New 2012 Ford Police Interceptor: Keep Your Friends Close...

Well I'm not sure if calling them the enemy is exactly fair, the police are there to protect us, after all. But as any car enthusiast knows, encounters with the law are inevitable and rarely fun. Regardless, Ford will be offering a new police car to officers around the country and sending the standard work-horse, the Crown Victoria, to the bone yard. Ford announced today its 2012 Ford Interceptor will be available to officers in late 2011, and will be chock full of all types of new goodies and gadgets to fight bad guys.

I never thought I would say this, but the Taurus looks simply intimidating. The outgoing Crown Victoria was intimidating because you knew the trouble it brought, and if it was behind you it was because you had done wrong and were about to be told so by a man with a gun. Not this one. The headlight housings are blacked out, and in place of fog lights are LED running lights, that have a strobe function. There are also blue and red LEDS surrounding the new, projector headlights. The push-bar has integrated red and blue strobes, as do the side mirrors. If you tell this cop you didn't see him behind you, he should have legal permission to arrest you for being too stupid to operate a car.

While the outside has plenty of upgrades from the outgoing car, and looks 100% "Johnny Law", the inside has even more upgrades and slick tech. The stock Taurus comes with a console-mounted shifter, but Ford moved that up to the steering column to make room for the police computer. The seats have been contoured for better support, and the lower portion of the bolsters have been removed to make room for an officer's utility belt. No doubt a wildly popular feature for those long shifts and stake-outs.

The coolest new feature is the application of Ford's SYNC technology to an officer's needs. When the system is turned on, the lights and sirens can be voice-activated, allowing the driver to keep his hands on the wheel and maintain complete focus. There's also the BLIS system (Blind Spot Identification System). It alerts the driver when a car is approaching the car's blind spot, although I doubt it will get much use, because when's the last time anyone ever passed a cop? I've been behind one doing 22MPH in a 25 zone. Normally I would pass the offending motorist and voice my opinion of them using some R-rated vernacular, but when it's a cop, I shut my mouth and keep my right foot steady.

The old Interceptor had a 4.5L V8 that made a measely 250hp, and had a snail's top speed of 120mph (135 for those with lower gearing for highway patrol). The new car will offer departments two engines: a 3.5L V6 making 265hp or the Eco-boost version that packs 365+hp. Both engines are more powerful than the old V8, and at the same time will reduce fuel costs and CO2 emissions. No matter what engine the car has, it will be faster, and able to give chase for longer, than the old model.

The new technology will mean faster response times, and a safer and more comfortable environment for our cops; all good things. As much as I hate getting pulled over, these people put their lives on the line every day, and are there when we need them. While pulling people over for a modified car isn't exactly saving mankind, when real bad guys show up I want our folks in blue to have every piece of technology possible to ensure their safety and quick success.

The 2012 Ford Interceptor certainly has the parts necessary to get the job done, and a face to advertise it. So if you happen to see a badass, blacked out Taurus riding your tail, don't hit the gas. If you do, the officer willl simply use the hands-free SYNC system, activate 1000 blinding strobes, an ear-splitting siren, and have your entire record and a list of your fears on his laptop...all without taking his hand off his Krispy Kream.

Press Release

Ford's new Police Interceptor sedan will be manufactured at Ford's Chicago (Ill.) Assembly Plant and will be offered without interruption when production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends in late 2011.

* 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.* 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.

* Reverse Sensing System: An audible tone will alert the driver to certain objects up to 6 feet behind the vehicle.

* Rear View Camera System: When the vehicle is in rear camera mode, a color image with guidance markers on the rear view mirror will assist the driver in backing up.

* 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.

* 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 side-view mirror.

The new vehicle also features:

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 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 Police Interceptor second row also has been optimized to address police-specific needs.

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.

Special features continue inside, too. "Working with our police partners, we've considered every detail," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. "Approximately 90 percent of the interior has been redesigned to meet the needs of our special police customers."Functional, inside and out

"This vehicle is pursuit-ready," said Carl Widmann, vehicle engineering manager. "It's no nonsense, through and through."

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 air flow throughout the vehicle. Plus, the standard 18-inch steel wheels are vented, designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.

Certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department evaluates the durability and capability of the vehicle through a variety of tests where the car's systems are pushed to the limits for nearly an hour and a half – far exceeding the demands most patrol cars ever experience.

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.Rigidly tested, police-tuned

"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," Fields said.

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.

EcoBoost brings municipalities and police fleet administrators the first ultra high-performance, yet environmentally friendly, police pursuit vehicle. Offering performance that bests normally aspirated V-8 powered police cruisers and comparable fuel economy and CO2 emissions to the standard V-6, EcoBoost represents a triple-win for police departments, the tax-paying constituents they serve and the environment they help collectively to preserve.

"We have an extremely powerful standard engine, and to top that off, we also offer our exclusive EcoBoost technology," said Tobin. "Both are designed for the severe-duty cycle that police engage in on a daily basis."

Plus, an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque across a broad rpm range.

A highly efficient 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility is 25 percent more efficient than the 4.6-liter Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) V-8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.

Ford's Police Interceptor engine strategy will provide a V-6 lineup that performs equal to or better than V-8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options, allowing police to choose the powerhouse that best meets their patrol requirements. Increased power, enhanced sophistication

The new Police Interceptor also features Ford's exclusive Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system to help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain air bags use Ford's unique Roll Fold technology to help them slip between the occupant and the side window.

Continuing Ford's safety leadership includes engineering the Police Interceptor to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing. Currently, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the only pursuit sedan to meet this test.

A focus on safety

"Their feedback mattered to us," said Scott Tobin, Ford vehicle line director for cars and crossovers. "Safety and durability were at the top of their list. So safety and durability were at the top of ours."

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.

"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 Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas.

Ford will also add a second Police Interceptor to the lineup, a utility vehicle to provide customers a choice of the best vehicle to suit their needs. More details will be released in the third quarter of this year.

Ford, the police vehicle market leader for 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.

Las Vegas, March 12, 2010 – Ford reveals its all-new, purpose-built Police Interceptor sedan today, showcasing a car for law enforcement officials that will exceed the durability, safety, performance and fuel economy of the industry's leading police car – the Ford Crown Victoria – while also confirming production of a Police Interceptor utility vehicle.

* Ford confirms production of an additional Police Interceptor, a utility vehicle that will be pursuit-rated to complement the sedan; vehicle to be revealed later this year

* Ford's new Police Interceptor will be offered without interruption when production of the Ford Crown Victoria ends in late 2011

* New Ford Police Interceptor sedan will offer two fuel-efficient powertrain options – including EcoBoost with all wheel-drive – along with an array of safety technologies; interior has been designed to meet unique law enforcement needs

* Ford reveals its all-new, purpose-built Police Interceptor, engineered to exceed durability, safety and performance of today's leading police car – the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

ALL-NEW FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR PURPOSE-BUILT TO LEAD MARKET, SUPPORT THOSE WHO SERVE, PROTECT

Source: Ford