What did Ford replace the Crown Victoria with?
In 2011, Ford discontinued the iconic Crown Victoria police car and replaced it with a new lineup of vehicles, including the Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer. This marked a significant shift in Ford's strategy for the law enforcement and fleet vehicle market.
The End of the Crown Victoria Era
The Crown Victoria had been a staple of police departments and taxi fleets for decades, known for its rugged construction, rear-wheel-drive layout, and powerful V8 engine. However, as consumer preferences shifted towards more fuel-efficient and modern vehicles, the Crown Victoria's outdated design and poor fuel economy became liabilities. Ford decided to discontinue the Crown Victoria in 2011 after nearly 20 years of production.
The Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer as Replacements
To fill the void left by the Crown Victoria, Ford introduced two new models as potential replacements: the Ford Taurus and the Ford Explorer. Both vehicles offered several advantages over the Crown Victoria:
- Improved fuel efficiency: The Taurus and Explorer were available with more fuel-efficient V6 and EcoBoost turbocharged engines, helping to reduce operating costs for law enforcement and fleet customers.
- Modern design and features: The Taurus and Explorer featured more contemporary styling and a range of advanced safety and technology features, making them more appealing to both law enforcement and civilian buyers.
- Availability of all-wheel-drive: The Taurus and Explorer could be equipped with all-wheel-drive, providing improved traction and handling capabilities compared to the rear-wheel-drive Crown Victoria.
While the Taurus and Explorer were not direct replacements for the Crown Victoria in terms of size and performance, they offered a more modern and versatile solution for law enforcement and fleet customers.
Transition to the New Lineup
The transition from the Crown Victoria to the Taurus and Explorer was not without its challenges. Many police departments and fleet operators were hesitant to adopt the new models, as they were accustomed to the reliability and familiarity of the Crown Victoria. However, as the new vehicles proved their worth in real-world use, more and more agencies began to embrace the Taurus and Explorer as viable replacements.
Today, the Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer are well-established as the primary law enforcement and fleet vehicles in the Ford lineup, offering a blend of modern features, improved efficiency, and versatility that meets the evolving needs of the market.
Is Ford making a 2026 Crown Victoria?
Expect the new version to pack a full suite of infotainment trims with upscale interiors. And enough safety sensors to keep even the most paranoid driver.
What car replaced the Crown Victoria?
The Ford Crown Victoria was replaced by the Ford Police Interceptor, which was initially a Taurus-based sedan and also came as an Explorer-based SUV. Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria in 2011 and phased in the new, more fuel-efficient Police Interceptor models for law enforcement fleets.
- Sedan: The sedan version of the Police Interceptor was based on the Ford Taurus.
- SUV: The SUV version was based on the Ford Explorer.
- Other replacements: Ford also introduced other models for law enforcement, including the Police Responder Hybrid Sedan and an F-150 pickup truck, and other departments adopted vehicles like the Chevrolet Tahoe.
Why did Ford discontinue Crown Victoria?
Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria due to declining civilian sales, the vehicle's aging design, and a market shift towards SUVs. The final nail in the coffin was the inability to meet modern safety standards, like having standard electronic stability control, without a costly redesign of the body-on-frame platform. Since the model had a dedicated niche in police and fleet sales, Ford decided to end production in 2011, shifting focus to updated police-package versions of more modern vehicles like the Explorer and Taurus.
Key reasons for discontinuation
- Market shift: Consumer preferences changed significantly in the 1990s and 2000s, moving away from large, body-on-frame sedans toward SUVs and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Aging design and cost: The Panther platform, the Crown Victoria's foundation, was an old design that was expensive to update to modern standards. Implementing new safety features like electronic stability control was particularly difficult on this platform.
- Declining sales: Civilian sales had dwindled to the point where the model was no longer profitable as a retail vehicle.
- Safety standards: The Crown Victoria, with its body-on-frame design, could not be equipped with the standard electronic stability control that was mandated for the 2012 model year.
- New fleet competition: Ford planned to replace the Crown Victoria with its modern police-package offerings in the Explorer and Taurus SUVs, which had higher profit margins and could meet modern safety and fuel economy requirements.
Why was the Ford LTD discontinued?
In addition to slow sales, potential model overlap with the Fairmont (and LTD) led to the discontinuation of the LTD II station wagon after 1977. For 1979, the LTD II effectively became obsolete upon the introduction of the downsized Ford LTD.
