(Source: Telegraph, UK)

There is fierce competition for the world’s fastest police car with the Italians and Germans vying for the title.

Up until now the police prix d’or has been held by a Lamborghini Gallardo which an Italian police patrol is using on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria highway.

It is capable of hitting a top speed of 192mph, which is probably ample to keep up with the most reckless of motorists.

But the Germans have their eye on a car which would leave the Lamborghini trailing in its wake.

It has placed an order for a Brabus CLS V12 S Rocket which has a top speed of 225mph. It will be used on the fastest stretches of the autobahn.

 

In San Diego officers are using a custom made police car with integrated shotgun mounts and a top speed of 155mph.

This article states that some of the British police officers drive the Greenest, if not the meanest, among all forces – the tiny  SmartforTwo cars.

TransportGooru wonders if this San Diego squad car is a silly Dodge Charger.  American police officers should think about doing some police work in Europe!  It will make a great cinema when California Highway Patrol chasing some Hollywood superstar’s Lamborghini Gallardo with his Dodge Charger with integrated shot gun mounts!

On a releated note, few days back a South Carolina Trooper, J.D. McGaha, was cited for speeding in his unmarked patrol car.  Guess what he got for mashing his Dodge Charger – 3 days suspension, possible fine worth $355 & 6 points on his license. Oh, his Dodge Charger was taken back by his Department. Trooper McGaha is definitely not driving a Charger like a Ferrari anymore. Read the TransportGooru article on this incident here.

(Source: Wired)

 

The brushed permanent magnet motor produces 31 horsepower and the bike weighs 225 pounds, making the Zero S a little less powerful – but 96 pounds lighter – than a Suzuki DR-Z400SM. With 62.5 foot-pounds of torque on tap, the Zero S has significantly more grunt than, say, the KTM 690 SMC.

Juice comes from a 4 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery that weighs 80 pounds and charges in less than four hours when plugged into a 110 volt outlet. Zero predicts the battery will last five or six years with normal use. No word on the replacement cost, but an extra pack for the Zero X – which uses a 2 kilowatt-hour pack – costs $3,000.

Power flows directly to the back wheel – no transmission – and the bike offers 9 inches of suspension travel up front and 8 at the rear. Zero wouldn’t offer any details on who’s producing the suspension or brake components.

 

(Source: Charlotte Obervser & Autoblog)

Horry County officer back at work after 3-day suspension for going 131 mph in Kershaw County

His reason for driving at ridiculous speeds was that he was on his way to work traffic at the Carolina Cup in Camden, SC and was running late. Just like “running late” isn’t a good excuse for the rest of us, in this case it didn’t didn’t warrant a free pass for Mr. McGaha. The Charlotte Observes quotes Department of Public Safety director Mark Keel saying:

He faces a $355 fine and six points against his license if convicted.

“There was no justification for it,” Keel said. “He had no excuse.”

While McGaha was being stopped, he flashed the car’s police lights, presumably to let the trooper know he was a police officer, Keel said.

In August 2006, McGaha was recognized by the Department of Public Safety and Mothers Against Drunk Driving as “Statewide Rookie of the Year” for his work stopping drunk drivers.

“He’s been a great trooper from what I understand,” Keel said. “He was very apologetic, and he knew he made an error in judgment, and it’s those kinds of errors that can get people hurt.”

(Source:  Treehugger & ManiacWorld)

We’re big advocates for all things human-powered, but we really really like to see this particular efficiency put to use for transportation. Enter with a flash “Rollerblade Man” who’s keeping all his options open by covering his entire body with a suit of wheels allowing one to travel up to 60 miles-per-hour while maintaining any position found in the Kama Sutra. Note: As always, please wear a helet if you are to attempt anything on rollerblades.  He’s wearing a helmet in the video below.

(Source: Wired)

 (Source: National Post, Canada; Photo: bensonkua@ Flickr)

Organizers for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics have unveiled their $157-million transportation plan for the event.

(Source: Washington Post)

(Source: Autobloggreen)

Motorsports of all kinds are feeling the pressure to reduce their environmental footprint, and the British Touring Car Championship is no different. In an effort to demonstrate their commitment to green racing (a contradiction in terms?), the BTCC has started testing the race cars of its various contenders at Land Rover’s lab in Solihull to be sure that their carbon emissions are in line with the road cars on which they are based.

(Source: Jalopnik)

As we stand waiting at the starter tree of the 2009 motorsports season, we’ve let our minds wander across the infinite expanses of Google Earth, finding these shots of the world’s top 15 race courses.

Formula 1 starts up next month, IndyCar the month after and NASCAR already snoozing away got us thinking about racing. Letting our minds wander across the blue globe of Google Earth let us come up with the following list of the world’s top 15 race courses. There’s 15 below. The 16th? That’s a bonus.