Yes, I'm a CHP Explorer where the volvo you saw was stationed. I took that picture that some person posted on this message board. You can see more pictures at my Police car website : http://www.hughes.net/taria/capdcars2/CAPDCARS.htm The CHp has 10 volvos. Through out the state. We trade our volvo to the Division office for a new slick top crown vic because the volvo sucks. It goes 147, but is too small and has an extremly low visiblity. The volvos now are just used for PR and the offices are trying to run the miles out asap so they can get real patrol cars that don't break down as much. Arizona and Florida are also testing volvos.

Back in April '99 the LA Times ran a story about these particular cars. I believe that some of the bureaucrats in Sacramento were against them because even though Volvo is owned by Ford they are a foreign car. Despite the fact that the Crown-Vic is made in Canada, it is a Ford nameplate.

You can checkout some pictures at the following links.

Mike

'98 C70 Convertible

About two months ago I saw an S70 T-5 in California on I-10 on the way to Palm Springs. It looks just like a regular S70 except it was black and white and had a protective front grille and the state seal on the driver and passenger doors. Other then that the car looks the same as the standard production S70. If recall correctly it did have a thin rear light bar in the window and nothing on the roof. I word of caution, THEY ARE EXTREMELY FAST AND WILL APPEAR OUT OF NO WHERE!

Tim,

I saw one at my dealer two weeks ago as it was being seviced. I was told by my sales rep that it was good for 150 MPH.

Not in California but I saw a 240 (with bar on top) back in 1988 on the road that leads to Mt Washington in New Hampshire.

Tim, funny you should mention this. We made our first trip to San Diego last weekend from Orange County on the I-5. Just as I was taking the off-ramp from I-5 into San Diego a car whizzed past me on the left. You can't imagine my shock (I drive like a pilot flies - I split my time between left side mirror, front glass, rear view mirror, and right side mirror to maintain situational awareness and I didn't see the cop coming), fear (I quickly realized it was a CHP car but it didn't have a high profile light bar so I could have easily been picked off under other circumstances - in fact I could see a scenario where I might have thought a fellow Volvo owner wanted to race as they flew up on my tail in the left lane), and delight (it was pretty cool to see a Volvo for a CHP car). If memory serves me right, I think this particular unit did have a very slim low-profile light bar on top but I didn't get a chance to stare very long so I can't be sure. Either way, I now know to look out for S70s on California Interstates!

Thanks.

-rdo

p.s. - I took out a S60 for a spin this weekend and know for a fact that if the interior size would work (and I don't think it would) it would be a much better cruiser for the CHP.

Thought I had read that after the merger there was a strategic decision on the part of Ford to only market the Crown Vic, Mustang and Explorer 2wd for law enforcement use in the USA. No sense in canibilizing their own market. Sadly, no more T5 cruisers for us! (Think they might give us "professional courtesy"? I'm actually relieved that most PDs will never find out just how fast a brick can be!)

Since Volvos are the ubiquitous police cruiser all over Europe, I'd guess they would still market the 80-70-60 series there.

At least you're not in Holland. Their Highway Patrol has used Porsche Targas since the 1960s. (and 356 cabriolets since the 1950s!)

-Uncle Olaf

They got something around a dozen of them for evaluation and then decided they liked them after the S70 production stopped back earlier this year.

Who knows, maybe they will check into S60 T5's.

Yes..I have seen a few of them in the Santa Cruz area. I also saw one in the service bay at my local dealer. My flight examiner is also a 15 year CHP officer. During my last bi-annual he told they are the best high speed units they have ever had. He told me a few stories about the old Mustangs that they used and still do use. They are quite a scarry experience in a sustained high speed chase. Anything over 80 is a real panic in them. But in the Volvos he said cruising at 100 to get to a problem traffic accident is very secure. He also told about many of the guys love catching BMWs and humiliating them by how easy they are to catch. His officers have handed out more than just a few $500 tickets to these BMW speeders after persueing them in a V70. I asked if us Volvo owners will be spared by these guys. He laughed but said the officers he works with truly love these new cars and never expected they would be so great.

Cool! Nope, I've never seen one here in CA. Damn thing is probably chip-tuned too!

-d