new" prices are going for.

Thanks for this post.

Brent
 
Sadly what has been a replacement her in the south as far as Cop Patrol has been Chrysler. Mostly 300's.
They are tough cars as far as the engines and HP. It seems like this is the car for the "new thug criminal". I guess the cop cars are better?
I dunno.
 
According to Wiki, it has only been a fleet (cop/taxi/rental) design since 2008. Not since the late 50s has it been fashionable. Much as I hate to see 'classic' designs abandoned, I won't miss Clown Victoria. I don't use cops or taxis, and on the rare occasion I rent it's something more economical. They charge for gas, ya know.

The best thing about Clown Vic was that cops could bash the body and it could be repaired without resorting to realigning the whole platform.
 
A recent installment of the U.S. version of "Top Gear" had a Crown Vic beating out a Mercedes E-class and some other beater car on a trip up the coast from L.A. to S.F.  The cars were all purchased for $500 each.  The Crown Vic had something like 400K miles on it and was the only car to make it to the finish line.  The traffic and hill climbing in S.F. killed the other two on the last leg of the race.

 

Just today a friend shared with me that he had heard a story on NPR that the Crown Vic was dead.  I agree that other than the 50's version, it's not a car that held my interest.
 
Isn't the Chrysler 300 a bit garish looking for a police car? I've never really warmed to its look. The 300 Touring station wagon is somewhat acceptable, but like all new station wagons the back looks chopped off (i.e. too short). There is nothing graceful about the 300. In my view it is a European misinterpretation or parody of what a traditional American (car) should look like; a lot of bling and a super sized rear. I think the Aussie designed Chevy Caprice is a much better option. If I were a crim on the run I'd take that more seriously than the 300, but that's just me.
 
From the onset of it's release I have always looked at the 300 as somewhat of a thug kind of car. I don't know, it's the look of it and mostly who you see driving it.
About a year after it came out I rented a car and guess what they gave me? Yup, a Chrysler 300. It was some kind of special promotiion. At first I didn't want it, but the agent urged me to try it. He said I'd like it.

It drove ok. The thing I didn't like about it was the short headroom and the restricted view due to the roofline front and back. It's like the roof isn't tall enough. But it did ride pretty smooth. When I returned it and found out what they were charging for them back then I thought it was a lot of car for the money.
 
"I have always looked at the 300 as somewhat of a thug k

Talk about stereotyping, no such stigma attached to the 300 in my neighborhood. Here 300 drivers are totally respectable and usually of the soccer mom variety.

I'd agree with you on price and substance. The 300 is good value and reviews are usually favorable.

Re thugs in cars - in old Euro films it was usually the pimps and crims that drove the large, shiny American cars. It was a great cliche, but defeated the purpose if they were trying to stay under the radar.
 
Not a Ford guy here, but this is just as sad as the discontinuation of the GM B-Body back in '96. The Ford Panther RWD V8 platform was the longest produced vehicle - EVER. 32 years.

We live in different times now, but I certainly hope the Holden-Chevy Caprice will catch on here in the States for Fleet and Fuzz use.

Ben
[this post was last edited: 9/19/2011-11:22]

swestoyz++9-19-2011-09-54-41.jpg
 
The Police

forces around here in Mid-Ohio are using mostly Chargers and a few Impala's. I guess the charger is fast? The Crown Vic will be missed by a lot of older people who drove them I am sure. Sadly I say Good Bye Crown Vic. I am not a Ford man but hate to see any American brand go by the wayside.
 
I have a friend in Germany who claims that anyone who owns a Corvette in Germany is usually connected to the sex trade in some way. Yes, he did say that!

When I was a teen, I always wanted a Corvette. But then by the time I had enough money to buy one, I realized how impractical and expensive they were. So I no longer wanted one!

Now I really like the new Dodge Charger's and Challengers. Great update on a revival of the original design. I see a lot of Chargers around here. It appears to be a hot selling car for Dodge.

It seems that they toned down the 300 for this year. But it still strongly resembles a Bentley from the front end. Maybe that's why it's a popular car?
 
for many departments it is Dodge Chargers and Chevy Impalas.

As difficult as it can be to get out of a Crown Vic with 12 pounds of gear on your belt it is harder in the Chargers and Impalas.

It feels like you have to open the door and throw yourself to the ground to get moving.

SUVs are better, but given the yahooism in law enforcement, they get rolled frequently, so aren't a good idea in general.
 
Its also looking more and more likely now, that the RWD Ford Falcon that's been in production here since 1960, will become an imported Taurus from 2015.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but there will be a decision in the next 6 months or so.

I'll be dissapointed if it dissappears, the Inline six is so smooth and finally seems to have overcome most of the reliability issues that plagued it when they first when to double ohc's about 7 years ago. The downside of the inline 6, is conversion to left hand drive is almost impossible, which reduces any possibility of finding any export markets.

Does ford have any other large car platforms to replace the Crown Vic?
 
Here in Fresno CA there are still a few Crown Vics in the police fleets, but I am seeing more and more Dodge Chargers pop up. I knew the full size RWD V-8 era was going to come to a full stop eventually when they killed the Chevy Caprice, Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood. And in my opinion the Caprice had many advantages over the Crown Vic, especially with the Corvette derived engine from the Impala in the 94-96 model years. The Caprice was THE choice for many law enforcement agencies here. The power and handling for such a large and heavy car made the Caprice a favorite. I'm sure 20 years from now, all large RWD sedans will probably make a come back.
 
I'm also wondering now, with the Lincoln Town Car dead, what limousine services are going to use as Corporate sedans, hell or even for stretch limo's for that matter. From my understanding, front wheel drive is the worst set up to use on a stretched platform. I've heard the Cadillacs were problematic because of that. The new Lincoln flagship just doesn't have the class the Town Car had. I have yet to drive the MKZ, if that's what replaced the Town Car, but I'm sure they aren't as roomy or plush. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
 
It sure is a sad day Indeed. I am on my second RWD Ford, I started off with a brand new 2006 Crown Vic LXin silver(carbon copy of 1st pic) I loved that car but at 36k traded for a 2006 Lincoln Town Car which I love even more it is only up to 23,700 miles so I'll be keeping it for quite some time. I have always loved the style, ride, and size of these, kinda sad they cant be ordered new anymore.  The new Lincoln flagship is the Lincoln MKS which is on the same platform as the Taurus, it is fairly roomy, almost as roomy as my Town Car but to me it doesnt seem like it is as posh and floaty as the Town Car
 
The Panthers (Crown Vic/Grand Marquis/Town Car) were at one time Ford's most profitable car as Ford ignored it, making improvements only when absolutely necessary. Ford decided it will be too expensive to make it meet future crash protection and fuel economy requirements, so they killed it.

Ford thinks police departments will go for its front-wheel-drive Taurus (big on the outside, small on the inside) which is so far not proving popular with retail buyers. For livery service, they are pushing the Lincoln MKT, which is an odd-looking minivan/crossover thing. It is even less popular with retail buyers than the Taurus.
 
Not too surprised...

The Crown Vic has most recently, strictly been the vehicle for cops, cabbies & rental fleet units...

The age of anything large, heavy, gas guzzling & even RWD is pretty much passé (same goes for Mercury's Marquis!)...

Gone to the big see-dan valley in the sky...! It's over for now...

-- Dave
 
The Panther platform cars weren't really that gas guzzling. I drove many Town Cars of different model years with the limo service for over 4 years. And they all got very good mileage for such large and heavy cars. 25 to 27 MPG highway was the average I'd get. And even the limo's would manage over 20 MPG highway, depending on the load. My own Town Car, a 1991 has got me over 27 on the highway and at least 18 in the city depending how much foot I used.
 

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