Spy Shots: Ford Crown Victoria Special Edition, Yay!
Many fans of the Ford Motor Company are longing for some form of the RWD Interceptor concept to become a production reality, and little do they know, such a vehicle is on the way. Well, it's not exactly the Interceptor concept, but spy shots of the 2008 Crown Victoria show that the original Police special will receive the Ford corporate three-bar grille when its refreshed. If the more masculine front clip isn't enough for you to spring for Ford's fleet maestro, then check out the new "special edition" badging complete with a crown adorning the colors of the Italian flag. The only other visible difference on the '08 donut delivery vehicle of choice is a puzzling strip of chrome at the bottom of the lower fascia which looks like a bling goatee. No word yet on powertrain, but the existing 4.6L V8 and a four speed automatic are good bets.It's difficult to understand why Ford would go to the trouble of doing anything other than a full remodel of the Crown Vic. However trivial the costs of the updates, given that the Vic is now available for fleet sales only, we can't see anybody looking at the 2008 Crown Victoria and saying anything other than.... TAXI!
Click the Read link to see the full view of the Vickie's new three-bar grille.
[Source: Popular Mechanics]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jon 1:45PM (7/27/2007)
Ford, PLEASE just give us the Falcon!!!
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Thirty-Nine 2:07PM (7/27/2007)
The Crown Vic is Ford's equivilant of that old piece of clothing you had in the '70s or '80s. If you hold onto it for long enough, it'll come back into style (e.g. large RWD sedans)!
Jon 2:33PM (7/27/2007)
Trust me, this particular RWD sedan will never come back into style.
Rambo 9:31PM (7/27/2007)
Quality, affordable RWD full sized sedan.
Autoblog should hire some NON-BIAS writers!
Jon 9:47PM (7/27/2007)
@ Rambo: if everyone shared your opinion, the Crown Vic would not be fleet-only.
Rambo 12:19AM (7/28/2007)
@Jon:
Maybe you could explain to me what is wrong with satisfying the needs of the fleet market? In a previous article Autoblog made the point that the domestics were withdrawing from fleet sales and the imports were taking up the slack. Responses followed boasting that the imports were making great moves by obtaining market share. Fleets want reliable vehicles with low owerniship costs at low prices and the Crown Vic offers all those attributes plus saftey and size. GO FORD!
Jon 8:44AM (7/28/2007)
More and more these days, I see Impalas and Chargers being used as police cruisers. These vehicles must offer as much as or more than the Crown Vic, or they would not be gaining sales. I don't have a problem with satisfying the needs of the fleet market, but if that is what Ford wants to do, they should focus on improvements that would benefit the fleets. I don't think the police care about a 3-bar chrome grille. I have never seen any chrome on a cop car. Which brings me back to my original point: The Falcon would sell in the States, both to the public and in fleets. In Australia does well in both these markets.
As for the taxi fleet market, this car is great--but other cities are bound to follow New York in creating a hybrid taxi service. To combat this, Ford would need to put a hybrid configuration in the Crown Vic. Instead, it seems like they are focusing on getting the Escape in the NY taxi fleets.
Kowell 2:09PM (7/27/2007)
Someone please put it out of it'S misery
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Gregg 2:14PM (7/27/2007)
What a silly waste of a few dollars. Sure brings its looks in line with other Fords, doesn't it? Falls into the what-were-they-thinking category. Bizarre.
MiniMe 2:13PM (7/27/2007)
Nice! Great answer to Dodge Charge - a new grill on the old POS.
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1337 2:17PM (7/27/2007)
Hey, if police departments keep buying 'em, Ford will keep selling 'em.
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robz4 2:25PM (7/27/2007)
Audrey..hurry ..get my hat and my cane.We are going to the Ford dealership.They have a Ford Crown Victoria Special Edition !!
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MotownMan 2:31PM (7/27/2007)
The side emblem is quite retro. So of the 'veteran' readers will recognize it as the badge some Ford products used in the 1950's and 60's. What's old is new, and vice versa.
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Fosterdad 2:29PM (7/27/2007)
When I was working at a Ford dealer last year, I had a customer actually tell me the Crown Vic was too small. That's not a typo. He actually said it was too small.
I don't know why everyone dumps on the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis. They're comfortable, safe,have a big-honking V8, RWD, and if you take care of them, you can easily get 200K miles out of them. A local Ford/Chrysler dealer has a couple of 2006 Marquis with less than 20K miles and they're asking about $15K for them. I really wish I had the money, I'd snag one in a heartbeat.
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Jon 2:40PM (7/27/2007)
1. I don't know the exact number, but that big-honking V8 has around as much power as the new V6's. And it's moving a larger vehicle.
2. The new Fords are just as reliable as the Vic. Personally, I would take the styling of any of the new ones over that of the Vic.
3. Look at the post above yours. Is your wife's name Audrey?
Fosterdad 2:51PM (7/27/2007)
That post from robz4 is funny. My first name is Rob and my oldest daughter is named Audrey. Weird.
Phillip 4:49PM (7/27/2007)
Its not the HP that really matters, higher displacement means the big ol crown vic gets more torque than the smaller V6 motors. Hence why the 4.3L Vortec V6 makes a humble 190hp, but a nice 250 ft lb of torque. (last gen s-platform trucks), as opposed to smaller V6s not having this much torque (for such small HP at the very least, find me another sub 200hp gas V6 that does 250 ft lb)
And torque is what you really need to move the big ol crown vic
psarhjinian 5:13PM (7/27/2007)
The CV is not comfortable. The seats are flat and supportless, the ride rough and yet also floaty. I'm quite tall (6'9") and I fit far better in the Yaris than in the CV.
The CV is not safe. It's avoidance ability is poor, it's rollover potential high, it's seats don't protect much against neck injury and, despite it's size, it's body shell will crumple like a tin can. You want a safe Ford? Buy an Edge.
The CV is not reliable. It's cheap to repair, yes, but it has more than it fair share of problems. Fleets like it because, when it does go wrong, the parts are easy to work with and easy to find, but the "it's reliable" is a fallacy. A low total cost of ownership does not equal reliability. You want a reliable Ford? Buy a Fusion.
The CV's V8 feels like a V6. A weak V6. Yet, despite lack of guts, it still guzzles gas like a fiend.
The CV may be RWD, but it's handling is awful. Sure, you can get the cop suspension package, but then it rides badly and handles only marginally better.
I can't think of any other vehicle that Ford makes that sucks more than these do. For a fleet buyer there are advantages, for everyone else the Fusion and Taurus are better choices.
Fosterdad 5:18PM (7/27/2007)
The Crown Vic/Marquis engine gets 224 HP and 275 lb ft of torque. Ford's 3.5 V6 does have 263 HP, but only 249 lb ft of torque. The FWD Sable/Taurus weighs 3670 lbs and the Crown Vic/Marquis weighs 4135.
That One Person 12:54AM (7/28/2007)
psarhjinian...You are right on a few points. But crumples like a tin can? Where do you get that from? Do you know how many lives this car has saved? What other car can take a hit at 50, 60, 70, 80 mph or higher and the occupants inside survive? Heck, there have been reports of cops surviving a rearending at over 100mph. I would LOVE to see an Accord, Camry, Avalon or even the Taurus do that.
Also, I want to know how the CV is not reliable. How about all those police cruisers that take abuse almost everday?
These cars are bulletproof. Dont get me wrong, I know everything else out there is better. But you have to realize that the CV is a great car (for what it is). Also, I am 5'6" and have a hard time fitting in a Yaris...
And I have to agree with Cheetah...I have a feeling that this is either a joke (not done by PM) or is just someone who wanted a three bar grille on a CV. And yes, the 300hp/five speed combo (or six speed from the Explore) would be a great addition.