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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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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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I've read the same things. I've also read and heard, from a few lower level internal sources, that the CV/GM/TC as we know them, are to be killed after 2009. Ford has very few resources and is running scared. They know they've made a lot of mistakes, and now they're in crisis/survival mode. As a result they're betting the house on a few new new products, platforms and engines (ie: twinforce), selling off assets (except Ford Credit, hopefully) to help fund it, and hoping for success. They know they need to do things differently than before (at least they've come to that painfull recognition); but in my opinion, that doesn't mean amputate your left arm because a couple fingers are dead: just cut off those fingers and move on. This will be another move that they will live to regret. Make the Flex, make the MK-S, replace the Ranger (way over due), build a lot of the hot new concepts (Lord knows we need em). But at least put a few dollars into something that has a proven track record and a reasonable chance of success. You're right the difference between the '02 to '03 TC was not as visually dramatic as between the '97 to '98. The '03 was a significant mid-model facelift. Look at the two side by side, the differences are subtle but easily noticeable. Also significant interior changes. Ford will never spend the $$$ for a complete re-do of these cars; heck, they're choosing to be 'penny wise and pound foolish' by not investing in the decent facelift I'm proposing. I just hope that Mr. Mullaly (Ford's CEO) will happen to read comments like the ones in this chat, and do something sensible about it. A major re-styling/re-engineering would be great, but I don't expect it. If they did, then these cars could live on for at least one more styling generation 7-10 years. With a decent facelift and interior messaging, these cars would see a spike in interest and sales, and could soldier on for at least 4-5 more years. Regarding the Mustang's 300hp engine; that would be great in a Crown Vic XL 500 (remember the old Galaxie XL 500), or another Marauder. But for the Town Car, I think low-end torque and the horse power numbers are achieved. Also you don't pollute the Mustang's performance image by putting it's engine in grandpa's Town Car, maybe dad's Marauder is okay though. Besides the older dads and grand-dads would be more appreciative of engine size and the slower-roller, grunt force of the 5.4L, 300hp engine from the Navigator. One thing I will say about Ford is, their interiors have improved far more over the last dozen years than any other manufacturers. They are closer to Audi quality (the industry standard for interiors) than to that of General Motors. And their quality has been improving by leaps and bounds. It's unfortunate that customers need to see significant styling changes outside before they'll look at the inside of a car, but that's the way it is. Witness the Windstar to Freestar mistake. The new car's interior was nicely done (except they missed the boat by dropping only the rear seat into the floor, Chrysler and Honda killed them on that one), and it was well engineered. But instead of spending the money to significantly change the look, they thought they could fool the customers into looking past the near identical exterior, by changing the NAME. I am a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury guy, always have been, and my family was a FORD family. Even when I lampoon them, it's my way of telling them where they're going wrong, because I really want to see them survive and thrive. If Ford goes away, a big piece of AMERICANA gets flushed down the toilet. WAKE UP FORD, THERE ARE A LOT OF US OUT HERE WHO WILL BUY YOUR PRODUCTS, YOU JUST GOTTA MAKE WHAT WE WANT! |
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if they put a 300 HP engine in the CV, don't add $5000 to the sticker like with the Marauder...then engine just isnt't worth $5K additional over the cost of the standard 239 HP V8...pull that trick and they could easily lose me forever...
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