Porsche has a long tradition of providing vehicles to law enforcement agencies worldwide. From as far back as the 356, highway police in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Great Britain have relied on the handling and speed capabilities ingrained in all performance Porsche models.
Back in the day, authorities had the same reasoning for using Porsches for pursuit cars as racing teams did to win. They were fast, maneuverable, braked well, had solid build quality and reasonable fuel economy.
Porsche honorably valued this cooperation, with the hundred-thousandth and one-millionth cars that left the factory being police vehicles.
Of all the countries that employed Porsches for police use, the Netherlands had the biggest fleet. Over 500 cars have worn the orange and white Rijkspolitie livery – including the 356, 914, 924, and 964. Many of the 911s that the Rijkspolitie used were Targa variants, so officers could stand up in their cars and give directions to other road users. Because of this, on-duty officers received helmets, goggles, and raincoats, allowing them to work in any weather.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Belgian authorities used Volkswagen Golf GTIs, BMW 2002Tiis, and Volvo 240 Turbos as patrol vehicles. But when it came time for the Rijkswacht to purchase even faster cars for motorway use, they looked to their bordering neighbors for inspiration.
Ultimately, Belgian officials ordered 20 Porsche 911s in two batches from importer D’ieteren Porsche. Unlike the Dutch police Targas, these 911s were coupe models with sunroofs.
The 1973 Porsche 911 E Coupe that I had a chance to photograph at Zell am See during the spectacular 2024 F.A.T. Ice Race was one of the cars from the original first delivery. It’s owned by the Banzai Collection in Germany and is well-used, as a Porsche should be.
’73 was the last year for the classic 911 E model, and some design cues from the new F series are already noticeable in this car.
It’s powered by the original 165hp 2.4L air-cooled engine with electronic ignition. ATS ‘Cookie Cutter’ wheels came standard on many Porsches of the time, and the police model was no exception.
The Porsche has all of its original equipment intact. That includes its police lights, four front-mounted sirens, Belgium Rijkswacht decals, an illuminated rear-mounted ‘STOP’ sign, a CB radio, and an extra rear foglight.
Universally recognized as a symbol of luxury and performance, Porsche originally found an unexpected calling in law enforcement, their models serving as high-speed pursuit vehicles well into the 21st century. Over 1,000 cars were delivered by Porsche to different police forces worldwide, and the ones that survived are now highly sought after by collectors. This particular ’73 Porsche 911 is nothing short of a 50-year-old time capsule.
Vladimir Ljadov
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