Login Register Sign up for the GRM e-newsletter

Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » The end of an era...
  • markschoen

    Sept. 16, 2011 2:53 p.m. markschoen New Reader

    Yesterday was a sad day for us CV owners...

    http://alnk.org/58sillyiguana

  • imirk

    Sept. 16, 2011 2:59 p.m. imirk Reader

    The Last of the V8 Interceptors :P

    Not really, and it will be very sad when that day does come.

  • Sept. 16, 2011 3:16 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

    Panther platform, we hardly knew ye.

    Also, i'm surprised the last one didn't end up in a museum. Pretty significant history there.

  • markschoen

    Sept. 16, 2011 3:24 p.m. markschoen New Reader

    mndsm wrote:

    Panther platform, we hardly knew ye.

    Also, i'm surprised the last one didn't end up in a museum. Pretty significant history there.

    No doubt. Nearly a million sold. Amazing. If I'm not mistaken the last 6 months has been nearly all fleet vehicle production. Police departments and taxi companies were buying them up.

  • Sept. 16, 2011 3:44 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

    Yeah, they were saying that production was up some silly amount because all the fleet/livery folks loved em so much, they put in orders for as many as they could.

  • ReverendDexter

    Sept. 16, 2011 3:59 p.m. ReverendDexter SuperDork

    mndsm wrote:

    Yeah, they were saying that production was up some silly amount because all the fleet/livery folks loved em so much, they put in orders for as many as they could.

    Which SHOULD tell them something.

    I'd love to see Ford just do a refresh and keep selling the things with the Ecoboost 6 and Coyote motors.

  • belteshazzar

    Sept. 16, 2011 5:27 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

    markschoen wrote:

    No doubt. Nearly a million sold. Amazing. If I'm not mistaken the last 6 months has been nearly all fleet vehicle production. Police departments and taxi companies were buying them up.

    TEN million

  • Grizz

    Sept. 16, 2011 6:13 p.m. Grizz Reader

    mndsm wrote:

    Yeah, they were saying that production was up some silly amount because all the fleet/livery folks loved em so much, they put in orders for as many as they could.

    The whole reason they were killing them was because production was down, 80k a year for plants set up for 250k.

  • Twin_Cam

    Sept. 16, 2011 6:32 p.m. Twin_Cam SuperDork

    Sucks. Now I have to learn different kinds of headlights in my rearview mirror so I know when I'm being tailed by Johnny Law.

  • Javelin

    Sept. 16, 2011 6:52 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

    Grizz wrote:

    mndsm wrote:

    Yeah, they were saying that production was up some silly amount because all the fleet/livery folks loved em so much, they put in orders for as many as they could.

    The whole reason they were killing them was because production was down, 80k a year for plants set up for 250k.

    Or FoMoCo could have, oh I don't know, actually updated the damn things? 2011 models still using the same 4.6 2V from 01? Check. No styling updates since 1998? Check. Still using the same 4-speed auto from 1992? Check. Killed the Mercury version? Check.

    They could have stuck the 3V in there in 06, the 5.0 in 12 (and the new 3.7 V6), updated the styling/interior, etc, etc, etc. Nope, they just let it die. See the E-Series, Ranger, and all of Mercury for more examples of Ford's willingness to invest in good selling and well-serving products.

    RIP Panther and RIP Crown Vic.

  • Grizz

    Sept. 16, 2011 7:52 p.m. Grizz HalfDork

    In reply to Javelin:

    Or they could have just sold them to the damnable civilians, but that would have made sense.

  • Will

    Sept. 16, 2011 8:09 p.m. Will HalfDork

    They were dinosaurs, but come on...who doesn't want a pet dinosaur? I will miss them. The last of the finest.

  • HappyAndy

    Sept. 16, 2011 8:11 p.m. HappyAndy HalfDork

    I'm sure that CAFE regs have something to do with the panthers demise too. 24mpg in a passenger car just doesn't cut it these days. The question now will be: what does Johny Law like more, FWD Ford (probably well built and dependable) or RWD Dodge (probably not up to use as a battering ram).

  • forzav12

    Sept. 16, 2011 8:27 p.m. forzav12 Reader

    HappyAndy wrote:

    I'm sure that CAFE regs have something to do with the panthers demise too. 24mpg in a passenger car just doesn't cut it these days. The question now will be: what does Johny Law like more, FWD Ford (probably well built and dependable) or RWD Dodge (probably not up to use as a battering ram).

    Driven both-I prefer the Dodge. Don't forget the GM/Holden rwd from the general-I think it will be the best of the bunch.

  • pres589

    Sept. 16, 2011 8:32 p.m. pres589 Dork

    In reply to Grizz:

    Civilians weren't that interested in the things anymore.

  • griffin729

    Sept. 16, 2011 10:29 p.m. griffin729 HalfDork

    I think one of the things that sucks is no more Town Car for the car services. What's left the MKS, Chrysler 300C, Cadillac DTS? Probably it will end up being the 300; it has a long wheelbase option and is actually the cheapest of the three. Back when I was a chauffeur the company I worked for had Town Cars and DTSs, I said what would have been pretty much ideal would be a TC with the Northstar. Though, looking at the specs for the MKS, Ford could have just dropped the 3.7 Duratec into a TC and had pretty close to the same power.

  • Raze

    Sept. 17, 2011 9:11 a.m. Raze Dork

    griffin729 wrote:

    I said what would have been pretty much ideal would be a TC with the Northstar.

    N* was junk, great engine when working, but very finicky. I think an LSx would be the answer here...

  • griffin729

    Sept. 17, 2011 9:35 a.m. griffin729 HalfDork

    In reply to Raze:

    I'll give you that one no problem. That was based off of comparing a Town Car and a DTS. LSx would be both easier and in many ways better.

 
Tire Rack- Revolutionizing Tire Buying

You'll need to log in to post.