These are five of the craziest, and strangest, police vehicles around the world
It is not uncommon for police forces overseas to maintain fleets of cars that are somewhat out of the ordinary. While Italy’s Highway Patrol has been incorporating Lamborghinis for the rapid delivery of blood and organs, the Dubai police has consistently maintained a supercar fleet as a tourist attraction. Nevertheless, every now and then one can get to hear of a newly-enlisted police car that is either a completely strange choice, or too good to be true. From a police tractor in the UK to a 250 GTE sparking competition among Rome’s criminal underground, here are five of the craziest, and strangest, police cars that have existed:
BAC Mono
The Isle of Man is a tiny, self-governing island located off the coast of the UK and is home to one of the most prized, and dangerous motorcycle road racing events in the world – the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT). The event takes place on the 60.72 km long Snaefell Mountain Course, and experienced riders do it all in under 20 minutes at an average speed of over 200 kmph. With such a high-speed high-risk event, it makes sense to have an F1-style, 305 bhp supercar put up as a cop car. The Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) Mono is a single-seater, road-legal supercar built on a carbon monocoque chassis, and it weighs just under 540 kg. While it has no space for hauling hardened criminals in the back, the BAC Mono was primarily used for festival appearances in order to encourage responsible driving. It surely would have been interesting to see one of these tearing through the streets to hand you a parking ticket fine.
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Italy’s fleet of Carabinieri Suzuki Jimnys
Italy’s Carabinieri has had its share of outrageous police cars. From the 500 bhp Alfa Romeo Giulias to even Lotus Evoras, the Carabinieri is well on its way to host the next biggest car shows. However, one of the more recent additions to the force has been a fleet of Suzuki Jimnys. In India, the Jimny is sold under Maruti Suzuki’s lineup and it boasts a 1.5-litre petrol engine that can be mated to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. With its 100 bhp of peak power and 132 Nm of maximum torque, we are not really expecting to see the Jimny take on high speed chases against the likes of Lamborghinis or Ferraris. That said, an off-road chase might be more up its alley.
Police tractor
The UK police force seems to want to take things slower than their counterparts and to drive home the point, they had enlisted a five-ton tractor. In 2010, the Lincolnshire Police had adopted the John Deere 6630 to show that they were going to crack down on agricultural and rural crime. This initiative, called Operation Fusion, was launched after the year 2009 observed a heightened rate of robbery of tractors in rural UK, with around 2,000 of them being stolen. The John Deere 6630 is priced at 50,000 pounds (approximately ₹54.44 lakh) and produces a top speed of 40 kmph.
Lenco BearCat G3
While cops in the US have their specialised Dodge Challengers and Interceptors as part of their active fleets, there is virtually no car under their arsenal that can stand up to the Lenco BearCat G3. This eight-ton 4x4 is an armoured response and rescue vehicle manufactured by Lenco Industries for a wide range of customers that include SWAT units, special rescue teams, and military and police forces. The BearCat G3 is built on the chassis of a Ford F-550 commercial truck and is available in two and four-door variants. It features bulletproof glass panels on its windows and comes with what is most likely the craziest list of optional add-ons that anyone can find. The BearCat can be equipped with a hydraulic RAM bar, a gas injection unit, and a self-contained breathing apparatus. It can further be fitted with a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) detection system. The BearCat G3 has a top speed of 132 kmph and runs on a 6.7-litre turbocharged V8 with 400 bhp and 1,200 Nm of torque.
Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Polizia
In the sixties, the police force in Rome were having trouble keeping up with criminals who were able to outrun the standard Alfa Romeo 1900s and 2600s. The solution, in typical Italian fashion, was to bring in two factory-built Ferrari 250 GTEs. While one of them was wrecked soon after, chassis #3999 lived with policeman Armando Spatafora for six years of active duty after being retired for emergency services such as delivering blood. According to Girardo & Co, the classic car dealership and auction house, Spatafora and his 250 GTE became so legendary, that it was a prestigious matter for the city’s criminal underworld to be able to beat the duo in a car chase. The Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 was the Italian carmaker’s first production 2+2 which featured a 3.0-litre naturally aspirated V12. The 250 GTE made 240 bhp and was mated to a four-speed manual gearbox.
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