Skip to main content

Mad Max, meet your new ride: Porsche 911 Carrera reports for police duty Down Under

Mad Max, meet your new ride.

A 1973 Ford XB Falcon with a giant supercharger might be the best police car for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but a flashy Porsche 911 Carrera is probably better suited to today’s pre-ruined society.

Police in the Australian state of New South Wales recently took delivery of this Porsche, which replaces a Panamera, according to LeftLaneNews.

The 911’s blue-and-white livery is the result of a design contest organized by police for students in New South Wales. The winning design was created by University of Western Australia student Sam Nejat.

Aside from the new uniform and rooftop light bar, the car remains essentially stock.

Related: Just try and outrun the Dubai Police Lamborghini Aventador

The 3.4-liter flat-six produces the same 350 horsepower and 287 pound-feet of torque as it does in civilians 911 Carreras. Officials did not say whether the department opted for the seven-speed manual transmission, or the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic.

Like exotic police cars in other parts of the world, the 911 will be used for public-relations purposes. It will be displayed at charity events around New South Wales to encourage good relations between the police and the communities it serves.

That mission has seen a wide variety of machinery repurposed by police forces, from the LAPD’s Lamborghini Gallardo, to the Somerset and Avon Constabulary’s Ariel Atom in England.

However, Dubai still outshines them all, with a fleet that includes a Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Aventador, and Aston Martin One-77, among others.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The 6 best car phone holders in 2024
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Read more
Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD rear end side profile from driver's side with trees and a metal fence in the back.

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?
Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.

Read more