Exclusive: Cop Stinger! Commodore and Falcon NSW Police Cars Replaced Again as Kia Stinger Replaces Chrysler 8 SRT V300

The Kia Stinger will soon be wearing police colors in New South Wales. (Source: Thanos Pappas)

The Kia Stinger has filled the void left by the Commodore, Falcon and, more recently, the Chrysler 300, and the NSW Police have taken over the Korean sports car as part of their patrol fleet.

Chrysler has reportedly ended support for its 300 SRT, leaving the NSW Police to once again look for a replacement. The answer is Kia Stinger, about 200 cars are painted in the colors of the police.

Not only. Cars Guide Sources have confirmed that the new police fleet will consist of a BMW 530d, Kia Stinger and BMW X5. Preliminary estimates suggest that the total will be around 700 530d units, 200 Kia Stinger units and 100 BMW X5 units.

The news was not unexpected. The Chrysler trademark was taken off the market at the end of last year, meaning the police contract watch was ticking. The FCA has reportedly said it will no longer support vehicles already in service at the police fleet.

Australia was already the last right-hand drive market to offer Chrysler on a global scale.

“The global push for electrification and a focus on SUVs has led to the consolidation of the entire product line in Australia,” FCA told us last year.

"Chrysler holds a special place in the hearts of many Australians and we are proud of its history here."

Kia has long supported the police's pursuit of its Stinger by dressing its vehicles in police livery to highlight its suitability. The model is already on official duty in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

This is the second time the Stinger has followed in Commodore's footsteps, with the first model hitting Australian dealerships in 2017 - just four weeks after the last Australian Holden rolled off the assembly line.

It's going to be a formidable police car, and the top-of-the-line Stinger GT sells for around $64 and comes with a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that puts out a hefty 274kW and 510Nm. That pales in comparison to Chrysler's big Hemi V300 8, which puts out 350kW and 637Nm.

Despite the grumbling mismatch, the Kia is actually faster, reporting a 4.9-second sprint to 100 mph, compared to the Chrysler's five seconds.