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Cops and Cars: The Baddest Police Cars To Ever Rule The Roads

Vukasin Herbez October 17, 2023

From the early days of motor vehicles, law enforcement agencies worldwide integrated the automobile as an essential part of their job. Cars allowed officers to patrol the streets, get to crime scenes faster, and help serve and protect the community. Manufacturers concentrated on the police market since they knew selling cars to local departments would help promote the brand. Today’s police cars are state-of-the-art cruisers with communication technology and beefed-up mechanics.

Back in the day, most police cars were just ordinary sedans, sometimes identical to the ones you could buy as an ordinary citizen. However, some police departments went beyond the ordinary and used rare, powerful cars for police duty. Some of those cars are valuable classics today. Back then, they were everyday cruisers that worked to catch bad guys on the streets. Check out the baddest police cars ever right here.

Citroen SM Gendarmerie

One of the coolest-looking and most exclusive Citroen cars was the gorgeous SM, introduced in 1970. This elegant coupe had some exciting features. This made the competition look outdated and old as a result (via Capital).

The aesthetics were clearly French, with hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension and front-wheel drive. Instead of the underpowered four-cylinder engine, there was a 2.7-liter V6 by Maserati. This had enough power for a lively performance. The Gendarmerie chose the car since it could cruise at high speeds, which was ideal for catching criminals on the highways of France.

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AMC Javelin AMX

Today’s law enforcement agencies use various vehicles to patrol the roads. But back in the days of original muscle cars, police cruisers were big, slow sedans. Detroit was producing fast cars capable of achieving high speeds and outrunning the police Yet those police still used large and heavy four-door vehicles. Therefore, in 1971, Alabama State Troopers saw the need for fast patrol cars to chase their suspects. After a short search, they bought an AMC Javelin AMX with a 401 V8 engine and 335 hp (via Auto Evolution).

The Alabama State Troopers chose this car since it was one of the cheapest available and bought 133 examples, which served during the ’70s. This was the first time that an official police force used an actual muscle car. As many retired officers will testify, the Javelins proved to be the best choice for many highway chases due to their speed.

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Volkswagen Beetle

The VW Beetle is one of the definitive cars of the 20th century. Since over 22 million left the factories, it is logical that it was used for numerous purposes due to its versatility. One of them is a police car. VW Beetle was a legitimate patrol car in Germany and many other European countries for many years (via Road and Track).

It didn’t win any high-speed pursuits and proved itself on the Autobahn. But for patrol work and as an urban police car, the VW Beetle was more than appropriate.

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Ford RS200

Introduced in 1984, the RS200 was a mid-engined, turbocharged sports car. It featured lightweight body construction, a 2.1-liter engine with 250 hp, and two seats. This was a race car with no intention of hiding it. Thanks to all-wheel drive, it could jump from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds flat. The road version, of which 200 left the factory, was detuned from 450 compared to 500 hp in the race version (via Essex Police).

The RS200 was basically a homologation special with no real-life usability. However, somehow, several examples were sold to British police, which used them as high-speed chase cars for the better part of the ’80s.

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Dodge Polara

American police cars were always attractive to car lovers. This was because they featured full-size body styles, powerful engines, and tough mechanics to cope with everyday crime-fighting activities. One of the most respected classic police cars is the Dodge Polara 440 from the late 1960s (via Code 3 Garage).

Since the new Polara was introduced at the height of muscle car popularity, the 440 V8 with 375 hp proved to be a common choice. Interestingly, various law enforcement agencies often bought 440-powered Polaras for their ruggedness and power. There are still some retired officers who claim the 1969 Polara with 440 was the best patrol car ever built.

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Alpine A110

One of the best French classic sports cars was the Alpine A110. Produced from 1961 to 1977, the A110 was an incredibly fast and agile coupe that proved itself on rally stages by winning numerous events. However, it also found use as a police car in France during the early 1970s (via Renault Group).

Since the A110 was very small, it could only seat two people. So it was a little tight in terms of comfort, but it was good for flying through narrow streets at high speeds and running down the highways.

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Ford Mustang SSP

One of the USA’s biggest automotive legends amongst law enforcement officers is the Ford Mustang SSP. This special-order package for Fox-body Mustangs was made from 1982 to 1993 for various agencies and military organizations. SSP stands for ‘Special Service Package.’ It included a tuned 5.0-liter V8 engine, heavy-duty suspension, engine cooling, brakes, and more. Ford developed the SSP package in the early ’80s. This was due to the fact that the California Highway Patrol was getting outrun by Porsches and other fast cars.

To catch them, they asked Ford to produce a special package for the Mustang. Ford gave it more power, high-speed stability, braking power, and dynamics (via Wikipedia). Soon, no Porsche in California could outrun police cars anymore. The package proved very popular because of its effectiveness. When production stopped in 1993, more than 16,000 Mustangs SSP were produced and sold to numerous fleet buyers in almost all states and Canada.

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Lamborghini Huracan

The Dubai police force is not the only law enforcement agency to use supercars. Italians have one too in the form of the Lamborghini Huracan. While Dubai supercars are mainly for show, this Huracan is in use by the Italian police for various purposes (via Robb Report).

Italian police realized they needed an extremely fast car for not only high-speed pursuits but also for delivering very important packages, organ transplants, and getting to the scene of highway accidents in a hurry. Regular police sedans are just not that fast but the Huracan is, so it’s used daily as a result.

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Japanese Police Mustang Mach I

The Mustang entered police forces in America in the 1980s with the SSP package. However, Japanese Police Forces used the Mustang long before their American colleagues did.

In 1973, a brand-new Mustang Mach I entered Tokyo police as a high-speed chase car (via Hagerty). Back in those days, Japanese cars were all compact and slow, so the mighty Mach I had no problems outrunning anything on the road.

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Jaguar Mk2

One of the most iconic classic police cars is the Jaguar Mk 2, which is still the most significant British police car ever used. During the 1960s and early ’70s, British police used several fast Mk2 sedans, which had powerful 3.4 and 3.8-liter straight-six engines and over 220 hp (via Mk2 Club).

Although Jaguars were always luxury cars and a strange choice for police cruisers, there were two good reasons in favor of the Mk2. One is the fact that Jaguars were the cars of choice of bank robbers and criminals, and police couldn’t catch them in ordinary Fords or Minis. So, to keep up, police needed a capable performance car and Mk2 was an obvious solution.

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Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2

Long before Dubai Police entered Ferraris as their parade and show cars, one 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE roamed the streets of Rome as the fastest and most expensive police car of its day. The Rome Police Department wanted something to show its power and provide high-speed escort or catch criminals driving fast cars. What better choice than the Ferrari coupe fully equipped with flashing lights and sirens (via Top Gear)?

The car was in service in the early 1960s. It was on the streets of Rome every day until the early 1970s. Even though it was considered a marketing gimmick more than a regular patrol car, it was very active in catching bad guys and even involved in a few shootouts with criminals.

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Porsche 911

For decades, Autobahnpolizei (German for Highway Patrol) used Porsches as patrol cars. Its white and green color scheme became a common sighting on Germany’s roads. It featured a heavy-duty suspension and brakes as well as the latest communication equipment. Also, the Porsche 911, a high-speed pursuit car, is used in Belgium and the Netherlands as well (via CVRPCA).

The first Porsche police cars were the classic 356, which entered service in the mid-50s. Based on the VW Beetle, the 356 was a durable but relatively fast vehicle. However, when the 911 was released, it had the same qualities but with more power and performance. Porsche even released a special police package for European law enforcement agencies.

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GAZ 24 V8

Soviet company GAZ, a producer of family cars and trucks, introduced its new, modern model called GAZ 24 or Volga in the late ’60s. This was a large sedan, almost the size of a full-size US model, with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 95 hp. Its performance could have been better. But by Russian standards, this was a prestigious automobile. Only a prospective and respected member of the Party or a KGB operative could acquire one (via Wikipedia).

However, for special police or KGB use, GAZ presented the Volga with a V8 engine, 190 hp, dual exhaust, and a three-speed automatic transmission. It was a pretty potent vehicle. It was also used by Special Forces as a chase car, often in a plain black color without flashing lights on the roof.

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Carabineri

Back in the early ’60s, Alfa Romeo introduced the legendary Giulia. It was a compact sedan with high-revving engines, great handling, four-wheel disc brakes, and lively performance. Immediately, the driving characteristics drew the attention of the Italian police and Carabinieri Special Forces Unit (via Alvolante).

For the rest of the decade and a good part of the 1970s, the Giulia in green or dark blue was the most common and favorite Italian law enforcement car. It was compact enough to squeeze through the narrow streets of Italian towns. And it was fast enough to catch even more powerful vehicles. This model became synonymous with Carabineri and Italian gangster movies of the era.

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Nissan Silvia CSP 311

You may know the Silvia for its popular S14 and S15 versions produced in the ’90s. These became the definitive drift cars, but the story of Silvia as one of Nissan’s most legendary sports cars dates back to the mid-’60s. The cool-looking Silvia CSP 311 coupe was one of the first modern and proper sports cars from the brand (via Nissan).

The Silvia CSP 311 was a big step forward for this still obscure manufacturer. The car had European looks and proportions. It was a luxurious sports coupe with rear-wheel drive. The Silvia had a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 96 hp. Which gave it a decent performance. However, the first Silvia was an expensive car for the Japanese domestic market. It sold in just 554 examples, most of which stayed in Japan. Some of them were police cars.

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Chevrolet Camaro B4C

Even though the Camaro was by the California Highway Patrol even before the appearance of the Mustang SSP model. Chevrolet didn’t release an entire “cop spec” model until 1991. The B4C (factory code) was a particular Camaro designed for law enforcement and high-speed pursuits (via Hemmings).

The B4C was a Z/28 Camaro with a 350 V8 engine and a five-speed manual transmission. However, many exterior details were removed, and the car looked as stock as possible. The suspension and brakes were beefed up, and several heavy-duty parts were a part of the package. The Chevrolet offered the B4C until 1996 and less than 3,000 left the factory.

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Ford Crown Victoria

Ford’s Panther platform is one of the longest-serving platforms in the car industry. It was first used in 1978 and was used until 2011. It underpinned many models like the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, or Lincoln Town Car. This chassis is sturdy and durable in extreme conditions, as it is the basis of many police cars and taxis (via Wikipedia).

The Crown Vic was the favorite car of American law enforcement agencies from the early 1980s up to recently. When the aging Crown Victoria models were replaced with Taurus or Dodge Chargers. The combination of durability and dependability will live on in people’s memories.

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Dubai Police Force Exotic Cars Fleet

The wealthy Middle Eastern Dubai emirate is home to some of the wildest supercars and exotic collections. That’s why local police forces decided to form a unit that drives only the most expensive and high-end models. They’re painted in recognizable white and green colors. At the moment, there is an Aston Martin One-77, Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, Bugatti Veyron, Bentley Continental, and Mercedes SLS. Several more high-priced exotics have their place in Dubai’s police force fleet. This makes them the most expensive police cars in the world as a result (via Arabian Business).

Of course, those models are not in everyday police work but primarily for promotional purposes, national holidays, parades, or part of high-speed motorcades. However, if needed, we’re sure these supercars can be ready to speed down the desert highways in pursuit of dangerous criminals.

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Lexus IS-F

Lexus is not exactly a common choice for police cars. But officers in England use IS-F for everyday patrol, highway pursuits, or high-speed response. If you think about it, that choice seems logical (via Lexus Enthusiast).

The IS-F is a compact luxury sedan with four doors and a 5.0-liter V8 in the front. With 417 hp and 0 to 60 mph time of 4.7 seconds, it’s as fast as most sports cars and faster than everyday sedans. The performance makes it a good choice for almost all police needs. That’s because Lexus is somewhat cheaper than a comparable BMW, Mercedes, or Jaguar. This police car is easier on the law enforcement budget and UK taxpayers’ money.

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Honda NSX

The Japanese car industry of the 1990s was full of exciting performance cars. And, logically, local police forces used some for law enforcement work. One of the coolest Japanese police cars is the Honda NSX (via YouTube).

Interestingly, Japanese police forces used bone stock examples of this popular 1990s supercar. Except for the light bar and a few other details, this NSX was the same as those delivered from the Honda factory. Behind the driver is the 3.5-liter V6 engine with 270 hp. Despite the excellent performance and high-speed stability of a mid-engined supercar, Japanese police rarely used the NSX. Japanese drivers are incredibly law-abiding and speeding cases are rare. Second, the traffic is very heavy in most parts of the country. This was especially true in the cities, so there’s no space to achieve high speeds.

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Dodge Charger Pursuit

After decades of using Chevrolet Impalas of Ford Crown Victorias, various law enforcement agencies in America turned to Dodge Charger in 2006. For over 12 years, this was one of the most popular police cars in America. It is undeniably one of the best police cars in the world (via Stellantis).

The specs of the latest models are unbelievable. Fleet buyers can choose a 3.6-liter V6 engine or a fantastic 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Chargers have a rear or all-wheel drive for demanding road conditions. All cars have special chassis reinforcements, front bull bars, and heavy-duty components. This includes suspension, braking, cooling, and electrical systems for running advanced communication equipment and computers. Also, the Charger Pursuit comes with bullet-resistant front door panels, which could save officers’ lives on the job. Still, the ones you should be most afraid of are undercover in plain colors without any visible signs of being a police car.

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Cops and Cars: The Baddest Police Cars To Ever Rule The Roads

Citroen SM Gendarmerie

AMC Javelin AMX

Volkswagen Beetle

Ford RS200

Dodge Polara

Alpine A110

Ford Mustang SSP

Lamborghini Huracan

Japanese Police Mustang Mach I

Jaguar Mk2

Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2

Porsche 911

GAZ 24 V8

Alfa Romeo Giulia Carabineri

Nissan Silvia CSP 311

Chevrolet Camaro B4C

Ford Crown Victoria

Dubai Police Force Exotic Cars Fleet

Lexus IS-F

Honda NSX

Dodge Charger Pursuit

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