EPHRATA - The Grant County Sheriff's Office is replacing six patrol cars this year with the newest line of Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicles.

The first of the 2012 Chargers will hit the streets soon, according to Sheriff's spokesman Kyle Foreman. While he didn't have the cost of the new vehicles, Foreman said they are roughly the same price as similar replacement choices from GM and Ford.

The Ford Motor Company recently discontinued the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, which was the backbone of the sheriff's patrol car fleet since 1992. As the existing Crown Victorias are retired at the end of their service lives, they will be replaced by Dodge Chargers, Foreman stated.

The Chargers reportedly have lower maintenance costs and upkeep needs, meaning they're expected to spend more time on patrol and less time in the repair shop. The new vehicles are also covered by a Dodge five year, 100,000 mile powertrain limited warranty.

"In the past we would replace patrol cars after three years, and we're going to replace the Chargers every four years," stated Sheriff Tom Jones. "With the lower maintenance costs, powertrain warranty and adding one year to the fleet rotation, we will save valuable taxpayer dollars."

The new Chargers will each be painted gunmetal gray and model new vinyl graphics. They are powered by a 370 horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine, and accelerate from 0-60 mph in just over six seconds with a top speed of more than 140 miles per hour.

The most important feature the Chargers offer is additional safety equipment to protect deputies, Foreman said. The Charger scored the highest in ergonomics and driver comfort and functionality, and was a Top Safety Pick in 2011 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.