Car Reviews: 1997 Ford Crown Victoria

there's a good reason. These big cars are the last of a breed--the rear-drive,

full-size American V8 sedan--and as such they are the vehicle of choice

of law enforcement agencies, as much as for their size and power. Cops

need lots of room for their gear, as well as occasional unwilling rear

seat passengers who need their space.

The Ford Crown Victoria, and its sibling the Mercury Grand Marquis,

represent true values in upscale touring transportation. Each is generously

appointed, luxuriously spacious, with a ride well suited to long trips

while also being responsive to the throttle.

Law enforcement groups are not the only ones who see value here--so

too do folks who transport people for a living. Professional chauffeurs

and taxi drivers value these cars because of the ride quality they offer

their clients and with an ease of ingress and egress. Not to mention exceptionally

rugged durability.

With the demise of the Chevrolet Caprice, the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis

are the only surviving members of this once-populous breed. And they promise

to be with us into the next century.

for good reason. The coefficient of drag is in the range of most sedans

at 0.34. Thus, in spite of substantial curb weights, fuel economy clocks in

at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg on the open road, better mileage than most of

today's popular sport-utility vehicles.

To carry the SUV comparison a bit further, consider passenger space.

Most mid-size sport-utilities can carry a maximum of five passengers, and

in most the back seat trio will be cozy to the point of crowding. Depending

on the seating arrangement, the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis offer

room and comfort for up to six passengers plus the space in the full-size

trunk for bags, baggage, golf clubs or what have you.

The exterior differences between the Crown Victoria and the Grand Marquis

are subtle. Since Mercury is slightly more focused than the more generic

Ford, the Grand Marquis is a bit more formal. The grille is vertical and

dominates the front end. The greenhouse or passenger compartment on the

Marquis has a slightly more formal roofline featuring a semi-privacy rear

quarter panel whereas the Crown Vic is more open, with glass in the rear

quarter. And while the Crown Victoria rolls on blackwall tires, the Grand

Marquis comes standard with whitewall tires for an extra touch of formality

and tradition.

Both cars are available in two trim levels. For Ford versions' it's either

the basic Crown Victoria (from $22,075, including a $605 destination charge),

or the Crown Victoria LX (from $23,795). Grand Marquis models include the

GS (from $23,099), and LS (from $24,505), latter featuring the greatest

number of luxury appointments.

All have a 4.6-liter V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission.

Antilock brakes are optional across the board ($670), but the system includes

traction control.

from, either the Crown Victoria or the Grand Marquis. The door opening

is ample and the roofline is high enough so no acrobatics or unusual reaches

are required to get in or out. The driver's controls are numerous, commensurate

with the features, but they are positioned logically so you won't have

to resort to the owner's manual in order to locate or operate any system.

The seats will put many cloth- or leather-covered sofas to shame. Tough

devoid of lateral support, they are living-room comfortable, front or rear,

with plentiful legroom for all. A tall driver and/or front-seat passenger

doesn't require the rear seat passengers to twist sideways to find space

for knees and/or feet.

And even at highway speeds, the interior noise level is so low that

conversation can easily be carried on between the front and back seat occupants.

The interior of the car is so quiet that on rainy days even the click of

the windshield wiper motor being engaged intermittently can be heard.

You can opt for either an analog gauge-equipped dash, which is standard,

or the optional digital electronic display instrumentation. (Nearly all

options are part of packages these days, grouped according to the most

frequently paired and ordered items.) Integral to the electronic instrument

package is the automatic electronic climate control as well as trip computer.

transmission, provides adequate power for easy cruising. If you want a

little extra oomph, the optional performance and handling package integrates

dual exhausts and thus increases the horsepower by 20, from 190 for the

standard engine to 210, a difference that's distinctly tangible.

The performance package also stiffens the suspension somewhat, lending

a little more authority to the handling without sacrificing much in the

way of ride quality.

A third engine option may be just the ticket for buyers in rural areas.

The Crown Victoria can be ordered with the V8 retuned and dedicated to

operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). The CNG engine has been reworked

to increase the compression ratio from 9.1 to 10.1 for the natural gas

version.

There is a performance penalty involved, but it's a small one. The CNG

version produces 175 hp at 4500 rpm and 235 pound-feet of torque at 3500

rpm. The carrying capacity of the trunk is also reduced a bit--from 20

cubic feet to 14 --in order to accommodate the four type-2 CNG tanks and

their internal solenoid shut-off valving. The spare was also relocated

underneath the car to maintain trunk space.

Why CNG? There are two good reasons. First, it's the cleanest-burning

of all fossil fuels. Although catalytic converters have all but elminated

exhaust emissions in new gasoline cars, there's still that first minute

of operation before catalyst light-off.

Second, and perhaps more compelling, natural gas is exceptionally kind

to internal combustion engines. Even the newer reformulated gasolines produce

corrosive by-products that are absent in CNG, so you can expect a CNG engine

to endure indefinitely.

Since this is a factory-produced vehicle (as opposed to an aftermarket

conversion) it carries full warranty and service protection, and can be

ordered directly through Ford dealerships.

Whichever powerplant option you select, the ride will be smooth, effortless

and quiet. And the power available for passing, merging or just cruising

the highways and byways will be more than adequate.

Ford has pledged to continue to provide these vehicles to the customers--inlcuding

police forces and taxi fleets across America--who still appreciate the

features and comfort which come with a full-frame platform and V8 power

turning the rear wheels.

Comparison shopping, feature for feature, will show you just what a

value these all-American cars are as well. Depending upon which model you

select and how you option it, the window stickers for Ford's Crown Victoria

or Mercury's Grand Marquis will range from about $22,000 to $27,000.

It is, as they say, a lot of car for the money. And you'll probably

find the dealership willing to discuss even that reasonable price.