Posted on 01/06/2019 3:22:59 PM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
Ahead of the Detroit auto show, Ford showed off something you might not want to see in your rearview mirror -- the 2020 Police Interceptor Utility. We’ve seen growing rumblings and leaks about this upcoming cruiser, and it looks like our speculations aren’t too far off. The 2020 Police Interceptor Pursuit will come standard with a hybrid all-wheel-drive system and is more potent than the outgoing model.
The standard powertrain for the 2020 Interceptor Utility is a 3.3-liter V6 mated to 10-speed automatic transmission. According to Ford, this combination bested the outgoing 3.7-liter powered model to 60 mph by 1.1 seconds and outperformed it to 100 mph by 4.7-seconds. If that’s not good enough, you can opt for more power from the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 -- which took top honors from the Michigan State Police after testing the competitive fleet of police utilities. There’s also a non-hybrid version of the 3.3-liter if you want to skip out on the high-tech drivetrain. That said, Ford claims the hybrid system could save taxpayers as much as $5,700 per car annually on fuel.
Of course, there’s more to the new Police Interceptor Utility than just new engines. New technology like the Police Perimeter Alert that uses sensors to monitor about 270-degrees of the vehicle to warn officers of any possible threats from their blind spots and an on-demand rear view camera should keep officers safer from surprise attacks from perps. Ford is also making its suite of driver assist tech like pre-collision assist with emergency braking and Pedestrian Detection to help make everyone safer around the new Interceptor. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the anti-stab plates behind the front seats.
The new body shell meets Ford’s standard 75 mph rear-impact test -- a staggering 25 mph faster than the federal standard. That means the structure should help keep occupants safer in case of a collision. The new body could also be an early look at Ford’s upcoming Explorer replacement.
The bad news -- you won’t be able to buy one: at least, not anytime soon. You should start seeing these roll out onto roadways later this year. Hopefully, you don’t spot one in your rearview mirror.
I remember when Florida highway patrol bought a bunch of black boss 302 mustangs for the interstate. They were so cool. Faaaast too.
A likely story! LOL
Never forget it. In high school my ride was a auctioned off 1973 Dodge Polara with a 440 Police Interceptor engine. Got it from the California Highway Patrol. Boy that thing moved....and drank gas. It could also carry a bunch of your friends...
Now my own personal favorite patrol car was the Dodge Charger. A little cramped but damn it moved and maneuvered nicely. The Crown Vic was another story. When I was a baby cop we had few 1990’s assigned to us. They had lots of room and were very comfortable. However the engines were dogs, took forever to get any speed and the suspension was really light, not a good feeling in a hurry.
Thanks - 5.5 sec 0-60 is respectable and you are correct - there are cars out there doing low 3’s.
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