Australia’s fastest cop car, $200k Merc GLE63 AMG SUV

[XUV]

Should be interesting, but it'll probably cost them the equivalent of a Ford/Holden cop car every time they do a set of brakes pads and discs

POLICE in Victoria have taken delivery of the fastest, most powerful and most expensive highway patrol car to ever be put into service.

Powered by a massive twin-turbocharged V8, the $200,000 Mercedes GLE63 AMG SUV coupe can reach the speed limit in just 4.2 seconds — quicker than any Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon pursuit sedan.

Unlike other expensive and exotic cars occasionally used by police for public awareness campaigns — including a Porsche 911 once used by NSW Police — the imposing Mercedes will be a fully functional highway patrol vehicle used for everyday police work by Victoria Police.

It won’t cost the taxpayer one cent because it is on loan from Mercedes-Benz as part of a 12-month trial.

Police across Australia are struggling to find suitable vehicles to replace the iconic Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon pursuit cars that have served them and the community for decades.

No Cookies | Herald Sun

 

[acarmody]

It's very "out there" noticeable, with that paint job, I'll give them that.

 

[Rajesh Koothrappali]

Should be interesting, but it'll probably cost them the equivalent of a Ford/Holden cop car every time they do a set of brakes pads and discs

It won’t cost the taxpayer one cent because it is on loan from Mercedes-Benz as part of a 12-month trial.

And it won't ever be the car of choice...

They'll be in Mustangs or Chargers. Both of which we're getting in RHD and both of which come in Police models already...

Volswagen Transporters will likely replace the divi vans (paddy wagons).

GD cars will likely be anything cheap.

 

[Grennan]

This is funny for two reasons.

First. Why do they need a fast car? They cant pursue anymore. So may as well stick them in Astra's like the Plod in the UK.

Second, this morning, posing with the very same car. We get this gem of an article:

No Cookies | Herald Sun

“Safety should never be an optional extra,” Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer told the Herald Sun.

“The car industry has a corporate responsibility to make safety technology standard in all new cars.”

Mr Fryer also wants motorists to spend less on such things as custom paint jobs and more on safety features, including multiple airbags and auto emergency braking.

“Death and serious injuries on Victorian roads could be reduced by a third overnight if everyone was driving the safest cars they can afford,” he said.

“We’re not saying that everyone needs to rush out and buy the latest and greatest but we need people to prioritise safety over leather seats and shiny wheels.”

He will use Victoria Police’s new $210,000 Mercedes — which police are calling The Guardian — to push that safety message.

So wait. The fastest, luxury Mercedes, with all those create comforts and flashy options. Is there to promote the message of buying the safe car, not the flashy car?

 

[Grennan]

They'll be in Mustangs or Chargers. Both of which we're getting in RHD and both of which come in Police models already...

Volswagen Transporters will likely replace the divi vans (paddy wagons).

GD cars will likely be anything cheap.

The Camry will likely be the Maccas Run car.

The Mustangs have been performing EXTREMELY poorly in the NSW tests. Theyre also looking at 300's from memory.

 

[Rajesh Koothrappali]

I hadn't heard or read that. Yeah the Chargers will be better than the Mustang I reckon. Although I have nothing to substantiate that with. 300's could be good too.

Good call on the Camry!

 

[XUV]

I liked the 300c's , but now no diesel and no wagon ?????

 

[Grennan]

There were rumors around the traps that the Stangs were not performing well in Brake tests as well as some of the handling ones. Ive heard it from three very different sources now, although nothing official of course. But theres already been a few spotted in NSWHWP livery being fitted out. Someone on this forum posted a pic of one the other week.

The 300 SRT8 might be able to stretch into that price range, has the space theyre accustomed to as well as a similar weight to the VF.

The Charger, might be a while off and its probably a little short sighted to wait till 2017 to finalise what youre going to be driving in 2018.

 

[CoffeeMonster]

I think they'll go with the Chrysler v8

 

[Calaber]

There's more to selecting a high performance police car than simply performance.

With the amount of equipment now fitted to police vehicles, the interior space available and the layout of the instrument panel can have a fairly major influence in selection of the right vehicle for police use. Anybody who ever looked inside a HWP car these days will see the Mobile Data Terminal, radio, in-car video cameras, baton holders, torch holders, body armour and various other items which can really fill the interior up without any driver or passenger. The dash design needs to be able to accommodate this equipment without impinging on the operation of the SRS or other safety and operational fittings in the car. Whilst police have used two door cars for high speed use previously, the inconvenience of rear seat access is also an issue.

The Mustang obviously has the two door access issue to contend with. I don't know what the interior space is like, but if it's not great in standard form, it may be too confined to enable all the police equipment to be fitted safely and still leave space for the driver and passenger. I can recall travelling in one of the NSW Force's Magna AWD models a few years back and the floor space for the front passenger was extremely limited because of the placement of the dual torch holder/charger on the side of the console.

The point is that being able to go fast, stop hard and corner properly are not the only things that matter when selecting police vehicles. There's a lot more to consider which wouldn't be obvious to the average Joe.