Ford Motor Co adds the industry’s first pursuit-rated pickup to its police vehicle lineup

Ford Motor Co’s latest endeavour to add to its share of the police vehicle market comes in the form of a pickup truck. The 2018 Ford F-150 Police Responder is the first ever pursuit-rated pickup in the industry – and it will join the rest of the Ford police vehicle offerings, come April 2018.

The F-150 Police Responder fills a niche previously unoccupied, adding off-road capabilities to the lineup. Stablemates in the Ford police vehicle segment include the regular Police Interceptor sedan, based on the Ford Taurus; the Police Interceptor utility for added space, based on the Ford Explorer; and the Police Responder Hybrid for increased efficiency, based on the Ford Fusion.

The F-150 Police Responder packs a 3.5-litre version of Ford’s highly lauded Ecoboost engine, producing 375 bhp4p and 637 Nm of torque. This is paired with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission, which brings the Police Responder to its top speed of 160km/h.

Cabin wise, it gets over 3,700 litres of interior space together with other functional features such as a column shifter and anti-stab plates in the front seats. The seats are wrapped in heavy-duty cloth in the front to withstand the long hours that police officers spend in them, while the rear seats are wrapped in vinyl that is practical and easy to clean. This practicality also extends to the flooring, which is also covered in vinyl.

Although this F-150 Police Responder is unlikely to ever enter Singapore’s market given our urban environment and general lack of unpaved roads, perhaps the Police Responder Hybrid would better meet the needs of our local police force?