From the 1980s until 2011, the black Lincoln Town Car was synonymous with car service in New York City. Corporate black car bases, airport services and neighborhood car services ran fleets of Town Cars; Wall Street bankers took them home after late nights; and stretched Town Cars carried prom-goers and wedding parties. When Ford ended production in 2011, the industry had to find replacements — a transition that led to today’s fleets of SUVs, hybrids and premium European sedans.

At a glance
Era 1980s–2011
Why Durable, roomy, comfortable, cheap to maintain
Users Corporate black car bases, airport services, livery, limousine companies
End Production ended in 2011
Replacements Lincoln MKT, Cadillac XTS, Suburbans, hybrids, Mercedes S-Class

Why New York fleets loved it

  • Durability: body-on-frame Panther platform shared with Crown Victoria taxis and police cars.
  • Comfort: a soft ride on rough city streets, a huge back seat and quiet cabin.
  • Luggage: a deep trunk for airport runs.
  • Economics: parts were cheap and plentiful, and mechanics knew the cars intimately.
  • Image: understated, professional and recognizable.

Read the Lincoln Town Car history and the Crown Victoria.

The corporate car era

Banks, law firms and media companies set up accounts with black car bases. Late-night rides home, airport runs and client pickups were charged to vouchers. The Town Car’s back seat was a familiar mobile office. Read the history of black car service in NYC.

The end of the Town Car

When Ford closed its St. Thomas, Ontario, plant in 2011, the Town Car ended. Fleets turned to:

  • The Lincoln MKT livery package. See the Lincoln MKT.
  • The Cadillac XTS. See the Cadillac XTS.
  • Hybrid sedans, especially for app-based work.
  • Full-size SUVs, which became the new “black car”.
  • Premium sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for top-tier service.

Today’s black car

The black Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade have become the most recognizable chauffeured vehicles in New York, with the S-Class for executive sedan service. See our fleet.