Well, it would depend on the kind of car that the local police are using if you could actually outrun them...
The tried and true vehicle is still the Ford Crown Victoria P71, which has been in service
forever, and will likely continue to do so until they are completely forced to switch to the current-generation vehicles.
Assuming it is one of the newer specification vehicles, you'd be looking at the following:
* 230 BHP 4.6L V8
* 8-9 seconds 0-60 MPH
* Top speed around 120 MPH
The great thing about the P71 was that it could be beat-on all day and still perform. A well-connected police force using P71s would be tough to beat, as the old motto still stands,
"you can't outrun a radio."
Now, around here, we still have some of the old Chevrolet Camaro B4Cs hanging around...
These guys tend to hide quite well, and more often than not, scare the crap out of me. Give or take, it is a 4th Gen Camaro Z/28 with a few of the heavy-duty pieces of the 1LE option package, slipped into a Camaro V6 body.
* 315-325 BHP 5.7L LS1 V8
* 4-speed automatic
* Top speed of 160 MPH
People tend to forget about the B4C, and that's alright. Most police organizations would likely want to keep it that way.
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But what about the modern police vehicles? Good question!
The Great American Cop Car Shootout - Jalopnik
Ford Police Interceptor
Give or take, you're getting a beefed-up version of the Taurus SHO. Cop tires, cop suspension, cop brakes. All-wheel-drive combined with an EcoBoost V6 is going to be trouble.
* 365 BHP 3.5L twin-turbo V6
* 6.2 seconds 0-60 MPH
* Top speed of 131 MPH
Keep in mind that Ford designed the new Police Interceptor to be as tough as the outgoing P71, and in my mind, that should be quite scary. The big test at Grattan last year showed that, in fact, the big Police Interceptor is faster than the new Chevrolet PPV... Something that no one really saw coming.
Chevrolet Caprice PPV
Built in Australia, designed for American police. Its basically a Holden Caprice with some beefier options, picking up where the late-great B-Body Caprice left off in 1996. Considering how well thought of its predecessor was, the PPV has a lot to live up to.
* 355 BHP 6.0L L76 V8
* 6.1 seconds 0-60 MPH
* Top speed of 148 MPH
Considering that it is a slightly larger Pontiac G8 GT, with the beefier police fortifications, again, it is not a car to be reckoned with. The car has the performance in a straight line, as well as through the corners, and it has the durability to boot. I would bet $100, once these cars are sold to private citizens after their time in police fleets, values will skyrocket.
Dodge Charger Pursuit
Well, it's what we had before. But, with the updates necessary to be considered a part of the new Charger family. The same engine and transmission carries over, as the styling remains mostly the same. Still, it has been well-accepted in the void left by the outgoing P71, and is likely to be the car to beat when it comes to fleet sales.
* 360 BHP 5.7L HEMI V8
* 6.2 seconds 0-60 MPH
* Top speed of 146 MPH
While the Charger certainly is no slouch, it is the lesser of the three vehicles. Despite the improvements that Chrysler have given it, the Chevy outruns it, and the Ford out-handles it. Still, it too is not a car to be messed with, even in V6 form.
Long story short, don't try to outrun the police. Especially if they're running the newer generation vehicles.
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