American Police Cars

[Fire99]

I'd have to take the Dodge Charger Pursuit V8. Then perhaps bolt on a supercharger.
That said, it all starts to get a bit 'Mad Max' at that point

As others have said, the US want Big, Tough, Simple 'Cop Cars', not European 'It's clever, but it'll break and cost ya' technology.

[andymach23]

Are the MPG figures for US gallons? If so then the figures need increased to compare to UK gallons.

1 US gallon = 0.83267384 Imperial gallons

[V88Dicky]

I'd have the Chevy Caprice actually. It's a re-badged Holden Commodore so at least it should be well built and handle ok.

[Fire99]

It appears US Policing is like a Stock-Car race. That or a demolition derby!!

[corozin]

Obvious but omitted so far:

[EDLT]

GnuBee said:

How do they manage to obtain a combination of huge engine, appalling MPG and poor performance?

Ford Crown Victoria, 4.6L V8 does 14MPG in town and still takes 9 seconds to 60?

Things get slightly "better" with the Caprice V8 which manages a 6.28 seconds to 60 whilst drinking 1 gallon every 15 miles requiring a 6.0L V8.

Because hurr durr mericans are stoopid. They should all drive BMWs and Audis for the imagine.

That's what you want to hear, right?

[redtwin]

jbi said:

Okay... here is a list of changes ford made to the standard Taurus to create the Taurus interceptor for police work

75mph Rear Impact certified
Beefed up subframes
Larger radiator/beefed up cooling system
200amp alternator
Redesigned interior (vinyl rear seats/ steering column shifter/ anti-stab seat inserts/ redesigned dash/centre console
Steel wheels
Custom Law Enforcement SYNC system mapped for police use
Redesigned seats with extra bolstering for utility belt
Revised rear door hinges for 10 degrees extra travel allows for easier loading/unloading of perps
Push bars
A-pillar spotlight

Hope it lasts longer than their last attempt. A police department where I used to live in FL got a fleet of Tauruses and they were all replaced within a year. This would have been about 1992-93. The cars just couldn't handle the abuse cops subjected them to.

[IROC-Z]

David87 said:

At least they're all American. Around here, rather than use British-built Astras, all the new panda cars seem to be bloody Hyundai i30s. I say we should support British manufacturing and supply all forces with lots of Jaguar XFRs and supercharged Range Rovers.

Not quite! The new Chevrolet Caprice is actually a badge engineered version of the Holden Caprice, built and imported from.......

[Nickyboy]

Number 5 said:

But in answer to your original question they are better.

Bit of a stupid answer when in reality they are out of reach for American Police forces. Anything can be better, whether you can buy, repair and run them for the same cost is another matter.

I read somewhere a while back the Crown Vic cost less than $12k in Police guise. I'm willing to bet an unstressed lazy V8 will last longer in Police use than one of our engines.

[wst]

Nickyboy said:

I read somewhere a while back the Crown Vic cost less than $12k in Police guise. I'm willing to bet an unstressed lazy V8 will last longer in Police use than one of our engines.

Ok, definitely going to concede that there is nothing better with 0 miles for that price, for that job. Take out some of the cop equipment and it would have made an excellent budget spec oval racing series!

[Motorrad]

I've owned a P71 which I'm guessing puts me in the minority here.

It's a great car- cost me a $20 oil change every 3 months/3K miles, had the best a/c I've ever had in a car, had room for six adults, a lot of luggage and ran on E85 as well as regular gas.

The old 'lead sled' was also great fun to drive with an easy adjustable RWD chassis and that unstoppable weighty feel you only get from a properly heavy motor.

It's one of the best cars I've ever owned and I've owned some nice ones.

[David87]

IROC-Z said:

Not quite! The new Chevrolet Caprice is actually a badge engineered version of the Holden Caprice, built and imported from.......

Oh. Every day's a school day!

[anonymous-user]

what about Carbon Motors?

[IROC-Z]

GnuBee said:

How do they manage to obtain a combination of huge engine, appalling MPG and poor performance?

Ford Crown Victoria, 4.6L V8 does 14MPG in town and still takes 9 seconds to 60?

Things get slightly "better" with the Caprice V8 which manages a 6.28 seconds to 60 whilst drinking 1 gallon every 15 miles requiring a 6.0L V8.

The MPG figures are most likely in US gallons so they appear worse than they are (if you see what I mean?). The Crown Vics highway rating of 21 equates to a imperial figure of around 25mpg. Not bad for a two tonne brick with a lazy V8 up front.

Edited by IROC-Z on Sunday 18th March 10:54

[Fire99]

The Spruce goose said:

what about Carbon Motors?

Good Grief!

[Nickyboy]

Just found a couple of brand new Crown Vics for sale online with leather etc, $18k

[jbi]

Fire99 said:

The Spruce goose said:

what about Carbon Motors?

Good Grief!

Carbon motors never got off the ground.

Was supposed to be powered by a BMW diesel V6 if I remember rightly.

[anonymous-user]

jbi said:

Carbon motors never got off the ground.

.

still going as I understand not produced anything yet thou..

[jbi]

The Spruce goose said:

jbi said:

Carbon motors never got off the ground.

.

still going as I understand not produced anything yet thou..

they just got their $310 million loan rejected from the Department of Energy about a week ago.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/08/carbon-motors-3...

[Cotty]

jbi said:

Push bars

Wonder why they need those?



Oh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-jR6aOoDow