Ford Motor Company is making a strong push to dominate law enforcement sales. According to Fox Business News, the fastest police vehicle currently available is a Ford SUV. The latest Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility demonstrated the best overall performance in the most recent Michigan State Police vehicle evaluations.
Surprisingly, the turbocharged model outperformed even the Dodge Charger sports sedans in acceleration, top speed, and track lapping evaluations. This is a significant achievement, showcasing Ford’s commitment to providing high-performance vehicles for law enforcement agencies.
The 2020 Interceptor Utility is a completely redesigned model that Ford hopes will maintain its leading position in the law enforcement market. Last year, Ford sold more of the outgoing version than all other vehicles combined, putting more than 33,000 into service across the U.S.
Along with the Fusion Hybrid, F-150, Expedition, and Taurus-based Interceptor Sedan, the Interceptor Utility helped Ford capture two-thirds of the law enforcement vehicle segment in 2018. With the sedan now out of production as Ford shifts its lineup away from cars, the SUV will need to carry even more weight, as reported by Fox Business.
To achieve this, Ford has completely redesigned the Explorer, switching from a front-wheel-drive platform to a rear-wheel-drive one to enhance refinement and performance. The police version comes standard with all-wheel-drive and offers a choice of three pursuit-rated powertrains.
These include a top-of-the-line 400 hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, an entry-level 3.3-liter V6, and a hybrid version of the 3.3-liter in the middle. Ford is positioning the hybrid as the standard trim level at a price of around $41,000. The turbo is $1,000 more, and the 3.3-liter is $3,500 less. The hybrid puts out 318 hp and delivers 24 mpg combined. Its battery pack can also power the air conditioner and all the typical electronic equipment needed in a police car while parked, only needing to run the engine 20 percent of the time compared to a conventional cruiser. This could lead to significant fuel savings for departments.
Deliveries of the Interceptor Utility are scheduled to start in July along with the civilian versions of the Explorer, and total sales will likely exceed 250,000, so expect to see them frequently.