1958 Porsche 356A – Police Car
August 5, 2009 by Anthony Crawford
I’m not a huge fan of police cars when they’re behind you with their lights flashing away, right before you hear that quick burst of siren if you haven’t bothered checking your rear vision mirror for a few minutes. An event like that tends to ruin your day.
By Anthony Crawford
But that doesn’t mean I don’t mind those special high performance cars the police occasionally get their hands on, both in Australia and overseas.
Take last Sunday, as I was returning from a run to the tip when a fast moving black SS Commodore caught my eye, as he blasted along Mona Vale road on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
At first, I thought it was a well-behaved Aussie car enthusiast out for an early Sunday morning run to stretch the legs of the SS.
But on closer inspection as I pulled up behind him, I saw the inert flashing lights and miniature video camera, behind the heavily tinted glass.
He had locked on to an equally quick moving RAV 4, who was possibly doing 10kms over the 90km speed limit. I didn’t see the outcome, although I suspect the driver of the Toyota was not going to start the day well.
And what about the Lamborghini Gallardo, that the Italian Police landed, that’s enough to make you want to change professions.
The fact is, Police forces all over the world have always had the odd exotic ride on their fleet, and no more so than in Austria, when back in 1958, they had an uber rare Porsche 356A supercar to chase down offenders on their autobahns.
Actually, the car pictured above is just one of only three identical cars made for the Austrian Police, which is on show at this year’s Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC in the UK.
It even comes with the uniform worn by the driver, as well as his warrant card and a hand-held stop sign!
Tags: Porsche 356A
This would smoke the Lexus ISF cop car.LOL
I’ll still take that XF cop car thanks.
t-rex you are a funny man ha! ha! ha! you cut me up! by the way is your car a dinosour or just an old bomb?
Just on the whole cop car and unmarked cop car mentioned -
Was up in QLD recently, Noosa/Sunshine Coast in fact. You’d never suspect it but, there was an Unmarked Silver Subaru Liberty GT Spec.B that was tailing a Yaris. Unfortunately didn’t get pictures of it head on but got some from the rear, looks pretty mean with red and blue flashing lights.
There’s little to no indication it was an unmarked cop car (previous gen Commodores and Falcon’s had huge antennas) with discreet placement of the front lights placed behind the grill (as you do) and the rear ones placed close to the number plate lights.
That Yaris driver probably thought twice about pulling over because (the driver continued a long distance before stopping, no siren btw) -
a) The low placement of the grill makes the frontal lights hard to view if you’re being tailed close
b) Only unmarked i’ve ever seen are the usual Holden Commodore’s and Ford Falcon’s, surely this just be someone pulling a prank?
c) Liberty GT B with flashing lights? Can’t be…
But then again, there’s been some word that NSW cop’s are using impounded cars as unmarked cop cars, so next time a WRX STi with 20’s rolls up next to you at the lights and spins up his engine, think twice about dragging, could just be a cop having a bad day and hasn’t met his money/point stealing quota.
Another reason why Australia is boring…
A Rav 4 Cop car hilarious , very scary stuff.
Who makes the decisions on what Police Cars to use ? Do manufacturers offer them special deals to try something new in their range ? I know Manufacturers are always hitting up fleets with whats new and may suit their needs.
tbb you have changed your name from FIGJAM !
Elitist are you incarciraded in our fine Country ?