How much longer will the Crown Vic be in use?

[RichmondDJs]

I just saw a GM at a light downtown by the state capitol. Not sure if it's capitol police or what. It was unmarked. Somebody run a 28.

[chad7613]

The grand Marquis, Ive never seen as a marked car. Florida Highway Patrol has the Mercury Marauder unmarked. Anyone remember the 94-96 Impala SS, the one with the body style of the caprice and corvette motor? I saw a few of those marked up on TV.

Now the Impala SS was a sick car!! I owned one for a while, great car but gas mileage was not the best especially when you mash the pedal to the floor. I think LAPD will have vics till the end of time, I've seen departments literally use a car till the wheels fell off and LAPD is one of those. I was there last year and still saw one of the ol 89 caprices driving around. I was looking at it rubbing my eyes because I thought those cars were extinct.

[2Eagles]

The Crown Vic is such a proper looking police car. The impala or taurus SHO do not look intimidating enough. The Crown Vic just screams American police, its like associated with LE big time, even though i think in Moscow they also use the Crown Vic. They should have just redesigned the Crown Vic and kept rolling with it, i love them especially since i'm a Ford Fan.

[sigmeister]

I don't mean to go off-topic, but why are police Chargers more prevalent in eastern states compared to western states?

[Seventy2002]

Carbon Motors anyone? I hope it is able to compete with Ford and the new Caprice.

I think if those guys really wanted to build a cop car, they'd have done so by now. They seem to be doing just fine soliciting venture capital and loans. Ford is closing the plant where the Crown Vic is built. Why didn't Carbon snap that up?
How would I do it? I'd follow the business model used by Alpina and AMG. Buy "rollers", unfinished production line vehicles, from the manufacturer and complete them with different components. I'd use the 6" stretched version of the CV, designed for taxi use, install a Brijo dashboard and ProCopper seats. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

[VA Dutch]

Oh, I know there are some Grand Marquis sedans in police use. I have seen a few of them myself - both here in VA and in the midwest. They are not "real police package vehicles" from the factory, however. As far as I know, there is no P71 package for the Grand Marquis as there is for the Crown Vic.

Mercury did offer police-issue cars up through the 1970s and 1980s - including the medium sized Montego ('70s twin of the Ford Torino) and the big Marquis twin of the Ford LTD; but not recently.

As for Henrico County, they're probably pretty much like Fairfax or Prince William and could probably put blue lights on just about anything! I'll have to watch my right foot if I ever go down that way.


P.S. Fairfax County has a blue F-Series "Super Duty" that looks like a carpenter's truck - until they hit the lights!

[RichmondDJs]

You are referring to the Mercury Grand Marquis. While it is similar to the Crown Vic (and it is still available to the public, unlike the Ford) in many ways - both in form and in function, I have yet to see one in police service anywhere. I don't believe that Ford offers a "police package" for the Grand Marquis, either.

I suppose some department could use a Grand Marquis for patrol duty - much the same as you see Taurus sedans, Ford Fusions, F-150 trucks and even an occasional Toyota Camry used by some agencies; but they are not "police package vehicles" from the factory. I would worry about the durability of an 'ordinary' car used for patrol or pursuit duty; as they might not be quite up to the rigors of hard driving day in and day out.

Dutch, Henrico has an unmarked silver Marquis. Not sure of the rank of the officer but I have seen it a few times. Once actually on the side of 295&301 with it's lights on.

[LA DEP]

Carbon Motors anyone? I hope it is able to compete with Ford and the new Caprice.

CM is vaporware at this point in time.......it is also a far too expensive a vehicle for departments that field several thousand radio cars......

We will be using the Crown Vic for quite a while......we have tested and rejected the Charger, at least for a patrol car.....same with the Impala......

[Shadow518]

Carbon Motors anyone? I hope it is able to compete with Ford and the new Caprice.

[1911user]

We've tried just about every car ever put out for law enforcement. Dollar for dollar, the Crowne Vic is the best vehicle.

I'm dredding the day where I'm in an Impala. I will feel like the hamsters driving around the toaster in the Kia commercials... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs

The Crown Vic, Impala and Charger, ALL meet the industry standard of a Full Size Car. The CVPI is the king of trunk space, not sure how it stacks up with the new Caprice (GM HOLDEN) in that capacity.

[1911user]

Crown vics have what counts to brass- cheap, durable, GED techs at the county shop can fix them, parts are cheap, slow speed is safer....

I'd like to see a mid sized 4door truck with police package. The SHO will not work for countless reasons. The caprice will be too fast.

The Caprice will also be available with a 6 cylinder some time after initial V-8 production.

[Labrock]

We've tried just about every car ever put out for law enforcement. Dollar for dollar, the Crowne Vic is the best vehicle.

I'm dredding the day where I'm in an Impala. I will feel like the hamsters driving around the toaster in the Kia commercials... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs

[rpd1794]

I know alot of you will not be upset when the CV is gone, but I will miss them. As a driving instructor, I appreciate the predictable handling, adequate power for most patrol scenarios, and the fact that they will take a tremendous thrashing and still soldier on. We have a 2000 that is used for driver training only, and it gets beat regularly, but keeps coming back for more.

My personal choice for a good urban patrol car is the Taurus with the base V-6 and all wheel drive. I'm not a big Charger fan and the Impala doesn't seem to fare well in hot-seated pool use. If Ford has tested the new cat as extensively as they say, it should be durable enough for our use. We keep most of our cars to about the 100K mark, so there will be CV's in the inventory for a few years.

[ryker]

Crown vics have what counts to brass- cheap, durable, GED techs at the county shop can fix them, parts are cheap, slow speed is safer....

I'd like to see a mid sized 4door truck with police package. The SHO will not work for countless reasons. The caprice will be too fast.

[Sabre]

It does suck in all those categories. Every other police car offering betters it in all of them. It's been THE police car for so long because its prior competitors (The Intrepid? Yuck!) have been plain awful and the Crown Vic was really the only game in town. Now, better cars are available so we can get rid of the antique Ford.