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Ford Police Interceptors 2013
By Aaron Turpen Sep 23 2012 - 4:53am

Ford Police Interceptors winning Michigan State Police tests

The Michigan State Police have been testing potential vehicles for addition to their fleet and the results show that Ford's Interceptors are coming out on top.

Recent testing conducted by the MSP had both the Ford Police Interceptors - both the sedan and SUV - beating the competition for quickness and speed. All while equipped not with large displacement V8 engines, but with smaller EcoBoost 6-cylinder engines instead.

The Police Interceptor sedan posted the fastest 0-60 mph, 0-80 mph, and 0-100 mph acceleration speeds in the competitive lineup. It also set the fastest single lap and average lap times in the State Police roundup of test vehicles.

The Police Interceptor utility vehicle was no slouch either, posting the best 0-60 mph and 0-80 mph acceleration times as well as the fastest single lap and average lap times.

Testing took place at the Grattan Raceway where the Michigan State Police conducted testing to fit requirements for their first responder and public safety fleets. Zero to speed testing (conducted in 0-60, 80 and 100 mile per hour segments) is to determine the speed at which the police vehicle will accelerate to meet speeding motorists, respond to emergencies, catch a fleeing suspect, and so forth. Lap speeds determine the rate at which the vehicle can comfortably post itself for longer distance response needs.

Also tested are handling and control and braking abilities. Agility testing and braking distances from speed are measured in the MSP tests to ensure public safety is inherent in the vehicle, no matter its speed capabilities. Post-event, the vehicles are then thoroughly inspected for flaws or defects that could indicate reliability issues.

The Ford vehicles were up against some of the leading police fleet options in the nation. Throughout, the 8-cylinder engine was common with many of the competitors showing robust track handling and speed abilities. The faster achievement of maximum torque won the day, however, with Ford's EcoBoost proving itself on the track.

While the results are not final yet, the day did show that Ford's work towards producing police pursuit vehicles with smaller engines and smarter transmissions is clearly paying off. Many law enforcement and emergency response units in Michigan and other states use the MSP results in their fleet purchase decision making.

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Comments

Anonymous wrote on September 23, 2012 - 10:02pm
Look a little deeper. All of the times are very close. What I find interesting is that the Ford with it's complex twin turbo V6 with a smaller displacement gets worse mileage than the HEMI. Bottom line is that Ford has taken a car that was engineered for cheap production (i.e. front wheel drive architecture) and packed it with complex technology like AWD in an attempt to make it handle and twin turbos so that it can keep up. The result is a wash on paper. On the street we see a different story. After all the MSP is buying Chargers.
Aaron Turpen wrote on September 24, 2012 - 5:19pm
These tests will determine what will be purchased in 2013 and beyond, not this year. Most of the MSP fleet is Crown Victorias, not Chargers.
Anonymous wrote on October 2, 2012 - 9:42pm
But those Chargers are seriously bada$$. I saw one years ago as it left town, in a hurry. It left quite an impression- think Mad Max.