Italy’s Special Police Use 500-hp Sedans to Transport Human Organs

The Carabinieri have never been at a loss for hot sheetmetal. Among its vehicular ranks, Italy’s famed national gendarmerie counts Lotus Evora S and Land Rover Defender 90 patrol cars. Officers ride Moto Guzzis, and for a mobile nuclear and chemical weapons lab, the Carabinieri use a Mercedes Unimog. Now the Italian special police have added the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio to that list, too.

A pair of them, actually. The Carabinieri took delivery of the cars last week, a ceremony that had appearances by Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and a wonderful vintage police-issue Giulia Super. As part of the deal with Alfa, a few officers are getting schooled at Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Varano de’ Melegari. Since production on the new Quadrifoglio just started a few weeks ago, these Carabinieri will be among the first people outside FCA to get behind the wheel. And enjoy this glorious Getrag six-speed:

Yes, the police-spec Giulia has a manual gearbox. That’ll go nicely with Quadrifoglio’s twin-turbo V6, and the 505 horsepower it sends to the rear axle. And, besides the requisite lightbar and livery, the Carabinieri cars also get a smattering of medical equipment, including a defibrillator and portable cooling units. Why? These Quadrifoglios will be used only for “special operations such as transporting organs and blood.” Because race-trained military policemen storming the Autostrada in super sedans are even cooler if they’re racing to deliver a human heart. Be more awesome, Italy. I dare you.