NORTH CAROLINA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL DEBUTS FLEET OF 5.0-LITER V8 FORD MUSTANG GT PONY CARS
Do you remember when the legendary Ford Foxbody Mustang patrolled the highways sporting the big bad 5.0 badge? That badge will be patrolling the streets again in a modern guise. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol announced the addition of 25 2024 Ford Mustang GTs to its fleet of police cars, stating that the decision goes hand-in-hand with the "history and traditions" of the department.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol’s V8 Mustang history dates back to the 1980s and early- ‘90s with Special Service Package Mustangs, also known as "SSP," a lightweight police car package produced by Ford between 1982 and 1993. The Ford Mustang SSP provided a speedier option for the police force in lieu of heavier sedans. The Foxbody patrol car was first used in 1982 when, according to Ford, the California Highway Patrol deployed 400 into service. It was soon seen across the United States, including North Carolina.
A restored Special Service Package Fox-body Mustang previously used by the California Highway PatrolFord
Ford estimates around 15,000 SSP Ford Mustangs were in service before being discontinued in 1993. North Carolina will be the first state to bring the V8 Mustang back to its State Highway Patrol. The department announced the news with a photoshoot involving a Bell 429 GlobalRanger chopper hovering over a new 2024 Ford Mustang GT patrol car.
The actual cost of adding 25 new V8-powered Ford Mustangs to the police car fleet is unknown, however the North Carolina State Highway Patrol claims that the cost is comparable to the fleet’s other cruisers, including the much larger Ford Police Interceptor Utility that sports a hybrid drivetrain. A 2023 Police Interceptor would start at $47,165 when new. Assuming the Mustangs are of a similar value would place the total expense of purchasing 25 examples at around $1,179,125.00.