Ford Interceptor

Performance luxury sedans are the perfect middle ground for those seeking comfort, practicality and performance in a single package. And while we have gotten plenty of great examples like the BMW M5, Mercedes AMG GT63, Porsche Panamera, and others, there are those that came to us as concepts, but never delivered in the real world. Here are the most prominent culprits.

Watch a Ford Explorer Police Interceptor take on the Nissan GT-R and a tuned Mustang Shelby GT500 in a quarter-mile showdown - this is crazieness!

Ford has released the Police Interceptor Utility, considered by the Michigan State Police as the fastest police car available for 2019. The new Interceptor is based on the yet-to-be-unveiled Explorer SUV. It replaces the outgoing Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility model and the Taurus-based Police Interceptor sedan. The new Police Interceptor Utility is more than just a fast law enforcement vehicle; it’s also loaded with state-of-the-art technology the likes of which the production version of the new Explorer won’t have. That comes with the territory of being a cop car.

We all have drooled over Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and other exotic cars in uniform. The loud grunts from powerful combustion engines when throttled, and the silencers roaring their lungs out in a high-speed drama; but have you thought of a Hybrid police car doing those extreme pursuits? Well, Ford recently revealed the all-new Police Interceptor Utility, which is the first pursuit-rated Hybrid SUV ever. It aims to offer improved performance and lower fuel costs thanks to its hybrid setup.

Ford has just released its new Rear Spoiler Traffic Warning Lights for the Explorer Interceptor Utility that cleverly incorporates hidden lights inside the spoiler above the back window. When off, the lights are nearly impossible to see. Hit the switch, however, and the Interceptor Utility glows like a Roman candle on New Years.

This is the latest in upgrades Ford has brought for the Interceptor Utility. The last upgrade was Ford’s new “no-profile” Front Interior Visor Light Bar, which sits along the headliner just above the rearview mirror. Combined with the rear spoiler lights, the Interceptor Utility is very difficult to spot by nearby motorist. Other lights are available too, including grille and bumper lights, headlight flashers, side mirror lights, and taillight flashers.

Ford’s police brand marketing manager, Stephen Tyler, says the lights help increase safety for police officers. “Aftermarket light bars can impede visibility by hanging down over the glass. Our fully programmable Rear Spoiler Traffic Warning Lights are integrated into the spoiler, so agencies get their bright red, blue, and amber LEDs with no compromise to rear visibility.”

The programmable part Tyler refers to gives officers the ability to customize light colors and patterns. The lights can flash red/red, blue/blue, red/blue, and amber. The light bar can also be used as a directional signal, pointing drivers around the police vehicle. The lights’ intensity can also be adjusted from 100 percent down to 20 percent.

The Rear Spoiler Traffic Warning Light can be optioned onto the 2017 Police Interceptor Utility. Like the other police gear available on the SUV, it comes with Ford’s limited factory warranty and can be serviced at a local Ford dealer.

Continue reading for more information.

Next time you’re burning rubber in your Mustang GT350, just remember each unsuspecting Ford Explorer could be an undercover police cruiser. That’s thanks to Ford’s new “No Profile” light bar package the automaker is now offering as a factory option for the Police Interceptor Utility.

The new light bar mounts inside the vehicle, just above the rearview mirror on the front windshield. It’s incorporated into the headliner for a seamless look. Its thin profile keeps the windshield clear, unlike most aftermarket windshield light bars. When turned on, the light bar flashes in an alternating pattern. It can also be programmed to flash in a red/red or blue/ blue pattern.

What’s more, the light bar features a bight white mode for “take down” and “scene” operations. In other words, it basically acts like an aftermarket LED light bar to throw extra light forward. The white light can be adjusted from full intensity down to 20 percent, along with an auto-dimming function, as well.

The light bar, technically called the interior visor light, is available on the 2017 Ford Police Interceptor Utility as a factory option.

Continue reading for the full story.

Next time you’re burning rubber in your Mustang GT350, just remember each unsuspecting Ford Explorer could be an undercover police cruiser. That’s thanks to Ford’s new “No Profile” light bar package the automaker is now offering as a factory option for the Police Interceptor Utility.

The new light bar mounts inside the vehicle, just above the rearview mirror on the front windshield. It’s incorporated into the headliner for a seamless look. Its thin profile keeps the windshield clear, unlike most aftermarket windshield light bars. When turned on, the light bar flashes in an alternating pattern. It can also be programmed to flash in a red/red or blue/ blue pattern.

What’s more, the light bar features a bight white mode for “take down” and “scene” operations. In other words, it basically acts like an aftermarket LED light bar to throw extra light forward. The white light can be adjusted from full intensity down to 20 percent, along with an auto-dimming function, as well.

The light bar, technically called the interior visor light, is available on the 2017 Ford Police Interceptor Utility as a factory option.

Continue reading for the full story.

Ford is upping its game for its Police Interceptor sedan and utility vehicle. It recently announced the additional option of ballistic panels rated against armor-piercing rifle ammunition. These panels, designated Type IV protection by the U.S. Department of Justice, are above Ford’s already available Type III ballistic panels offered in both Police Interceptor vehicles.

This new level of protection shields officers from .30 caliber armor piercing bullets with a mass of 10.8 grams and a velocity of roughly 2,880 feet per second, commonly available for the Remington 700 hunting rifle and AK-47. While these rounds aren’t common on the streets, rising threat levels have agencies requesting better protection.

“The fact that we design our Police Interceptors around officer feedback is what has made them number one. Officers globally told us they needed protection from armor piercing ammunition and we added increased ballistic protection to an already great product – that’s continuous innovation,” said Arie Groeneveld, chief engineer, Ford Police Interceptors.

While that may be a heavily biased option from a Ford engineer, it’s unquestionable that Ford is taking major steps to keep law enforcement officers safe. Ford is the only automaker offering ballistics protection as a factory option on police vehicles.

Ford’s Type III ballistics panels are rated against all handgun and non-armor piercing rounds up to .30 caliber in size – most notably, the 7.62mm x 51mm NATO M80 ball ammunition most widely used in the AK-47. The panels also protect against “special threat” rounds identified by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Ford’s marketing hype aside, options like this are likely playing a huge role in making the police versions of the Taurus and Explorer so popular with departments. However, Ford better enjoy the unrivaled success while it lasts. Chevrolet and Dodge are surely developing their own measures to compete.

Continue reading for the full story.

The boys in blue are getting an updated version of their Ford Explorer, the Police Interceptor Utility. The changes follow those of the revised civilian version due out for 2016, with a reworked front and rear fascia and an updated interior. Beyond that, the PIU gets specific upgrades that police departments have requested such as an individual unlock button on the rear hatch, an enhanced electrical system to handle all the added equipment, and an innovative motion detection system that automatically locks the doors and rolls up the windows should anyone approach the vehicle from behind on foot.

What’s more, the ESC now includes tuning to allow for J-turns – those snappy, 180-degree rotations from reverse to drive without slowing down or changing direction of travel. Nice.

Since the death of the beloved Crown Victoria, the Taurus and Explorer have stepped in as replacements and in doing, have taken over 55 percent of the police interceptor market. That’s not hard to believe considering the limited number of vehicles fit for duty, but is an impressive number nonetheless.

So how does the PIU stack up? Keep reading to find out.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Ford Police Interceptor Utility.

Ford has announced details on their 2013 Police Interceptor models - both sedan and utility vehicles. The two police cars will make their debut at the Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races at Homestead Miami Speedway Nov. 18-20, 2011 where they will serve as pace cars.

For the 2013 model year, the Interceptor can be ordered with a choice of three powerful V6 engines, with power ranging from 280 HP in the base 3.5-liter TiVCT V6 engine and going up to 365 HP 3.5L V6 EcoBoost version. Both models will be equipped with an AWD system and will be offered with brakes, tires, and wheels specially designed for police duty and the next level of performance.

"Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with purpose-built vehicles – engineered and built in America – that are as dynamic as they are durable," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas.

After being announced back in March, two Ford Mad Max Interceptor concepts made their world debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne. The two concepts were designed by Ford Australia in cooperation with Top Gear Australia in order to celebrate the revival of the Mad Max action movie genre.

"We’re delighted that both our readers and the social web community have warmed to the car," TopGear Australia Editor, Stephen Corby, said. "The level of interest has really taken us by surprise, particularly with on-line media."

The company presented two 40% size clay models weighing in at around 130 kg (286 lbs) and dressed to the nines with all of the detailing and trim highlights. The two concepts were designed by Nima Nourian and Simon Brook and use industrial-strength weaponry like "tasers" mounted in the front of the cars to zap bad guys on bikes straight off the road. Other futuristic movie features include a titanium-lined body shell to interrupt police scanners and wheels with extendable spikes to shred enemy vehicles.

"It has given our team a lot of scope to really extend their imaginations The team has been able to get quite creative because the Mad Max car is not constrained by the normal design parameters imposed by a real-world vehicle."

Just in case you have any doubts about the capabilities of Ford’s new line-up of Police Interceptors, the Blue Oval has gone ahead and released a series of six videos that should turn even the most hardened of skeptics into believers.

In the videos, both the Taurus and Explorer-based Interceptors were subjected underwent various test demonstrations on performance, handling, and durability while being test-driven by real police officers and compared against rival manufacturers and their own police interceptors. According to Ford, these officers were not paid for their participation and whose comments and opinions were their own and not necessarily representing the opinions of their respective police agencies.

It’s a fascinating look at how these cars fit into the standards set about by a lot of law-enforcement agencies, all of which hold these cars as critical in assisting their cause of maintaining law and order in their respective areas.

As a refresher on the two distinct Ford Interceptor models, the Explorer Interceptor has a 3.7-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox and delivers 300 horsepower and E85 compatibility, while the Taurus is offered with a choice of two engine choices - a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 that’s also E85 compatible or a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 twin-turbocharged engine with direct-injection that produces 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.

Check out Parts 2-6 after the jump

When Jay Leno finally decides to hang up his talk show gig, maybe he might have a future as a law-enforcement official.

In the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, Leno invited Gerry Koss, the marketing manager for Ford’s Fleet Operations in North America, and Lisa Teed, the marketing manager for the Ford Police Interceptor, for a little discussion about the company’s two new Police Interceptors.

The two vehicles – a sedan and a utility version – will soon be taking the reins from the venerable Crown Victoria as Ford’s official police vehicles. Ever the car enthusiast that he is, Leno didn’t waste time trying to get to know more about the future of Ford’s police fleet and with the help of both Koss and Teed, he was given a quick tour around the two vehicles and the myriad of unique features that they have that, unfortunately, will be exclusive only for police use. Yeah, no AK-47 holsters for any of us.

Later on, Leno got to spend some time at the LAPD’s official test track to give the Police Interceptor some burn while chasing down an old Crown Victoria Police Car. The comedian even admitted that it was totally fun to be on the other side of a car chase for once and we’ll probably agree with his sentiments if we ever get a chance to sit behind the wheel of these two bad boys.

Security coverage at SEMA? Check! Ford has taken its Interceptor to a whole new, wickedly awesome level with their new Stealth Police Interceptor, a concept car based on the Police Interceptor sedan. The Interceptor may be where this car originated, but the SR-71- the original stealth airplane - is what inspired this car to become so much more.

The exterior of the vehicle says it all with its solid black paint job, mesh grille from the original Interceptor, and its aggressive spoiler with matching black bead lights. Even the area around the lights get blacked out to add to the flow of the vehicle, only becoming apparent when illuminated.

Under the hood, Ford kept the same 3.5-liter V6 engine as found in the original Interceptor, so no boost in power for this airplane inspired ride. The Stealth Interceptor will produce the same 280 hp and will still have E85 compatibility.

"The headliner is black, we wrapped the B-pillars in black, and then we started looking at, ‘Where can I hide this? How can I conceal this?’ We repackaged the console – it looks like a production console with the waterfall of the instrument panel. But when you start opening doors and panels, that’s when you see everything."

We hate to be the ones to burst anyone’s bubble, but this vehicle will be just about anything but stealth. With all of the tricked out rides out there, and the fact that a lot of tuned up super machines also feature a matte black paint job, this vehicle will be the first thing people notice. Good luck featuring this vehicle in a stakeout.

Press release after the jump.

After unveiling the Police Interceptor Concept, Ford has unveiled today the official details on the Police Interceptor production version, both sedan and utility versions.

The new Interceptor is powered by a highly efficient 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers a total of 280 HP and E85 compatibility, is mated to a unique six-speed automatic transmission that combines lowered initial gears for improved off-the-line acceleration and higher gearing for improved efficiency at lower engine rpm when cruising.

The new police car will be equipped with a water-cooled power transfer unit that guarantees capability in all conditions, Ford SYNC, BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System), cross-traffic alert, rear view camera, Reverse Sensing System, remappable steering wheel controls and Standard AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™).

"The combination of both the sedan and utility versions of the Police Interceptor allows Ford to deliver a complete, diverse and efficient solution to all of law enforcements’ pursuit needs," said Ken Czubay, vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. "These vehicles were developed step-by-step with our valuable Police Advisory Board, so we have had customer feedback throughout the development process and provided an efficient solution for fleet managers."

Press release after the jump.

Ford unveiled the official details on their new Interceptor Police car that will be used starting late 2011 when production of the Ford Crown Victoria ends. The company also announced that the sedan will be followed by a utility vehicle later this year.

The new Interceptor Police will be offered with a choice of two engines: a 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering 263 hp and E85 compatibility and an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine that will deliver at least 365 hp and 350 ft.-lb. of torque.

The Police Interceptor has been built to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing: it comes with Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system, the brakes have been increased in size and performance, the cooling package is purpose-built as well, featuring a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator, the honeycomb grille is designed to work in harmony with the interior components, offering more air flow throughout the vehicle and the standard 18-inch steel wheels are vented.

Press release after the jump.

Building on its legacy of bold muscle cars, Ford is introducing a modern, all-American sedan concept that combines “Built Ford Tough” attitude with the sporty elegance of its iconic 1960s sedans. The Ford Interceptor concept comes equipped with a manual six-speed gearbox mated to a Ford Racing 5.0-liter V-8 Cammer engine that delivers 400 horsepower and runs on E-85 ethanol.