GM, Chrysler step in as livery services look to life after the Town Car

[American_Muscle]

HA, a toyota limo? no thanks

[DarkKnight67]

The XTS being FWD/AWD is not going to please the drivers of those that liked the Town Car.

Right, and that is why the livery companies used Devilles/DTS in the past.

[rueben44]

I would think that a Caprice, as a Buick Park Avenue, would be a far better choice than the XTS.

Nothing wrong with the XTS but I see your point for those that wont get over the RWD thing.

[richmond2000]

as a passenger FWD has advantages in packaging and if AWD is forgotten about in design a bigger trunk and a smaller driveline tunnel in the back seat area + not having to stretch the drive shaft / add support bearings
and for driving dynamics I doubt anybody wants there driver "channeling Andretti" @ the wheel

[KingElvis]

Wow, talk about yesterdays news tomorrow.

Cadillac announced a Livery Version of the XTS like 2 months ago if not more.



Yep, that there new-fangled FWD is unproven, its only been around for like 60 years....
Thankfully the drivers dont get to pick, normally its the owner of the company. Why even get a 300 at that point, why not just rent Chargers?

There is the problem of front drive cars having a bigger turning radius.

[megeebee]

I can see the livery companies opting for the Chrysler 300 because it is RWD/AWD. The XTS being FWD/AWD is not going to please the drivers of those that liked the Town Car.

I'm sorry, but I don't think FWD is a deal killer in this market. Remember, the DTS was offered in a Livery Package and they managed to sell quite a few. But that car lived in the shadow of the (old) Town Car.

I doubt too that many Livery businesses would spend the extra cash to buy AWD 300's, to say nothing of potential maintanence costs.

FWD has its advantages too in colder climates and might (gasp!) help sell the XTS over the 300. And I've never read any review of the XTS where it was stated that it didn't drive well.

The XTS is very roomy in the rear compartment with an enourmous trunk and not at all bad looking. If GM offers it with the right equipment and price, it should do well.

That Ford thought a rebadged MKT would find favor in that market is just beyond me.

I would think that a Caprice, as a Buick Park Avenue, would be a far better choice than the XTS.

Why?

Nothing wrong with the XTS but I see your point for those that wont get over the RWD thing.

The Town Car did well because Ford sold them so cheaply. Retail sales of the Town Car were falling for many years before they killed it and they needed to keep the factory going. It's not RWD that sold the TC, but agressive and successfull marketing of the car to the Livery business. That, and it acheived a kind of "standard" status. Well to do travelers always asked for a "Town Car" to pick them up.( I don't even think they knew it was a Lincoln.)

[Battery]

That's right ...
It was the "cheap" price of the town car that made it king .. & remember, most were not stretched, & just used as town car / airport rides ...
Fleet owners/ Limo service buyers could probably care less if they are buying an XTS or a 300 .. if they can save $1500 per vehicle buying Car "A", then car "A" wins ....
The XTS may grab more of the stretched share .. but the simple bread-and-butter non stretched "Town Car" sales might go to the lowest bidder ...

[mchicha]

slow news day

[spidge]

Wow, talk about yesterdays news tomorrow.

Cadillac announced a Livery Version of the XTS like 2 months ago if not more.



Yep, that there new-fangled FWD is unproven, its only been around for like 60 years....
Thankfully the drivers dont get to pick, normally its the owner of the company. Why even get a 300 at that point, why not just rent Chargers?

The 300 has a more upright C-pillar, making for more headroom for rear passengers.

For police cars, many officers say they prefer RWD to FWD for the high-performance driving they have to do.

The livery business is different. It's more about a smooth, luxurious ride than performance. Not that the Town Car was ever a performance vehicle by any stretch of the imagination.

[EJD1984]

Why?

1. Greater interior space for rear passengers (prior to stretch).
2. Typically RWD sedans have had better durability, and lower repair cost.

[bone]

Wow, talk about yesterdays news tomorrow.

Cadillac announced a Livery Version of the XTS like 2 months ago if not more.



Yep, that there new-fangled FWD is unproven, its only been around for like 60 years....
Thankfully the drivers dont get to pick, normally its the owner of the company. Why even get a 300 at that point, why not just rent Chargers?

Hey, I think the XTS would make an excellent "Livery" vehicle and don't see any problem with it being FWD. I still believe that any company in this business would consult their drivers and that most of them, like cops, IMO prefer RWD.

[impala02]

I suspect with all the competition, that nobody will enjoy such a large percentage of fleet (taxi, police cruiser, etc.) and livery (limo, stretch) as Ford/Lincoln have in past years. BOF for reduced stretch costs, and rugged toughness and commonality of parts is what kept those sales coming back. A 300 hardly fits that bill. I would say Lincolns new Town Car is perfect for the livery job. Roominess galore on a chassis tough enough for extreme police duty, is hard to beat. Certainly the MKT is tougher than a 300.

If I had a limo choice to ride in, give me the MKT, all day. And hopefully one with that large glass roof too.
I am not into banging my head getting into a gun-slit style 300.

How do you know the MKT is "tougher" than the 300???

After viewing your 25 other posts, I am truly shocked that you would choose a Lincoln over the others.

Purely anecdotal, but in NYC, I see far more XTSs in use as livery vehicles compared to the MKT. In my opinion, the XTS looks alot classier than the awkward looking MKT.

[megeebee]

How do you know the MKT is "tougher" than the 300???

I'd like to know his reasoning on this as well.

After viewing your 25 other posts, I am truly shocked that you would choose a Lincoln over the others.

Are you?

Purely anecdotal, but in NYC, I see far more XTSs in use as livery vehicles compared to the MKT. In my opinion, the XTS looks alot classier than the awkward looking MKT.

The MKT has failed in the livery arena too. I remember reading something from someone at Carey that their clients don't want to be seen in something that looks like a fancy minivan.

[WX39C1]

I would think that a Caprice, as a Buick Park Avenue, would be a far better choice than the XTS.

I know my 2011 Caprice would make the perfect limo / taxi, and I am frankly surprised that GM has not capitalized on this by making Yellow V6 Caprices for the Taxi industry to replace the Crown Vic market in the US. The back seat room in the Caprice is unbeatable and the trunk is larger than most new cars today.

[jpd80]

Ford's plan to change Lincoln's image of Airport transport has backfired with liveries losing patience with MKT
and buying either Navigators or going elsewhere. Perhaps Ford needs to understand the need to keep their
existing Lincoln customers as well as attracting new buyers with different vehicles, because after all,
it is possible to do two things at the same time....