World’s fastest police car unveiled
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, June 5, 2014 | 0 comments
It already holds the record for the quickest lap round the Top Gear track but now the Ariel Atom has become the world’s fastest panda car.
Avon and Somerset police force has taken delivery of one of the 155mph cars which has been painted in the force livery and fitted with special aerodynamic blue lights.
Able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 2.5 seconds, the £38,000 vehicle will be used by traffic officers to deter speeding motorists and encourage motorcyclists to slow down.
The vehicle, which looks more like a Formula One racing machine, rather than traditional road car, is thought to be the quickest police car in the world, able to outrun the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia used by Italian officers, the Audi R8 driven by German police, and the Ferrari FF used in Dubai.
Avon and Somerset Police borrowed the Atom from local manufacturer Ariel for the summer while it promotes a new road safety campaign aimed at slowing down speeding motorcyclists.
It is hoped the eye-catching machine will dissuade bikers from riding dangerously as it is displayed at promotional events across the south west.
Seven motorcyclists have lost their life already this year in the area, a 30 per cent increase on this time last year.
Andy Parsons, a Roads Policing Sergeant, who is involved in the project said: “I am really excited that Ariel has joined with us to bring Project SAFER RIDER to fruition, and I hope that the use of the Ariel PL1 with have a positive impact to promote Road Safety.
“To be safe, rider and machine need to work in harmony. When this happens it feels immediately right. When it doesn’t, things go wrong. Too many injuries and deaths are the result of rider error.”
Simon Saunders, Director of Ariel said: “Our business is about going fast, very fast, but there is a time and a place.
“The Atom is designed to be driven to a racetrack, where you can drive to your limits in safety and in a professional environment designed for the purpose. The road really isn’t the place to explore your or your vehicle’s limits.”
Motorcyclists are currently 35 times more likely to be killed in a road collision.
While the car, which weighs just 612kg, is capable of keeping up with many high power road bikes, there are no plans to use it in operational police duties.
