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The New South Wales police, who enforce Australia’s “hoon laws” should be leading by example, and driving base-engine Corollas or Cruzes. Instead they went out an splurged on an Alfa-Romeo MiTo. Top Gear reckons the choice is “unimposing.” We call it cruel and unusual.
18 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: Masters Of The Hooniverse Edition...”
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Ed, stop taunting us with pictures of Alfas we (in the US) cannot buy!
I thought this was one of the ones we WERE getting?
I have seen MiTos prowling the streets of SE Michigan. Chrysler is definitely considering it.
This makes sense to me.
It isn’t like the Australian market has any large RWD sedans that can be used as police cruisers.
AFAIK they use the Falcon XR6 Turbo as police cruiser. Don’t know which version of the Commodore.
That’s the joke.
Won’t crime increase? Criminals aren’t afraid if pursuit cars break down every 5 miles
Why should it break down every 5 miles???
I agree with Buckshot, no way it’ll make it 5 whole miles unless it’s going really fast and coasts for the last 2 miles.
Here’s a riddle for you; if the odometer goes out on an alfa and it brakes down in the woods, will anyone know how many miles it drove before it broke down?
fiat/alfa is one of the few companys that make chrysler’s look down right reliable, thats why.
You must be stuck in the stoneage.
Modern Alfas don´t break down more than other brands.
That thing has a nice intercooler. But uh, I rather pass.
Also, they use better hoon-friendly machinery than that. Do they wanted to look chic while impounding a car?
Don’t think it’s an intercooler, just the radiator – mine has the same, just saying….
You rang?
But, but, but, what happens when they hop curbs or perform PITs?
Do pink dressed cops in chic machines actually do that?
Most roads with significant kerbs also have a serious amount of concrete median strip involved. Not even a Suburban could get over 1+ meter high median strips.
Australian cops don’t do PIT stops. They either chase ’em and give up, or call for backup and give up.
Chases rarely if ever last more than a minute or so due to newish safety rules as the cops have to ask permission to continue pursuits lasting longer than about 30 seconds, and this is rarely given in major cities due to public safety concerns with a spate of deaths involving police chases (both the perps and the public) a few years back. The ACT (an area like Washington DC) still has unregulated pursuits, but that won’t last after four civilians died in January after a police chase.
Long pursuits were banned in 2006 in Victoria (where I live) after the state coroner placed the blame for a series of deaths on the lack of controls around pursuits. So the police in the car need to ask permission to continue, and for the last few years, it’s very rarely granted.
Our criminals aren’t masterminds, and they’re usually arrested later once the cops have figured out who stole the car, or if they’re stupid enough to drive their own, go to arrest them at home. We haven’t had any road deaths relating to chases for a while now, so the policy seems to be working.
If the purpose for these cars are ‘community outreach and safety awareness programs’ they should order the cars in H&S sissy pink. Little girls of all genders will like it and feel safe.
A two-door hatch also is an excellent solution for transporting suspects.
BTW: Why don’t they use motorcycles for these purposes? Probably too dangerous to fulfill H&S requirements without fitting supporting wheels? Not enough protection against rheumatism and colds?
This reminds me of when the Victoria police were given a Subaru WRX back in 2000 (Check these out http://www.inthejob.com/vic.html ) as an interceptor. Rumour has it that they handed back the Subaru as too dangerous! Vastly overpowered and handling was on the ragged edge. The NSW police use mainly unmarked Falcons and Commodores, even to the point of dressing the cars up with surfboards etc..
On another note the anti-hoon laws are different in every state.
The Fords and Holdens are factory modded standard cars, they don’t go through Holden Special Vehicles or Ford Performance Vehicles for any tune-ups, just the stock SS or XR6 kits with suspension mods.