The Zeta Is Officially Back

[P71_CrownVic]

 

 

Well, it's official. General Motors has resurrected the Australian-built Zeta sedan for North America, only this time around, it's just for the cops. Set to arrive in your local muni's police fleet in 2011 is the Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle (PPV). First thing's first: it is not the Holden Commodore, a.k.a. Pontiac G8 (rest in peace). It's a left-hand-drive version of the long-wheelbase, Zeta-platform Holden Caprice/Statesman. Many of you already know that this car is also sold in the Middle East as, you guessed it, the Chevy Caprice. Also, as had been rumored – you can't buy one. It's a fleet special only, and we can envision fistfights breaking out over these at police auctions in a few years.

 

The Caprice Cop Special gets an E85-compatible 6.0-liter V8 dishing out 355 horsepower and 385 lb/ft of torque, and as you'd expect, the engine's duly ruggedized for police duty with oil, transmission and power steering coolers, along with a heavy duty alternator. And yes, the brakes and suspension are uprated. Cue the Elwood Blues litany whenever you're ready.

 

Inside, it's obviously outfitted with all the toys, including seats designed to accommodate officers' gun/equipment belts, a front-seat computer, and all the other stuff you'd expect to find in a police car. And since the fuzzmobile's based on the LWB sedan, there's plenty of room in back for you to relax should you find yourself involuntarily sampling the rear passenger seating. Actually, with your hands locked up behind your back, it probably won't be that comfy after all. Check out more photos of the Caprice PPV in the gallery below.

 

LINK_Autoblog

 

GM just took back the LE market.

[90454SS]

Good news! My 9c1 got recently totaled and I'm looking for another. By the time I use this next one up, I'll try for the 2011. Thanks!

[99silveradoz71]

Hmm, with the rumors going the last few years that Ford is dumping the Vic, this could make things interesting

[HawkeyeOC]

"it's a modern, full-size, rear-drive sedan that will offer both V-8 and V-6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features."

 

I almost fell off my chair and had a heart attack reading that statement

 

Police at least around here like the rear wheel drive. We see few Impalas here in California and just started seeing Dodges in bigger quantities. Now this!

[P71_CrownVic]

We need some pics:

 

 

 

I'll take one of these:

 

 

With a side of this:

 

 

LS V8 and RWD...the way GOD intended it.

[LawmanSS]

It seems that some of the rumors about a Chevy Caprice are true...just not for the general public:

 

2011 Caprice PPV

[MS3DALE]

Man thats S W E E T!!

[MS3DALE]

Heres some more info......

 

The following announcement is for the Chevy Police Car that is now being made available to Law Enforcement Only. This is not available for retail sales.

 

For release: Oct. 5, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EDT

 

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: ALL-NEW CHEVY CAPRICE POLICE CAR REPORTS FOR DUTY IN 2011

 

DENVER – An all-new Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) will join the ranks of law enforcement departments across North America in 2011. It’s a modern, full-size, rear-drive sedan that will offer both V-8 and V-6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features.

 

Chevrolet made the announcement at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police convention, in Denver, Colorado. The Caprice PPV will be available for ordering next year and will hit the streets in early 2011.

 

“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.”

 

Vice President, Global Chevrolet Brand Brent Dewar added, “Along with Impala and Tahoe, the Caprice PPV gives agencies a greater range of choices for police and special service vehicles that are all available from Chevrolet.”

 

Unlike other police cars on the market, the Caprice PPV is not based on existing “civilian” passenger-car model sold in North America. It has been developed in key areas specifically for police duty, containing modern equipment and features:

• Powerful 6.0L V-8 with fuel-saving Active Fuel Management technology and E85 capability delivers expected best-in-class 0-60 acceleration (sub six seconds) and top speed; a V-6 engine will also be offered, beginning in the 2012 model year

• Optional front-seat-only side curtain air bags allows a full-width rear-seat barrier for greater officer safety

• Two trunk-mounted batteries, with one of them dedicated to powering various police equipment

• Designed for five-passenger seating, meaning the upper-center section of the dashboard can be used for equipment mounting without the concern of air bag deployment interference

• Compatibility with in-dash touch-screen computer technology

• Special front seats designed for the long-term comfort of officers whose car is their effective office, including space that accommodates the bulk of a typical equipment belt

 

The front seats are sculpted to “pocket” the equipment belt, which greatly increases the comfort for a great range of police officer sizes. The foam density of the seatback and cushion insert surfaces are designed to conform to the shape of an equipment belt’s various items, too, allowing the officer’s back to rest properly on the seatback surface.

 

“The Chevrolet Caprice PPV’s seats represent a revolution in comfort and utility for officers who spend long hours in their car,” said Bob Demick, lead seat design manager. “The shape also enhances entry and egress, making it easier for officers to exit the vehicle quickly. The seatback bolsters, for example, have been purposefully contoured to help pocket the equipment on the belt, which includes the gun, Taser and handcuffs, which rest comfortably in the sculpted lower bolsters. That also increases the longevity of the trim cover surface.”

 

Along with comfort, the materials used in the seats were also carefully selected. High-wear materials were chosen to stand up to long hours of everyday use, while breathability, long-term durability and ease of cleaning were also important criteria.

 

Engineers worked on several iterations of the seat, testing a couple of versions in the field to get real-world feedback from police officers, who used prototype seats in their cruisers for a month. Their input helped determine the final design.

 

Class-leading space

The Caprice PPV is based on GM’s global rear-drive family of vehicles that also underpins the Chevy Camaro. It uses the longest wheelbase of the architecture – 118.5 inches (3,010 mm) – along with a four-wheel independent suspension that delivers responsive high-performance driving characteristics that are crucial in some police scenarios.

 

Caprice PPV’s long wheelbase also contributes to exceptional spaciousness. Compared to the primary competition, its advantages include:

• A larger interior volume – 112 cubic feet / 3,172 liters – than the Ford Crown Victoria, including nearly 4 inches (101 mm) more rear legroom

• The barrier between the front seat and rear seat is positioned farther rearward, allowing for full front-seat travel and greater recline for officer comfort

• At 18 cubic feet (535 liters) free space (beyond battery located in trunk), the Caprice’s trunk volume is large enough to accommodate a full-size spare tire under a flat load surface in the trunk storage area.

 

The Caprice’s 6.0-liter V-8 is rated at an estimated 355 horsepower (265 kW) with an estimated 384 lb-ft of torque. It is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission that is performance-calibrated for police duty. Additional, police car-specific powertrain and vehicle system features include:

• High-output alternator

• Engine oil, transmission and power steering coolers

• Standard 18-inch steel wheels with bolt-on center caps

• Large, four-wheel disc brakes with heavy-duty brake pads

• Heavy-duty suspension components

• Police-calibrated stability control system

• Driver information center in the instrument cluster with selectable speed tracking feature.

 

A host of complementary features are also offered, including special equipment packages such as spotlights; lockouts for the power windows and locks; and an “undercover” street-appearance package (9C3).

 

To enable more room for interior equipment, the standard radio can be relocated to the trunk, allowing for an in-dash, touch-screen computer to be used.

 

Caprice on patrol: A brief history

Chevrolet’s history with law enforcement is almost as old as the brand itself. Police departments have used Chevy sedans as police cars for decades, ordering them with basic equipment and powerful V-8 engines – including some special engines that weren’t available in regular-production models, such as the 1959 Biscayne that was offered with up to 315 horsepower.

 

The full-size Chevrolets joined the force in 1976. All Caprice police cars – including the new, 2011 model – have carried the 9C1 order code. Here’s a quick look back at Chevys on patrol:

1959 – Chevy Biscayne police model capable of 135 mph with specially tuned, police-only version of the 348-cubic-inch V-8 engine

1965 – The new “big-block” 396 engine is offered in Biscayne and Bel Air police cars, making them among the most powerful on patrol; a 427 V-8 was added in 1966

1976 – The 9C1 order code is given for the first time to a full-size Chevy police car package. It carries the Impala name.

1977 – The full-size Chevy is downsized. The 9C1 police package is retained, as is the Impala name.

1986 – The Caprice name replaces Impala, as the car is updated for the mid- and late-1980s – including the option of a powerful, 5.7-liter small-block V-8.

1991 – A new-generation Caprice is launched, with the 9C1 police car still on the beat.

1994 – The 260-horsepower (194 Nm) LT1 V-8 engine is offered in the Caprice 9C1, making it one of the fastest full-size police cars ever offered.

1996 – Caprice police car production ends, as GM’s full-size, body-on-frame car architecture is discontinued.

2011 – The Caprice PPV returns to active duty.

About Chevrolet and General Motors

Chevrolet is one of America 's best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that go from "gas-friendly to gas-free," Chevy has nine models that get 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers three hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and provides the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevrolet.com. For more information on the Volt, visit http://media.gm.com/volt/.

General Motors Company, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 219,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors Company acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors Company can be found at www.gm.com

[MS3DALE]

I should add that thats sweet AS LONG AS one isn't behind me with his lights on

OR...One comes up behind me at a high rate of speed,and proceeds to pass me on the right-hand side like I'm sitting still *COUGH*CHRIS*COUGH*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Silverado4x4]

I should add that thats sweet AS LONG AS one isn't behind me with his lights on

OR...One comes up behind me at a high rate of speed,and proceeds to pass me on the right-hand side like I'm sitting still *COUGH*CHRIS*COUGH*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You forgot viewing the interior from the back seat.

[LawmanSS]

I should add that thats sweet AS LONG AS one isn't behind me with his lights on

OR...One comes up behind me at a high rate of speed,and proceeds to pass me on the right-hand side like I'm sitting still *COUGH*CHRIS*COUGH*

 

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[snarkee]

looks sweet but it needs the colum shifter because the computer will be a PITA up there with no mounted keyboard

[MS3DALE]

I should add that thats sweet AS LONG AS one isn't behind me with his lights on

OR...One comes up behind me at a high rate of speed,and proceeds to pass me on the right-hand side like I'm sitting still *COUGH*CHRIS*COUGH*

 

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

 

 

Right...Your just lucky I was in my little slow Saturn,and not my Black Bear tuned truck

[marine_devildog801]

This one is better..http://www.carbonmotors.com/

 

Forced Induction Diesel...250 hp and 400tq

 

THE only true police car.

 

 

 

 

[04silverado1500]

Why! just let the car go out with some dignity....AND if your going to make a caprice you BETTER make it available to the public. It is such and unfortunate world we live in and they finally were on track to getting cars right until they axed the G8. I'm frustrated!