Press Kit: 2006 Dodge Charger Police Vehicle

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. 

"With rear-wheel drive and available HEMI^® 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.

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_® 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 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.