Dodge in Hot Pursuit of Police Car Market with HEMI(R)-powered 2006 Dodge Charger
24 Mars 2005 - 7:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Dodge in Hot Pursuit of Police Car Market with HEMI(R)-powered 2006
Dodge Charger - Dodge puts 340 horses under good guys' hoods -
Dodge Charger joins Dodge Magnum to make modern muscle available
for street patrol - Superior rear-wheel-drive performance and
handling characteristics designed to perform and protect AUBURN
HILLS, Mich., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dodge charges into
the police car market this fall with the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger
police vehicle, offering law enforcement agencies a four-door sedan
with all the power, handling and functionality they require to
effectively patrol the streets. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050324/DETH004 ) "With
rear-wheel drive and available HEMI(R) power at the pavement, the
Dodge Charger provides optimum police car pursuit performance,"
said Darryl Jackson, Vice President - Dodge Marketing, Chrysler
Group. "Dodge has a strong police heritage and is proud to offer
vehicles armed with modern muscle and cutting-edge technology." The
2006 Dodge Charger police vehicle will join the previously
announced Dodge Magnum police vehicle to round out Dodge's growing
fleet of bold, powerful and capable vehicles for law enforcement
agencies. "We listened to what law enforcement officers asked for
and paid attention to the details that are important to them," said
Ray Fisher, Vice President - Sales, Service and Parts Operations,
Chrysler Group. "By integrating features and functionality into the
original design of the Dodge Charger, we can give our police
customers an affordable, capable vehicle with industry-leading
innovations." For the ultimate in pursuit power, the Dodge Charger
police vehicle will be available with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine
that produces 340 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 390 lb.-ft. of torque
at 4000 rpm. The V-8 HEMI engine features Chrysler Group's
Multi-displacement System (MDS), which seamlessly alternates
between smooth, high fuel economy four-cylinder mode when less
power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is required. Fuel
efficiency improves by up to 20 percent with MDS, but not at the
expense of performance. Dodge Charger police vehicles equipped with
HEMI engines will be able to go from zero to 60 mph in just 6.0
seconds. The 2006 Dodge Charger police car also will be available
with a powerful, 3.5-liter High Output V-6 engine that provides 250
horsepower at 6400 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 3800 rpm,
offering an outstanding blend of performance and fuel economy. A
fully electronic five-speed automatic transmission with an
Electronically Modulated Converter Clutch (EMCC) offers improved
shift feel to match a variety of driving styles, situations and
road conditions. This transmission is standard on all Dodge Charger
police cars. Heavy-duty brakes and linings, also standard on
Charger police vehicles, provide secure and stable deceleration and
braking capability. In addition, Dodge Charger police vehicles will
include an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Emergency Brake
Assist, All-speed Traction Control and four-wheel Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS). Combined, these features will provide balance and
control for officers in a variety of surface and weather
conditions. * ESP enhances driver control and helps maintain
directional stability in turns, even on uneven surfaces, patchy
snow, ice or gravel. If there is a discernible difference between
what the driver asks through the steering and the vehicle's path,
ESP applies selective braking and throttle control to put the car
back onto the driver's intended path * Emergency Brake Assist
detects when maximum braking is required through sensing the rate
of brake application. By applying full brake pressure to all four
brakes, this system improves stopping distance * All-speed Traction
Control enhances mobility and prevents wheel slip when accelerating
on slippery surfaces. It also provides a measure of directional
stability control and helps keep the car on its intended course.
The system works by braking the slipping wheel in low-traction
situations. However, it also can adjust the throttle control,
making the vehicle less reliant on brake applications alone * ABS
keeps the vehicle straight and retains steering capability while
braking on slippery surfaces by preventing wheel lock-up Both
passive and active safety features also are incorporated in the new
Dodge Charger police vehicles. These include: advanced multistage
driver and front passenger air bags, a front passenger Occupant
Classification System (OCS) for controlled airbag deployment,
constant force seat belt retractors, pretensioners, an
energy-absorbing steering column, optional side-curtain airbags and
a tire pressure monitoring system to alert officers of low tire
pressure. Preliminary Standard Features: Standard features on the
2006 Dodge Charger police vehicle will include the following items
of particular importance to law enforcement customers: * 100-amp
battery power feed in trunk * 160-amp high-output alternator *
160-mph calibrated speedometer * 800CCA heavy-duty battery * cloth
front bucket seats with manual lumbar and rear fixed bench seat *
column shifter * easy path wiring grommet between underhood and
passenger compartment * emergency rear-door-lock override *
external oil coolers * four-wheel independent performance
suspension * heavy-duty brakes and linings * integrated engine hour
meter * P225/60R 18 V-rated all-season performance tires and
18-inch steel wheels * performance-tuned steering * police
equipment interface module * police equipment mounting bracket *
rear door locks and rear window switches inoperable from the rear
seats * severe-duty cooling system * software-controlled
alternating head- and taillamps * special electrical wiring for
police market applications * speed control * stealth mode switch
for interior lighting Additional standard features and optional
equipment are available on the Dodge Charger police vehicle to
provide law enforcement customers an affordable vehicle with
industry-leading innovations that make upfitting the vehicle faster
and safer. Production: Production for the 2006 Dodge Charger and
Dodge Magnum police vehicles will begin in the fall of 2005 at the
Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario (Canada) alongside the
2006 Dodge Magnum, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300. The 2006 Dodge
police vehicles will be available to county, city and state police
departments in the fourth quarter of 2005, with pricing announced
at that time. BeaconWear(TM) Safety Vests: Chrysler Group is
committed to the safety and security of its customers, employees
and those who keep America safe. To keep members of the New York
Police Traffic Department safer while performing their law
enforcement duties, the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund donated
250 BeaconWear(TM) Safety Vests to the Department today at the New
York Auto Show during the media reveal of the 2006 Dodge Charger
Police vehicle. While the Dodge Charger offers law enforcement
agencies a four-door sedan with all the power, handling and
functionality they require to effectively patrol the streets, the
BeaconWear Safety Vest offers police officers the extra protection
they need when outside of their vehicles. The most common cause of
injury for police officers is being hit by another vehicle while
outside of a squad car. The BeaconWear vest features reflective
strips that can be seen further and more clearly when it is dark or
weather is inclement. With the aid of battery-powered illuminated
vests however, there is a decreased risk of police officers being
injured, disabled or killed by a motorist when they leave their
squad cars. Police Car Heritage: The former Chrysler Corporation
dominated the police car business throughout the 1960s, '70s and
early '80s, with U.S. market shares ranging from 45-60 percent.
Police vehicles manufactured by the former Chrysler Corporation
included the Dodge Monaco, Dodge Royal Monaco, Dodge Coronet, Dodge
Diplomat, Dodge Dart, Dodge St. Regis, Plymouth Fury, Plymouth Gran
Fury, Plymouth Volare and Chrysler Newport. Recently, Dodge
returned to the police car market after a 12-year hiatus with the
2002 Dodge Intrepid. The front-wheel-drive Dodge Intrepid earned a
4 percent share of the approximately 70,000 unit U.S. market. That
vehicle was phased out of production in 2003. In the fall of 2004,
Dodge previewed the 2006 Dodge Magnum as a police vehicle offering
enhanced rear-wheel-drive performance and handling with a spacious,
flexible interior for police special service uses. "That Thing Got
a HEMI?" Since the rebirth of the HEMI engine, HEMI has become a
brand within a brand, taking the hottest new Chrysler, Jeep(R) and
Dodge vehicles to a new level in power and technology. Across the
entire Chrysler Group product portfolio, the total HEMI engine
take-rate is approximately 45 percent on vehicles offering the
engine. More than 500,000 HEMI-equipped Chrysler Group vehicles
have been sold since the new HEMI engine was introduced for the
2003 model year. Products available with the HEMI include: Dodge
Ram Pickup, Dodge Durango, Dodge Magnum, Chrysler 300 and Jeep(R)
Grand Cherokee. Dodge Brand: With a U.S. market share of
approximately seven percent, Dodge is Chrysler Group's best-selling
brand and the fifth-largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive
market. In 2004, Dodge sold more than 1.4 million vehicles. Dodge
continues to lead the minivan market segment with a 20 percent U.S.
market share and maintains an 18 percent share of the highly
competitive truck market. In 2006, Dodge also will enter key
European volume segments.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050324/DETH004
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT:
Colleen O'Connor, +1-248-512-2714, , Beth Ann Bayus,
+1-248-512-0350, , or Kevin McCormick, +1-248-512-6218, , all of
Chrysler Group Web site: http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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