Porsches in high speed chases

[Patronus]

I have just watched the 3rd or 4th episode of a program called 'High Speed Police Chases', or something to that effect. It is an American programme, a Rescue-911 type production.

I watch every new episode with high hopes of seeing some stolen Porsche or Ferrari (hell, even a M3 will do) in action, but to no avail. After a few episodes, I started thinking:

1. The vehicles that were involved in these chases were either old, run-down cars, or lorries, or buses, or pic-up trucks, or small things like VW Rabbits and 1300 Honda's.

2. Even though they were reapeatedly called 'high speed chases' very few of them actually reached 100mph. That's real slow, especially if you are in a hurry.

3. Most of these pursuits ended with a crash, very few were actually 'caught'.

Now, this is my question:

We all know that many, many BMW's are stolen every year - they are very popular on the black market. The same must go for Porsches and other expensive cars, if perhaps in lesser numbers. Why do we only get to see the beat-up trucks and minivans on TV? Is it possible that the BMW's and Porsches get away?

What do you think?

I think when Porsches are stolen it will often be in a professional way perhaps using an auto transporter van. So no chases.

Although I remember one case from England where some guy had taken a 993 from a Porsche dealer. In another case an american guy had stolen a Corvette. He crashed in a spectacular way but survived. Here in Denmark 2 guys stole a Ferrari from a dealer "to have some fun". Unfortunately it wasn't caught on tape... By accident they drove it over the edge into the water in a harbor.

[Dantilla]

A friend of mine is a local cop and lets me know of some things that don't make the news. A few months back he was involved in a pursuit of a stolen BMW. Lots of cops involved. The thief really knew how to drive. Cop said the BMW was toying with the cops, having fun for a while in a mall parking lot. Almost boxed in, and off he goes again. Went on for over an hour before he hit the freeway and left all the cops in the dust. Never got him.

Stolen 996- Guy slid it into a curb in a residential area, fled on foot. Car was still drivable, one lucky cop got to drive it to the impound lot.

My friend has hinted that he should "chase" me around the rural area of the county for a bit of fun. Promises to make sure I get away. Sorry, too many dogs, deer, drunks etc. I'll go play at the track.

[GIBSON]

Here's a true story that just happened here in the SF Bay area.
A well known Porsche dealer contacted the anxious new owner to inform him that his new 996 Turbo was finally ready for delivery. He said it would be in the detailing area with the keys and since the paperwork was done he should just go there to pick it up. The entire conversation was overheard by someone standing nearby. They waited a few minutes, showed up at the detail area and announced they had been called to pick up their new car. The keys were handed over and the car was driven off.
Don't know what ever happened after that, maybe someone else can fill in the details.
There have been a few Police chase scenarios involving Porsches but most of the time it's a much less interesting car driven by some loser with an outsanding warrant.

[emcon5]

The San Jose paper had a small follow-up article to this story.

The funny thing is the real owner ended up getting another car from a different dealer for less money. With the lead time for new Turbo's of over a year, when they are finally delivered, sometimes the guy that ordered it can no longer afford one. A lot of Silicon Valley stock-option millionaires aren't any more.

The guy who's car was stolen ended up saving like $10K.

Tom

[speeder]

Here in Los Angeles, possibly the stolen car capitol of the world, definitely the car capitol, for better or worse, Porsches and BMW's do not get stolen. The cars that get stolen are either most common car on road for parts, (usually Honda or Toyota tops list), or just any random, easy to steal vehicle by someone who needs temporary ride. The hapless dumb*****s you see on that program wouldn't know a good Porsche parts car from a bucket of chicken.

Once upon a time, (20 years ago), late model 911's were in demand for several parts-related reasons that do not exist any more. Actually there was a really bad movie made about a band of Porsche thieves that seems really dated and Miami-viceish now. Actually I was in that POS. Still get the ocasional check for that when it shows on cable somewhere.

[wdarner]

Close to 20 years ago I was younger and more irresponsible. I blew past a State Police radar trap on a two lane rural road at 110 MPH in my '78 911 Targa. I saw the cop behind the "blind" he was using at the last minute. I thought "Uh-Oh!" and knew I was in deep do-do if he caught me. We were in a rural area so I decided to step on it. I figured there were two scenarios. 1. He was a seasoned cop and knew he had no chance on that terrain against a Porsche, and 2. He was a young gun and did not know better. I flew recklessly down the road in an area I was totally familiar with. Took a right, then a left and actually drove behind a house of a friend of mine and hid out there for an hour. He never caught me. About a month later I was at a gas station and the attendant (remember them?) asked me if I was in Pricetown (the area of my crime) a month ago. There were no other Porsches in the area where I lived so he recognised mine. I said "Yes", then asked him if he saw the incident. He said "Yes". I asked him if the cop took off after me. He said "Yes". I said he never caught me. The kid said "I did not think he would". For what it is worth - it was a stupid thing to do. It was as if he was shooting at me I was so nervous. It was not fun at the time. Today it basically reminds me of how stupid I was at 30 years of age.

[Aurel]

Originally posted by wdarner
Close to 20 years ago I was younger and more irresponsible. I blew past a State Police radar trap on a two lane rural road at 110 MPH in my '78 911 Targa. I saw the cop behind the "blind" he was using at the last minute. I thought "Uh-Oh!" and knew I was in deep do-do if he caught me. We were in a rural area so I decided to step on it. I figured there were two scenarios. 1. He was a seasoned cop and knew he had no chance on that terrain against a Porsche, and 2. He was a young gun and did not know better. I flew recklessly down the road in an area I was totally familiar with. Took a right, then a left and actually drove behind a house of a friend of mine and hid out there for an hour. He never caught me. About a month later I was at a gas station and the attendant (remember them?) asked me if I was in Pricetown (the area of my crime) a month ago. There were no other Porsches in the area where I lived so he recognised mine. I said "Yes", then asked him if he saw the incident. He said "Yes". I asked him if the cop took off after me. He said "Yes". I said he never caught me. The kid said "I did not think he would". For what it is worth - it was a stupid thing to do. It was as if he was shooting at me I was so nervous. It was not fun at the time. Today it basically reminds me of how stupid I was at 30 years of age.

[Aurel]

I liked that story so much that I reposted it...oops
The other day, I was driving back from NYC in my 78 SC.
I was stopped at a light on the 3 lane highway, with a wide desert
road in front of me. Cars at my right and my left. Ideal spot
for enjoying the acceleration of my toy, and leave everybody in the dust.
I am french and I do not know all the laws very well here, but I beleive
that accelerating fast is not against the law...or is it ?
Anyway, the light turns green, I put the foot in it, 1st, 2nd, soon
6000 rpm, 3rd, and suddenly I look at my left and there is a car that is
accelerating as fast as mine. What the hell is that ? This is not
even a sports car...nope, it is a cop`s car. Wow, time to lift my
foot off that gas pedal. The next light was arriving anyway. I must
not have gone much beyond the 55 mph limit, and he did not stop me.
I beleive the satisfaction of blowing a 911 was enough for him today.
Moral of the story : a Crown Victoria with the police engine is a pretty
fast car than can hit 140 mph, and 0-60 is 7s. About the same as my
911 SC with 180 hp. So police chases, not for me, thanks (although I am
only 31...).

[carnut169]

That is true- but only in a straight line. The radios in the cars are what you need to out run. Get off the highway and run through some curves and they are gone.....

[PoorBoy]

PATRONUS wrote;

"2. Even though they were reapeatedly called 'high speed chases' very few of them actually reached 100mph. That's real slow, especially if you are in a hurry"


i may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but i think that 50-70 mph through congested city streets and ALLEYS with frequent cross traffic IS a high speed chase especially without the assistance of a helicopter to verbally clear intersections before you get to them... just my opinion.


also, exotics do get stolen but they disappear quickly after they are taken. (closed garage where they are stripped)

in order for there to be a pursuit, the police have to see the vehicle rolling. exotics dont roll around after they are stolen...the only other likely scenerio would be one in which a pursuit is initiated after the commision of a felony and the police see the suspect vehicle leaving the scene of the crime.

crown victorias will run exactly 114-117 mph. thats it.

a crown victoria 0-60 in 7 seconds? i dont think so.

from SoCal,
PoorBoy Dav

[steve lewis]

in reply to speedster that porsche movie you talk about is that called NO MANS LAND?

[speeder]

Uh, yes it was "No Man's Land". But I certainly don't want to resurect it.

[echocanyons]

There was one cop chase shows a while back where a employee stole his boss's early 911 and the police chased him for a while , if I remember he eventually wrecked it.

I believe it was on FOX

Actually he didn't wreck it, the cops caught him because he ran out of gas

[MMARSH]

A police interceptor Crown Vic will run faster then 117. Trust me I know. It just happens to be my Company car




Michael Marshall

[Patronus]

In the Corvette chase (I'm sure you all know which one I'm talking about) there are a stream of police cars after it. The Corvette wasn't exactly leaving them in the dust. Also, after reading Aurel's post, these police cars seem to be fast. I hear Crown Victoria - what exactly is it? I'm not American, so pardon my ignorance. And what are the specs? It must have a bloody strong engine to keep up with a Corvette and (Aurel's) 78 SC.

Here in South Africa the police drive anything from 1300 Toyotas to 2-litre Opels, and the highway patrol guys drive BMW525's (two shapes ago) or new 318's. Adequate, I guess.

[PoorBoy]

Michael Marshall said,

"A police interceptor Crown Vic will run faster then 117. Trust me I know. It just happens to be my Company car "


I think that maybe youve been smoking the evidence Mike. I suppose you'll also tell us that the 4.6L Ford will outrun the Caprice 5.7L LT1's also? ( a healthy Caprice would run 119 on a GOOD DAY)

the "interceptor" emblem on the trunk is not a GO-Faster hard part. its just a nickname.

from SoCal,
PoorBoyDav

[JAE]

The Crown Victoria is a big, boring POS family sedan with a v8. Specs do not apply here. I did see a "Cops" the other night with a LT1 equipped Caprice (another boring POS family sedan) chasing an M3. He had no problem staying with the bimmer well north of 120mph while chuckling that he's never come across a car he couldn't run down on the interstate.

JAE

[MMARSH]

Poorboy

Thank you for setting me straight. Since you obviously have first hand experiance behind the wheel of these cars. I will tell our department mechanics that our patrol car speedos need to be recalibrated. Our maybe yours just dont run good.

Your right, the Interceptor Nickname is not a go faster upgrade, more of a heavy duty upgrade, cooling system, battery, hoses ect. Taxis have the same stuff.

I agree the Caprice is a much better car, thats why we refurbised several hundred on our department. It will also go north of 119 MPH. Again I'll let our mechanics know of the speedo error.





Michael Marshall