For WILL lose the police market in California and probably most of the West. Its not body-on-frame, but RWD architecture that matters to fleet buyers. Dodge is getting the market back with the Charger that it lost decades ago when Lido went all FWD for passenger cars. Why o why cant Ford do a lengthened Mustang chassis as the basis for a new RWD sedan? Lincoln could use it as well, and that division needs product help, fast. The tooling costs cant be that much and they could be built on the same line.

The taxi market is a different story, as they were not buying new Crown Vics, but retired police cars anyway. Now, with strict environmental laws here, taxi's are all moving to hybrids. The Ford Escape seems to be popular for that market. The drivers hate them, because the CV's were much cheaper to operate even with expensive gasoline.

 

I was about to say just that along with the 71 Polara. The CHP used a Marquis in 1970 which wasn't near as mean looking.

I was reading a C body story written by a fellow who just got a 1970 Polara with the 440 and was showing off at a small gas station in the south. An officer, who just happened to be there, showed him his 440 Polara with a six pack on top and said nothing else. Now that is a Smoky...

 

I'm not surprised....not at all. Not a fair comparison.

If your '65 Impala had a contemporary Vette engine...it would of been a 327 ci...the 65 Vette for instance came with a 327 cubic inch small block. The 327 V8's HP in the '65 Vette ranged from 250-300-350-365-375 (FI)....not too shabby for any small block.

Even though the 327 was a great high performance engine ...the 65 Impala was a heavy, full size car. Big, heavy cars respond well to big inch, big blocks...mostly due to the generous big torque that a BB will deliver...over a small block.

The Dodge Polara was also a heavy, full size car....but with the high perf. 440 cubic inch V8....well the Dodge 440 big block has 113 cubic inches over the 327 cubic inch, small block Chevy V8.

Performance is all about power..(.HP and torque)...to weight ratios.

Again, hardly a fair comparison. A better comparison would be big block vs big block....say the 440 High Performance vs a Chevy Rat motor 427/425 hp...or a 454/450 hp ?

Or throw a big block, Ford 428 Cobra jet into the mix.

An old Hot Rod adage is that you can't beat cubic inches.

 

just don't get the new styling ..... and i don't care for either ............... gimme the ol' vic , or any pre 75 squad from anyone over 'em .................. and a taurus for criminy's sake ?????????? dain tricycle chaser irregardless of power or speed . it isn't a real car in my eyes , but thats just me ....................

 

The CHP was forced by then Governor Ronald Reagan to mix up the buys because his administration thought Chrylser was assured the buy every year and didnt have to compete on price. In 1967 it was Oldsmobile and in 1970, Mercury. Neither performed as well as the Dodge, and most officers hated them, especially the brakes.

You may wonder why the CHP didnt buy the less expensive Ford, Chevy or Plymouth back then. 122" was the minumum wheelbase specification for "stability". That meant mid-priced brands from the big three. When Dodge was downsized along with Plymouth in the 1962 styling disaster, a Chrysler Newport police package was hastily put together, followed by a Dodge Custom 880 model, which was a cheapened Newport with Dodge front clip. Its funny that the outgoing Crown Vic sits on a 114" WB, shorter than intermediate cars of the 1970's.

 

Read the latest Interceptor news here:

Robotruck! Ford Interceptor Tech for All - Ford Trucks

Thanks!

 

That auto rollup/lock thing sounds good at first glance, but how long until the vids show up of police locking themselves out of their cars?