Photo courtesy of Chrysler.
The unit, which has been testing new patrol vehicles since 1974, evaluated 12 sedans and three pursuit-rated utility models available to police agencies for the 2014 model year. In addition, seven police motorcycles were evaluated.
Detroit automakers broadened their power-train offerings for 2014, which has brought two new all-wheel-drive vehicles from Chrysler and Ford and a multitude of powertrain and axle-ratio options on the Dodge Charger Pursuit.
Michigan troopers evaluate patrol vehicles using three basic tests—high-speed performance (acceleration and top speed), braking, and driving dynamics. For each category, we'll compare the test results for the V-8 and turbocharged sedans, the V-6 sedans, and the utility vehicles. We'll analyze motorcycle results separately in the coming days.
Among the six sedans in the V-8 and turbocharged category, the top-speed crown again went to the 6.0-liter Chevrolet Caprice PPV, which reached 155 mph. It was followed by the V-8 Charger at 152 mph and the 3.5-liter, turbo-charged Ford Police Interceptor at 149 mph. The turbo P.I. recorded the fastest 0 to 60 mph increment (5.66 seconds) followed by the Caprice (6.01) and Charger (6.13). The turbo P.I. reached 0 to 100 mph fastest (13.5) followed by the Caprice (14.35) and Charger (14.56).
Among the six sedans in the V-6 category, the 3.6-liter Chevrolet Impala reached a top speed of 149 mph followed by the 3.6-liter Caprice (148), 3.6-liter Charger (141), and 3.7-liter non-turbo Ford P.I. (132). The Caprice reached 0 to 60 fastest (7.45 seconds) followed by the non-turbo Ford P.I. (7.48) and Impala (7.67).
For the utility vehicles, the Chevrolet Tahoe reached a top speed of 139 mph followed by the turbocharged 3.5-liter Ford P.I. Utility (131) and 3.7-liter P.I. Utility (131). The turbo P.I. Utility logged the fastest 0-to-60 increment (6.28 seconds) over the Tahoe (8.22) and non-turbo P.I. Utility (8.02). The turbo P.I. Utility also reached 100 mph quickest (15.51) over the Tahoe (21.95) and non-turbo P.I. Utility (21).
For the brake tests, the V-8 Charger recorded the quickest stop among sedans from 60 to 0 mph at 126.5 feet. It was followed by the V-6 Caprice (126.8), V-6 Charger (127.5), and V-8 Caprice (127.6). Among utility vehicles, the Tahoe was the top braker at 133.2 feet followed by the non-turbo P.I. Utility (134.2) and turbo P.I. Utility (134.9).
In driving dynamics testing, the V-8 Charger with a 3.06 axle ratio recorded the fastest 2-mile lap time at 1 minute, 34 seconds (1:34.75). In a near dead heat, the V-8 Caprice came in second at 1 minute, 34 seconds (1:34.98). The turbo P.I. sedan came in at 1 minute, 35 seconds. Among the utility vehicles, the turbo P.I. Utility led the way at 1 minute, 37 seconds followed by the non-turbo P.I. Utility at 1 minute, 40 seconds and the Tahoe at 1 minute, 42 seconds.
Related:
2013 Vehicle Tests: Michigan Vs. California
