New Chevy squad to debut in 2011

Reversing an earlier decision, General Motors will field a new full-size, rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet that will be built on the same Zeta platform as the new Camaro and discontinued Pontiac G8. The Zeta platform, developed by GM’s Australian subsidiary, Holden, for the Commodore sedan, will now be used as the basis for the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV).

Chevrolet made the announcement at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Denver, Colorado. The comapny describes the new Caprice PPV as a modern sedan offering both V-8 and V-6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features. It will be available for ordering next year and will hit the streets in early 2011.

Jim Campbell, general manager for GM Fleet and Commercial Operations, says the new Caprice will be superior to the Crown Victoria in key areas.

The Caprice PPV, which Chevy says will not have a civilian counterpart, features: 6.0L V-8 with 0-60 time of under six seconds; Optional front-seat-only side curtain air bags allowing a full-width rear-seat barrier for officer safety; two trunk-mounted batteries, one dedicated to powering police equipment; five-passenger seating, meaning the upper-center section of the dashboard can be used for equipment mounting; compatibility with in-dash touch-screen computer technology; special front seats designed for long-term officer comfort including space to accommodate a typical officer’s duty rig.

With the full-size Crown Victoria, which has been the dominant player in the police car market, nearing the end of its long production run, Ford will no longer have a large, rear-wheel-drive sedan and hopes to persuade law enforcement fleet buyers to consider the Taurus, a V6-powered, front-wheel-drive sedan. This could create a significant opportunity for General Motors as the Pontiac G8 was better-rated than the Dodge Charger R/T and was faster than any Charger model except the SRT8. However, the opening is also there for the Charger and Chrysler engineers as the G8 was more expensive than the Charger, meaning the Caprice will likely carry a higher price than the current Impala. This could erase the current Charger’s cost disadvantage, creating an opening for the HEMI-powered sedan to take a larger piece of the police market.

Photo courtesy of General Motors. Copyright 2008 General Motors Company. All rights reserved.