Ford teased the 2020 Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) earlier this year and now the model has dominated the competition during a test conducted by the Michigan State Police.
According to the automaker, the PIU is the “best accelerating and fastest police vehicle in America.” While Ford didn’t go into specifics, the company said the Michigan State Police tests showed the all-wheel drive crossover had the fastest 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) and 0-100 mph (160 km/h) times as well as fastest lap and average lap times.
That’s pretty impressive as Ford notes the model was pitted against sedans with a V8 engine. The company didn’t say which car they were talking about, but it’s likely the 2019 Dodge Charger Pursuit which is available with all-wheel drive and a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine that produces 370 hp (276 kW / 375 PS).
Even the entry-level PIU with the 3.3-liter V6 hybrid engine beat competing crossovers and SUVs – including models equipped with V8 engines. While it doesn’t appear that the PIU Hybrid had the fastest 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time, the crossover did have the fastest 0-100 mph (160 km/h), lap and average lap times.
One of the few performance specifications that Ford was willing to confirm was top speeds. The company says the PIU with the optional 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine hit a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h). The PIU Hybrid, on the other hand, was clocked at 137 mph (220 km/h).
Ford didn’t verify power ratings, but the company said the 2020 PIU has “improved horsepower, torque, acceleration and top speed versus today’s 3.7-liter V6 model.” That particular crossover is rated at 304 hp (226 kW / 308 PS) and 279 lb-ft (377 Nm) of torque.
The 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility is currently available to order and the first deliveries are slated to begin next summer. It will be a vast improvement over its predecessor as the hybrid variant could save police departments around $3,500 (£2,687 / €3,039) per vehicle in annual fuel costs.
Since the 2020 Police Interceptor Utility is based on the 2020 Ford Explorer, we can expect that model will have improved performance and efficiency as well.
