Watch the evolution of Ford’s police cars – Motor Authority

Ford Motor Company [NYSF: F] has been cranking out cop cars for Jonny Law for decades now. The automaker says that cooperation with the police goes all the way back to the Model T. The first official Police-prepped Ford vehicle, however, dates back to 1950 and the Mainline. This was the base trim for Ford sedans, and it became the car for the boys in blue.

In honor of its new Fusion Hybrid Responder, Ford has produced a neat video highlighting some of the evolutionary changes to Ford police vehicles through the decades. Our favorite is the 1971 Galaxie, which came prepared with a 429 cubic-inch V-8 engine mounted under the hood. It was good for 400 horsepower and making sure the long arm of the law was able to catch up with any baddies who thought about making a run for it.

Other cars highlighted in the video include the 125-hp 1952 Interceptor, the 215-horse 1956 Interceptor, the 1982 Mustang SSP with its high-output 5.0-liter V-8, the 165-hp 1983 Crown Vic, the 150-mph 1998 Crown Vic, the 2009 Crown Vic, and the 2013 Taurus Interceptor powered by a twin-turbocharged V-6. The video provides information on many more innovations on each of these cars.

These days Ford has the Taurus and the Explorer as its main police offerings. The lineup that's evolving, though, as Ford has also added the new Expedition and the first hybrid pursuit-rated vehicle in the latest Fusion. It's that last one that is making a bit of a splash, as it could benefit police departments in a number of ways.

The most obvious advantages of the Fusion Hybrid Responder are the reduced fuel consumption and emissions. That lends a helping hand to the environment while also saving departments money on their fuel bills. Yet it's still built strongly enough to handle the rigors of daily police duty. That means it can sit quietly for hours on end as the batteries and electric motor keep the computers running, or it can fire to life and respond to the call of duty.

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Watch the evolution of Ford's police cars - Motor Authority