Chrysler seems very serious about competing in the police cruiser business, and it’s putting its money where its mouth is in the form of the new Charger, which recently turned in the fastest-ever lap time at Michigan State Police’s annual Police Vehicle Evaluation tests held at Grattan Raceway in Belding, Mich. The Charger Pursuit also rockets from 0 to 100 miles per hour in just 13.65 seconds.
In addition to the potent horsepower and handling prowess of the Dodge Charger Pursuit V-8 model, the Charger Pursuit V-6 models held their own around Grattan Raceway, averaging the fastest times for naturally aspirated (1 to 37.71) and E-85 capable (1 to 37.57) six-cylinder police cars. That means that police departments that are on a budget (and which ones aren’t these days?) have a reasonable choice in the lower-priced model. For all you numbers-fanatics out there, the aluminum 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine delivers 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque and up to 27 highway miles per gallon. The Charger Pursuit’s 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with Fuel Saver Technology delivers 370 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque and up to 25 highway mpg.
One of the big advantages of the Charger as a police cruiser is its rear-wheel-drive architecture. That basic chassis arrangement is accompanied by a performance-tuned suspension, load-leveling Nivomat shocks, heavy-duty antilock vented-disc brakes, front- and rear-stabilizer bars, 18-inch performance tires on steel wheels, and two-mode police-specific electronic stability control. The Charger Pursuit also features a mobile-command interior with unique features, including a vehicle systems interface module for easy equipment integration, heavy-duty police-quality front seats and a column-mounted shifter with Autostick. Safety equipment includes standard advanced multistage driver and front-passenger air bags, seat-mounted side-thorax air bags, supplemental side-curtain air bags for front- and rear-outboard passengers, and a knee bag for the driver.
