Ford Police Interceptor (variant)

Ford Police Interceptor cars are police car variants of their originating cars, which are manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Like regular cars, all Police Interceptors go through as predecessors and successors.^{[clarification needed]}

Before the Police Interceptor[]

Police versions from Ford were originally sold, but had never used the Police Interceptor name. In 1951 the Ford Motor Company called their optional flathead V-8 the Interceptor and it was available in their Police Package. The practice at Ford of naming the Police Package motors "Interceptor" motors continued through the 1950's. The cars were made from 1979 up to 1991 as the Ford LTD Crown Victoria (not an official Crown Victoria, due to it originally just being a name). These cars used the "P72" production code designation for fleet, taxi, and police models.

Crown Victoria (1992-2011)[]

First generation (1992-1997)[]

() The Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor was the first Police Interceptor, first released in 1992.

The Crown Victoria was the first car of the Police Interceptor lineup. The first units were released in 1992, with a 4.6-liter Modular V8 engine and either a Ford AOD/AOD-E or a Ford 4R70W, which were both 4-speed automatic transmissions.

Although the Crown Victoria did have police versions back in 1979 up to 1991, the car never used the Police Interceptor moniker. Those older versions, including fleet and taxi, were known as "P72" in production code. 1992 was the first year the Police Interceptor name was ever used, with these known as the Crown Victoria P71.

Throughout 1993 to 1995, many restyles had come in. The car was updated with a front chrome grille, and also included a reflector strip between the taillights. The license plate location was moved to the rear trunk for 1995.

In the years 1994-1995, 140 of the P71 cars had entered Russia, serving for the Main Directorate for Road Traffic Safety (known under its abbreviation ГАИ, GAI in English), which is a Russian law enforcement agency, part of the police. They were operated by the Russian Traffic Patrol, known in Russia as DPS, and the cars worked as highway patrol units around the greater Moscow area until the 2010s, being one of the most powerful vehicles used by the DPS.^[1]

Second generation (1998-2011)[]

(Prince William County Police Department) The second generation Crown Victoria came out in 1998, with updated technology and new parts.

The Crown Victoria was restyled for the 1998 year, taking the conservative styling of the Mercury Grand Marquis. The car also went through many changes during its 13-year generation.

For 1998, the P71 police package adopted many chrome areas for the car. For 1999, a chrome-trimmed gloss black rear fascia, unpainted door handle trim, black bumper strips, and a gloss black slatted grille were introduced. The new "Street Appearance Package", intended to make the Police Interceptor look like a P73 model, was introduced as well.^[2]

An unmarked Crown Vic Police Interceptor in Toronto in 2014

For 2000, the rear fascia and tail-lights lost the chrome trim, and the gloss black grille was put away for a flat black slatted grille. Further changes were made in 2001, including taking off all trim on the plastic bumper pieces and a new honeycomb-style grille, replacing the slat-style grille, which is found on previous standard Crown Victorias and CVPIs. Power adjustable pedals also became an option during that year, as many officers of differing height had been joining departments. They also relocated the rear window defrost switch from the left side of the dash to the direct left of the HVAC controls. For the year 2003, interior door panels and seats were freshened, with side-impact airbags becoming an option. The suspension, brakes, steering, and frame all were redesigned for the 2003 model year. Wheels had a different offset, and the cassette player was eliminated for the 2004 year.

In 2006, the front fascia was revised with a new "honeycomb" grille, and the instrument panel was redesigned with a new message center and digital odometer/trip meter. New seventeen-inch (17") plastic wheel covers were introduced for the P71, and a new steering wheel design was also introduced.

2011 was the final model year for the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, as St. Thomas Assembly, where the Ford Panther platform cars were produced, would close, and all three Panther Platform cars would be discontinued. The Crown Victoria Police Interceptor would be replaced by the Ford Taurus-based Ford Police Interceptor Sedan for the 2013 model year, and a Ford Explorer-based Ford Police Interceptor Utility would also be introduced.

Taurus (2012-2019)[]

To replace the Crown Victoria, Ford used the sixth generation Taurus and the fifth and sixth generation Ford Explorer. The names for both cars were instead the "Police Interceptor Sedan" and "Police Interceptor Utility," in lieu of Taurus or Explorer. The Ford Police Interceptor Sedan was discontinued after the 2019 model year.

Ford Police Interceptor Sedan[]

(Royal Canadian Mounted Police) The Ford Police Interceptor Sedan was one of two cars to replace the Crown Victoria. The Sedan is based on the Ford Taurus.

The Sedan, along with the Utility came to police forces in the 2012 and 2013 model years.

The Sedan's standard engine is taken from the Ford Mustang, a 3.7-liter aluminum-block V6 engine that weighed 18 kg (40 lb) less than the previous version. The engine had 24 valves and TiVCT (Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing). It produced 305 hp (227 kW; 309 PS) and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) of torque. The 3.7-liter engine came with a new dual exhaust; gasoline mileage increased to 19 city and 31 highway mpg. Ford also offers the EcoBoost version, the SHO's 3.5-liter V6 which produces 365 hp (272 kW; 370 PS).^[3] Both versions came with all-wheel drive. In 2014, Ford began offering the 4-cylinder engine from its civilian counterpart in the Police Interceptor Sedan as part of a Special Service trim designed for detective and administrative uses.^[4] The Police Interceptor includes Ford's latest safety technology, like the Blind Spot Information System, rear view camera, reverse sensing system, and electronic stability control.

In 2015, Ford considered ending production of the Taurus in the United States. However, the Police Interceptor Sedan was a major reason for continuing production.^[5]

In 2018, Ford announced that it would be ending production of the Ford Taurus sedan on which the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan was based. In March 2019, both the Taurus and Police Interceptor Sedan were discontinued. The Police Interceptor Sedan will be replaced by the second-generation, 2020 Ford Explorer-based Ford Police Interceptor Utility, as well as the Ford Fusion Hybrid Police Responder, which was introduced for the 2019 model year.

Ford Fusion Hybrid Police Responder[]

For the 2019 model year, a new "Police Responder" was introduced, based on the second-generation Ford Fusion Hybrid. The Fusion Hybrid Police Responder is the first pursuit-rated Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV).

Explorer (2012-Present)[]

Ford Police Interceptor Utility[]

(Bellingham Police Department) The Ford Police Interceptor Utility was the second of two cars to replace the Crown Victoria. The Utility is based on the Ford Explorer.

The Utility was sold to police forces in 2012 and 2013, like the Taurus, although retail isn't available.

The SUV used the Ecoboost engine from the SHO in 2014, producing 365 hp (272 kW; 370 PS).^[6]

The Utility comes with provisions for the fitment of emergency equipment such as guns, batons, tasers, radios, first aid kits, lightbars and sirens. To free up interior space on the center console for equipment, the transmission is fitted with a column-mounted shifter. Other fleet-specific options are included as well. It also comes with an all-wheel drive powertrain as standard, and is also fitted with larger brake rotors, more advanced ABS and traction control systems, a more efficient cooling system and other standard police equipment.

In 2019, for the 2020 model year, the second-generation Ford Police Interceptor Utility was introduced with a new Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)-based platform, based on the sixth-generation Ford Explorer mid-size crossover SUV. It will replace the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan in Ford's lineup as their "purpose-built" police vehicle.

Popularity and criticism[]

While all of Detroit's Big Three have offered police vehicles and had market shares proportionate to their overall market share, since the late 1990s Ford has had a near-monopoly on such vehicles in the United States, following General Motors discontinuing the B platform in 1996 and Chrysler discontinuing the M body vehicles in 1989. While GM (through Chevrolet) and Chrysler (through Dodge) continued to offer police vehicles after ending production of their last non-truck body on frame vehicles and continue to do so today (Dodge as part of Chrysler successor Stellantis), many police forces continued to order from Ford due to their commitment to traditional body on frame construction and its ease of maintenance as opposed to vehicles with unibody construction. By the time Ford retired the Panther platform in 2011 without a body on frame replacement, they had gained such a significant market share from law enforcement that they continued to order from Ford out of brand loyalty. Additionally, foreign automakers with major North American operations such as Toyota have never offered police vehicles in the United States.^[7][8]

Ford's near-monopoly on police vehicles has led to accusations from Black Lives Matter protesters that Ford supports police brutality and have called for Ford to withdraw law enforcement sales as part of a broader attempt to defund the police. Ford, while having sympathy for Black Lives Matter supporters, has stayed out of it politically and have stated that they have no plans to exit the police vehicles market due to the market being a captive market and thusly guaranteed sales during down periods in the automotive industry.^[7]

References[]