New testing protocols adopted by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) last year and Michigan State Police (MSP) this year only underscored the performance dominance of Ford’s best-selling Police Interceptors. In the most recent tests performed by LASD and MSP of 2016 model-year vehicles, both the Ford EcoBoost® Police Interceptor Sedan and the Ford EcoBoost Police Interceptor Utility set records and beat out competitors.
For the first time ever, both police agencies conducted testing with a “key on and drive” policy, meaning stability and traction control settings were in default mode, as when the vehicles are first turned on and how officers drive these vehicles in the real world. LASD began implementing the test protocol last year.
Ford EcoBoost Police Interceptor Sedan repeated its top performance in MSP and LASD testing of 2016 police vehicles, retaining its title as quickest-accelerating pursuit vehicle, and turned in faster lap times than all competitors.
The EcoBoost-powered Ford Police Interceptor Sedan bested all vehicles, including V8-equipped competitors’ sedans in testing by both Michigan and California authorities, while Ford Police Interceptor Utility with EcoBoost out-accelerated the competition’s newest V8-equipped utility and all base V6-powered sedans. Interestingly, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost Special Service Police Sedan test results showed the turbo four-cylinder to be quicker to 60 mph than the last Crown Victoria Police Interceptor tested by MSP for the 2011 model year (8.6 vs. 8.9 seconds).
Highlights of Test Results: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD)
- Ford EcoBoost Interceptor Sedan repeats as best-in-class acceleration for overall pursuit vehicles (0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds vs. 6.6 seconds for the 5.7-liter Charger and 6.7 seconds for the 6.0-liter Chevrolet Caprice)
- EcoBoost Interceptor Utility repeats as best-in-class acceleration for utilities and repeats faster than all base V6 cars
- Ford 2.0-liter Special Service Police Sedan achieves 0-60 and 0-100 times faster than the 2011 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
LASD Fontana/Auto Club Speedway High-Speed Pursuit Tests:
- Ford 2.0-liter Special Service Police Sedan passes 32-lap Fontana Vehicle Dynamics test, and for the first time will be in the LASD Vehicle Test book as a pursuit-rated vehicle
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost Interceptor Sedan repeats as best-in-class lap time and fastest average lap speed among all police vehicles tested
- 3.7-liter all-wheel-drive Interceptor Sedan achieves fastest lap and fastest average lap among base V6 police vehicles
- EcoBoost Interceptor Utility repeats as best-in-class lap time and fastest lap in utility segment
- Both the 3.7-liter and 3.5-liter EcoBoost Interceptor Utilities achieve faster average lap time than a competitor’s utility vehicle, having implemented a “Track Detect” automatic stability control mode, which reduces stability control intervention
Highlights of Test Results:Michigan State Police
- Ford EcoBoost Interceptor Sedan repeats as top acceleration for overall pursuit vehicles
- EcoBoost Interceptor Utility acceleration repeats as top acceleration for utilities and repeats as faster than all base V6 sedans
- Ford 2.0-liter Special Service Police Sedan achieves 0-60 and 0-100 times faster than the 2011 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Grattan Raceway (Belding, Michigan) Test Highlights:
- This is the first year all police vehicles were tested with stability control, traction control and engine mode systems full key-on as driven by officers in the real world
- Electronic stability control on agreement results in a 0.5-2.0-second decrease in competitor vehicle performance
- EcoBoost Interceptor Sedan is best-in-class lap time
- EcoBoost Interceptor Sedan achieves fastest lap and fastest average lap
- EcoBoost Interceptor Utility repeats as best-in-class lap time and fastest average lap speed in utility segment
- Even the 3.7-liter non-EcoBoost Interceptor Utility achieves faster lap time than a competitor’s V8-powered police utility vehicle
- 3.7-liter all-wheel-drive Interceptor Sedan achieves fastest lap and fastest average lap time among base V6 police vehicles
- Ford 2.0-liter Special Service Police Sedan passes 32-lap Grattan Vehicle Dynamics test, and for the first time will be in the MSP Vehicle Test book as a pursuit-rated vehicle
