Speeders drive faster cars. State police are buying the Ford Mustang GT to chase them

Phoebe Wall Howard, USA TODAY
·4 min read
105

As other automakers stop building cars powered by big V8 engines, Ford Motor Co.'s Mustang GT remains the last man standing.

Police agencies, who need the horsepower, have taken notice.

After years of ordering the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro, state patrol agencies in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina confirmed they're adding the 2024 Mustang GT to their fleets. And they're not the only law enforcement agencies doing so. Ford's competitors aren't making these muscle cars anymore.

"Police have found a sweet spot," Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst at Ford, told the Detroit Free Press of the USA TODAY Network. "We expect to see more sales as other companies have ceded this area of the industry."

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This year's sales of the Mustang GT are up 13% to 8,154 through April, Merkle said. "The high-performance Mustang GT represents about 57% of our overall Mustang mix so far this year," he said.

The Mustang GT starts at $43,555 including destination fees. Government agencies, though, negotiate discounts based on bulk purchases.

Car performance and engineering are important to law enforcement agencies, and acceleration is really key to doing the job, said Andrew Simmons, a government sales manager for Ford, focused on the southeast U.S.

"Most of these are used on interstates," Simmons told the Free Press. "Right now, we're at a fever pitch in terms of interest. Better than 50% of the customers I’m seeing are crossing over from other brands and coming into Ford to buy a Mustang."

According to Car and Driver testing, the 2024 Mustang GT clocks at:

  • 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds

  • Quarter mile: 12.2 seconds at 117 mph

  • Top speed: 155 mph

Slow down: Mustang GT headed to interstates near your

"The Mustang has a faster 0-60 time and a higher top speed than the other patrol vehicles in our fleet," said Maj. David Bryant of the Georgia State Patrol told the Free Press. "Most of the new Mustangs will go to patrol posts that cover the interstate system in Georgia."

The Georgia State Patrol has hundreds of Dodge Chargers, 15 Dodge Challengers and 15 Camaros for high-speed pursuits, and now the agency is adding 15 Mustangs to the patrol fleet, Bryant said. That's in addition to the Dodge Durango, Chevy Tahoe and Ford Explorer SUVs used by state troopers.

'We need speed'

Georgia locals and tourists will spot these Mustang GT vehicles along U.S.-341, Interstate 75 and I-16, Allen said.

The V8 engine meets police needs, he said. "Everything is getting faster. Vehicles we try to stop every day are getting faster, from a Kia to a Mercedes. This is a way for us to keep up with the changes in the vehicle market."

Capt. Shane Allen of the Georgia State Patrol is among law enforcement leaders discussing the purchase of the 2024 Mustang GT for speed patrol on the interstate.
Capt. Shane Allen of the Georgia State Patrol is among law enforcement leaders discussing the purchase of the 2024 Mustang GT for speed patrol on the interstate.

Michigan State Police change policy on high-speed pursuits

Police driving fast is not without controversy. Separate and apart from enforcing the speed limit on highways, public policy and police policy in some states are changing to reflect safety concerns.

In March, the Michigan State Police announced a new policy effective immediately that said officers may engage in a pursuit only if there's "probable cause to believe the driver or occupant of the pursued vehicle has committed a life-threatening or violent felony."

Police told the Free Press that using speed judiciously is part of their training.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol has purchased 2024 Mustang GT vehicles to help apprehend highway speeders. Police agencies say they're expanding beyond the Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chevy Camaro.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol has purchased 2024 Mustang GT vehicles to help apprehend highway speeders. Police agencies say they're expanding beyond the Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chevy Camaro.

In North Carolina, police officials see speed enforcement as critical to reducing fatal collisions, Lt. Zeb Stroup of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol told the Free Press.

Last year, North Carolina saw 354 fatal collisions in which speed was a contributing factor, he said.

"That number represents a decrease of 7.1% from the previous year," Stroup said. "The addition of the Mustang, we hope, will help to continue our positive impact on our existing speed reduction efforts."

In 2023, two North Carolina State troopers made headlines for a crash that followed a high-speed chase. Based on a review of traffic safety records, high-pursuit crashes have not been a pattern in recent years.

North Carolina troopers will get special training on the powerful Mustang GT, Stroup said. And their speed is critical to doing the job effectively, he said.

North Carolina will use the Mustang GT vehicles in areas where speeding is a documented problem, Stroup said.

"They're going to be primarily used on the interstate," he said. "We know at speeds above 70 mph, the likelihood of severe injury or death increases."

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford Mustang GT is needed to catch high-speed drivers, police say