Among the last of its kind, Ford has just released the latest version of its Crown Victoria in the US. It's run by police forces, taxi companies, and the folks in middle America who love the idea of an American car, just like they've always made them.
It's huge andheavy, and has no pretensions to being a driver's car: for that -- even in the cheap-car US -- you have to buy European. But then you pay. The Crown Vic, fully loaded with all options will cost you just $30,275 -- roughly £16,000, before haggling.
Your money buys you a 1,844Kg rear-wheel drive behemoth with a 4.6-litre V8 under the bonnet. It manages to generate a lazy 224bhp and return some 18-25mpg, though with the optional dual exhausts you'll get a bump to 239bhp. It'll haul the Vic from zero to 60 in under nine seconds, so you retain a miniscule shred of respectability when pulling away from the lights.
In terms of handling -- well, there isn't any. The body is suspended from the chassis on rubber mountings, while the steering and brakes are 
massively assisted. The point is to isolate you entirely from the road and, in this, it succeeds. Inside, wide, wide seats with no lateral support ensure that the few corners you negotiate will be tackled in a manner that doesn't challenge the soft suspension. If you're big though, you won't be troubled by those nasty side bolsters which can make the larger individual feel squished after 10-12 hours at the wheel.
Technology doesn't play a huge part, though you get ABS and airbags plus cruise control. And of course it's an automatic -- four speed only.
However, as one reviewer put it, it lacks bling andit will fill your garage -- but if you simply want the largest, safest, most comfortable saloon car, there's no contest.
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