Commodore Cop Cars for US...

[Chilliman]

I'll make a 'bold' prediction for what its worth: Commodore Cop car for the USA - not going to happen, unless its built in North America.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Texas f-150

the most riduculos part is that they didnt axe buick or oldsmobile

I thought Oldsmobile was axed about 10 years ago?

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by EgoFG

So ... 'Grinded to a halt' ... quality article that - not even a spell check, wonder if there was a fact check ?

awww cheer up little kid. One day there will be articles written about how the great the falcon would be for america. Unfortunately you will be six feet under before that happens lol.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by ray38l

awww cheer up little kid. One day there will be articles written about how the great the falcon would be for america. Unfortunately you will be six feet under before that happens lol.

Crawl back under your bridge troll. :

[ray38l]

ouch!!!!
The truth must hurt

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by ray38l

ouch!!!!
The truth must hurt

Says the Holden fanatic who wants 13k for an old VT.

:

[Texas f-150]

no your right oldsmobile got axed for the 04 model year, but buick is still filling the need for old blue hairs, they could have easily just sold a chevy caprice or revised the pontiac bonnoville to fill the large sedan void and spent the money to revive pontiac, but o well our whole country is out sourced any way so an "american" car built in canada by chinese workers with parts made in mexico would not have done much to revive the american car industry any way. Id rather have them built in australia anyway, then we might have a chance at getting a rwd v8 car instead of the "chevrolet" camrys we basically have been pumping out lately.

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

I'll make a 'bold' prediction for what its worth: Commodore Cop car for the USA - not going to happen, unless its built in North America.

Why does it have be built in America? 40,000 units seems like a lot to us but it is too small a number for US factories to "gear down for" besides they already run American Chevy drive trains and if you want to get pedantic, Crown Victorias are not built in the US either!

With a population of roughly the same as Australia, Canada is set up for smaller niche markets as well so Australia can learn a lot from this. Niche marketing will be Australia's greatest strength on the world stage especially in the auto manufacturing sector in the future imho and is exactly where Ford Aus should be steering too.

Originally Posted by Texas f-150

the most riduculos part is that they didnt axe buick or oldsmobile

As already mentioned, Oldsmobile is long gone. But Buick may not be the auto icon in America now that it once was but if you have ever been to China you will see Buicks everywhere today. They are the preferred American marque along with VW/Audi representing the Europeans in China. GM would be crazy to axe Buick now because the Chinese market is only at the bottom of its auto growth cycle now.

[burnz]

buick is axed.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by peachey80

I wasn't the best in english at school...... but how is supposed to be spelt ? :

Either way it seems. Grinded seems to be popping up in US sports speak .... swallowed an old Oxford dictionary.

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by burnz

buick is axed.

:When?

[burnz]

Originally Posted by Bud Bud

:When?

last month, chev and caddy (detoit/allison-cadillac)
is all that is left in the usa.

[burnz]

correction GM world as of 2009 restructure.


Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo
GMC, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall

so only four in usa

[Road_Warrior]

I was going to say, Buick was never considered for axing because of it's mid-level brand status and its huge China market...

[Texas f-150]

once again we depend on china to survive, hooray for the usa....

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Says the Holden fanatic who wants 13k for an old VT.

:

Yeah funny that, i ended up selling it for $12800. Only $200 less then i was asking. :

[irish2]

Originally Posted by ray38l

Yeah funny that, i ended up selling it for $12800. Only $200 less then i was asking. :

A sucker is born evey minute.

[BOSS_260]

Would the Commodore stand up the the punishment of being a US cop car?

[eb2fairmont]

It does here. But it wont get up for the simple fact that panels etc are stamped here and shipped there.

American forces are much more open to using the car to ram. So if they're waiting for parts then the car isn't on the road earning its keep.

[irlewy86]

Originally Posted by eb2fairmont

It does here. But it wont get up for the simple fact that panels etc are stamped here and shipped there.

American forces are much more open to using the car to ram. So if they're waiting for parts then the car isn't on the road earning its keep.

There are something like 3000 odd Christmas trees floating around the US so I don't think parts availability will be a problem

[R-Design]

Here we go again...

Originally Posted by CarPoint

GM product honcho Tom Stephens doesn't rule out a return to the US for Commodore

Pontiac was already on death row, unofficially, when GM applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy status earlier this year. The Commodore-based Pontiac G8 model, built in Holden's Elizabeth plant was generally written off as the right model for precisely the wrong economic climate -- and that car was one of Pontiac's better offerings.

So it was a fair assumption that there would be no great outcry from enthusiasts that the G8 should be revived. But something happened right in the midst of the worst global financial meltdown since the Great Depression. G8 sales began to climb.

Even before the official announcement that Pontiac was dead, dealers were offering retail incentives on the Australian-built rear-drive sedan and sales were picking up.

There's a school of thought that the sales improvement resulted from rumours that Pontiac would be canned, so buyers were getting their hands on the 'collectible' G8 while they could -- and the discounted pricing just cemented the car's appeal in the minds of the American buying public.

It's still possible to buy a G8 from a Pontiac dealer, but obtaining specific colours and specifications is a matter of 'pot luck'. As for the high-performance GXP model, American consumers have the proverbial snowball's chance in hell at this stage.

So it's not altogether a surprise that US enthusiasts are demanding the G8 be revived in some form or another -- one idea floated the car being a Chevrolet Impala SS. This indeed was the very prospect put forward by industry commentator John McElroy, of online media outlet Autoline Detroit, in an interesting Q&A session with Tom Stephens a couple of days ago.

Stephens, the man who effectively replaced Bob Lutz in the product development chair at GM, is officially the Vice Chairman of Global Product Development. For the interview, Stephens and McElroy were joined by Wall Street Journalist John Stoll and former Car & Driver Editor, Csaba Csere.

Stephens' response to McElroy's questioning on the subject of the G8 commences from 38:45 in the video file -- see link below. He is careful in his choice of words -- probably having taken heed of the swift but sure response from Fritz Henderson to Bob Lutz pushing the Commodore barrow a bit too hard -- but it does appear that the Commodore may yet return to the US market, although McElroy's suggestion that it be built at the same plant in Oshawa, Canada, where the Camaro is built won't be welcomed by Holden management.

In the interview, Stephens also discussed the Camaro -- which has been largely developed by Holden engineers for the North American markets -- as well as other subjects including the 1.4-litre turbo engine rumoured for Cruze and Natural Gas as an alternative fuel.

http://www.carpoint.com.au/news/2009...e-agenda-16807

[Sprint XR8]

Holdens G8 To Become Chevrolet Caprice For US Police. Reports Firm Up Speculation
Oct 5th, 2009
ACCORDING TO respected US Automotive news site, Automotive News, Chevrolet is expected to today announce plans that it will offer a rear-drive police car – one likely based on the Pontiac G8.
The strategy is expected to be outlined at the US International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Denver today (Australian time).
This is certain to be welcome news for Holden, the G8 program is scheduled to come to an end at the end of this year.
TMR will post a comment from Holden as soon as a spokesman can be contacted.
Of course, the news is not entirely unexpected. Vice Chairman of GM US, Bob Lutz, a strong supporter of both the Commodore-based G8 and the Camaro, mentioned months ago (reported on TMR) that he was looking for other opportunities for a Chevrolet-badged ‘G8’ following Pontiac’s demise.
Reports soon followed – at the time denied by GM – that the G8 would be resurrected as a dedicated police car, but badged as a Chevrolet Caprice.
The story began to gain credence last month when GM CEO Fritz Henderson told the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) that GM was working on a car for US police agencies, using a rear-drive sedan developed by Holden.
“We’ve been working on a package for police applications. I think that’s going to work,” Henderson told SMH.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/439...p-speculation/

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by CoupeXB

Holdens G8 To Become Chevrolet Caprice For US Police. Reports Firm Up Speculation
Oct 5th, 2009
ACCORDING TO respected US Automotive news site, Automotive News, Chevrolet is expected to today announce plans that it will offer a rear-drive police car – one likely based on the Pontiac G8.
The strategy is expected to be outlined at the US International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Denver today (Australian time).
This is certain to be welcome news for Holden, the G8 program is scheduled to come to an end at the end of this year.
TMR will post a comment from Holden as soon as a spokesman can be contacted.
Of course, the news is not entirely unexpected. Vice Chairman of GM US, Bob Lutz, a strong supporter of both the Commodore-based G8 and the Camaro, mentioned months ago (reported on TMR) that he was looking for other opportunities for a Chevrolet-badged ‘G8’ following Pontiac’s demise.
Reports soon followed – at the time denied by GM – that the G8 would be resurrected as a dedicated police car, but badged as a Chevrolet Caprice.
The story began to gain credence last month when GM CEO Fritz Henderson told the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) that GM was working on a car for US police agencies, using a rear-drive sedan developed by Holden.
“We’ve been working on a package for police applications. I think that’s going to work,” Henderson told SMH.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/439...p-speculation/

I think it is inevitable that the US gov would take on a GM product as they basically own a large chunk of the company anyway, which means if GM reduces its debt to the US gov, are they going to pass the returns on to GMH if the vehicles are built in Australia, i doubt it. Like the old saying goes, taking from peter to pay paul, they will just pass the debt onto GMH Australia. The only way to make the Commodore for the police is if GM take VE platform jigs to the states & make them there, then they will keep there debt there.

[jasjul]

The Motor Report site has been updated, US police car confirmed and will be based on Statesman body, lacking a lot of fluff, but with lots of police goodies.

[Wally]

Aren't GM already offering the Statesman as a cop car?

[Sprint XR8]

Holden Statesman Based Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle Confirmed
FOLLOWING REPORTS TODAY that the Holden Commodore-based Pontiac G8 might be reborn as a law-enforcement-only vehicle, GM has revealed the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV), based on the Holden Statesman.

Announced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Colorado, the Caprice PPV will be available next year, with patrol use expected to begin in early 2011.

Rather than repurposing the Holden Commodore-based platform of the retired Pontiac G8, GM has built the Caprice PPV on the longer version of the Zeta platform which underpins the Holden Ute and Statesman.

The 2011 Chevrolet Caprice PPV is powered by a 6.0 litre LS2 V8 engine developing 265kW and 520Nm of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

By comparison, Dodge’s law enforcement version of the Charger develops 253kW, and the outgoing Ford Crown Victoria produces a significantly tamer 187kW.

GM says the Caprice PPV will reach 60pm (96km/h) in under six seconds.

A V6-powered version is expected in 2012.

At 3001mm, the Caprice’s lengthened platform sits right between the Crown Victoria’s 2913mm and the Caprice PPV’s Dodge opponent, the 3048mm Charger.

“The new Chevrolet Caprice police car is the right tool at the right time for law enforcement,” Jim Campbell, general manager for GM Fleet and Commercial Operations said.

“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.”
As a law enforcement vehicle, the Caprice PPV will get a full range of police-specific equipment, along with 18-inch steel wheels and heavy-duty four-wheel independent suspension.

Other police-specific mechanical equipment includes a high-output alternator and engine oil, transmission and power steering coolers.

A “police-calibrated stability control system” will feature in the Caprice PPV’s equipment list.

Ensuring the Caprice PPV gives away nothing to the legendary Crown Victoria, the new Chevy police car will offer significantly greater interior space, including an 100mm of leg space in the rear.

Other features include:

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
No word has been given on whether Holden will play a role in manufacturing and supplying the Statesman-based Caprice PPVs to Chevrolet. TMR will post a comment from Holden as soon as a spokesman can be contacted.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/440...cle-confirmed/

[Sprint XR8]

Caprice for Police: GM Unveils Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle

The police will be getting a Caprice -- the all-new Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle.

As expected, General Motors today unveiled a new police car application in an effort to help the automaker gain a greater share of a market that's in flux with the future of Ford's Crown Victoria in question.

With its new Caprice, which was unveiled at the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention, GM will be joining a field includes the Dodge Charger version and the coming Carbon Motors E7. GM also offers Chevrolet Impala and Tahoe police models.

The Caprice is underpinned by an extended version of the Australian-sourced, global rear drive platform with four wheel independent that's also shared with the Camaro. It will be powered a 355-hp version of GM's 6.0L V-8
Set to start patrolling U.S. streets by early 2011, GM says the Caprice has several features that help set it apart from the Crown Victoria. The automaker also says it solicited police feedback to help create the specialized features for the vehicle.

At this point, it's unclear where the Caprice will be built, but best guess would be either Australia or Canada, where the Camaro is produced. Of course, this also opens the door for a return of a rear-drive Caprice to Chevrolet showrooms, but don't hold your breath.

For more, check out GM's official press release below:

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.
http://wot.motortrend.com/6565549/au...cle/index.html

[Smoke Pursuit]

Shame he wouldnt buy some Gillettes®

[Bossxr8]

18 inch steelies?

Might be the next fully sick option to put on the back of VE's for all those fully hecktic drift kings. :

Looks like Ford are putting the new Taurus up as their replacement for the Crown Vic. Obviously have their heads so far up their own a55es to realise that the Falcon would kill it as a cop car. Stubborn priks.

[Bobman]

Yeah, the FG XR6Ts would have been perfect for the role over there.

Not sold on the large wheel base for a police type role.