Back in the day, law enforcement needed a pursuit vehicle that could reel in the speeding sports cars of the day, so it turned to Ford for a Special Service Package-optioned Fox Mustang powered by the storied 5.0-liter V-8. In the Sunshine State, those cars were prevalent and wore the Florida Highway Patrol’s signature black-and-tan livery and lived by the slogan, ”This Ford chases Porsches for a living…”
For the first time since the mid-’90s, the marked Mustang is back and it’s better than ever! — Florida Highway Patrol
Recently, the agency showed off State Trooper S650 Mustang GTs wearing that signature livery, which gave pony car fans all the retro feels.
There hasn’t been a Florida Highway Patrol marked patrol car since the ’90s, and as part of its campaign to win the title of Best Looking Cruiser, the agency recently shared images of black-and-tan S650 Mustang GTs. (Photo Credit: Florida Highway Patrol)
“We may have forgotten to mention…” the Florida Highway Patrol said via social media. “There’s something new (but also familiar) patrolling Florida’s roads. For the first time since the mid-’90s, the marked Mustang is back and it’s better than ever! These patrol vehicles are workhorses in every sense of the word.”
If you were around in the Fox era, the Special Service Mustangs were the bane of speeders from 1982-1993, with the ’87-’93 models being the most prevalent. Eventually, those cars went to auction and became race cars and projects that extended the SSP Mustang legacy.
The agency shared these images because the highway patrols from all 50 states are competing for the Best Looking Cruiser, and the FHP thought the Mustangs might give them an edge over its recently viral Corvette patrol car. Several states have Mustang cruisers, and you can pick your favorite Ford by participating in the survey here.