[TAG UR IT]

Crown Vic faces squad car rival
Sporty Dodge Charger aiming for throne
November 24, 2007

BY JEFF KAROUB

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The police car you see on the roadside -- or in your rearview mirror, if luck's not on your side -- might not look as you expected.

The sporty upstart Dodge Charger is aiming to challenge the Ford Crown Victoria as chief of police cars. Chrysler LLC's full-size model that debuted in 2006 is no immediate threat to the Crown Vic or Chevrolet Impala, the market's other major player, but the Charger is gaining momentum in a market that sells 75,000 vehicles a year as national tests cite its speed and handling.

"We've been steadily gaining market share and acceptance for the police vehicle since its inception," said Chrysler spokeswoman Shawn Morgan. "We see that trend continuing."

It's a small dent in the automotive industry, which expects to sell about 16 million cars this year. But it's an important niche for automakers, because it gives them a chance to put their products to the test when life -- or at least the law -- is on the line.

"That vehicle has to accommodate a bunch of requirements -- it's an officer's first-aid station, comfort area for accident victims, command post for a crime scene. Next thing you know, it's involved in a high-speed run, responding to a heart attack, chasing a criminal," said Lt. David Halliday, who leads the Michigan State Police's annual vehicle tests that serve as a national standard for law enforcement.

"We really ask" the automakers "to do an enduring duty for the public that's often underestimated," he said.

Automakers don't break out data for sales to law enforcement agencies.

John Felice, Ford Motor Co.'s director of North American fleet operations, said Ford forecasts flat sales this year for police cars and controls about 80% of the market.

The latest round of police vehicle tests on 2008 models found the Charger with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine had the fastest acceleration, highest top speed and among the shortest braking distances.

"Law enforcement has always liked good performance in a vehicle," Halliday said. "For example, the" 5.7-liter "Charger has a top speed of" nearly "150 m.p.h. If you're in the market for a vehicle that has that kind of performance, that kind of vehicle will fit the bill."

Halliday said his testing team doesn't assign scores to the vehicles or declare winners. It assesses what each vehicle offers and how it can be applied to a department's mission. The tests also include road racing course times on a 2-mile course. The winners: the V-8 versions of the Dodge Charger and Magnum wagon.

Halliday said the Charger also has an advanced stability-control system, which senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and avoid a rollover. He said his team is working with the other automakers on developing such systems for their police vehicles.

Likewise, many agencies opt for the Impala because it has front-wheel drive, which offers additional traction control in slippery conditions, he said.

Halliday said he believes the Charger might be garnering attention because it offers a new option in the market, long dominated by Ford and General Motors Corp.'s Chevy division.

Chrysler returned to the police car market in 2000 after a 14-year absence, but received what Halliday called a "lukewarm response from law enforcement" to its Dodge Intrepid. The Charger has been much better received, he said.

A State Police spokeswoman says the department currently has about 670 Crown Victorias and 10 Chargers.

Ford's Felice said the Dearborn automaker keeps a close eye on competitors but also works closely with law enforcement and is confident that it is continuing its 50-year tradition of making safe, affordable, roomy and reliable vehicles for law enforcement agencies.

"Really when you look at the overall police market. It's really ... not an individual attribute," Felice said. "It's who brings the product to the marketplace that meets the collective needs of this customer, the police officer."

Despite the new cars entering the police segment, Ford remains the dominant player, Felice said.

Gene Taylor, the police chief in Belleville, said his small department has used Ford vehicles for several years, but bought a Charger a year ago and plans to buy another. He said his department, which has five cruisers, sought another option after having major problems with several Crown Victorias and came across the relaunched Charger.

Taylor, who describes himself as "an old Dodge boy," initially thought Chrysler was using an old nameplate to promote a new product. But he tested all three automakers' offerings at a Chrysler event and came away impressed with the Charger's handling and performance.

"It's lived up to the hype so far," he said.

Halliday says all three automakers are making vehicles that stand up to the rigors of law enforcement.

"Competition is good for law enforcement," he said. "It strengthens the industry in making the vehicles capable across the board for a variety of missions."

[SilverTurtle]

not only does it outperform and outhandle the CV, it also gets better mpg

and it looks cooler on the highway in black and white... its no surprise to me that we have so many of them popping up in police service in central TX... I knew they were coming when I saw a DODGE police test mule one day on I35 in Austin... looked like a cop car, but had "DODGE" and the Ram logos all over it instead of a police department name... that was about 2-2.5 years ago

[stovt001]

I've already seen an undercover Charger cop car in Pasadena. I don't expect to see too many any time soon though, as police departments don't upgrade their fleet very often. Since departments fabricate many of the custom equipment that goes into a cop car, they like sticking with one model for as long as possible.

[alleykt123]

Originally Posted by stovt001

I've already seen an undercover Charger cop car in Pasadena. I don't expect to see too many any time soon though, as police departments don't upgrade their fleet very often. Since departments fabricate many of the custom equipment that goes into a cop car, they like sticking with one model for as long as possible.

Irwindale has had a couple of Charger cruisers for over a year, and I saw an El Monte cruiser last week. It would appear that they are, indeed here and not only as undercover vehicles.

[SilverTurtle]

Originally Posted by stovt001

I've already seen an undercover Charger cop car in Pasadena. I don't expect to see too many any time soon though, as police departments don't upgrade their fleet very often. Since departments fabricate many of the custom equipment that goes into a cop car, they like sticking with one model for as long as possible.

really? as soon as they became available in Texas, they spread like wildfire... at first, it was just a couple of under cover cars... and then they were everywhere... big police departments, small departments, sherrifs, state troopers, etc... they all have them now... in every color except red, basically.

I have also seen a couple of the Magnums in Fire Department trim.

[DGthe3]

We have a few Charger cruisers up where I live. They look mean! The other cop cars are Impala's. Haven't seen a crown vic in a long time

[stovt001]

Well a family member is in law enforcement, and he told me that at least for his department, they will hold on to the CVPIs as long as possible because they have so many parts for them and they have all the equipment and process set up to fabricate all their Crown Vic custom parts. He's on a large department, so they couldn't switch completely over for a very, very long time. Since it would difficult, expensive, and just plain inefficient to have to custom produce two different sets of equipment, his department doesn't intend to switch over any time soon. They have Crown Vics and Tahoes, and they just don't want to add a third vehicle to learn how to service and to design equipment for. As I said, in time it will happen, but at least for his department it won't be soon.

[Scotsman]

It would be nice for people who drive like idiots to see a huge Dodge grill in their rearview with lights, that would really throw the salt in the wounds because they weren't expecting a Dodge on their tail in the first place.

Ford hasn't modified the CV's design for ages and it doesn't seem like they're going to change that anytime soon either. It would surely be nice if various law enforcement agencies switched to Chrysler or GM cars, but with familiarity comes comfort. G8 GT CHP cars would look sick in my mind, hopefully we'll see something like that one day.

[TAG UR IT]

We're testing the Chargers, Tahoes, and Impalas. I pray to God we all get Chargers....BUT....the money issue is the main thing. Plus, we have a surplus of new CV's in back parking lots just waiting to be outfitted w/ light bars, etc. We "mile out" our cars at 65,000 now....and that doesn't take too long to do...maybe 6 months, I'd say? They are pretty much driven 24 hours a day.

I sure hope they start buying Chargers. I love the look, the feel, etc. and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

[SSRich]

90% police around here is in a Impala they are harder than crap to spot the others is white dodge intrepid and a few crown vics.

[stovt001]

Since there are so many departments in my area running so many different vehicles, I'm pretty good at picking out any undercover car from a distance. They use Crown Vics (if it isn't painted yellow, its probably police) old RWD Caprices/Impalas, Tahoes, and now the rare Charger.

[SilverTurtle]

Originally Posted by stovt001

Since there are so many departments in my area running so many different vehicles, I'm pretty good at picking out any undercover car from a distance. They use Crown Vics (if it isn't painted yellow, its probably police) old RWD Caprices/Impalas, Tahoes, and now the rare Charger.

we're in a similar boat here in central Texas... we have, on any given stretch of I35 between San Antonio and Dallas, at least 3 different constabularities that patrol the highways... add to that the fact that the DPS (state troopers) use trucks and SUVs to patrol for big rig infractions and you have a myriad of vehicles to look out for.

dont know if you have any of them out there yet, but the new hotness in Police cars around here are Chargers and CVs that appear to be one solid color, but actually have a matte colored section that says "Police" or "Sherrif" on the side... some departments have even taken that a little farther and made it where their whole department's name and the "911" logo are all in this special matte colored paint... its quite deceptive, unless you're smart enough to notice it the first time and then know what you're looking for

[stovt001]

As I said, if you see a Crown Vic and it isn't painted like a taxi, chances are it is law enforcement of some sort. Every so often there is a non-law enforcement government owned CV, or some old guy driving one when they still sold them retail, or someone who bought an old CVPI at auction. For Tahoes and Impalas you can generally see the emergency lights through the windows. The one undercover Charger I've seen was only given away by the law enforcement trademark steel wheels. When I saw those I did a double take and only then saw all the usual undercover signs, so it was really well done. Usually they stick out like a sore thumb to me.

[stevenm357]

To the guys testing the car, be careful. There are a LOT of them in WV in the hands of our sheriff, and a couple in the city. The city is having problems, it can't keep a fuel pump in the car! they don't run empty either they have their own gas pump. Also there is an Problem that some times when out start the car let it warm up and then refuse to run anything over 20 MPH. stop the car, turn it off then restart it and it's fine.

They do look nice as a cruiser that's for sure!