The Panther BOF platform is good and has been updated. I'd like to see it remain BOF with a new body and further drivetrain refinements.
With the right presentation and marketing it will do very well.

 

I agree, the body on frame Panther is a good starting point. The problem is Ford is no longer selling any Crown Vics to the public. They are now fleet sales only. That tells me they are moving to phase it out of production sometime soon. I believe Ford will wait to cancel the Crown Vic's until they have a replacement for it, due to the massive Law Enforcment orders they get each year. I hope the Maurader will fill this gap, allowing Ford to finally put the Crown to rest.

Don't get me wrong, I would love it if Ford would update the Vic and bring it back to life. I just don't see that happening.

 

The Crown Vic name and Panther platform are dead. We can have a funeral if you'd like, but its time to move on.

 

Agreed. Why give mouth-to-mouth to a dinosaur?

 

Considering the V-6 Charger "Patrol" car I am driving as a test car for my Department, I would give mouth to mouth to a T-Rex if I need to.

 

You can buy a Grand Marquis, but a Marauder hasn't been made since 2004.

Ford makes a lot of money on the Panther cars, but don't expect them to put any or much more development money in it. It's a shame but it's not going to happen.

 

Only those who don't have a clue about the 'Panthers' would call it a 'Dinosaur'.

I wouldn't want a 'base' model but the Police Interceptor, and the Marauder variant are a different story.

The fate of that car line is the fault of Ford and Ford only.

 

You could sell tickets to that and then retire from the Department.

 

Only those who are themselves dinosaurs would be clued out enough to believe the Crown Vic should carry on.

 

nice theory

 

The panther platform does need to be retired, it is ancient. Still works well, just ancient. I would love it if a new Maurader stepped in to fill it's place with a new RWD platform, IRS, and about 350HP. Keep the dimensions (at least the interior) about the same as the current Vic, and make it sturdy and tough enough to withstand law enforcement abuse. That would sell a bunch of cars.

 

They already have one that does, and does it better than any other.

Just because it is BOF doesn't make it 'ancient'. That term can be applied to almost any motorised vehicle.

It really doesn't matter though, the platform will only continue as long as fleet sales support it.

When it's gone don't be surprised if Police turn to a lot more SUV BOF type vehicles.

 

Thank you for proving "Only those who don't have a clue about the 'Panthers' would call it a 'Dinosaur'."

 

I agree the Vic does police duty way better than any other car out there currently.

I also agree that the fact that it is BOF does not make it ancient. The fact that the Panther platform is 29 years old makes it ancient.

From Wikipedia - "Today, it is the oldest platform still in use in the United States and Canada. It uses traditional body-on-frame construction, and a live rear axle. It was introduced in 1978 for the 1979 model year as a response to the downsized GM full size offerings."

 

People keep saying that, and perhaps Ford should have changed the Panther label years ago.
There is little if any resemblance between the 1978 'platform' and the cars of today.
2003 saw a major suspension redesign, which goes pretty much un noticed or unmentioned.
If someone really wanted to get picky they could go as far back as the 1957 platform design to declair the lineage of the Panther's style of platform.

 

Some dinosaur Panthers at play

http://web.mac.com/mwhite26/Site/Welcome.html

 

Perhaps you should take a reading comprehension course.

 

There's little if any resemblence, except that it's the same basic platform that premiered 30 years ago. Updating the bolt-on bits doesn't change the fact that's its so little has changed that the Haynes Manual for the Crown vic covers 18 years.
http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Victoria...6555095&sr=8-1

I'm sympathetic to L.E.O.'s that want a strong, sturdy car and are apprehensive about anything other than the known quantity that is the BOF. But Europe does quite well with modern platforms, and several L.E.O.'s are already making the switch for economy's sake. So, its time to move on.

 

I would probably be retired from life!


The CVPI is great but, could be easily improved or Ford could build us something from scratch that blow it's doors off. I'll take either over a V-6 Charger.

 

This one is easy. Ford should develop a new, state of the art large car platform for RWD models and keep the Panther platform around for fleet and livery duty only. If Ford designs a new rwd chassis with the intent being a first class rwd line of cars that move as few as plausible into fleets then keeping Panther around wouldn't be redundant or cannibalistic. And a fleet/commercial only Panther could be more directly aimed at those markets minimizing cost and increasing appeal for interested agencies. Both are profitable markets, why not make the most of what Ford has.... Panther......and what we would like to see them develop....a world class rwd platform..... and make maximum possible dollars in the process?