Ford Panther Platform Production Ends Today
Today, Ford Motor Company announced the official end of the Panther Platform, which has served as the underpinning of numerous Ford products, including the Ford Crown Victoria and the Lincoln Town Car, since 1979.
Arguably one of the most successful products in automotive history, sales amongst fleet buyers for the Town Car remained strong and the decision from Ford to end production derived simply from the platform’s age.
The termination not only marks the end of an icon, but it will also have a significant effect on the Ontario, Canada plant as well. The plant responsible for decades of Panther production has a combination of 1,100 Panther assembly line workers plus numerous suppliers who must face a loss of 15,000 jobs. Ford added that production at other Ontario plants will not be reduced or affected.
GALLERY: Panther Platform Products
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There is a reason every police force is buying up every one of these they can afford. The panther was the last of a breed....tough, reliable, safe, comfortable, and as others have commented, an icon. There is no substitute for the performance of rear wheel drive, and no way to to amend to lack of a full body on frame construction for ease of repair and strength. Anyone who has actually driven one of these knows what the real supercar is (now was). The crown victoria/LTD/full size Ford/Mercurys will live forever with collectors in the future, and be missed by fleet/professional users. No substitute will ever replace them.
I'm a full frame car guy all the way. My 1st car was a '78 LTD that I hit a tree sideways with at 45 MPH on the DRIVERS door. I didn't get a scratch and I had to shut the car off after the accident. I actually drove it home.