Dodge Gain Traction Among Police Cars

[NINETY_EIGHT_REGENCY]

Dodge Gain Traction Among Police Cars
By JEFF KAROUB 11.23.07, 12:53 PM ET
FORBES.COM


DETROIT -

The police car you see on the roadside - or in your rearview mirror, if luck's not on your side - might not look like you expected.

The sporty upstart Dodge Charger is aiming to challenge the Ford Crown Victoria as chief of police cars. Chrysler LLC's full-sized model that debuted in 2006 is no immediate threat to the Crown Vic or Chevrolet Impala, the market's other major player, but the Charger is gaining momentum in a market that sells 75,000 vehicles a year as national tests cite its speed and handling.

"We've been steadily gaining market share and acceptance for the police vehicle since its inception," said Chrysler LLC spokeswoman Shawn Morgan. "We see that trend continuing."

It's a small dent in the automotive industry, which expects to sell about 16 million cars this year. But it's an important niche for automakers because it gives them a chance to put their products to the test when life - or at least the law - is on the line.

"That vehicle has to accommodate a bunch of requirements - it's an officer's first-aid station, comfort area for accident victims, command post for a crime scene. Next thing you know it's involved in a high-speed run, responding to a heart attack, chasing a criminal," said Lt. David Halliday, who leads the Michigan State Police's annual police vehicle tests that serve as a national standard for law enforcement.

"We really ask (the automakers) to do an enduring duty for the public that's often underestimated," he said.

Automakers don't break out data for sales to law enforcement agencies, but overall sales for the full-sized Charger were 97,833, up 1.5 percent for the first 10 months of 2007 compared with last year. The Crown Victoria's sales were 51,286, down 7.2 percent during the same period. The Impala's total sales through October were 270,504, up 12.6 percent, according to Autodata Corp.

John Felice, Ford Motor Co. (nyse: F - news - people )'s director of North American fleet operations, said the decline is due to a drop in retail sales, which accounts for a small percentage of the Crown Victoria's sales. He said Ford forecasts flat sales this year for police cars and controls about 80 percent of the market.

The latest round of police vehicle tests on 2008 models found the Charger with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine had the fastest acceleration, highest top speed and among the shortest braking distances.

"Law enforcement has always liked good performance in a vehicle," Halliday said. "For example, the (5.7-liter) Charger has a top speed of (nearly) 150 mph. If you're in the market for a vehicle that has that kind of performance, that kind of vehicle will fit the bill."

Halliday said his testing team doesn't assign scores to the vehicles or declare winners. It assesses what each vehicle offers and how it can be applied to a department's mission. The tests also include road racing course times on a two-mile course. The winners: the V-8 versions of the Dodge Charger and Magnum wagon.

Halliday said the Charger also has an advanced stability-control system, which senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and avoid a rollover. He said his team is working with the other automakers on developing such systems for their police vehicles.

Likewise, many agencies opt for the Impala because it has front-wheel drive, which offers additional traction control in slippery conditions, he said.

Halliday believes the Charger might be garnering attention because it offers a new option in the market, long dominated by Ford and General Motors Corp. (nyse: GM - news - people )'s Chevy division.

Chrysler returned to the police car market in 2000 after a 14-year absence, but received what Halliday called a "lukewarm response from law enforcement" to its Dodge Intrepid. The Charger has been much better received, he said.

A state police spokeswoman says the department currently has about 670 Crown Victorias and 10 Chargers.

Ford's Felice said the Dearborn, Mich., automaker keeps a close eye on competitors but also works closely with law enforcement and is confident it's continuing its 50-year tradition of making safe, affordable, roomy and reliable vehicles for law enforcement.

"Really when you look at the overall police market. It's really ... not an individual attribute," Felice said. "It's who brings the product to the marketplace that meets the collective needs of this customer, the police officer."

Despite the new cars entering the police segment, Ford remains the dominant player, Felice said.

Gene Taylor, the police chief in the Detroit suburb of Belleville, said his small department has used Ford vehicles for several years, but bought a Charger a year ago and plans to buy another. He said his department, which has five cruisers, sought another option after having major problems with several Crown Victorias and came across the relaunched Charger.

Taylor, who describes himself as "an old Dodge boy," initially thought Chrysler was using an old nameplate to promote a new product. But he tested all three automakers' offerings at a Chrysler event and came away impressed with the Charger's handling and performance.

"It's lived up to the hype so far," he said.

Halliday says all three automakers are making vehicles that stand up to the rigors of law enforcement.

"Competition is good for law enforcement," he said. "It strengthens the industry in making the vehicles capable across the board for a variety of missions."

[I-Love-Pontiac]

Has anyone done a comparison of the 3 big police cars?

[genjy]

Some of the smaller police forces around here have started to use Chargers. They aren't Hemi-powered for sure, so I guess they are the 3.5L Chargers.

Chargers look great as police cars.

[j_granlund]

Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac

Has anyone done a comparison of the 3 big police cars?

I wanna say Motor Trend did one a few months ago,but im not sure.

[j_granlund]

Originally Posted by genjy

Chargers look great as police cars.

That they do.

[likearock00]

Originally Posted by j_granlund

I wanna say Motor Trend did one a few months ago,but im not sure.

Nope, it was Car & Driver.

The Chargers look bad as heck as a cop car. I love looking at them as long as it isn't in my rearview mirror!

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by likearock00

Nope, it was Car & Driver.

The Chargers look bad as heck as a cop car. I love looking at them as long as it isn't in my rearview mirror!

Agreed! Alot of the suburbs around here have at least 1, but so far, my hometown dept. hasn't scored any yet

[GMusa]

I always thought Chargers would make a better police car, the Impala is FWD which is bad when you need a car that goes through the beating a police car gets, and the Crown-Vic is old and underpowered compared to the Charger.

[fastball]

With all the news lately of Crown Vics catching fire when impacted from the rear (sound familiar, Ford?), I bet sales of Chargers will increase.

Ford is on the hot seat (so to speak) with their Crown Vics/Police Interceptors. The gas tank, while no longer under the trunk, is still located outside of the sub frame and rear differential (slotted at an angle behind the rear seat and just slightly above the rear diff).

The 25 year old chasis design does not allow for the gas tank to be located inside the subframe (or underneath the rear seat which is where most gas tanks are now located in cars).

[F14CRAZY]

How come cops don't use the 5.3L Impala? Does it need premium?

Do police departments have a no-no policy on premium gas?

Would seem like Ford would put the 3 valve 4.6L in the PI

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

How come cops don't use the 5.3L Impala? Does it need premium?

Do police departments have a no-no policy on premium gas?

Would seem like Ford would put the 3 valve 4.6L in the PI

The V6 Impala is as fast as the V8 Ford but with much better mileage. I would guess the cooling capacity of the V8 would not be acceptable for the requirements of a police vehicle. I recall when the they first started offering FWD Impala's for police duty (previous generation with the 3.8) they talked about the cooling capacity and top speed. The top speed was in the 120's (I don't recall exactly how fast) but they said it could run that fast all day long and not over heat. That is why they never offered the supercharged before and probably why they don't offer the V8 now. I can't say for sure however.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

How come cops don't use the 5.3L Impala? Does it need premium?

Do police departments have a no-no policy on premium gas?

Would seem like Ford would put the 3 valve 4.6L in the PI

5.3 is Aluminum, cops want a Cast Iron Block for durability.

The Hemi is Cast Iron. Also I see a lot of Magnum and Charger cop cars.

[Stéphane Dumas]

I wonder if a Zeta Pontiac G8 will outdo the Charger?

Remember the Blues Brothers who used a 1974 Dodge Monaco old cop car? Maybe if they do a modern remake using a Charger and the bad guy cars are in some Camry/Accords ready to be scrapped for the next stunt at the end of the car chase

[454]

Originally Posted by likearock00

Nope, it was Car & Driver.

The Chargers look bad as heck as a cop car. I love looking at them as long as it isn't in my rearview mirror!

Nope it was MT. i have the issue

[King Riffle]

So what happens when Dodge goes to light trucks and suvs only? Will Chrysler throw the winged ribbon logo onto a Charger or will they sell a lower priced 300 to police fleets?

I would like to see a 300 police car, that might look cool (not as cool as the Charger though).