With Ford ’s venerable, trusted and dated Crown Victoria nearing the end of its long and successful run as “America’s cop car,” the automaker is passing the torch to a pair of platform-sharing replacements.
The first replacement offered by Ford is known as the Police Interceptor, a vehicle that is heavily based on the all-new Taurus sedan, albeit with extensive modifications inside and out as the result of research performed by a Police Advisory Board which consisted of law enforcement professionals tasked with providing input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver convenience and comfort.
The second vehicle, being revealed here for the first time ever, is known as the Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle. It should come as no surprise that this vehicle is in fact based on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer , which in turn shares its platform with the Taurus that also forms the basis for the standard Police Interceptor. Ford believes that the shared platform will provide for substantial cost savings both in their development, and in turn their pricing to agencies, but also to agencies looking to outfit their vehicles with aftermarket solutions and for ongoing maintenance costs.
New age of motivation ushered in
Gone are the days of gas hungry V8s for police duty, at least for Ford, which chose a Ti-VCT 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering at least 280 horsepower and E85 compatibility. This engine will come mated to a unique six-speed automatic transmission that combines lowered initial gears for improved off-the-line acceleration and higher gearing for improved efficiency at lower engine rpm when cruising.
Ford says that two drivetrain options are available, which it says will, “provide off-road capability teamed with a multipurpose cargo area specially calibrated for loads up to 800 pounds,” but stopped short of clarifying what the second drivetrain will be.
Ford says that both the Taurus-based Police Interceptor and the new Utility Vehicle are rated for a severe-duty cycle, and provide at least 20 percent more fuel efficiency than the 4.6-liter V8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
Safety is king
Ford says that their primary goal when developing the replacement vehicle for the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor was creating a vehicle that would be as safe as possible for officers. The Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the only pursuit-rated sedan currently in service that passed the crucial 75 mile per hour rear-end crash test, and both the new Police Interceptor and P.I. Utility Vehicle are engineered to pass the 75 mph test as well.
In addition to the rear-end crash test, Ford says the new Utility Vehicle will also feature Ford’s exclusive Safety Canopy side-curtain airbag rollover protection system that helps protect passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain airbags use Ford’s unique roll-fold technology to help position them between the occupant and the side window.
Ford’s new Curve Control is also included, which helps to slow the vehicle by applying brakes to specific wheels if the vehicle enters a turn at too high a rate of speed to safely manage control, without inducing a slide or bringing the rear of the vehicle around.
Uniquely law enforcement-minded interior
Inside the Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle, the layout is uniquely designed for the needs of law enforcement, maximizing both officer comfort and cargo capacity. The front seats are designed with a lower bolster to accommodate utility belts, and just like the sedan, Ford’s Police Interceptor utility offers a column shift, designed to leave the console area free for whatever equipment is necessary for officers to do their jobs.
The second row seating features a vinyl, easy-to-clean bench seat that folds flat for versatility. Because law enforcement officers may require storage room for an extensive amount of gear, additional space in the utility provides plenty of room for K-9 officers and SWAT operations, including room for the full-size spare tire to be stored safely under the cargo area.
Ford plans to produce both the Police Interceptor and Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle at its Chicago Assembly plant.
