Pics Aplenty plus VIDEO: Chevrolet Caprice PPV on patrol
Chevrolet Caprice PPV – Click above for new high-res images or click here for video
It occurs to us that as much as we want to test the just-announced Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle [official details], the only chance we might have is from the back seat. The new police cruiser from General Motors has been designed specifically to woo precincts away from the Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor, and does so with seats designed to accommodate an officer's belt, a humongous optional in-dash screen for electronics (at right) and a 355-hp 6.0-liter V8 to chase down the baddies.The Caprice PPV, which really isn't a Pontiac G8 at all but rather a left-hand-drive version of the long-wheelbase Holden Statesman, was announced late last night, but this morning General Motors has provided more images of the cop car along with video of it in hot pursuit, lights blaring and siren wailing. Click below to view new high-res images in the gallery or follow the jump for the first video of the only Zeta-based RWD sedan you can't buy in the U.S.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Car
[Source: General Motors]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
click_playaz 12:35PM (10/05/2009)
Maybe Apple or Blackberry can help with the touch screen.
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angelov.todor 12:38PM (10/05/2009)
The new Taurus would be a much better police car!
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l.i.dave 1:00PM (10/05/2009)
As long as the build them in America I am for either car.
MikeW 12:58PM (10/05/2009)
especially in places where it rains & snows.
Taurus + 3.7 V6 + front drive or haldex & 3.16/3.39 axle ratio.
akboss302 1:47PM (10/05/2009)
I'm pretty sure this car is built in Australia...government motors is just importing them with new badges. If you wanted to do the whole support America thing the Chicago-built Taurus would probably be the better car.
Mitchell Scott 2:11PM (10/05/2009)
Why not both?
Matt 8:19PM (10/05/2009)
It would be built in Australia.
Long wheel base for the cops who love their donuts just that little bit more lol
Bigbuck17 12:40PM (10/05/2009)
Cops should drive smart for 2 cars them crazy pigs.
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Jared 12:46PM (10/05/2009)
I just don't get it. If the exchange rate between US and Australian dollars made the G8 unprofitable for GM, then how are they going to import the Caprice from Australia and do so profitably? And if they can sell the Caprice to police forces profitably, why not sell it to the general public?
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Epsilon-Not 1:19PM (10/05/2009)
I would guess it's because police cars can be mass produced to a single standard- no trim levels or options to worry about.
jv2k 1:28PM (10/05/2009)
Fleet is different from public sales. I don't know the specifics but I'm sure they make up for it somehow(probably in volume).
The problem with the G8 was it's cost vs it's low sales. I mean Pontiac did fail selling more G8s than Hyundia's successful sales of genesis sedans and coupes, but it needed more volume in order to make up for selling it such a bargain price. Had the G8 come out 2 years earlier it probably would have sold a lot more and GM would have more incentive to keep the platform alive.
Sea Urchin 1:39PM (10/05/2009)
Well G8 was unprofitable because average American had to pay for it, this will be sold to the parent, US Government. And they are all to happy to buy from GM this car for 50K, there the profit.
Jimbo 1:48PM (10/05/2009)
A big reason that the Caprice is police-only is that it would qualify as a special-purpose vehicle and therefore would be exempt from the federal safety and emissions requirements that would allow their sale to the general public. It will also likely preclude these from ever being sold at auction. The Caprice may well meet the federalization reguirements since it is so similar to the G8, but until GM gets it officially federalized (an expensive process), these won't be sold to the public.
Jared 1:57PM (10/05/2009)
Sea Urchin: most police cars are not purchased by the federal government. Most are purchased by state and local police departments, all of which are hurting for dollars. If you check into your local town finances, you'll see that the police department has been looking for pennies in the couch for years. They don't pay $50k for Crown Vics. They pay ~$20k, and they are running the ones that they have longer and longer. Police departments can not afford and won't pay $50k for a cruiser.
BoxerFanatic 6:48PM (10/05/2009)
Jimbo makes an interesting point...
US buyers have to buy cars that go through a HUGELY expensive federalization process. A process so invasive and expensive, that small-volume cars sometimes don't even come to the US, and we have to sit here and look at those cars overseas that we don't get. At the very least, the expense cuts down model diversity, what may offer half a dozen different model combos, may only get two or three here, to appeal to the widest audience, usually not the enthusiasts.
But the government gets to buy cars that DON'T have that expensive federalization, so that they can save money. Somehow my money isn't that important when regulations are passed, and my money isn't that important on tax day, or any other time...
But then when government agencies have to spend from their budgets... when then they want to save taxpayer dollars, ant not have to have federalized cars.... now that they ALSO have a high stake in the auto manufacturer itself.
This I think skims the reason that Caprice is going to be a PPV, but not sold to the public... The expense of re-federalization, and other internal re-branding costs, although one questions why that cost would be so high to put a bow-tie on the front of a G8, and if re-federalizing would be required, why should it?
But it is a glaring example of "do what I say, not what I do..." by the government to their constituents, who are fast becoming subjects...
jv2k 12:47PM (10/05/2009)
So police will be cruising in RWD nearly 400hp cars that can take a corner? That is just awesome. American police cars haven't been cool in decades.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:48PM (10/05/2009)
Those steelies look great on that car.
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PiCASSO 12:50PM (10/05/2009)
Very poor editing skills... they should have cropped at least 2-3 seconds before the guy begun to talk. Otherwise, I think that this Caprice will be a welcoming change to the boring Crown Victoria's driving around majority of United States.
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:39PM (10/05/2009)
This is B-roll footage, you're not supposed to show it without reediting it yourself.
Taglane 12:50PM (10/05/2009)
Damn!! I love it!
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