There’s nothing worse than looking in your rearview mirror and seeing those flashing red and blue lights, because that means you’ve messed up in some way that’s either gonna cost money or worse, your license.
The intimidation factor is important in a police vehicle, as it can cause a guilty person to make a mistake, landing them in big trouble. There have been many different brands and models of police cars over the years, but which one is the most intimidating?
Read More: This 18 HP Fiat 500 Is Probably Not The Most Intimidating Police Car
For me, it has to be the 1969 Dodge Polara. Although most of us here at the office were probably not around when this beast was roaming the streets, it’s not hard to imagine why seeing the massive brick of a machine in your rearview mirror would strike fear into your heart.
The reason for the dread is likely because of the Polara’s muscle car styling. Built on Mopar’s C-body platform, the Polara was the brand’s full-size sedan but retained the aggressive stance and grunt that defined the late 1960s muscle car era. In addition to the vehicle’s looks, the low rumble of the exhaust note raises our blood pressure, not to mention the high whining siren.
Providing crime-catching motivation is a 440 cubic inch V8 with the police interceptor package, which produces 375 horsepower and 480 ft-lb of torque. The monster motor could take the massive 4400-pound (1995 kg) car up to a top speed of 150 miles per hour (240 km/h).
According to an interview on Jay Leno’s garage, this is the car that all the officers would fight over each other to get to drive. It was fast, comfortable, and reliable – despite needing to be filled up 3 times per shift.
Fans of the movie Gone in 60 Seconds (not that Nicholas Cage crap) will remember a gaggle of these vehicles chasing a 1973 Mustang through the streets of LA. Picture it, it’s 1969, your Porsche 911 only has 180 horsepower, and this monster comes up behind you. Do you struggle to find the gears to downshift and try to escape? Nah, you and your Porsche are toast, punk.
What do you think is the most intimidating police car?
