Law enforcement departments all across the globe use a variety of vehicles for various purposes. However, out of the fleet, the patrolling vehicles in particular that police use have always been of great interest to wheel enthusiasts. These cars serve much more than just the primary purpose of getting the job done - including an expression of prosperity, commitment, and sometimes to deliver essential road safety messages.
There is hardly any auto brand that has not made it into the police department in some capacity. There are sensible cars that are confined to duty, and then there are supercars that do more of raising awareness than daily tasks. Of late, police departments globally have been adding both beauties and beasts to their fleet that have got us envying the cops. Exploring the world of cop cars, here are 10 models that range from sensible, duty-driven vehicles to inexplicably fast metal monsters.
1 Bugatti Veyron: United Arab Emirates
The Dubai police boast the most lavish fleet in the world adorned with the likes of Lamborghini, Ferrari, and McLaren. However, the most talked about of all is the Bugatti Veyron. With a top speed of an insane 253 mph (407 km/h), Bugatti Veyron is one of the world's fastest cars used by any police department. The mid-engine speed machine is powered by a humongous 7993 cc 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged WR16 engine.
Owing to its super setup, the car can produce an insane 987 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque. Expectedly, the figures translate wonderfully on the track allowing acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in merely 2.6 seconds. Well, that certainly gives the UAE police a world of an edge over troublemakers.
2 Brabus Rocket: Germany
No amazement there! Germany has no dearth of luxuriously fast options to paint in police colors. The German forces are world renowned for driving BMW M5, the Audi RS6, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, and many more in the same trajectory. And one of those roaring machines in the garages of German Polizei is the Brabus Rocket. The Rocket is a speed head that boasts a top speed of 227 mph (365.7 km/h.)
The car comes with a humongous 6,233 cc 6.3-liter M275 Brabus SV12 S Biturbo V-12 engine that promises mega performance like nothing else. Just in case you didn't know, the Brabus Rocket is the modified version of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (W219) that remained in production from 2004 till mid-2010. Brabus added more displacement and run capabilities to the vehicles. As a result, the Brabus Rocket can go from nil to 100 km/h in just 3.7 as opposed to the Mercedes top version which took over 4 seconds.
3 Nissan GT-R: Japan
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Japan’s situation is no less glorious than that of Germany’s when it comes to the selection of law-enforcement vehicles. The police corps in Japan must take pride in the dozens of reliable vehicle varieties they keep adding to its fleet - that come from the house of Honda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi. In 2018, the Nissan GT-R aka the Godzilla was added to Japan police's fleet to aid them in their daily operations. An icon, the GT-R brought a significant change in the way a sports car is engineered. As per Nissan's NISMO Twitter, the introduction of GT-R in the force is “Bad news for bad guys!” We can't argue on that one really!
4 HSV GTS: Australia
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NotNew South Wales Police Department’s introduction of HSV GTS was intended to spread the message of road safety. The effort succeeded, we can guess, as the GTS' top specs attracted people's attention within no time of its hiring for cop duties. The top-end model, HSV GTSR W1 dubbed the "fire-breathing powerplant" produces 474 kW at a screaming 6500 rpm thanks to its mega 6162 cc 6.2-liter 'LS9' Supercharged V-8 engine. The GTS is also the fastest car in the HSV lineup. The car can achieve a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h) at an acceleration that takes it from nil to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds.
5 Lamborghini Huracan: Italy
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Beautifying an already pretty luxurious fleet that includes Alfa Romeos and Lotuses, a couple of Lamborghini Huracans were donated to Italian police in a bid to spread road safety awareness. The Huracan comes in 2-door coupe and convertible variants, and of course, we can see why it is not the prime duty vehicle. But, given Huracan's power capabilities, the car surely would do the job of intimidating bad guys on the run. The Huracan features a 5.2-liter odd-firing V-10 engine that allows a top speed of 323 km/h. Prior to Huracan, Lamborghini Gallardo was selected to serve the public of Italy. Well, that's enough for us to conclude that Italian cops must be digging their shifts.
6 Dodge Charger: United States
The Dodge Charger has got to be one of the fastest American police cars of all time. Serving up as a trusty patrol car for decades, engines are available in different capacities with the top 2022 model boasting a massive Supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI High-Output SRT V-8 engine generating up to 797 horsepower.
What's more, The law-abiding Charger can pull off 0-100 mph within just 6.4 seconds. Besides the power, the Charger's road-friendly design and spacious interiors make it a smooth ride for cops to take on any mission. All put together, the Charger is among the most deserving contenders to be given the title of the perfect cop car.
7 Ford Focus: United Kingdom
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Hands down, the Ford Focus is the UK police’s favorite drive for a number of reasons. The hatchback is generously powerful, reliable, and specially designed to go on long runs. In addition, it's more fuel-efficient than most other cars on the roster. In other words, the Focus checks every box that dutiful cops might have on their vehicle selection checklist.
The third-generation Focus which remained in production till 2019 features a wide range of inline-four gas and diesel engines. However, the ones the cops use are a little more powerful and can produce up to 276 horsepower - meaning both efficiency and practicality for the police processes.
8 Ford Crown & Ford Taurus: United States
Arguably, the most police-friendly cars ever produced, Ford Crown and Ford Taurus were once at the forefront of police fleets across different states within the U.S. The Blue Oval modified several of its models for use in emergency operations called Ford Police Interceptors. The focus was to ease maneuverability, promise performance, reliability, and sturdiness. The cars have acquired a sort of iconic status as they proved to be highly suitable for cruising, chasing, and championing.
The strong relationship between Ford and the police department stretches decades back, and it's going strong even today. Amid rising competition among American automakers to win offers from forces, Ford remains the most used car brand in the law enforcement departments of the U.S. And, as the police kick off the switch to EVs, the maker has already begun selling EVs to the department. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, a battery-electric compact crossover SUV, is being used by New York City Police Department. We are excited to see what new EVs Ford will send to the department.
9 Spyker C8 Spyder: Netherlands
The Spyker C8 Spyder’s distinct design that spells sports might not appear the most suitable choice for police departments. However, the figures it carries on its resume tell why the C8 Spyker is the splendor of law enforcement teams in the Netherlands. The first generation C8 Spyder features the Audi 4.2-liter V-8 engine that's capable of generating up to 398 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque.
The initial high-end models feature turbocharged engines, while the later models got supercharged engines. As a result, the power in the latest models is genuinely massive. Just to bring home the point, the current C8 Spyder model can accelerate from nil to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds which is at par with the top supercars in the industry. The C8 Spyder boasts a top speed of 201 mph (324 km/h.)
10 Lexus LC 500: Japan
Lexus is the preferred luxury option as a cop car for forces in Japan. One of the top models they have is the Lexus LC 500 which you can spot decorated in police colors running through the streets of big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. By its appearance, it looks as though the future of keeping law has come around a bit earlier than expected.
Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, has long been renowned for producing the ideal blend of equal parts style and performance. Keeping tradition, the Lexus LC 500 is installed with a 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE V-8 engine capable of producing 471 horsepower. The Lexus has also been seen in other countries serving in the enforcement department. For instance, the Lexus IS-F is being used by police departments in the United Kingdom as well.