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Top 10 coolest cop cars--photos

As much as I hate to see flashing blue lights in my rearview mirror, there's something undeniably cool about police cars that appeals to the kid in me.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 11 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Top 10 cool cop cars

As much as I hate to see flashing blue lights in my rearview mirror, there's something undeniably cool about police cars that appeals to the kid in me.

However, as cool as the familiar Ford Interceptor is, I think law enforcement can do better. With that in mind, I present my top 10 (or so) coolest cop cars.
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2 of 11 Jaguar

10. Jaguar XF Police Special (U.K.)

The Jaguar XF is not the first car that springs to mind when thinking about law enforcement, but apparently the Jag's engineers had other plans when they built this Police Special for U.K. police forces.
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3 of 11 Top Gear

9. Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R (Japan)

The R34 Skyline GT-R is a legend both on the track and in the twisty mountain roads of Japan. No small wonder that when the Japanese police need to catch speed demons, they enlist the help of the car dubbed "Godzilla."

Meanwhile at the Nurburgring, a current-gen GT-R is used for fire rescue.
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4 of 11 Saleen

8. "Barricade" Mustang Saleen (Decepticons)

OK, so maybe this isn't a real cop car, but how many other black and whites can you list that transform into a 20-foot missile firing robot? I didn't think so.

This is the perfect car to chase down the 2010 Camaro Bumblebee Edition.
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5 of 11 Humberside County, U.K.

7. Lexus IS-Force (U.K.)

Recently, we got news of the U.K. police departments replacing their tried and true Subaru Impreza pursuit units with a fleet of 416-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8-powered Lexus IS-Fs, cheerfully dubbed the IS-Force. Having spent time behind the wheel, we can understand why.
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6 of 11

6. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X (U.K.)

When the baddies take to the back roads of the English countryside, the Bobbies pursue in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, a car with a rally-bred pedigree that can tackle almost any terrain at breakneck speeds.
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7 of 11 Carbon Motors

5. Carbon Motors E7

Powered by a 250 horsepower turbodiesel spinning its crank to the tune of 400 pound-feet of torque, this cop car of the future features a front looking night vision camera, dual front seat shotgun mounts, a video license plate recognition system, and a 130hz to 350hz bass siren. If you see the E7 filling up your rearview, do yourself a favor and just pull over.
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8 of 11 Association of German Automobile Tuners

4. Brabus Rocket CLS V12

Powered by a biturbo V12 outputting 730 hp, the 225.19 mph Brabus Rocket CLS V12 had the honor of being called the World's Fastest Sedan when it was unveiled in 2006. Outfitted in Polizei livery, it's somehow even more imposing.
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9 of 11 Lamborghini

3. Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 (Italy)

Lamborghini donated this Gallardo LP560-4 to the Italian State Police in 2008. We've already seen what the stock LP560 brings to the table, but the police special adds a "Proof Video Data System" tied into the vehicle's GPS antenna, which can calculate the location, direction of movement, and speed of the Lamborghini. This combined with the distance and time before intercept, accurately determines the speed of the vehicle being pursued.
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10 of 11 Top Gear

2. Caparo T1 RRV Police Pursuit Car (U.K.)

Wow, what is it with the British and their police cars? Are the speeders that bad on the M25?

The Caparo T1 RRV police pursuit car is powered by a 575 hp 3.5-liter V8 that, according to the press release, is "capable of accelerating from a Police lay-by to 100 mph in just 5 seconds and onto a top speed of 200 mph."

Once the suspects are caught, you'll have to wait for backup to take them downtown. The F1-inspired T1 only has two seats.
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11 of 11 Top Gear/BBC

1. Top Gear Challenge police cars

So the No. 1 cool cop car is actually three cars that aren't actually "real" police cars. But check out the Top Gear police cars in action and you'll see exactly how these rubbbish awesome vehicles grabbed the No. 1 spot.

When you're finished, head back over here to suggest your favorite cop car.

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