The Life and Death of the Ford Crown Victoria

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This week, we celebrate the last of it’s kind, the Ford Crown Victoria. We take a deep dive into the history and what makes these so well regarded.
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0:00 – Intro
0:46 – The History of the Crown Vic
6:37 – About this Crown Victoria
7:08 – Crown Vic Pricing & Trim Levels
7:19 – Powertrain Specs
8:28 – Dimensions & Wheels
8:59 – Trunk Space
10:02 – Rear Seat
10:59 – Front Seat & Driving Impressions
21:02 – Closing Thoughts
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21 thoughts on “The Life and Death of the Ford Crown Victoria”

  1. These were great cars. Drove them for most of my law enforcement career. I have a daily driver 1995 Grand Marquis, getting ready to turn 350,000. Very dependable cars, easy to work on. And yes, a digital dash was available on the CV

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  5. Never forget September 15th 2011, the day they killed a perfectly good car for no reason. They claimed lack electronic stability control was the reason US sales had to stop. They could have easily put the hardware from the Mustang on the CV, they claim it was inefficient and too slow. They could have easily given the cars the 3.7L V6 with 305hp and 5.0L V8 with 360-420hp hooked to the 6R80E transmission. I owned 6 1992-2005 Crown Vics and Grand Marquis. I started out with them because I was 19 and I couldn't afford to buy or insure a Camaro, Firebird or Mustang with a V8. I also couldn't afford my dream car as a teenager the 1994-96 Impala SS or even a '92-'96 Caprice or Roadmaster with a 350. I found some 305 cars cheap enough but they were slower than a 4.6L 2V Panther. So I found my first 1992 Crown Vic LX with 87k miles for $1800 in 2001 when I was a teenager. I kept driving them for years, had my last one in 2009. I think Ford corporate hated the Crown Vic because it was too strong, long lasting and repairable. They didn't want to keep a vehicle like that in production they wanted to shill their garbage FWD biased unibody disposable trash Interceptors and Explorers that were a total sales failure. I finally got a '13 Caprice PPV in 2014 after having a few Mustang GTs. I think the Crown Vic with a 5L V8 could have easily gotten 26-30mpg highway. I was able to get 24-26mpg highway with a 2011 F150 Super Cab short bed, 4×4, with 3.55 gears and 28-30mpg highway from my 2011 Mustang GT premium both had 6R80E transmissions. My Caprice PPV 6L got 28-30mpg highway with the AFM working. Even a 3.7L V6 Crown Vic would have been significantly quicker, faster and easier on fuel than the 4.6L 2V, everything being on the 6spd transmission instead of the 4R70W. I imagine that with good maintaince the F150 or Mustang version of the V8 and 3.7L could have lasted well over 200k miles in a Panther. Maybe if they restyled the car a bit and gave it the upgrades it needed something similar could be in production today. If they had too, they could have always made a version they call an SUV. It towed and hauled more weight than most of the trash being EPA classified as a light truck nowadays. Oh well, Ford USA fought forever to not offer a legitimate V8 Rwd performance 4 door sedan. Unlike Ford Australia, that was what I always really wanted was a LHD Aussie Falcon with a V8 or Turbo Barra 4L. I ended up with an Aussie PPV, a '16 SS and a '04 GTO 6spd instead. I have been wanting a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis again lately if I could find a nice one. A 7.3L Godzilla swap would be really cool. Especially if I could use the 6R140 transmission from Super Duty trucks and Econoline Cutaways instead of the 10spd, that's too many gears. The 6R140 is nearly unbreakable behind a 6.7L turbo diesel so a gas V8 should be a cinch. 700+hp N/A and 1,000+hp on boost is what the Godzilla does with a factory block that costs $1,500 and head castings that are $630 each assembled. Stroker kits are coming. Forged rods and pistons are available. Holley Terminator X can control one. I miss the simple charm, smooth ride and 400k+ mile indestructibility of a Panther. I have seen a number of livery service vehicles with over 400k. I bet you will never see a fwd Taurus or Explorer with milage like that on the original drivetrain unrebuilt or replaced. My friend across the road's wife had an Explorer like the newer police cars. It was basically not economically viable to repair at only 220k miles. Awd and transmission BS

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  6. I love the intro to this show. Bern has done a good job on production quality. I think bern is a really good host for an automotive channel. The crown vics are great cars, although 16mpg in unnacceptable. We rented a town car back in 1998 and it gave much better fuel economy. I remember it being really fast on the open road, being smooth but handling well, and being extremely comfortable. The pneumatic suspension system was one of the real secrets with these cars that combined smooth ride and good handling. That little modular V8 has held up well over the years too.

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  7. My twain brother Richard owned a 1998 crown Victoria LX in a parrie tan color. He kept over 16 years before sending it to the junk yard. It was the last and best ford that he ever owned. He has been driving these cars when they were called LTD back in 1975.😊

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  14. I used to own an '87 LTD Crown Victoria and a '92 Crown Vic. Just parted out my 2003 Lincoln Town Car and currently drive an '04 Town Car. Panther platform cars are awesome. The '03 was troublesome, but it was the exception. I've driven full size Ford products my whole adult life, from a '67 Country Sedan on up. Dad drove Fords too.

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