Wow! Do we here at Copcorner.net have some fun news for you! Oh yes! For peace officers everywhere in the U.S.A. and for those of you beginning the process of hiring on as peace officers, this article should really peak your attention. Read on and enjoy!
As you may recall from past postings, I am a car enthusiast. I love to attend racing events. I keep an eye on what is passing me on the road (more so than what I’m passing, oops, sorry Chippies!). I read car magazines. Well, lucky me, because in the October 2008 issue of Motor Trend, I see the second article in the last few months describing a new “purpose designed” police patrol vehicle that is in the development phase as we speak. According to it’s maker, Carbon Motors Corporation of Atlanta, Ga, this new police car may enter service around the country in 2011, just in time to replace Ford’s Crown Victoria, which we all know and love but which is slated to end production in 2010. (Actually, a friend had mailed me a previous article earlier this year discussing this same concept car which I believe was in New Yorker magazine, but I had clumsily misplaced it at the time of this writing.)
Before I go into the car’s specs, let me just say the following. Whew! Finally! Why didn’t I think of this (another missed shot at wealth, fame and immortality!)! The majority of working cops who are somewhat larger than the average citizen and who have had to squeeze in and out of a Crown Vic thirty times a shift (oh, my back is killing me!) have had a lucid moment when he/she has said “hey, why don’t they make a car just for us?” Well, maybe that day is finally within sight. I truly hope so. Members of the public may not understand the significance of this news, but every street cop sure does.
First and foremost, Carbon Motors intends to sell this car exclusively to law enforcement and Homeland Security agencies, a market estimated at around 75,000 annual vehicles. I greatly applaud this idea as it will keep this vehicle out of the hands of the general public and help deter cop impersonators. Another idea that I applaud is the inclusion of law enforcement agencies (currently about 1200) in the development effort, suggesting design and operational features. This is a radical, long awaited departure from the tack-on approach taken with our old friend, the Crown Vic, where equipment was just mounted in any available open space with no regard for ergonomics. Oh happy day, someone is actually asking us, patrol cops, the end users, where we would like to see stuff put. What took ‘em so long!!! (Sorry, my cynicism gets the best of me at times!)
Now for the really fun part: what’s the powertrain gonna be? Short of the official announcement, looks like BMW’s BluePerformance 3.0 liter engine is a strong candidate. It features a twin-turbodiesel six cylinder tuned to deliver nearly 300 horses and about 425 pound-feet of torque. Married to a six-speed automatic, this E7 sedan should reach sixty mph in about 6.5 seconds. Whew! We’re looking at both speed and efficiency, with the diesel six delivering about 30% better gas mileage than the typical gas fueled V8, which doesn’t idle efficiently. Right there are two huge selling points for government agencies – operational savings. Don’t go away, there’s more!
Carbon Motors is planning to deliver the units turn-key ready. The E7’s dashboard is being designed with all touch screen controls for lights and sirens which enhance officer safety in a crash and keep air bags and air conditioning ducts unblocked. This innovative, efficient sedan will meet or exceed all current crash ratings. Also, all emergency lights, spot lights and take down lights will be incorporated into the carbon fiber body configuration, making all of these units flat tops. No more tell-tale lightbars to announce our presence. All lighting will be enhanced to truly light up the objects of our affection. And check this out – the E7 will be outfitted with cameras that will automatically locate, read and run vehicle license plates while the car is in motion, displaying returns more safely on a head-up display. Other cameras will provide 360 degree coverage around the perimeter of the car as well as monitor the behavior of our perp friends strapped into the rear seat. No more allegations that we mucked up somebody in the back seat on the way to jail. Any head-banging and window kicking will be recorded for defense attorneys and judges to appreciate. Getting that perp into the car will also be easier, utilizing rear hinged 90 degree opening rear doors. Yesssss!
Still more exciting news! Lotus Engineering is involved with aluminum “spaceframe” development which means that the frame will feature numerous extrusions, allowing for cheaper replacement of bolt-on body panels. These panels will be crushable thermoplastic which means that damage from PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuvers will be less expensive and quicker to replace, again reducing cost and down time. The rear end is designed to withstand a 75 mph impact. Also, the improved dashboard ergonomics allow for accurate crash safety measurements, which the Crown Vic doesn’t presently qualify for with all of it’s after delivery bolt-on features. Carbon Motors will offer an enhanced ballistics protection program for the dashboard-firewall and both front door panels. Total vehicular weight should be around 4000 pounds. Finally, at the end of an E7’s operational lifetime, Carbon Motors will retrieve it for reconditioning, recycling or dismantling for parts. Once again, this represents a huge cost savings for agencies, upgraded officer protection and keeps all of these elements out of public hands.
So, as I always ask here at Copcorner.net, what do you think? Take it from me, this sounds verrrry cool. A concept prototype may debut soon, but 2011 is the target year for deliveries. I may not be around when they arrive so I may never get the chance to fall in love with one of them. But those of you with years to spare will surely enjoy driving a car made for us and our specific demands, which domestic auto designers could never address. Take more advice, check out www.carbonmotors.com and check out the specs for yourself. For working cops, forward this website to your R&D people and introduce them to what may be the future of police vehicles. It’s a surefire way to earn a new nickname: “Visionary”!
Enjoy, my friends, and until next time, all the best!
Tim
20 Responses to “Smokin’ New Patrol Car To Debut in 2011”
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