Test drove the new Explorer police edition

Imagine seeing this in your rear view mirror trying to pull you over.

 

I'd have to pull over otherwise I'd crash from laughing so hard.

 

Is it really? I saw Kent and was thinking up in your neck of the woods.

 

I live in a town with 3000 people. The police make a lap or 2 every few hours. I love how the police get the biggest gas sucking machine available.

 

Couldnt talk ém into a 'Busa?

Or even a Kawi Concourse?

 

This is what you need to be driving Regularguy:

 

You aren't even going to catch a kid on a bigwheel with one of those.

 

I think what limits a lot of new cars is the support packages. Police departments and even fleet vehicle companies need a good supply of common wear parts on a regular basis, and at good prices. Let's not forget body parts and other wear and tear items. One off vehicles makes it tough for the maintenance department to keep it on the road.

Departments are not just buying a vehicle, they're buying a year long commitment that requires thousands in spare parts. I wouldn't be surprised if most departments spend more on annual upkeep (with gas) than the cost of the vehicle.

Of course, the Crown Vic is an oversized, inefficient turd of a vehicle, but I'm sure Ford has a replacement in the works. Just surprised it's taken this long, that thing needs to retire with the old Caprices, Apens, and other relics of yesterday.


BTW, anyone in law enforcement ever check out Carbon Motors' all new purpose built police vehicle? Lots of cool tech, 300HP turbo diesel, and useful design in this one:




http://www.carbonmotors.com/

 

It's an awesome ride. The 5.7 Hemi is plenty. Kids today grow up learning to drive Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys. Put them in a mid size sedan and they can't stop hitting stuff. In the SRT, OMG we'd have no cars left....

 

I've been hearing about Carbon Motors for a couple of years. Unfortunately I don't think it will get off the ground. They're competing with already established car manufacturers. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

It used to be that they would be forced to pick the big V8 sedans for space and durability needs (the conventional wisdom being that larger, lower-RPM motors lasted longer). That's probably a lot less true today, but the precedent has been set...

The 3.5 liter Charger is "okay." It probably varies by department, but our County cars have the 3.5 in the un-marked police vehicles that the detectives and supervisors drive. Anything with a cage has the 5.7 though.

Carbon Motors has a really good business model, but I agree that it's a tough sell.

Still, there are a lot of distinct advantages:

- their budget numbers show that it's $x,xxx less expensive to buy a purpose-built police car with integrated lights and sirens rather than retrofitting all that stuff after it's been built. If municipalities are looking for ways to cut $$, that's a selling point.

- the integrated lights mean less aerodynamic drag. Over the life of the car, that's SIGNIFICANT fuel savings.

- Because it's purpose-built for LEOs, they have incentive to actually cater directly to the needs and suggestions of departments.

- I believe they were looking at short-term lease agreements with maintenance included. Basically you drive your Carbon Cop Car for 50,000 miles, then turn it in for a new or reconditioned model that they go over and fix all the little naggy shit on (like torn seats, and whatever. A tune-up and full service would be a given) And then they're NEVER sold to civilians. Officially, Carbon Motors owns all of them, and leases them nation-wide to various government agencies.

I suppose they'd have to scrap or recycle them at the end of their serviceable life, but that's pretty much what happens with old military aircraft now anyway...

 

Wired magazine did a cool write up on the Carbon Motors cars. The Fuel efficiency was a big plus, but lots of special items like bullet proof doors, 75MPH rear end collision rated (probably optimistic) and other traits make a ton of sense. Assuming its built well, the design looks to be a lot tougher than general passenger cars.

From a personal experience, I really like the integrated keyboard and controls. My dad used to pick me up a few times in a patrol car. The computer, radar gun and other crap took up the passenger seat, so I had to sit in the back behind the cage . Layout and controls always looked very inefficient.

 

The carbon looks like a 300c with a Holden nose.

 

carbon Motors never took off. We did a lot of work with them in development a couple years ago but it didn't happen. Would have been a great car. BMW drivetrain was very nice!

 

I'd love to drive a Carbon Motors vehicle. I bet that turbo diesel will hall the mail. Discussing features, I also hear they can be equipped with nuclear and biological sniffers.

 

They had/ have a great plan but don't seem to get ant big sales and have very limited capital. Sucks because the car is spot on.

 

LOL... Probably true!


Last I knew about Carbon Motors they didn't even have a functioning prototype available. Also heard they didn't get a govt grant they were seeking and the car is not likely to see production.