[taxman100]

I don't see from the news release where they are saying they are fleet only. However, go to any Ford dealer - none of them stock a Crown Vic even if you wanted to buy one, and with the difference in rebates, a Grand Marquis is a better buy.

If we assume they are going fleet, will the bring back the LSE for the Grand Marquis?

I'm hoping to get one more Grand Marquis, sometime around 2012 - it would probably be the last gasoline powered automobile I'd own, as I figure by 2022 hybirds, plug ins, or something else will be available.

But hey, if the Grand Marquis is still around in 2022, I'd buy another one then too.

[silvrsvt]

Blueblood, on Mar 22 2007, 06:51 PM, said:

And what's this about 2015? who would give a flying fuck by then? That's almost a decade away!!! What a joke!

The info Blue II posted was in error...

[matthewq4b]

The CV has been fleet only for several years now in Canada with the GM picking up just the retail side. The number of retail sales the CV sees is minimal any ways. This should push down the number of Fleet sales of the GM.

The retail buyers of the CV will to move to the GM. The cars are Identical any ways except for the grill, dash and some minor trim parts. Exact Same car just a different badge.

Since the GM is going to be basically retail only we may see a merging of the TC and GM in parts sharing in the next sheet metal Update (if there is one). Allowing for larger margins on the TC. And let the CV PI carry on with it's existing sheet metal, since the Fleet crowd really will not care if it receives reworked outer metal or not. It should help distinguish the GM from the CV and allow the GM to command better pricing.

Looks like the CV is destined to become the modern day Checker.
The CV going fleet only is no big surprise really. And it was just a matter of time be for it happened.



Matthew

[30 OTT 6]

Ford of Canada has not offered a retail Crown Victoria for a few years. If you want a panther, it's either the Town Car or the Grand Marquis. The Grand Marquis has continued to be the only Mercury product offered in Canada for approximately five years.

I miss Mercury about as much as I miss Oldsmobile and Plymouth.

[Edstock]

matthewq4b, on Mar 22 2007, 10:56 PM, said:

The cars are Identical any ways except for the grill, dash and some minor trim parts. Exact Same car just a different badge.

I don't want to start an argument, but park a CV and a GM side-by-side, and look.

The exterior panels are all different, except maybe the door-skins. Fenders, hood, trunk, C-pillar assembly/roof, front clip and rear clip are all different.

[ZanatWork]

Pioneer, on Mar 22 2007, 03:39 PM, said:

Well, I guess this is one way to force more people into the new Taurus.......

Damn, even the stuff built here.... :ohsnap:

[NickF1011]

Edstock, on Mar 23 2007, 11:46 AM, said:

I don't want to start an argument, but park a CV and a GM side-by-side, and look.

The exterior panels are all different, except maybe the door-skins. Fenders, hood, trunk, C-pillar assembly/roof, front clip and rear clip are all different.

See, that's the thing that bugs me the most about Ford's lack of brand differentiation. They go through the trouble of stamping different parts for different models but they don't bother to make them actually LOOK any different. If the GM and CV share so few exterior parts, there's no excuse for them to look as similar to one another as they do, same for the CD3's and D3's.

[Bob Rosadini]

NickF1011, on Mar 22 2007, 09:40 PM, said:

Or more likely, force them into Chrysler's LX cars or GM's Zetas.

Nick- Right on- Wishful thinking if some marketing idiot thinks its a slamdunk that the RWD buyer will automatically defect to a "Taurus". They just don't get it. New Autoweek comes out yesterday. What's on the cover?- new V-12 RWD Caddy. While I'm not suggesting that a V-12 Caddy will be a hot seller I would ask- who is doing better- Caddy? or Lincoln? Next question- Who has the bias toward RWD? Tell you something?

And Joe "76", You are correct. Build a GM but not a CV- on the same line- only difference- the CV has a bigger dealer network! Absolute idiots.

I have a 07 CV with the sport pkg. Black on black. I put a set of Hella Fogs in the front fascia as well as a pair of Flowmaster 40's- nothing outrageous but there is no doubt its a V-8. The car is an unbelievable bargain in this day and age. Is it old? I guess so. Is it comfortable when you do a 500 trip in one day? Absolutely. do I feel safe in it? You bet. Can it get out of its own way -4.6 2V and all- for sure! Is it bullet proof? -yep one of my kids is driving my old one at almost 220,000.

500 bucks worth of tweaks and a little clever advertising and sales would double. 25 grand, 22 mpg, safety and plenty of room. Young kid got in it to move it the other day- fired it up, Flowmasters barked, and the kid said- "Oh- I can see myself driving this"!

Oh yah- one other bit of news in this weeks Autoweek- Hyundai is working on a V-8 RWD sedan- what a unique idea!

They have to be blind idiots!

[mtl1977]

old_fairmont_wagon, on Mar 22 2007, 04:30 PM, said:

I mean, some harp on the Escape having rear drum brakes

Only on the non-hybrids for 08+. The 05-07MY 4x4 V-6s had rear discs (maybe it also required the towing package).

I bought a 1999 three year old used GM when I was 24, sweet car - decent power, great handling, fun RWD with the long wheelbase. It sucked up camping gear way better than my 2005 Escape. Dynomax Ultraflo muffler gained some ballsy sound and 3 mpg. Hopefully they finally put a piece of lower body trim behind the rear doors!!! :angry: Looks like the trim piece fell off - but they actually never had one.

I started watching that cheesy '24' show. Funny how the Feds all seem to drive Grandma Quis'. The local cops have Crown Vics.

This post has been edited by mtl1977: 23 March 2007 - 12:27 PM

[silvrsvt]

I see my title and subtitled changed :)

Anyways...how many sales of the CV where to Retail customers? I bet it was lower then even what the 500 sold at.

[96 Pony]

:doh: :doh: :doh:

And once again, in keeping with Ford's long tradition of abandoning a nameplate instead of improving it, Crown Vic takes Taurus' place as the ultimate fleet queen.

Oh well - I am sure they are dancing over at Buick, Chevy and Chrysler at this news.

[Deanh]

96 Pony, on Mar 23 2007, 01:04 PM, said:

:doh: :doh: :doh:

And once again, in keeping with Ford's long tradition of abandoning a nameplate instead of improving it, Crown Vic takes Taurus' place as the ultimate fleet queen.

Oh well - I am sure they are dancing over at Buick, Chevy and Chrysler at this news.

CV has pretty much always been that way.....we sold maybe 2 a YEAR...usually to retiree's that are replacing their older CV.

[BORG]

Why do the old folk always drive the cars that are the hardest to maneuver in a parking lot. I can't tell you how many times I've seen one of these hideous beasts in handicap parking spots smashed against the sign post ;).

[ZanatWork]

96 Pony, on Mar 23 2007, 12:04 PM, said:

:doh: :doh: :doh:

And once again, in keeping with Ford's long tradition of abandoning a nameplate instead of improving it, Crown Vic takes Taurus' place as the ultimate fleet queen.

Oh well - I am sure they are dancing over at Buick, Chevy and Chrysler at this news.

Let's be honest...it already had that title. It was selling to fleets for years before the first Taurus rolled out.

[Deanh]

BORG, on Mar 23 2007, 01:22 PM, said:

Why do the old folk always drive the cars that are the hardest to maneuver in a parking lot. I can't tell you how many times I've seen one of these hideous beasts in handicap parking spots smashed against the sign post ;).

nothing to do with the car....eyesight and lack of depth perception.....and its a Crown Victoria...not a Catarac.........LOL!

[NickF1011]

Deanh, on Mar 23 2007, 02:28 PM, said:

nothing to do with the car....eyesight and lack of depth perception.....and its a Crown Victoria...not a Catarac.........LOL!

Catarac? Aren't they coming out with a V12? :finger:

[Deanh]

NickF1011, on Mar 23 2007, 01:37 PM, said:

Catarac? Aren't they coming out with a V12? :finger:

enables one to hit Handicapped signs faster...

[MTU 5.0]

old_fairmont_wagon, on Mar 22 2007, 04:30 PM, said:

Of, if they're going through the trouble of reworking anything, they definitely won't back track. I mean, some harp on the Escape having rear drum brakes, but, aside from that, I believe that there will be some improvements in the platform for the 09. Nothing drastic, mind you, but, there none the less. What is more likely is that the improvements will carry over to the CV (and cvpi) and GM. So, the differentiation for the TC will likely be available options, sound deadening, and maybe a custom wheelbase. I doubt that there will be more than one engine offered. And, I firmly believe that the engine will be the 4.6L 3v sas it will be needed to raise fleet mpg figures. The F-150 is dropping the 4.6L 2v ( it may exist for a short time as a base engine offering) AFAIK, meaning that the last user of that engine will be the panthers. I can't see that supporting its own engine line. They can't backtrack on power, and we know they'd never do the work to shove a 5.4L in there. Nor would they do the work to shove a hurricane in there. Its got to be the 3V 4.6L. I think that will be a nice middleground between the Charger Hemi and 3.5L. HP will be smack in the middle as will torque. Mpg should be as good as or better than the 3.5L, with performance figures coming closer to the HEMI.

The 4.6L 2V and 3V are both assembled on the same high volume line at Romeo. Reducing (but not entirely eliminating) the 4.6L 2V volume shouldn't be a problem.

This post has been edited by MTU 5.0: 23 March 2007 - 01:58 PM

[sranger]

BORG, on Mar 23 2007, 02:22 PM, said:

Why do the old folk always drive the cars that are the hardest to maneuver in a parking lot. I can't tell you how many times I've seen one of these hideous beasts in handicap parking spots smashed against the sign post ;).

Well, when you are 100lb over weight, it is easier to get in and out of a big sedan.... Old farts seemto feel safer in a big old land boat...

[wescoent]

No huge loss here... I can't imagine many sales were retail to begin with.

I'm hopeful this move is designed to make room for the Interceptor...