In another thread last week, I mentioned that the Ford 427 was testing the waters for a replacement to the Crown Vic. This story came up in Autoweek:

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=02796713

As I said then, the car wasn't made to showcase the engine, the car was made to showcase the design.

 

Wouldn't be a bad idea... afterall, the Crown Vic is about the most boring car on the road right now. But at the sime time, the 427 doesn't excite me much either.

I kinda find it funny that the new Mustang will be built at the same plant as the Mazda6. Does this mean the Mustang will go "Zoom-Zoom"?

 

Autoweek:

"It's early yet," said Jim Padilla, Ford North America group vice president, at the Chicago Auto Show last week, "but the feedback on the 427 has been by and large very positive. "It's early yet," said Jim Padilla, Ford North America group vice president, at the Chicago Auto Show last week, "but the feedback on the 427 has been by and large very positive.

"Certainly it plays very well upscale, which is very encouraging to us. As a top-of-the-line Mercury or maybe in the Lincoln showroom it has possibilities.

"It could wear a top-of-the-line Ford badge. We really have to think about how to stretch the Ford range."


It sounds as if a 427-concept inspired sedan would be an addition to the model range, not a direct Crown Victoria replacement.

A while ago I was criticising Ford for having too few sedans in their model range - only three (Focus/Taurus/Crown Vic). Now it looks as if Ford is planning on doubling that number - Focus, rebadged-Mazda 6, Taurus, 500, Crown Victoria and a "RWD flagship." I can only assume that the Taurus and Crown Vic will die eventually, but it does sound like SIX different models on the showroom floor, at least for a while.

 

If it's as good as the LS, they'll have a winner.

Speaking of th LS, if anyone ever gets a chance to rent or drive the LS (especially the V8) take it! It's really a surprising, stable, extremely good handling car. It would make an exceptional $30-32,000 V8 Ford sedan.

Problem is, it's now a $45,000 Lincoln.

You couldn't find a better way to run the sales of a car this good into the ground, no matter how many nights you stay up!

 

Yeah, I saw a recent comparo in a magazine with a bunch of upscale sedans and the LS was at $48,xxx. That is way too much for the car and it came in second to last, only to the Jag on the same platform.

 

Yep, I have that magazine as well.

If it was in competition with everthing else in the $30,000 range, I really think it would destroy them!

But, when you put it up against cars in that level, the LS chassis and handling is on target with them, but it simply doesn't have the refinement of a $48,000 car.

This should be a new Marquis, Crown Victoria, or at least go back to being a $30,000 Lincoln. This cars ONLY problem is that Ford overpriced it.... ALOT!

 

The Thunderbird has the same problem - it's overpriced. It just is not a $40K+ car. For it to be a $40K+ car they need a bigger engine and more power. As for suspension I can't comment since I do not know how good it is or how it compares.