Ford Police Interceptors Sweep the Competition in Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Testing

• Ford Police Interceptor sedan and utility vehicle topped the competition in series of annual performance tests conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD)

• Following their successful performance in Michigan State Police testing last month, the Ford Police Interceptors consistently demonstrated their class-leading performance

• Ford has more than 15 years of leadership in the police car business and is the first and only manufacturer to offer pursuit-rated all-wheel-drive police vehicles

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 26, 2012 – Ford’s new Police Interceptor sedan and utility vehicle were best-in-class at this year’s series of performance tests conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

 

The entire portfolio of new Police Interceptor vehicles, which launched earlier this year, passed the extreme testing conducted by the LASD and proved to the public and law enforcement industry that Ford delivers purpose-built, pursuit-rated Police Interceptor vehicles.

 

“Yet again, Ford’s fleet of Police Interceptor vehicles stood up to the competition and proved why they are the choice of so many government agencies with their combination of capability and value,” said Lisa Teed, Ford Marketing manager for Police Interceptor. “The LASD testing proves the performance and durability of Ford’s latest generation of police vehicles.”

 

Leading the competition

The annual test to validate pursuit performance on police vehicles is conducted by the LASD with the support of the Los Angeles Police Department. To match real-world patrol conditions, emphasis is placed on a semi-continuous run of 32 high-speed pursuit laps at the 1.46-mile track at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., to test for brake and tire durability, powertrain robustness and high vehicle temperature driveability. The Ford Police Interceptor sedan and utility vehicle boasted top marks in braking, 0-100 mph acceleration and lap times, and earned positive comments from the officers testing the vehicles.

 

Highlights of the annual testing include:

• The EcoBoost^® Police Interceptor sedan achieved the quickest acceleration time. It also set a new all-time single-lap record and had the fastest average lap time on the city pursuit course
• The Police Interceptor sedan 3.7-liter engine achieved the fastest naturally aspirated V6 engine acceleration, the shortest overall stopping distance, and the second-fastest lap time in city pursuit, just behind the Police Interceptor 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost sedan
• The Police Interceptor utility was the best-in-class utility vehicle with faster acceleration, shorter stopping distance and faster lap times than the Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle

“Setting the all-time record on the city pursuit test is significant,” said Bill Gubing, Police Interceptor chief engineer. “However, the real engineering excellence is designing a portfolio of Police Interceptors for an industry that demands superior durability, braking power and handling.

 

“City pursuit is a test that simulates real-world police driving in an urban environment,” he added. “We designed a purpose-built vehicle for all day every day, by managing power and optimizing the all-wheel drive to give the driver more control in handling tight situations.”

 

The LASD test proves Ford has built a utility police vehicle that meets muster for handling and control. The Police Interceptor utility vehicle’s driving dynamics are similar to the sedan’s, and it provides greater fuel economy than previous V8 Police Interceptors while also providing more space, more versatility, command seating and ease of driving.

 

Experience makes the difference

Building on more than 15 years of leadership, Ford took key product attributes that made Crown Victoria Police Interceptor the leading law enforcement vehicle and increased the next-generation product’s capabilities including the first and only pursuit-rated all-wheel-drive police vehicles. Now police departments and other law enforcement agencies can get an all-new, American-made vehicle with the same durability as the popular Crown Victoria. The new Police Interceptor sedan and utility vehicle are built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant.

 

Working with its Police Advisory Board consisting of law enforcement professionals from the United States and Canada who provided feedback on attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality, Ford has ensured that its new Police Interceptor vehicles are purpose-built to meet the requirements of this demanding industry.