What makes a police car different?
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Narrator: Today’s most popular police car, the Crowne Victoria, has never been very powerful or good on gas. But it’s durability, roominess and rear-wheel drive—better for police chase maneuvers—has won it nearly 70% of the police cruiser market. But as Ford ends production of the venerable Crowne Victoria, the competition for police car of the future heats up.
Keith Wilson: Michigan State Police have been testing police vehicles since 1974 what the manufacturers are bringing to market as full service police vehicles. We run these vehicles through a battery of tests and provide test data and numbers to law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada.
Narrator: Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford brought out their latest offerings. The competitors were run through a battery of tests; from acceleration, maneuvering, and braking. But a police cruiser has to be more than speed or performance.
Noel Clason: A police vehicle needs to be able to run 24/7 without problems; it needs to be comfortable for the officer; and it needs to be built from the ground up for cops. Specifically, to work so he can handle all his tools ie: the gun, the computer, the radar, the overhead camera, with ease.
Dana Hammer: It’s called sport mode in the transmission, and what that does is upshifts at more precise times and keeps the transmission and the engine in the perfect power band. It actually downshifts earlier when you have lifted off the throttle.
Narrator: Chevrolet’s all new Caprice also comes with a unique feature to aid in police chases.
Narrator: Thousands of police cars are sold to states, provinces and cities every year and governments have to weigh performance with safety, durability and economy. So the tests here in Michigan go a long to determining the police car of the future.
