Of course a fully equipped Police Interceptor would lose to a civilian Crown Victoria. There are several hundred additional pounds of weight right there. I am not familiar with that PM article, but I would hope they tested a fresh-from-the-factory Police Interceptor that didn't have any of the equipment installed yet. That is how MSP and LASD do their testing each year. There are simply too many different variables to account for (not to mention safety issues) if a fully loaded Police Interceptor was used. Otherwise, comparing the two in performance is pointless.
Also, as it stands right now, the 2006 model year Police Interceptor will be available with an engine hour meter. This will more accurately reflect when the vehicle/engine should be serviced. State Police/Patrol cars are usually in much better condition come trade-in, and can more easily handle extended drains because they do mostly highway driving. Municipal/County vehicles will do quite a bit of idling, enough that the oil could and should be changed once a month. I know some officers who leave the vehicle running for the entire 8-hour shift, AC blasting and all! And yes, our Police Interceptors get the oil changed every 3,000 miles. Usually, problems that arise from the powertrain are related to over-heating issues(i.e., cracked intake manifolds, blown radiator hoses, etc.) Our shop uses the cheapest brand filter there is - I've never even seen this filter anywhere else (the brand escapes me at the moment). Also, we use Valvoline 5w-30.
The Police Interceptors are equipped with oil and transmission coolers, but other than that, the powertrain is the same as the civilian version. There are other differences, but none related to the engine. For 2004, the air intake from the Mercury Maruader was modified for use on the Police Interceptor, and HP is now rated at 250. The Police Interceptor is as fast as the fabled Chevy Caprice of the mid '90's. Dodge has discontinued the Intrepid for police usage, but you can bet they'll be marketing the Chrysler 300/Dodge Magnum for that role within a few years.
Z-