Carbon E7: New squad cars for US cops

Previously, the police in the States always drove modified family cars, such as the particularly impressive Ford Crown Victoria. For police use, they are fitted with the customary blue light, radio equipment, tuned-up engines and a more agile chassis. In the case of high-speed pursuits however, it is not only in the movies that the American police often come in at second place. So the watchword now is "Buddy, we're gonna get you!" Previously, the US car constructor Carbon Motors concentrated on the construction of special vehicles such as the well-known Checker Taxi. But in future, the American police will also have the use of a 'customized' Carbon vehicle.

An aluminium space frame, co-designed by Lotus, will constitute the basic body of the five-metre long E7 and integrated crash and bulkhead elements are there to protect the passengers from hard encounters with the bad guys. The doors open backwards, so that suspects can be loaded with greater ease when handcuffed. Armoured doors protect against shots and there is a wall to separate the good guys from the bad guys. The siren and blue light are integrated in the roof and at the front there is a type of battering ram. The power pack is an economic 3-litre diesel engine that can reach a top speed of 155mph, getting the rear-wheel drive vehicle from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds.

The hefty price of 50,000 dollars per vehicle is justified by the equipment, according to the manufacturer. Apart from that, the vehicle is designed to handle a 'working life' of almost 250,000 miles, which is double that of its predecessors. Upon reaching its end of service, the E7 will not be put up for sale, since all of them will be returned to the manufacturer for dismantling and subsequent scrapping.