Ariel Atom cop car

BRITISH Police have revealed a surprise new addition to their ranks, the Ariel Atom PL.

Based on the regular Atom 3.5R – one of the quickest cars in the world – the Atom PL has a supercharged 2.0-litre Honda-sourced engine tuned to produce 260kW, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 2.6 seconds.

The one-off Atom is adorned in police livery and even has emergency lights and a working siren.

Ariel director Simon Saunders said the company is planning to launch a motorcycle later this year and the police car is being used on a promotional basis to highlight bike safety.

“We want our bikes and customers to be as safe as they possibly can be, so this message is important to us,” he said.

In a similar vein, Lexus Australia has provided NSW police with two hybrid vehicles to draw attention to its own Road Safe and Snow Safe campaigns.

“Road safety remains one of the top priorities for police, and unique cars like a Lexus are a great way to engage with the community and discuss safe driver behaviour,” Inspector Jim Fryday of the NSW Police Force said.

Fryday said one vehicle will be used throughout the ski season to remind motorists to slow down and stay safe, while the other will appear at NSW sporting events to promote safe driving.

“The Lexus hybrids will give us an opportunity to talk to people on an informal basis and hopefully make a positive impression about police and what we do,” Fryday said.

Expect to see the pair of hybrid Lexus police cars on NSW roads from early June.