(Australian) Holden's American cop cars ready to roll

Adelaide Advertiser ^ | 15th July 2010 | Neil McDonald

[naturalman1975]

ORDERS are now being taken in the US for the export police version of the Holden Statesman.

General Motors' Fleet and Commercial division has released a brochure detailing the specifications of the Statesman, which will be called the Chevrolet Caprice.

Two police packages will be available, a Caprice "black and white" patrol car and a "detective" police package version.

Among the options are hard-wearing vinyl seats and floors, and "stealth" mode lighting.

Both cars are powered by a 6.0-litre V8, also used by the Holden Statesman and Caprice.

For their US police applications, each gets beefed-up electrical systems and optional remote start function.

[naturalman1975]

[mamelukesabre]

When police forces turn military(as in swat gear and vehicles unavailable to the general public) we are no longer free citizens

[norton]

But...
Are they 'green'?

Watch for federal agencies and compliant LEO to find their way to the new "Caprice" and away from the time honored Ford alternative.

[norton]

PS, not swatting at Holden, they’re good cars and the Austrailian version of NASCAR is pretty good stuff as well.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Ya, but... this vehicle, formerly available in the U.S. as a Pontiac G8, is no longer available because Pontiac went bye-bye.

[Hammerhead]

Tell that to the Taliban or the American Revolutionary.

All this newfangled stuff still is no match for the pocket .22, road side bomb, molotav cocktail, and the hit-and-run (or shoot and scoot.)

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Ha...a police package vehicle just means it has a divider and hookups for lights and siren, oversized cooling system and some other b.s. like a hard plastic seat to hose out puke and blood.

It’s not some super secret car...it just comes with some stuff that a normal consumer would not want.

[Yardstick]

It’s got a V8, but is it rear wheel drive? A cop car isn’t really a cop car unless it’s rear wheel drive.

[Hammerhead]

Its more like them trying to protect themselves from the independent spirit.

Ok,...back to my reality TV! : )

[J Edgar]

And Ford gave this market away by canceling the Crown Vic, instead of upgrading, and modernizing!

[RegulatorCountry]

I suppose I understand the practicality of putting this already-federalized Holden, formerly badged a Pontiac, under the Chevrolet brand for fleet sales to police forces, but it’s such a waste. It’s a beautiful car, with a great engine, and does not belong in the entry level GM line.

It should be further upscale, as it was to an extent as the G8. All that’s left would be Buick and Cadillac. Doesn’t really fit Cadillac, so there you go, the new Grand National.

[bigbob]

What the hell? We’ve got to import even our cop cars now???

[RegulatorCountry]

It’s rear wheel drive. Australians are very picky about the look and drivetrain of their cars and “utes” which are basically an El Camino car/truck hybrid very popular there. Both this Holden and the Australian Ford Falcon, a fairly similar vehicle, are V-8 and RWD.

[Yardstick]

[max americana]

Bummer.....I thought Aussies had those cool cop cars used in Mad Max.

[Yardstick]

It’s rear wheel drive. Australians are very picky about the look and drivetrain of their cars and “utes” which are basically an El Camino car/truck hybrid very popular there. Both this Holden and the Australian Ford Falcon, a fairly similar vehicle, are V-8 and RWD.

Cool, glad to hear it.

[WOBBLY BOB]

http://www.aussiecoupes.com/max.html

[Crim]

My thoughts exactly...at least my local PD is buying charger cruisers and ford paddywagons...

[Crim]

73 XB Ford falcon

[Chode]

rear wheel drive, yes???

[Dagnabitt]

RWD

[truthguy]

Holden is part of GM family and this car was sold as Pontiac G8. Everything I read about this car was outstanding. It could compete with anything BMW or Audi or anyone else had. It was also cheaper. The Aussies did a whale of a job on this vehicle. The only problem was that the V8 was pretty lousy on gas mileage. The police who drove these cars absolutely loved them. They loved them so much that some of them hated to drive their own vehicles and a few went out and bought these cars for their own.

I've never driven one but a friend of mine has and he told me they were nothing short of spectacular. He said driving one was almost as much fun as driving a Corvette.

[Josh Painter]

“And Ford gave this market away by canceling the Crown Vic, instead of upgrading, and modernizing!”
______________________________________

Like hell it did!

2012 Taurus Police Interceptor with full SHO powertrain including 365-hp twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 and all-wheel-drive. And no, it’s not just a SHO with a divider and a light bar:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/police-interceptor-ford-unveiled/

[jimt]

2012 Taurus Police Interceptor with full SHO powertrain including 365-hp twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 and all-wheel-drive. And no, it’s not just a SHO with a divider and a light bar:

It's quite heavy. And its main competitor now is the Dodge Charger police unit, which is becoming very popular as a police vehicle with its 5.7 liter Hemi and rear wheel drive.

[J Edgar]

” ... At a private fleet sales event in Las Vegas today, Ford finally took the wraps off a new generation Police Interceptor model based on the 2010 Taurus. The new car has big shoes to fill as the Crown Vic has accounted for 70 percent of all police vehicle sales over the past five years. Read on for more on the new Police Interceptor ...”

My point proven: ... based on 2010 Taurus, ready for 2012 ...
Thanks, and I love my Crown Vic, and I’m pissed it is no longer in production.