NT Police choose Kia Stinger for highway duty

The Northern Territory's Road Policing Command will shortly acquire seven units of the Kia Stinger to replace the existing fleet of Holden Commodore SS.

Slated for highway patrol, the Stinger in NT Police service will be powered by the twin-turbo V6. In standard form this car is good for a 0-100km/h time below five seconds, but loaded up with police kit it won't be quite as quick.

The Northern Territory is the third Australian state or territory to select the Kia Stinger for high-speed police duties, the other two jurisdictions being Queensland and Western Australia.

“Holdens and Fords have been standard road policing vehicles in the NT for the best part of 50 years but now that they are not manufactured, it’s time for us to look at an alternative,” said Commander Matt Hollamby, from the Road Policing Command.

According to Commander Hollamby, the Stinger has been tested for suitability in the Territory.

“We needed a car capable of operating at reasonably high speeds in temperatures of 45 degrees in the shade without missing a beat. The Stinger showed itself to be that car.”

Although the Stinger will work as a 'marked' car in the Territory, it may not be immediately recognisable to other road users in the top end, says Hollamby, revealing that with the change of vehicle the Road Policing Command has adopted new livery.

“The aesthetic of our decals hasn’t changed much in the past 15 years and we thought now was a better time than any to update those as well,” Commander Hollamby said.

“Members in the Road Policing Command provided input into alternative options and selected the preferred design which was completed in-house. Territorians can expect to see the new police vehicles out on the road from today.”

The end of local Commodore production at the end of 2016 has left a considerable vacuum to fill. In addition to the Stinger, Chrysler's 300 has been pressed into service with police in New South Wales and Victoria Police has pressed the button on the most costly option – the BMW 530d – and more recently the Volkswagen Passat 206 TSI Proline wagon.

“It is extremely pleasing that once again a state government has had the vision to look past ingrained prejudices and give a stamp of approval to the best available option,” said Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith.

“The Stinger is not only an outstanding performance vehicle but is backed by Kia’s industry-leading ownership experience, whether that be for private, government or fleet buyers.”