August 13: Never enough power?

When is enough not really enough?

Dodge has whipped up an excellent big motored cop car, that should be able to chase down all but the wildest rides.........

Not fast enough? Well then, a quick call ahead brings out a few buddies, who can catch that super fast scofflaw before he crosses the state line. The Charger's big thumping Hemi or the amazing EcoBoost V6 in Ford's Police Interceptor would usually be able to handle most speed demons loose on the roads.

Apparently not all police agencies feel that is the case.

Remember in the not too distance past, when the police had to use some pretty sporty rides to catch the fast guys? Cars like a Camaro or this Mustang 5.0 litre........

But that was before the big, new traditional police sedans started carrying a rockin' mill under their hoods. Good enough? Like I said, apparently not. Look at what the Florida State Police just unveiled and added to their fleet.......

A bigger stick to hunt down all those Vettes, Lambos and Porsches, that haunt the highways way down south. Someone pulls a gun? You pull a bigger one, like the scene from Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. Problem solved. 

There must be a lot of problems south of the border (as if we didn't know), since we are seeing more of this bigger gun syndrome, when it comes to their cop cars. Examples, please.......

Texas State Police

Richland County, South Carolina

New Jersey State Police

Broward County, Florida

Yikes! Don't these guys call ahead like our own provincial police do? Not a chance and with luck they'll generate a good chase sequence for A&E's Live PD. Time to strap on that six shooter, a bullet proof vest and saddle up your hot steed, this looks like it's going to be fun.

But when is enough, not really enough?

Are we going to see an escalation of these hot cop car rides until there is absolutely nothing that can out gun them? Think Europe, where it's not unusual to see a Porsche hunting down those speed merchants. Or Italy, where there are a few Lambos draped in police garb. Or even New South Wales in Australia, as they have a few wild cop cars. What might we seen hitting the asphalt on this side of the Atlantic?

Longview, Texas police

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit video game

Part fiction, part reality. What's next? In the hunt for the ultimate speed machine that nothing could out run, is it possible that this promo race car is a prognosticator of the future?

Light this baby up and no Ferrari, ZR1 or Bugatti would stand a chance. Downside? Isn't there always? In this case, that huge motor's life expectancy is less than two minutes. But hey, the chase is going to be over by then anyway. This looks like the biggest gun to me. But where does this all end?

Never enough power? I guess not, but what about some sanity and simply call ahead, like we do in the frozen north? Food for thought.

Until next time......