The WEIRD Reason Police Love to Drive BMWs

But what if I told you that BMWs are quite often chosen by different countries as their police cars, way more than any other luxury brand and in similar numbers as normal cars. Around 45 countries currently use or have used BMWs in their police fleet, which is similar to Volkswagen and much more than Mercedes if we exclude vans and trucks.
While Mercedes cars are primarily used for executive roles, BMWs usage is way more extensive, from normal traffic patrols to more specialized roles.
But before we go deeply on why BMWs are so widely used as police cars, let's first see some different reasons why some countries use very expensive cars in their fleet.
In some countries, high-end and exotic cars are incorporated into police fleets as a means of enhancing the country's image, projecting wealth and sophistication. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly in Dubai, stands out as a prime example of this phenomenon. The Dubai police force has an astonishing collection of luxury vehicles. From sleek Mercedes and BMWs to ultra-exclusive Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and even multi-million-dollar Bugattis
However, these cars are not primarily intended for use in high-speed chases or regular patrol duties. Dubai, known for its low crime rates and exemplary public safety, has little need for such vehicles in traditional law enforcement roles. Instead, these high-performance cars serve a different purpose: they are a strategic component of the city's effort to craft a global image as a leading luxury destination.
Similarly, in Germany, the use of high-end vehicles like BMWs and Mercedes-Benz in the police fleet follows the same logic. These brands are pillars of the German automotive industry, representing quality, precision, and durability. By choosing these vehicles, the German police not only ensure they have access to reliable, high-performance cars that can be easily maintained with locally available parts, but they also support their domestic economy. Moreover, having police forces equipped with such esteemed brands elevates the image of these vehicles globally, reinforcing their reputation as durable, reliable, and perfectly suited for the demanding needs of law enforcement.
while performance and officer feedback are crucial, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is often an equally important—if not more critical—factor in the decision-making process. Total cost of ownership includes not just the initial purchase price of the vehicle but also long-term expenses like maintenance, fuel efficiency, insurance, and potential resale value.
These financial considerations are particularly significant for public agencies operating within tight budgets and facing the need to justify every expenditure to taxpayers and government oversight bodies. At first glance, one might assume that the high initial purchase price and potentially higher running costs of BMWs would disqualify them from consideration by cost-conscious police departments. Indeed, compared to other brands, BMW vehicles tend to come with a premium price tag and may require more expensive maintenance and repairs over time.
But BMW is particularly keen on securing contracts from high-profile customers, such as government agencies and police forces, and is often willing to go to great lengths to win these deals. In many cases, BMW offers the lowest bid in competitive procurement processes, sometimes selling its vehicles at a substantial discount—up to half the sticker price. This aggressive pricing strategy is not just about immediate profit; it's about securing the contract itself, which can have numerous long-term benefits for the company. One of the key advantages of selling to police forces is that these deals often involve large fleet orders. Supplying an entire fleet can be financially lucrative for BMW, especially when considering the volume of vehicles sold and the potential for ongoing maintenance and parts contracts.
These sales typically come with long-term agreements, ensuring a steady stream of revenue for BMW over several years. Additionally, the long-term nature of these contracts allows BMW to plan production and inventory management more efficiently, reducing risks associated with market fluctuations. Beyond the immediate financial benefits, these contracts significantly enhance BMW's brand image. Police vehicles are subjected to some of the most demanding conditions imaginable, from high-speed pursuits to long hours of continuous operation. By proving their worth in these high-stress situations, BMW vehicles reinforce the brand’s reputation for excellence under pressure.
This association can have a ripple effect, increasing consumer trust and driving sales across other segments of BMW’s market. In this way, the initial discount offered to win a contract can pay off many times over in terms of brand loyalty and expanded market share.

[tobic]

The Lamborghinis in Italy aren't actually used for regular police stuff. Those Lamborghinis are doing organ transports all over Europe, and fast cars are therefore needed. The exact Lamborghini Urus with the italian livery and the Italian license plate has been spotted in my country.

[Nimzie]

I work at a BMW dealership, I see first hand the amount of police vehicles that come in for servicing - very interesting topic!

[klaspeppar]

Fun fact, when the Swedish Police force tested the Volvo V90/V90CC they deemed it the best Police vehicle they ever tested and now they are mainly getting XC60 Police cars instead… Most Police cars here are Volvo’s, but they also have a few Volkswagen’s, Mercedes and you might come across the occasional Saab 9-5 relic of by gone era.

The only BMW Police car I have seen here has been an unmarked F11 5 Series Touring.

[kayvan-ev]

Reason #1: They are best at handling/cornering.

[LamantinoElettronico]

Italian police and Carabinieri (the military police and special force of the country) have historically almost exclusively used Alfa Romeo cars which share most characteristics with BMW vehicles (similar handling, power and reliability) as well as representing the country's automotive prowess

[dr.python]

Everybody gangsta till Land Cruiser show up with Police lights.

[bigyeet]

Italys Lamborghinis were gifted by Lamborghini

[namansalaria]

I was dozing off towards the end of the video because I had done an all nighter and then I heard the ginger and instantly jumped up in fear 😂

[ggooaa]

The fucking beep at the end is killing me :'D

[danielturcan]

Romanian police bought BMWs because the the president is fried with the BMW importer, so they made the tender with such rules that the BMWs were the only one that qualified, for example they required 8 speed transmissions, specific engine displacement, only permanent 4x4, specific requirements for min power and torque.

[crgraduu]

people talk a lot about BMWs but they are some of the best cars in terms of reliability and performance if not the best especially in a budget

[marco_grt]

The only time Italian State Police bought supercars is in 1962 with two Ferrari 250 GT/E. Even after that event Ferrari wasn't interested to giving away their cars and never do. The other side, in recent 21 years Lamborghini gifted 5 cars. Even Alfa Romeo (but this is another story) and Maserati gifted more cars then Ferrari for public relation and service

[aliiskandarli]

As an Azerbaijani its true, most of our Road Police cars(YPX) are 3 series G20's, F30's, 5 series G20 and F10 (and before it was mostly E60's and some are actually operational!)

[BWB_Cubing]

in germany its like almost only bmw and vw
and for vans, its mainly vw and mercedes

[Rashid-slmg]

this is actually true. we don’t care about the performance figures on paper we will always put it under a stress test for various scenarios. we have our own contacts with the dealerships and some modifications can be made within the dealership before buying.

[cutecatgamer_yt]

I worked at a BMW dealership for a summer job and in the 2 months i worked there, there were like 10 - 15 police BMWs from the highway patrol or "Autobahnpolizei" (I live in austria, we speak german). The service center is a BMW center, still i worked on porsches, VW, Mercedes, seat, audi, ... too.

[jrgenw]

Wow, an actual interesting and factual video for once. Well done, a bit high tempo but its fine.

[MihaelTurina]

Most police cars in my country are Škoda Octavia wagons and Ford Focus sedans, but there is a small number of BMW 5 series used for escorting politicians and other VIPs, and they also have unmarked Audi A4s as highway interceptors.

[hornoxlife]

Really interesting, learned a few things.

[Entertainment-]

Lamborghini’s are now German-owned and engineered. It’s weird to have patriotic pride for them as an Italian.