New Ford Police Interceptor Debuts at the Chicago Car Show

The 2016 Ford Police Interceptor SUV, designed and purpose-built with active input from law enforcement professionals, will be available this summer. This top-selling police vehicle is built in Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant. Based on the Ford Explorer, the latest version of the Police Interceptor was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show on Thursday, February 12, 2015.

To support an important market segment, Ford created the Police Advisory Board in 2000 specifically to develop the safest, most appropriately equipped vehicle to meet the rigorous requirements of law enforcement. The Board has included as many as twenty-five law enforcement professionals interfacing with Ford designers to incorporate features that address those unique situations and needs. The result of the collaboration has exceeded the expectations of all the stakeholders, and the Ford Police Interceptor continues to be the top-selling law enforcement vehicle.

The original Ford Police Interceptor SUV was introduced in 2011. Since that time, the vehicle has become the leading police vehicle, capturing 55 percent of the market share. Sales have extended beyond the borders of the United States to 80 other countries.

Standard on the Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle for 2016 is a six-cylinder 304 horsepower engine. Another option is the V-6 3.7-liter EcoBoost engine with 365 horsepower. Both configurations have been extensively tested in numerous police-monitored situations to endorse their adaptability to police work.

A police vehicle must respond under any conditions without loss of stability. The Ford Police Interceptor’s standard all-wheel-drive system is engineered to handle high-speed episodes while providing sufficient traction in difficult conditions, such as snow, sand or rain.

The specially designed 6-speed automatic transmission employs a unique Pursuit Mode. When engaged in Pursuit Mode, the transmission adapts the upshift and downshift performance for very aggressive pursuit.

For instant reaction to an emergency situation, the Interceptor is equipped with software that will initiate and complete a "reverse J-turn" that allows the driver to change direction by 180 degrees directly from a rolling reverse mode. This maneuver, usually only performed by stunt drivers, allows for immediate pursuit in the opposite direction.

The 2016 Ford Police Interceptor SUV is reinforced to withstand extreme impact and to provide maximum protection for the occupants. Since the vehicle is intended to travel at higher-than-normal speeds during pursuit, the structure naturally needs reinforcement to withstand greater-than-normal impact. With this in mind, Ford engineers have added special supports to the already durable structure. The uni-body frame is produced from super strong boron steel and includes a high-strength steel tube that reaches across the frame to ensure further rigidity. The sub-frame is completely reinforced and the powertrain is locked in by heavy-duty mounts. The brakes are specially designed for unusually heavy use, and the vehicle rides on 18-inch wheels with heavy duty tires that will last 50,000 miles.

The 2016 Ford Police Interceptor has been designed to anticipate and protect the occupants during a number of potentially dangerous circumstances. A rear-mounted camera with a washing unit is installed. The image is transmitted to a 4-inch screen at the dashboard. The Surveillance Mode warns the driver when someone is approaching from the rear. The windows will go up and the all doors will lock automatically to prevent an unexpected attack from the rear.

To meet the additional specifications of individual customers, the nearly-completed vehicle moves over to Ford’s fully-owned subsidiary plant, Troy Manufacturing, to add all of the lights, sirens and other accessories that complete the order. According to Ford’s own website, 269,000 police accessories were added to complete 36,000 Ford Police Interceptors in 2014.

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