DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 16, 2013 – At the request of police agencies looking to reduce fuel costs, Ford is launching a non-pursuit-rated Special Service Police sedan using the 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine that produces 240 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque. This “special service police” vehicle will combine the durability of Police Interceptor sedan with the fuel efficiency of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine.
The EcoBoost engine should help make this sedan the first police vehicle to achieve 30 mpg or better in EPA highway ratings. The special service police sedan is a modified version of the 2.0-liter Ford Taurus that achieves 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined with the standard six-speed automatic transmission.
This same engine in Taurus gained notoriety as a Ward’s 10 Best Engines winner earlier this year.
“Not every police officer needs a pursuit-rated vehicle, and as agencies look to replace older, less-efficient V8-equipped cruisers with more efficient vehicles, Ford wants to offer the most fuel-efficient – yet still very capable – full-size police vehicle,” said Jonathan Honeycutt, Ford Police Marketing Manager.
While expected to be more fuel efficient than the 3.5-liter FWD, or the 3.7-liter AWD or 3.5-liter EcoBoost AWD variants, the new special service police sedan retains all the essential police DNA that goes into pursuit-rated Police Interceptor sedans including safety and durability features. Plus it is upfit-friendly and purpose-built. Commonality of parts also remains an integral part of this 2.0-liter special service police sedan.
To help achieve best-in-class fuel efficiency, the sedan will offer Active Grille Shutters that manage airflow to optimize the balance between engine cooling and aerodynamics.
The addition of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine means agencies will now have four choices of powertrains in the Police Interceptor sedan, including a V6 lineup that outperforms V8 engines of years past.
Police Interceptor sedan is also available with a 3.5-liter V6 with FWD, 3.7-liter V6 with AWD and the powerhouse 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine with AWD – allowing police to choose the powerplant that best meets their patrol requirements.
For more information on Ford Police Interceptor, visit www.FordPoliceInterceptor.com