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Though the Ford Crown Victoria had a great run with consumers, the
manufacturer has recently opted to only sell the vehicle as part of fleets for
law enforcement, government offices and select others. When the Crown Victoria
first made headlines in 1995, it was a 6-passenger hardtop with a stainless
steel band along the waistline. However, the model only made it two years and
wasn't brought back until 1980 as a trim level for the LTD car. In 1983, Ford
rebadged the LTD lineup and called it the LTD Crown Victoria.
As the LTD Crown Victoria gained popularity, Ford opted to completely do away
with the LTD prefix and began calling the sedan the Crown Victoria. In 1992, the
Crown Victoria received an overhaul and got a curved body style with six windows
and a 4.6L modular engine. In the late 90s law enforcement started taking notice
of the vehicle for both its adaptability to police needs and exceptional power.
Law enforcement agencies across the country started stocking their fleets with
the "Crown Vics," and taxicab services took the same route. When the modular V8
engine was introduced in 1999, heads of state also started adding the sedan to
their cavalcades.
Over the years, the body style has undergone only minor changes, like different
headlamps and a new front grille. When the millennial model years rolled around,
less and less law enforcement were using the outdated vehicle. Poor gas mileage
and an overall lack of new additions were pushing agencies to switch over to
Dodge Chargers and other police-adaptable models. In the 2008 model year, Ford
announced that they would no longer sell the Crown Victoria at the consumer
level and would only manufacture it for fleet use. However, rumors abound that
the Crown Victoria is going to be phased out of the fleet industry as well. With
so few agencies seeking new Crown Victorias, Ford may start developing a brand
new sedan for law enforcement use.
The Mercury Grand Marquis has taken over the Crown Victoria's place as the
manufacturer's full-size sedan; however, even sales of the Grand Marquis are on
a steady decline. So, according to reviewers, Ford may need to scrap that model
too and simply start fresh. Though most cab companies are still using the Crown
Victoria in their fleets, some are starting to notice the economical benefits of
switching over to other, more fuel efficient models. |
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