Victoria Police have Australia’s fastest and most powerful highway patrol car to promote safetyMean Machine :
The car is worth more than A$200,000 (US$149,064) and is powered by a massive AMG-tuned 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine that produces 430kW and 760Nm mated to a seven-speed automatic, enabling the 2.3 tonne machine to hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds. It can easily catch up with most vehicles on the highway and is faster than any Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon pursuit sedan. The imposing Mercedes will be a fully functional highway patrol vehicle used for everyday police work by Victoria Police. Meanwhile, while Queensland police unveiled a small fleet of Volvos as part of a trial, Victoria Police say the Mercedes will also be used to “promote in-car safety features”.
The more than $200,000 swoopy SUV has an impressive list of safety features that include blind spot warning, lane keep assist, ABS brakes, collision warning with automatic braking, skid control, rain sensing wipers, stability control and attention assist which recognises fatigue on long trips and uses visual and audio warnings among others. However, the new Mercedes-Benz police car does have leather seats and shiny wheels. Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer wants new car buyers to highlight safety when purchasing a car. “Death and serious injuries on Victorian roads could be reduced by a third overnight if everyone was driving the safest cars they can afford,” Fryer said in a statement. It’s a shame safety this good costs as much as a studio apartment. He added: “We’re not saying that everyone needs to rush out and buy the latest and greatest but we need people to prioritise safety over leather seats and shiny wheels.” Fryer also called out the car industry to make more safety gear come as standard stating that safety should never be an optional extra.
The car is on a 12-month loan from Mercedes-Benz, which means that means taxpayers won’t need to pay a cent for the vehicle. This is not the first time that high-powered luxury cars have been used for police duties. Back in 2014, the NSW Police Force as part of a partnership with Porsche used a Porsche 911 Carrera for community events, but was kept away from highway patrol duties. However, in Dubai, the police force has some eye-wateringly expensive vehicles in its fleet including an $800,000 Lamborghini Aventador and a $3m Bugatti Veyron. The new Victoria Police Mercedes-AMG GLE63 Coupe will be on display at the 2016 Melbourne Grand Prix.
Mean Machine :
Mercedes-Benz GLE 63 AMG coupe Price: $198,900 Engine: Twin turbo 5.5-litre V8 Transmission: 7-speed auto, all-wheel-drive 0 to 100km/h: 4.2 seconds
