There have been a number of contenders for the title of world's coolest police car featured on gizmag over the years, among them a number of Lotus models. This time the British marque is venturing away from home soil and into the heart of sportscar land where it will join the Italian Carabinieri.
The two specially equipped Lotus Evora S cars will join the Arma dei Carabinieri (which is actually a division of the Italian army) in Rome and Milan to provide rapid response and deliver essential emergency services.
In preparation for their planned two year stint in Italy, the cars have been fitted with a portable refrigeration compartment behind the front seats for transport of vital organs and blood during medical emergencies along with the EVA (Enhanced Vehicle Automation) system - an always-on touch screen and voice command system developed for the Arma dei Carabinieri that controls functions like flashing signals, sirens, geocoordinates, despatch, routing and communication with the control center.
In order to better take control of the 172 mph, 3.5 liter, mid-mounted V6 sportscar Lotus is also teaching Carabinieri drivers new high speed driving skills.
"Our special Lotus Evoras combine the very best of our technology with excellent British engineering from Lotus," said Carabinieri spokesperson, Colonel Marco Minicucci. "Not just anyone can drive these cars, we carefully selected some of our team to attend a driver training session at the new test track at Lotus' headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk where they learnt all about the very special characteristics and incredible potential of the cars."