But what if there is another option? With the new Ford Taurus based Police Interceptor, departments are going to be losing one of the attributes they have long loved about the Crown Victoria. That would be rear-wheel drive. The loss of a V8 is less a factor since the new crop of Ford V6 engines crank out significantly more power than the Crown Victoria’s 2-valve 4.6 liter V8 ever dreamed of.
Consider for a moment the possibility of a new-age 2011 Mustang Police Interceptor. With the new 305hp 3.7 liter V6 and 412 hp 5.0 liter V8, law enforcement agencies like the California Highway Patrol would be able to give a serious look at either power train. And with the availability of a Mustang Police Interceptor they would be able to augment their fleets with solid-axle high-performance pursuit vehicles where needed.
Of course this isn’t without precedent. As we all know, Ford began offering the Special Service Package (SSP) Mustangs back in 1982 when the 5.0 V8 was reborn with 157hp. Laugh if you like, but back then that was a lot of power. The California Highway Patrol bought in first, followed by several states and local law enforcement agencies in the decade to follow. The Mustang with a badge became a staple for the highways and by-ways all through the 1980’s and 1990’s.
The reason the Mustang was tapped in the first place was because traditional police cruisers had become softer, smaller and less powerful than the big muscle cars law enforcement used to enjoy in the 1960’s and 1970’s. California needed a solid, fast car for high-speed pursuit on open freeways and the Mustang 5.0 was just what the doctor ordered. Many state highway patrol and trooper brigades agreed.
The Fox-Body Mustang 5.0 soldiered on for law enforcement until it was replaced by the all-new redesigned 1994 Mustang based on the SN-95 chassis. The reasons given back at the time for not continuing the SSP models were that the new interior was not large enough for all the equipment departments needed. While the overall package was similar in size, the new higher seating position, rounded flow-through dash and console, and steeply raked roof-line made installing computers, shot-guns, radios and other equipment much harder than before.
Fast forward to 2011. Today the Mustang is a significantly larger and far more solid car than the old Fox-Body Mustangs. The interior is much more expansive and the structure is much safer than it has ever been before. With the high-performance engines now on tap including the new 3.7 liter V6 and rip-snorting 5.0 V8, the Mustang could once again prove to be a valuable tool for law enforcement fleets.
A Mustang Police Interceptor could compliment the new crop of FWD based cruisers on the way by continuing to offer departments the ultra-high performance “chase-it and ticket-it” vehicles needed in some areas. And as we all remember from the 1980’s and 1990’s, the Mustang law enforcement vehicles always provide departments with a great public relations tool. One need only look toward the various police departments around the country who have already been using 2005-2009 Mustangs on their own to see that they do indeed work.
Whether or not Ford will be offering a 2011 Mustang Police Interceptor is anyone’s guess. But if they do you can bet they will be just as popular on the re-sale market as they would be to fleets around the country.
