The 1980s were not defined by one singular movement. Hair Metal had the airwaves in a chokehold, and Americans were glued to their couches from 8 pm on, rarely missing an episode of MASH or Dallas. If you were a car enthusiast, you would have noticed out on the highways a new wave of speed machines that could stretch their legs with the 5-0 unable to catch them.
The Dodge Diplomats and Chevy Caprice squad cars hiding in the bushes would have needed a full three days to catch up with the Porsches and Ferraris blowing past the 55 MPH speed limit signs. That soon changed with the California Highway Patrol’s request to Ford for a lighter, faster patrol vehicle in 1982, which had lead-foots thinking twice before roaring past the hedges out of fear that a different kind of 5-0 might be hiding behind them.
The First Mustang Faster Than A Ferrari: The SSP
Front shot of a black 1985 Ford Fox Body Mustang SSPBring A Trailer
It wouldn’t have taken much to build a patrol car faster than what was already used by police across the US, but that was problem number one. Highway Patrol units needed something substantially faster and more capable than the boat-like M-body Chryslers many were stocked with. Emissions regulations choked the performance of regular commuter vehicles, but the exotics being shipped over from Europe already knew how to do more with less. And if you know about the US auto industry’s ability to do the exact opposite, you’ll see where our problem lies.
The California Highway Patrol, arguably the most famous of highway patrol units, had enough of Magnum P.I. wannabes in their Ferrari 308 GTS or Hollywood A-listers in their untouchable turbocharged Porsches. The solution? Ring up Ford and ask for a few hundred Mustangs that can cruise at 160 MPH and, more importantly, don’t need three football fields to come to a standstill. Something that, if you did have a Ford LTD in your mirror at over 100 MPH, you could easily evade by changing lanes, smashing the brakes, and still have enough time to hit a drive-thru before it could turn around 4 miles down the road.
In 1982, Ford answered with a fleet of Mustangs purposely equipped with the Special Service Package (or SSP for short) that made quick work of catching triple-digit speeders on the CHP-patrolled stretches of I-5, the left-coast interstate connecting Tijuana in the south with Vancouver in the north. The 157 horsepower wrung from Ford’s venerable fuel-injected 5.0 V8 was nothing compared to the 230–300 horses coming from the V8s and flat-sixes from Europe, but the sprint from behind billboards to 125 MPH was quick enough for the CHP, so, naturally, it was quick enough for the 32 other state highway patrol agencies across the country that first adopted them.
Suspension and steering components sourced from the GT were fitted to SSP cars, as well as lightweight wheels and performance tires. SSP models had reinforced panels for structural improvement, oil coolers, limited power accessories, and were stripped of sound deadening to cut weight and improve acceleration and speed. Even though the Mustang SSP was built for high-speed chases, it still needed to be a police car, which meant leaping from a standstill after long periods of idling and never batting an eye at repeated use throughout the day over multiple shifts. It may have used GT parts, but these ‘Stangs were far from average.
These Mustangs Are Rare, Desirable, And Cheap
Of the roughly 3.6 million Fox Body Mustangs Ford produced, only 15,000 were built as SSP editions from 1982 to 1993. Because there are still a few around, most of which have been preserved by collectors or museums, they’re worth about $30,000. That’s what you pay for a new Honda Accord, or Toyota Camry. Classic.com reports an average sale price of $31,669, with a top sale of just under $50,000. Quite a few have sold with relatively low miles, but a handful have been driven well over 100k miles, something they could easily handle given their overbuilt SSP specification.
After years of dedicated service, most were auctioned off like any other government vehicle and could be purchased for pennies on the dollar. These cars lived rough lives, and some likely continued to serve in their civilian lives as well, with others scooped up by collectors and kept in pristine condition, later being restored to their original police spec with decals, sirens, lights, and radios. However, finding a real SSP takes more than just inspecting the roof for plugged antenna holes and a 140 MPH speedometer dial. Documentation has become increasingly more important in assessing the values of original SSP Mustangs, and if you find one with the correct paperwork, it will stay valuable far longer than one missing its binder.
Compared to SVT Cobra R models that fetch upwards of $175,000, as well as Saleen variants that can go for $60,000, the SSP is one of the rarer models that are still attainable because of their production numbers. The Mustang SSP became one of the first practical demonstrations of American V8 power that could go toe-to-toe with European sports cars. Before the 1980s, before the Mustang could be called “sporty” more than “powerful” (and well before Chevy rolled out the C4 Corvette ZR-1), the US only picked fights on the track. Ford finally took it to the streets with the SSP in the early ’80s and has kept at it ever since.
Other Hot Rods Have Joined The Force Since The SSP
2015 dodge charger police car full frontal black with lights deployedDodge
Only a handful of police cars could be considered performance cars over the years, but Ford set a precedent for others by issuing performance-built police cruisers with the Mustang SSP. Chevy crafted the B4C SEO, a Special Equipment Option for the Camaro from 1991 to 2002, packing a similar options list to the SSP with a 145 MPH speedometer, engine, power steering, and transmission coolers, heavy-duty front and rear sway bars, and a heavy-duty alternator.
In 2006, Dodge built vehicles for official use in the form of the Charger with the Police Package (later called Charger Pursuit). Cars came equipped with either a 3.5-liter V6 or 5.7-liter Hemi V8, with every model getting tuned suspension and performance brakes. Later Charger Pursuits made a name for themselves on the used market, mainly because they were dirt cheap, but also because they came equipped with AWD and the 5.7 Hemi, compared to civilian models with AWD that came exclusively with 3.6-liter V6 engines.
Ford’s most popular squad car today is the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility. It comes standard with a 3.3-liter V6 hybrid powertrain with a 10-speed automatic transmission and AWD. Both hybrid and non-hybrid Police Interceptors with the 3.3 are good for a top speed of 136 MPH, with the optional twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost rated at 140 MPH. Power is kept secret by Ford but is estimated at 285 and 318 horsepower for the non-hybrid and hybrid 3.3 V6, and 400 horsepower for the 3.0 V6.
The Mustang Still Sits On Both Sides Of The Thin Blue Line
Virginia State Police Ford MustangVirginia State Police/Facebook
Today, Ford doesn’t officially produce or endorse the Mustang for use in official capacities. Many impounded and surrendered vehicles have ended up in police fleets for use in chasing speeders, but a batch of Mustang GTs were recently purchased by the Florida Highway Patrol in 2025. Right around the same time, Virginia State Police placed an order for a handful of V8 Mustangs to remind drivers Virginia is for lovers, not speeders.
As cool as it might sound, using standard Mustang GTs for use in high-speed police pursuits is like playing football without a helmet and pads. Older SSP Mustangs had thicker panels, stronger suspension, and were built to the same standards as other police cruisers. Modern Interceptors follow suit and are built with strength in mind, featuring curb-rated suspension and other components to keep them from sliding into poles, ditches, or people.
Most of the time, the new, flashy cars that make their way into police fleets are for community outreach purposes, but the Mustang’s history as the Ferrari-catching pony car is too compelling not to revisit today. Though it’s a little ironic that the original SSP cars might just be better suited for the job than stock 2026 models. And for $30,000, who’s to say it’s not a close decision?
Sources: Ford, Classic.com, Code 3 Garage, Mustang Museum of America
