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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

THE FUTURE OF POLICE CARS IN PICTURES

With the recent introduction of the Ford Taurus Police Interceptor, an obvious trio of candidates for law enforcement agencies has become the talk of policing circles. Although still in development, we're assured that the Carbon Motors E7 is on its way to market. Meanwhile, through its Australia-based Holden subsidiary - via the Pontiac G8 - General Motors will attend to police forces with the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle in the near future. Pictures of the TPI, Carbon E7, and Caprice PPV are in the Gallery below.


Added up, it makes police departments ignorant of the Dodge Charger Police Vehicle, pictured here. Mechanics contracted by states and municipalities have labelled the Dodge "unreliable" and lacking in toughness. Even since the Charger's been available, nearly three-quarters of police vehicles purchased have come from Ford in the form of Crown Victoria Police Interceptors. Terribly outdated as a driving machine, the Ford CVPI is brutally capable, incredibly spacious, and tough as nails.

What unique features are brought to the playing field by the new patrol cars? The Carbon E7 is truly purpose-built. There is no platform sharing with a "regular" car. Thus, rear-hinged rear doors aid ingress, a twin-turbocharged diesel sends 250 horsepower and 400 lb-ft to the rear wheels, and the interior is set up for the bulkiness of a police officer's equipment. One would assume a regular cop on the beat would find the E7 revolutionary.... if it all pans out.



Over at Ford, the Taurus Police Interceptor is almost as capacious as the outgoing Crown Victoria Police Interceptor even as it sheds a few inches in every meaningful exterior dimension. Ford will endlessly play up the Taurus's fuel economy compared with the CVPI. Anticipated powerplants include the two engines consumers can choose from: a 3.5L V6 and a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with bags of horsepower. All-wheel drive will be a popular option.

The Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle is more traditional. Rear-wheel drive, an available V8 engine, and its very name hark back to land yachts of the past. Thankfully, this is a thoroughly modern device with more interior volume than the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.

Pictures won't satisfy the individuals responsible for ordering police fleets. For those of us who need to know what'll be in our rear view mirrors in the next few years, the group of images in the Gallery below are vitally important.



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