In the latest volume of Need for Speed Unbound – Vol. 8 nicknamed Cops vs. Racers – several new police vehicles were introduced, including a widebody, race-inspired Porsche 959 S.
While NFS Unbound isn’t exactly a ‘sim’ racing game, you might easily dismiss such a car as fun rather than anything you’d witness in the real world. And you’d be correct; as far as we know, no police force globally managed to find the US$300,000 needed to buy one (when new). That now equates to US$760,000 adjusted for inflation.
However, as wacky as a Porsche 959 S Interceptor may seem, it’s not entirely implausible considering some of the unconventional vehicles used by law enforcement globally over the years. And no, we’re not just talking about the trusty Crown Vic or Volvo V70…
Across the globe, various police forces use different vehicles to combat crime. Given the potential cost of a high-speed chase and the risk of a big crash, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single patrol car would get very expensive very quickly. Yet, with modern vehicles being faster than ever, what do you keep up your sleeve ‘just in case’…?
A word of warning: Not all the cars featured are actual police vehicles. Occasionally, a bonkers car is adorned with police livery for hype and public relations purposes, so we’ll keep such examples to a minimum.
A special mention goes to the UK’s Metropolitan Police, which stickered a Caparo T1 in patrol car colours in 2007. The Caparo T1, a car that famously set fire to Jason Plato and had several other ‘incidents’ during its initial launch, could be less than ideal for high-speed pursuits if every chase ended in a fireball.
PR stunts aside, which country boasts the ‘best’ police cars? The term ‘best’ is subjective, as it’s not always about the most expensive or fastest vehicles – some are just undeniably cool even by 2024 standards.
With decades of fascinating police cars to consider, we’ve cherry-picked a small selection of our favourites. If you think we’ve missed any standouts, share them in the comments. But to kick things off, let’s look closer to home at two slightly obscure offerings from the USA…
USA – Seized Muscle: 2000 Dodge Viper GTS & SRT Hellcat Redeye
Though not a dedicated pursuit car, the 2000 Dodge Viper GTS was used by the Plainfield Police Department to promote their D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in the Chicago suburbs.
But here’s where the story gets interesting: The Viper wasn’t bought at taxpayer expense but seized after being used in a felony – specifically, speeding at 127mph in a 35mph zone. It’s one thing to have your pride and joy seized for reckless behaviour, but imagine then seeing local law enforcement driving around in it afterwards.
This isn’t a one-time occurrence either. A few years ago, the Texas Department Of Public Safety ‘acquired’ an SRT Hellcat Redeye after the previous owner was caught doing 160mph. While the owner might have had a chance of escaping at that speed, he ultimately ran out of gas. Fleeing on foot, he left behind the car for local authorities to repurpose.
Hellcats have quite the reputation in 2024, and this particular Redeye wasn’t entirely standard either. As a result, the Texas Department Of Public Safety might boast the highest horsepower authority in the world, with a cool 1,080hp from this seized beast.
United Kingdom – Cossies Catching Crims: Ford Sierra Sapphire & Escort Cosworth
The UK has seen its share of police-shaped PR stunts (like the Caparo T1), with other examples including a Honda NSX, Rolls-Royce Ghost, and BAC Mono.
But not all ‘spicy’ police cars here have been stunts. South Yorkshire Police operated a fleet of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions in the late 2000s, including the Evo VIII 260, Evo IX FQ320, and Evo X FQ300.
But, for sheer cool factor, nothing beats the Cosworths. In recent years, Cosworth has become known for its work on Aston Martin’s Valkyrie V12 and Gordon Murray’s T.50 V12. But dial it back a few decades and the Northampton-based gurus were behind some of the fastest production Fords ever.
For years, police-liveried Cosworths were used across the UK, with forces like Humberside, Northumbria, and West Yorkshire leaning on Escort and Sierra Sapphire Cossies for ‘fast response’ use. The idea was to deter some of the smash-and-grab robberies prevalent throughout the 1990s; an influx of high-performance Japanese imports meant early Impreza WRXs and Lancer Evos were used as getaway cars.
While many were damaged or written off in the line of duty, a few ex-police Escort Cosworths still exist. These cars were auctioned off after service to recoup some of the initial cost a Cossie brought with it compared to a more typical Opel Astra of the day.
Italy – Lamborghini Love Affair: Lamborghini Huracán & Gallardo
‘Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer’ is one way to describe this little partnership. Italy’s Highway Patrol has long enjoyed a special relationship with Lamborghini. For decades, the Sant’Agata Bolognese automaker has donated various cars to Italian law enforcement for actual use. When your job revolves around 300km/h+-capable supercars, it’s worth having the local Carabinieri on your side.
These vehicles aren’t just for high-speed pursuits; they also play a crucial role in transporting blood and organs for life-saving medical procedures. For once speed doesn’t kill, so long as it’s bolted to a 610hp V10…
The current fleet includes multiple Huracáns and the Urus Performante, however, the Italian police can’t claim fame for using the fastest Lamborghini on the beat. That title goes to a country that tends to operate on the ‘excess is best’ value.
Dubai – Complete & Utter Excess: Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, Bentley Continental & More
What better way to quickly establish your country as hideously affluent and wealthy than by kitting out your local police force with millions of dollars worth of patrol cars? Welcome to Dubai, where the line between PR stunt and genuine police car blurs as they deploy some of the most extravagant vehicles, including Lamborghini Aventadors and Bugatti Veyrons.
While these supercars might not be in constant use, spend any time in Dubai and it’s common to see Mercedes-AMG G-Wagens, Bentleys, Ferraris and other high-end machinery on active police duty around the Gulf state.
And can you blame ‘em? Given Dubai’s reputation as a country inhabited by fairly wealthy individuals – many of whom have their own fleet of exotic supercars – it wouldn’t exactly deter reckless drivers if the entire force drove around in hybrid Toyotas. And to show they’re keeping up with current trends, they’ve even recently added a Tesla Cybertruck in the mix too…
Germany – No Speed Limit? No Problem: Porsches On Patrol
Porsche offers a vehicle for nearly every occasion in 2024, and this versatility extends to law enforcement. Porsche’s partnership with the police dates back to the 356 with an early example being used by the Austrian force in 1958.
Since then, various Porsche models have found their way into German law enforcement, including nearly every generation of the 911, countless Cayennes and Panameras, as well as the odd special edition like TechArt’s 911 Carrera S with custom aero, wheels, and performance.
Porsche police cars aren’t confined to Germany. The Netherlands, Great Britain, Austria, and others also utilise them. Although, it’s believed that Qatar now boasts the largest collection of Porsche police cars globally.
Japan – Worth Getting Arrested Just To Have a Look: Nissan Skyline GT-R, Honda NSX & Mazda RX-7.
Much like the UK, Japan’s typical patrol cars aren’t anything special, even if some of the kei variants are fairly wacky-looking, to say the least. But there have been notable exceptions. The iconic R34 Skyline GT-R, first-gen NSX, and FD3S RX-7 have been used for fast response and promoting ‘safe driving’ – a bit of a contradiction.
Tochigi Police clearly have a Speedhunters interest, as their regular additions to promote road safety read exactly like the ultimate JDM dream garage: R35 Nissan GT-R, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Lexus LC 500, Honda S2000. For some obscure reason, they even have a Mach 1 Ford Mustang. Clearly, whoever is in charge of patrol car budgets at Tochigi Police is keen to drive every one of their dream machines before they retire…
Whatever your views on police and their involvement with motorists, something is fascinating about rare, special, or just plain bizarre cars being used for patrol or safety work. The countries listed offer a glimpse into the diverse world of police vehicles, but which would be your pick if you could only choose one? Or what car have we missed that should’ve been here instead? Let us know in the comments below.
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