Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
The Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is a four-door, body-on-frame sedan that was manufactured by Ford from 1992 to 2011. It is the police car version of the Ford Crown Victoria and was the first vehicle to use the Ford Police Interceptor name.
From 1997 to 2013, the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor was the most widely used automobile in law enforcement fleets in North America, namely the United States, Canada and Mexico. It also saw use on a smaller scale with police forces in other regions, primarily in Europe and the Middle East.
History
After the discontinuation of the Chevrolet Caprice, the Ford Motor Company held a near-monopoly on the market for police vehicles in the United States and Canada for over a decade. The conventional rear-wheel drive, V8 power, and body-on-frame construction were considered advantageous for police use. The body-on-frame construction allowed inexpensive repairs after collisions without the need to straighten the chassis. Rear-wheel drive was deemed better for hard maneuvers and more robust than the front-wheel-drive competition for rough driving over curbs and other obstacles in the urban environment.Although CVPIs were not sold directly to the general public by the manufacturer, they were widely available in North America as used vehicles after being decommissioned. The cars were in demand by taxi companies and others who wanted a safe, durable, and/or inexpensive car, and those who needed a car with a large back seat.
The CVPI came equipped with many heavy-duty parts, such as a revised transmission, and a engine. Used versions are normally stripped of any police decals, equipment, police radios, and emergency lights before being sold or auctioned to the public.
First generation (1992–1997)
Though the name has been officially in use since 1992, the 1979–1991 full-sized LTDs and LTD Crown Victorias used the "P72" production code designation for both fleet and taxi and police models, with the model itself being internally classified as S. From 1992 to 1997, the police car models of the Crown Victoria were officially known as Crown Victoria P71s. The first force to take delivery of Crown Victoria P71s was the London Police Service of London, Ontario in Canada, ordering 21 for delivery during February 1992; the first Crown Victoria from this order was driven off the St Thomas production line by London police chief Julian Fantino.In the 1993 model year, the Crown Victoria was given a chrome front grille and a reflector strip between the taillights. Another minor restyle followed suit in 1995, with a new grille and taillights. To accommodate the design of the 1995 model's new taillights, the rear license plate was moved from the bumper to the trunk lid.
For 1996, the Crown Victoria badge on the front fenders was removed and the cars received a new steering wheel; 1997 models have a lighter blue interior color compared to prior years.
Second generation (1998–2011)
1998
For the 1998 model year, the Ford Motor Company restyled the Crown Victoria, eliminating the "aero" look that the first-generation Crown Victoria had from 1992 to 1997, adopting the more conservative styling of the Mercury Grand Marquis. Both cars included restyled front and rear end components. The 1998 police package P71 had a chrome grille, chrome door handle trim, chrome bumper strips, and a chrome-trimmed flat-black rear fascia with the "Crown Victoria" badge.1999
In 1999, Ford introduced the "Crown Victoria Police Interceptor" name, with a badge on the trunk lid replacing the 1998 "Crown Victoria" badge. A chrome-trimmed gloss-black rear fascia, black door-handle trim, black bumper strips, and a gloss-black slatted grille were also introduced at this time. Finally, the new Street Appearance Package, intended to make the CVPI look like a standard model, including chrome trimming and Crown Victoria badging, was introduced.Midway through 1999, the taillights were also changed; 1998 and early 1999 models had a separate amber turn signal along the bottom edge of each taillight housing. Starting in mid-1999, the extra bulbs were eliminated and the turn signals returned to the combination of stop/turn setup with red lenses found in many North American cars. Although the lenses changed, the housings did not. They still had the chambers for the separate turn signals that early models had.
These chambers were now empty, leaving a perfect place to install in police cars strobe tubes that would not affect brake or turn-signal visibility. Fleet models equipped with the "Street Appearance Package" retained the amber turn signal until 2004, when all CVs changed to all-red taillights.
For 1999, a heavy duty 11.25" torque converter became standard equipment on all CVPIs. In comparison, the civilian Crown Victoria uses a 12" torque converter.
2000
For 2000, the rear fascia and taillights lost the chrome trim, and the gloss-black grille was dropped in favor of a flat-black slatted grille. The black painted mirror caps were now textured plastic, and the ECM received less aggressive calibration as Ford deemed 1999 P71 models as being too aggressively calibrated.2001
Further alterations were made in 2001, but most importantly, the CVPI now received the "Performance Improved" 4.6L 2V V8 engine as standard equipment. It made 235 hp at 4,750 rpm and 276 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. In a corresponding move, the ECM was once again re-calibrated and the P71 sported a more powerful 135/82 amp alternator. The 3.55:1 rear differential was also deleted in favor of a 3.27:1 unit.All plastic bumper trim was deleted and a new honeycomb-style grille was made standard, replacing the slat-style grille. Street Appearance Package versions still maintained their chrome bumper trim and chrome slat style grille. Power adjustable pedals also became an option for 2001, as height diversity among officers joining police departments increased. Ford relocated the rear window defrost switch from the left side of the dash to the direct left of the HVAC controls. The Ford logo on the steering wheel was now blue instead of being color coded to the interior.
2002
There were no changes made to the 2002 CVPI aside from the addition of power mirrors as standard equipment.2003 (re-engineering)
At the 2002 New York International Auto Show, a 2003 Ford Police Interceptor concept car was previewed featuring an all new exterior, mirror-mounted spotlights, a 300 hp V8 engine, reinforced front and rear bumpers made out of a mixture of stainless steel, polymer, and aluminum, as well as 18-inch alloy wheels.By May 2003, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor accounted for approximately 85% of the police cars in use in the United States.
While the exterior design of the 2003 concept vehicle was scrapped, the 2003 model year brought the most extensive changes to the Panther platform since its 1979 introduction. The 2003 model year introduced all new underpinnings with a re-designed and fully boxed hydro-formed steel frame, as well as an aluminum #2 cross-member. According to Ford, the new frame was 20% more resistant to vertical bending and allowed the vehicle to perform better in crashes. For more precise handling, the suspension was significantly revamped, with the addition of coil over front shocks, revised steering knuckles, revised upper and lower control arms, and mono tube rear shocks; the new rear shocks were now inverted and mounted to the outside of the frame rails. For more precise steering, the recirculating ball power steering system was replaced with an all new rack and pinion unit that was 22.5 pounds lighter than the outgoing setup. The brakes were also redesigned, with the addition of a quiet EBD brake booster that optimized front-rear brake bias; it also featured a mechanical panic assist. These changes contributed to 2003 and newer CVPIs having significantly better handling characteristics in comparison to their 2002 and older counterparts.
Several changes were also made under the hood. An engine knock sensor and revised engine tuning increased horsepower and torque ratings for the 2003 CVPI to 239 hp and 287 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, the entire exhaust system was re-designed, with exhaust hangers now mounted to the frame rails; this allowed for a reduction in interior noise. For improved carbon emissions, the EGR system was revamped, and the fuel system was now return-less. A larger 6-quart oil pan was also made standard, and the oil fill cap was moved to the passenger side valve cover. The intake manifold was revised and now included an aluminum coolant crossover and deeper intake runners. For better cooling, a new, variable speed electric cooling fan replaced the two-speed unit, and the power steering fluid reservoir was now mounted to the fan shroud. In a minor change, an accessory belt shield was fitted to the front of the engine, and a new engine cover that featured a silver "V8" emblem was introduced. Lastly, a larger 78 amp hour battery was now standard on the CVPI.
The interior was also slightly revised for 2003, with new front seating surfaces that featured improved cloth upholstery and larger headrests; seat-mounted side airbags also became an option. The standard vinyl rear bench and optional cloth rear bench also received new upholstery. Additionally, interior door panels and switch gear were also updated for better ergonomics.
Another notable change for 2003 was the addition of 7-hole 16x8 inch steel wheels, replacing the old concave 20-hole steel wheels. A 2003 model can be told apart from its 1998–2002 counterpart models by simply examining the wheels. Due to the new underpinnings, the wheels for the new cars had a much higher offset and look almost flat. Along with a new wheel design, new hubcaps were introduced. These new 7-hole steel wheels were eventually the subject of a recall.