What do you get when a futuristic designer marries a full assault SWAT truck with a police patrol vehicle? What you get is the TX7, a new multipurpose police vehicle from Carbon Motors.

Just for the record, other than having similar names, Carbon Motors has no relationship to Carbon County. Carbon Motors is headquartered in Connersville, Indiana.Carbon Motors was founded in 2003 in Los Angeles by Stacy Dean Stephens, a former police officer, and William Santana Li, a former Ford executive. In 2006, they relocated to Atlanta, and in 2009, they purchased a former Visteon auto parts factory on a 184-acre site from the city of Connersville for $4 million with plans to invest $350 million into converting the plant to produce the Carbon E7 police cruiser, and the TX7 multipurpose police vehicle.Carbon Motors' first offering was the E7 police cruiser-the first purpose-built police car ever made. It was intended to fill in the market demand for a police vehicle which had for many years been filled by the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor-which was discontinued in 2011.The E7 is designed to last 250,000 miles, roughly twice that of the typical patrol car, and be more fuel-efficient using a BMW Straight-six engine turbo-diesel engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, and a rear-wheel drive. It has a top speed of 155 mph, and will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds.It will also feature numerous safety features for officer safety, including 75 mph rear-impact crash capability, and optional ballistic protection panels. The vehicle will also have a standard law enforcement package. The front seats of the vehicle are specially designed for officers wearing a duty belt.Although only a prototype E7 has been produced by Carbon Motors, their website indicates that nearly 25,000 orders, from all 50 states, have been placed.But even before the E7 rolls off the production line, another model the TX7 multipurpose police vehicle has leapfrogged ahead. The TX7, which some say looks like a SWAT truck with a smile, is scheduled to be the first off the production line and available in early 2013, starting at "only $149,950".The TX7 is based on an existing power train and chassis, which allowed development in less than eight months. Standard on the 10-passenger all-wheel-drive TX7 is a 300-plus-hp V-8 engine available to run on either diesel or optionally, on compressed natural gas. The vehicle comes equipped with infrared, thermal, and chemical, biological and radiation detection equipment."Command post vehicles and SWAT trucks can sit around unused for most of the year," said Stacy Dean Stephens, media contacts for Carbon Motors. "The TX7 can perform many different tasks while costing far less... including being a command post following natural disasters or acting as a prisoner transport.""Law enforcement agencies currently deploy a variety of singularly focused, specialty vehicles in situations such as disaster management, search and rescue, warrant service, perimeter security, etc... The TX7 is positioned to bridge the gap between patrol vehicles and these highly specialized vehicles."Standard Equipment includes: a backup camera, a GPS, Wi-Fi Internet access, Bluetooth, touchscreen control panel, 40 gallon fuel tank, steel bumpers front and rear, disc brakes with ABS, and a siren/public announcement system.Carbon Motors felt that the purpose built law enforcement patrol vehicle was too small a market to interest the major automobile manufacturers, and therefore, offered an opportunity for them.On December 17, 2012, Carbon Motors began taking orders for the 2013 TX7 with delivery promised during the second half of 2013.Carbon Motors' long-term mission is to be the world leader in law enforcement vehicle technology by producing a portfolio of innovative purpose-built specialty vehicles for the global market. Carbon Motors Corporation is a privately held company and no public stock is available to trade in the open market.