Ford To Offer Police SUV
Ford says it's going to offer a Police Interceptor version of its new Explorer SUV, to go along with a police car based on the new Taurus.
The two vehicles will replace the Crown Victoria based Police Interceptor that now has 70 per cent of the police market. It will be retiring next year.
Ford says it worked closely with the law enforcement community to develop the new Police Interceptor Utlity.
"Some of the things that we're doing in this vehicle you only learn by talking with your customer, ongoing, for many years," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of the America's.
Ford made a number of changes including an upgraded electrical system, easier to clean vinyl seats, and a column shifter, to add room for more equipment in the front seats. There are also amenities to better protect police officers.
"We are providing ballistic door panels, and these panels are certified to protect up to what we call 'type 3' ammunition, 'type 3' bullets," said Jim Holland, the vehicle's chief engineer. "Every vehicle, every Police Interceptor will have as a standard feature the anti stab plates that are fitted into the front seat both behind the driver and behind the passenger."
Both of Ford's police vehicles will be built at the Chicago Assembly Plant. Ford says they will adjust production to meet demand.
The vehicles will soon have competition from an all new Chevy Caprice police vehicle, and an upgraded Dodge Charger police car. A start-up company, Carbon Motors, is also building a police car.
"From our standpoint, we want to build on the leadership we have," says Ford's Mark Fields. "Bring the competition on and let the product speak for itself."
