The next generation of Ford’s venerable police vehicles began rolling off the line at the Chicago Assembly Plant earlier this year.
Ford, the police vehicle market leader for more than 15 years, specifically designed and engineered an all-new Police Interceptor to handle the rigors of police work, including industry-leading powertrain, safety and technology innovations. The first vehicles finished production in January.
For the first time, Ford also has added a second Police Interceptor to the lineup, a utility vehicle to provide customers a choice of the best vehicle to suit their needs.
“Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with a purpose-built vehicle – engineered and built in America – that’s as dynamic as it is durable,” said Lisa Teed, Police Interceptor marketing manager.
To develop the all-new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford’s Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, which provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality.
A focus on safety
Building on Ford’s safety leadership, the Police Interceptor is engineered to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing.
Building on Ford’s safety leadership, the Police Interceptor is engineered to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing.
The new Police Interceptor also features Ford’s exclusive Safety Canopy® side-curtain airbag rollover protection system to help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain airbags use Ford’s unique Roll Fold technology to help them slip between the occupant and the side window.
Increased power, enhanced sophistication
Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy provides a V6 lineup that performs equal to or better than V8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options, allowing police to choose the powerhouse that best meets their patrol requirements.
Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy provides a V6 lineup that performs equal to or better than V8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options, allowing police to choose the powerhouse that best meets their patrol requirements.
A highly efficient 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility is 25 percent more efficient than the outgoing 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8 it is replacing.
Plus, the all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a broad rpm range.
“EcoBoost powertrain performance is optimized for closing speed and maximizing takedowns, thus preventing high-speed pursuits from even forming,” said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for the Police Interceptors.
EcoBoost brings municipalities and police fleet administrators the first ultra-high-performance, yet environmentally friendly, police pursuit vehicle. Offering performance that bests normally aspirated V8-powered police cruisers and comparable fuel economy and CO2 emissions to the standard V6, EcoBoost represents a triple win for police departments, the tax-paying constituents they serve and the environment they help collectively to preserve.
A high-capacity six-speed SelectShift Automatic® transmission delivers the power of EcoBoost to the road via the sophisticated torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system, which is standard and unique to the Police Interceptor sedan and utility.
“Ford remains committed to leading the police vehicle market, and our new Police Interceptor demonstrates how much engineering and innovation we’re willing to invest to address the unique needs of those who protect and serve communities throughout America,” Teed said.
Rigorously tested, police-tuned
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.
Certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department evaluates the durability and capability of the vehicle through a variety of tests where its systems are pushed to the limits for nearly an hour and a half – far exceeding the demands most patrol cars ever experience.
To meet the rigors of the durability testing, the brakes have been increased in size and performance. 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.
Functional, inside and out
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.
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.
The new vehicle also features:
- BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System): The system uses two radar sensors located in the rear quarter panels to detect vehicles in the surrounding lanes. If a vehicle enters the driver’s blind-spot zones, the system alerts the driver with a warning light in the sideview mirror
- Cross-traffic alert: This system uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. This industry-exclusive system functions only while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when cross-traffic appears within three car-widths
- Rear view camera: When the vehicle is in rear camera mode, a color image with guidance markers on the rearview mirror will assist the driver in backing up
- Reverse Sensing System: An audible tone will alert the driver to certain objects up to 6 feet behind the vehicle
- Standard AdvanceTrac® ESC (electronic stability control): This helps maintain the intended path by measuring side-to-side yaw, or skidding, by the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When wheel slip is sensed, AdvanceTrac reduces engine torque and applies selected brakes
- Ford SYNC®: The Ford-exclusive, hands-free information system has the potential to be customized and remapped to work specifically with police aftermarket equipment such as lights and sirens, allowing officers to focus on the task at hand
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