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.

 

Hmmm....What will Police Cruiser's look like in a few years?

I've gotten so I can pic out a Crown Vic in traffic no matter how bland it is, or even the headlight pattern at night. What to do?

 

I know what you mean, I have done the same..................only now, in our area, we have Crown Vics, Impalas, and Intrepids. In a neighboring city, they have Grand Prix and Impala SS cop cars.

What is surprising is how low the number of vehicles they sold to the general public. I guess this means the Grand Marquis and Maurader are dead as well.

 

It's nothing more than memorizing the looks of the police cruisers to come. I am sure that by now you also learned to spot Impalas from a mile, including their headlight pattern at night.

 

I think you missed this part:

So you'll still see Crown Vic police cruisers.

 

See, we're still in luck!

 

That 78,000 total did not include Grand Marquis...

LOL, I bet they sell that many Grand Marquis a year in Florida...

 

WERM,

Your damn sig... ROFLMAO I hate Mapquest

 

Hmmm...... eventually will manufactorer have one line of cars for fleet buyers and one for retail?

Taurus & Crown Vic = Fleet
Futura & FiveHundred = Retail

Cavalier & Malibu Classic = Fleet
Cobalt & Malibu = retail

 

Eh,no more car fires from being rear-ended is all it means.

It's sad to see the last full size RWD sedan go though,even if it's a Phourd

 

Ford spent a lot of money basically reworking the CV chassis last year, I suspect that it will be around for a few more years.

Chysler is read to enter the RWD police market next year, with Hemi V8 powered cars. Chevy should have a V8 powered FWD Impala for police use next year.

 

Police didn't like driving the fwd Impalas...I wonder how they'll feel about a Dodge station wagon?

 

You are exactly right - same said here in NC.

Two of my NCHP buddies were eating at a restaurant a couple weeks back when I joined their conversation. It seems that NC is very unhappy with the current fwd cars (all). The NCHP is not going to renew the contract with GM for Impalas after this year. This from a guy with 5 of those little gold stripes on his shirt sleve.

Looks OK for the Tahoe though. Probably going to buy more of those for our Forestry Service, Parks and Rec, Rangers, and Wildlife officers. They are equally happy with Tahoe and Expedition, but it seems Tahoes offer better pricing.

 

No surprise here: the Crown Victoria has been floundering for years. Oddly enough, the Grand Marquis is in far better shape. Perhaps the Mercury nameplate better suits elderly traditionalists.


Don't interpret this news as the demise of the Panther platform.

 

well, from the nnews ive seen on here and on the crown vic site, the panther platform cars are supposed to continue till 2010. its after that that the vic may be no more. personally, i like them im 26 btw, not some old fart. tough , roomy, reliable cars that can be had for quite little$$$ when a couple years old not to mention, rwd (which i find very important, and yeah, i live in a northern climate).. i wont be keeping this one for too long, but when i get back in the market for another "family " car, it may very well be at the top of my list again. among others: gtp,regal gs, various caddys.......only problem with those= FWD most have more power than the vic, but that is something you could make anyway and, you really cant go wrong with a nice big velour bench