In the latest issue of The need for speed is limitless – Vol. 8 nicknamed Police vs. racers – several new police vehicles were introduced, including a widebody, racing-inspired Porsche 959 S.
While NFS unbound isn’t exactly a ‘sim’ racing game, you could easily dismiss such a car as fun instead of anything you’d see in the real world. And you would be right; As far as we know, no police force worldwide has managed to find the $300,000 needed to buy one (when new). That now amounts to $760,000, adjusted for inflation.
But as crazy as a Porsche 959 S Interceptor may seem, it’s not entirely unbelievable when you consider that there are a number of unconventional vehicles used by police around the world. And no, we are not just talking about the trusty Crown Vic or Volvo V70…
Around the world, different police forces use different vehicles to fight crime. Considering the potential costs of a high-speed chase and the risk of a major crash, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single patrol car would become very expensive very quickly. But now that modern vehicles are faster than ever, what do you keep in store just in case…?
A word of caution: not all cars pictured are actual police vehicles. Every now and then a crazy car is decorated with police colors for hype and public relations purposes, so we’ll keep such examples to a minimum.
A special mention goes to the British Metropolitan Police, which in 2007 stickered a Caparo T1 in the colors of a patrol car. The Caparo T1, a car that famously set Jason Plato on fire and had several other ‘incidents’ during its initial launch, could be less so. then ideal for high-speed chases when every chase ends in a fireball.
PR stunts aside, which country has the ‘best’ police cars? The term “best” is subjective, as it doesn’t always mean the most expensive or fastest vehicles – some are just undeniably cool, even by 2024 standards.
With decades of fascinating police cars to ponder, we’ve picked a small selection of our favorites. If you think we missed any highlights, share them in the comments. But to start, let’s take a closer look at two somewhat obscure offerings from the US…
USA – Muscle Power: 2000 Dodge Viper GTS & SRT Hellcat Redeye
Although not a dedicated pursuit car, the 2000 Dodge Viper GTS was used by the Plainfield Police Department to promote their DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in the Chicago suburbs.
But this is where the story gets interesting: the Viper was not purchased at taxpayer expense, but seized after being used in a crime, specifically at a speed of 200 km/h in a 56 km/h zone. It’s one thing to have your pride and joy taken away because of reckless behavior, but imagine seeing the local police driving around in it afterwards.
This is not a one-time event either. A few years ago, the Texas Department of Public Safety “acquired” an SRT Hellcat Redeye after the previous owner was caught driving 160 mph. While the owner might have had a chance to escape at that speed, he ultimately ran out of gas. He fled on foot, leaving the car behind for local authorities to reuse.
Hellcats have quite a reputation in 2024, and this particular Redeye was not entirely standard either. As a result, the Texas Department of Public Safety could boast the highest horsepower authority in the world, with a cool 1,080 horsepower from this impounded beast.
United Kingdom – Cossies catch criminals: Ford Sierra Sapphire & Escort Cosworth
Britain has seen its share of police-shaped PR stunts (such as the Caparo T1), with other examples including a Honda NSX, Rolls-Royce Ghost and BAC Mono.
But not all the “spicy” cop cars here were stunts. South Yorkshire Police operated a fleet of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions in the late 2000s, including the Evo VIII 260, Evo IX FQ320 and Evo X FQ300.
But for sheer coolness, nothing beats the Cosworths. In recent years, Cosworth has become known for its work on Aston Martin’s Valkyrie V12 and Gordon Murray’s T.50 V12. But go back a few decades and the Northampton-based gurus were behind some of the fastest production Fords ever.
For many years, Cosworths in police colors were used throughout the UK, with forces such as Humberside, Northumbria and West Yorkshire relying on Escort and Sierra Sapphire Cossies for ‘quick response’ use. The idea was to deter some of the robberies that were common in the 1990s; an influx of high-quality Japanese imports saw early Impreza WRXs and Lancer Evos used as getaway cars.
Although many were damaged or written off in service, a few ex-police escort Cosworths still exist. These cars were auctioned off after maintenance to recoup some of the initial costs associated with a Cossie, compared to a more typical Opel Astra of the time.
Italy – Lamborghini Love Affair: Lamborghini Huracán & Gallardo
“Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer” is one way to describe this little partnership. The Italian Highway Patrol has long had a special relationship with Lamborghini. For decades, the car manufacturer from Sant’Agata Bolognese has donated several cars to the Italian police for actual use. If your job revolves around supercars that can go over 300 km/h, it’s worth having the local Carabinieri on your side.
These vehicles aren’t just for high-speed chases; they also play a crucial role in transporting blood and organs for life-saving medical procedures. For once, speed doesn’t kill you, as long as it’s bolted to a 610 hp V10…
The current fleet includes several Huracáns and the Urus Performante, but the Italian police cannot claim fame for using the fastest Lamborghini on the beat. That title goes to a country that tends to operate on the “excess is best” metric.
Dubai – Completely and utterly unnecessary: Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, Bentley Continental and more
What better way to make your country hideously prosperous and rich quickly than by equipping your local police force with millions of dollars worth of patrol cars? Welcome to Dubai, where the line between PR stunt and real police cars blurs as they field some of the most extravagant vehicles, including Lamborghini Aventadors and Bugatti Veyrons.
While these supercars may not be in constant use, spend any time in Dubai and it is common to see Mercedes-AMG G-Wagens, Bentleys, Ferraris and other high-end machines on active police duty around the Gulf state.
And can you blame them? Given Dubai’s reputation as a country inhabited by moderately wealthy individuals – many of whom have their own fleets of exotic supercars – it wouldn’t exactly deter reckless drivers if the entire army drove around in hybrid Toyotas. And to show they’re keeping up with current trends, they even recently added a Tesla Cybertruck to the mix…
Germany – No speed limit? No problem: Porsches on patrol
Porsche will offer a vehicle for almost every occasion in 2024, and this versatility extends to law enforcement. Porsche’s collaboration with the police dates back to the 356, an early example of which was used by the Austrian armed forces in 1958.
Since then, several Porsche models have found their way into German law enforcement, including nearly every generation of the 911, countless Cayennes and Panameras, as well as the odd special edition such as TechArt’s 911 Carrera S with modified aerodynamics, wheels and performance.
Porsche police cars are not limited to Germany. The Netherlands, Great Britain, Austria and other countries also use it. Although it is believed that Qatar now has the largest collection of Porsche police cars in the world.
Japan – Worth getting arrested just to look at: Nissan Skyline GT-R, Honda NSX and Mazda RX-7.
As in Britain, the typical Japanese patrol cars are nothing special, even if some of them are boulder variants look pretty crazy, to say the least. But there have been notable exceptions. The iconic R34 Skyline GT-R, first generation NSX and FD3S RX-7 have been used for quick response and promoting ‘safe driving’ – a bit of a contradiction.
Tochigi police clearly have an interest in Speedhunters, as their regular additions to promote road safety look exactly like the ultimate JDM dream garage: R35 Nissan GT-R, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Lexus LC 500, Honda S2000. For some obscure reason they even have a Mach 1 Ford Mustang. It’s clear that whoever is responsible for patrol car budgets at Tochigi Police would like to drive all their dream machines before they retire…
Whatever your opinion about the police and their involvement with motorists, there is something fascinating about rare, unusual or downright bizarre cars used for patrol or security duties. The countries mentioned offer a glimpse into the diverse world of police vehicles, but if you could only choose one, which one would you choose? Or which car did we miss that should have been here? Let us know in the comments below.
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