The new Taurus police car is not just front-wheel drive, it's AWD. It's basically the same thing as my SHO, just with the "regular" 3.5L V6 that puts out more HP than the 4.6L does in the Crown Vic.

Granted, the Taurus is front-wheel drive when cruising, but when you get on it, it's almost a lock-up transfer case between front and rear.

On edit: which is better, "old ladies car" with AWD and modern independent suspension, or "old man's car" with solid rear axle and floppy a-arms in front?

 

Even the AWD has a front end bias and is another unibody "throw it together fast" design with the engine mounted the wrong way. It will not take the beating a vic can and you are not going to see high mileage EB engines in taxis that started life as police cars like you do/did with the Vics. Then there is the price point of an AWD 3.5l. It is to the point Ford has practically nothing I would spend my money on.