1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria with 21K Miles - Panther Platform 5.0 - Review and Test Drive by Bill

This car is now live on Bring a Trailer: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1989-ford-ltd-crown-victoria/ I'll have to admit it feels very strange to drive this car. As a young man, I was pulled over dozens and dozens of times by Crown Victorias, so I'm only used to seeing them in my rear view mirror - looking out the windshield of one, all I can do is imagine a bright red 1979 Formula in front of me with a sheepish looking teenager pondering inflated insurance expenses. The Panther Platform was an absolute boon for Ford. It was supposed to be a temporary thing - a bridge between the Queen Mary length full sized cars of the 1970s, and the planned FWD gas savers being furiously designed and readied in the early 1980s - but then something strange happened: against all expectations, the price of gas stabilized, and full frame cars were in demand. Also, fleet companies loved them, and the Panther was most often the answer. So 33 years later, the Panther was retired after becoming the longest running platform in Ford history - not bad for what was planned to be something of a band-aid. Having this LTD Crown Victoria is also a bit of a treat. This was the last Ford to be badged an LTD, and most of these cars were used hard and disposed of - very few remain in what could be called concours condition. This is the proverbial "little old lady" car from Hamptonville, NC. It was purchased new for a gentleman's wife, and she used it for short local trips for the last 31 years, with only a couple of thousand miles in the last 18 years or so. It was always garaged, and remains in remarkable condition today. Driving it around makes me feel like either a California State Trooper or Matlock, depending which mood I'm in. Power comes from a slightly detuned version of Ford's legendary 5.0L V8 found in their Mustang GT and F150, and it motivates this full-frame car down the road with ease. It floats like a cloud, providing an incredible highway drive and lovely boulevard ride. No wonder cops loved these things. Full review and test drive by Bill. Vehicle for sale at Autohaus of Naples, on the web at www.AutohausNaples.com, or call us at (239) 263-8500.

Added 8 May 2026