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You know the demographics on these cars.


You're right. Guess there will always be a stretch limo market & someone needs to fill it.

Police cars seem to be going the Dodge route here, taxi cabs seem to be going the minivan direction and so on--but guess the Crown Vic still has a following too.

Interesting bit also hit the news about the Taurus being back. IIRC, that car was to be essentially one introduced a couple of years ago under another name which apparently didn't sell all that well. Do hope that it has more going for it this time around other than an established name.

Dodge has been making good inroads with the Charger as a police cruiser, they like to power and the rear wheel drive handling. It's faster then the Crown Vic, but hey, Ford can keep on making them, the world will never run out of old people. The one thing most police departments complain about the new Charger is the rear roof line and door design. Looks good, but it's harder to put a cuffed perp in the backseat than the Ford. The have to grab the perp's melon and shove it downward to get them in the back seat.
I drove a new ('06) Charger police cruiser when they were first introduced, as a matter of fact I had to drive it about 4 miles on the highway, in full dress. I went 68 on a 70 mph highway just to mess with people.

The Town Car, Crown Vic and Grand Marquis are supposed to be gone by 2011. Kind of stupid in my opinion. They are handing over the Limo business (which Lincoln has about 85% of now) to Cadillac on a silver platter. As well as all the police and taxi sales to Chevy and Dodge. While the limo biz might not be a big deal as far as sales figures, I think losing that prestige market is not a good idea. Same with police and taxi. Having that market allows them to keep building the nearly identical Marquis for the people that still want that type of car. I think they should have just facelifted them. The main complaint I hear about the Town Car is not that it is an old man car, but that it is too much like a Marquis, and not enough like the previous Lincolns.

For one year, the Taurus was renamed the 500, as Ford was experimenting with having all Ford cars begin with "F", suv's with "E", and Mercurys with "M". Interesting idea, but the Taurus and Sable names were reinstated the next year because those cars had a loyal following that the renamed 500 wasn't accomplishing. That was a couple of years ago already. A new redesigned Taurus is now out though.

I bought a used 2006 Taurus awhile back and I later found out that in 2006 they were only made for fleet service (Rental Cars). Basically you couldn't buy a Taurus from a dealer, I believe that was also when the 500 was out also. The Taurus was traded in for my Colorado as I needed a truck.

I've always loved the LTD/Crown vic panther platform cars, especially the gas tank location and design. Mounted close to just above the rear wheels gives better traction and you've got to crush halfway through the car the rupture it. The only grief I've ever had with them has been with the modern technology they've incorporated over the years. With the exception of the Lincoln models, I'll be sad to see them go.

Quote:

The Ford Crown Vic Police version is longer in the rear than the standard Crown Vic by about 4". Maybe this is something that Chrysler should think of doing to their police cars. FYI, the extra length is in the doors.

Some taxis use the longer wheelbase version also.

Lincoln made a longer version of the town car in the early years of this decade, it was identified by the L- designation. The primary market was limo services (not the 57 foot long prom limos, the "executive transportation" type) and this lenghtend version was available for purchase if you knew to ask for it.

"I've always loved the LTD/Crown vic panther platform cars, especially the gas tank location and design. Mounted close to just above the rear wheels gives better traction and you've got to crush halfway through the car the rupture it. The only grief I've ever had with them has been with the modern technology they've incorporated over the years. With the exception of the Lincoln models, I'll be sad to see them go."

Chuckltd, Funny you should say so. After two years of semi-retirement, during which time I drove the '55 Pat and rented one of nearly everything that comes close to being a "full-sized" car - turned out that I wasn't as retired as I'd thought I was going to be. Recently purchased a well-maintained, well-cared for 89 Cartier TC for general road use in lieu of a newer version and to give the Pat a rest. Economy is about the same as the 2009 Signature TC that I had for five days a few weeks ago but the "Panther" platform is so far above anything built, since, in comfort, silence, roominess and overall handling as to be astonishing. Took great pains to obtain one with as few computer-contolled electronic gee-gaws as I could find (non-digital dash, no rear air suspension) and have found that nearly anyone can work on them and that they're just the right age for parts to be readily available and comparatively cheap. AND - the ride is ALMOST equal to the '55 Pat. Personally, I find the 302 a trifle anaemic power-wise but, hey, you can't have everything.

The only product that Lincoln has produced in the last twenty years that has excited me is the Lincoln Mark series.

My preference if I was to buy a used luxury car would be a Caddy. If it was from the 90's it would be the rwd big Fleetwood series, Eldorado, or the Seville Touring Sedan.


John F. Shireman