Yeah. I owned a Crown Vic once. It cost a lot more than the Taurus though. I got a new Taurus last year for about $14,000.
Of course, that was a discounted price. My father is a Ford retiree. But it would have been a good price even without the discount.
In order to make the Vic sufficiently driveable, though, one must put truck shocks in the back and German Bilstein sport shocks in the front (also, Z-rated 45lb./in. tires).