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I have discovered that a lot of people are under the impression that a "police package" car is very fast and very maneuverable. They seem to think a police packaged Crown Victoria, Dodge Intrepid, or Chevy Impala can go toe to toe with some sports cars and muscle cars.
A few years ago when I was driving an LS1 powered Camaro Z28 I had some guy in an unmarked Crown Vic trying to race me. Wasn't a cop obviously, but someone who had purchased the car after the force had retired the car and sold it. He told me something like, "You don't want none of this, it's got the police package".
Well let me dispel any rumors or doubt here.
A 2009 Crown Victoria weighs in at 4,100 lbs, is powered by a 4.6l DOHC V8 which makes 250HP and 297TQ.
The Camaro I was driving was an '01 with the LS1, weighs 3,400 lbs, is powered by a 5.7l OHC V8 which makes 350HP and 370TQ, plus I had a few low level mods on it.
It's not just this idiot driving an old unmarked Crown Vic either, but a lot of people seem to think that police cars are some very fast cars. For anyone unfamiliar with modifications on a car to make it faster or more maneuverable let me break it down this way, the mods they do to police cars barely goes above what the car was before it was turned into a police car.
The biggest disadvantage all police cars have is weight. Due to the roll cage, the bumper they put in the front, all the electronics and other equipment inside the average police car will weigh 300-500 lbs more than its factory civilian counterpart. The mods they put on these cars aren't headers, cam, turbo, supercharge, or nitrous or anything like that which would add some serious power. It's usually a tune, more free flowing exhaust, superior tires, performance shocks, etc. Pretty low level stuff when it comes to making an already heavy 4 door sedan "faster".
Is it just stupid people who don't know a lot about cars who believe this? Someone help break this down for me and why there are a lot of people out there who think police cars are SO fast.
These are often people who have just never driven anything faster and think 250hp and 300tq feels quick. It's the same reason someone races around in a Civic. When I first started driving, sub 150hp cars felt quick to me. Over the years the cars I've owned have been going up in power (100hp, 222hp, 280hp, 330hp, 400hp+) with relatively similar weights so when I'm driving the more reasonably powered cars (like my wife's Accord) I have zero desire to drive like an idiot because I know just how slow and underpowered the car really is.
Last edited by iTsLiKeAnEgG; 01-10-2014 at 02:40 PM..
These are often people who have just never driven anything faster and think 250hp and 300tq feels quick. It's the same reason someone races around in a Civic. When I first started driving, sub 150hp cars felt quick to me. Over the years the cars I've owned have been going up in power (100hp, 222hp, 280hp, 330hp, 400hp+) with relatively similar weights so when I'm driving the more reasonably powered cars (like my wife's Accord) I have zero desire to drive like an idiot because I know just how slow and underpowered the car really is.
This is probably the most accurate reason. These people just don't know what a fast car feels like. Sure 250HP can throw you back in your seat as compared with a 170HP car if that's what you're used to. I guess I shouldn't hold it against them, it's just likely that they don't have any experience with fast cars.
The power in my cars has been going up as well, 140hp, 163hp, 200hp, 350hp. My next car will probably be a gas sipper though, looking at about 160HP I believe.
While I'll agree with some of what you're saying, if you tried that move against my old (2011) Dodge Charger Interceptor, 5.7L V8 370 hp, 395 lb-ft, Hemi- Pursuit model, you would've been an easy take down, that old birds only problem was the wear down on the brakes, other then that, it was truly the fastest vehicle we ever had on the rolls.
I had that baby in the shop once a month for PM and the Charger was good to go, our old Crown Vic was the complete package and very reliable, but our Charger Interceptor Hemi was built for speed and turns on a dime everytime. I've since retired, but I'm always on the lookout for cool muscle car that makes the grade, today I drive a pick up, lol. But, I hear what your saying.
I've seen some of those ass clowns out there myself.
While I'll agree with some of what you're saying, if you tried that move against my old (2011) Dodge Charger Interceptor, 5.7L V8 370 hp, 395 lb-ft, Hemi- Pursuit model, you would've been an easy take down, that old birds only problem was the wear down on the brakes, other then that, it was truly the fastest vehicle we ever had on the rolls.
I had that baby in the shop once a month for PM and the Charger was good to go, our old Crown Vic was the complete package and very reliable, but our Charger Interceptor Hemi was built for speed and turns on a dime everytime. I've since retired, but I'm always on the lookout for cool muscle car that makes the grade, today I drive a pick up, lol. But, I hear what your saying.
I've seen some of those ass clowns out there myself.
I'll give a nod to the Chargers. At least they are packing a decently powered V8 on a RWD car. If I ever find out the police are using SRT-8 6.4 HEMI Chargers I will have immense respect for them, those things are INSANELY fast.
If you don't mind me asking what's the 1/4 mile time on that car? Obviously we can't race them, and obviously I'd never run from the police or try to race an actual police car, but I do think the light weight of the Camaro at 3,400 lbs compared with a 4,000 lbs Charger would make up for the slight difference in power.
I'll give a nod to the Chargers. At least they are packing a decently powered V8 on a RWD car. If I ever find out the police are using SRT-8 6.4 HEMI Chargers I will have immense respect for them, those things are INSANELY fast.
If you don't mind me asking what's the 1/4 mile time on that car? Obviously we can't race them, and obviously I'd never run from the police or try to race an actual police car, but I do think the light weight of the Camaro at 3,400 lbs compared with a 4,000 lbs Charger would make up for the slight difference in power.
That Charger isnt much different than a stock Charger R/T. Low 14's in quarter mile. 0-60 in low 5's. Just a tick better than a Hemi Chrysler 300
Depends on what the police order. Some aren't much different than the consumer model. Some have stronger suspension components and or higher output engine. Not many local police can afford a fleet of the tricked out models so they buy the standard model and maybe a few pursuit models.
The biggest disadvantage all police cars have is weight. Due to the roll cage, the bumper they put in the front, all the electronics and other equipment inside the average police car will weigh 300-500 lbs more than its factory civilian counterpart.t.
Ive done quite a bit of LEO training the past few years and I have yet to see a police car with a roll cage in it.
Only a couple that were routinely used exclusively for the battering of road blocks during live ammo drills ever had a cage that Ive seen.
As noted though, most police package mods are aimed towards severe duty, and the added electronics that are carried in a police duty vehicle and with all the added weight of such most are actually slower and less agile than the civilian counterpart.
Ive actually had 17 year old girls who before some training were scared to death to really push the pedals of a car on track, after a couple hours of training, absolutely smoke ego fueled LEOs in their police package CVs with a Dodge Neon on track. All because she was more open to critique and instruction than the LEOs. Its pretty funny to watch someone who comes across as a steroid jacked jar head sulk down in their seat in embaressment as you tell them, "well I hope you never have to chase that lil girl without your radio."
That Charger isnt much different than a stock Charger R/T. Low 14's in quarter mile. 0-60 in low 5's. Just a tick better than a Hemi Chrysler 300
That's what I figured. LS1's are good for mid to low 13's. Mine ran a 13.5 on regular street tires with just an exhaust, my first time out to the track. I've run a few R/T's on the highway, end result is always the same, their huge weight holds them back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by victimofGM
Depends on what the police order. Some aren't much different than the consumer model. Some have stronger suspension components and or higher output engine. Not many local police can afford a fleet of the tricked out models so they buy the standard model and maybe a few pursuit models.
Even with stronger suspension or a "higher output engine" these cars are not that much faster than their standard model counterparts. We're talking maybe a 20-30HP difference with some improved cornering, nothing drastic, and nothing that will make these cars able to run down sports cars/muscle cars. I just need to break it down to these people in simpleton terms I suppose, or just let them live in the fantasy world where they think their cars are really fast. But fast is a subjective term, and it's not easy or even practical to argue semantics.
Yeah to be honest they arent designed to be faster but I would be willing to bet that an "interceptor" version of anything will outlast most things on the road. They are designed to pursue all day long when most stock cars brakes, transmission, cooling gives out.
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