Crown Vic may become fleet only

[derek77]

I saw this coming a mile away. I hope they still offer the GM/MM and TownCar if they do stop retail sales.


Crown Vic may become fleet only

By Amy Wilson
Automotive News / January 04, 2004



Ford Division is looking at dropping the Crown Victoria sedan from its retail lineup sometime after the new 2005 Ford Five Hundred sedan debuts this fall.

The company will make its decision during the next year to 18 months, Ford Division President Steve Lyons said. Either way, Ford will continue to produce it for fleet customers, Lyons said.

The Crown Victoria is built on the 25-year-old Panther platform. Ford long ago amortized much of the Crown Vic's development costs. Taxi companies, police departments and other fleet customers value the Crown Vic's rugged body-on-frame structure.

Ford sold 15,000 to 18,000 Crown Victorias to retail buyers last year. Fleet buyers purchased the rest of the 78,500 Crown Vics sold in 2003.

The front-drive Five Hundred, with its all-wheel-drive option and a roomy interior, will appeal more to retail buyers, Lyons said. In fact, Ford will limit sales of the Five Hundred and its sibling, the 2005 Ford Freestyle sport wagon, to retail customers for the first six to 12 months.

That is a marked departure from Ford's sales approach for its mid-size Taurus. Fleet sales for the Taurus “go overboard at 50 percent-plus” of total production, Lyons said. Lyons said he would be surprised if fleet customers account for more than 10 percent of the Five Hundred and Freestyle's long-term sales.

Ford will produce about 250,000 Five Hundreds and Freestyles annually at its Chicago assembly plant. Volume initially will be split evenly between the two vehicles.

Ford Division is targeting sales of about 3 million vehicles in 2004. Lyons said the division should increase retail sales by about 150,000 during the year and lower fleet sales by about 50,000 vehicles.

[SHERIFF]

After a few more "flaming" lawsuits are filed over the gas tanks..... I anticipate FORD will discontinue the entire Crown Victoria line. Then we can read about a drunk crashing into the back of an Impala or Intrepid at 90 mph and driving the rear bumper into the firewall.

[MapleLeafMerc]

The CV has been 'fleet only' up here for a couple of years now. I guess it was a matter of time for the US...

[derek77]

I don't know about Impala or Intrepid, but a 500, about the size of an Impala, with all wheel drive and the right powerplant, that could be one badass police cruiser. That's only if they get rid of the Panther all together.

[MM4ME]

>Then we can read about a drunk crashing into the back of an Impala or Intrepid at 90 mph and driving the rear bumper into the firewall.


Now I know why we have a new Impala and Intrepid patrol car in the fleet. I will have to see how they are holding up. Personally I miss the old 70's Novas..... :)

[jaywish]

BOO hiss :mad2: :mad2:

REAR WHEEL DRIVE !

REAR WHEEL DRIVE !

I can only hope they decide to keep the platform and finally bite (what they must consider) the big one and put in independent rears for 05.

After all they finally went with rack & pinion for 03.

[Ross]

Impala size, not full size? BAD!

Wrong wheel drive? BAD BAD!!

Even with a strong engine, it will still be a little, wrong wheel drive car.

[Long Live #3]

Originally posted by SHERIFF
Then we can read about a drunk crashing into the back of an Impala or Intrepid at 90 mph and driving the rear bumper into the firewall.

A kid from my school split his Intrepid in two. He took a turn too fast and hit a tree sideways which split it. Three of the for kids are on life support and another kid has staples in his head. I saw the tree. It's got burn marks and paint scrapes all over it. one of the kids will be coming back to school this week.

[67435animal]

Originally posted by SHERIFF
After a few more "flaming" lawsuits are filed over the gas tanks..... I anticipate FORD will discontinue the entire Crown Victoria line. Then we can read about a drunk crashing into the back of an Impala or Intrepid at 90 mph and driving the rear bumper into the firewall.

You're right on here. It wouldn't matter if the Impala or the Intrepid caught fire at this point anyway. No survivors regardless.

Bob

[kurly]

Originally posted by Ross
Impala size, not full size? BAD!

Wrong wheel drive? BAD BAD!!

Even with a strong engine, it will still be a little, wrong wheel drive car.

All Bad! (D/C is moving more toward rear wheel drive HEMI's for Dodge and Chrysler cars, SUV's, and trucks in the future?)

[Nathan]

I was wondering why the CV has been left ouf of the "Ford Car" commercials. I guess this explains it.

That's just like Ford to pull something from the public eye before ditching it. It almost reminds me of how they spun off all of their Indiana factories to Visteon before the layoffs and wage cuts began. That way there isn't a huge article in the paper about Ford cutting wages and laying local workers off.

[Nathan]

and laying local workers off.

Crap.. I hate when I end sentences with a preposition... umm.... "and off local workers laying" ??

Umm... how can that be right??? That sounds somewhere between something Yoda would say and the heading for a story about finding a new job in the porn industry!

[jgc61sr2002]

With 15,000 retail sales of the Crown Vic FMC can justify their discontinuence.

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by derek77
I don't know about Impala or Intrepid, but a 500, about the size of an Impala, with all wheel drive and the right powerplant, that could be one badass police cruiser. That's only if they get rid of the Panther all together.

I doubt the 500 would make a great Police car, for much the same reasons the Impala and Intrepid (Intrepid is gone anyway fora ll intents and purposes) do not. They would all make good Taxis maybe.


Ford is also talking about adding a model to the Panther line up.
It'd be nice if for once Automotive writers would do a little research to see the Panther platform is nothing like it was 25 years ago.

[bozobill]

In a radio interview from the Detroit auto show I heard a Ford VP say that the 500 will be V-6 powered. Can that be true? He said it's replacing the Taurus. That it's 4" longer than the Taurus but the same leg room as the Town Car. It's trunk will hold eight (8) full sized golf bags. It will also sit much higher than the Taurus but will not seem so because of the symmetric proportions.
Almost sounds like a Checker Cab, not a Ford.

Anyone have more accurate 411?

Bill

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by Nathan
I was wondering why the CV has been left ouf of the "Ford Car" commercials. I guess this explains it.



Actually there have been no ads for the CV for quite a few years.
The last print ad I remember was about 1998, the year the body style changed. Sometime after that retail sales started the decline. Think ford can put no advertising and declining sales together to figure it all out?

[jspradii]

I had a conversation with the head of the auto theft division of the Shreveport Police Dept on Tuesday a.m. He said the city had joined in the defect suit against Ford (the gas tank thing) and as a consequence, Ford will not sell them any fleet police vehicles for the time being. The feeliing of the patrol cops: "This sucks....what are we going to get, Impalas? Intrepids? *****!"

[LincMercLover]

Originally posted by jspradii
He said the city had joined in the defect suit against Ford (the gas tank thing) and as a consequence, Ford will not sell them any fleet police vehicles for the time being. The feeliing of the patrol cops: "This sucks....what are we going to get, Impalas? Intrepids? *****!"

Yah... well... Ya try to burn people, and most of the time just end up getting burnt yourself. Serves 'em right.

[SHERIFF]

Originally posted by LincMercLover
Yah... well... Ya try to burn people, and most of the time just end up getting burnt yourself. Serves 'em right.


Ditto!

[SergntMac]

double ditto...

Didn't RoboCop drive a Taurus?

[Haggis]

.....don't fix it if it ain't broke!!!

Will peolpe never learn? :censor:

[Skp369]

Our department bought a hand-full of the 2000-2001 Impala's to evaluate. They are not well liked. They are small; very uncomfortable; peppy but not fast; poor handling cars. They have not held up very well from a maintainence stand point and are usually laid up. These are the same complaints that many departments had with the Ford Taurus police cars in the early 90's. Ford quietly dropped the Taurus Police Package as a result. The 500 would probably not be any better than the Impala or the Taurus. I hope For does not repeat a mistake.

[kurly]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Haggis
[B].....don't fix it if it ain't broke!!!

ME TOO! (3X DITTO)

[Fourth Horseman]

I feel completely abandoned by Detroit. :alone:

[MM4ME]

>They are not well liked. They are small; very uncomfortable; peppy but not fast; poor handling cars.


Our patrol guys are saying the same thing... they do not like them at all. The extra weight of the police equiptment just bogs them down way too much.

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't buy a boatload of Vics and keep them in storage if Ford announces their demise.

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by Fourth Horseman
I feel completely abandoned by Detroit. :alone:

Good, better to stick with Dearborn anyway

[QuebecMKIII]

The Crown has been fleet only in Canada since at least 98, and we make them in Canada! I talked to a salesman at a friendly Ford dealer and apparently the GrandMarquis offers everything the Crown does for a similar price... :rolleyes:
Too bad, oh well, time to get a demo Marauder! :D

[Ross]

Hey, Quebec, welcome to the site! Or since you're from Quebec, should I say bienvenue!

[QuebecMKIII]

Originally posted by Ross
Hey, Quebec, welcome to the site! Or since you're from Quebec, should I say bienvenue!
Thanks! or Merci! Up to you :D

[jgc61sr2002]

QubecMKIII - Welcome aboard. This is the most imformative site on the net. Nice folks and good information.:D

[QuebecMKIII]

Originally posted by jgc61sr2002
QubecMKIII - Welcome aboard. This is the most imformative site on the net. Nice folks and good information.:D
Yeah, thanks!
You guys are great :D

Now all I have to do is go get that Demo Marauder for 32kCAD I have my eye on :cool:

[MapleLeafMerc]

Hi Quebec!

Check the thread on STAP (St Thomas Assy Plant) re the trip this June. Maybe you and TripleTransAm can hook up.

[RedMM]

I would LOVE to be able to tour the ST Thomas Assembly Plant and get to see my favorite cars get built from beginning to end. As awful as it sounds to love cars THIS MUCH, this would be a thrill for me!! I got it BAD!!!!!:eek::shake::burnout:

[SHERIFF]

Originally posted by RedMM
I would LOVE to be able to tour the ST Thomas Assembly Plant and get to see my favorite cars get built from beginning to end. As awful as it sounds to love cars THIS MUCH, this would be a thrill for me!! I got it BAD!!!!!:eek::shake::burnout:


Sign up with these guys.....

http://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=489339&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[RCSignals]

You going, Sheriff?

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by QuebecMKIII

Now all I have to do is go get that Demo Marauder for 32kCAD I have my eye on


Where in Montreal are you located?
I may know which car you're talking about...

Depending on the mileage, 32k CAD may be a killer deal.

[SHERIFF]

Originally posted by RCSignals
You going, Sheriff?


Heck no. I would rather drive to Bowling Green and watch Corvettes being built again. Shorter drive. :)