Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle Gets EcoBoost V6

It was only a matter of time until Ford offered its turbocharged V6 in the taller of its two law enforcement specials.

Today, the company announced that it will begin offering the 365-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 in its Interceptor utility vehicle.

“With the Police Interceptor utility vehicle representing half of our police orders, it is evident our two-vehicle strategy was on target,” said Ford fleet marketing manager Gerry Koss.

Ford has a long history of providing police vehicles, but Chrysler and General Motors have both been hot to snag sales since the discontinuation of the Crown Victoria. Dodge markets a version of the Charger with both V6 and V8 engine options. The Chevrolet Impala sedan and Tahoe SUV are also popular choices.

The brand also said that Interceptor utility vehicles accounted for roughly half of its overall Interceptor sales.

Ford unveiled the Explorer Sport last year, which is the closest retail product to the Interceptor utility vehicle. But the two aren’t twins. “Our engineering team designed this vehicle specifically for the police market,” Koss said.

In fact, there are two utility vehicles sold to consumers with the 3.5-liter turbo six: the Explorer and Flex.

Unfortunately, Ford didn’t specify what those upgrades were. Police cruisers of the past had improving oil cooling to make prolonged high-speed stints less likely t o cause engine damage. The automatic transmission was also built to withstand hard shifts, and the shift points were adjusted to be more aggressive. Crown Victoria interceptors also came with a stiffer suspension.

Ford isn’t shy about boasting that its EcoBoost V6 will outperform Chevrolet’s V8-powered Tahoe both in terms of sheer power and fuel economy. Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to the vehicles capability is the fact that it passed the rigorous tests required by law enforcement agencies meant to expose durability flaws.

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