The New South Wales Police Force have taken possession of a $200,000 Panamera Sedan on loan from Porsche Australia. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald describes how the Porsche will be used as a non-operational community relations vehicle. Despite all the entertaining comments printed under the article and the outrageous street price we pay for these cars in Australia, the vehicle will certainly attract attention. This is due in part to a wide panel of fluorescent yellow affixed to the sides of the vehicle, a trend I can only hope will migrate onto the operational vehicles in the fleet (minus the blue hybridised sillitoe check pattern that is currently displayed around the Porsche).
The markings on the Porsche have obviously been designed by a graphic artist so there is no way of knowing if the large panel of colour is intentional or accidental. Either way the wide stripe placement is effective and to be encouraged. The large logo forming the O in Police can even be overlooked. A solid panel of colour beneath the door sill would be preferable but you could live with the chequered pattern under the sill if the front and rear checks were removed and replaced with panels of fluorescent colour. Leaving the checquers on the rear would certainly increase the likelihood of the car being rear-ended.
Affixing fluorescent/reflective colours to the operational fleet would greatly benefit the safety of NSW police officers on the roads and also provide an increased sense of community presence just like this Porsche.
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