Automotive

Ford puts criminals on notice with new Police Interceptor Utility

Ford puts criminals on notice with new Police Interceptor Utility
The new all-wheel drive Police Interceptor Utility will be chasing down bad guys later this year
The new all-wheel drive Police Interceptor Utility will be chasing down bad guys later this year
View 14 Images
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility will be offered with a choice of two different engines
1/14
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility will be offered with a choice of two different engines
Police dogs aren't a part of the Interceptor package
2/14
Police dogs aren't a part of the Interceptor package
A wide range of lighting patterns can be fitted to the new Interceptor
3/14
A wide range of lighting patterns can be fitted to the new Interceptor
Ford will build the Interceptor in Chicago
4/14
Ford will build the Interceptor in Chicago
The Interceptor is fitted with all-wheel drive as standard
5/14
The Interceptor is fitted with all-wheel drive as standard
A special Pursuit Mode for the car's gearbox automatically kicks in when aggressive driving is detected
6/14
A special Pursuit Mode for the car's gearbox automatically kicks in when aggressive driving is detected
Inside, Ford's SYNC is fitted as standard
7/14
Inside, Ford's SYNC is fitted as standard
A range of driver aids are also available, including blind spot warning
8/14
A range of driver aids are also available, including blind spot warning
The Interceptor's layout will change depending on the customer
9/14
The Interceptor's layout will change depending on the customer
The Interceptor is also fitted with a special Surveillance Mode, so drivers are alerted when someone sneaks up behind them
10/14
The Interceptor is also fitted with a special Surveillance Mode, so drivers are alerted when someone sneaks up behind them
The new all-wheel drive Police Interceptor Utility will be chasing down bad guys later this year
11/14
The new all-wheel drive Police Interceptor Utility will be chasing down bad guys later this year
The Interceptor will be built in Chicago
12/14
The Interceptor will be built in Chicago
Ford claims that some cars will travel 50,000 miles in a year
13/14
Ford claims that some cars will travel 50,000 miles in a year
Durability was one of Ford's focuses for its latest police car
14/14
Durability was one of Ford's focuses for its latest police car
View gallery - 14 images

With its sights set on the law enforcement market, Ford has unveiled its latest Interceptor at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. Powered by a 3.7-liter V6 or 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, the new all-wheel drive 2016 Police Interceptor Utility packs a number of clever features designed to help officers better deal with the specific challenges faced in the course of day-to-day patrol work.

The first of these is called Surveillance Mode, which warns the car's occupants when someone is approaching from behind and automatically raises the driver's window and locks all the doors – a feature that Ford claims is an industry first.

After feedback from those who bought the previous Interceptor, Ford has also added a remote tailgate release that unlocks the boot for 45 seconds before automatically re-locking it if unopened. Although these features may sound like small things, Ford has focused on responding to feedback of the police forces that forked out for the previous model.

Durability was one of Ford's focuses for its latest police car
Durability was one of Ford's focuses for its latest police car

Despite being a police car, the Interceptor is still fitted with some of the tech from Ford’s ever-growing of suite of driver aids. Blind spot warning, cross traffic alerts and reverse parking sensors are all available as options, while the brand’s SYNC system allows officers to control a broad range of the car’s functions with their voices.

There are two powertrain options for the new vehicle, including an EcoBoost engine for officers who want a bit more power under their right foot. The standard engine is a 3.7-liter V6, producing 304 hp (227 kW) and 378 Nm (279 lb.ft) of torque, while a 3.5-liter EcoBoost offers an extra 61 hp (45 kW) and 96 Nm (71 lb.ft) over the standard motor. All-wheel drive is standard on all Interceptors, while a specially calibrated automatic gearbox puts all that power down.

This specially-calibrated gearbox features one major nod to the Interceptor's intended market in the form of its Pursuit Mode, where the gearbox automatically detects aggressive driving and, when engaged, holds onto gears for longer. Pursuit mode is even calibrated to perform a J-turn, so drivers can accelerate hard in reverse, swing the car round and take off facing the right direction.

Supplementing Ford’s recalibration efforts are reinforced subframe mounts, heavy-duty powertrain mounts and larger-diameter springs in the suspension, all designed to make the Interceptor tough enough for pursuit duties, while boron-steel reinforcements in the car’s a-pillars improve structural rigidity.

The Interceptor is also fitted with a special Surveillance Mode, so drivers are alerted when someone sneaks up behind them
The Interceptor is also fitted with a special Surveillance Mode, so drivers are alerted when someone sneaks up behind them

The job of stopping the Interceptor falls to a set of brakes that Ford describes as “designed to withstand excessive use,” with extra cooling provided by the car’s 18-inch wheel design. Even the Interceptor’s tires have been specially designed to survive the rigors that police life will throw at it – Ford claims that some cars will cover over 50,000 miles (80,467 Km) per year.

Ford will build the Interceptor Utility in Chicago, before sending it to Troy Design and Manufacturing – one of the US giant’s subsidiaries – where the Interceptor is fitted with its lights and police liveries.

Source: Ford

View gallery - 14 images
7 comments
7 comments
Milton
some of the tech features of this vehicle seem interesting, but I'd like to start seeing Police push for hybrids or EV's.
I cringe a little when I see a police officer sitting in a running SUV for hours at a time. All the while, burning up taxpayer money and polluting the neighborhood air.
I've noticed a few fleets of Prius C's being used for parking-patrol, but I still see the all-to-frequent Police SUV or Police Charger.
Jeff Goldstein
Will there be a civilian version? If I can buy one with the more powerful engine, I might even buy a Ford instead of an import.
the.other.will
I have to wonder how this & other SUV based police vehicles handle at high speeds compared to the RWD full sized sedans of the past.
Aaron Koehne
@Milton: If Prius's were driven like normal patrol vehicles, they wouldn't last long....which is why they're used for light-duty details, plus they're not big enough to carry all the gear needed for doing patrol work....the reason why cops leave their vehicles running is for running all the electrical equipment (computers, radios, radar), because if a cop were to turn his vehicle off while all the equipment were on, then the vehicle battery would get drained.
@Jeff Goldstein: nope, this package is police-specific...only way you can get one is after it has been taken out of service
@the.other.will.: it actually handles better than you think...it's not like the Chevy Tahoe because this thing uses a sedan platform instead of a truck platform, so it's not really top heavy
Daniel Bruce
Whenever the police get new gear I worry about the police state I mean do they really need all this to fight the war on drugs and war on terror? Plus those wars shouldn't be fought at all since they're really wars against the people.
warren52nz
Just one problem. It's a Ford so it will probably break down before it catches anyone. Ford came near the bottom of the reliability category in the latest Consumer Report.
Cyndysub
Yawn!