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Future Vehicles Future Crown Vic and Grand Marquis
152 messages, Last post on Jun 07, 2008 at 4:54 PM
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| These concepts will be built if the company lasts long enough, it's kind of obvious the attempt for these are not just for publicity. These are hot sisters, they should build both of them, I have a feeling they will cut off the CV and the GM names because of the years of neglect. They need something new and exciting, for young and old. You have to say the interceptor will make a great looking police car. If they don't get watered down by the bean-counters these will be hot products. I'd even consider them. | |
| If the Interceptor and MKR are built, they still won't be available to us for another 3.5 years(2011 model year). Disapointing, thats too late. | |
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Was in the B&N the other day checking out the auto mags for June/July. Memory is failing a wee bit but I believe it was in the most recent Car and Driver that they had a long article about Ford's future, with the Interceptor being on the cover and the focus of an inside article. It went on to talk about how much $$$ the company makes from F-150, Mustang, and "Panther-Platform" sales and if it weren't for those, woe be to Ford. It also said that for 2010 the Company has announced it will close the plants that make the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car. Fait Accompli? Kinda sounds like it. After all, as the article stated, at that point the platform will be 31 years old and who'd want it - words to the effect. So we've come to the point that age, success, and profitability are being used as pretexts to cancel something...niiiiice. I'm one to argue the cars needed serious updating, but do you really have to throw out a rock-solid platform in order to accomplish it? Guess so, as any and all execs that pushed the Panther platform are likely long gone and it's "nobody's baby", so why keep it and it's accompanying bathwater? |
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Replying to: bigunit67 (Jun 10, 2007 7:33 am) -mike |
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Replying to: bigunit67 (Jun 10, 2007 7:33 am)  ARM is no dummy so it would not be surprising to see a continuation of the CV, GM, & TC all with IRS and a DOHC engine for just the TC. All contained in a sleek new body design. 
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Good point Paisan. I'm just reporting what I read (but not what I'd do if I were in charge of Ford)  I'm all for the platform continuing, trust me. To let a warhorse like that go without so much as even a passing upgrade is a crime. One of my best friends is a highway patrolman in Missouri. They have been testing out the Dodge Charger police car and found it to be wanting as compared to the CV (v-6 version). He wasn't personally involved, but just said reports the field force was given was that it didn't have the durability/structural integrity of the CV. I assume Dodge is working on that. The reason they tested it was about a year ago Ford informed them that they might be closing down production of the CV in 08/09. Since the state buys a massive amount of vehicles (cars replaced at the 50,000 mi mark) they began testing alternatives. All he's been told since is that they don't think that will happen in 08/09...not a ringing endorsement.
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Replying to: bigunit67 (Jun 11, 2007 10:15 pm) -mike
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Replying to: paisan (Jun 14, 2007 9:11 am)
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Replying to: bigunit67 (Jun 10, 2007 7:33 am) Ford has made so many blunders and false-starts, and then re-starts ('The Way Forward', then 'The New Way Forward' and even 'The New, New Way Forward'). Then there's the name changes, casting strong 'Brand Equity' names to the wind for new names, in an attempt to spice up warmed-over oatmeal. Why throw veneralble names and products like Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Town Car away. They immediately say "Ford", "Mercury", and "Lincoln". It costs a lot of money to grow name recognition like that, and the public's expectation of the products tied to those names can not be some pint-sized FWD/AWD replacement. Ford needs to stop cutting corners, do it right and stay in business. Or keep trying to cut corners and find themselves takeover targets. Or worse yet, find themselves joining American Motors and Studebaker in the automotive history museums. I know Ford has to be very careful how it spends it's last $12-15 billion or so. And I know that Ford needs to bring some dramaticly different products to market, so they can catch the eye of those well heeled hi-tech kids who're in the Honda, Toyota, BMW and Audi showrooms. The Lincoln MK-S and Ford Flex are a nice start, but the Ford Interceptor, Tonka Truck, and Lincoln MK-R are sorely needed soon. But it can take a couple billion dollars to bring a new line of serious contenders to market, and even then WILL IT WIN or WILL IT LOOSE? Who knows. Why not drop a couple hundred million dollars to dress-up the OLE' PANTHER. Let her soldier on another 5 or 6 years, she's guaranteed to pay dividends. She'll fill a spot (RWD Sedan) that everyone is running back to, and nothing else Ford currently has will fill. I guarantee if Ford gives me and folks like me a reason to trade-in my 2005 Town Car, we'll do it. The Limo/Livery folks (fashion concious as they are) will want the new chariot, the police will want the new better pursuit unit, and even the fleets will want the updated look. Then Ford will have to hire Brinks to haul all their profits to the bank; heck, a Panther redo might even fund one of those big ticket new products.
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Replying to: peetiedog (Aug 03, 2007 12:19 am) I confess I haven't noticed much change between the 02 & 03 TC appearance. From 1998 on - same style to me. My Rx for buying a new TC includes a major style change with the Mustang 300 hp engine, but we can dream can't we?
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