Of all the automakers seeking to carve out a niche in the cop car segment now that Ford’s Crown Victoria has retired, none has it harder than Ford. While you might think they have an edge, cops across the country are looking for something simple, effective, and economical when it comes to catching criminals. And while Ford’s new Taurus Interceptor has been built using the Crown Vic as a measuring stick, it is also the only cop car that offers neither a V8, nor rear-wheel drive.
Despite that though, Ford is moving quite a few of their futuristic police sedans, many equipped with either a flex fuel-capable 3.5 liter V6, or the superb twin-turbocharged 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine. Today Ford also announced the addition of a third engine to the Police Interceptor lineup, the 3.7 liter V6. This engine will slot between the two 3.5 liter motors, offering more power than the naturally aspirated engine, and better fuel economy than the EcoBoost.
Why? Because fuel economy is a top concern for police departments around the nation as they find themselves having to do more policing with less money. That is where the 3.7 liter V6 comes in. With a rating of 18 city and 25 highway mpg, the 3.7 liter V6 offers about the same fuel economy as the non-turbo 3.5 liter engine (which has a 18/26 rating).
Yet the 3.7 liter engine offers 307 horsepower to the 3.5 liter’s 285 ponies. That still isn’t quite as much as the EcoBoost engine’s 365 horsepower, but for most pursuit jobs it is more than enough power. And compared to the EcoBoost engine’s 16 city/23 highway rating, the 3.7 liter engine isn’t just cheaper, it is more economical on fuel.
No matter what engine the Ford Police Interceptor has, it is certainly a formidable car.