Opel Ampera EV Police Cruiser: Volt's European Cousin Getting Ready for Patrol

If there's one way to kick-start sales of specialty vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and its European counterpart, the Opel Ampera, that's by enlisting the government as one of your clients. And with a starting price of €42,900 (about US$58,000 at the current exchange rates) in Europe, GM's Opel division will need all the help it can get to sell the Ampera.

Well before the Ampera hits European showrooms at the end of the year, Opel is already exploring the possibility of a police package for its range-extended electric vehicle. According to the company, the Ampera could be the perfect police car for urban use.

Like the Volt, Opel's version of the car can be driven in pure electric mode for 40-80 km before the petrol engine kicks in to produce electricity and / or motivate the front driving wheels pushing the total driving range to over 500 km [311 miles]. The Ampera completes the standard sprint in 9 seconds while reaching a top speed of 160 km/h [100 mph].

The final production version of the Ampera will receive its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Canadian Joy Rider Takes BMW for a Spin, gets Caught going 240km/h - 150mph

*BMW X6 Press Photo

An unnamed 20-year old man in a BMW (reportedly an SUV model) was arrested by police in Montreal on Saturday for driving 240 km/h or 150 mph on the A-720 highway in a 70 km/h or 44 mph speed zone. And here's where the story gets a bit more interesting as not only is this one of the worst cases of speeding in the country's history, but according to the police, the BMW did not belong to the young man. Some Canadian newspapers are even suggesting the man may have been a hotel valet that took the car for a late night spin on the highway.

The Montreal Gazette said local police "would neither confirm nor deny reports" he was a valet at a downtown Montreal hotel, and that he was taking out a guest's BMW for a joyride

Sgt. Guy Lapointe of the Quebec provincial police told The Star, "The only thing that I can tell you is that there have been no reports of a theft of the vehicle that was pulled over". CBC reported that the police said "the car has now been returned to its owner".

Hotel valet or not, the joy rider's "need for speed" earned him a hefty CA$2,598 (equal to about US$2,623 or €1,932) fine and 42 demerit points, which means he loses his license for at least six months.

Sources: Montrealgazzete , Thestar & CBC

Kia Soul in Police Outfit to Patrol Sussex Streets

A local Kia dealer has donated a 'vanilla-cream' Soul to the Sussex Police department in the UK for use in their neighborhood policing program. While you won't be seeing the Soul chasing law-breakers on the highway, the small crossover will be used by the team of Police Community Support Officer's (PCSOs) as part of their routine street briefings and the general safe-keeping of Horsham South's communities.

"The car is as highly visible as we are!" said PCSO Charlotte Whittaker. "We were delighted to have been given a car by Toll House, but to have one that turns heads as swiftly as this one does only helps us become more visible to the public."

Toll House Kia, which provided the police-branded Soul Shaker to the Sussex Police department for a year, said that it will replace the car after six months.

April Is Drunk Teen In A Cop Car Month

It's a coast-to-coast celebration...last week in Florida, and this time around, Oregon.

The Florida mug shot wins, but the suspect names...well, Nikita Efimov just sounds a lot more mysterious than Tasha Lee Cantrell.

Set The Cruise Control For Warp 9.999: The Ten Speediest States In The USA

Go ahead, laugh. But this trooper and his brother officers in nine other states need some serious wheels to keep up with traffic.

Driverside.com compiled a list of the ten states with the fastest traffic based on tickets issued...and you'll be surprised at some of the places on the list.

Carbon Motors: All We Need Is Cash

A week ago, BMW was telling us that it had landed a big deal with Carbon Motors to supply its purpose-built police cruiser, the E7, with six-cylinder diesel engines.

Today, Carbon Motors says it's all good...if the U.S. government loans it $310 million.

Story from Automotive News here.

BMW Diesel 6 To Power Carbon Motors' Police Car

Just ten days after Ford took the wraps off its new Taurus-based police vehicle, Carbon Motors, which says it will make only one car...the E7, and only for the police market, beginning in 2012, now says it'll be powered by a BMW diesel 6-cylinder engine.  Carbon will also be fighting Chevrolet's revived Caprice police cruiser.   Details from NASDAQ here.

Ford Taurus Police Interceptor: Good Guys To Get Bad Ride

Well, that makes the Crown Vic Police Interceptor look like Grandma's black-and-white, now doesn't it?

Coming soon to a rear-view mirror near you. Full details from The Detroit News here.

This Time It's Real: The Caprice Is Back...For Police

Well, forget that stuff about GM importing the Pontiac G8 as a cop car.

The real deal, according to Jalopnik, is a revival of the Caprice.

Inspiring Badge Envy

Once supplies run out, you and I won't be able to buy the wonderful Pontiac G8 anymore.

But according to Jalopnik, we'll be able to enjoy the thrill of being pulled over by them, as GM plans to import them as police vehicles.