Georgia police car accidentally sold on Craigslist
Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Government/Legal, Ford, Police/Emergency
We're not strangers to the allure of Craigslist. The classified ad site is our go-to distraction when it comes time to contemplate our next project vehicle, and we've been tempted by the occasional decommissioned Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor more often than we care to admit. As one Chattanooga, Tennessee man recently found out, those vehicles may be more trouble than they're worth. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Luke Ridings was recently stopped by authorities as he was driving his newly acquired Crown Vic, complete with lights, camera and radar equipment. Ridings said that he bought the vehicle for $4,000 from an individual in Georgia.
The only problem was that the cruiser was supposed to be crushed by a towing company after electrical issues had forced officials in East Ellijay to pull the vehicle from service. At this point, the company is trying to discover how it originally lost track of the doomed Interceptor. Ridings had his slightly used cop car confiscated and was charged with operating an unregistered vehicle as well as underage drinking.
Georgia police car accidentally sold on Craigslist originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Austin police looking to stockpile Crown Vics ahead of model’s phase-out
Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Government/Legal, Ford
The age of the Ford Crown Victoria cop car is almost at an end, but law enforcement in Austin, Texas wants one more crack at the old standby. Actually, the police are asking city council for $4.5 million to buy 176 Police Interceptor squad cars at an average price of $25,568.
Why the mad rush to buy 176 vehicles when all the new cop cars are on the way? Police officials tell the Austin Statesman that the department already has parts like computer mounts and light bars that fit on the Crown Vic, and a new model would call for a fresh batch of parts. Further, automakers haven't yet set official prices for the new models, and new models like the Taurus-based 2012 Police Interceptor and Chevrolet Caprice haven't been extensively tested in the streets. And the department has already determined that the Dodge Charger isn't the answer, saying that the back seat is too cramped for passengers and the trunk too small for computer equipment.
Assistant Police Chief Sean Mannix says that the department typically buys vehicles every year, but this allotment should last five years, adding "this will last us while we are determining what the next model will be." We're sure Ford will be more than happy to fill the order, and we'd also wager that the Austin police department won't be the only municipality to ask for one more big order of Crown Vics. Hat tip to Marcus!
[Source: Austin Statesman]
Report: Austin police looking to stockpile Crown Vics ahead of model's phase-out originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Moab’s Hells Canyon conquered… in a Ford Crown Victoria?!
Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Ford
Ford Crown Victoria in Hells Canyon - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Hells Canyon is said to be one of the more challenging off-roading destinations in Moab, Utah. The road-free zone is usually traversed by the likes of a Jeep Wrangler, Hummer H2 or perhaps a Toyota FJ Cruiser, but apparently a trail-capable SUV isn't needed for this lunar rock landscape. Heck, you don't even need four-wheel drive, as one Ford Crown Victoria owner seems to know all to well.
Hit the jump to watch in amazement as an old rear-drive Crown Vic takes on the undulations of Hells Canyon. Almost as impressive is the fact that the owner's dog walks beside the car the entire way, seemingly unconcerned by the rocky hills. The video's music is a bit obnoxious and its camera work shaky, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment of this climbing Panther. Now we know why cops love the Crown Vic so much. Hat tip to Chad!
[Source: Daily Debri]
Continue reading Video: Moab's Hells Canyon conquered... in a Ford Crown Victoria?!
Video: Moab's Hells Canyon conquered... in a Ford Crown Victoria?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFitting Retirement: Grand Marquis last Mercury off the line
Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury
The signs have come down and retail production ended back in October of 2010. Now, the very last Mercury model has rolled off the assembly line. This last Mercury somewhat fittingly takes the form of a Grand Marquis reporting for fleet duty. It was built at the St. Thomas plant in Ontario, Canada, which is the same facility that continues to produce the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car for fleet and livery duty.
St. Thomas' days are numbered, however, as the factory is slated to close on August 31. When it goes, the Panther platform is likely to follow. So long, and thanks for all the
[Source: Autoweek]
Fitting Retirement: Grand Marquis last Mercury off the line originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentseBay Find of the Day: Ex-Bondurant Cobra-engined Roush Ford Crown Victoria [w/video]
Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Auctions, Videos, Ford, Specialty
Ex-Bondurant Cobra-engined Roush Ford Crown Victoria - Click above for high-res image gallery
We're aching for some seat time in the the new Ford Police Interceptor, but given our choice of flogging one of the new-school bruisers or one of the old-school cruisers, we know which one we'd take. And it just happened to appear on eBay Motors. Used as an ex-Bondurant Driving School car, this 1999 Crown Victoria is just one of eighteen cars built by Roush for Bob Bondurant's school. Number 15, to be precise.
Under the hood sits a 320-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine plucked from the 1999 Ford Mustang Cobra. The typical police-issue slushbox has been nixed in favor of the T45 five-speed manual normally reserved for SVT Cobra duty. The front and rear suspension setup features Eibach springs and solid sway bars, and the go-fast action can be brought to a quicker halt thanks to a set of Brembo rotors, Hawk pads and Baer steel-braided brake lines. The car is also fitted with a Corbeau driver's seat and five-point safety harness, four-point harnesses for the other seats and a fully-integrated roll cage. If that isn't enough, this potential super-sleeper has a Halon fire suppression system should things get a little warm in the cabin.
The good news is that you can put this car in your driveway by parting with 20,000 of your hard-earned dollars, or perhaps somewhat less if you're a savvy bidder. The bad news? it's not street legal. It's a purpose-built machine for Bondurant and has never been registered or titled. Track beater anyone?
Hop on over to eBay to see the listing to see the specs and hop the jump to see this big black beast in action.
[Source: eBay Motors | Image: Challenger Motorsports]
eBay Find of the Day: Ex-Bondurant Cobra-engined Roush Ford Crown Victoria [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSurprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids
Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Work, Ford
If it weren't for the somewhat obsessive and frankly narrow-minded love by taxi drivers and police officers for the body-on-frame Ford Crown Victoria, we'd imagine the old Panther platform would have been put out to pasture a very long time ago. As it stands, though, New York cabbies especially seem hell-bent on keeping it around on life support as long as possible.
Interestingly, though, a report from USA Today suggests that cab drivers make more money when operating a Crown Vic than any other automobile, and that supposedly includes hybrids. According to John Shaban, a 27-year-old cab driver, "I don't like the hybrids... Mechanics charge an arm and a leg for them."
Could it be that customers inherently prefer the Crown Vic? Shaban believes so, saying, "People wait for the Crown Vic because it's roomier. They're more likely to get in." Regardless, that's all set to change soon as Ford finally discontinues its long-running rear-wheel-drive people mover. It's expected to be replaced with - you guessed it - a hybrid or some other fuel efficient alternative.
[Source: USA Today | Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty]
Surprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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