Ford may finally be pulling the plug on the Crown Vic, but the company is launching what it hopes to be a new king of the cops car to take its place: The purpose-built 2011 Ford Police Interceptor.
The Interceptor started with the same platform that underpins the successful new Taurus, and then got an extreme makeover based on input from a Ford advisory board of law-enforcement pros. This includes specially designed front seats that have plenty of room for police utility belts and offer the protection of “anti-stab plates” in the seat backs; the rear seats are customized for their occupants’ unique needs as well.
The two basic powertrains from the Taurus—now engineered for enhanced durability and performance—are available to power the Interceptor. The “base” model uses Ford’s Duratec V6, which makes 263 hp in the Taurus and should make at least that in the Interceptor. But the key advantage of this engine as compared to the V8 in the current Crown Vic police car is that the former is 25 percent more efficient than the latter. Notably, the V6 Interceptor also will only be available in front-wheel drive.
When chasing the bad guys is more of a focus, law enforcement can add Ford’s EcoBoost V6. According to the Blue Oval, the engine will at least match the 365 hp it makes in the Taurus. The EcoBoost Interceptor also will add an enhanced version of the AWD system found in the Taurus, as well as a “high-capacity” six-speed automatic.
Ford’s new Police Interceptor also is outfitted with the automaker’s full suite of cutting-edge safety features, including blind-spot alert, a rear-view camera system, electronic stability control, and multiple side-curtain airbags. And adding a truly unique benefit is the company’s exclusive hands-free communications system, Ford SYNC, which can be adapted to control certain police equipment like light bars and sirens.
Ford's long history in law enforcement
But perhaps the most important thing the Ford Police Interceptor will come with is certification from both the Michigan State Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Ford worked closely with both groups to ensure its new cop car was durable enough and capable enough for police duty. In fact, the pursuit-rated police sedan has even been designed to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing, making it, along with the Crown Vic, the only two pursuit sedans currently able to pass this benchmark.
Cops and crooks alike can expect the new Ford Police Interceptor to go on patrol late in 2011.
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