Not every police car needs to be capable of high-speed pursuit. Those driven by detectives, administrators, campus police and many other law enforcement agencies seldom if ever are called upon for anything beyond everyday driving duties.
Recognizing that reality, and responding to requests from law enforcement agencies looking to reduce fuel costs, the company says, Ford is launching a non-pursuit-rated "special service police" sedan for just such usage.
Instead of the high-performance 3.7-litre V-6 available in Ford’s Police Interceptor sedan, the special service police vehicle will be powered by the company's 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, rated at 240 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque.
Official fuel-consumption ratings aren't available yet but the new police car is a modified version of the (optional) 2.0-litre Ford Taurus with standard six-speed automatic transmission that is rated at 9.2/6.2/7.9 L/100 km city/highway/combined.
At current gasoline prices, Ford says, the special service police package could save police agencies more than $5,000 in fuel costs over three years, compared to the aging 4.6-liter V-8 Crown Victorias it will likely replace, assuming typical usage of 80,000 km/year.
To help maximize fuel efficiency, the special service police sedan will offer Active Grille Shutters that manage airflow to optimize the balance between engine cooling and aerodynamics.
Other options include a 3.5-litre V-6 with front-wheel drive, a 3.7-litre V-6 with all-wheel drive and a 3.5-litre V-6 EcoBoost engine with all-wheel drive.
Ford says the new special service police sedan retains all the safety, durability and other essential police features of the other Police Interceptor models.