2012 Chevrolet Caprice PPV

2012 Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle!

The Chevrolet Caprice is back. And so is the Holden Commodore and the Pontiac G8.

What am I saying? Well, the sedan briefly sold in the United States as the Pontiac G8 for the 2008 and 2009 model years is making its return after a one year absence. With Pontiac shut down, the Australian designed and built Holden Commodore is being tweaked once again; this time it will be branded as a Chevrolet.

But it isn't any ordinary Chevy, mind you. Unless you're a law enforcement company, you won't be able to buy this burly five-passenger rear wheel drive beast. Instead, you'll see it on the highways and byways and, hopefully, never in your rear view mirror with blue lights ablazing!

General Motors has decided to make good use of the Holden platform to turn that sedan into a police pursuit vehicle. The decision was logical given that its current favorite, the Chevrolet Impala, is front wheel drive and that new competition is coming from Carbon Motors, an upstart Indiana automaker and soon to be builder of a turbocharged rear wheel drive diesel-powered police car built from the ground up for law enforcement personnel.

But Carbon Motors isn't the topic of discussion today. The 2011 Chevrolet Caprice is, so let's redirect our thoughts to this vehicle and all that it has to offer.

    * A robust 6.0-liter eight cylinder engine with fuel-saving technology and ethanol blend (E85) ability is expected to produce best in class 0-60 times of under six seconds and top speed. Starting with the 2012 model year a V6 will be available.

    * Available side curtain air bags for front seat riders provides full-width rear-seat barrier for improved security personnel safety.

    * A pair of trunk-mounted batteries; one battery is used exclusively to power select security equipment.

    * The upper-center area of the dashboard is designed to be used for equipment mounting; airbag deployment interference is not a concern.

    * Computer technology, in the form of in-dash touch-screen equipment can be implemented.

    * Specially designed front seats take into consideration the comfort and safety of security personnel with consideration given for their security belt.

The Chevrolet Caprice PPV sits on a 118.5-inch wheelbase and has more interior room than the Ford Crown Victoria including an additional four inches of rear legroom. With 18 cubic feet of trunk storage, a full-sized spare can lay flat beneath the surface of the trunk.

Alas, this vehicle will not be available for citizen use, not at least when it is new. Wait a few years and you'll be able to bid on one - at the government auction!