police interceptor

[JET50213]

As a precursor to this post, I know that most of us here are Ford fanatics. the following is strictly a review of "police vehicles" and is not to be construed as Ford bashing...though I am going to bash them a little!

Due to the recent retirement of our Captain, I have been given the opportunity to research and suggest the best route for our department to follow regarding replacement of the Crown Vic. Obviously, I jumped at the chance! I'll get my bias out of the way early. I have always considered myself a Ford guy, but I drive whatever I enjoy. I joined the Mustang crowd in adulthood and would always have one in the garage if possible. After driving my 02 GT deep into the 12's, I decided to get a family car to assist with the entry into foster parenting. After my Jeep Commander got totaled, I ended up in an 08 Hemi Charger, which I like very much...though it is no Stang. On to the review!

I immediately was interested in the Charger police car for obvious reasons. After hearing about some maintenance and space issues, I started to get sour on them. We were allowed to borrow a base v6 Ford Sedan (Ford gets real angry when you call them a Taurus). I was excited to drive the Taurus due to the look, but was VERY disappointed with the performance. I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the car as I thought the engine was completely inadequate. We started searching for an Ecoboost to try out, but could not find one. I soon found that Ford was very slow in getting the Interceptors out, so we could not really put our hands on a patrol ready example. I was very disappointed in Ford, as they new earlier than anyone that the CV was going away. I heard this from MANY police agencies. Ford just expected agencies to be drooling over their new Interceptor. Ford screwed the pooch big time!

We had the opportunity to drive the new Chevy Caprice, fully equipped and patrol ready. The car had the 6.0l V8 and was a blast to drive. It filled me with confidence!. after over 15 years of driving CV cruisers, I recognized this Caprice as an exceptional improvement for a police vehicle. I AM NOT A CHEVY GUY, but I love the Caprice as a police car! Most of us know what the Caprice is, so I'll end the bow tie cheerleading there.

Not long after, I made some contacts and located an Ecoboost to test. I was excited. After all the videos, advertisements, and Ford media, I was chomping at the bit to drive this AWD rocket. Well, a rocket it is! Our next cruiser, it is NOT. The first thing I noticed is the twitchiness of the car. I drove it back from Cbus and immediately noticed the torque-steer problem. it's fine with a motor head who is familiar with this anomaly, but I immediately worried about turning this beast loose with patrol officers of varying driving skill. To be continued...

[JET50213]

The driver's seat is hideous. This I noticed immediately. It is narrow, too firm, and over the period of an hour I was unable to find a comfortable position. This was with out any of the patrol equipment in the car. It is crazy fast...at least for a police car. In fact, it is too fast. I first noticed this when I went to pass a semi on the highway. When you goose it, it jumps to the right. Horsepower and FWD always has this problem. I expected that the AWD would solve this problem, but the engineers got it wrong. This was confirmed by every officer who tested out the car. Please understand, cops want fast cars! They also want to feel confident in them. Several officers repeated the comfort problem, as well as the space issue. Our 6'6" Sergeant needed a shoe horn to get in the car. Every officer mentioned the awkward entry and exit to the vehicle. I will say that when I flogged the TAURUS (on pavement and gravel), the computer did it's job and kept everything in check. All in all, though, I am VERY disappointed in FORD for delivering this product. They supposedly used a police advisory board to develop this car. FAIL!. I am going to try to secure a SUV to test. i hope we get better results! As for now, I am pretty sure I will be driving a Tahoe (Supervisor's car). I already told the Chief that I want a Caprice! I know, it's made in Australia. That is another problem in itself. We will be testing a Charger soon, but I know that they are the tightest of all options space wise. I hope that ford redeems itself with the SUV!

[cstreu1026]

With all the electronics maybe they can tune out some of the FWD bias in the AWD system.

[06V6Andrew]

i rather like the fact that it Australian made, it comes from the monreo (spelling) platform i have heard nothing but good thing from them

[CNTLOSE]

Good write up. I can tell you that you will hate the Tahoe as well. You may have seen our Major and his new Tahoe. It is a total dawg and can not get out of its own way. He has the pursuit package 2wd model and is very nice looking, but way under powered. I like the Expedition I currently have assigned, although I do not know if Ford is still offering them in a Police Package. (It is the 5.4 4x4 model.)

We have yet to decide what we will go with next. They are talking about getting a Taurus and Explorer based Interceptor as well as a Caprice next year. Then wait to see which is rated the best by our officers at the end of the year. Then we will just start ordering them every year.

[Mista Bone]

I don't know which departments you folks work for, but thanks for the unbiased reviews.

Wait, SBZ gearheads are cops as well? LOL!

[duststang]

I seen a Sheriff Taurus driving by Beechmont Ford the other day.
I have a 6.0L and it is known to have many issues. additionally for being 400hp I would expect more but thats JMO. not a fan!
I think the poilce should quit buying gas guzzler and go with a Festa or Focus. If space is needed I would say do the small V8 SUV's. you guys dont need fast cars just lots of them. buy 7 Festa's and one criminal van, lol. seriously nice write up, I am surprised and feel that Ford screwed up when they disco the Crown Vic. they should have improved it they had most of the gov market. now they are losing most of the market.

[JET50213]

Well, it's been pretty busy. I am now having work stress dreams thinking about cars. i guess there are worse problems to have. I am happy to say that I have a little reprieve for Ford. The Intercepor SUV seems to be a very good vehicle!

I immediately took it through some curves to see if the larger vehicle could hang. Once into the curve, I noticed that I had slowed too much (expecting a lot of sway), so I mashed on the throttle. It immediately pulled hard through the rest of the curve. I was surprised by the power this wagon has after the disppointment with the base 3.5. Coming back through the curves, I carried more speed as I was surprised by it's handling capabilities. Once again, it was uneventful. No white knuckles, no fear, no body roll! I would have expected to be terrified at the speed I was maintaning in this SUV, but it was rather uneventful. My best description...quick, nimble, surprisingly light?, roomy. Ford did it right on this one! Later in the day I took a borrowed Hemi cruiser (Charger) along the same route.
First of all, I have to say that the Charger feels like an absolute boat compared to the SUV. It drivers VERY heavy! I believe the speeds through the curves were very comparable, but the Charger had me holding on for dear life. I love the power, but the big hit in the middle of the curve has you praying that you won't slide off the road. Can you say body roll? We pretty much eliminated the Charger due to the inability to stuff anyone 6 foot or over into the back seat. Holy sardines Batman, we gotta' let the big guy go! He won't fit in the car.
Today, I took the Ford SUV out in the rain for another test. Confidence slips a little on wet curves...as does the car. Better than the vic, though. I also tested the AWD system. It takes it some time to engage, at least on a steep hill covered in railroad ballast. It did pull me out without complaint once the rear wheels kicked in. Most of the officers like the SUV. A couple hated it, but I think they are just being resistant to somethin new. As for now, patrol guys will either be in the Caprice or the Ford SUV. More to come later...

[CNTLOSE]

I read where CHP is going to all Explorer based Interceptors as well. They are doing it in large part for the room to carry all their equipment.

[2-8-1]

i rather like the fact that it Australian made, it comes from the monreo (spelling) platform i have heard nothing but good thing from them

The GTO came from the Monaro, I expected the Caprice to come from the Commodore (Zeta) like the G8 did. Odd. Also, the new Camaro is a Zeta, which exlains why the slow thing is such a fat bastard.

I agree with duststang. Why again exactly do Police need Big V8 engines or 400hp? They don't. Other countries have already picked up on it. Who cares if the perp is cramped, shove them in the back seat of a Volt. Fast cars don't stop chases or get to the scene any quicker than small fuel efficient cars and radios.

[CNTLOSE]

So what are guys going with?


I have Chevy coming tomorrow to meet with us. We are going to try and borrow WCPD's Taurus since no one at Ford feels the need to call me back. Not sure we are going to waist time with the Charger because of all the mechanical issues.

[Adams89]

My department has been testing the taurus and caprice. I have driven both. Being 6'4, I pray they do not go with the taurus. After a 12 hour shift, my knee was sore due to banging on the dash all day. I was so happy to get back into my crown vic. The caprice "is" a police car ! Its refreshing to drive a car designed for police work. The crown vic is nice, but lets face it, take the stickers off and its the same car grandma drives to church and bingo ! I will be more confident and comfortable in my first pursuit with the caprice.

[Stangman]

I'm really surprised Ford did not ever put the 4.6 DOHC in the crown vic.... they've got loads of room for it! 300hp would make a mighty nice cruiser!

[CNTLOSE]

I'm really surprised Ford did not ever put the 4.6 DOHC in the crown vic.... they've got loads of room for it! 300hp would make a mighty nice cruiser!

They talked about it, but apparently it was not cost effective. I hate to say it but I think we will be going with the Caprice.

[Black Horse]

Ford does indeed listen to their customers, hold the Purchase Orders there officers....you may want to wait for a few more days:

Ford Boosts Police Interceptor Sedan Performance and Fuel Economy with New 3.7-Liter Ti-VCT Engine
Sep-14-2012 6:00 AM ET

​DEARBORN –The new Ford Police Interceptor is getting another boost under the hood with the addition of the 3.7-liter twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) engine, offering law enforcement agencies fuel economy with more power.

The 3.7-liter V6, now available on the Police Interceptor sedan, delivers a performance increase to 305 horsepower and 279 lb.-ft. of torque while also achieving increased fuel economy of 25 mpg on the highway, 18 mpg in the city and 21 mpg combined. The horsepower and torque ratings are the highest of any naturally aspirated V6 engine offered for pursuit-rated sedans.

“This combination of great performance and top-notch fuel economy means law enforcement agencies won’t have to compromise power or fuel efficiency while getting the job done,” said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.

A tough lineup
Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy provides a V6 lineup that performs better than V8 engines of years past. The Police Interceptor sedan lineup now comes with three powertrain options, allowing police to choose the powerhouse that best meets their patrol requirements. The Police Interceptor sedan is available with a standard 3.5-liter V6, the new 3.7-liter V6 and the performance powerhouse 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost® engine.

The 3.7-liter engine now available on the sedan was already available on the Police Interceptor utility vehicle.

To develop the all-new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford’s Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, who provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality.

Safe, durable, functional
Building on Ford’s safety leadership, Police Interceptor is engineered to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing.

Both sedan and utility Police Interceptors recently earned top safety ratings in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program testing, which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.

Throughout its development, Ford’s new Police Interceptor has been put through the paces, undergoing a battery of torture tests to ensure its individual components can hold up to the rigorous driving styles of police professionals.

To meet the rigors of durability testing, the unique police brakes have been increased in size and performance for confidence. The cooling package is purpose-built as well, featuring a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator. Its honeycomb grille is designed to work in harmony with the interior components, offering more airflow throughout the vehicle. Plus, the standard 18-inch steel wheels are vented, designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.

Front seats have been specially designed, with a lower bolster removed to better accommodate officers’ utility belts. Inserted into the seatback are anti-stab plates, designed to protect front-seat occupants.

The Police Interceptor second row also has been optimized to address police-specific needs. The vinyl seats are specially sculpted and set back to improve second-row space and maximize legroom. The back door hinges are modified to open up another 10 degrees versus traditional rear doors.

The Ford Police Interceptor also is equipped with a column shift specifically designed so the console area is free for the ever-increasing amounts of aftermarket police equipment necessary for officers to do their jobs.

[06V6Andrew]

Nice information there ^

[CNTLOSE]

The lack of power from Ford is not our problem...it is the room. The Caprice has a much larger passenger compartment than the Ford Interceptors. I hate to say it but Ford screwed up with making the Taurus and Explorer police packages. All those mods they talk about is just mods they did to try and make the Taurus and Explorer work. Neither car was built just for police duty, it was modified to "fit in"...just like the Charger. The Caprice was actually built for police duty by stretching the G8 platform and to address the needs of officers.

Again I am not Ford bashing, they just will not work for our needs. I am sure some will get them and love them...as long as they are 6' or shorter and their prisoner is less than 5'8".

[JET50213]

We have decided to go all Chevy...so far. Cost is becoming an issue with the Caprice, but that's all in the details. We liked the Tahoe better than the Interceptor SUV. On the cone course in Charlotte, the Ford SUV would do a four wheel drift when pushed hard in the corners. I did get to ride in it with Trevor Bayne driving! That was pretty cool. Then I took him for a scary ride. That's when we noticed the four wheel drift. The Tahoe understeers as you would expect an SUV to do, but the StabiliTrac actually does a really good job helping you keep control. I also got to do the Richard Petty experience, riding along at 165+ on Charlotte Motor Speedway. That was cooler than I thought it would be!

[CNTLOSE]

We have decided to go all Chevy...so far. Cost is becoming an issue with the Caprice, but that's all in the details. We liked the Tahoe better than the Interceptor SUV. On the cone course in Charlotte, the Ford SUV would do a four wheel drift when pushed hard in the corners. I did get to ride in it with Trevor Bayne driving! That was pretty cool. Then I took him for a scary ride. That's when we noticed the four wheel drift. The Tahoe understeers as you would expect an SUV to do, but the StabiliTrac actually does a really good job helping you keep control. I also got to do the Richard Petty experience, riding along at 165+ on Charlotte Motor Speedway. That was cooler than I thought it would be!

That will be good....that way our agencies can swap parts again. :lol:

[JET50213]

My 135,xxx Crown Vic is purring like a kitten with y'alls motor and tranny! Before the transplant, we were going through a couple quarts of oil a week! Thanks for the assist!

[CNTLOSE]

My 135,xxx Crown Vic is purring like a kitten with y'alls motor and tranny! Before the transplant, we were going through a couple quarts of oil a week! Thanks for the assist!

No problem...we still have a few parts left from another one too. :bigthumb

[JET50213]

My department has been testing the taurus and caprice. I have driven both. Being 6'4, I pray they do not go with the taurus. After a 12 hour shift, my knee was sore due to banging on the dash all day. I was so happy to get back into my crown vic. The caprice "is" a police car ! Its refreshing to drive a car designed for police work. The crown vic is nice, but lets face it, take the stickers off and its the same car grandma drives to church and bingo ! I will be more confident and comfortable in my first pursuit with the caprice.

Amen Brother!