Every day police cruisers aren't all that exciting. However, they're well-maintained tuned-up versions of their civilian counterparts, so they're capable of giving you a run for your money if you decide to run from the police. There's a chance you might get away if you're in a supercar, sleeper, or on a street bike, but even then, it's difficult to outrun the radio.
Updated April 2022: With production cars getting quicker every year, law enforcement has to keep up. That's why we've updated this list to ensure you stay up to date with all the high-performance police cars around the world.
Even with a clear advantage over criminals, police departments are adding supercars to their arsenal. They have helicopters, armored vehicles, bikes, and supercars. Of course, not every department takes its pursuit and PR vehicles so seriously. Some countries only have police cruisers, while others, like Dubai, have an entire fleet of impressive high-speed vehicles.
We've always been interested in how fast police vehicles were, not because we're trying to outrun them or anything, we're just curious. So after some digging, we found 25 of the fastest police cars in the world. Dubai, by far, has the largest fleet of police supercars, and they aren't slowing down anytime soon.
So, if you've ever wondered if you could outrun the police in your favorite supercar, the answer depends on where you are. Even in the fastest, most exotic supercar, the police in Dubai can and will catch you. Others, like Germany, might not have supercars, but they still have a respectable fleet at their disposal. Check out the others to see exactly how fast these police cars are.
25 Audi R8 (Dubai)
The Dubai chief of police added these two Audi R8s to the family in late 2021. Audi's R8 is the fastest Audi ever made, and it's a ton of fun to drive. The starting MSRP of one is around $150,000, and its big V10 engine produces 600 horsepower and pushes the car from zero to 60 in 3.1 seconds. Furthermore, the R8 handles unbelievably well even at high speeds, which is a good thing, too. The Audi R8's top speed is just over 200 mph, so no one is outrunning them. However, Dubai's police department isn't only interested in pursuing criminals, the chief of police says the supercars are a way to connect with the community.
24 Ariel Atom (The United Kingdom)
The Ariel Atom is another amazing police vehicle we won't mind driving. However, it takes some nerve to get behind the wheel of this thing, which looks like a cross between an Indy car and a go-kart.
Powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Honda K24 VTEC engine with a 6-speed transmission giving it 230 horsepower, the Yokohama S drive tires grip the road as they quickly catch up to speeding street bikes and racing cars. The United Kingdom added the innovative vehicle in an effort to educate the public on the dangers of motorbike speeding. Like many of the cars on this list, the Atom is just as much for show as it is for service.
23 Spyker C8 (The United Kingdom)
The Spyker C8 is one of the rarest cars in the world. And with a price of approximately $425,000, it's one of the most expensive police vehicles as well. The vehicle hits a top speed of 187 mph with the V8 4.2-liter engine, which produces 320 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. Its zero to 60 is a quick 3.5 seconds, and it makes the Spyker more than just a sporty cruiser. It's a capable high-speed pursuit vehicle and a great tool for police chasing street racers.
The engine sits in the middle of this rear-wheel-drive car, which helps with weight distribution and gives the Spyker better handling. The Spyker is manufactured in the Netherlands and was first introduced in 2003, but is now being used by the UK's police enforcement
22 Chevrolet Camaro SS (Dubai)
Dubai's Chevy Camaro SS is an all-American muscle car that stands up among competitors globally. A 6.3-liter V8 engine powers the SS with a 6-speed manual transmission. And even with the big engine, it receives reasonable gas mileage at 16 MPG in the city, and 24 MPG on the highway. With 455 horsepower, the American-made Camaro SS does zero to 60 in 4 seconds flat.
With a reasonable price of under $60,000 for a well-equipped SS, the specs are incredible. When you add in the fact that it's a fairly comfortable 4-seat sports car, the Camaro can definitely be considered an excellent and underused addition to any fleet of police vehicles. Luckily, the Dubai police department is giving the iconic car a chance to prove itself in its fleet.
21 Ford Mustang GT (The United States)
The Steeda Ford Mustang GT Police Interceptor is a mean force to reckon with. The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is stunningly fast in comparison to civilian Mustangs. With 825 horsepower and 655 lb-ft of torque, it's capable of catching almost any street-legal car on the road. The 0-to-60 speed and top speed of the Mustang Police Interceptor aren't published, we can figure it's well superior to any other American Police Interceptor and likely equal to if not better than the Mustang Shelby GT500's 3.5-second time. Plus, the Mustang is able to compete with exotic cars around the world, making this vehicle an exceptional asset for police forces in the United States.
20 Volvo S60 Wagon (Latvia)
Many people associate Volvos with being cars designed for the elderly since they have a rather bland exterior design and primarily focus on the safety of their passengers, but what most tend to neglect is the performance attributes Volvo cars have. The S60 wagon is the perfect example thereof since its estate shape will never draw any suspicion but underneath the Volvo S60 has a reinforced chassis, large brakes, and a turbocharged engine that can propel the police wagon to a top speed of 160 mph.
19 Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06 (The United States)
Chevrolet's Corvette police car is another impressive American-built muscle car. American-built patrol cars have put in work for years and made a name for themselves. One of the most powerful members of the New Braunfels Texas Police Department is the impressive 1,005-horsepower Z06 Corvette The lightweight sports car was part of a property seizure that included several other cars, jewelry, cash, real property, and guns totaling more than $1 million.
The impressive supercar was already modified to reach the current 1,005 horsepower. Luckily for criminals, like the meth dealer, the Z06 was seized from, the vehicle won't be a patrol car. The police department will use the mega muscle car for PR events as many of the police departments do with their own supercars.
18 Lamborghini Gallardo (Rome, Italy)
Rome's Lamborghini Gallardo was the department's pride and joy, but it was recently replaced by the newer Huracan. The Italian-made Lamborghini Gallardo still sports exciting specs. So, it's obvious why the Rome police chose the supercar as the first to represent them on the streets.
The 5.2-liter V10 542 horsepower engine does a top speed of more than 200 mph and drives from zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. Criminals, beware in Rome, we're sure the police love an excuse to push the Lambo to its limits in a high-speed chase — something civilians never have the opportunity to do. Police have to protect and serve the community; it's about time they get to have some fun doing their job.
17 Lexus IS-F (The United Kingdom)
The Lexus IS-F took the place of the Humberside Police Department's Subarus, which worked extremely well in combating illegal street racing and organized crime. The department evaluated the Lexus IS-F for a period of 12 months prior to making the decision to replace the Subarus in their fleet. They seem to have made a wise decision, though, as the IS-F is a high-performance vehicle that's specially tuned for optimum results. Plus, driving it is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can imagine. The ride is smooth but ultra responsive. It features a 5.0-liter V8 engine, so officers can accelerate to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, and the vehicle's computer sets the max speed at 168 mph.
16 Brabus Mercedes-Benz CLS Rocket (Germany)
The Brabus Mercedes CLS Rocket is an impressive large four-door car that is large enough to throw a criminal in the back, and it hauls under pressure with a V12 engine producing 800 horsepower and 1,024 lb-ft dialed back to 811 lb-ft of torque to keep things under control in the rear. This gives the CLS Rocket the ability to go from zero to 60 in just 3.5 seconds.
Driving the beast at high speeds is smooth due to an automatic height-adjusting coil-over Bilstein setup. Large heavily ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels help the Brabus stop even when traveling at high speeds. In terms of police vehicles, the CLS Rocket is one of the fastest and safest interceptors, as the large vehicle body offers plenty of safety features not available in other supercars with similar power. However, it comes with a huge price tag of around $578,000, too.
15 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (Dubai)
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is another of the many cars in Dubai's supercar police fleet. The pressure is nothing for the SLS, though. It's ready to impress, weighing 3,723 lbs and packing a 6.2-liter V8 engine with a 7-speed automatic transmission, it allows the SLS to put down all 479 lb-ft of torque and 583 horsepower.
The large engine and light frame allows the Mercedes SLS AMG to travel at a top speed of 196 mph. And, it accomplishes zero to 60 in 3.6 seconds. The SLS is one of the coolest modern supercars; it's beautifully sleek, and it handles exceptionally well, even around turns at higher-than-posted speeds. Its appearance isn't as aggressive as some cars on this list, but it holds its own when put to the test.
14 Jaguar XF (England)
Jaguar's XF made its debut in 2010 as police cars when the Central Motorway Police Group in England purchased seven Diesel S Jaguar XFs. The vehicles have a 3.0-liter diesel engine capable of producing 275 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque and are also capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and top out at 186 mph.
Plus, they're not just fast. They give excellent gas mileage and low emissions as well. Jaguar has been through some difficult times over the past two decades, but the iconic car is making a comeback, although Jaguars are known for having all types of mechanical and wiring issues. Hopefully, the Central Motorway Police Group made a wise decision.
13 Honda NSX (Japan)
The Honda NSX is severely underrated, and it's just one of Japan's super-fast police cars. The Japanese police have a long history of pursuing criminals in highly tuned Japanese sports cars, that's one of the benefits of having an auto industry that's rich in performance vehicles.
Honda's NSX, which sells outside Japan as the Acura NSX, is a well-thought-out underrated sports car. It's not too fast, but it's fast enough. Its zero to 60 is a respectable 5 seconds. Plus, unlike other supercars, it receives excellent gas mileage even with the 3.2-liter V6 engine that powers the NSX. Plus, the ride is great.
12 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor (The United States)
Ford's Police Interceptor is nothing to scoff at with its 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine and AWD. The engine produces enough power to get it to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, making it faster than the Dodge Charger and the Chevrolet Caprice by almost a second. The Interceptor gets its advantage by driving power to all four wheels. In fact, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police both tested the interceptor with other police vehicles, and the interceptor was a clear winner in both in several categories. Even V8 competitors weren't able to out-compete the Taurus, deeming it a true sleeper. Needless to say, this makes this Interceptor a favorite among police departments throughout the United States.
11 Bentley Continental GT (Dubai)
Bentley's Continental GT precedes the recently added Bentley Bentayga as the fleet's first Bentley. The Continental GT is a roomy 2-door, 2-seat sports coupe. V8 motor power the S coupe, which has a starting MSRP of $217,325, and It receives 582 horsepower from the large 6.0-liter turbocharged 12-cylinder engine. The Continental has a 24-gallon gas tank, making it perfect for extended trips, and on the highway, although it only receives 21 MPG.
Of course, the gas mileage depends on how you drive it. It gets from zero to 60 in 4.3 seconds. However, the police version of this car is likely able to complete the task in a time closer to the 3.4 seconds of the Bentley Continental GT Supersports as a result of special police-edition fine-tuning.
10 McLaren MP4-12C (Dubai)
McLaren's MP4-12C is one of the rarest exotic cars on this list, and it's another of our personal favorites. It's a sexy sport coupe with amazing handling, and the engine roars when you hit the gas. The MP4-12C packs a mean 3.8-liter dual-turbocharged, 616-horsepower engine and reaches 60 mph from a dead stop in 3.2 seconds. The starting MSRP is just over $140,000, which makes it an amazing deal in comparison to many of the cars on this list. The transmission adds to the speed of this police super-pursuit vehicle by giving the driver the ability to shift gears faster than most exotics allow. The price, unbeatable handling, and super fast engine and transmission make this a mean contender among other vehicles like it.
9 Ferrari 458 Italia (Milan, Italy)
Rome isn't the only place in Italy with a super police car; the Milan police have a beautiful Ferrari 458. It's the only 458 police car in the world, and the Milan police hope to show its citizens that no matter what you're packing under the hood, you can still drive responsibly. They figured if an officer can maintain his speed and follow the posted speed-limit signs on Milan's roads in the 458, anyone can.
The 458's 4.5-liter V8 engine gives the car 570 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. The powerhouse pushes the V8 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds, making it one of the fastest police cars in the world behind the Bugatti Veyron. Even with its competitors chasing closely behind it, the 458 features incredible handling, which makes it not only fast, but also fun to drive.
8 Nissan Skyline (Japan)
The Nissan Skyline is another in Japan's fleet of fast patrol cars, and the R34 Skyline is also a favorite amongst auto enthusiasts around the world. It's a very reliable vehicle that offers a fun sporty drive, and it's perfect for everyday driving.
The extremely lightweight R34 is powered by a 2.6 L twin-turbo RB26DETT all-wheel-drive engine and paired with a 6-speed Getrag Transmission allows it to reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. However, Skylines can be highly tuned to produce much more power and quicker track times. In fact, the Dubai Police Department's Bugatti Veyron might not really be the fastest police car. In a drag race, the R34 Nissan Skyline might actually win; plus, the Skyline is a steal compared to the Bugatti, even with the performance tuning necessary to beat the Veyron.
7 Nissan GT-R (Japan)
So, you've seen Japan's law enforcement makes use of the R34 in its lineup, but they also have a buffed-up R35 GT-R. It comes with everything you'd expect a super cop car to have, all-wheel drive, and a nasty turbocharged V6 engine, but there's one team whose input changed the game: Nismo. Nismo took the R35 and upgraded the power figures so that its V6 could do more than just reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 3 seconds, but now it allowed the GT-R to go beyond speeds of 200 mph as well.
6 Bugatti Veyron (Dubai)
The Bugatti Veyron is currently the fastest police car in the world with a zero-to-60 time of just 2.46 seconds. The results are thanks to the Veyron's enormous 8.0-liter V16 gasoline-powered engine. The crown jewel of the Dubai Police's super fleet with 1,200 horsepower only gets 15 MPG on the highway and a ridiculous 7 MPG in the city.
The 16-cylinder engine features 64 valves and four turbochargers, deeming it the most absurd law enforcement vehicle, only time will tell if it will be dethroned.