Dodge to try to get back into the Police car market with Hemi power.

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/dcx25_20040625.htm

The German automaker's Chrysler Group hopes to become a serious contender in the police-car market with a police version of the Hemi-powered Dodge Magnum, which will go on sale next year.

The automaker said Thursday that the Magnum will offer the ultimate in police-car performance, packing up to 340 horsepower for its Hemi V8 models. The automaker also will offer a police model with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that will get up to 250 horsepower, the company said. Both models will be rear-wheel drive.

(snip)

Experts say the Magnum could be the first major competitor to Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in a long time. The Crown Victoria owns about 80 percent of the market and has been the overwhelming choice of law enforcement officials since the late 1990s.


They had a pic of this car in my local paper today. I can't find one on the net.

[U2Shark]

1. Link to article with pic

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0406/25/b01-194755.htm

Pretty cool looking, dig the 2-tone colouring.

[billbuckhead]

2. You'll be seeing these UnFordObjects in your rearview mirrors all too soon

Why is it surprising that it took the Germans to bring Mopar back to it's roots. Or that it took the French to save Nissan and then to systematically attack all Detroit's profit centers. Wait till next year, when the built only in Mexico for the US market VW Jetta will hit the psuedo built in America by nonunionworkers Toyota Camry and Honda Accord tornadolike all upside the head with Italian showcar styling, a Mercedeslike fit and finish, Audilike handling, optionally powered by 50mpg superdiesels that run almost forever. I think you'll finally hear whining in so-called Japanese transplant factories. (Please help us UAW.)
As far as cars are concerned, "deutschland uber alles" isn't going away any time soon. The krauts are the Bear Bryant of the car business, they can beat you with their team and then turn around and beat you with your team. Think MINI, Rolls, Bentley, Skoda or now the HEMI. I think Chrysler will shock people in the next few years. Believe it or not, the HEMI is cheaper to build than any other V8. Remember the Cadillac 8-6-4 thing that was a disaster? Mercedes found ways to perfect it and it allows the Hemi to smoke all it's competitors and still get great gas mileage for it's type. This new Hemi engine has the whole auto industry from Tokyo to Dearborn back to the drawing board. Even back alley Chevy mechanics who can build smallblock racing engines blindfolded and drunk wince when they hear the best sounding V8 ever built, the new Daimler-Chrysler HEMI.

Think the police don't want these cars?