Show Us the best Cop Car for a Cop

"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork) 06/25/2014 at 16:49 • Filed to: Show Us, Cop Car, Police

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100

Does it need 4 seats, 2 doors, more power, more cargo space? Are the current crop the best, or should they be switched out? Does price factor in? What would be the best police car for a police officer?

mcseanerson > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 16:51

13

KirkyV > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 16:55

33

It's fast, it's frugal, it handles well, and it's got loads of space.

Jacques L' Autre > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 16:59

39

It's a shame the Magnum never caught on, I mean it's pretty much a Charger with a hatch, and plenty of departments have those. Plus, what other police car can be called the Magnum... PI?

Tony Montana > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 16:59

6

Clearly. Powerful, handles well, all at the low low price of free from Ferrari in exchange for destroying a Daytona replica.

cesariojpn > mcseanerson 06/25/2014 at 17:14

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cesariojpn > mcseanerson 06/25/2014 at 17:14

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Maxallu > mcseanerson 06/25/2014 at 17:15

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Diesel > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:17

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Best for us as citizens.

Titan-E34 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:17

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Because your mother.

For Sweden > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:17

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cesariojpn > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:17

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FireSquad.

tonered > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:17

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It is the ideal stomping ground of any hybrid. The ideal cop machine is a Prius. These guys idle all day long with the need for a short sprint to 60mph or less. They also need to put on a more non-contentious face. They need to get back to the attitude of a cop that used to actually walk the streets and be part of the citizenry.

Otherwise, I vote for an import of Astra diesels spec'ed only for cops.

ranwhenparked > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:18

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Well, my dad drove one of these for years when he was a detective.

Oh, wait, did you say "best"? Never mind.

tonered > Maxallu 06/25/2014 at 17:19

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Huge +1. More boot leather please!

foxbody > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:20

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If cop cars all looked like this, I guarantee we would have less crime.

GR1M RACER : Wrong Most of the Time > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:20

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Im on my phone so no picture. But it must be a Audi,"get off my ass!"

CPT Speedbump > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:20

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AWD for going off road, and snow, fast, easy to make faster, can fit K9's in the 5 door's.

Mailbox Cancer > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:20

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I'm reluctant to jump in with something you'd see within a Dubai PD fleet. Aventador, Veyron, etc. - only because they're surely great as civilian toys and track dominators, but NOT bonafide duty-doers.

I'd say the best police vehicle FOR police officers would be what you see an influx of already: 4 seats, a partition, a HiPo engine, a menacing wrap job, and not a care in the world if and when it wrecks. These things are built for endless shifts of shit storms and abuse. That's always a winning proposition for an officer.

tapzz > Diesel 06/25/2014 at 17:21

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If I were a perp in a city, I'd fear these: disposable, narrow enough to follow me through alleys and sidewalks. Parks anywhere. Cops walk in and out in a split sec.

User1312 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:22

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Fast, reliable, four doors, cargo space, poor weather performance, fairly inexpensive, comes in white.

BonafideSupraman > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:23

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I think the Flex would be a decent cop car. It's large, it has AWD, and it's fast with the turbo.

G/O Sucks > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:24

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This.

They are servants. They require transportation. They do not always need "pursuit vehicles", particularly in jurisdictions where they've given that notion up. It must seat four and do so with room for a little bit of equipment (not a rolling armory). Above all, it should do its job simply, reliably and efficiently.

I'll argue this to death.

Cotton > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:24

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Buick from Highway Patrol

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:24

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Honestly, I think the new Explorer nails it on almost every front. It's roomy enough for their gear and fast enough for all but the most egregious pursuit duty. The only downside I can see is that it's a bit more complex, which is going to decrease reliability and increase eventual repair costs.

JB1 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:25

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1991-1996 Chevy Caprice with an updated engine. Tons of room for equipment in the trunk and space with a dividing wall for someone in custody in the back seat. Front has a ton of room for equipment. Upgrade the wheels and tires and you're in luck.

Or wait, how about a crown vic? Use the 2.0 turbo, it makes the same HP as the crown vic and will get better gas mileage. Best of both worlds!

It-really-doesnt-matter > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:25

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The V-8 Interceptor. Always the V-8 Interceptor.

RC51FTW > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:26

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Metro FTW

stevethecurse > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:26

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guppysb > mcseanerson 06/25/2014 at 17:28

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Pitchblende > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:28

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My local Police Force sports employs 4 seats, more power and 4 wheel drive:

But in case they need something a little more refined as a pursuit car, they often team it up with this:

They've had a number of funky pursuit cars over the years, there was an Escort Cossie and I nearly passed their Impreza doing well over the speed limit at 5:30 one morning (oops).

AlleVier > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:29

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It doesn't waste taxpayer dollars when idling, it's durable (does taxi duty), it's quiet at low speeds for sneaking up on perps, and it will emasculate cops so thoroughly that police brutality will be a thing of the past.

JB1 > For Sweden 06/25/2014 at 17:30

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Put in the 2.0 turbo! Makes the same horsepower as the crown vic and gets better gas mileage.

trynthink > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:32

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The Honda Fit.

Bear with me here – 99% of the time, cops are driving at normal speeds with normal acceleration. Most cops aren't doing high speed chases regularly, and most high speed chases aren't to catch serial rapists or other criminals that we really want caught anyway.

On the other hand, in day-to-day use, the Fit is roomy up front, plenty of head and leg room for the perps (or K9) in back, and decent cargo space for the big guns and other gear that cops have to carry around. On top of the vast interior space, the Fit is easy to park, gets great city and highway fuel economy, will be reliable, and is cheap to buy.

Sper > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:32

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justregisteralready > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:34

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Tim (Fractal Footwork) > ranwhenparked 06/25/2014 at 17:35

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I always wondered what non-traffic-cop cops drove, if anything other than the norm

Ultrakill > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:35

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/thread

ORANGE! > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:37

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That's easy!

Diesel > G/O Sucks 06/25/2014 at 17:37

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Why not a Model S then? Swap out battery packs between shifts.

ORANGE! > ORANGE! 06/25/2014 at 17:39

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Or:

swatthefly > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:39

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Dammit!

davedave1111 > It-really-doesnt-matter 06/25/2014 at 17:40

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You know, of all the comments on the page right now, yours is the last of them...

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > Diesel 06/25/2014 at 17:40

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It'd need to be a special Law Enforcement edition with the luxury bits stripped out and cost quite a bit less than the standard S or civilians would be pretty pissed off.

But a decently performing electric would really be ideal, especially now that we're able to get a couple hundred miles out of one.

Maxallu > Maxallu 06/25/2014 at 17:41

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Just to be clear. I'm not suggesting these are fantastic boots or anything. I'm suggesting that fat useless cops get out of their cars and are forced to walk the streets. Fuck the police.

Reserve Parachute > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:41

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The now defunct "Sigma Team" or " " of the Hellenic Police. Many of these cars were impounded from criminals, drug dealers etc..

The Audi RS2 Avant was the highlight:

Mercedes Benz 190E 2.3

And what seems like a Fox body Mustang?

MrPedantic > Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon 06/25/2014 at 17:42

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I was shocked the first time I stepped into an explorer, by how cramped it felt inside compared to what I was expecting based on it's exterior dimensions - it really isn't a great exercise in packaging, probably because it's body on frame like the crown vic right? so that should make it stand up to the abuse.

Diesel > Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon 06/25/2014 at 17:44

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I would be okay if we were spending 50K for one. Between the gas savings and the maintenance savings, I think it would have a cheaper life cycle cost than your average Tahoe, which I see all over my town. I swear, they only have a handful of cars.

Just Cars for Joe Bryant > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:44

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Do I really need to say anything:

Scott-R > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:46

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This?

Crossed > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:46

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Any of the supercar lineup from the Emirates and any old school awesome muscle car.

ranwhenparked > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:47

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He's the local police chief now, but he's been with the same department since 1973 and has had quite an assortment over the years. The past few cars he's had, he's bought used as federal surplus to save the budget for new patrol cars.

Aside from the ice blue Shadow, I can recall a pea green 1970's Buick Regal, a driftwood beige '90s Lumina with some pretty nice Recaro seats, a dark blue early '00s Taurus, a black Durango, and the plain white older Explorer he drives now. There was also a blue box Caprice he had for a while in the '80s that my mom backed into in the driveway.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:48

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Connecticut had some Buick Grand Nationals back in the 80s as intercept vehicles.

The Real Unsharer > Just Cars for Joe Bryant 06/25/2014 at 17:50

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I was wondering when this would show up. It's important that it will "run good on regular gas."

special_k_side > RC51FTW 06/25/2014 at 17:51

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I will catch you! Eventually! :)

fubarudispreza > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:51

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As a cop, I say: any Station Wagon or SUV with good torque at low RPMs. It doesn't need to be an oversized american V8. A cop car got to have enough space for three oficers carring shotguns and sub-machineguns and a decent wagon-like trunk to lock two or three just-arrested criminals. And it doesn't needs great top-speeds, but it needs some extra torque to overtake with safety while carring all the extra load.For the smart-asses guys sugesting prius and smarts: don't expect efficience of the police then.

T5Killer > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:52

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Not sold in the US :'(

Thev12jaguarguy > MrPedantic 06/25/2014 at 17:53

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The Explorer, surprisingly, is unibody. I sold Fords for a little while and I agree with you, shockingly cramped inside for the size of the vehicle.

Anastasis Christofis > Reserve Parachute 06/25/2014 at 17:53

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That RS2 pulled me over one day for speeding. While the cop was writing me up, I gazed and lusted after that car. I also used to see the 911s from time to time...

That Guy > ranwhenparked 06/25/2014 at 17:53

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For years? Are you sure about that? Because I drove it's big brother the Lancer (turbo) and had a hell of a time keeping it running and shod with brakes.

That Guy > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 17:57

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I'll just leave this here....

Reserve Parachute > Anastasis Christofis 06/25/2014 at 17:58

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   RS2   190    ..   190   3      ...     ...

CasuallyAwesome > CPT Speedbump 06/25/2014 at 17:58

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But the product placement for the cop car STI was awful in Eureka...

ranwhenparked > That Guy 06/25/2014 at 17:59

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I think like 5-6 years or so. It replaced a box-body Caprice and was in turn replaced by a Lumina. That wasn't the end of it either, because it wound up staying around in the township's fleet for several years after that, I think the building inspector used it.

CPT Speedbump > CasuallyAwesome 06/25/2014 at 18:00

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It would be great for where I live, it'd also blend right in, seeing as everyone and there mother drive's STI's in Northern Colorado, lol

sam reese > G/O Sucks 06/25/2014 at 18:01

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Given the amount of time that you see panther bodied cruisers idling around to power AC and radios, I think that a hybrid or plugin hybrid is the obvious answer for cops too.

Pessimippopotamus > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:02

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If I were a police man myself...

If I had to pay for for it as a tax payer? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no.

Stradale > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:02

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lone_liberal > MrPedantic 06/25/2014 at 18:04

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I think it's the same chassis as the Taurus so it makes sense that it's cramped for its size. It's a family trait.

Ltd783 > Jacques L' Autre 06/25/2014 at 18:09

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My town still has a couple Magnum's in its fleet as K9 units; years past their 1st gen Chargers being replaced by new Chargers, so I guess they do have some niche uses. The pictured one is driven by an officer down the street from me, I still think it's the meanest looking car on the force.

Ltd783 > MrPedantic 06/25/2014 at 18:11

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I guess it comes down to perspective. I think the Explorer is absolutely enormous inside. Compared to my friends 2003 Explorer in which I've spent time, the new one feels as big as our F150 inside, to me at least.

AnxiousLogic is a contrarian. > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:12

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

It's really fast, handles well, looks cool, and has two small seats in the back for perpetrators. It's perfect... except for criminals with long legs.

Ltd783 > Diesel 06/25/2014 at 18:16

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I was amazed by this the last time I was in N Texas. EVERY SINGLE suburban town outside of Dallas has a fleet of Tahoes. Seemingly nothing but Tahoes. Why? I can see them being nice to supplement a fleet of cars for special heavy duty tasks, or in a rural area. But the only place I ever see them is patrolling the strip malls or in speed traps on the arterial surface roads by office parks.

I think it goes to the over-militarization of our police, and their need to be "bad ass". Give them all Priuses for patrol, have one Mustang for pursuits, and a couple Tahoes or vans to haul supplies/K9's. Not every suburban police department needs to be able to fight a war.

HenryKForlong > KirkyV 06/25/2014 at 18:16

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Southampton?

Titanius Anglesmith > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:19

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jhota42 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:19

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Well, the MGA was an interesting choice, as it was one of the fastest cars in Britain at the time.

Later, criminals started using Mk.2 Jags, so the rozzers needed the same to keep up.

But I love the S.2 XJ in "jam sandwich" livery; quick enough, roomy in front for the constables, and cramped as hell in the rear for the perps.

KirkyV > HenryKForlong 06/25/2014 at 18:20

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I couldn't say. I've been there a couple of times, but I didn't pay much attention, truth be told.

61hp > CPT Speedbump 06/25/2014 at 18:21

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Detroit Velvet Smooth > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:23

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Easy choice! Clarkson nailed it on the head!

Just Cars for Joe Bryant > The Real Unsharer 06/25/2014 at 18:24

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You just can't have a discussion about cop cars, and not have this show up.

SlaughtrHousJak > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:25

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FCV-8311 > G/O Sucks 06/25/2014 at 18:26

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Somehow I doubt that the Prius would hold up to the sheer abuse and duty-cycles of law-enforcement work. Speaking specifically of larger departments, some of these cars are running nearly twenty-four hours a day.

mycarneverruns87 > That Guy 06/25/2014 at 18:30

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You just HHAAAAAD to beat me to it... +1

FCV-8311 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:31

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Cheap to own/operate, durable beyond any reasonable belief, decent amount of interior and trunk space, highly visible when marked and relatively nondescript when unmarked, etc. Perhaps a smaller/turbocharged engine option could be added for those that are concerned about fuel.

SwissTony > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:32

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Halt! it's the 70s style Polizei!

Mercedes Streeter > Diesel 06/25/2014 at 18:38

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Plot twist: It's also the perfect car for a bank job.

Hear me out:

1. Buy an old smart.

2. Buy it an extra set of panels.

3. Get your crew together and teach yourselves how to do a panel swap (with enough people I bet it could be done in 30 minutes or less).

4. Do the job.

5. Use the narrow city streets to evade the Rozzers and get to a super secret garage.

6. Change the car's panels (and plate, for full effect).

7. Profit.

 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:40

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From what I gathered cops like the Tahoe PPV. It's roomier than a Vic, has better seating position, just as fast, is body on frame so it can take as much beating as a Vic.

Gino King > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:41

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CLS. Brabus. 750hp. Backseat. Comfy!

MrPedantic > Ltd783 06/25/2014 at 18:41

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I'm 6'3", which isn't terribly tall, but can barely get comfortable in the front seat, the dash is huge and occupies the space where my knees want to be.

daryl bowden > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:42

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Bbecause Clarkson.

Cé hé sin > For Sweden 06/25/2014 at 18:44

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T off the New > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 18:51

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J. Lynn Preston, Jr. > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:07

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offroadkarter > KirkyV 06/25/2014 at 19:08

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define "fast"

offroadkarter > Jacques L' Autre 06/25/2014 at 19:10

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Well not the Magnum because I'm sure if chrysler actually tried to tack "PI" on the end of it ford would throw a shit fit

Dubblewhopper > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:11

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I think cops should just ride a Huffy from Wal Mart and a kazoo for a siren. Overpaid princesses personally.

Struts MacPherson > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:12

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This is a no-brainer. It's as fast as anything out there and there's nowhere it can't go.

MrPedantic > FCV-8311 06/25/2014 at 19:12

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They do fine as taxis.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:12

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From the perspective of the excessively frugal tax payer, THIS is the best:

And in places with lots of traffic congestion, it's also the fastest.

offroadkarter > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:17

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The low end torque of the eaton is good for hauling fat ass from 0-60.

Kai > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/25/2014 at 19:19

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Ford C-Max Energi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C-Ma…