Florida Highway Patrol Adds Hemi-Powered 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T to Its Pursuit Fleet

Seems fitting for the state that needs to keep Florida Man at bay, doesn’t it?

byChris Chin|
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In addition to the usual Ford Crown Victorias and Dodge Chargers, Florida Highway Patrol actually has a long history of featuring some interesting and untraditional squad cars in its fleet. The list includes old Foxbody “notchback” Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, and even the stray Datsun 280Z or Dodge Stealth. But now, there’s a new sheriff in the fleet—well, sort of. Florida Highway Patrol’s Jacksonville Troop G division recently tweeted and shared its latest addition: a brand spankin’ new 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T.

According to the tweet, the new squad car was commissioned to help the outfit combat aggressive driving, which is entirely understandable given the long stretches of highway that span across the peninsula state.

Interestingly, the new Challenger patrol car does without the typical ram or light bar, but it still stays with tradition by utilizing FHP’s usual two-ton beige-on-black color theme.

Full specifics on the Challenger aren’t available, but the outfit’s tweet boasts that it comes with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 which is good for around 375 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. The result is a zero to 60-mile-per-hour time of just 5.1 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph. In turn, the chances of being able to outrun the FHP in the Jacksonville area are pretty much slim to none unless you've got a highly modified street machine.

The Challenger also comes with special Panasonic 360-degree high-definition cameras, a “new lighting package,” which we imagine comes in the form of flashing LEDs and strobes, and other gear meant to aid the police in serving their duties.

While this doesn’t quite compare to Italy’s police force commissioning a Lamborghini Huracan or Austria’s finest getting a Porsche 911 Carrera, the FHP’s new Challenger rings in a new level of cool to police cars and will certainly make for an intimidating appearance in one’s rear-view.

h/t: Motor1

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