Holden’s US police car ready for orders

CHEVROLET is just three months away from taking orders for the Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) designed and manufactured by GM Holden in Australia.

General Motors has announced full specifications and detailed order and delivery dates for both the 9C1-codenamed police version and (9C3) detective variant of its Holden Statesman-based Caprice PPV.

The unmarked 9C3 detective package will open for orders first in October, before hitting North American streets in April 2011, while the fully marked 9C1 police version opens for orders in January before hitting the beat in the US next June.

Chevrolet says the release of the large, rear-wheel drive Caprice PPV alongside the front-drive Impala and AWD Tahoe PPVs will make it the only brand to offer a full line of specialised police vehicles.

Below: Chevrolet Caprice Detective Police Package.

As we’ve reported, the Adelaide-built Caprice PPV will vie with Ford’s new Taurus-based Police Interceptor, Dodge’s Charger and a purpose-built police vehicle from US start-up company Carbon Motors for business in the lucrative North American law enforcement vehicle market, which some estimates put at up to 80,000 vehicles a year.

Holden is now gearing up for production of the vital new model at its Elizabeth assembly plant in South Australia, where a second shift will be reinstated in November primarily to produce the Series II VE Commodore and Cruze small-car.

The Caprice PPV represents a return of exports to the US after the abolition of GM’s Pontiac brand – and with it the Holden-made G8 sedan – as part of GM’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

GM’s fleet and commercial operations general manager Brian Small said: “When we began designing our latest police vehicle, we went directly to our customers and found that they were looking for a rear-wheel, large sedan with a V8 engine.

“By announcing the available specs and ordering information now, we’re following through with our promise to provide them with the advanced technologies that best serve their needs for comfort, performance and safety.

“Chevrolet’s history with law enforcement spans across almost as many years as the brand itself and we’re ready to see the Caprice PPV report for active duty.”

While extensive details of the Caprice PPV were revealed when GM unveiled the car at a police chiefs’ convention in Denver last year, Chevrolet now says that, at 3172 litres, the Australian-engineered PPV offers class-leading interior space, front seats designed to accommodate gun belts, and eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with high-wear material and a seat-back security panel.

A V6 version of the Caprice PPV will follow the 6.0-litre V8 model (with E85 capability and Active Fuel Management cylinder shutdown technology) on sale for the 2012 model year.

Chev says it expects the PPV V8 to deliver best-in-class 0-100km/h acceleration in less than six seconds, thanks to a six-speed automatic transmission with sport-shift calibration and a 2.92 axle ratio with limited-slip differential.

The Caprice PPV also features a full-width prisoner partition, front-only side and head curtain airbags, electronic stability control, 18-inch steel wheels with bolt-on centre caps and wheel covers, a certified 180mph analogue speedo and a ‘ Driver Information Center’ with a “Trap Speed” feature to capture speed when tracking other vehicles.

Optional extras will include an auxiliary battery to power police equipment, a full-size spare tyre under a flat rear cargo floor and vinyl rear seat and floor coverings.