The answer: a Dodge Charger police cruiser, and the mayor and the police chief want the city to buy 79 of them with $2.4 million in bonds.

One of the cars was on display Monday in front of the City Hall Annex as officials announced the bonding proposal.

Mayor John M. Fabrizi said the proposed bonding would break the city's habit of using "Band-Aid" methods in maintaining its police cruiser fleet. Past mayors and police chiefs would buy 10 to a dozen cars at one time for a department whose cars traditionally run 24/7 throughout the year.

"This should have been done many years ago," Fabrizi said, adding that the current fleet of cars "just don't look or start good, just don't run that well" from overuse.

The city has 109 police cruisers, many of which are broken down at any given time.

The new vehicles would be on patrol about eight hours a day, officials said.

Police Chief Bryan T. Norwood, who took over the department in April, said Fabrizi asked him to upgrade the Police Department's equipment.

The new black-and-white design would make the vehicles more visible, according to Norwood. "This is state-of-the-art when it comes to policing," he said.

Each car would also come with mobile data terminals, similar to laptops.

The cars cost $30,000 each. They have a shorter wheelbase than the current vehicles, making them better for city driving, and an eight-cylinder engine, officials said.

Four of the cylinders in the 5.7-liter engine shut off when the car is idling or at low speeds, conserving fuel, city officials said.

The hood is bulletproof.

City officials, police supervisors, City Council members and the recently sworn-in Board of Young Police Commissioners gathered around the Charger prior to Monday's City Council meeting.

Sgt. James Pianello, who oversees the department's fleet, offered the young commissioners and anyone else interested a ride in the speedy car. He said four-wheel independent suspension gives the car a smoother ride. The 340-horsepower engine makes it faster, he added.

The bonding proposal will be referred to the council's Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.