Behind the Wheel: Dodge Charger Police Package: Whacha Gonna Do if It Comes for You? July 9, 2006
THE Dodge Charger, a favored getaway car for bad guys in memorable roles from “Bullitt” to “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has turned state’s evidence.
The shapely muscle cars that won stoplight showdowns and Nascar championships four decades ago have gone straight and joined the police force.
One could argue that the 21st-century Charger was born to be a cop car. Even in civilian trim, the brutish design exudes an “outta my way” attitude, its cross-hair grille set in a scowling maw ? not the smiley face seen on so many of today’s models. The brow above the headlights slants upward at its outer edges, giving the skeptical expression of a raised eyebrow: “Sir, you didn’t see that 30 m.p.h. speed limit sign back there?” it seems to ask.
Decked out in black and white livery, the message to lawbreakers from the Charger police model I drove last month was an unambiguous “To Threaten and Intimidate.” While I am not a police officer (nor do I play one on TV), I talked Chrysler into handing over the keys to what is probably the most important police car in a decade, well before most departments had taken delivery.
With the sense of power that comes from having Dodge City Police insignias on your doors, plus flashing lights and siren, I ventured out to gauge the effect. The fact that the side shields carried the Dodge ram’s-head logo did little to soften the visual impact.
A linebacker’s stance, reinforced by 18-inch tires on black-painted steel wheels that filled the wells, added to the no-nonsense aura. The low-profile light bar on the roof and spotlights on the windshield pillars completed the image, but the Charger’s purpose would have been clear without them. Even as an unmarked cruiser, I suspect this car would never be mistaken for a livery cab, as an undercover officer’s Ford Crown Victoria might be.
Other drivers acknowledged this image of authority, immediately deferring to the Charger’s imposing presence. A drive on Route 3 in New Jersey became a series of Moses moments, the Charger parting traffic as if it were the Red Sea, civilian drivers scattering left and right to make way for the authority figure in the rear-view mirror. In the passenger seat, my neighbor howled each time we came up behind a car, watched as the driver noticed us in the mirror and pawed for the turn-signal stalk.
There is, as you might expect, another side to this air of officialdom. Pedestrians walk up at stoplights and ask for directions ? and they expect a courteous response. I was called “officer” for the first time ever.
There is far more to the fitness of the police-edition Charger for peacekeeping duty than looking smart in a well-tailored uniform. Modifications range from practical necessities like relocating the gearshift to the steering column (which permits console-mounting of a computer and a control panel for the siren and lights) to major upgrades in the chassis ? some of which are available only in the police car.
My test car, a prototype circulated among law enforcement agencies for evaluation, had the 340-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V-8; a 3.5-liter, 250-horse V-6 is also offered.
The Hemi Charger police car carries a nominal price of $29,055 without lights or siren, about the same as the civilian car despite all the extra equipment. Sales to law enforcement fleets are intensely competitive, with volume discounts a requirement, and the alternative sedans ? the Chevrolet Impala and Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ? are likewise priced to appeal to civic watchdogs. Adding a complement of service equipment including lights, siren, radios, computer system, video recorder and radar guns ? specialized outfitters usually supply this gear ? can add $15,000 in an eye blink.
Among the features standard on the police-specification Charger were a speedometer certified to 160 m.p.h., a heavy-duty cooling system and a stealth mode that dims almost all the interior lighting ? very useful on stakeouts. Options appreciated in the line of duty included vinyl floor covering (ideal for parents of young children, I thought) and a dome light with red L.E.D. illumination.
Then there are items specific to the police package and not available to the citizenry. For instance, the stability control system offers three-stage operation: a normal level, like that in the conventional Charger; a minimal level that sends in the electronic nanny only at the extremes; and a full-off setting that disables the stability system entirely but leaves on the antilock brakes.
The suspension uses the same stabilizer bars as the Charger R/T, but spring rates are increased in anticipation of carrying 500 pounds of equipment at all times. The brakes are upgraded with special pads, a larger master cylinder and bigger rear rotors, and special antilock calibration.
The car’s high-output alternator is available on other models, but for police use the engine-management system will increase idle speed to raise the power output when the electrical loads are high. Likewise, the cooling system includes transmission and power steering radiators that are available on other models, but adds an engine oil cooler that cannot be ordered on other Chargers.
- Posted in : Uncategorized
- Author : arnold
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