The test Mustang was spotted last month. Picture: Facebook

Ford’s new Mustang might have an 18-month waiting list for customers, but the NSW police aren’t one of them.

News Corp is reporting that the iconic US car has failed a crucial highway patrol test that all cars must pass before being put into the force.

While the Mustang passed a brake test at the police driving academy in Goulburn, the car’s automatic transmission, which is a requirement for police vehicles, overheated after just three minutes of intense driving.

The car was then forced into a “limp home mode” and taken to a local Ford dealership for repairs.

Failing this test means the NSW police won’t be buying any more of Ford’s performance car, leaving the future of its highway patrol force likely to be in the hands of Volvo or other European brands.

With Ford and Holden closing their Australian production plants and axing the Falcon and Commodore models, most police forces across the country are scrambling to try and find replacements.

General duty cars are much easier to replace, with the likes of the Toyota Camry and Hyundai SanteFe joining the force.

However the highway patrol faces dilemmas due to the required performance needed, with the Commodore and Falcon providing bang for your buck performance dollars. The strict brake tests are the biggest obstacles to overcome, leaving few cars under $100,000 left, with the Volvo S60 Polestar and Volkswagen Golf R Wagon the leading runners.

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