Dodge challenges Crown Vic as cop carrier

**beefheart** · 03-28-2005, 05:15 PM

From the Detroit Insider:

Monday, March 28, 2005

Dodge challenges Crown Vic as cop carrier

By Sharon Silke Carty / USA TODAY

NEW YORK -- The police car market might be on the verge of becoming interesting again.

It has long been dominated by the Ford Crown Victoria, which accounts for 85 percent of all cop cars sold in the USA. But two new entries from Dodge could shake things up.

Dodge said last week at the auto show here that it will roll out a police car version of Charger. That's in addition to the law-enforcement edition of Magnum announced last year.

Charger could be a serious competitor to Crown Victoria. Police have opted to stick with the Crown Vic despite high-profile issues with the sedan. Nearly 20 police officers have died after their Crown Vics were struck from behind at high speeds, resulting in fiery explosions, according to accident reports.

Ford recently won a lawsuit in Illinois brought by police departments worried that the cars were unsafe, but it still faces lawsuits in several other states.

Ford has taken steps to make the car safer by adding a plastic shield to protect the gas tank and installing a fire-suppression device.

DaimlerChrysler, Dodge's parent, has a history with police cars. From the 1960s to the early 1980s, Chrysler's share of that market ranged from 45 percent to 60 percent, with cars such as Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Fury. After a 12-year hiatus, Dodge got back into the market with Intrepid.

But the front-wheel-drive car had just 4 percent of the approximately 70,000-vehicle market before Dodge phased it out in 2003.

Police say they like the Crown Victoria for several reasons: It's big enough to haul around all of their stuff, including a roomy front seat that can hold laptops and papers. It's rear-wheel drive, which gives officers a feeling of better control when driving at high speeds and going around corners.

Fleet managers like it because most of their other cars are Crown Vics, so they can swap parts when needed.

For the police Charger, Dodge added enhanced brakes and a 340-horsepower Hemi engine.

The company also engineered the car with two tests in mind, one by the California Highway Patrol and one by the Michigan State Police. Both agencies put police cars through the rigors, and the publicized results are influential. The cars will be tested later this year.

"With all of this, we know we'll hit the sweet spot," said Eric Ridenour, executive vice president of product development for Chrysler Group. The Magnum and Charger police cars will be available later this year.

While Magnum, a sport wagon, will likely attract some business, Dodge has the best shot at capturing some of this market with Charger, because police departments tend to fill more than 75 percent of their fleets with sedans.

Still, Magnum helps expand the brand's image as tough and aggressive.

John Alley, fleet administrator for the San Diego Police Department, said he's looking forward to seeing some competition in the market. All 550 of his fleet's sedans are Crown Victorias, and he said he spends $21,000 to $23,000 per car.

"We're excited that there's another competitor out there," he said.

"We're hoping the new Dodge will be cheaper." Dodge says it will announce pricing later this year. For the police Charger, Dodge added enhanced brakes and a 340-horse power Hemi engine.

**SoCal_Magnum** · 03-28-2005, 05:37 PM

lol, if Mr. John Alley thinks he can get Magnum R/Ts for $23,000 each he's got another thing coming...he might have to opt for the lesser, but still very cool, SXT cop car :(

**redinorange** · 03-28-2005, 05:40 PM

They might get them for a lot less than you think!!

**SD68XR7** · 03-29-2005, 12:31 PM

I don't think agencies would get R/T's per se, Rather they would get a fleet designed model base interior, colum shift, steel wheels and little frills but with the addition of the hemi. No matter what, Dodge is gonna have to do something with the lower end of the front bumper, cause it aint gonna last too long.

**DFWMagnum** · 03-29-2005, 01:23 PM

Well, The New York Auto Show was the place to be if you were looking to find a replacement for your Crown Vics. Dodge was showing off the Charger in it's Police Package. Not much of a write up, but tell me this isn't better that the Crown Vic? Imagine this in your rear view mirror...

**beefheart** · 03-29-2005, 06:06 PM

They'll be a de-contented R/T to save some bucks.

**grinner** · 03-30-2005, 01:05 AM

I sure like the hood n that burgandy one.
Wish one exactly like it was available for the magnum.

**melikemagnum** · 03-30-2005, 07:24 PM

This is the first time I have seen the Srt8 Charger and its awesome!

**E8502** · 03-30-2005, 08:33 PM

Can't wait 'til the LX's are out being driven by the Cops!

Yes, I know some say this is bad, but it's good if you get law enforcment on your side.

**Rev.Hammer** · 03-30-2005, 08:36 PM

Well, then, can I use you as a reference?

**E8502** · 03-30-2005, 08:39 PM

Of course, for YOU Rev, anything.

**lbstone** · 03-31-2005, 03:33 PM

About the price being to high. I'm a cop and we get our Crown Vic's on a lease to own program. The Crown Vic's cost $28K if a civilian was to buy on, but the departmant's pay $20K over a 3 year period. The Police Crown Vic's have a stiffer frame, updated Brakes and a motor to allow higher revs. Of coarse the interior is stripped and it's up top the departmant to install the lights and the cage. This is right up the alley of the Charger stripped with the Hemi. I hope they do it. We just got 5 new cars this year and where replacing the whole fleet next year (15 marked cars 10 detective cars and 7 Expiditions). Maybe well get some Chargers or Magnums!!

**melikemagnum** · 04-02-2005, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by lbstone

About the price being to high. I'm a cop and we get our Crown Vic's on a lease to own program. The Crown Vic's cost $28K if a civilian was to buy on, but the departmant's pay $20K over a 3 year period. The Police Crown Vic's have a stiffer frame, updated Brakes and a motor to allow higher revs. Of coarse the interior is stripped and it's up top the departmant to install the lights and the cage. This is right up the alley of the Charger stripped with the Hemi. I hope they do it. We just got 5 new cars this year and where replacing the whole fleet next year (15 marked cars 10 detective cars and 7 Expiditions). Maybe well get some Chargers or Magnums!!

Would you rather have a Magnum or Charger?

**06MagnumRT** · 04-03-2005, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by lbstone

About the price being to high. I'm a cop and we get our Crown Vic's on a lease to own program. The Crown Vic's cost $28K if a civilian was to buy on, but the departmant's pay $20K over a 3 year period. The Police Crown Vic's have a stiffer frame, updated Brakes and a motor to allow higher revs.

Starting in 2003 (when they went to hydroformed front frame rails) the frames are the same on civilian and police models. The only difference in the brakes is the pad material and on some years the material the caliper piston is made of. A good set of pads from autozone will get your civilian model stopping better than the police model. The motor is exactly the same, the PCM programming is only slightly different. Any decent tuner can burn you a better chip than the P71 (vin code for the police package) PCM program.

The Ford "police" package is really nothing much more than a towing package. A few years back, Car & Driver put a civilian model against a "police" package Vic. The civilian model was faster due to the p71 weighing more.

The only things that are really performance related parts (and not just severe duty) are the driveshaft & extended tailshaft housing for the transmission, and the torque converter (on some years it was different to allow higher shift points). The p71 uses a shorter aluminum driveshaft (with the exception of cars that came with 3.55 rear gears which got an AMMX driveshaft) to help reduce driveshaft whip at high speed (civilian is steel). This shorter driveshaft requires a longer tailshaft on the transmission.

So in short, the vic is a solid reliable car (in any trim), but there is nothing special about the police package. Its just a severe duty package with a stripped interior.

For the record, I have a '93 Grand Marquis (same platform as the vic & the town car). I put in a 140mph cluster out of a '91 Police Package Vic (required re-pinning a connector) and Police PCM out of a '94. I've had it for 8 years and I still love it. I've got around 200,000 miles on the original motor & transmission.