Police replacement for the Crown Vic?

[Ghoste]

I'm sure this is common all over the place but here in my own little versoin of Mayberry, I was truly shocked this week to see an unmarked police F150 pickup truck with someone pulled over.  I've seen plenty of police suv's but this is the first time I have seen a 1/2 ton pickup used for police duty.  It was white with ghost white police markings on it (which I guess means it was really unmarked just stealth) and it was an OPP unit which would be the Ontario, Canada version of state police.
So I guess Ford keeps a dog in the cruiser fight huh?

[Mike DC]

     
I think Hot Rod magazine said something about Australian Chevy Caprices (unibody RWD car, we don't get it) cleaning everyone else's clocks in an LAPD comparo recently.  It would be interesting if they started getting those cars shipped all over the USA. 


I've thought for years that somebody should just make a dedicated police/taxi/fleet car.  You'd lose the profits of selling the optioned-up civilian versions, but you'd gain such a stranglehold on the huge fleet market that I can't imagine losing money on it.  How much money could you make on a car that you sell by the trainload and you don't update every friggin' year?  They say something like 50-70% of the costs of modern cars are incurred during the design stage.    Make it body-on-frame, build in the division between the front/rear seats & the larger rear seat area at the design stage, the larger electrical system & computers on the dash, give it enough room up front for a wide range of drivetrain options, etc. 

   

[Troy]

Ford offers the Taurus SHO as a cruiser don't they? I just saw one at our local PD the other day and meant to stop in and grab some pics of it next to their Chargers (and old stuff). They also have some SUVs - but no trucks that I know of. Pretty sneaky.

Troy

[Ghoste]

It is sneaky, and the thing didnt have plain steel wheels and some of the other giveaways that even the unmarked cars have.  It looked like a perfectly normal civilian truck.  Perhaps the only giveaway (that I wouldn't have noticed prior to seeing this thing) was that on the tailgate, ablout a foot to either side of the Ford emblem was a small oval falshing light.  So if you see a Ford pickup with what appears to be 3 Ford emblems across the tailgate, I wouldnt pass it at a hundred miles an hour.

[ac_knight]

Indiana Conservation Officers drive all black Ford F-150s. 

Mike Dc, there is a company designing a dedicated police car, Carbon Motors.  The car isnt on the road yet, but looks awesome.  They will be police only, and will not be sold to the general public.  When a car is done with its tour of duty, it is sent back to the company to be recycled.  Making sure when you see this car, you know it is a police officer in it. 

[bajaherbie]

there are some f-150 being used by the sheriff's depts. here in oklahoma.... mostly white, lights, steel wheels but i have no idea if the suspension, engine cooling, etc. is heavy duty.

[John_Kunkel]

     
I think Hot Rod magazine said something about Australian Chevy Caprices (unibody RWD car, we don't get it) cleaning everyone else's clocks in an LAPD comparo recently.

A Pontiac G8 rebadged.

[mauve66]

out here they use pickups with shells on the bed to look like construction trks, and then you see all the little led strobe lights when they come, by then its TOO LATE

[doctor4766]

     
I think Hot Rod magazine said something about Australian Chevy Caprices (unibody RWD car, we don't get it) cleaning everyone else's clocks in an LAPD comparo recently.

A Pontiac G8 rebadged.

Which in turn a are Holden VE Commodores rebadged.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f67/henderson-us-police-holden-commodore-may-still-get-up-84171/

Also used are the Statesman/Caprice versions
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/4DB981DD3B661FE0CA25764600253D2B

[TUFCAT]

Here in Plymouth Twp, MI I saw an officer driving a brand new 2012 Explorer....in the typical color scheme with lights and all.

[chargermike]

the state police in colorado uses trucks. mostly blue with a tool box in the bed. see them all the time. and many local police use trucks also. cant even tell there cops. but for the most part they use new chargers. colorado state police have some very cool looking chargers. best ive seen. but the trucks are four wheel drive. can get around in the snow much better. saw a fully decked out mustang in utah, not a marking on it. yellow with black stripes.

[twodko]

IMO the ubiquitous Crown Vic is the quintessential law enforcement cruiser. They don't fall apart like Caprices, have plenty of room for the officer, electronics and laptop and are a proven platform. Plus there's plenty of trunk space for a long gun, spike strips, first aid kit, fire ex, flares and teddy bears. All the other contenders fall short. SUV cruisers are a different story being purchased by departments based on their needs. 

[aussiemuscle]

     
I think Hot Rod magazine said something about Australian Chevy Caprices (unibody RWD car, we don't get it) cleaning everyone else's clocks in an LAPD comparo recently.

A Pontiac G8 rebadged.

Which in turn a are Holden VE Commodores rebadged.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f67/henderson-us-police-holden-commodore-may-still-get-up-84171/

Also used are the Statesman/Caprice versions
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/4DB981DD3B661FE0CA25764600253D2B

it's not the commodore, it's based on the LWB caprice. They don't use the commodore because of the lost leg room from the passenger barrier. it's a pity that ford are using the FWD taurus for their new police cruiser, instead of importing the Australian RWD Falcon or LWB Fairlaine variant (unfortunately the cancelled the fairlaine a few years ago).


its sad to see the crown vic is gone.

[TXcharger70]

Down here in TX we have some officers driving f250 and today I saw an unmarked mustang gt

[66chargerkid]

Brand new Hemi Durango police vehicles here in Manhattan Kansas

[Stretch]

My wife works for the county sheriff (911 dispatcy) The local law here has been switching to hemi chargers. The road guys LOVE them. There are 4X2 tahos and a few jeep 4X4's and a few 4X4 suburbans.

[ChargerD100]

theres a Escalade with 22's on it here (in Boise, ID area) thats a undercover car and a few rice burner undercover cars that i've seen

[Ghoste]

Never seen a riceburner one before.

[ChargerD100]

lol neither did I til I saw em with someone pulled over

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

The panther-based Crown Vic is an icon 

I think the old "box" style Vics were legendary,, too, but the panthers - especially the 98-12 cars could have soldiered-on forever!

Sad they are gone

[TruckDriver]

Here is Chevy's replacement more/less with video test drive.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110923/CARNEWS/110929936

[tatrick2me]

     
I think Hot Rod magazine said something about Australian Chevy Caprices (unibody RWD car, we don't get it) cleaning everyone else's clocks in an LAPD comparo recently.  It would be interesting if they started getting those cars shipped all over the USA. 


I've thought for years that somebody should just make a dedicated police/taxi/fleet car.  You'd lose the profits of selling the optioned-up civilian versions, but you'd gain such a stranglehold on the huge fleet market that I can't imagine losing money on it.  How much money could you make on a car that you sell by the trainload and you don't update every friggin' year?  They say something like 50-70% of the costs of modern cars are incurred during the design stage.    Make it body-on-frame, build in the division between the front/rear seats & the larger rear seat area at the design stage, the larger electrical system & computers on the dash, give it enough room up front for a wide range of drivetrain options, etc. 

   

No it would be interesting if they started "m,aking" those cars here.