The Most Exciting Police Cars Around The World
One of the most exciting parts about being a police officer is being able to drive around in a police car. Can you imagine how much cooler your duty becomes if you're lucky enough to be handed over the keys to some of the finest automobiles ever made?
The fleet of your local police department is nowhere near as impressive as what you're about to see. From vintage Ferraris in Colombia to record-breaking Bugattis in Dubai, these are the most jaw-dropping police cars around the globe.
Lotus Evora S- Italy
Back in 2011, two units of the sporty Lotus Evora S joined the Italian Carabinieri. Technically, the Carabinieri is actually a unit of the Italian army. The modified Evora S sports car was used to provide rapid response and deliver medical services, such as transporting vital organs between hospitals.
The Lotus Evora S produces 345 horsepower from its 3.5L V6. In effect, the British sports car can reach 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 172 miles per hour! The two units of the Evora S used by the Carabinieri were equipped with a refrigeration compartment to store organs.
Tesla Model S- Luxembourg
One of the largest concerns with the Tesla Model S is its limited range and the time it takes to charge the vehicle. That is not a problem for the police in Luxembourg, as it only takes around 60 miles to cross the entirety of this tiny European country.
Back in 2018, the Luxembourg police added two units of the all-electric Tesla Model S to their police car fleet. The police officials explained that the new cars will contribute to fighting unhealthy emissions, and the performance of the Model S is sufficient to chase criminals.
Chevrolet Corvette C7- Guatemala
Much like the police force in Colombia, the Guatemalan National Civil Police force turned an expensive supercar into a police car. The police force seized a drug lord's Corvette C7 Stingray along with the rest of his fortune. Rather than auctioning the car off, the Corvette was turned into a police car.
Guatemalan National Civil Police claim that the supercar would be used to patrol the La Aurora International Airport, as well as for police pursuits. The Corvette C7 is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.2L V8 that produces 460 horsepower. Reaching 60 miles per hour from a standstill takes just 3.9 seconds.
Lamborghini Gallardo- Italy
Before Lamborghini gifted the Italian police with a brand new Huracan, the Polizia was using its predecessor, the Lamborghini Gallardo powered by a roaring V10. The entry-level Gallardo used to be the automaker's best-selling vehicle back around the mid-2000s, before being replaced by the Huracan in 2013.
Italy wasn't the only country that turned the powerful supercar into a police car. In fact, Gallardos were also parts of the police fleets in South Africa and the US. Back in 2009, a police officer crashed one of the Gallardos belonging to the Italian police.
BMW i3- United Kingdom
Much like the Smart Fortwo and the Renault Twizy, The BMW i3 isn't a particularly exciting car. It is, on the other hand, very unique, especially for a police interceptor. The fully-electric BMW i3 is used as a police car in cities throughout the planet. The car seen in the photo above is a part of the London police fleet.
The base variant of the all-electric i3 compact car can reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 7.3 seconds, while the sporty i3S can reach the same speed in less than 7 seconds.
Lotus Evora- United Kingdom
Back in 2011, a stunning Lotus Evora was added to the lineup of police cars in the United Kingdom. Unlike some of the other sports cars in this list, the Evora owned by the British police force was used to chase criminals, particularly on highways. The interceptor immediately became the fastest police car in the country.
The Lotus Evora packs a 280-horsepower 3.5L V6 mounted behind the driver's seat (mid-engine setup). Though not as fast as the Evora S used by the Italian carabinieri, the sports car can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in less than 5 seconds.
Chevrolet Corvette C5- USA
Twinsburg is a small town with less than 20 000 inhabitants near Cleveland, Ohio. The local police force has a beautiful fifth-generation Chevrolet Corvette in its police car fleet. Although it may not be as impressive as the luxurious fleet of Dubai's police, the C5 Corvette is an exciting sports car and a unique police car.
The Corvette C5 was first introduced for the 1997 model year. It packs a 5.7L LS1 V8 motor under the hood, which produced 345 horsepower for the early models. A sprint to 60 miles per hour takes just 4.5 seconds.
Ferrari 348- Colombia
It is no secret that Colombia has been struggling with drug trafficking for years. Back in the 1990s, Colombian police raided a drug lord and seized his fortune. The police ended up confiscating 68 farms, 24 offices, 17 parking lots, alongside hundreds of valuable items including the Ferrari 348 pictured above.
Police officials were worried that if the car was sold at auction, it would eventually make its way back to the relatives of the drug lord. Instead, the 300-horsepower V8-powered Ferrari 348 was repainted and turned into a police car.
McLaren 570S- United Arab Emirates
The beautiful McLaren 570S seen in the photo above turned out to be another addition to the ever-growing supercar fleet of Dubai's police. Although not as fast or expensive as the Bugatti Veyron, the 570S is a great addition to the lineup.
The McLaren 570S has been in production since 2015. The lightweight supercar is powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 motor paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, generating 562 horsepower in total. The 570S can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in just 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of over 200 miles per hour.
Bentley Continental GT- United Arab Emirates
It should be pretty clear by now that Dubai's police car fleet is perhaps the most impressive in the world. After all, what other police force has a Bugatti Veyron, a Lamborghini Aventador, or a McLaren 570S? Though the Bentley Continental GT is arguably not as cool as the fastest production car of the 2010s, it still makes for an impressive police car.
The second-generation Continental GT was produced from 2011 up until 2018. The luxurious 2-door grand tourer comes equipped with either a 6.0L twin-turbo W12 or a 4.0L twin-turbo V8. The base model is rated at 500 horsepower, while the W12-powered GT Speed variant produces 616 horses.
Lamborghini Huracan- Italy
In 2017, Lamborghini gifted the Italian police with a brand new Lamborghini Huracan. This was the second time that the Italian police force received a car from the supercar manufacturer. The V10-powered Lamborghini Huracan owned by the Italian Polizia is, much like the previously mentioned Lotus Evora, used for rapid response and transporting vital organs.
In early November, the Italian police made headlines across the world. The police force used the 610-horsepower Huracan to deliver a kidney across the country. According to various reports, the 300 mile-long trip took them just 2 hours. The police Huracan was driving over 140 miles per hour to reach the hospital in Rome as fast as possible!
Porsche 911- The Netherlands
German police may have received the 1-millionth Porsche 911, however, the Dutch Rijkspolitie police force has had the largest Porsche police car fleet of all time. Back in the 1960s, the police force was after a new police car that would be fast, reliable, and with an open top. The Porsche 911 ticked all of the boxes, and units of it were added to the Dutch police fleet.
Over the years, the Rijkspolitie continued ordering drop-top variants of the 911 from the German automaker. The Porsche 964 seen above was the last generation that appeared in the police fleet. The Dutch police have had over 500 Porsche vehicles over the years, marking the world's largest Porsche police fleet.
McLaren 12C- United Arab Emirates
A brand new McLaren MP4-12C was yet another addition to the impressive supercar fleet of Dubai's police in the UAE. The supercar joined the fleet back in late 2013.
The McLaren MP4-12C is the first production car completely designed and built by McLaren, and their first street-legal vehicle since the legendary McLaren F1 from the 1990s. The supercar, designed by Frank Stephenson, packs a twin-turbocharged 3.8L V8 mounted in the rear. The 12C produces 592 horsepower and can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds. The 12C is a predecessor of the McLaren 650S.
Ferrari FF- United Arab Emirates
Two weeks after the addition of a V12-powered Lamborghini Aventador to Dubai's police fleet, the UAE made headlines yet again. This time, a Ferrari FF had joined the police car fleet in Dubai.
At the time of its debut in 2011, the Ferrari FF was the fastest four-seater out on the market. It was also the first all-wheel-drive automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer. The two-door FF is powered by a 6.3L V12 that peaks at 650 horsepower. In effect, the FF can reach 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds.
Lotus Exige- Australia
Lotus gifted a second-generation Exige sports car to the Bankstown Local Area Command of New South Wales, Australia, back in 2007. Naturally, the police officials turned the high-performance sports car into an impressive police interceptor. Contrary to popular belief, the vehicle will be used for event appearances rather than chasing criminals.
The Exige certainly has what it takes to be an unbeatable police car. The lightweight sports car is powered by a 1.8L flat-four. The base model can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds, while the souped-up Exige S trim can reach that speed half a second quicker.
Brabus Rocket- Germany
The Rocket is a series of vehicles produced by Brabus, a German high-performance sports car tuner. The Brabus Rocket photographed above is based on a luxurious Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan. In 2006, Brabus unveiled the V12-powered rocket that was transformed into a police interceptor for the German police force.
A massive 6.3L V12 motor powers the Brabus Rocket, which is rated at 720 horsepower. A sprint to 60 miles per hour takes below 3.2 seconds, and the top speed is electronically limited to 220 miles per hour.
Audi R8 - United Arab Emirates
Naturally, the police of Dubai did not stop adding crazy-expensive supercars to their police car fleet. Back in late 2016, the police force announced the addition of two brand new second-generation Audi R8 supercars to their fleet. What's more, 4 Audi Q7 SUVs were added to the fleet alongside the two German supercars.
The second-generation Audi R8 was launched in 2015. The German manufacturer dropped the V8-powered base model, the standard second-gen R8 is fitted with a 5.2L V10 motor that peaks at 540 horsepower. A souped-up V10 Plus trim is available as well, adding 70 more horses.
Bugatti Veyron- United Arab Emirates
As if the two supercars that joined the Dubai police car in 2011 weren't enough, the fleet was upgraded even further. As of today, the fastest car owned by the police in Dubai is a Bugatti Veyron. The hypercar, once the fastest production automobile on the planet, joined the supercar police fleet back in 2014.
The Bugatti Veyron produces 1000 horsepower from its W16 quad-turbocharged powerplant. With a whopping top speed of 254 miles per hour, the Bugatti Veyron owned by the Dubai police is the fastest police car in the world.
Ford Mustang SSP- USA
Back in the 1980s, Ford offered the SSP package based on the Foxbody Ford Mustang. The lightweight police car package was created as a more agile, better-handling alternative to the heavy interceptors used by the American police at the time.
The SSP Ford Mustang Foxbody packs the same 5.0L V8 found in the Mustang production car. Despite the same powerplant, the police-ready trim of the Foxbody featured modifications exclusive to the SSP variant. The vehicles were used all throughout the US, as well as Canada, up until the 1990s.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG- United Arab Emirates
It seems that the police officials in Dubai love turning expensive cars with vertical doors into police cars. After all, the majority of the cars in their flashy supercar fleet feature either dihedral or scissor doors. The SLS AMG pictured above is no different.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG pays tribute to the legendary 300SL from the 1950s. The car features the same kind of vertical gullwing doors that first appeared on the 300SL. The SLS AMG is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.2L V8 that peaks at 563 horsepower.
Aston Martin One-77- United Arab Emirates
The Aston Martin One-77 is perhaps the rarest vehicle in Dubai's police car fleet. The British automaker only built 77 units of the car in total, and today the One-77 is on its way to becoming a future classic car that's very sought-after by automobile collectors. The unique police car will be used to patrol touristy areas of the city, rather than pursuing criminals.
The Aston Martin One-77 is powered by a 7.3L V12 that produces a whopping 750 horsepower. A sprint to 60 miles per hour takes just 3.5 seconds.
BMW i8- United Arab Emirates
Back in 2015, the police of Dubai unveiled yet another addition to their collection of luxurious police supercars. The plug-in hybrid can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds!
Despite the car's questionable practicality, the police officials claimed that the i8 helps them to become more environmentally-friendly. The BMW i8 is a 357-horsepower plug-in hybrid, with an all-electric range of roughly 20 miles. Naturally, the car isn't used to transport criminals in the back seat. In fact, the BMW i8 only has two seats in the first place.
Hummer H2- UK
Remember the Hummer H2? Many Hummer enthusiasts considered the "civilized" Hummer H2 an absolute downgrade comparing with the iconic H1. Surprisingly, the massive SUV was used as a police interceptor in different countries around the world. Police departments across the globe, from the United Kingdom to China, transformed Hummer H2s into police cars.
The Hummer H2 was produced between 2003 and 2009. Initially powered by a 6.0L V8 that peaked at 325 horsepower, the motor was changed in favor of a 393-horsepower 6.2L V8 starting from the 2008 model year. Despite the power bump, the H2 could reach 60 miles per hour in over 9 seconds.
Porsche 911 993- Germany
The Porsche 911 is perhaps Germany's most iconic sports car of all time. Although it's mainly bought by collectors and sports car enthusiasts, at least 8 countries have recognized the potential of the 911. The Porsche 911, renowned for its great handling and overall performance, has been used as a police car in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Japan, Switzerland, Finland, and Austria.
In July 1996, Porsche celebrated the 1-millionth Porsche 911 rolling off the production line. The sporty 911 993 Carrera, seen in the photo above, was gifted to the German police force.
Nissan R34 GTR- Japan
The Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 is one of the most sought-after Japanese sports cars of the 1990s. The fifth-generation GTR, also referred to as the R34, debuted for the 1997 model year and had been in production until 2001. The Japanese police force has adopted a set of R34 GTRs and turned them into sporty police cars.
The R34 GTR is powered by a 2.6L twin-turbocharged straight-six motor. The sporty two-door coupe peaks at 330 horsepower, despite initial claims by Nissan that the engine made 280hp.
Lexus IS-F- United Kingdom
Back in 2009, police officials from a British town of Humberside were looking for a replacement of their Subaru police cars. After a year of carrying out extensive tests, the Lexus IS-F proved to be the perfect choice. The powerful 4-door sedan had been transformed into a police car and was used to deal with criminals.
The Lexus IS-F is powered by a 5.0L V8 motor that is rated at 417 horsepower. In effect, the 4-door sedan can reach 60 miles per hour in just 4.3 seconds. The top speed of the IS-F is nearly 170 miles per hour.
Honda NSX- Japan
The Japanese police force did not stop with the Nissan GT-R R34. In fact, the spectacular first-generation Honda NSX was used as a highway patrol car to chase street racers in their highly-modified sports cars.
Surprisingly, the NSX was a sensible choice for a highway patrol car. The sports car was incredibly fast in the 1990s, while also maintaining affordable fuel-economy and Honda's unbeatable reliability. The base model was rated at 270 horsepower, while the more powerful 3.2L-powered variant featured a 290-horsepower motor.
Mazda RX7 FD- Japan
In order to complete the lineup of iconic Japanese sports cars of the 1990s, the Japanese police force added a third-generation Mazda RX7 to the police car fleet. Today, there's probably lots of petrolheads out there who wish they'd gotten pulled over by one of these.
The third-generation Mazda RX7 is a lightweight sports car produced for a decade starting in 1992. The legendary RX7 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 1.3L rotary engine that produces 252 horsepower. A sprint to 60 miles per hour takes it just 4.8 seconds!
Nissan 370Z Nismo- Japan
In order to keep up with the legendary Japanese police fleet from the 1990s, police officials had to add modern Japanese sports cars to the lineup as well. The Nissan 370Z Nismo is one of the newest sports cars that are a part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police fleet.
The Nissan 370Z Nismo is a souped-up variant of the standard 370Z sports car. The Nismo moniker comes from combining the words Nissan and Motorsport, as the car was designed by Nissan's racing division. A 350-horsepower 3.7L V6 motor powers the Nissan 370Z Nismo, making it the perfect vehicle to quickly catch criminals!
Lamborghini Aventador- United Arab Emirates
Back in 2013, Dubai made headlines across the world. The Dubai police showed off its newest addition to their police car fleet, a brand new Lamborghini Aventador. At the time, the $400,000 Aventador was perhaps the most extravagant police car on the planet.
The Lamborghini Aventador that joined Dubai's police fleet was the LP700-4 variant from the 2013 model year. A 6.5L V12 powers the 2-door coupe, which redlines at 8250 RPM! The 2013 Aventador LP700-4 can reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just 2.8 seconds. The top speed is 220 miles per hour.
Porsche Cayman GT4- United Kingdom
Back in 2017, a Porsche Cayman GT4 was added to the police fleet of the British Norfolk Constabulary. The limited-production sports car was donated to the police force by a local charity. Much like the luxurious interceptors in the fleet of Dubai, the Porsche Cayman is not used to catch criminals. Instead, the sports car is used to make appearances at events throughout the country.
The Cayman GT4 saw a short production run limited to just 700 units worldwide. The car is powered by a 3.8L flat-six that peaks at 385 horsepower.
Porsche 911 991- Australia
The Porsche 911 991 was introduced as a new police interceptor for the Harbourside Lac police department in New South Wales, Australia. Unfortunately, the sports police car is used solely for promoting the police force and not as a response unit.
The base model 991 Carrera was donated to the police force by Porsche Cars Australia. The 2-door sports car is equipped with a 3.4L flat-six that delivers 345 horsepower to the rear wheels. It can reach 60 miles per hour in just 4 seconds. The top speed is 182 miles per hour.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio- Italy
Much like the previously mentioned Lotus Exige, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is actually a part of the Italian carabinieri and not the regular police force. Nonetheless, it is a unique police car used as a rapid response unit around the country.
The aggressive-looking Giulia Quadrifoglio is a 4-door sedan that's powered by a 503-horsepower twin-turbocharged 2.9L V6, designed exclusively for the Giulia by Ferrari technicians. The powerful sedan can reach 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds, the top speed is above 190 miles per hour. At the time of its debut, the Giulia Quadrifoglio held the record for the fastest 4-door saloon around the Nurburgring.
Subaru WRX STI- USA
You might be surprised to hear that a powerful Subaru WRX STI is a part of the police car fleet in Itasca, just outside of Chicago. Unfortunately, you're unlikely to see it out on the streets as the interceptor is used as a show car and not as an actual response unit. The car has even made an appearance at the Chicago Auto Show!
The Subaru WRX STI is a souped-up variant of the Impreza sedan. It makes 305 horsepower from its 2.5L flat-four motor. The vehicle, like all of the previous Imprezas, is renowned for its exceptional all-wheel-drive drivetrain.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X- Malaysia
You might surprised to hear that the police car fleet in Malaysia includes a couple high-performance sports cars in its lineup. Back in 2008, the police officials revealed the addition of the souped-up variant of the Mitsubishi Lancer, the Lancer Evo X, to the Malaysian police fleet. Some of the other cool cars that are used by the police in Malaysia include a Honda Civic Type R.
The Evo X owned by the polis in Malaysia is primarily used for highway pursuits and patrols, as well as VIP escorts. The Evo X was also used by the police in the UK in the late 2000s.
Kia Stinger- Australia
The Kia Stinger is a sporty 4-door sedan produced by the Korean manufacturer since 2017. Around the same time, different police departments around Australia announced the addition of the Stinger to their fleets. Much like the IS-F in Great Britain, the Stinger is used as an actual response unit to fight crime and not a display model.
The base model Kia Stinger can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 7.7 seconds, while the souped-up Stinger GT variant can reach the same speed in just 4.9 seconds.
Renault Megane RS- France
Though the standard Renault Megane is far from an exciting car, the same cannot be said about its souped-up variant dubbed the Megane RS. The sporty hatchback generates 246 horsepower from its 2.0L flat-four powerplant. A sprint to 60 miles per hour takes between 6.1 and 5.8 seconds, depending on the trim level.
Units of the Renault Megane RS were used by the French police, the gendarmerie, primarily for patrolling highways.
Alpine A110- France
Today, the police car fleet in France isn't particularly exciting. Back in the late 1960s, however, the French gendarmerie had an immensely cool 2-door sports car turned into a police interceptor. The car in question, the stylish Alpine A110 seen in the photo above, is perhaps the most recognizable French sports car from that era.
The Alpine A110 was introduced in 1961. It shared many components, including the powerplant, with Renault cars. The A110 was fitted with a wide variety of engines during its production run, ranging from a 55-horsepower 956cc in 1963 up to a 140-horsepower 1.6L in the 1970s.
Renault Twizy- Germany
At first sight, the Renault Twizy might look more like a child's toy rather than a real vehicle. Believe it or not, this unique-looking electric car has become a hit among car buyers. Its incredibly compact size makes the Twizy ideal for getting around narrow city streets. The German police force in the city of Bonn has noticed the car's potential.
The Twizy is used by the Bonn Polizei as a regular patrol car. The environmentally-friendly electric car has a range of nearly 60 miles on a single charge, which is plentiful for a city commute. Add in the vertical scissor doors and the Twizy is bound to be a head-turner anywhere you go.
Smart Fortwo- Germany
The Smart Fortwo may not be a record-breaking, crazily-expensive high-performance supercar, yet it certainly makes for an interesting addition to any police car fleet. The police force in Germany uses the Fortwo similarly to the previously mentioned Renault Twizy, making the best of the vehicles' supercompact size.
The Smart Fortwo is no good at transporting criminals, as there is no backseat. The police Fortwo seen in the photo above is the fully-electric variant. The subcompact packs a 66kW electric battery pack. The car weighs below 2000 pounds.
