Police Cars Extravaganza - Part 4: The French Gendarmerie

Roarington’s journey in discovering the most extravagant and unusual police vehicles stops this week in France. The first three-lane highways were created in France in the mid-1960s, and the rapid intervention vehicles (VRI - Véhicule Rapide d’Intervention) of the Gendarmerie appeared shortly after. In 1965, the Matra Djet debuted, initially used for training the BRI (Brigade d'Intervention Rapide) drivers before entering service with three additional units in 1967. From that moment, the color blue was adopted, and all VRIs introduced afterward sported this symbolic livery, as blue was the color of French Formula 1 cars.

The Matra Djet entered service with the Gendarmerie in the mid-1960s as a rapid intervention vehicle.

However, it seems that the power-to-weight ratio and stability of the Djet at high speeds were not entirely satisfactory. Starting in 1967, the Alpine A110 berlinettes were enlisted to complete highway patrol duties. Training for the officers who would drive these vehicles took place on racetracks with top-tier instructors like racing driver Henri Pescarolo. The role of these rapid intervention vehicles was not limited to high-speed chases. They were also used to reach accident scenes quickly for signaling or to intercept wrong-way drivers.

To replace the Matra Djet, the Gendarmerie chose the Alpine A110 for highway patrol.

At the beginning of the 1970s, the Citroën SM joined the Gendarmerie fleet to replace the Alpine A110s, which had accumulated high mileage. With its Maserati V6 engine, the SM delivered the necessary performance for high-speed highway operations, while its hydropneumatic suspension ensured stability.

The Citroën SM became part of the Gendarmerie fleet thanks to its Maserati V6 engine and the stability provided by hydropneumatic suspension.

Alpine made its return to the Gendarmerie in the mid-1970s with the A310 V6. Capable of exceeding 210 km/h, it was well-suited for highway patrol tasks. The model never truly gained popularity with the public and struggled in sales. Perhaps its recruitment into the police force was a strategic move by Alpine to boost its reputation…

In the mid-1970s, the Alpine brand returned to the Gendarmerie with the A310.

The 1980s saw two Renault models join the French police fleet as rapid intervention vehicles. First, the Renault 5 Alpine Turbo, which, painted in the white, red, and blue livery of the Police National, was used for speed enforcement with radar detection.

Renault became a supplier to the French police in the 1980s with the 5 Alpine Turbo in the Police National colors.

Then came the Renault 21 Turbo, undoubtedly a benchmark for sporty sedans of its time. Painted in Gendarmerie colors, it served in the rapid intervention brigade to intercept speed offenders. Its turbocharged 1995cc lightweight alloy engine delivered 175 hp, making it a formidable pursuit vehicle.

The Rapid Intervention Brigade was equipped with the Renault 21 Turbo to chase down reckless drivers.

In more recent times, the Gendarmerie briefly strayed from French brands in 2006 by selecting the Subaru WRX. This all-wheel-drive Japanese sports car remained in service until 2011.

In the early 2000s, the Gendarmerie broke from French brands by adding the Subaru WRX to its fleet.

The modern revival of the Alpine A110 in 2017 led to its reintroduction into the Gendarmerie fleet. This time, it was used for high-speed chases and anti-drug operations. Notably, the blue shade differs from previous versions—why? Simple: cost savings. By selecting the closest shade available in the manufacturer’s color range, each vehicle cost €4,000 less. Who would have thought?

In 2017, the Alpine A110 returned to the Gendarmerie fleet for chases and anti-drug operations.