It is easy to maintain your dignity as you gracefully get into, or emerge
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.
Ford's corporate 4.6-liter V8, coupled with a four-speed electronic
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.