The Crown Victoria Police Interceptor became one of the most recognizable American police cars because it paired a familiar full-size Ford sedan with a long-running fleet role. Ford says its Police Interceptors accounted for 85% of police pursuit-vehicle sales in the United States and Canada in 1998—a manufacturer-reported historical figure, not an independently audited count. Its V8, rear-wheel drive and body-on-frame construction helped define the patrol-car image many drivers remember.
Why were Crown Victorias used as police cars?
The Crown Vic belonged to a much longer line of full-size Ford police cars. Ford says it introduced a purpose-built police package in 1950. In 1983, the full-size sedan was named the LTD Crown Victoria; the Crown Victoria became a separate model in 1992. Its police version carried the familiar full-size Ford formula into the late 1990s and 2000s.
Ford’s history says that by 1998 its Police Interceptors dominated police pursuit-vehicle sales in the United States and Canada. In its 2024 retrospective, Ford put the Crown Victoria police package’s share at 85%. That figure is Ford’s own historical claim; the sources do not establish an exact number of cars in service or departments using them. Retired Sergeant Marc Basye, writing for Police1, described the car as a fixture in policing by the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The 2011 Police Interceptor shows how Ford configured the car for fleet duty: a full-size body, rear-wheel drive, a V8, and a separate heavy-duty frame. Its brochure also lists a heavy-duty alternator, engine-idle meter, oil cooler and a large trunk. These are features Ford specified for that model year, not proof of superior reliability or performance compared with other patrol cars.
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- Brand new box. Real rubber tires. Officially licensed product. Opening hood and front doors. Made of diecast with some plastic parts. Manufacturer's original unopened packaging. Detailed interior, exterior, engine compartment. Dimensions approximately L-8, W-3, H-2.5 inches. PLEASE NOTE: This is a Custom Builder's Kit and requires a drill to attach the included light bar and push bar.
- Material: Metal
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What engine did the 2011 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor have?
Ford’s 2011 model-year brochure lists a 4.6-liter V8 flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) rated at 250 horsepower and 297 lb-ft of torque. It specifies rear-wheel drive, hydroformed body-on-frame construction and 20.6 cubic feet of trunk space. Ford estimated fuel economy for this configuration at 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway; those brochure estimates are not a current EPA rating or a promise of real-world mileage.
Ford also said the Police Interceptor had been tested to meet a 75-mph rear-impact test without fuel-tank puncture, and its timeline identifies 2003 as the year the car first met that test. Those are Ford’s statements; the available documentation does not independently establish the test protocol or comparison set.
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- AUTHENTIC DESIGN: Officially licensed 1:42 scale Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor die-cast model car with realistic police department styling
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When did Ford stop making the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor?
The milestones refer to different events. Arizona DPS says production of all Crown Victorias stopped in 2011. A Police1 retrospective reports that Ford stopped taking Police Interceptor orders in April 2011 and built the final Police Interceptor in August that year. Ford’s timeline marks the Police Interceptor as retired from service in 2012, when it introduced the next-generation Police Interceptors, with V6 engines and standard full-time intelligent all-wheel drive.
In other words, the 2011 production and order milestones are distinct from Ford’s 2012 service-retirement entry. The successor was a different kind of police vehicle; these sources do not provide enough comparable data for a full performance, cost or lifetime-reliability comparison.
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- length 7.5 cm
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What happened to old police Crown Victorias?
Decommissioned cars could leave police work in different ways. Arizona DPS provides one documented example: the agency’s last in-service Crown Victoria was stripped of its police equipment and sent to state auction in 2022. The department also noted that older sedans had been used for other professional purposes or driver training. That account describes Arizona DPS, not the fate of every retired cruiser.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to find service information for a Crown Victoria
For owners maintaining or restoring one, Ford’s 2011 Police Interceptor Modifier Guide points to the Crown Victoria Workshop Manual for standard service procedures and specifications. Choose documentation that matches the car’s model year and configuration; the guide does not establish the availability or coverage of any particular current retail edition.
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- 1:24 scale measuring approx 8 x 3 x 2.75 inches
- Made of diecast metal with plastic parts, rubber tires
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Sources
- Ford Police Vehicles | Inspired By Those Who Serve — Ford’s police-vehicle history and timeline.
- Farewell to the Last Crown Victoria at AZDPS — Arizona Department of Public Safety, December 14, 2022.
- 2011 Police and Special Service Vehicles — Ford model-year brochure.
- 2011 Police Interceptor Modifier Guide — Ford, July 2010.
- The Crown Victoria: How Ford’s Police Interceptor became a law enforcement icon — Police1, October 1, 2026, by retired Sergeant Marc Basye.
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