If there's one thing that all motorists unanimously agree to hate, it's getting pulled over by the police. Getting pulled over can lead to all sorts of problems, from getting a mere warning, to a ticket, or in some cases, ending up handcuffed in the back of a police car. This is why most drivers try to stay on the right side of the law when driving.
But, even without breaking any traffic rules, there are some cars that any cop will pull over immediately they see them. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to why this happens, but these are the ten cars that are more likely to attract a cop's attention and, consequently, get more tickets.
10 Subaru Impreza WRX
Ever since it was introduced decades ago, the Subaru Impreza WRX has been one of the most potent four-cylinder vehicles on the market. The Impreza WRX packs a 2.5-liter flat-four engine under the hood, which pumps out 305 hp and delivers it to all four wheels via six-speed manual transmission, allowing it to accelerate from 0 - 60 mph in under six seconds.
The immense power, manual gearbox, and excellent road holding of the Impreza WRX make it a true driver's car, especially for those who like to drive fast. Unfortunately, the cops also know that and are always on the lookout for WRX drivers.
9 Modern Pontiac GTO
There are two types of Pontiac GTOs; the classic ones produced in the 60s and the modern ones built in the early 2000s. When cops see a classic 60s GTO with its recognizable silhouette and chrome bumpers, the main reason they'd stop it is to admire the beautiful lines of one of the best American muscle cars ever built.
However, cops stop modern GTOs for a whole different reason. Modern GTOs are much are easily modifiable, street racers love them. This makes them prime targets for police cruisers.
8 BMW E36 M3
Unlike most of BMW's M line models, the E36 M3 is affordable without missing the bits and pieces that make BMW cars attractive. This makes it an excellent vehicle for enthusiasts looking for a German machine to modify.
The production E36 M3 only had a 240 hp engine, but with little modification, drivers could easily get it up to 400 hp, making it just as fast or even faster than more expensive and modern models. The rear-wheel-drive and lightweight nature of the E36 M3 also make it a fantastic car for autocross tracks, drifting, street racing, and everything that cops hate.
7 Honda Civic
At first glance, it's hard to see why cops would be interested in a Honda Civic being one of the least flashy cars on the road. However, there's a pretty good reason for this; over the past two decades, regular Honda Civics have been among the top vehicles on the list of the most stolen cars in the US.
Thieves love Civics so much that 40,000 of them disappeared from their owners in 2018 alone. This is because looking for one stolen Civic is like trying to find a needle in a haystack with hundreds of thousands of them on US roads, and also because the demand for spare parts is high.
6 Acura 3.0s
The Acura 3.0s is a luxury coupe whose target market was enthusiasts who needed to discover the joy of coupe life. The base model is one of the most obscure cars on this list and can easily go unnoticed, but the sporty CL model is sure to attract a traffic cop's attention.
The CL model has the same 3.2-liter V6 that the base model has but adds a supercharger and suspension, braking, exhaust, and drivetrain enhancements. This makes it both loud and fast enough to attract police cruisers.
5 Dodge Stratus SXT
The Stratus is a mid-size car introduced by Dodge in 1995. The car was based on the Chrysler JA platform. It was also a popular car in the late 90s and early 2000s, which is why Dodge sold more than one million of them.
Although few of these cars are left on US roads, the car still gets a disproportionate number of traffic tickets compared to other vehicles, especially the SXT sedan or coupe. Dodge discontinued the Stratus in 2006, but traffic cops and meter maids have kept it relevant to date.
4 Dodge Charger
Dodge has always had one mission for the Charger since introducing it in 1964 – to show the world how powerful the American V8 can be. Even the base Charger still has a 292 hp engine under the hood, making it faster than the average car.
Most Dodge Chargers tend to be loud, fast, and painted with striking colors that are sure to attract a cop's attention. It gets even worse for drivers of the ultimate Hellcat version, which comes with a whopping 707hp.
3 Ferrari Testarossa
The Testarossa is undoubtedly one of Ferrari's most iconic models. Its looks, power, reputation, and appearance in top movies and TV shows of the 80s made it one of the definitive sports cars of the 80s.
The Testarossa had a 5.0-liter flat 12 engine that produced 396 hp and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Testarossa could reach a top speed of 180. The Testarossa's immense power and speed may attract unwanted attention from the police, but a more likely reason why a cop would stop one is to get a closer look and possibly a picture of one of their childhood dream cars.
2 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
When Porsche debuted the 996 generation of the 911 in 1998, their fans were shocked. Porsche had removed air cooling – one of the 911's defining characteristics and replaced it with regular water cooling.
As a result, Porsche fans didn't like the cars in the 996 series except for the 911 GT3 RS. The vehicle featured an excellent and attractive design and a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter engine with forged pistons, dry sump, and race-derived engine internals. These features brought universal praise to the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The engine produced 382 horsepower, making it the fastest car in its price bracket. The GT3 RS remains a cop magnet to this day due to its blistering speeds and easily-recognizable shape.
1 Fox Body Mustang
The Fox Body Mustang has been one of the most popular street-racing cars for decades. It is relatively cheap, easy to modify, and it can be brutally fast when well-equipped. Although its glory days were in the 80s and 90s, many car enthusiasts and street racing guys still love the Fox Body Mustang.
Most Fox Body Mustangs on the roads today may look old and neglected from the outside but almost always have powerful rumbling engines and big exhausts. This is sure to attract cops who want to ensure that everything is legal under the hood.