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Chevrolet Caprice returns to police beat
The Chevrolet Caprice is back on the police beat.
General Motors unveiled plans on Monday for a new patrol car that will hit the streets in early 2011. It's called the Chevy Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, and it will come with V8 and V6 engines, as well as a slew of specialized equipment.
The Caprice is based on GM's family of global rear-drive architecture called “Zeta,” which also underpins the Camaro sports car, the Holden Statesman and the doomed Pontiac G8. But Chevy spokesman Klaus-Peter Martin said the new Caprice is not the G8. The new police car is most similar to a Chevy Caprice that is sold in the Middle East.
This platform is the long-wheelbase version, measuring 118.5 inches. There are no plans at this time to sell a version of the Caprice to the public, Martin said.
Under the hood, the top motor will be a 6.0-liter V8 rated at 355 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque that will be paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The V6 arrives for the 2012 model year. Look for 0-to-60 mph times of less than six seconds for the V8.
The car also gets 18-inch wheels, four-wheel disc brakes and a heavy-duty suspension parts. An “undercover” package will be available.
The Caprice will have 112 cubic feet of interior volume and 18 cubic feet of volume in the trunk. GM says the new cruiser takes square aim at competitors from Ford and Dodge.
“The new Chevrolet Caprice police car is the right tool at the right time for law enforcement,” said Jim Campbell, general manager for GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. “We asked for a lot of feedback from our police customers, which helped us develop a vehicle that is superior to the Crown Victoria in key areas.”
GM made the announcement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Denver. The company has a long history in law enforcement, with notable models including the 1959 Chevy Biscayne, which had a 348-cubic-inch V8, the 1965 “big-block” Chevys, the 1976 Impala and, more recently, the 1994 Caprice.
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This article was last updated on: 10/05/09, 10:55 et
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As for offering a model that is only for police use, it may be an attempt to fend off: www.carbonmotors.com
I hate to mention this, but most crooks are pretty dumb (otherwise, why wouldn't they do something more lucrative?) and thus not likely to notice that the undercover car is a police-only vehicle.
What do they plan on doing, hiding behind billboards or parking up in the rear of moving semi's and lowering ramps to chase down speeders?
This thing will stand out like a bull in a china shop wearing a pink tutu. Oh and where will this "American" car that is popular in the "middle east" be built? Canada? Mexico? or in the middle east and imported to serve as a highway tax collector to pay for the Obama stimulus packages and nationalizing Government Motors?
As far as being competitive with the Crown Victoria..well anyone can out run grandpa, he's old, on a cane and scheduled to be euthanized anyway, but he did save his money and he didn't need to borrow from uncle sam to stay alive and even with everything stacked against him he is still a proud patriot willing to get right in there on the front lines and give it all he has got one more time.
Just a couple thoughts I had and wanted to throw them out for others to mull over.
I couldn't resist
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=158468#2
Let's just hope they don't make ours in China, as invariably I can see no other sourcing for Buick/LaSalle. Yes. Think LaSalle.
Keeping the door open...
Like the G8.
I'm still waiting for one single bright idea from the New GM. At this rate, spinning off their truck division as "Silverado" can't be far behind (and of course they'd still keep GMC, too!)
Did I read WHERE will ours be built?
True, European cops have some fast patrol cars, but don't forget that they very few of those and otherwise drive smaller fuel-efficiant cars, and, more imporantly, we have way more cops with way more cars than any other country. We have a great excess of cops in this country, and, definitely, in New York. I would suggest laying some off, but their unions disagree.
Leasing the cars to police agencies? Most police departments
auction off their old vehicles after a while, so it is possible to
pick up a decommissioned police vehicle. Which would mean
that, unless these vehicles were leased only, copies could
find their way into civilian hands.
But I guess that my comments on Friday about GM just playing
with us were wrong. Still, it is hard for me to figure out how the
economics of scale only work if they do not sell these cars to
the public.
I am sure they get a "bye" on C.A.F.E. concerns as long as they are just cop cars. But I can imagine the direct injected V6 finding its way into this car, once there is a version calibrated to maximize fuel economy rather than overall performance. And in the meantime GM will be pushing smaller and more efficient cars, raising their fleet average. Then perhaps it can go to a wider audience. But the cops-only approach lets GM stay in the game, with manufacturing up and running, providing some income to support the product development.
The Pontiac G8. Probably the finest domestically badged sedan ever made. Too bad it's goodness will be concentrated in the hands of law enforcement now.
The cars made in Japan for taxi use (Nissan Crew and Toyota Comfort) are very "old school" - in line engine and gearbox, rear wheel drive, etc. I'd assume that this is much cheaper/easier/convenient for maintenance and repair than "high tech" FWD configurations. A "simple" RWD Caprice (or Impala, etc.,) would offer the same potential benefits.
I have a nearly 20 year old Caprice wagon with a gazillion miles on it, appallingly abused but the most reliable and comfortable vehicle we have. This was a "bottom of the line" car with bench seat, etc., but I can drive from SF to LA without stopping (yes, on the highway the mileage can be very good) and get out without a twinge of back-pain. In one of the BMWs my wife has had (we have to change them because they don't last very well), we tried a similar trip once but had to keep stopping to "walk out the kinks" - never again.
However, the point about corporate average mileage could be a "killer" for wider distribution of such a vehicle.
I don't understand why GM would bring a car to the US that so may people want and only give it law enforcement. The market is not all that great to justify bringing the car only for that market. on a side note the "undercover" car makes no since because people will know its the police when they see it just because only the police have them.
10/5/2009 1:57 PM EDT"
"Police Car envy" is a tough thing to live with:)
Actually, in Germany, they use 5-Series diesels for patrol and 911s for the Autobahn. in Italy, they use Gallardos for interceptors, while in the UK, the most common cars are Volvo V70s and 5-Series cars - all bigger and more powerful than the usual commuter car. Saw a feature on best UK police cars - Lotus Espirit, WRX, EVO, a long line of Vauxhall midsize cars, and some Ford midsize cars. Others included the Focus, but again, for inner-city beat cops.
Nearly all Americans are oblivious to other vehicles on the road, excepting us car guys and gals. Some are too busy texting and applying makeup while others are nursing a coffee just to make up for the 3 hours sleep they got after playing Doom until 2:30, while still more have no idea what kind of car they see unless it has a Blue Oval, Bowtie or funny-looking "T" in an oval on it. Even then, they couldn't name the model. The police are safe in their "incognito" aspirations when dealing with a good 95% of the driving public.
A green and white 911 Polizei car passed me like I was standing still. He must have been doing at least 150.
There were other times I also saw a 911 or big Audi Polizei running at similar speed.
At that time the German Police had a small number of 911s and mostly VW Passat or Audie sedans (or often wagons) as routine patrol cars. Those were the biggest cars VW and Audi made at the time. BMW 5 series or other German brands were less common.
When Mustangs were used by GA and FL State Patrol around 1996, Officers often complained they were too small not because Officers tend to be big but because they are required to always wear equipment belts and holsters that take up width. They also explained that while they were better driving than the 4 door sedans for highway use/pursuit, whenever they arrested someone they needed back-up for a sedan to pick-up the prisoner.
Agree mid-sized sedans would work for routine Police patrols. In Ocala FL area I do see many Prius and Civic "neighborhood patrol vehicles."
The thing the cops like best about 'em, though, is how maneuverable they are compared with the gussied-up sedans. If they need more interior capacity, they call in the Crown Vics and Caprices, but as first-responders the force loves the smaller cars.
Also...the parking ticketers drive Smart Cars and frequently can park nose-to-curb. Good Choice, methinks.
All 1994s were black with 350 V8s and column shifted automatics.
1996s were available in black, silver/green, and black cherry with floor shift.
All three years the standard Impala SS was well-equipped with the usual "options" being standard so there was little difference between individual cars.
Interesting read, since I would believe most people would not know the real reasons why some Police cars are so large. However, with your comment about Ford escape, I really doubt they'll go by something so not beefy, since explorers and Durangos are much more suited when doing high speed chases or trying to ram the criminals down....That and I don't think most of the officers would fit in Escapes anyway :D
Oh, and whoever suggested Hybrids, I always get the impression that only Police cars in North America are huge, whereas elsewhere around the world, like UK, Italy, Germany and Japan, they use medium sized cars and seem to have no problem catching criminals without resorting to colliding with the criminals. Hmmm
Another thought - a wagon version could be ideal for Police and civilian use serving most purposes the Tahoe Police Special did. I could really see a slick inconspicuous Impala SS wagon similar to many custom 1994-1996 wagons built by customizers.
So Mr. Lutz and GM design and executive staff, are you listening?
Incidentally, I've often heard owners of the 90s Caprices, Impalas and Corvettes say they were amazed at the great gas mileage highway cruising with the injected 350. Many claim to get around 30 highway. With direct injection and 2010 tech we ought to see decent mileage ratings for a new Caprice/Impala.
such as being available for sale in 2012, when the Crown Victoria will be out of production. (Shame, those Crown Victorias are solid, reliable cars that actually cushion you from the road...an out-dated comcept, today).
hey guys the article say 6 speed automatic..and it is for sale to the general public..and not before 2012..GM will be out of business by then....
hmmm...What are you reading (or not reading)? I read: There are no plans at this time to sell a version of the Caprice to the public, Martin said.
Which means you'll be buying it at the Police auction in 2015 (who will take the money and then continue to complain about civilians driving police cars).
"Why not sell a version of the V-8 to the public. GM needs a mid priced performance car that is roomy and has a spacious interior. I never liked the current Caprice, I always thought it was a compromise between ugly and design flaws, both won."
10/5/2009 12:16 PM EDT
I think you can blame the V8 for that decision. Even with the V6 it's going to drag down Chevy's CAFE average.
Are you buying them to serve the public, or just your own bad-boy macho fantasies?
I do not quite understand the term "undercover" and what kind of package would make a police specific vehicle stealth enough to fool the criminally oriented who can spot a plain wrapper a quarter of a mile away. Maybe some bright paint jobs and designer wheels instead of monochromatic dark colored vehicles would be the answer.
Whatever...Congratulations to the New GM for taking this bold step. It shouldn't be too difficult to improve on the blue oval Crown Vic'. The time has finally come to put that dinosaur into the museum of ancient art.
Was thinking about it the other day.... the state of local police (incluidng state) represents the fact that we experiencing, as a country, a total collapse in state and local government. That's one of the biggest utragedies of this recession. Local governments have proven to be incompetent in governance. Of course, it's our fault.... we are too laze to vote for state offices.
Check out the link and also see the Lumina to see the Chevy version of the G8.
http://www.chevroletarabia.com/content_data/LAAM/ME/en/GBPME/001/G1/1C/1C_home.html?cntryCd=AE
You will have to buddy up with a Chev Fleet Sales Manager to see if they will order one for you.
When the Charger Police version first came out I ordered a few with the Hemi. We put Super Bee logos on them because the were in the spirit of the original car. Black with the black steel wheels and dog dish hubcaps with the glass tinted was a very evil looking car. :-)
That indeed would be a hot ticket item if they can pull it off...
Ever since I heard of Pontiac, i have been trying to find one at this price but simply unable to ;-(