NSW Police order 282km/h V8 patrol cars

CHRYSLER’S V8-powered 300 SRT sedan will be thrown a lifeline from an unlikely source – NSW Police, which is expected to announce in early 2018 it will purchase hundreds of the high performance four-doors for use as highway patrol vehicles.

A source close to the deal has confirmed NSW Police has placed a “substantial” order for the SRT Core, a version of the 300 SRT created for Australia.

Retailing for $65,000, the 300 Core sheds some of the luxury equipment of the regular 300 SRT but maintains the same basic mechanical package, including 20-inch alloy wheels and a 6.4-litre V8 engine making 350kW of power.

The 300 Core has a claimed top speed of 282km/h but is one of the thirstiest sedans on the road, using 13.0 litres per 100km.

The 300 is currently the only car Chrysler sells in Australia, and sales have been dwindling. The NSW Police car order should significantly boost sales.

However, Chrysler Australia is also hoping to take advantage of demand for affordable V8-powered four-doors; previously that market had been left to the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore, but V8 versions of both have been killed off.

“Contrary to recent reports, Chrysler 300 right-hand drive production will continue,” says Lucy McLellan, Fiat Chrysler Australia director of corporate communications. “Locally, our focus for Chrysler 300 and the SRT variants will be on conquest fleet business in 2018.”

Chrysler is also expected to produce more limited edition models to take advantage of that healthy demand for V8 sedans.

“In Australia, we always look to special editions and buzz models to keep products fresh and interesting in market and will be presenting a number of these for the Jeep brand in 2018.”

As well as the 300 SRT Core, NSW Police is understood to have ordered the $121,600 BMW 530d, a limousine that sheds some of the Chrysler’s speed for luxury equipment, comfort and fuel economy.

NSW Police was unable to supply a comment by the time of publication.