Chrysler, BMW and Kia Join The Police Fleet
BMW 530d – confirmed as part of the Victoria Police fleet.
I don’t know if they were actually putting bets on it anywhere (although I wouldn’t be surprised) but when Holden and Ford Australia closed their factory doors, the big question for a lot of us who are interested in motoring and car news was what the cops were going to drive for their regular patrol and pursuit cars. You see, up until the closure of Ford and Holden’s factories on these shores, the cops, being a wing of the government and hence keen on supporting local industry, drove Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores, to the point that wary drivers who like to push the limits a wee bit went on high alert at the mere sight of a white Dunny-Door (aka Commodore) in the distance. As a matter of fact, the boys and girls in blue were required to drive locally built vehicles.
But the rule that says the cops had to drive locally built vehicles was scrapped. Then the fun of the guessing game started. There were all sorts of speculations going on. Would we get the hot-looking new Kia Stinger on the roads in police livery? The more obscure Genesis G8 from Korea? Or something else?
The speculations have now ended, and the police departments of various states have made their choices. Here’s the list of vehicles that will be a welcome sight if you’ve picked up the phone to report a burglary… or an unwelcome sight in the rear view mirror if it’s got the disco lights going and you know you’ve been driving naughtily.
Chrysler 300 SRT: OK, one of the reasons why they picked this one is possibly because it’s made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Australia, which still has a humming factory. The other reasons are because it’s got a feisty 6.4-L naturally aspirated V8 engine (350 kW and 637 Nm) with a very snappy 0–100 sprint time (4.5 seconds). It’s also a nice, big sedan with lots of room for all the gear that cops need (and space for arrested suspects in the rear where they can’t kick the driver through the back of the seat). The NSW Police announced in December 2017 that they’d be kitting out a bunch of these (the exact number is unknown but it’s probably got three digits) as patrol and pursuit vehicles. The downside is that it’s a thirsty brute.
BMW 530d: The Victorian Police confirmed that they’d be getting at least some examples of the diesel-powered German mid-sized sedans for the highway patrol fleet, with 80 confirmed for about now. While the Beemer is a shade less powerful than the Chrysler (we need a nickname for Chrysler – any suggestions?), it’s possible to get these straight from the factory with the police pack ready installed. Cops all through Europe drive the 5-series sedan so it’s proved its worth in fighting crime. In fact, BMW is one of the few manufacturers that actually have vehicles rolling off the factory lines ready to go on patrol duty. Apparently, they take out some of the luxurious bells and whistles that you get in the everyday civilian versions and replace them with the gadgets that a modern police force needs. The BMW 530d – at least the civilian version – is powered by a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel delivering 195 kW of power and 620 Nm.
Kia Sorento: South Australia Police confirmed in January that they’d be getting some of these popular Korean SUVs and giving them a try-out. Apparently, the safety record of the Sorento was one of the more appealing features motivating this choice, as the Sorento came through crash testing with very high marks. The seven-seater’s got lots of room (great for K-9 teams) although it’s not as peppy as the Chrysler and the Beemer, with the 2.2-litre 4 cylinder turbodiesel delivering 147 kW and 441 Nm. They say that the brakes are going to get an upgrade for patrol purposes because the cops are pretty hard on the old braking systems.
Kia Stinger: The very hot-looking new sedan has been spotted in the livery of the Queensland Police force. Apparently, it wasn’t just the nippy 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (182 kW and 353 Nm) that made it attractive: it’s also great braking and cooling systems that passed the rather punishing tests that the Powers That Be put them through (a Ford Mustang from overseas failed these tests and was bumped off the shortlist). The fact that the Stinger looks great and is a newly unveiled model is also likely to help with police liaison activities with schools and the like.
It’s still early days and some of the vehicles are just being trialled for active duty in various states, and there are a few others that might be used, such as overseas-built Commodores. However, out of the list of what’s been confirmed, which of these vehicles would be the one that gets your heart racing the most, whether it’s the vehicle that appeals most to your inner small kid who hero-worships the cops, or the one you’d least like to see bearing down on you with the disco lights going?
Level 2, 9 Help Street
Barry MacDonald says:
As an owner of a Grand Cherokee SRT I like the Chrysler 300 SRT. Cant beat the 6.4 litre Hemi.
Cheers
Barry
March 26th, 2018 at 5:13 pm