Ford will replace the beloved Crown Vic with the Explorer and Taurus Police Interceptor cars.
It’s time for us to give a tip to an old warhorse.
Ford will retire the Crown Victoria police vehicle, which has served nearly 30 years. Detroit’s automaker plans to replace police department fleet sales with the new Ford Explorer SUV, and smaller Taurus Police Interceptors.
The Crown Vic, as it is affectionately called by taxi drivers and policemen, was a highly successful police car model. It is a popular model in America, accounting for about 70% of the market for police cars. This year, sales were up 64% as police departments stockpiled their favorite models before it goes out of production.
But, it might be about the right time.
The Panther platform, which is over 30 years old, was used to build the Crown Victoria and the Lincoln Town Car. You can tell that to a German engineer, and watch him laugh.
Ford might not be as successful with the Explorer or Taurus police cars in the future as it was with its beloved Crown Vic. Ford now faces competition from a new Chevrolet Caprice cop vehicle from GM, and a redesigned Dodge Charger cruiser by Chrysler.
Ford stopped selling the Crown Vic to private buyers in 2008