Ford’s latest Police Interceptor Utility is a sneaky SUV that hides the light bar typically placed at the top of vehicles, all but assuring that you’ll get pulled over at a speed trap.
The company’s 2016 model has a sleek looking black finish with cleverly disguised lights on the side view mirrors, headlights, around the Ford logo, and on the uppermost part of the windshield. The “no profile” visor bar can be ordered separately and installed on other Ford models.
“Today, agencies typically use aftermarket interior visor light bars that are somewhat bulky and can obstruct the field of vision – especially for taller officers,” says Stephen Tyler, Ford police marketing manager for North American fleet, lease, and remarketing operations. “This extremely low-profile unit is fully integrated where the headliner and top of the windshield meet, for tremendously improved driver visibility versus aftermarket alternatives.”
When the lights are off there’s very little to set it apart from a regular SUV that any civilian could be driving on the streets, which will make it much easier for cops to pull over unsuspecting speeders.
The difference between lights on and lights off.
Drivers can typically identify police cruisers almost instantaneously before the sirens even go off by the bar adorned atop the vehicle or just by memorizing the look of the headlights. But good luck doing that now if these things take over the streets.
However, not too many people have stealthy looking SUVs that they pull over on the side of the road to watch traffic go by, so speed traps will still be relatively easy to see for the keen driver. On the other hand, there’s few things worse than seeing those blue and red lights show up in the rear view mirror, especially when it comes without any notice.
Ford says the light bar can be set up to meet California Title 13 regulations so Golden State residents could be seeing the new no-profile bars soon at local police stations. The auto manufacturer’s sedan model does not yet have the light bar.
A closeup look at the stealthy no-profile bar.
