Move over, Crown Victoria: The New York Police Department has a new muscle car in the fleet. As of yesterday, it has added 15 Dodge Chargers.

The hulking cars, which gained public notice in 1979 when they were used in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” represent an attempt to diversify the department’s stable of cars, including the tried-and-true Crown Victorias, and Chevy Impalas, which were added to the fleet in 2000. Police officials said as many as 200 could be added to the department’s 3,000-car stable after a six-month trial. “We’ll see how it works out, but preliminarily, everyone seems to like them,” the police commissioner, Raymond Kelly, said.

Capable of reaching up to 150 miles an hour, the Chargers were selected for their speed and to complement the other cars’ capabilities, such as the Impalas’ maneuverability in high-concentration neighborhoods. With a broader variety of cars, the police department reduces the chance of being crippled by a recall of one model of cars, police also said.

Police said 10 cars with V-8 engines would be assigned to the highway unit and five with V-6 engines would be used to patrol precincts citywide.

All the Chargers have reinforced front seats, no rear-door handles, and heftier brakes, police said. With each car costing between $18,000 and $20,000, plus another $8,000 to be outfitted with police capabilities, the acquisition cost the department more than $500,000. Gas mileage for the Chargers is comparable to the police cars currently in use, Mr. Kelly said.

Asked by a reporter how the cars compare to vehicles driven when he was a rookie, Mr. Kelly laughed. “Obviously we’ve come a long way in technology,” he said, referring to the cars’ mobile communication capability and the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center. “It’s a significant difference from when I first put on a blue uniform and walked the beat.”