2013 EXPLORER HIGHWAY 2014 CHARGER NORTH CAROLINA CVPI DRIVER
ĭespite some (primarily Canadian) jurisdictions electing to use front-wheel-drive sedans with smaller engines––mainly the Chevrolet Impala, the current iteration of which being a V6––the rear-wheel-drive V8 configuration is still widely preferred, due in part to its consistency with pursuit driver training, as well as generally greater reliability. Non-Crown Victoria police vehicles may be bought to diversify a police department's fleet in order to better minimize disruption should a recall occur. This has helped Dodge reclaim leadership in the market with the Dodge Charger Pursuit, as of 2012. In September 2011, however, Ford discontinued the Crown Victoria in favor of the 6th-generation Taurus. Other models such as the Chevrolet Impala (8th and 9th generations), Chevrolet Tahoe and Dodge Charger also gained a percentage of the market. In an attempt to better combat the threat of rear-end impacts that highway patrol vehicles face when stopped on the shoulder, new models can be optionally equipped with a fire suppression system. Since the termination of the North American Chevrolet Caprice model in 1996 (though it would subsequently return in 2010 for exclusive law enforcement use), the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor replaced it as the standard patrol car, however, most Ford Crown Victorias have now been phased out. The Ford LTD, Plymouth Gran Fury, and Chevrolet Caprice were re-adopted as standard when the models were downsized in the late 1970s. Some state highway patrols (including those of California and Missouri) adopted pony cars, such as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and AMC Javelin for use as high-speed pursuit vehicles. In the United States and Canada, police departments have historically used standard-size, low-price line sedans since the days of the Ford Model A, although many police departments switched to intermediates––such as the Plymouth Satellite, Ford Torino, and AMC Matador––in the 1960s and 1970s. Chrysler held this lead until the 1970s energy crisis drove buyers to smaller cars, and Chrysler subsequently discontinued their rear-drive platform after the 1989 model year. V8s, Torqueflite transmissions, and torsion bar suspensions giving them a compelling advantage. In 1969, Plymouth took first place in the police market, with Chrysler's 440 cu. This ended the practice of some state police buying larger and more powerful, but higher-priced models including Buicks, Hudsons, and Chryslers. Foremost amongst these was the Ford package of 1950, which utilized the larger and more powerful Mercury engine in the smaller, lighter Ford. In the 1940s and 1950s, the " Big Three" (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) began to offer specialized police packages with severe duty parts. In turn, this gave the company a market-capturing edge that lasted until 1968. Since the 1920s, the New York City Police Department has employed a fleet of Radio Motor Patrol vehicles to aid in its fight against crime within the city.įord's introduction of the flathead V-8 in its Model 18 in 1932––the first low-priced, mass-marketed car with a V8 engine––proved popular amongst police departments and led to strong brand loyalty. The first police car was a wagon run by electricity on the streets of Akron, Ohio in 1899. A Communications Division Command Post vehicle in service with the New York City Police Department.