Issue link: http://pfmmag.epubxp.com/i/113376
ONE TICKET BOOK REVIEW Ford���s NextGen Police Interceptor Sedan...First Impressions p To prevent the front door from springing the latch during hard openings, Ford uses a nylon web tether to protect the hinge. As a running change to the PI Sedan, Ford has slightly extended the length of the restraint. p The police-specifc seats are sculpted and relieved to be gun belt friendly. A 6-way power driver���s seat is standard. Two different heavy-duty cloth fabrics make the seat both durable and comfortable. to retrain themselves with the new location of the B-pillar. Te outside rearview mirrors are long, and have parabolic inserts to reduce the blind spot that all sedans have. Ford���s BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-trafc alert is available. Tis produces a visible signal in the rearview mirror or an audible signal if vehicles are detected. Rear visibility is an issue for some ofcers with the higher beltline and smaller rear window. Te rear window is defnitely small and narrow. Even though the Police Interceptor does not have rear headrests for just this reason, the visibility straight out the rear glass is very restricted. To help ���visibility��� straight behind the PI Sedan, Ford���s ultrasonic Rear Sensing System is available. RSS, mounted in the rear bumper, detects objects up to 6 feet away and issues an increasingly urgent audible tone. For the ultimate in rear visibility, a rearview camera is also available. Te real-time, full-color display is in the rearview mirror. To help mitigate all these visibility concerns, I would recommend agencies purchase the Rear Sense, BLIS and rear camera options. Te cost of these options is less than the average police-involved damage report. More police sheet metal is bent while backing up than any other activity. I would also suggest the OEMs consider the Reverse Sense, BLIS and Rear Camera as standard features, or at least part of a tech package with SYNC. I appreciate this ultimately drives the base vehicle price up, but if these items are added at minimal cost, take rate will be higher. Trunk Volume Options Te PI Sedan trunk size (with the recommended OEM electronics tray) is tight for one dufe bag and a long gun case, but there are signifcant capacity improvements with the spare tire, load foor and foam 52 Police Fleet Manager Jan-Feb 2013 form removed. Trunk volume with spare tire in trunk is 16.6 cubic feet.��Removing the tire provides additional 3.7 cubic feet. Te issue when these items are removed is a bare-steel trunk foor. Tere currently is no molded plastic or rubber ���TrunkPak��� like the old CVPI one. Tis TrunkPak would drop right into an empty trunk and provide a safe and organized trunk storage. As in any police vehicle, tactical lighting both inside and out is mandatory. I had no Daytime Running Light (DRL) or nighttime kill p The wider opening rear door and fattened door panels help to get prisoners in the rear seat. The police-specifc vinyl rear seat moves the hip-point more than 2 inches to the rear for more rear legroom.