RE: Ford Interceptors: Fastest cop cars in the US
Discussion
Is this really news?
Ford Australia dropped their XR8 Falcon years ago because the turbo 6 was quicker. They've only just re-introduced it but this time with a supercharged V8 which in they nicked from FPV (which no longer exists).
Anyway, in terms of US cop cars, these are way better - because they are actually Australian
Ford Australia dropped their XR8 Falcon years ago because the turbo 6 was quicker. They've only just re-introduced it but this time with a supercharged V8 which in they nicked from FPV (which no longer exists).
Anyway, in terms of US cop cars, these are way better - because they are actually Australian
AER said:
Goofnik said:
rm163603 said:
The steering is so vague you drift off line in a moment. The inevitable correction you then need to make just highlights the horribly understeery nature of the thing.
Yet, us Americans like this. Not me, I'm a weirdo, but the average American expects that light vagueness, and there's a reason why.See, growing up, Joe American's parents had some land barge of a Chrysler in the 70s. It was slower than their 60s land barge, but they got used to barges, so didn't mind a slower one to sip fuel. In the 80s they bought a Chrysler K-car like a Plymouth Reliant. It was smaller and even slower, but it still sort of floated about, which is what they were used to.
So Joe American gets that Plymouth Reliant as his first car. That is now what he knows. When he forgets to change the oil for 20,000 miles, the Plymouth dies he buys a late 90s Ford Thunderbird. It's big, it's quicker (but certainly not quick) and most importantly it's floaty and vague, just as he remembers every other car he's driven. That dies, so he drives his grandma's early 90s Cadillac Deville, which is bigger, slower, and floater. But it's a (FWD, V8) luxury car. Surely this is living it up, right?
So Joe American now is in his 30s, is out of student debt, has things stable. What does he want? Something big and floaty. Or small and floaty. Or small, vague, and floaty. Vague and floaty is what he knows. So he buys a Toyota Camry. One day he'll get an Avalon though!
So you've known Joe American for 22 years. You let him drive your new Porsche Cayman GTS because you're feeling nice -- probably the benchmark for sports car value goodness right now. Verdict? Hates it. He fits perfectly fine despite being 193cm tall, but he doesn't have acres of room to stretch out in or lean the seat way back. It makes engine noises and stuff. There's feedback through the steering wheel instead of being numb. The Sport Chassis is telling him that the road isn't perfect, instead of floating like a bowl of Jell-O. There's no dead spot in the steering wheel, and the car actually moves if you have it barely off-center. "I don't like it. I much prefer my Toyota Camry."
Problem? It's different than what he knows, and people hate change. The Porsche anecdote is a true story by the way.
Of course, it doesn't apply to everyone, but the post above runs true for many. Different strokes for different folks.
There is little point in having a car that handles here in North American. Most of the time, the roads are deplorable, for one; and for two, a twisty road is going to take a cross country adventure to find. You have to go to the track, or get involved in off road rallies, basically.
I recently bought a Jeep Cherokee, to replace my Audi A4 Avant (which had a nice little HP boost from another ECU chip...), and I can honestly say that it suits our environment better. Sad.
You must understand that a driving experience here is to get one from A to B. Bus and train (ha ha ha!) are not an option. The roads are not fun, and you can fall asleep anywhere and still get there. Paying attention is therefore optional, so why have a nice responsive car, to go in a straight line down a road, eight miles wide, just to arrive at ANOTHER set of traffic lights. Ironically, California has all the really horrible roads, but it doesn't take much to find incredible driving experiences. Here, in Central Canada, the weather negates everything, and the roads fall apart in no time.
I recently bought a Jeep Cherokee, to replace my Audi A4 Avant (which had a nice little HP boost from another ECU chip...), and I can honestly say that it suits our environment better. Sad.
You must understand that a driving experience here is to get one from A to B. Bus and train (ha ha ha!) are not an option. The roads are not fun, and you can fall asleep anywhere and still get there. Paying attention is therefore optional, so why have a nice responsive car, to go in a straight line down a road, eight miles wide, just to arrive at ANOTHER set of traffic lights. Ironically, California has all the really horrible roads, but it doesn't take much to find incredible driving experiences. Here, in Central Canada, the weather negates everything, and the roads fall apart in no time.
Edited by ayseven on Tuesday 2nd December 12:37
mikEsprit said:
The police in the US generally don't do high-speed pursuit as a matter of policy. The risk of killing innocents is too great and even if uncommon, highly publicized when it does occur. A police radio 0-60 is still a little faster than any suspect vehicle's 0-60.
US police forces do persue and do so with boring monotony, US emergency services drivers are undertraiend compared to elsewhere i nthe world and the pursuit management policies outside the big cities are none existant
what you have to remember is that there are single incidents where one US police officer fires off more rounds thatn the entire Geman Polizei use at live incidents in a year ( germany used for comparision becasue they aree all routinel armed)
US policing is very variable, from some of the big city forces who measure up to the best forces elsewherei nthe world through to little rural forces that are little developed from those seen in the Dukes of hazzard or JAws
. .
tFire99 said:
Isn't the 3.5 V6 Ecoboost engine a twin-turbo configuration? So without wanting to sound too dismissive, smaller output turbo engines have been producing greater power than larger NA engines since the origins of turbo's..
I'm not sure where the surprise is here?
Also surely part of the appeal of the large capacity N/A engine was that it was a tough, reliable engine that was relatively easy to maintain? The modern Eco-boost with turbo's and direct injection etc will be a far more complex affair..
Just my slant on it..
yes, the 3.5 V6 Ecoboost engine is a twin-turbo configuration, and it is quite an engine. My Brother in law has one in his Ford Flex (not a small car) and the thing pulls like a train, it really shifts, alarmingly so the first time I drove it!I'm not sure where the surprise is here?
Also surely part of the appeal of the large capacity N/A engine was that it was a tough, reliable engine that was relatively easy to maintain? The modern Eco-boost with turbo's and direct injection etc will be a far more complex affair..
Just my slant on it..
Sheepshanks said:
Colleague in the US told me these pursuit vehicles are capable of high speed but because of relatively soft suspension and the extra weight they carry, they're terrifying to drive at speed.
I have a Mercury Grand Marquis 4.6L V8, originally bound for Kuwait so has the cop sway bars, slightly more power, oil cooler, faster gearing etc, it's a slightly bling version of the Crown Vic cop car.It is pretty brisk for a 2 ton car and I do drive it fast but I certainly wouldn't want to use it as a pursuit car if there were too many corners or sweeping curves to get round.
I have a laugh with it but you do have the feeling that things can go wrong very quickly when at speed and needing to turn the steering wheel
Jumping back in my e36 Beemer 2.5L and I feel that I am in one of those Scalextric cars that stays glued to the track using magnets
ProBodge said:
I presume the bull bars are there to splatter the hordes of protesters out of the way.
Surprised they haven't got roof mounted machine guns to really intimidate the population....
Oh yeah, the article. Yes turbo's are the future, welcome to the 1980's America.
You are aware that the first two production turbocharged cars were American and barely into the 1960's, right? Europe's first production turbocharged car didn't come until over a decade later (the BMW 2002 turbo) and the 911 turbo didn't come out until two years after that. Surprised they haven't got roof mounted machine guns to really intimidate the population....
Oh yeah, the article. Yes turbo's are the future, welcome to the 1980's America.
Also, in the 1980s, we had the Buick Grand National and GNX with turbocharged V6s that would out-run contemporary Corvettes with V8s. We also had (in 1992) the first fast SUV, long before the Cayenne and ML-55 AMG: the GMC Typhoon. Turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive. 0-60 in 5.3 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 14.1 seconds at a trap speed of 95 MPH. Those are figures not to be sneezed at, even today. In 1992, that was quicker than the Ferrari 348!
Oh yeah, and your first two sentences are in highly poor taste!
The flaw in the plan being that there are no rules that say that if the law are using forced induction 6 cylinder engined cars the 'opposition' have to stay with naturally aspirated 8 cylinder engined ones.By that logic there still isn't any substitute for cubic inches and more cylinders.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkd-RRbSuzk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkd-RRbSuzk
croyde said:
I have a laugh with it but you do have the feeling that things can go wrong very quickly when at speed and needing to turn the steering wheel
I had a few moments with my Crown Vic Police Interceptor mainly due to the very old tyres (which I have already changed) - went sideways in damp conditions when accelerating out in T junctions, and I have to say, that due to the long wheelbase it was very easy to keep control.The steering feel is obviously bad, but you actually have a good, undiluted feel with "popo meter" -as the Germans refer to it- what the car is doing in corners, and it remains quite composed. At least to the moment the big and heavy rear live axle gets upset.
Yes, it's not a sports car, but it is pretty far away from being dangerous at speed. and I enjoy driving it!
Edited by optimal909 on Friday 5th December 12:40
MC Bodge said:
powerstroke said:
Yes better to shut the freeway for an hour to wait for a tow truck instead of pushing a stranded vehicle out of the way!!!
Well, that is the British way, what,what.rm163603 said:
I had a Taurus rental a couple of weeks ago in the US.... basically the civilian version of the saloon in the pics.
It was absolutely woeful. The handling was dangerous!
Taking your eye off the road for a second even to check the rear view mirror was a bad idea. The steering is so vague you drift off line in a moment. The inevitable correction you then need to make just highlights the horribly understeery nature of the thing.
The brakes were far too small. After grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and doing some spirited driving through the hills of West Virginia (more out of frustration than genuine interest) the disks had warped and there was a nasty wheel bearing sound emanating from somewhere.
On the plus side it did have some blue mood lights in the footwells so you could see your shoes while driving at night....
To give some context, I hired a new shape transit van this weekend and it handled, rode and stopped far more nicely than the Taurus did!!
What a load of utter crap.It was absolutely woeful. The handling was dangerous!
Taking your eye off the road for a second even to check the rear view mirror was a bad idea. The steering is so vague you drift off line in a moment. The inevitable correction you then need to make just highlights the horribly understeery nature of the thing.
The brakes were far too small. After grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and doing some spirited driving through the hills of West Virginia (more out of frustration than genuine interest) the disks had warped and there was a nasty wheel bearing sound emanating from somewhere.
On the plus side it did have some blue mood lights in the footwells so you could see your shoes while driving at night....
To give some context, I hired a new shape transit van this weekend and it handled, rode and stopped far more nicely than the Taurus did!!
You do realize the Taurus is built on the Ford D3 platform which was designed by Volvo and underpins the S80 and S60?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_D3_platform
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff