As American as the Volvo
For years, Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge dealers competed fiercely to provide the California Highway Patrol its patrol cars. It was not only a nice piece of business but great advertising for the winning auto. The current fleet consists of big Ford Crown Victoria V-8s fitted out to withstand the rigors of high speeds, screeching turns and grinding stops. But the next CHP car could be the Volvo, that boxy, chic symbol of success, suburban life and swim clubs. It’s made by the Swedish-based company in both Sweden and Belgium.
The CHP has been testing the five-cylinder, 236-horsepower S70 model at its track in West Sacramento and soon will put the upscale import on the road to see how it performs under real police conditions. The Volvo has tested well on the track, CHP Sgt. Casey Cronin told The Times’ Carl Ingram. “It runs strong, stops straight and has excellent handling.” If the Volvo does as well on patrol, the company might be able to bid to replace some or all of the CHP’s 880-car fleet.
Not so long ago, the state would not think of buying a foreign-made product. But times have changed. CHP officials said there is limited competition now because U.S. manufacturers are taking themselves out of the police car business. And since Ford Motor Co. bought the Volvo auto operation last year, a Volvo official said, “We are just as much apple pie as Ford is now.” Well, maybe apple pie and maple leaves. The current Crown Victorias were made in Canada. Maybe there’s a place for some Viking toughness too.
