Nostalgia kick: Ford retires the Crown Victoria police car

Ford E85 Crown Victoria Police Vehicle

Ford will replace the beloved Crown Vic will the Explorer and Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles

It's time to tip our hats to an old warhorse.

Ford is retiring the Crown Victoria police vehicle after almost 30 years of service. The Detroit automaker hopes to replace fleet sales to police departments with the new Ford Explorer SUV and smaller Taurus Police Interceptors.

But the Crown Vic (as it is referred to with affection by taxi drivers and policemen alike) was a very successful model as a police car. It represents about 70 percent of the police car market in the United States and sales have been up 64 percent this year as police departments stock up on one of their favorites before the car goes out of production.

Though, that might be about time.

The Crown Victoria, along with the Lincoln Town Car, was build on the Panther platform that is more than 30 years old. Tell that to a German engineer and watching him try to swallow his chuckle.

Ford may not be as successful in the future with the Explorer and Taurus police vehicles as it was with the beloved Crown Vic. The automaker now faces competition from a new Chevrolet Caprice police vehicle from GM and a redesigned Dodge Charger cruiser from Chrysler.

Ford ended sales of the Crown Vic to private customers back in 2008.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Stealth Concept for SEMA
(12 comments)
Ford Explorer Police Interceptor utility vehicle revealed
(7 comments)
All-New 2012 Ford Taurus Interceptor Police Car Revealed
(32 comments)
Ford E85 Crown Victoria Police Vehicle

Add a Comment

Comments (22)

newest first oldest first

Subscribe to comments

sideskraper

Ford are silly to not leverage their Australian Falcon platform into this market and the other markets that the Crown Victoria/Lincoln Town Car existed in.

August 25, 2011 4:36 am

report abuse | reply

najdier

The Crown Victoria is Ford's money maker in Saudi Arabia. It was given an extended production run through 2011. But Ford is still resisting the Australian option and is pushing the Taurus as a replacement in a market that favors RWD over FWD.

August 25, 2011 5:03 am

report abuse | reply

2 replies

motorfan28

RWD over FWD???...The Ford Falcon is RWD FYI

August 26, 2011 2:30 am

report abuse | reply

najdier

I know that. Ford is pushing the Taurus, which is FWD as a replacement for the Vic instead of bringing the Falcon over to the Gulf, a market friendlier to RWD (Vic/Falcon) than to FWD (Taurus). I saw two Falcons full of test gear in the back of the main dealership here in Riyadh back in 1999, a year after GM had successfully marketed the Australian Commodore as a Chevy Lumina. But nothing seems to have come out of that. When GM wanted to bring the Commodore Stateside as a Pontiac they shipped Gulf-spec Luminas over there for testing.

August 26, 2011 3:12 pm

report abuse | reply

AG4

The Falcon was not enginnered to have a LHD version, this explains why its not sold in the US or other LHD countries.

August 25, 2011 6:17 am

report abuse | reply

2 replies

sideskraper

I'm sorry but it was engineered to be driven on either side of the car. As have Falcons for the past few generations. There are large fleets of LHD development vehicles in existence.

August 25, 2011 7:19 am

report abuse | reply

AG4

@sideskraper, for the production Falcon someone pointed out in a magazine article that some plumbing/components were in the path of where the LHD steering column/system would have passed if there was a LHD version. Ford Australia abandoned plans to develop a LHD version (codename Orion) and instead shifted plans to locally produce the Mk3 Focus in Australia, this plan was also abandoned. It will most likely be the next Falcon that will have a LHD version since its platform might be shared with the next Mustang.

August 25, 2011 5:38 pm

report abuse | reply

HEMI426

I once sat in one of these. The cabin space wasn't so big, but then it's the fornt and rear overhang that make this car so huge. What supprised me were the tones of headroom, even in the back. So that steep rear window is good for something. It also seems that it doesn't make any more rpm as you slowly accelerate. I hope they make a new one.

August 25, 2011 7:03 am

report abuse | reply

B_M_Gearhead

Tell that to a German engineer and watching him try to swallow his chuckle." How about tell a German engineer about how the mantenance cost per mile driven was so low and try to watch him choke back his tears of fail.

August 25, 2011 8:00 am

report abuse | reply

Tackleberry

R.I.P Crown Vic- you gave many senior citizens a safe place to feel comfortable- many fellons a ride that they had come a customed too and a great place to spend while in a filthy cab ride up town. You will be missed for all that you have done.

August 25, 2011 8:08 am

report abuse | reply

GRAVE

Oooh nooo I can't imagen a holywood movie without the Crown Vic police car in it

August 25, 2011 8:48 am

report abuse | reply

1 reply

pzigly

put in some doge chargers in that movie and ur good to go lol

August 25, 2011 9:48 am

report abuse | reply

shaahinmt

its very difficult to get it one with handcuffs, no jokes, i hit my head every time to bars and roll carge plus when you finally sit, there is virtually no leg room.

August 25, 2011 10:36 am

report abuse | reply

EMBJATI85

how come they dont bring the aussie platform here it would be a good replacement and we still could use the crown vic name and towncar name just redesigned on that platform

August 25, 2011 11:11 am

report abuse | reply

International

I bet you more people have had a ride in a Crown Vic than any other car. Don't forget the trunk space.

August 25, 2011 12:17 pm

report abuse | reply

benz_man

I shall miss being locked in that back seat like I miss that bout of Chlamydia...

August 25, 2011 5:56 pm

report abuse | reply

charlemagne

the replacement: the new chrysler - fiat 500 ! =))

August 26, 2011 3:08 am

report abuse | reply

erzhik

How the hell am I supposed to recognize cop headlights in the mirror now? Taurus has projectors.

August 26, 2011 9:14 am

report abuse | reply

Dolomight 74-86

Sayonara to the old oppressor-mobile, now criminals will have to find a new ride to prison.

August 26, 2011 9:42 am

report abuse | reply

GTurbo

Hollywood movie car chases will never be the same again without the Crown Vic, and con-victs would need a brand new ride to the slammer. I'd prefer the Interceptor Concept to the Explorer!

August 27, 2011 3:56 pm

report abuse | reply

sensei

So, is Carbon Motors going to be a cop car competitor? Here in Japan, one always has to watch for a plain white Toyota Crown with two short antennae on the rear window.

August 28, 2011 3:49 am

report abuse | reply

1 reply

najdier

Ha ha! Here in Saudi Arabia it's a Camry/Corolla/prev gen Sonata or Lumina (Commodore) with said antennae and safety lights inside the rear window.

August 29, 2011 10:51 am

report abuse | reply