FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY VEHICLE NOW OFFERS 365-HORSEPOWER ECOBOOST ENGINE
- Ford adds 3.5-liter EcoBoost® utility vehicle model to Police Interceptor lineup to provide best-in-class horsepower and torque for police agencies
- Since launch of the new Ford Police Interceptor products in 2012, the utility model accounts for half of the company’s police vehicle sales
Ford today announced police agencies will soon be able to order a Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicle with the 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6.
The engine, which delivers 350 lb.-ft. of torque, has been available in a variety of Ford vehicles, including the Police Interceptor sedan, and is the choice for more than 40 percent of Ford F-150 truck buyers.
“We continue to look at ways we can offer our customers additional product enhancements to further meet their unique needs,” said Gerry Koss, Ford fleet marketing manager. “Our Police Advisory Board and customers across the country identified the EcoBoost engine as their No. 1 want in the Police Interceptor utility vehicle.”
Agencies often need to outfit vehicles with an increasing amount of equipment, but still require first-responder, pursuit-capable performance and handling; the new Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicle is designed to meet these requirements.
“With the Police Interceptor utility vehicle representing half of our police orders, it is evident our two-vehicle strategy was on target,” said Koss. “Our engineering team designed this vehicle specifically for the police market.”
The Police Interceptor utility has received very positive feedback from law enforcement agencies, including the performance of the standard 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine, which delivers 304 horsepower and 279 lb.-ft. of torque, said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.
Gubing cited recently released results of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department testing and evaluation of 2013 model year vehicles, which show Ford’s Police Interceptor utility vehicle swept all categories, including acceleration, braking, 32-lap high-speed and pursuit versus the Chevrolet Tahoe equipped with a 5.3-liter V8 engine.
“The 3.5-liter EcoBoost will offer best-in-class performance and top-notch fuel economy,” said Gubing. “That means law enforcement agencies that require this level of capability won’t have to compromise.
“It also complements our strategy of offering a choice of either sedan or utility vehicle based on a common platform, and sharing a large amount of common components, including powertrains, brakes, wheels/tires, seats and maintenance items,” Gubing added.
Lt. Charlie Powell, commander of fleet operations for Nevada Highway Patrol, said Ford “has made a good vehicle even more impressive” with the addition of the EcoBoost engine for the Police Interceptor utility vehicle. “This is good news,” he said. “We at Nevada Highway Patrol look forward to putting this platform in the field as soon as practical.”
Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy provides a V6 lineup that outperforms V8 engines of years past. The Police Interceptor sedan is available with three powertrain options – a 3.5-liter V6 with front-wheel drive, 3.7-liter V6 with all-wheel drive and the powerhouse 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with all-wheel drive – allowing police to choose the powerplant that best meets their patrol requirements.
FORD ECOBOOST POLICE INTERCEPTORS OUTRUN CHEVROLET CAPRICE V8, HEMI DODGE CHARGER IN MICHIGAN STATE POLICE TESTING
- Ford EcoBoost® Police Interceptor sedan repeats top performance and retains its title as best-in-class overall acceleration pursuit vehicle
- New Ford EcoBoost Police Interceptor utility vehicle acceleration faster than Chevrolet Tahoe and all base V6 competitors
- Ford Police Interceptors maintain segment sales leadership for 16 years straight
Ford, manufacturer of the best-selling police vehicles since 1996, trumped Chevrolet and Dodge in recent instrumented acceleration testing by the Michigan State Police. The new Ford EcoBoost®-powered Police Interceptor sedan bested both the Chevrolet Caprice V8 and Hemi Dodge Charger, while Ford Police Interceptor utility with EcoBoost took down the V8-equipped Chevrolet Tahoe.
“These tests conducted by the Michigan State Police are an important validation of best-in-class performance in outright acceleration – the most critical measure of police pursuit vehicles,” said Bill Gubing, Ford chief engineer. “Agencies tell us if the bad guys see the police vehicle quickly close in pursuit, they’re less likely to try to run. If this can help reduce the number of high-speed chases, then we could improve public safety on our nation’s roads.”
Preliminary results of Michigan State Police testing show the fastest of the fast – the 2014 Ford Police Interceptor sedan with standard all-wheel drive – posted a 0-60 mph time of 5.66 seconds, compared to 6.04 seconds for the 5.7-liter Hemi-equipped Dodge Charger with optional all-wheel drive.
The Ford EcoBoost-powered sedan also topped the 6.0-liter V8-equipped Chevrolet Caprice, which clocked a 6.01-second 0-60 mph time.
The gap in acceleration only grows in Michigan State Police 0-100 mph testing: Ford Police Interceptor turned a 13.5-second 0-100 mph time, while Dodge Charger posted 14.70 seconds and Chevrolet Caprice took 14.35 seconds.
The new Ford Police Interceptor 3.5-liter EcoBoost-powered utility vehicle made its debut in Michigan State Police testing, and while competition was close among sedans, the Ford utility left its rivals in the dust. Compared to the 5.3-liter V8-powered Chevrolet Tahoe, which posted a 0-60 mph time of 8.22 seconds and a 0-100 mph time of 21.95 seconds, the Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicle with standard all-wheel drive hit 60 mph in 6.28 seconds and 100 mph in 15.51 seconds.
Ford’s Police Interceptor utility vehicle is proving particularly attractive to agencies that could use the added space and versatility it provides. Gubing pointed out these tests demonstrate police agencies don’t have to sacrifice performance for the additional space and functionality Police Interceptor utility delivers. Approximately 60 percent of Ford Police Interceptor sales are the utility vehicle, with 40 percent for the sedan.
Even without EcoBoost, the base 3.7-liter V6 Ford Police Interceptor utility with all-wheel drive is faster than Chevrolet Tahoe V8. Police Interceptor clocked an 8.02-second 0-60 mph time, with Tahoe lagging behind at 8.22 seconds. Police Interceptor led Tahoe in the 0-100 mph test too – 21.0 seconds to 21.95 seconds.
Ford Police Interceptors are gaining attention with agencies nationwide as a means of balancing law enforcement’s need for speed in pursuit-rated vehicles with the need to save money. Switching from traditional V8-equipped police vehicles to powerful but more efficient Ford EcoBoost V6 vehicles achieves that.
With Ford’s announcement in September of a new non-pursuit-rated, fuel-efficient 2.0-liter EcoBoost-equipped Special Service Police sedan, the company now offers law enforcement agencies the power of choice when they want to maximize efficiency and power.
FORD SPECIAL SERVICE POLICE SEDAN BECOMES EPA-RATED AS MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT POLICE VEHICLE SOLD IN THE U.S.
- New model achieves EPA-certified mileage rating of 20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined
- Vehicle’s special service police designation designed to meet the needs of detectives, administrators, campus police and law enforcement agencies looking to maximize fuel efficiency, lower operating costs
Ford’s latest police vehicle is the most fuel-efficient police car sold in the United States, with an EPA-estimated rating of 20 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined.
The special service police vehicle combines the durability of Ford’s Police Interceptor sedan with the fuel efficiency of its 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine.
The fuel savings potential of the new special service police sedan compared with the most fuel efficient competitors is significant, especially for larger fleets spending tens of thousands of dollars per month on gasoline for police vehicles.
Both Dodge and Chevy’s most efficient police sedans achieve an EPA-estimated rating of 21 mpg combined; neither hit the 30 mpg mark on the highway cycle.
Based on the EPA-estimated ratings, when driven 30,000 miles per year – common for police-agency work – and with gas prices at $3.21 per gallon (national average based on EPA survey Nov. 18), the Special Service Police package could save agencies approximately $1,720 over three years compared with the most efficient competitors in the market today, which are rated at 21 mpg combined.
For police agencies operating fleets as large as 150 vehicles, the savings estimate over three years jumps to approximately $257,940. Agencies operating smaller fleets of only 50 vehicles could still see their three-year savings add up to approximately $85,980.
“Agencies looking to reduce their fuel expenditures, especially for non-pursuit vehicles in small rural agencies, universities and for detective work will want to take a look,” said Jonathan Honeycutt, Ford police marketing manager. “We’ve had great feedback on the vehicle and had a lot of agencies asking about it.”
The addition of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine means agencies will have four powertrain choices in the Police Interceptor sedan, including a V6 lineup that outperforms V8 engines of years past.
Police Interceptor sedan is available with a 3.5-liter V6 with front-wheel drive, a 3.7-liter V6 with all-wheel drive and the powerhouse 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine with all-wheel drive – allowing police to choose the powerplant that best meets their patrol requirements.
To help achieve best-in-class fuel efficiency, the special service police sedan will offer Active Grille Shutters that manage airflow to optimize the balance between engine cooling and aerodynamics. With the addition of the new engine, Ford remains confident in its “Power of Choice” strategy that includes not only retail customers, but fleet customers as well.
The new Special Service Police sedan equipped with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost retains all the essential police DNA that goes into pursuit-rated Police Interceptor sedans, including safety and durability features. Plus it is upfit-friendly and purpose-built. Commonality of parts remains an integral part of the special service police sedan.