Demonstrating that good cop cars can also go bad, Chrysler has announced a recall of Dodge Chargers and Magnums equipped with the police package and column shifter. While the cars aren't exactly taking sides with the villainous, they are having difficulty displaying the proper transmission gearshift position on the dash. This error is leading to more than a few headaches for men and women in uniform, and can be downright dangerous if they're not in the gear they think they are. The recalled cruisers are 2006-2009 models, and they number more than 20,000 strong (including the 150 sold to Kuwait). Dealers will reportedly add a locking mechanism to the gearshift cable to keep the displays honest.

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: Dodge Charger Cop Car

Dodge recalls over 20,000 Charger and Magnum cop cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Subaru Mountain Rescue Vehicle

SEMA: Save us Subaru Mountain Rescue Vehicle! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia

Continue reading Italian State Police receive new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

Italian State Police receive new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7

Carbon Motors releases first video of E7 cop car and in-car gadgets originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Mitsubishi EVO X GSR Premium Edition

Mitsubishi adds EVO X GSR Premium to Japanese lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: 2009 Dodge Charger Cop Car

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: Dodge Charger Cop Car

Continue reading 2009 Dodge Charger Cop Car gets boost in power and fuel economy

2009 Dodge Charger Cop Car gets boost in power and fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7

Continue reading Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car

Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Police in Oz hope Hummers will curb "antisocial behavior" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Stuttgart EMS gets a pair of Porsche Cayennes

Stuttgart EMS gets a pair of Porsche Cayennes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click above for high-res gallery of the Kuwaiti cop-issue Chargers

Choosing them for their portrayed image of "strength and power," officials in Kuwait have ordered 150 Dodge Chargers to be modified as police vehicles. As the Charger is the leading volume vehicle for Chrysler LLC in the Middle East, the choice doesn't come as much of a surprise. Delivery of the cop cars, however, isn't expected to take place for another couple months. In the meantime, the lot of them are heading to Canfield Equipment Service in Michigan where they'll be fitted for their new Kuwaiti roles in traffic, security, and emergency response. (Here's hoping none of our readers get a chance to check them out from the back seat once they're in service).

Gallery: Dodge Charger Kuwait Police

Continue reading Kuwait orders 150 Dodge Charger police cars

Kuwait orders 150 Dodge Charger police cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click to view more of the classic Maserati fire truck

In case there were ever any doubt that the Italians have more style than the rest of us, just look at their emergency vehicles. While over here, public services use the most basic of vehicles, the polizia have cars like the Alfa Romeo 159 and Lamborghini Gallardo. But what about their fire trucks? Their function usually dictates their form, but in this case, the Italians have got us beat.

Back in 1967, Constuzione Estintori Anticendio (CEA) of Bologna, Italy, took five Maserati Quattroportes and converted them for use as fire trucks at racing circuits. Labeled as "the fastest fire tenders in the world", they could top out at 225 kph thanks to their 4.2-liter V8s driving 260 hp through a five-speed ZF manual gearbox while riding on Borrani steel wheels with Girling disc brakes. All five examples were bought in 1987 by a collector in Austria, who eventually sold them all off except for the finest example, which he is now putting up for sale. Contact Christoph Grohe if you're interested.

Gallery: 1967 Maserati Quattroporte fire truck

Find of the Day: 1967 Maserati Quattroporte fire truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW X5 Security

If you happen to be the Head of State of a controversial nation, have a lot of enemies, or you are just plain paranoid, BMW's latest X5 variation may appeal to you. It's called the BMW X5 Security, and it has been armored by the factory to protect its occupants against some serious firepower (BMW claims safety class "VR4" to resist the penetration from a .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, or a nine-millimeter Luger). While BMW is understandably mum about specifics, we do know that the body panels (including the roof and trunk) have been reinforced with a ballistic-resistant armored fiber developed in the Netherlands. The windows are upgraded to laminated 22-mm thick security glass, and a camera system with intercom keeps the passengers informed of what's happening outside their isolated cocoon. To handle the extra mass (you know its packing some weight) the Security package is bundled to the X5 4.8i model with its 4.8-liter 350-hp V-8. Nearly indistinguishable from the regular model, BMW has reportedly attempted to maintain the X5's driving dynamics with upgraded suspension and brakes. It's apparently no slouch, but we have yet to see any armored car that is considered exceptionally nimble.

Gallery: 2009 BMW X5 Security

BMW X5 "Security" model can handle .44 Magnum fire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While General Motors looks over a stack of offers for its HUMMER brand, the fate of AM General hangs in the balance. The military contractor developed and built the original Humvee until the rights to the HUMMER name were bought by GM, who then contracted AM General to continue building the H1 (until it was discontinued) and then the Chevy Tahoe-based H2. (The Chevy Colorado-based H3, meanwhile, is built entirely by GM at its Shreveport, Louisiana plant.) With the future of its General Motors contracts uncertain, AM General has announced a new deal of another kind.

Starting in 2010, the Indiana-based company will begin producing a new series of wheelchair-accessible transit vehicles for the Vehicle Production Group, LLC. Although, as VPG points out, the usual development gestation period for such vehicles is two to three years, VPG and AM General intend to get the ramp-equipped para-transit vehicle to market in less than 24 months. Over 3,500 units have already been ordered, leading VPG to project that annual production will well exceed that number, while AM General intends to use the same workforce it currently employs for the new project. As for what the para-transit vehicle will look like, no one knows, but there was word of AM General developing a new version of the Standard Taxi (see above) with a low ride height and large doors that appears as if it could easily accommodate wheel chairs.

[Source: Detroit News]

AM General to produce wheelchair-accessible transit vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mitsubishi i MiEV police car has SUPER ARREST POTENTIAL! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Photo of the Day: Chinese anti-terror Segway commandos originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you watched the first episode of Top Gear's season 11, you likely smirked at the lackluster Vauxhalls that the British bobbies have to drive in pursuit of "the baddies". But once in a while the constables in the UK gets something special in their motor-pools, like the Caparo T1, Lotus Exige, Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. While few officers have actually had the chance to drive any of these epic exotics since they're used purely for demonstration purposes, the latest addition is here to stay: Prodrive has prepared a fleet of Subaru Impreza GB270s especially for the Automatic Number Plate Recognition Team at the Essex Police department.

Not only did Prodrive set up the vehicle for the team, commonly known as "The Intereptors", but the 21 officers that make up their ranks received a day of special instruction on how to get the most out of their new 270hp all-wheel-drive speed machines. As you can see in the press release after the jump, however, "The day was not about driving these cars fast, but understanding how and when to use their capability in a safe way." Way to make something exciting very boring, guv'na.

[Source: Prodrive]

Continue reading Prodrive sets up Essex police with 270hp Impreza interceptors

Prodrive sets up Essex police with 270hp Impreza interceptors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: 1982 CHP Ford SSP Mustang

"For Sale" of the Day: 1982 CHP Mustang originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 May 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Buell to offer Ulysses Police bike

Buell to offer Ulysses Police bike originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 May 2008 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: L.A. County Lifeguards Ford Escape Hybrid

Continue reading L.A. County Lifeguards rolling in custom Ford Escape Hybrids

L.A. County Lifeguards rolling in custom Ford Escape Hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 May 2008 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click to view the Agent Provocateur MINI Clubman in hi-res

At first glance, we couldn't help but wish we had had one of these when we were in high school. But on second thought, a pink-accented MINI might not have been the babe-magnet Agent Provocateur would have us believe. At least, not for any girls we know, but if this is what it takes to inspire impromptu gatherings of scantily-clad lingerie models, then who are we to argue.

Sorry, we got a little distracted there. And so can you, just check out the images in the gallery after the jump. Most of them are perfectly safe for your puritanical work environment, but for those few that aren't, we'd suggest waiting until you get home. And the kids are asleep. And your significant other isn't "in the mood", whatever that means.

Gallery: MINI Clubman by Agent Provocateur

Naughty Pics Aplenty: Agent Provocateur MINI Clubman originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 May 2008 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.