2011 Ford Police Interceptors – Click above to view the videos after the jump
The long-serving Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor will take its final bow this year, leaving behind a legacy of protecting and serving that outstrips even the legendary Chevrolet Caprice. To fill the void left by the stout-but-dated Crown Vic, Ford is releasing a fleet of new Police Interceptors, and they’ve got a legacy to uphold.
Ahead of their launch, Dearborn pitted the new Interceptors against their competition from Dodge and Chevrolet, the Dodge Charger and the Chevrolet Tahoe. Ford is releasing 2011 Explorer and 2011 Taurus versions of the Interceptor, with the Explorer getting a 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 making 300 horsepower and the Taurus available with either a 3.5-liter 280-hp V6, or the 365 hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost mill from the SHO.
Ford is offering the Interceptors in front or all-wheel drive guise, eschewing the Crown Vic’s rear-drive-only platform. Click past the jump to see how Ford’s efforts stack up to the competition.
[Source: Ford]
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All-New Ford Police Interceptors Challenge Competitors in
New Web Series Testing Performance, Handling and Durability
• Ford readies for the launch of its all-new Police Interceptors – the largest fleet launch
in the company’s history – with an action-packed new web series that puts Ford’s
purpose-built Interceptors up against the competition
• Four experienced law enforcement officers from the United States and Canada put
the all-new Ford Police Interceptors and the competition through a series of realworld
police maneuvers and driving conditions to find out which is the most capable
• Ford’s new Police Interceptor sedan and utility, which debut after production of the
Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends later this year, are purpose-built to give law
enforcement agencies a comprehensive choice for pursuit vehicles
DEARBORN, Mich., March 7, 2011 – Ford, the leader in the police vehicle market, is putting
the company’s all-new Police Interceptor sedan and utility up against the competition in six
action-packed webisodes that debut today.
Cameras rolling, Ford turns its all-new Police Interceptors, which debut later this year, over to
the authorities for a series of competitive driving exercises against the Chevrolet Tahoe PPV
and Dodge Charger Pursuit, proving that Ford’s Police Interceptors are up for any challenge.
Officers test Interceptor power and performance on a black lake simulating slick conditions,
capability and durability in the Dog Bone gravel pit, and acceleration, handling and braking tests on a tight, aggressive cone course.
“We set out to develop our new Police Interceptors to not only meet the current leader – our
own Crown Victoria – but to exceed it and the competition,” said Lisa Teed, Ford Police
Interceptor marketing manager. “As we prepare for one of the biggest launches in our history of
developing police vehicles, we’re committed to remaining the nation’s largest provider. These
videos prove our new vehicles are purpose-built, capable, and deliver the safety, technology
and performance officers need to excel at their jobs.”
Rigorously tested, police-tuned
Proven on and off camera, Ford’s Police Interceptor sedan and utility have been put through
their paces, undergoing a battery of torture tests to ensure the vehicles’ individual components
can hold up to rigorous driving. Certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department proved out the durability and capability of the vehicles
through a variety of punishing tracks.
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Meeting a spectrum of needs
With the launch of the all-new sedan and utility Police Interceptor, Ford now provides a
complete package of performance and capability designed to meet the diverse and ever increasing needs of law enforcement agencies across the U.S. Ford’s pursuit-rated utility brings
versatility to law enforcement in times where resources are constrained and agencies have to
do more with less.
Ford’s portfolio provides departments the ability to select the vehicle that best meets their
needs. Agencies can now select from a combination of two bodystyles, all-wheel drive (AWD) or
front-wheel drive (FWD), and multiple powertrains delivering at least 20 percent more fuel
efficiency than the 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam (SOHC) V8 offered in the current Crown
Victoria Police Interceptor.
Ford’s new Police Interceptor utility vehicle is equipped with the highly efficient 3.7-liter V6
engine. This Ti-VCT engine, delivering at least 300 horsepower and E85 compatibility, is 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.
For the sedan, officers will have their choice of a highly capable 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering at
least 280 horsepower and E85 compatibility, or the 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V6 twin-turbocharged,
direct-injection engine delivering at least 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a
broad rpm range.
Both Ford Police Interceptors will be manufactured at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant and will
debut after production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends at the end of 2011.
Video links:
Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 1 – Performance & Handling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx8-QZfPwwc
Officers test power and performance on the handling course in Ford Police Interceptor sedans
with standard 3.5-liter V6 and optional twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, and the Ford Police
Interceptor utility with 3.7-liter V6
Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 2 – Wet Pad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tsbf6gTKG8
On a giant skid pad flooded with water, officers push the limits of handling and control in a Ford
Police Interceptor sedan and utility, Chevrolet Tahoe PPV and Dodge Charger Pursuit
Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 3 – Dog Bone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1wcUi-KIzs
The unmatched capability of the all-wheel-drive, pursuit-rated Ford Police Interceptor sedan and utility are demonstrated in the Dog Bone gravel pit
Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 4 – City Pursuit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJkvMNF_yvU
Officers test the acceleration, handling and braking of the Ford Police Interceptor sedan and
utility, the Chevrolet Tahoe PPV and Dodge Charger Pursuit on a tight, aggressive cone course
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and video, visit www.media.ford.com.
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Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 5 – Officer Protection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsL0H_4egCU
The next-generation Ford Police Interceptor is built to protect officers in the event of a crash,
and engineered to help them avoid a crash before it happens
Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drive 6 – Purpose Built:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sZGOJEAVT4
Two distinct Ford Police Interceptor models, on one common platform, are designed and
engineered from the ground up to help officers do their jobs better