We can all admit that the PO-lice – pigs, the fuzz, the 5-0, the boys in blue – can be the worst nightmare of speed. It is, after all, their duty to uphold the law, which means preventing motoring enthusiasts from exceeding the speed limit anywhere but the race track. With that said, cops need to keep up with speeders and transporters and fugitives. Which is why police forces from around the globe have seen fit to give their law enforcement some serious machinery.
While these police force vehicles might not be as hardcore as Barricade from the Transformers saga, they’re still pretty damn impressive. It would’ve been all too easy to fill this article with any number of vehicles from the Dubai police force, but we’ve scoured the police forces from all over the world to bring together ten of the best automobiles used for the sake of law enforcement.
Lotus Evora – UK & ItalyThe Lotus Evora seems to be a rather popular police vehicle, used in both the United Kingdom and Italy. Both forces made use of an Evora S, powered by a mid-mounted 3.5-liter Toyota V6 that generates 345 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. With only two seats, they weren’t likely to be making any arrests, but with a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time and 172 mph top speed, they were certainly going to keep up with whoever tried to evade them in a chase. The Italian equivalent, for use by the Carabinieri, was purpose built with an organ fridge as the Evora was used primarily for rapid transit of donor organs.
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X – UKWho would’ve thought such a small country would need such rapid police vehicles? Well the counties of Essex and Yorkshire in the United Kingdom clearly do, as they saw fit to buy a batch of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Xs for their top cops. While officers in Humberside get a Lexus IS-F, those in these two counties drive 295-horsepower, all-wheel-drive road-going rally machines. Zero to 60 mph in under 5.5 seconds, and the ability to chase rapidly on paved or gravel roads must sure be a plus for these British cops.
Kia Stinger GT – AustraliaAustralian cops are tough. So tough in fact that when the time came to replace their V8 Ford Falcon GTs with something newer, not even a Mustang would do – as testing Down Under sent the ‘Stangs straight into a state of overheating. So what was the suitable replacement? Well, the Aussie-Rozzers have decided upon the Kia Stinger GT as a suitable replacement. That’s right; the rear-wheel-drive sport/luxury sedan from South Korea has cracked the nod for use on police duty as of this year, with 50 set to be delivered before December.
Powered by a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, the 365-hp sports sedan completes the 0-60 mph sprint in 4.6 seconds before topping out at 167 mph. And with sublime handling dynamics and an ability to resist engine and brake overheating, it seems like a solid choice.
Lamborghini Huracan – ItalyYou may remember the Lamborghini Gallardo of a few years ago decked out in light blue police livery for use in Italy. Well that car got written off in a high-speed chase, and naturally the Italians needed a replacement. Fortunately, Lamborghini had a replacement waiting in the wings, and so two Huracans have joined the Italian police force. They’ll be used for highway patrol and ‘regular’ police duties, but also for the high-speed transport of blood and organs. With all-wheel drive and a 601-hp V10, we’re pretty sure transport will be swift indeed!
Brabus Rocket CLS V12 730 hp – GermanyGermany produces some of the world’s best sports cars, so it’s no wonder they appear on this list. Teaming up with a range of tuning companies like ABT, Brabus, TechArt, AC Schnitzer, and the German automobile club, ADAC, the German police started an initiative called “Tune it! Safe!” to try and promote reputable tuning with high-quality components. The vehicles modified aren’t used in active duty, but rather used as show cars. Though the “Tune it! Safe!” fleet might feature R8s and 911s, those perhaps aren’t as manic as the Brabus Rocket CLS V12 that forms part of the force.
Brabus has taken the standard CLS65 AMG, complete with bi-turbo V12 engine, and turned it up to 11, with the 12-banger now producing 730 hp. The Brabus Rocket can achieve a 0-60 sprint of less than four seconds, before reaching a top speed of 225 mph. It’s almost a pity the German police don’t use these on a routine basis, as to only see them at car shows is a bit of a shame.
Dodge Charger Pursuit – USAThis list wouldn’t be complete without an American police cruiser on here; but be assured this is no Crown Vic. The 2018 Dodge Charger Pursuit is available with a Pentastar V6 engine, but how can your local sheriff the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 instead, generating 370 hp and sending it to the rear wheels or all wheels. Sure, it’s no Hellcat or Demon, but it sure as hell looks menacing enough to make you think twice about trying to run away. Bullet-resistant front door panels are standard, too, just to make this Charger a little more badass.
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) - JapanThe Japanese police have been known to drive a few nice cars, including an R35 Nissan GT-R and a Mazda RX-7. But the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) is the one that gets us drooling the most. After all, it’s a car famed in pop culture as much as car culture, powered by a 2.6-liter turbo straight-six that makes one of the most glorious noises ever, while propelling all 4 wheels with immense accuracy. Godzilla, famed for both road and track domination, would surely be enough to dissuade anyone from breaking the law, surely?
Caparo T1 RRV Police Pursuit Car – UKWhat is with the Brits and these insane police cars? It looks like a cross between an LMP1 race car and an Indy racer, and it develops 575 hp from a 3.5-liter V8. UK police claim it’ll sprint to 100 mph in under five seconds before maxing out at over 200 mph. Of course, once you stop the bad guys, you’ll have to wait for back-up, as the Caparo T1 only has 2 seats. Sadly, it wasn’t actually a real police car, but rather a safety message initiative to dissuade speedsters from trying their luck.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – ItalyThe Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio has been hailed as a proper M3 beater and the return to glory for the Italian brand. It makes sense then why the Italian Carabinieri – cops that are trained as military officers – might make use of it. It might not be as quick as their Huracan or Evora S, but the 500-hp, rear-wheel-drive Giulia QV, with its twin-turbo V6 and carbon-fiber driveshaft, can sure hustle, and even has space in the back for a couple of criminals, or gun-toting Italian paramilitary officers.
Dubai Police FleetThis list wouldn’t be complete without mention of the Dubai police fleet. What started initially as an extravagant marketing exercise has developed into a huge fleet that patrols popular tourist areas and is used for special events. The Dubai police fleet includes cars like the Aston Martin One-77, LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, Bugatti Veyron, Audi R8, BMW i8, Nissan GT-R, Lamborghini Aventador, Chevrolet Camaro SS, Ferrari FF, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and a range of other crazy machinery – they even bought a hoverbike recently. The fleet is so vast, it deserves a feature all of its own.
