Ford to cease production of the Lincoln Town Car?

[Falcon Freak]

Click here for news article

If true then this would be the perfect opportunity for Ford Australia to justify a LHD export version of the LWB Fairlane and LTD models. Unfortunately as there will be no new LWB model this is a missed opportunity.

FF

[MYT]

The Town car isn't the only one that has been rumoured to go, the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis are also said to be on the chopping block as the platform is as old as the hills. Maybe an oppotunity for the americans to look at the entire falcon range to some extent??

[OzJavelin]

Can't say they didn't get their money's worth out of it. When was it first produced? Late eighties??

[Lukeyson]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Can't say they didn't get their money's worth out of it. When was it first produced? Late eighties??

ditto

[mash85]

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

Click here for news article

If true then this would be the perfect opportunity for Ford Australia to justify a LHD export version of the LWB Fairlane and LTD models. Unfortunately as there will be no new LWB model this is a missed opportunity.

FF

they havent actaully said they are definately axeing them tho? even if they didnt i dont think ford aus have the capacity in the factory to build enough cars to satisfy the american market.

[Polyal]

Its a good thing they are going, in more ways than one thats for sure!

[marcosambrose]

The car is rubbish, the 2004 release of the Ford 500 was not up to scratch and now in a large sedan market in which Ford US used to dominate, they are now struggling. Of course the 500 was not a replacement for the Town Car, the TC is a luxury sedan and the 500 is more of a family seden.

Thankgod they have the Fusion there now, if they didnt release when they did it would be even worse. Also Ford have the 'Edge' small SUV on the way next year. Its RAV4 size and looks the bits.

*Im well aware that the Town Car is a Lincoln model, my statements about the Fusion and 500 cross-over into my debate since ford tranverse models across to Mercury and Lincoln.

[ef_classic]

"2008 Ford Crown Victoria: Redesign, based on next-generation, rear-drive Falcon platform developed in Australia."



http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...odge_ford.html

[EXECJIM]

The day Lincoln stopped making suicide door models (60s), Lincoln fell in a hole :

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by EXECJIM

The day Lincoln stopped making suicide door models (60s), Lincoln fell in a hole :

Aww .. Mark III Continental coupes look pretty cool!

[Falcon Freak]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Aww .. Mark III Continental coupes look pretty cool!

I agree. Here is a summary of Lincoln Continental models.

FF

[Paull]

Originally Posted by EXECJIM

The day Lincoln stopped making suicide door models (60s), Lincoln fell in a hole :

I kinda like the Mark V's the most, especially the Diamond Jubilee editions. But after that, 1980 and all of the Mark VI's, yep absolute crap!!

The Town Car first came about in the Mark IV I believe (circa 1973) but will stand corrected on taht one.

Paul

[Stoney!]

I must say, they may be old, but the crown victoria is still a beast of a car, and I like them, no amercan family cars seem to be known for their handling, but some of them belt out some good notes, and decent power.

The crown Vic is used in America as their cop car (even the ones at movie world are crown victorias lol) and they seemed to have served them well for many years. Be fun to be a yankee cop, the only way they can corner quickley is by throwing them sideways lol.


Ford Crown Victoria

From Wikkepedia

Future
Ford was rumored to be considering replacing the aging Panther platform with the front or all-wheel drive platform based on the D3 architecture. Ford has denied this.

Another rumor going around at Ford is that the Crown Victoria will eventually be replaced by one of two vehicles:

Ford Australia would modify the Ford Falcon to left hand drive and US safety standards and export it to the US, which would see a revival in the Falcon name in the US market. Despite consumer demand, Ford has no plans to do this.
The Panther platform would be retired altogether, replaced by a completely new vehicle based on the Ford D2C platform used for the Ford Mustang. To go with Ford's naming scheme of naming cars that start with the letter "F", the Crown Vic name would be replaced by "Falcon" or "Fairlane". In addition, to go outside that naming scope, reviving the Galaxie nameplate has also been mentioned.
Despite this, Ford has announced that the Crown Victoria's better selling twin, the Mercury Grand Marquis will stay in production until at least 2009, with the "Grand" dropped off the nameplate, so it will fit Mercury's new naming scheme of making all their cars start with the letter M. It is unclear if the front bench seating (6-passenger) feature will be retained by a redesign of the car or a renamed replacement

Stoney!

[OzJavelin]

I must say, they may be old, but the crown victoria is still a beast of a car, and I like them, no amercan family cars seem to be known for their handling, but some of them belt out some good notes, and decent power.

.. except weren't they powered by 4.6L engines .. bit too small for pushing that sought of weight around.

[janddbone]

I love this car!!!!

The TC platform is no different to our Falcon line in that it has been developed over the years. There has never ever been a completely new Falcon platform sine 1960, just major revisions. The 'Grandpas Axe' story. I am not saying they are the same platform by the way, they are actually massively different in that the Falcon is 'Uni.' and the TC is 'old school body on chassis'. The 'Panther' platform was introduced in 1978. The TC setup is similar to that of the Falcon before BA, driveline wise. It is an update behind basically. The two platforms are different though in that the TC is much easier to extend etc, and that is a big part of the market for them.

Overall it would make sense to relate the large rear wheel drive cars more closely platform wise, but I would reckon it would be Australia that would lose some of the unique things that make the Falcon range so special... But that might happen anyway unless Australians get there act together!

HERE HERE to large rear wheel drive cars... Proper vehicles like the TC and Falcon, long may they live.

[OzJavelin]

I love this car!!!!

Glad someone does! I loved my '68 Impala SS, but I don't think Chev will start building them again ..

The TC platform is no different to our Falcon line ..... actually massively different in that the Falcon is 'Uni.' and the TC is 'old school body on chassis'

So they are exactly the same .. except for the bits that are different?

TC is much easier to extend etc, and that is a big part of the market for them.

Extend? Lengthen the chassis in Limos I assume?

Overall it would make sense to relate the large rear wheel drive cars more closely platform wise, but I would reckon it would be Australia that would lose some of the unique things that make the Falcon range so special

Yep .. like the Monaro we'd be building Falcons with fuel tanks in the backseat, frontends hit by the ugly stick and more stuck-on plastic flutes, flares and scoops than a '79 TransAm ..

HERE HERE to large rear wheel drive cars... Proper vehicles like the TC and Falcon, long may they live.

Fair enough ..

BTW: I still love Yanky cars!

Rod
1969 AMC Javelin
1974 AMC Javelin
1969 Dodge Phoenix
1970 Plymouth Fury
.. etc .. etc ..

[janddbone]

QUOTE... "So they are exactly the same .. except for the bits that are different?"

Meaning that both platforms are 'old' and have been revised over time... And there is nothing wrong with that... Falcon is the prime example of what TC could be if it made financial sense.

[Iphido]

Falcon and territory are going LHD.

At the very least it means Ford OZ will earn UAE export dollars selling falcons to the UAE and some other select LHD markets.

It would be fairly simple to image a Orion/BF type chassis with all new sheet metal and a live axel on base with IRS on higher spec models. Then again they could work with the mustang chassis too.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

Click here for news article

If true then this would be the perfect opportunity for Ford Australia to justify a LHD export version of the LWB Fairlane and LTD models. Unfortunately as there will be no new LWB model this is a missed opportunity.

FF

It hasn't been axed just yet, if they can find an export market for it they will keep building them. They are waiting to see what happens first. If they can sell them in the Middle East it will probably mean a new Fairlane will be launched a year or 2 after Orion. They won't sell them to the US because we don't have enough production capacity down here, but the Americans may take the platform and change it for themselves with new sheetmetal and engines.

[Redrum]

Now that they are talking about exporting Falcon/Territory range to States makes sense and as the Orion shares the similiar parts to the new Mustang.........

[Falcon Freak]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

It hasn't been axed just yet, if they can find an export market for it they will keep building them. They are waiting to see what happens first. If they can sell them in the Middle East it will probably mean a new Fairlane will be launched a year or 2 after Orion. They won't sell them to the US because we don't have enough production capacity down here, but the Americans may take the platform and change it for themselves with new sheetmetal and engines.

Things are always subject to change. But as things currently stand there are NO LWB Orion models.

FF

[janddbone]

I remember Tom Gorman sying at te launch ofthe BA II LWB that they were 'going to bit in that space' of the market... Refering to the new generation models... The whole Orian project only just recently got its formal approval so I would not be surprised if alot of ground work is done for new LWB madels, just no approval at this stage.

Just something I have been thinking about, Ford currently only have one shift and they while they are fairly busy are not flat out.. The Factory could easily accomadate another shift or two, with a few changes to there supplies and more maintenance of course...