Garda Lancer Evolution IX

FX Meister

Anyone else notice this yet? I spotted it in town yesterday and it looked brand new. One uniformed cop driving it around temple bar then a while later spotted it on Westmorland Street. Not a private car as it was all kitted out with the radio and stuff but it is unmarked. What's the point to the Gardai having this car? High speed pursuits of joy riders or something.

colm_mcm

Maybe they want to look cool?

bazz26

FX Meister wrote:

Anyone else notice this yet? I spotted it in town yesterday and it looked brand new. One uniformed cop driving it around temple bar then a while later spotted it on Westmorland Street. Not a private car as it was all kitted out with the radio and stuff but it is unmarked. What's the point to the Gardai having this car? High speed pursuits of joy riders or something.

Maybe it's a 1.3 Lancer with big alloys and body kit.

Or if it is the real thing is the driver paying BIK?

Sizzler

FX Meister wrote:

Anyone else notice this yet? I spotted it in town yesterday and it looked brand new. One uniformed cop driving it around temple bar then a while later spotted it on Westmorland Street. Not a private car as it was all kitted out with the radio and stuff but it is unmarked. What's the point to the Gardai having this car? High speed pursuits of joy riders or something.

Might be an urban legend but a mate of mine from years ago said he was egged by 2 lads in an Alfa 156 on at the lights at the top of the M50(Tallaght) some yrs ago and he accepted the challenge....only to get pulled 2 miles down the road...they were coppers :mad: ....Hmmm true? Seems to be par for the course in the UK?

The Doktor

seen the Alfas, and about 2 years ago saw an Impreza and Jag in Whitehall, you could see the blue lights in behind the grill. Thought they were special branch types..

Sizzler

In fairness it would be a handy number wouldnt it? I know I could catch at least 5 knob jockeys from my estate who think its clever to p**s around the place at 70mph in their poxy skanger starlet galanzas! On a commission basis I could easily pull in 100K a year

Litcagral

The Doktor wrote:

seen the Alfas, and about 2 years ago saw an Impreza and Jag in Whitehall, you could see the blue lights in behind the grill. Thought they were special branch types..

The Gardaí in Drogheda used to have an Impreza and a Mondeo ST2000 (or whatever the sporty Mondeo is called).

ciarsd

There is a couple of Mondeo ST220's in and around clondalkin, liffey valley area - unmarked but clearly part of the traffic corps.

My better half was telling me that an unmarked Merc off all things had also pulled in a van on the N4, two hi-vis wearing Garda as the occupants. Again possibly Traffic Corps.

The Lancer Evo is very interesting - if true..

crosstownk

I've seen an Audi A4 on the Long Mile Road with the blue light flashing behind the grill. Thats the second time I've seen Gardaí in an Audi - the first was about 15 years ago in Baggot St. - I seen them in an Audi 100.

fletch

Litcagral wrote:

Mondeo ST2000 (or whatever the sporty Mondeo is called).

Sure it wasn't just a Mondeo 2.5 Ghia....there does be one parked outside Pearse Street Garda station all the time

colm_mcm

a Lancer Evolution is real subtle!

Squirrel

crosstownk wrote:

I've seen an Audi A4 on the Long Mile Road with the blue light flashing behind the grill. Thats the second time I've seen Gardaí in an Audi - the first was about 15 years ago in Baggot St. - I seen them in an Audi 100.

I know a guy who has a red A3 2.0 TDI with blue flashing lights behind the grill, he doesn't use them on the roads, but they can be seen if looked at so some of the cars sould be like that.

kaizersoze

Don't know about the Evo but they have a couple of Saab 9-3s on trial for the first time.

Saab cars are to be introduced to the Garda fleet this year for the first time on a test and evaluation basis. The introduction of the two Saab 9-3s follows the deaths of Gardas Tony Tighe and Michael Padden who were killed when a stolen car rammed the side of their patrol car at an estimated 120 mph on the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway in Dublin in April of last year, writes Ian Noctor.
Their deaths led to a call by the Garda Representative Association for suitable cars to be supplied to best protect members from the dangers faced in the course of their daily duties.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motoring/2003/0528/3180849453MOT28RAMMINGS1.html

drdre

FX Meister wrote:

Anyone else notice this yet? I spotted it in town yesterday and it looked brand new. One uniformed cop driving it around temple bar then a while later spotted it on Westmorland Street. Not a private car as it was all kitted out with the radio and stuff but it is unmarked. What's the point to the Gardai having this car? High speed pursuits of joy riders or something.

i got pulled in donnybrook last year by a 05 brand new e class and it was a undercover traffic police.he let me off and just told me to slow down but he pulled me over.they are getting high spec cars because of the high robbery of high powered cars and also they need them.just imagine a cop trying to stop someone speeding in a ferrari.:D Good luck to them

Litcagral

fletch wrote:

Sure it wasn't just a Mondeo 2.5 Ghia....there does be one parked outside Pearse Street Garda station all the time

No definitely not. It was a red 3 litre V6 with what looked like 18 inch 16 spoke alloys, leather Recaros, spoilers etc. The Garda driver pulled me for speeding on the N1 at Donegan's Pub in Monasterboice. Beautiful car.

Tipsy Mac

The Saab 9-3 costs € 35,400 for the entry range 1.8t. This compares to an entry price of € 24,000 for the Toyota Avensis which has just beaten the Saab gaining five stars in the EuroNCAP safety test and a 100 per cent score for its side impact protection system which includes a thorax side airbag and a head curtain for occupants front and rear

Says it all really, someone making a decision to purchase a car for €11,400 more than a safer car costs.

colm_mcm

A yaris has a 5 star rating too. maybe they wanted something quicker

(also bear in mind VAT and VRT)

Spitfire666

There ARE some 9-3s around but they are rubbish cars.the mondeos are way better cars.
The task force in the dmr north (santry/coolock/raheny/swords) have two 2.5 v6 mondeos and the ERU have SQ220s.
The EVOs are whats needed as you cant stand much of a chance against Audi A6s and Skylines and Pulsar GTIRs if your driving a 1.4 corolla or similir.
And with gang shootings and armed robberies getting more common the sooner ALL garda cars are a minimum of 2L the better.

drdre

i seen the lancer evo today.it was 06 and i seen it on the naas rd around 9.30pm.they really do need these kindof cars to implement the law.

youcancallmeal

Most of these one off unmarked garda cars like the above mentioned Lancer are afaik generally supplied by the manufacturers on a test/trial basis. Just like the Saab cars already mentioned. Having the Gardai driving your car is a great advertisement is it not?

G Luxel

are all the garda cars registered with D plates. I once saw a garda car with a Roscommon number? Are gardai allowed stop u in their own car? And why are almost every garda car a saloon? Why are hatchbacks or estates not as numerous? What has been the most bizarre garda car? Ive seen a clio, a yaris and a ford ka...... On the other hand, maybe we should go like the Roma police who have a Lamborghini Gallardo in police colours.....

matt cork

i remember when i was in england that essex police got a lotus esprit and escort cosworth for high speed pursuits on the m25 - strange this as the average speed on the essex stretch was about 30 mph!!!



the yanks got them aswell

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f264/mattireland/yanksaswell.jpg

and

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f264/mattireland/cossie.jpg

and the ultimate

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f264/mattireland/lambo.jpg

drdre

matt i love the gallardo picture.;)

Litcagral

G Luxel wrote:

are all the garda cars registered with D plates. I once saw a garda car with a Roscommon number? Are gardai allowed stop u in their own car? And why are almost every garda car a saloon? Why are hatchbacks or estates not as numerous? What has been the most bizarre garda car? Ive seen a clio, a yaris and a ford ka...... On the other hand, maybe we should go like the Roma police who have a Lamborghini Gallardo in police colours.....

The Gardai used to have several Renault 4's years ago. I always thought they looked quite comical.

Re: Hatchbacks and estates - I suppose it is because most Garda cars are family or executive sized cars and the Garda buyers, like most of the population, probably prefer saloons. Hatchbacks are generally popular in small cars although they have many Lagunas which AFAIK are only available in hatchback. Perhaps it may be associated with the boot in a saloon being more secure? I've seen a few marked Escort and Mondeo estates. The Volvo estates are very popular with traffic police in the UK for carrying all sorts of traffic related paraphernalia.

I've never seen or heard of a Garda vehicle which was not Dublin registered. I'd be very interested in hearing more about this.

kaizersoze

They are all Dublin registered except for a few that are used for surveilance work. In country areas some guards are paid expenses to use their own cars to work in smaller local stations that are only manned for a day or 2 per week, especially if their is a shortage of patrol cars. Yes they can pull you using their own private cars.

Vegeta

Isn't it illegal for the guards to speed themselves in the pursuit of a speeding car anyway. Wasn't there big trouble for the guards when they chased a guy speeding and the guy speeding crashed and died.

cormie

matt cork wrote:

and the ultimate

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f264/mattireland/lambo.jpg

I have a weakness for lambos... how can I go about joining that police force?:o

Litcagral

Vegeta wrote:

Isn't it illegal for the guards to speed themselves in the pursuit of a speeding car anyway. Wasn't there big trouble for the guards when they chased a guy speeding and the guy speeding crashed and died.

Road Traffic Act 2004: (Exemptions)

27.—Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating
to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating
to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided
under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively,
of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50,
respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and
sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver
of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of
the Garda Sı´ocha´na of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of
that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction
of a member of the Garda Sı´ocha´ na, where such use does not
endanger the safety of road users.

Vegeta

Litcagral wrote:

Road Traffic Act 2004: (Exemptions)

27.—Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating
to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating
to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided
under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively,
of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50,
respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and
sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver
of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of
the Garda Sı´ocha´na of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of
that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction
of a member of the Garda Sı´ocha´ na, where such use does not
endanger the safety of road users.

Ah i see so its ok if they do it safely, that's a tough one to call then. Not being an ass or anything but that's also 2 years out of date, did they change it in the last 2 years or anything

BrianD

The Saabs I have seen are in fully marked in the Garda livery.

Squirrel

I have a nice picture of old Dutch police cars, including Range Rovers and Porsche 911s. If I can scan in the picture I'll do it later.