MM Police test vehicle found here in Greensboro!

[Butch]

Hi guys!

I was on High Point Road this afternoon and my girlfriend started pointing to a car sitting in a hotel parking lot asking if she was seeing a MM or an SS. (It was pretty far off, and even I couldn't tell which it was), but sure enough, I pulled in and it was a MM.

Well, I started noticing weird things about this car.

1 - It had Michigan Manufacture Plates

2 - It had stickers on the back, non-rolldown side windows that said "Visteon TACNET Stealth Concept".

3 - It had a BIG touch screen that replaced the area of the radio. I knew it was a touch screen because it had fingerprints all over the screen!

4 - The console was TOTALLY different than ours. Cup holders were missing and such. It still had the "dot-matrix" surround for the gear selector, but the rest of the console was VERY different.

5 - The backup lenses were VERY CLEAR, unlike mine, which are smoked and match the black car very well. His stood out!

5 - Other VERY SMALL variances.

Well, after looking at if for about 10 minutes, I really started to notice weird things. I saw that below the side stickers on the window was an LED light bar, facing out the side of the car.

I kept looking REAL close to see if I could tell what it was for, because at first, I wasn't 100% sure it was a light bar.

I then noticed that the WHOLE top of the front window had a HIDDEN light bar. This thing went from the top of the window, down about 2 inches, but inside the car, it had a custom molding that hid it from you, you couldn't really tell it was there, except from the inside.

Next, I noticed two light bars hidden in the grill. These, I could tell were definetely blue LEDs.

Well, I said "If it has them in front, it has them somewhere in back.". Sure enough, there was a lightbar across the back that was basically part of the rear window package shelf. You couldn't see it unless you were looking for it!

I looked under the car, and everything looked stock. I checked the tires, and they were stock. The interior was pretty much stock, except for the few things I have mentioned.

I left a note on the car letting the driver know that I stopped by and for him to please give me a call so that I could say "HI", but I have not heard from him yet. I also told him to visit this website, that we would probably like to talk to him.

Yes, I know, I should have taken pictures, but I forgot to put my camera back in my car after my trip to Charlotte last week. I am going to go back up there in the morning and hope to catch the car still there before he leaves for the day. I will take some pics then.

This car was UNBELIEVABLY STEALTH! Which is where I guess the name on the sticker comes from!.

I drove around and started noticing a LOT of unmarked police vehicles in the lot. Saw one of the new 2003 Imapla Police Package cars. It actually looked pretty cool, but I don't think it was the "rumored" V-8. Could have been the supercharged V-6 though. I will try to get pics of it also, just in case. I don't know what was going on, but some sort of "STEALTH" police car meeting was going on.

For info about "Visteon", go to www.visteon.com
They have a little info about their TACNET police packages.

[Marauderman]

Butch! Great investagative work --Sounds similar what I saw coming back from ALt. yesterday--stopped for a bite and next door I noticed a bunch of LED cars of all types...and varaitions.....something is going on ..seemed a Chevy Impal. was there too but different as you say. hopefully you can get more data....while eating ..several drove in and around my MM in the lot and drove out..thats what got my attention...Hummmmm

[Marauder57]

I had heard a rumor sometime ago that Chevy would be getting back into building a rear wheel drive sedan. They would start the change with a rear wheel Caddy and then go to a less expensive sedan...to get back the Police Car business....

[Butch]

Here is a link to the pictures:

http://home.triad.rr.com/butch/MM/TACnet/mm_police_concept_car.htm


I discovered something new on the car. The foglights have been removed to make way for sirens. There are "horns" in place of the foglights that have rubber hoses going to a siren box. Apparently, the sound is pushed out of the box, down the hoses, to the horns. Pretty cool.

Sorry for the bad pics, but it was the best I could do with the weather as bad as it is here.

I have talked to the guy driving the car. He wants me to come take some pictures of it tonight with the lights on. I am to meet him between 8-9.

He told me that the center console has a "wired remote" that will operate the TACnet console with one hand, while the person is driving. (I guess it is supposed to be safer that way.)

I'll have more pics later tonight. Hopefully better ones, since I should be able to get in the car.

[SouLRioT]

Can't wait to see your pics tonight, wht i've seen is cool. And 57 I've been thinking for a while that Chevy should use the Deville platflorm as a pursuit vehicle, and I was thinking that they shouold use the GMC name insted of Chevy.

[DLoreanMARAUDER]

VERY COOL PICS. I wanna see that MM light up. Im sure it has some HIDE-A-WAY strobes in the taillights and such. If I join my FD im going to put HIDE-a-WAYS in mine (FBI LOOK)!

well if chevy is going back to RWD like they plan to do, NOW would be the time to do it. espicially since the NY state police DROPED the contract with ford and plan to get rid of their CVPI's. they sent letters to GM and Diamler looking for RWD PI's, but untill they find them they say they will supply the fleet with Police package Tahoes and Suburbans, i think which lowers them a few inches making them pursuit capabile!

[Flat Eric]

Great work Butch, can't wait to see the supercharged V8 under the good.....(getting carried away here)

Well damn, which cop wouldn't want a stealth marauder !

[Marauderman]

Butch--As I said before --good--no --GREAT investigative work--right Sarge!....Sarge--do you seeing all this......Butch ---Are you sure your not a PI and leading us on as doing something else ..cause if not--you may have missed your calling....we're waiting for more info...curious what info you can obtain from the ..uh,,uh, .not sure what to call them at the moment--let you do that.....

[cyclone03]

Bad news for us in the San Antonoi TX area.
These things are on the street!
The SA PD uses them to trget "agressive" drivers and to patrol the freeways.
My Boss came in the other day and told me one had somebody pulled over,I said I'm sure it was a Crown Vic. He said nope,Same taiilpipes as your car plus it says Marauder across the back.

[Grasshopper]

Very cool pics...can't wait for the lights on. Did it have the usual MM rims & tires?

[BigMerc]

Thats good work on those pictures, great information and narration, overall, a damn good job there buddy

[Butch]

There are 4 new pictures listed:


http://home.triad.rr.com/butch/MM/TACnet/mm_police_concept_car.htm


Well, it was cool seeing the car, but bad news! The lights wouldn't work!!!!

He tested them before I got there, and then when he tried to operate them for me, it just wouldn't work. Everything else was good, but not the lights.

The siren is VERY loud!!!

He worked on it for about 15 minutes, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. He was taking it back to the factory tomorrow anyway, and instead of shorting something out and not able to make the trip back home, he decided to leave it alone.


Anyway....More info on the car.

They have had it for 1 year. The car only has 2100 miles on it. It is USUALLY trailered everywhere, but they let him drive it to the show this time.

I have no pictures of the center display turned on because he said it had things that couldn't be shown right now.

The car itself is completely stock. No modifications made to drivetrain or engine or computer. Stock wheels and tires.

The computer system is voice activated, and what the computer doesn't understand, can be done by the touchscreen or by the center console controller.


I was very disappointed in not being able to get some pictures of it with the lights on, but he assured me that he would email me some as soon as he got back and the tech people got it working again.

But overall, the car was VERY COOL!

Some people were wondering about the lightbars. Right now, they have the patent on them, but it is being transferred to Signal Corp (???) and they will be the ones selling them sometime later this year.

The headlights wig-wag.

The front, side markers have LED lights in it.

The rear taillights have LED lights in it.

The front window, and the rear window light bars were Red & Blue, and the rear ones had "directional" lights in them also. The front window also had one set of lights offset at a 45 degree angle to aim toward the side a little.


Anything else anyone wants to know that I might have missed?

[DLoreanMARAUDER]

wow that kicks. The center console control system looks funky! I cant wait to see that baby light up! im sure she lites up like a christmas tree! who ever would be patroling in this or any other MM cop car would be one lucky cop! nice detective skills :up:

[01 Interceptor]

Those are sneaky! See something similar here: http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles/users/3166/2044/LEDshidden.jpg

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by DLoreanMARAUDER
well if chevy is going back to RWD like they plan to do, NOW would be the time to do it. espicially since the NY state police DROPED the contract with ford and plan to get rid of their CVPI's. they sent letters to GM and Diamler looking for RWD PI's, but untill they find them they say they will supply the fleet with Police package Tahoes and Suburbans, i think which lowers them a few inches making them pursuit capabile!

I'm not going to hold my breath on GM producing a RWD Chev sedan any time soon.
Chrysler doesn't openly admit having any plans for a Police vehicle to replace the Intrepid. They admit to having many inquiries though.
They are returning largely to RWD passenger cars.

A "pursuit capable" Tahoe was tested at the MSP trials for 2003, but wasn't much to write home about from the report.
As far as I can gather, there is no "pursuit capable" Suburban
(There is a "pursuit capable Hummer H1 though)

[LincMercLover]

Something with that many lights would scare the hell outta me on the highway! Screw pulling over! I'd be afraid of being abducted!

[Constable]

Better hope noone has a siezure when they get a load of strobes in their rear view mirror.

Hearing of PD's buying up Marauders doesn't suprise me. I know a bunch of places bought Impala SS's back in the mid 90's. In fact one was on COPS with some Georgia Sheriffs. It had black reflective lettering that just blended in with the paint until someones lights hit it.

Also, the big news in Cop Car Land is Chryslers announcement to build a police-specific platform for a rwd car --- not to be used in production civilian vehicles. I cant get much info on it, but i cant wait to hear more.

P.S. --- keep an eye out for the fabled "Interceptor" project car thats being tested at the track. Supposedly a 200mph Ford Police car that isn't too far from production.

[RCSignals]

Also, the big news in Cop Car Land is Chryslers announcement to build a police-specific platform for a rwd car --- not to be used in production civilian vehicles. I cant get much info on it, but i cant wait to hear more.

P.S. --- keep an eye out for the fabled "Interceptor" project car thats being tested at the track. Supposedly a 200mph Ford Police car that isn't too far from production.

That's interesting about Chrysler. So far they haven't shown much interest. It would be the first time they have built a Police specific vehicle other than just a "package"
Do you have a link at all to this announcement?

The competition will be good for Ford.

Ford was the first US manufacturer to offer vehicles specially outfitted for Police use, and is the only one to continuously do so.

I'm not surprised at the announcement of a new Ford offering. The CVPI test vehicle kitted with a Marauder engine at the MSP trials for 2003 was one hint. Another was the Police Interceptor concept at the NY auto show last year or the year before.

[Butch]

The guy with Visteon was telling me about a couple of other "test" vehicles that he has seen. He seems to have pretty good info, since Visteon used to be owned by Ford, plus since they are a major manufacturer for police electronics.

He said that there are pursuit SUVs being made. One is the Hummer that RCSignals was talking about. Another was I *believe* a supercharged GMC (or something similar, I don't 100% remember) with 160 on the speedometer. He said it is capable of that, plus some.

From the look of things yesterday, I believe that SUVs are the direction a lot of them are taking. The show that he was at was a police electronics meeting to discuss new police technology. There were two Hummers there for different electronics companies, but I didn't take any pictures of them because I didn't think they would have anything to do with "police" equipment. I guess I failed in my "investigation". A yellow hummer was sitting beside of us last night when I was taking the pictures of the trunk area. He pointed over to it and said it was slap FULL of electonic equipment for both police and civilian use.

[bchapman]

Damn, Butch. Now'll they'll have to shoot ya.

[Menace]

Is this Curious George's car ?

[Constable]

I heard of the Chrysler announcement through one of my Traffic Bureau guys. He had a lot of info on it, so i'll see what i can dig up.

The Interceptor was told to me by my buddy in town. He just retired from the Edison Plant. In his last few years working, Ford had him out at Greensboro testing this thing.

[Jim]

The Doraville PD has had a bunch of Impala SS's for years. (pic (http://www.copcarsonline.com/photos/gallery_photo35.htm) )

I've heard that they've acquired a Marauder or two to replace some of the cars in that aging fleet. Haven't seen one, yet. But then again, I dodge Doraville when I can, because of their reputation for rabid traffic enforcement!

-Jim

[LincMercLover]

The day Chryslers get back on the streets with cop cars is the day Dukes of Hazzard returns! :lol:

[Marauderman]

Jim--Just drove thru and back from Alt , including Doraville and thought it was funny in how everyone keep moving over so fast when coming up on them--although TAF had mentioned it in earlier threads,, actually got to see'um moving quickly over...although I didn't see the REAL LED's...and I'm glad...cause i was a mov'n with traffic --know what i mean...maybe ,,naw,,they couldn't have thought I was one of them do you think.....hey TAF---you get that response thru there??.

[03MERCMARAUDER]

I always have people move over when I am coming up fast behind them. Im sure I look like a cop until i go by. I saw a silver MM in indiana when coming back from West Va last week and there was a state trooper behind the wheel. Dont know if he was an indiana state trooper but he gave me a thumbs up when I pulled next to him. the car had clear back up lights and a light bar in the grille.

[gonzo50]

Damn Butch,
I hope you didn't compromise anything you wasn't suppose to, :banned: thats excellent PI work man. Now when I see another Marauder on the road I'll have to be very careful not to try and keep up with it,:eek: it might be on a mission.

[RCSignals]

I believe that SUVs are the direction a lot of them are taking.

Thats because Police want Body on Frame, and Ford is the only one to still have a Body on Frame passenger car available.
For everyone else (at least US manufacturers) the only Body on Frame offering that might be suitable is an SUV.

The "pursuit capable" H1 Hummer in the MSP trials was s-l-o-w

[MAD-3R]

But it would NEVER be stopped. ANd if they get one's with a full ordance load... :)

[yorks]

Great work, Butch.
It makes sense for the PDs in the States to use MMs if they're getting a deal on them due to slow sales. I'm no beancounter but, depending on price, it has to be more bang for the buck than a CV.

BTW, as far as the SUV thing goes, Windsor cops have used both a Dodge Durango Sport, and an F150 4X4 Sport. Cleverly concealed lights in the roll bars w/spots. Looked stock with all decals, etc but I'm sure they must have been modded.

These were just around town cruisers for the City Cops, but they looked like something any 19 year-old ricer would race off a light.....WOOOO! Busted.

On the bright side, if the MM stealth becomes common, it'll make all our drives to work so much easier...I think...Maybe...No??

[yorks]

PS Butch,

You should post those in the gallery

[TAF]

According to Courtesy Lincoln/Mercury in Norcross, the Doraville PD picked up 4 Marauders about 3 months ago to be outfitted as cruisers.

I'd like to see one, just not in my rear view mirror...

[SergntMac]

I guess it's because I'm around this stuff all day, but this really isn't any big deal. Stuff's been around for a while now, the MM was just one more application to tailor fit. My dept builds and "loans" covert cars to a whole bunch of LE agencies, Customs, DEA, ATF...

I remember back when we did 50 Buick Grand Nationals for covert DEA and Customs work in CA., FL., and I think NYC got four too. When you build them local to their use, everybody finds out, some even sell the 411 to the dopers. Build them out of the area and sneak them in one at a time, is the best way to move covert cars around. I delivered one of the car to FL., woohoo Baby! What a road trip!

This car has too much equipment on it for actual covert use, but as a demo car, it would have all that. The radio stuff in the trunk is stock Motorola, 10 years old now, but it works.

The guy really should have kept his mouth shut, the officers and agents driving these cars have their lives invested in maintaining the covert aspect. We don't use them anymore, we just rent cars at the airports

The "federal" reference way back up there around the third or fourth post, must be Federal Sign and Signal Corporation, just out south of me here.

About seven-eight years ago, some not very bright dopers hit the FS&S depot and made off with a couple of Mustangs scheduled for the DEA. The man hunt was fast and severe, the radios were the target and treasure because of it's then new voice scrambling. Decode that and you have something. My partner and I caught up with them at a flea market in the western suburbs, and when we called that in, you should have seen the response. Looked more like a robbery than an arrest! Eyeryone hit the floor, vendors, customers, maybe 100 people sucking dirt. My partner and I put our hands up too, LMAO, didn't want to be an accident...The scale of the man hunt was unbelieveable, you would have thought these dip*****s killed a few agents, rather than just steal fast cars, and all over some stupid radios.

I don't see anything unique here, just a lot of it on one car. I am disappointed that the traveling salesman has such a generous mouth.

[Butch]

I don't feel that the salesman was being too gabby. Most of what was said could be found somewhere on the web, or the info was just gathered from me looking at the car and knowing what I was looking at and reporting it to our group.

The car was not in ANY way shape or form, meant to be a covert car with all of the equipment, just as SergntMac said. It was meant to be a "traffic" vehicle and used for normal calls.

The whole purpose behind everything that I was shown and what his company was after was to get all of that bulky equipment out of the front seat and off the dash, so that the officer could be more comfy, and if he had to have someone in the car with him, they could actually sit in the front seat.

One of their selling points is that the airbags will work properly with their equipment installed.

I agree with you SergntMac, that it is "just one more application to tailor fit", but it is unique in how they have done it. The only other MM that I have seen set up for police use, looked like crap on the inside because of all the equipment. This car's setup made it unique and interesting to others.

SergntMac: As for your opinion about the guy keeping his mouth shut, I don't feel that anything was said, or done, that would put any officers at risk. I've shown the pics to 3 officer friends/family, and they all wish that they could have seen it in person. None of them have said anything to me about feeling in any danger from my postings. Sorry that you feel that way, but he wasn't trying to sell an undercover drug sting vehicle, he was just selling the equipment to put in a vehicle that happened to be a MM. Again, sorry to disappoint you.

If you want someone to be disappointed in, then point to me. I'm the one who pushed for the info and posted it because I thought it was interesting.

[jgc61sr2002]

Butch - All panther platform cars look like police vehicles. The NYPD and others have covert cars that are used for undercover operations. You could never tell they are Police Vehicles. I don't think you or the salesman put any officers in jeopardy. I was a ranking officer with the NYPD for 35 years of service. Nice reporting. John:up:

[LincMercLover]

All I gotta say is with all that crap loaded up in it, I can still roll up to one and nag, "MINE'S faster than YOUR'S!!!" :P

[TAF]

Yeah...and they'll be glad to pick out just the right cellmate for ya:o :help:

[Marauder57]

Well in the immortal words of the Highway Patrolman that pulled my dad over in his new 240Z back when I was a kid....
"Boy you may out run me....but you caint out run my radio boy!"
:help:

[SergntMac]

Originally posted by Butch
SergntMac: As for your opinion about the guy keeping his mouth shut, I don't feel that anything was said, or done, that would put any officers at risk. If you want someone to be disappointed in, then point to me. I'm the one who pushed for the info and posted it because I thought it was interesting.

Trust me Butch, it's very mild disappointment, and surely not with you. My point about the salesman is why have the discussion at all? You are not a potential customer, are you? As for you posting this 411 here, I'm okay with that, like you said, if someone really wants to find someting out, the web will tell them.

It almost the same argument that we have about safety vests. The manfacturer needs to advertise and demonstrate his product. But in doing so, he quite naturally advertises to the criminals that a safety vest works, and how well it works. Sooner or later, the bad guys are aiming for the officer's head. It's likewise liability for the agencies that need covert vehicles with emergency equipment. To point out how well their product can be concealed, leads to detection by those who are interested for all the wrong reasons. My only concern was over displaying the unique stuff not found in a Gall's catalogue, to a guy off the street, and this is surely not your fault.

It's a double edged sword, Butch, without a sheath suitable for both issues. Manfacturers have to advertise to sell product, and advertising sometimes tells everyone everything.

Sorry if I upset you, that was not my intent.

[Butch]

No, I'm not upset in the least. Sorry if I come across that way.

I totally understand what you are saying. I just feel that he did show me only things that were available out of a catalog or would soon be in the catalog, such as the lights.

The one thing that I *wanted* to see, he would not, and that was what the computer system could do. He would not turn the display on for me saying that there were things I didn't need to know about on there.

I'm a tech hound. I have worked in the electronics industry for most of my life. If I see something like the system in the MM, then I want to know as much as possible. I used to have access to a wave solder machine so that I could make my own circuit boards for my "projects". Seeing this stuff in its "concept" phase brought back some very good memories!

Anyway, no hard feelings. You stated a great point with the leaking of info being able to help a criminal.