Purpose-built police cruiser introduced.
An Atlanta company has an interesting question regarding the currently-deployed vehicles in our law enforcement fleet. If you’d never send a pickup truck to go put out a fire, why would you send a family sedan to respond to a homeland security issue? Good question. They’ve got an answer:
Unlike conventional police cruisers, which are retrofitted consumer vehicles such as the Ford Crown Victoria, the E7 is the first car designed and built specifically for law enforcement.
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Flashing emergency lights are embedded in the E7′s frame, making the car aerodynamic and visible from all directions. The front seats are designed with extra space to accommodate a police officer’s utility belt.
The rear passenger compartment is completely sealed off from the cockpit. Molded plastic seats in back allow for easy cleaning and prevent prisoners from hiding contraband.
Two front-mounted cameras automatically scan license plates of nearby vehicles and alert police when they find a car flagged as stolen or involved in some other crime. According to developers, the car’s onboard equipment can also detect nuclear and biological threats.
Li said the car’s 300 bhp [sic] forced-induction 3.0-diesel engine will deliver 420 lb-ft of torque and propel the vehicle from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, with a governed top speed of 155 mph.
He also said the E7′s engine, which can run on either ultra-low sulfur diesel or biodiesel, will have a combined fuel economy rating of 28 to 30 mpg — up to 40 percent more fuel efficient than conventional police cruisers.
The story’s pretty fascinating and has links to a photo gallery. The gallery shows off the myriad of features listed here and 1 that’s not. THe rear doors open to the rear of the car, not to the middle. And they open a full 90° to the side, permitting an absolutely unhindered access to the rear seats.
Come to think of it, I’d like doors like that to get my kid’s booster seat in and out of the car.
This is a pretty good design, it appears, and it’s purpose-built for the law enforcement community. I think they’ll like it, assuming the manufacturer can keep control of the price.
