California Highway Patrol switching to SUVs

When you think of a highway patrol car, you instantly think Ford Crown Victoria. And usually in California Highway Patrol black n' white trim. Since the Crown Vic went out of production last year, you see a few older models out on the roads that have been slowly replaced by the Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, or the Chevrolet Caprice (I know we haven't seen one yet either). But Ford also produces the new Explorer in a police package, and that's what the California Highway Patrol is leaning towards to replace their fleet and to keep it in the Ford family. The CHP maintains a fleet of 4,000 vehciles (give or take a few) and each year, they replace 1/3rd of that fleet with new vehicles.

Due to the ammount of gear that a trooper has to car with him or her on any given day is always increasing. And now with gear mandated by the Department of Homeland Security, the smaller patrol cars offered by the big three just won't cut it.

Of course they'll still be black and white....


Source: California Highway Patrol.

Dodge TriCharger: Two Door Charger

Force Performance answered the question no one asked: what would a two-door Dodge Charger look like? Despite this, the TriCharger does offer several useful modifications.

The engine was replaced with a new HEMI V8 engine featuring FAST XFI Engine Management Twin GT40 turbochargers and a Magna Charger Supercharger Custom EFI Blower Intake. Due to these components the car was named TriCharger. For better stability the car features a lowered suspension while in order to stop in time a new set of Brembo brakes were added. Although there is no official word about production or pricing, it may just be easier to put the engine in an established (similar-looking) Dodge product, like maybe the CHALLENGER.

2009 Dodge Charger Cop Car Gets More Power

The boys in blue will be happy to know that a new, more powerful interceptor has just hit the streets. Just like the civilian version, the 2009 Dodge Charger police car benefits from Chrysler's tweaked 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine that produces 368 HP and 395 lb.-ft. of torque, or 28HP and 5 pounds of torque more than the 2007 model. As before, departments with a lower budget have the option of the basic version that gets a 250 HP 3.5 V6 engine.

Compared to the civilian version, the cop-spec Dodge Charger's features include performance-tuned steering and suspension, heavy-duty seats to accommodate fully equipped (or...fully-sized) officers, a column-mounted shift lever Load-leveling, height-control shock absorbers and a severe-duty cooling system.

2008 Dodge Charger SRT-8

Another muscle car, that is based on an old model. Although the new Charger looks nothing like it's ancestors. The power sure does. Dodge's SRT-8 hemi engine is used in 5 of their cars. The Challenger, 300c, Jeep Cherokee, and the Charger itself. The Charger is all go, but no handles, just another muscle car. The styling is good, it has a mean look to it, with oversized rims.
Engine
Power bhp: 425
Torque lb-ft: 420
Red Line at RPM: 6400
Type: V8

Performance
Accelaration 0-60 mph: 5 Seconds

My Rating ***/*****

Base Price: 2008 Dodge Charger SRT8 - $35,920

Say what!?! NHTSA offering prizes to police for writing tickets?

Your tax dollars at work here folks. Since the folks over at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration apparently have nothing more important to do. They have announced their new National Law Enforcement Challenge Award. What exactly does this mean? Well the NHTSA is looking at police agency ticket counts and judging them by it.

To the point where they are taking points away if a department does not have a "no warning" policy. Bonus points can also be awarded to those creative departments that make their officers extra stealthy. This means undercover as say a tourist, Santa Claus, road workers, or my favorite a cruiser parked in the median of the highway with a dummy in seat.

Since the money to support this program is being diverted from gasoline tax revenue. What exactly is the five-O receiving? Well topping out the list of prizes are specially customized Dodge Charge and Magnum police cruisers. "Hot Pursuit" models packing Hemi V8s, cold air intakes and Borla exhaust systems.

Source: TheNewspaper.com