In the UK you’re likely to come across plenty of the latter, with Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra patrol vehicles making up the backbone of modern constabularies’ police car fleets. Nothing to write home about, but at least we’ve made progress from the days of Austin Metros and Vauxhall Cavaliers…
Incredible police cars of Dubai
Further afield though, some police forces have adopted increasingly exotic motors to their fleet, with law-enforcing supercars popping up everywhere from Italy to the Middle East. More often than not these will be rolled out as a PR stunt, or used as a deterrent to over-confident crims. But in somewhere like Dubai for example, where expensive cars dominate the landscape, you could argue that they’re somewhat of a necessity...
That is until a suspect has been apprehended. It’s all well and good catching offenders in an outrageous, two-seater hypercar, but much less practical when you need to take someone to prison. Maybe that’s where the less impressive police cars come in.
If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. But if you can do the time and are likely to be caught red-handed, why not commit said offence in a country where you can at least enjoy a high-speed getaway chase with the cops in a top-end hypercar? Check the following list for the world’s greatest and most disappointing police cars...
The world's best and worst police cars
Nissan GT-R ‘Copzilla’
0-62mph: >3.0 seconds
Top speed: 196mph
Alright, so there’s no additional performance bolted onto what is otherwise a standard GT-R, but nonetheless Nissan did brilliant job styling this one-off ‘Copzilla’ for the 2017 New York Motor Show. Adorned with Skyline Metro Police Department motifs, the flashing lights and gigantic roof-mounted spoiler complete a terrifying look. Who would dare try and outrun a copper driving one of these?
Ford Focus RS
Engine: 2.3-litre 4cyl turbo
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Top speed: 165mph
Back in the 80's, the Essex and Suffolk Police tried out a Ford RS200
to see if it would work as a patrol car. Despite reporting it as a
'stunning hit' it never did go into full use. Thirty years on, though, a
new fast Ford is being tried out - the Focus RS,
which is on test with police forces across the UK. With 345bhp under
the bonnet, it's certainly not short of pace - and unlike the RS200, it
offers up rear doors for transporting suspected criminals, and a boot
large enough to store traffic cones. Plus if they get bored, the
officers can try out 'Drift Mode' on a deserted stretch of A-road.Volvo V90
0-62mph: N/A
Top speed: N/A
The Swedish police force will take delivery of some shiny new Volvo V90 estate cars in 2017. It's not hard to see why - we very much like the V90 here at Auto Express, and it appears the Swedish police force do too. In fact, like all potential future vehicles, the V90 was tested to the limit in the country's stringent police car tests and scored 9.2 out of 10 - the highest score every achieved by a a car. The overall comments on the car were that the "chassis, steering, suspension, traction control and powertrain all show exemplary performance. Quick lane changes at high speeds feel almost deceptively easy, the car does what it is told to do and shakes off lateral forces without any protest.” Engine specs aren't known, but we suspect the Swedish-spec cars might be using the punchy T6 petrol engine we don't get in the UK. That's good for 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.
Ariel Atom PL
Top speed: 155mph
The Ariel Atom PL was given to the Avon and Somerset Constabulary following the announcement of Ariel's upcoming motorbike. Based on Ariel Atom 3.5R, the PL's power output has been increased from 240 to 350bhp and will reach 0-62mph in an unbelievable 2.6 seconds. While it's fully decked out in a police livery complete with blues-and-twos, it's unlikely it'll ever be used to nick light-fingered cider enthusiasts in the area. However, were they to be, they wouldn't stand much of a chance in getting away.
Caparo T1
Top speed: 205mph
The Caparo T1 is less of a patrol car and more of a high-speed pursuit vehicle. The mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive two-seater was put into police livery by London’s Metropolitan Police. It can blast from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds, and while it’s unlikely to hit its 200mph-plus top speed in any pursuits down the Hackney Road, at least it’ll get people moving out of the way. Designed by the engineers behind the McLaren F1, the Caparo won’t give offenders much chance to escape.
Ford F-150
Engine: 5.0-litre V8, 385bhp
0-62mph: 6.6 seconds
Top speed: N/A
Few vehicles are more intimidating than the massive Ford F-150
pick-up - but in America, it's a staple of life, and has been the
best-selling vehicle for years. So, just like the British police forces
use the best-selling Ford Focus, it follows that American forces should
use the F-150. The Police Pack is available on SuperCrew and SuperCab
F-150's fitted with either the 5.0-litre V8 or 3.5-litre EcoBoost
engines, and is fitted with all the equipment you'd expect from a police
vehicle. Don't expect to see it on these shores, though.
Mercedes GLE Coupe
Engine: 5.5-litre V8, 577bhp
0-62mph: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Aussies love a V8, and with the GLE 63 S Coupe the Australian
police force even get two turbochargers tacked on as a bonus! The sleek
coupe body might not be the most practical for transporting prisoners,
but the jacked-up ride height should make mincemeat of the rough outback
roads. This is only a loaner car, though, from Mercedes in Australia -
it's part of a campaign to boost road safety in Victoria.
Porsche 911
Top speed: 186mph
Porsche celebrated 50 years of its iconic 911 sports car this year, and it’s likely the police in Berlin were keen to join the party with their 2005 model, which has been fettled by German tuner TechArt. This 370bhp machine can cover 0-62mph in only 4.5 seconds on the way to a 186mph top speed, and helps keep wayward Berliners on the right side of the law.
Mercedes CLS Brabus Rocket
Top speed: 227mph
Not content with the 911, the German authorities were also treated to this Brabus-tuned MkI CLS, dubbed the Rocket. With a top speed of 227mph and 720bhp on offer, it’s not hard to see where it got its name from. Brabus has given it all the kit needed to keep the added power in check. Unlike some of our other hot cop cars, it’ll also fit a couple of offenders in the back.
Lotus Evora
Top speed: 178mph
Used by Italy’s national military police, the Carabinieri, this fully liveried version of the Lotus Evora has caused quite a stir. It delivers 345bhp and is capable of 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds, so is a match for most traffic on the country’s autostrada. Lotus also takes care of maintenance and trains the drivers on how to handle the supercar. The Norfolk police force has taken delivery of one recently, too, but it’s for engaging the public rather than chasing crooks.
Alfa Romeo Giulia QV
Engine: 2.9-litre V6, 503bhp
0-62mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 190mph
The Carabinieri are no strangers to fast Alfas, having used 159's in
the past. But the new Giulia QV is the most powerful yet, packing a
staggering 503bhp from its twin-turbo V6 engine. Forces in Rome and
Milan have taken delivery of a Giulia QV each, and they will be used for
rapid reponse, transporting organs and escorting VIPs.Spyker C8
Engine: 4.2-litre V8, 400bhp0-62mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 187mph
This Dutch supercar was fittingly daubed in the red and blue colours of the country’s police force. It also has a specially made stand to hold the light bar, as there’s nowhere for a standard static bar to be fitted. And the rumbling Audi-sourced V8 has would-be criminals thinking twice.
Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4
0-62mph: 3.2s
Top speed: 202mph
The Italian Police didn't have long to wait to get their hands on the new Lamborghini Huracan. The fully-liveried Huracan Polizia was given to the Italian State Police by Lamborghini complete with the all important blue lights. The car's 5.2-litre V10 develops a crook-catching 602bhp.
Aston Martin One-77
0-62mph: 3.7 secs
Top speed: 220mph
This is as special as they come from the legendary British maker. As the name suggests, the Aston Martin One-77 was a limited release of just 77 models worldwide. Beautifully hand-crafted materials and an obsessive attention to detail mark the car out. It’s no slouch, either, with 750bhp from a V12 and a top speed of 220mph.
Bentley Continental GT
Top speed: 197mph
0-62mph: 4.3 secs
Another British car, the Bentley Continental GT is a fine choice due to its superb refinement and quality. It’s hand-made at Bentley’s famous Crewe factory, and every effort is made to produce the perfect car, tailored to buyers’ every request. The 6.0-litre W12 engine catapults the car to just shy of 200mph, and dispatches the 0-62mph sprint in 4.3 seconds.
Ferrari FF
0-62mph: 3.7 secs
Top speed: 208mph
Practical and Ferrari are two words you rarely hear in the same sentence. The Ferrari FF is an exception, though, because it is a genuinely practical supercar with space for four occupants in a shooting brake bodystyle – the perfect choice for transporting criminals to the station quickly, thanks to its 651bhp V12 engine.
The world's worst police cars
Exotic police cars costing vast sums of money to buy and run are inappropriate in their own way but not in the same way as these models. Here are some of the world's worst police cars...Lada Riva
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
Top speed: 95mph
Due to the trade embargo with the US, Cuba has found it difficult to obtain an appropriate fleet of police cars. But its friends in Russia helpfully suggested the Lada Riva – and they weren’t joking. The four-door patrols the streets of Havana with a comically large siren, but it’s unlikely anyone sees the serious side.
Smart Fortwo
0-62mph: 10.4 seconds
Top speed: 96mph
Officers in New York City may struggle to be taken seriously when they trade their classic Ford Crown Victorias for the tiny Smart Fortwo. The NYPD has bought 250 of these diddy city cars, presumably to beat the crush of NYC's traffic congestion. But as they're almost as wide as a conventional car, we can't quite see the benefit - apart from when parking, of course...
Toyota Prius
0-62mph: 10.1 seconds
Top speed: 112mph
In a bid to add to their green credentials, police in Berlin are attempting to offset the emissions of the Porsche on their fleet (above) with these hybrid Toyota Prius patrol cars. They’re painfully slow, yet incredibly efficient – and when running on battery power, officers would be able to sneak up on criminals!
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