Explorer, Incognito: Ford Adds More Stealth to Its Police Interceptor
It’s getting harder and harder to recognize cop cars in your rearview mirror.
First, Ford dropped the long-serving Crown Victoria police cruiser, whose telltale headlights could be spotted from the moon, and now the rooftop light bar is fading into history.
The option allows police vehicles to keep a low profile, in every sense of the word.
“Today, agencies typically use aftermarket interior visor light bars that are somewhat bulky and can obstruct the field of vision – especially for taller officers,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford’s police marketing manager for North American fleet operations, in a statement.
The light bar is a slim unit that mounts where the headliner and windshield meet. To improve visibility of the lights, the tinted windshield strip is eliminated in vehicles with this option.
Besides the alternating blue and red that ensures drivers’ hearts skip at least one beat, the bar has white light capability for illuminating scenes where you — yes, you — might be in need of arrest. The bar is also programmable for just-red and just-blue operation.
If you spent years feeling confident that a roof bar or amber parking lights set inboard of the headlights would help you spot The Man before and after dark, your life just became more uncertain.
[Images: Ford Motor Company]
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Here in my southern town, the local cops are know to drive whatever they confiscate: late model Caddys, Silverados, Yukons (I guess because they aren't Tahoes), and believe it or not, Challengers. This is in addition to the standard Chargers and Tauri. Obviously they enjoy keeping the citizenry confused.
Oh look, it's still got those special "cop steelie" style wheels. Who needs to look at the roof?