Flashing blue lights aren’t usually a welcome sight – unless, of course, they’re attached to an iconic police vehicle like one of these.
Over the years, police forces around the world have attached blue lights and a siren to some pretty special machines. Here’s a look at some of our favourites.
Ford RS200 Police Car
Back in 1986, UK police officers were usually found behind the wheel of a Ford Sierra or Granda – save for this lucky traffic cop, who was able to pilot a police-liveried RS200.
Powered by a 250bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine, the RS200 was certainly fast. This iconic shoot took place on a closed section of motorway – and was recently recreated with a new Focus RS police car pulling over a Sierra Cosworth.
Lamborghini Huracan Polizia
The Lamborghini Huracan is a V10-powered, mid-engined supercar capable of 60mph in under four seconds – ideal, then, as a high-speed response car for the Italian Highway Patrol in Rome.
Genuinely used, the Huracan Polizia was put into action as an everyday police car, as well as for the urgent transport of blood and organs. The exterior of the car was finished in the Italian police’s colours, while the tyre sidewalls were even tinted in the shade.
Carabinieri Alfa Romeo Giulia QV
This stealthy Alfa Romeo Giulia QV was delivered to the Carabinieri – the military arm of the Italian police force.
It’s a smart choice for a police car – a powerful turbocharged V6 gives it plenty of performance while sharp, nimble handling makes it ideal for changing lanes and nipping in between traffic quickly.
BMW i3
Okay, so it may not be the most visually-appealing police car available, but the fundamentals of the BMW i3 make it well suited to the job.
It’s got a surprising amount of punch, and its high torque levels mean that it’ll out-sprint more cars than you’d expect.
It’s also zero-emissions, meaning that officers can chase after criminals while doing little harm to the environment. An all-electric range of 97 miles means there’s more than enough charge for daily duties too.
Lotus Evora
Back in 2011, legendary lightweight sports car creator Lotus gifted one of its Evora vehicles to the West Midlands Police Force.
Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 with 280bhp, it arrived on a two-week loan and was the first time a high-end sports car had been used by the UK police.
It came with full police livery and blue lights, mounted on the roof and in the car’s front grille, so there was no mistaking it as it loomed large in offenders’ mirrors.
Dodge Charger Pursuit
Meet the Dodge Charger Pursuit – a contender from across the pond. As well as looking effortlessly mean, it uses either a V6 or V8 petrol engine, so it’s got plenty of power under the “hood”.
It boasts performance-tuned suspension with load-levelling shocks, as well as ballistic door panels that give the very best passenger protection. Plus, it can also be specified with all-wheel-drive for better traction.
Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge
Something as heavy and luxurious as a Rolls-Royce isn’t typically suited to life as a patrol car, however this Ghost Black Badge, supporting Sussex Police at a recent event, looks like it’s fully up to the task.
Livery aside, the Ghost remains close to standard. The interior, for instance, is finished in black and tan contrast leather. Unfortunately, this particular Rolls-Royce never entered active service, so it never got the chance to police the mean streets of Sussex.
BAC Mono
The BAC Mono is a lightweight, powerful single-seater race car for the road, and therefore isn’t the first choice for most police forces.
It was, however, extensively tested on the Isle of Man, and in doing so formed a partnership between the island’s constabulary and BAC.
Just one lucky officer – PC Andy Greves – was assigned to the car, tasked with promoting road safety on the island. Given that the Mono can hit 60mph in 2.8 seconds, it’s unlikely to have taken him too long to get around and was the perfect car to keep up with speeding bikers.
Porsche 911 Targa
In the 1960s the Dutch police were on the hunt for a vehicle capable of policing its then derestricted motorways.
It arrived at a Porsche 356, which stayed in use for some time. However, in 1967 the authorities went back to Porsche for another patrol car – a 911 Targa.
In operation until 1996, over 507 Porsche cars have been adorned with the Dutch police livery – making it the largest historic Porsche police fleet in the world.
Rover SD1
The Rover SD1 was the iconic police car of the 1980s, offering speed in a classically boxy shape.
They were stripped of any standard-vehicle frivolities, though, which is why they used a manual gearbox rather than an automatic, and had manual windows instead of electric. The springs were stiffened to aid cornering, while a heavy-duty clutch and bigger engine were fitted too.
Dubai Police
Okay, so this isn’t one car in particular – but rather the whole of Dubai Police’s fleet.
What began with a Lamborghini Aventador back in 2013 has now grown to include a Mercedes-AMG G63, Nissan GT-R and an Audi R8 – so any pursuit is likely to be stopped impressively quickly.
The fleet also contains – amazingly – a Bugatti Veyron. The 253mph-capable hypercar tops the bill of a current 14-strong fleet of high-speed patrol vehicles.
And one for future cops…
Giving a glimpse into the future of police patrol vehicles is this – the Scorpion-3 hoverbike. It’s just been tested out in Dubai (where else?), giving officers there the future opportunity of pursuing criminals from above – without the need for a helicopter.
Makers Hoversurf say that it has set new world records for flight height at 28.5 metres, and climbing rate too at five metres per second. Coupled with its impressive fleet of supercar patrol vehicles, there’s little escape for criminals from Dubai’s police.