Ford Preparing Next-Gen Police Interceptor for 2012

In an attempt to maintain its stranglehold of police fleets across the country, Ford Motor Company has announced that it will introduce an all-new Police Interceptor early next year. Ford has already confirmed that the current Crown Victoria (pictured left) and its 30-year-old Panther platform will cease production in late 2011, and it said that the replacement for the Crown Victoria will be offered without interruption of the current model. With the Crown Victoria’s production assured through the end of 2011, the new car probably won’t go into production until late 2011 or early 2012 for the 2012 model year.

To create the best possible replacement for the iconic cop car, Ford has created an in-house Police Advisory Board to design a vehicle that maximizes vehicle safety, durability, versatility and efficiency to continue the car’s market dominance. Like its commercial vehicles such as the Ford E-Series vans and Ford F-Series pickup trucks, the Crown Victoria is a market leader when it comes to the law enforcement segment as it commands 75 percent of the market annually with 45,000 units sold each year. It is clear that Ford does not intend to cede this market to Dodge or Chevrolet, but what isn’t clear as of yet is which vehicle will be used for the police car and whether or not it will be available to the public.

Going up against the Dodge Charger (pictured right) and the upcoming Chevrolet Caprice (as well as the Carbon Motors E7 if it is ever put production) , the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor will almost certainly utilize a rear-wheel drive layout. Some have guessed that Ford would use its rear-wheel, Australian-based Falcon while others think that the 2010 Ford Taurus will be the basis for the new Police Interceptor, but it is also possible that Ford could offer a completely different model altogether. Adding more mystery to what vehicle it will use, Ford said that the new car will be a purpose-built model that is made in North America.

“We have heard the repeated requests from the law enforcement community to continue uninterrupted support of the law enforcement community,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Ford is answering the call with the new Police Interceptor – engineered and built in America.”

The current Ford Crown Victoria is no longer available to the public and soldiers on in police fleets rolling of the assembly Ontario, Canada. It is unknown whether this plant will build the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor, but Ford will unveil the new police car and its full detailed specifications early next year to give police departments and equipment upfitters adequate time to transition to the new car.

Select photos via Ford and Chrysler