5) Plymouth Laser
There's a malt liquor called Laser. It's about as refreshing to a college thirst as a pint of warm vinegar, but it does the job. Pretty similar to the Plymouth Laser actually.

4) Merkur XR4Ti
Just because the Germans are doing it doesn't make it cool (or scatalogical). Naming cars with letters and numbers may seem like a good idea, but nobody is going to sing about how it was 'fun, fun, fun 'till her daddy takes the XR4Ti awaaaaay.'

3) Jeep Jeepster
If Jeep considers reusing the name "Jeepster," that means the lately questionably off-road brand is considering a car-like Jeep, and that's stupid. We actually think the original Jeepster is pretty cool; our only reason for nominating this one is because Jeeps should never have been so city-fied.

2) Ford Fairmont
As much as we love the Fairmont police cars of the past, and the name does conjure up images of fair mountains, it's one that needs to stay buried. This one makes the list if only to discourage Ford from it's ridiculous and annoying "F" naming penchant.

1) Pontiac Aztek
We know, GM, you're tempted to relive those halcyon days of 2001 when you besmirched an entire ancient civilization by unleashing the Pontiac Aztek upon the public. Quetzalcoatl will rain down destruction upon you should it ever make a return.

10. Off-Color Body Cladding
While there's nothing wrong with dark or color-keyed exterior cladding on rugged trucks or delivery vehicles, applying it to most cars is just wrong. Take the Subaru Baja, for example. The caminoized Subaru wagon already had a few strikes against it in the design apartment, and the gray plastic cladding beneath brightly colored body panels made it seem more like a Fisher-Price toy car than an expensive truck alternative.

9. No Mats On The Floor
It's no secret that dealers often make extra dough by charging extra money for items that should come standard, including essentials like floormats. Still, an empty footwell in a modern, carpeted car is going to lead to stains, a lower resale value and well, it just looks really cheap.

8. No Spare Tire
What's more fun than than having a massive tire blowout on the freeway, opening up the trunk and finding a can of Fix-a-Flat? In a lightweight sports car or a vehicle with run-flat tires it's an understandable way to reduce mass, but it's completely wrong to exclude a full-size tire from the trunk of a mid-sized sedan. It's always made us think there's a conspiracy between AAA and automakers.

7. Cheap Advertising
There's advertising that promotes the relative value of a vehicle, pointing out that it offers great features at a lower price than the competition. And then there's advertising that merely points out that the car is cheap enough for even you to afford. A great example of cheap-o advertising is this Chevy Aveo billboard, which basically assumes you're so hard-up for cash you'll rip pennies off a wall.

6. Plastic Trim In Place Of Colored Accents Or Chrome
Similar to the body cladding, having dark plastic bits instead of chrome or painted accent pieces is a big way that automakers think small when creating base models. Whereas certain companies, like Honda, have moved towards making small concessions like painted door handles and painted trim, others are still replacing every conceivable shiny part with black or gray plastic. Perhaps the worst example is when they put a piece of off-color plastic in place of a fog lamp.

5. Tiny Wheels
Nothing says "I'm driving a golf kart" like tiny wheels in large wheel wells. Though we've sort of come to expect it on small cars, like the aptly named Golf, automakers have applied this concept to their cheap SUVs. Hyundai was particularly known for this, especially with their first generation Santa Fe, which left so much room between the small wheels and huge arches we imagined someone could pull the engine out through the wells.

4. Offloading Cars To Rental Fleets
Pushing slower selling cars over to rental fleets has been a popular way for automakers to move inventory, even though the profit margins were low. This not only makes the car seem cheap (it's depressing when someone sees you in a white Taurus and asks you if your real car is in the shop), it actually makes it cheaper by lowering the resale value of the car. Recently, American automakers have limited this practice and the Koreans have gladly filled the niche.

3. Weird Seat Fabric Patterns
A friend of ours in high school had a Mitsubishi Mirage with a seat pattern that could only be described as post-industrial Navajo. Though it's intended as a way to make cheap cars seem fun, it usually ends up making cheap cars look like the interiors were stitched out of comforters from Motel 6. The only exception is the VW GTI's historically plaid interior, though some people even have a problem with that.

2. Hard Touch Plastics
If Suzuki can sell a car like the SX4 with smooth, soft-touch plastics for under $15,000, then Dodge should be able to sell the $22,000 Caliber SRT4 with something better than plastics so rough and poorly-cut that the military wouldn't use them at GITMO. It's almost unconscionable in 2008 to sell a car with plastic pieces that flake, fray and and don't fit together.

1. Dealer Installed Exterior Enhancements
When exterior trim is added by the manufacturer it's specially color-matched and fitted to each car. Assuming you've already purchased the floormats, the dealer can "up sell" you even further with the addition of special exterior options clumsily installed by the dealership itself. The worst may be the taped-on stripes that end up peeling off after a few weeks in the sun or a trip through the car wash. The dealer behind the unofficial NASCAR Toyota Camry deserves a trophy, or a lawsuit, for taking this idea to its ugliest extreme.

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(Special thanks to Acidic for help with the concept)

Unconfirmed reports state that speeders have been warned not to stop if confronted by an angry 11-year old wearing a day-glo vest and a bicycle helmet. Wilburn's mom doesn't share her community's concerns, describing her son as "special" during a Fox News interview.
Photography credit: AP [via Yahoo! News]

Do you remember those Xmods R/C cars featured during the Jalopnik Christmas list right? I've been into them for a few years. Anyhoo, it's common for people to fit model bodies on them to have cars beyond what radioshack sells.

Everyone from 13 year old kids, to professional car painters do these sorts of conversions. Think of it as, your old model car that actually moves. Some are even able to do a full interior in the car bodies. Typically very shiny cars you'd see on the show room floor.

Not me. Nope. After seeing your beat up Impala model many moons ago, when it came time for a competition, I knew what I had to do... Build a "Trailer Park Special" car, and stand out from the show cars..

And here it is, paint fade and all. I just won $50 in a compitition with it, saweeet..

OK, well, you would be able to listen to it purr if it actually stayed running. But isn't that why we take on projects like this, just to suffer the pain of anticipation? We can't wait 'till he gets it out on the street. Sure it may not be as powerful or reliable as a well-built Ford V8, but who cares? It's a V12!
[Miata.net via VWvortex]

We've never been to the home of hoonage, so we don't really know what Australia's roadside fatality rate on koalas looks like. But we assume it's a lot like armadillos in Texas and raccoons in Michigan — rare in the city, but not uncommon out in the sticks. Gail Gipp, manager of the Sunshine Coast's Australian Wildlife Hospital, said of the little marsupial, "He just shook his head and started to come around. Being hit at that speed, it is amazing he survived. He just clung on. He has a lovely placid, relaxed nature and I think that definitely helped him."

Ely was taken to the Wildlife Hospital where it was discovered that, although he had suffered only ruffled fur, the koala had a case of Chlamydia and would need to be admitted to the hospital for several months of treatment. We didn't even know koalas could get the clap. Ya learn something new every day. (Thanks for the tip Brett) [The Age]

10. Get Into A Drag Race
The stoplight is the best place to get into an impromptu drag race, whether with a couple of guys who can only speak like Howard Cosell or with a random driver. Just line your car's front end up with theirs , rev your engine and give your opponent your best "let's do this" face. Remember, if you want to win, try following the Jalopnik Guide To Drag Racing.

9. Do A Chinese Fire Drill
The boredom that comes with waiting at a light plus the boredom that is being a teenager in the suburbs equals the Chinese Fire Drill. For those who haven't played this game, it involves every passenger in the car swapping seats before the light turns green. Just remember not to lock yourself out, or else you'll be in your very own episode of Full House. Yeah, the one where you learn that always-important lesson about responsibility. Don't worry, just remember to tell Uncle Jesse — he won't rat you out. [Photo Credit: Edmunds]

8. Adjust Your Radio So As To Not Accidentally Run Over A FamilyThere's a popular driver's ed video that shows a young girl fiddling with the radio only to look up and see a family just in time to run them all over. Though it was hard not to giggle at the time, it's obvious nobody wants to be on the other side of that. That fictional murderer only had a tape deck to adjust. Consider that you've now got your iPod playlist to make, email to send, GPS to browse, text message to send and conference call to schedule. Probably better to accomplish that while standing still. And if traffic begins to move ahead of you, don't worry — the person behind you is always there to give you a friendly honk as a reminder to get moving again.

7. Get Rear-Ended, Get A New CarWant to trade in that Excursion for a Prius but because of the low trade-in value, the math doesn't make sense? Circle stoplights long enough with an excessive use of the brake and you're bound to take one right in the rear end. It's a quick way to a whiplash lawsuit and a brand new car! [Photo: StealthG20]

6. Watch The Directors Cut Of Lawrence Of Arabia One Minute At A TimeIt's quite illegal to watch a DVD while driving. That being said, there's little chance of getting into an accident while standing still so why not use that time to improve your knowledge of film history. Assuming you wait one minute per stoplight, you could knock out Lawrence of Arabia in just 227 lights.

5. Get Your Tires Replaced By A Pit CrewA great way to chop basic vehicular maintenance from your monthly check-list is to take care of basic upkeep when stuck at a light. Imagine being able to rotate or replace the tires, top off the tank and get a drink of water in just a few seconds. All you need is your very own highly-trained pit crew team. Yeah, we don't know where to get one either, although we hear you might be able to snag a couple of F1 crew teams in the near future.

4. Prepare A Delicious MealIf you live in a warm climate, and your engine runs a bit hot, why not put it to good use by helping you prepare a delicious snack. For starters, lay out a pan with foil on your engine block and cover with any number of vegetables and meats and let your engine do the work. Don't have A/C? It's even easier — drop the pan with foil right on to your dash and add dollops of cookie batter. At each stoplight, just wait until they begin to brown, scoop them up and drop the finished treats into tupperware. Do not combine with step ten unless you want a lap full of burning snickerdoodle. [Photo: 360Digest]

3. Work On Your NovelIn order to finish a 50,000 word novel in a month you'll have to write approximately 1,667 words a day. It ain't easy. Why not knock out a few words while sitting at the light. Before you know it you'll have completed that alternate history answering the question: What would happen if the man who invented the Pringles can had never been born?

2. Frantically Apply Your Registration Sticker While Nervously Eying The Police Car Stopped Behind YouThere's nothing worse than realizing you've left the new inspection sticker for your car in the glovebox just as a police officer pulls up behind you. Get popped on the way home from that organic grocery store you love and you might have to explain the fifteen ounces of oregano in a bag in your back seat. Just make it easy on yourself and stick the new one above the old one and quickly scratch off the rest with a set of keys. [Photo Plateshack]

1. Ask For Grey Poupon
Snacking in the back of your Rolls Royce? There's only one perennial favorite mustard for your quail on organic wheat and if you've left it at home, just have James roll down the window for you to ask the good chap in traffic next to you wearing an A-frame and driving the T-topped Trans-Am. If he's a gentleman, he'll share.

Now it's time for you to answer the question, either with the poll below or in the comments.

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At this point there are no plans to put this baby into Audi-branded production. However, if it ever comes to pass, we're sure it'll be a lot heavier than we thought, come with stitched leather over brushed aluminum ball pockets, have ridiculously complicated and yet flimsy drink holders, and all the press photos will have the little men painted silver. [Carscoop]

If you're worried you'd never be able to own a car this stylish and functional, one of the blogs pointed out that this car is likely based on the Volkswagen Santana, which is just the Chinese version of the B2 Passat. Project car anyone? [Blog.Sina.com via The Tycho]

For starters, we've set up some ground rules:

1) Measurements are taken across the major axis of the badge vertically or horizontally, none of that diagonal baloney.

2) Script logos where not considered. Spreading letters out is too easy. So sorry Hummer, Jeep, GMC, Land Rover and others with the name spelled out in long-hand, get a real badge.

3) Only vehicles on the dealer lot of the Troy Motor Mall in Troy, MI where considered. Thus, this field study was subject to dealer availability. However, we did find ourselves some of the fattest, juiciest dealers in all the land, so not much was left out.

Test Case: The Cadillac Escalade didn't even register on the list of the ten biggest sizes. The 'sclade sported a puny five-and-a-half-inch rear badge (by far the most prevalent size) and a six-inch diameter front badge. Surprising, right? Then we thought about the big Caddy's target market: Eight-foot-tall professional basketball players. And the new Cadillac CTS designed for investment banking weenies? An Escalade-besting 6.125" badge on its snout. So, even in this test case, maybe we're on to something. Anyway, here's the resulting badge-o-meter as proof of our contention that size matters — and an explanation of each below:

10) Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9
As predicted, the nearly twin Mazda SUV's did indeed have some massive badges on them. Coming in at an impressive 7.125 inches horizontally, the big ol' badges didn't make us think "Zoom Zoom" any more than the tiny ones on the Miata. However, a male Miata driver generally needs to have pretty strong self-confidence given the public's general lack of awareness of its track performance potential — so maybe it means he's got nothing to worry about in his self-confidence in other areas.

9) Mercedes Benz R-Class
The minivan wagon Sport Activity Vehicle from Mercedes came in with a pretty substantial 7.25 inch diameter three-pointed star. The target buyer's a rather emasculated member of the male gender — the successful dad who doesn't want to seem like he's driving a minivan after he drops his kids off at school. Poor man.

8) Lincoln MKS

The Lincoln MKS has a pretty strong upper hand in this challenge — being one of the newest cars on the lot, it knows just how far the big-badge arms race has gone. With a target market of old men on Cialis, the 7.625 inch vertical badge snags an eighth place finish, making a statement that screams "Viva Viagra!"

7) Lincoln MKX
Sure, the MKX is a bigger vehicle than the MKS, so obviously it has to have a bigger logo, right? That's how the logic goes. True to form, the Lincoln MKS scores with 7.875 vertical inches of logo love. And considering the average buyer may very well be limited to bespectacled marketing metrosexuals, it makes sense they'd be even less endowed than their Viagra-popping pops driving the MKS.

6) TIE: Infiniti QX56 and Mercedes Benz C-Class
Both of these luxury rollers offer up some whopping chrome accentuation in the form of an 8.75 inch badge on both the Infiniti QX56 and Mercedes Benz C-Class. Sounds about right since they're pretty much both wheels for the white tennis playing country club types. We've been told by our female friends they truly need all the help they can get.

5) Almost Everything Ford Makes
What do we expect from a brand who uses a country crooner who uses his guitar as a phallic extension of his self? Anything bigger than a Focus in the Ford brand beloved-by-Toby Keith wears the same 7.875 inch big blue oval. Because if you're a Ford truck man, self-confidence is only as big as your truck with the big blue ovaled badge.

4) TIE: Chevrolet Tahoe and Lincoln Mark LT
Chevy's rolling tribute to the suburban lifestyle sports a hefty 9.75 inch bowtie mounted right on its nose. While it's a good way to tell you're not driving a GMC SUV, you'd need to somehow explain what the nine-and-three-quarters-inch sized badge means about what you've got in your pants. Same's true we guess of Lincoln's luxury truck.

3) TIE: Chevrolet Silverado and Lincoln Navigator
Our third place goes to two vehicles on the same platforms as the fourth place holders, each sporting a humongous 10.25 inch ornament to a lack-of-johnson size are the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the Lincoln Navigator SUV. Sounds about right to us.

2) Chevrolet Express
This one was a shocker for us, we were really pulling for the even-bigger Silverado HD models, but they sport the same plate as the regular trucks. On a whim, we ran the ruler across the nose of the Express and lo and behold, a stupendous 10.5 inches of bowtie bone-compensation. Who said van owners can't hang high with the smallest of em?

1) Audi Products
We'd always known Germans were into some seriously freaky stuff. Something about issues of sexual repression. But we never knew the levels to which they were over-compensating. Every single member of the Audi family — with the exception of the TT — sport the same impossibly large 10.75 inch Audi badge. Maybe now it is the time on Sprockets when they dance and show off flat-as-the-world-is-round pants bulges.

So what did we learn from all this? In reality, badge size probably does not correspond to bulge size. Especially considering I own a nearly ten-year-old Audi with the same sized badge as its new breathren, and I was confident enough to put together this list. So go figure. (Hat tip to Mackenzie!

The result is what the Avenger should have looked like. It's also the closest thing possible to the Centaur of motor vehicles — a pony car with a Ram-headed Charger front end. [CarScoop] [Carscoop]

How did we get to this point? It started with innocent "flame-surfacing" resulting from a bored designer, and before you know it, we've got people styling SUVs like a monstrosity that would make Mark Hamill's ride from Corvette Summer blush. The only thing we can take comfort in, is that it's just a custom. But when something like this shows up on the dealer lots in 2015, don't say we didn't warn you.
[VWvortex]

The clip shows "Gibby," obviously inebriated, releasing a pretty pathetic stream of urine onto the side of a 360 Spyder, apparently left overnight in a mall parking lot after its owner lost his keys. Upon discovering the video, members of FerrariChat were able to locate the culprit's Facebook page and subsequently his full name, contact information and contact details for his employer, who they've since harassed with late night phone calls. Forum members now intend to "show up" at a wedding Gibby is supposedly attending.

Speaking to the St. Catherine Standard, a spokeswoman for the Niagara Regional Police called the footage, "a gift-wrapped investigation." The NRP is now attempting to locate the boy in order to charge him with urinating in public.

Various threats of revenge have been made against Gibby (unfortunately not the Butthole Surfers' singer) by members of FerrariChat and in the clip's comments on YouTube. Not helped by Flickr photos that show the teen in Joey Carrera-style outfits and poses, those comments tend toward the elitist, suggesting that by being unable to afford a Ferrari, Gibby is somehow worth less to society.

The entire thing is so ridiculous that it's reduced our opinion of the kind of people that own Ferraris to an all time low (reduced from track-suited Sopranos wannabes to internet dweebs). That a group of enthusiasts is so unsure of themselves that they act out by trying to harm some idiot teenager is just pathetic. And as true Ferrari cognoscenti know, the 360 deserves to get peed on anyways.
[FerrariChat and The St. Catherine Standard]

How much steel could the Pittsburgh Steelers steal if the Steelers did steal steel?

From what I saw, the economy escaped the latest economic downturn. There wasn't a spike in foreclosures, new retail developments were being built, tourism was back on the rise, and there was a new terminal at the airport to bring people in. Most important of all, new businesses were relocating around the former military base, with the hopes of making it big. This is a story of one of those businesses that wanted to make it big.

Colin Hyde moved to Plattsburgh from Montreal a little over 8 years ago, to start up GSM Vehicles, Inc., as an offshoot of a Montreal based company, GSM Design. GSM Design specialized in the design and manufacture of large structures made of composite materials, then used for major structural parts of locomotives. The company developed a small bus type prototype as a proof of concept in 1996. Working with Lockheed Martin, they also developed a very early hybrid version of this small bus concept. However, at about this time, NYC wanted a Signature Taxi, one with full accessibility, compact dimensions, low emissions, and unique features. And so began the quest of GSM Vehicles to develop this "signature" cab for the NYC market.

At this time, Hyde worked with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), along with other partners, to develop a cleaner, more efficient, and more functional vehicle to use in the taxi cab market, as well as the paratransit fleets providing transportation for people with disabilities.

It was determined from the outset that this new vehicle would be powered conventionally, with an option of offering a hybrid version in the very near future. The body was a one piece, composite construction, with the ability to adapt to numerous FWD chassis, and powertrains. The running prototypes utilized a GM mid sized chassis from a Pontiac Grand Prix, along with GM's 3.8L V-6, and an automatic transmission. All wiring harnesses, power accessories, and climate control features were utilized in the prototypes.

Some of the other design features include a foam filled mid section, warding off all but the most severe damage that can be encountered within the confines of a city. Visibility is unparalleled, with an upright seating position for the driver and passengers. Other features include:

* Wheelchair accessibility that conforms to the Americans with Disabilities Act, with high roof line, wide doors, low floors, and an on-board loading ramp.
* Fuel efficient V-6 powertrain, optimized for urban driving.
* Large engine bay and boxy configuration for better serviceability, keeping costs as low as possible.
* Damage resistant and easily replaceable body panels, along with a rugged suspension to withstand harsh commercial service.
* Despite the large interior, the vehicle is almost two feet shorter than a conventional Ford Crown Victoria, helping to reduce congestion.
* Can be made adaptable for wheelchair bound drivers.

All sounded rosy, but funding was lacking, and the parent company was no longer interested in continuing with the project. NYSERDA was stil interested in pursuing the project, but Hyde was busy keeping his company afloat, and has since taken GSM Vehicles Inc. into a new direction. There were 8 Prototypes built (I saw 3 on my visit), with one of them being utilized as Hyde's personal vehicle.

The vehicle drives mostly like any 90's vintage minivan, with acceptable acceleration, compliant ride, and a great deal of room for 6 people. The rear doors open 90 degrees, and ingress and egress is luxurious compared to a typical Crown Vic. Test's show that around town this vehicle posted about 15 mpg, which doesn't sound like a lot, but compared to the typical Crown Vic, that's over 3 mpg better.

It's a shame that NYC won't see these cabs in use. It would have provided NYC with a "Signature" vehicle, along the lines of the London Taxi, or the Philippines Jeepneys, and could have saved fuel as well. After seeing these GSM "Manhattan" Taxi's in person, I can only say it was New York's loss.

It's those funny switches hidden in the ashtray that give away this 3-series as an undercover police car. The good chap who runs BridgeToGantry spotted it lurking around, we're assuming for off-track hoons or anyone engaging in fun stuff drifting while overtaking. [BridgeToGantry]

We all know the Chevy Cavalier. You may also remember Toyota sold a badge-engineered platform prostitute version in the Japanese Domestic Market that was built by GM. But — did you know you could actually buy a Toyota emblem from a GM dealership with a valid GM part number? We assumed we could. But intrepid souls at Automobile actually went and did it. What they found was the Toyota logo comes in a beautiful plastic poly bag. Feel free to keep it as a collector's item. Oh, they also found the same logo from a Toyota dealership costs between $2 and $10 more. Hmm. Maybe they add magic super number one best automaker from the land of the rising sun pixie dust to it or something. [Automobile]

(Hat tip to Jeffrey!) [Lego]

Apparently this happened along some tollway in New York; no word on the involvement of Larry, Curly and Mo. [Loqu]

This question was recently posted on CobaltSS.net, 20 pages of comments followed.

Reverse?
So we all know that the supercharged engines need the intake bypass valve so they work in reverse. Otherwise the supercharger would just suck all the air out of the cylinder. So knowing that, how does the turbocharged version work in reverse? The engine is trying to suck air backwards, yet the turbo wants to spin forward so I don't see how it works. Is there some sort of exhausting intake bypass valve on the turbo version? Also, if it does have the valve, does that also mean that it can make boost in reverse? Like how much boost? Like 5 psi or does it go over 20?

Can anyone help me sort this out?

We'd heard the new "GPS" entertainment / nav / credit card payment / cappuccino system in the back of NYC cabs was still working out some bugs, but the number of error messages this particular unit's throwing up on screen is ridiculous. [Tumblr Weeds]

10. International Paddy Wagon (Baltimore)
Though America may be the the country that nurtures the individual, we sure like to get arrested in groups. That's where the paddy wagon comes in handy. Part truck, part temporary jail, there have been a lot of them throughout the history of American law enforcement. This 1947 International wagon is a particularly beautiful example and a reminder of International's long commercial history in America. That cop is totally riding the wagon.
[Baltimore Police Vehicle History]

9. Chevy Bel Air Police Car (Texas)
Nothing says U.S. of A. like a Chevy Bel Air. This Chevy had the size and power to meet the duties of a civil servant and the look to scare criminals into pulling over. Topped with a big red cherry, you'd know what to do when you saw one of these bad boys. This particular Texas-badged 1955 Chevy Bel-Air is a prime example of the timeless design [BillWindsor.com]

8. Border Patrol Dune Buggy (Arizona)
Specifically, a Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV), these are some of the most extreme police vehicles used for active patrolling duty. Typically, a DPV is fitted with a VW engine capable of nearly 200 HP. These vehicles can travel up to 80 mph and generally encounter some of the roughest terrain in the country while enduring severe temperature conditions. These go fast in places that Border Patrol SUV's can't even reach.

7. Ford Fairlane
The forerunner to the Crown Victoria, the Fairlane may look even better than the Chevy Bel, and its low cost meant that it would provide police services for a large part of the country. The Fairlane is particularly noted for its powerful big-block V8, popular with the authorities around the country. In black-and-white it is one of the more iconic police cars ever built. This Wilmington, DE "Bureau of Police" squad car is an exceptional example.
[Flickr: Triborough]

6. Chevy Camaro Z28 B4C
The Chevy Camaro BC4 was one of the fastest police cars ever used in the United States thanks to a simple formula: Take a stock Camaro and add a mix of the strongest parts from the Z28 and other racing packages, as well as the Chevy 350 V8. They were a particular favorite of the California Highway Patrol, which knows a thing or two about pursuits. As great as they are at high-speed chases, they're great for deterrence as well. Who would want to get put in the backseat of that thing? [Photo: Sattler.org]

5. Dodge Coronet 440 (California)
There were many great Mopar police cars throughout the years, but we've got a soft spot for the 1970 Dodge Coronets. Not only do they have the 440 Magnum V8, good for in excess of 400 horsepower, they also feature that killer squinting headlight design that looks mean head-on. Oh, and the one above was featured in the original Gone in 60 Seconds giving it almost as much movie cred as the Dodge Monaco.
[IMCDB]

4. Ford Mustang LX Highway Patrol Edition (Texas)
The original Mustang LX highway patrol car, a favorite of the Texas DPS, haunted our dreams with its sharp facade, red interior and 5.0-liter V8 power. Though the hatchback Mustang would, theoretically, have been useful, the DPS stuck with the notchback 'Stangs. Mustangs were used in the DPS fleet between 1983 and 1993, with the 1986 model, pictured, our personal favorite.
[Photo: Police Mustangs]

3. Dodge Charger Police Edition (Michigan)
As you can probably tell from Mark's glowing review of the Dodge Charger Police Edition, we're big fans. Just look at it. Probably more the successor to the Coronet than anything, especially with the recurrence of the angry headlights, the Hemi-powered Charger is gorgeous, features a stalk-based Autostick, and has great road manners. Numerous police officers lusted after the ride, which is the best kind of accolade. In Michigan State Police blue with a cherry on top, it's even better looking.

2. Dodge Diplomat/Fury Police Car(NYC)
The M-bodied Dodge Diplomat and its twin, the Plymouth Gran Fury, aren't here purely out of nostalgia. Look at them. It's hard to believe they were anything but cop cars. What they lacked in power relative to some of the Dodge fleet vehicles of the 1960's and early 1970's, they more than made up for in durability. You couldn't kill them if you tried. Most models featured the 318 V8, though a few pursuit models included a 360 four-barrel. Imagine any upset renegade cop from an 80's police movie kicking the quarter panel of one of these bad boys.
[LSE]

1. Ford Crown Victoria P71 Interceptor (Everywhere)
P71 Crown Victorias never die, they just become taxis. Due to the disappearance of American-made RWD V8 sedans for nearly a decade, the Ford Crown Victoria became more ubiquitous than any other police car we can think of in any era since the Model T, despite the occasional deadly fire. Powered by a modified version of the Ford 4.6-Liter SOHC V8, they'll practically run forever, thanks in part to the oil-to-coolant heat exchanger. Even with the introduction of the Charger Police Package and the occasional Impala police car, Ford still plans to carry about 80% of the police market. Is there anything that reminds anyone more of the long arm of the law than a P71 Interceptor sitting on the side of the road? We didn't think so.

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Of course, if you don't like any of those choices, you can always write-in your favorite in the comments.

The large passenger enclosure has space for a trainer and veterinarian in addition to the centrally mounted driver. They can monitor heart, blood, oxygen and fitness levels as the horse walks, trots or even gallops.

The vehicle itself uses Ford F-150 suspension and a Volvo five-cylinder turbodiesel (hey, that sounds like a good combination, Ford). It can safely control a horse at up to 37mph.
[via CarScoop]