- The state’s police department once used the famous Ford Mustang SSP in its highway patrol fleet.
- The 2024 Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 produces 480 hp and 415 lb-ft.
- According to authorities, the cost of the new muscle cars is comparable to other vehicles in the fleet.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is accelerating its enforcement efforts and has welcomed the arrival of the first of 25 Ford Mustangs scheduled to hit the road in the coming months
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This isn’t the first time the state highway patrol in North Carolina has used Ford’s pony car. In the 1980s and 1990s the company had a fleet of Mustang SSPs. The new highway cruisers are based on the 2024 Mustang GT, and the agency says the cost of these new muscle cars is “comparable to other vehicles” in its fleet.
However, neither the total cost of the fleet of 25 Mustangs nor the amount of taxpayer money used to purchase them were disclosed.
Read: The Ford Mustang SSP prototype is a stylish police car that can escape any wallet
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Local police will use the new Mustangs primarily on highways throughout North Carolina.
Several modifications were made to the Fords to prepare them for police service. The muscle car is painted primarily gloss black, but features matte silver accents along the sides with the NC State Highway Patrol emblem. No photos of the cabin have been released, but it too is said to have been outfitted with police equipment.
Ford presented the seventh generation Mustang at the North American International Auto Show in September 2022. The GT model is the fourth generation of Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 with dual air intakes and dual throttle bodies. It produces 480 hp at 7,150 rpm and 415 lb-ft (563 Nm) of torque. That should be more than enough for cops to hunt down all but the fastest sports cars and supercars.
Earlier this month, Ford announced that a new member of the Mustang family will be launching next year. Details on this new model are limited, but a teaser released by the brand confirmed that it will have a fixed rear wing.
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