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Detroit, 8:56 AM
Thu Dec 10
26 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/05/09
Crown Vic: $$
Charger: $$$
Caprice: $$$$
10/05/09
AMERICA*, FUCK YEAH
*Australia, thank you
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What I don't understand are the following points:
--How does it make sense to have a fleet only car that is superior in essentially every way to the "retail" full size product offering that Chevy is selling, the lame, lame, missing-link-aged Impala?
--When are they going to replace the Impala, and with what? Another badge-engineered version of the Lacrosse?
--When they were talking about using G8s, I thought, OK, yeah, it's already been federalized so why not? But this thing has an entirely new drivetrain and new bodyshell.
I don't know. I am sure that GM has carefully studied the business case, and that it makes sense. After all, they haven't been wrong about anything like this before.
10/05/09
1&2) The Impala currently on sale is not long for this world; my understanding is that it is going to be replaced in two years with a LWB version of the Epsilon II platform. At that point, if the current GM product trend continues, the new Impala won't be particularly inferior, just aimed a little differently.
3) It is my understanding that every car based on the Zeta platform has been federalized, whether or not it is sold here. The simple fact is that the US has the toughest vehicle standards, and if the vehicles pass US standards, they can pretty much be sold everywhere.
Alternatively, though I think less likely, it may be that if the vehicle is intended solely for government use, then it may be exempt from the standards.
10/05/09
A LWB version of the Epsilon II makes sense, assuming, of course, that it doesn't end up like many GM products being insufficiently distinguishable from its platform-mates (really, is there a reason for the Acadia and the Traverse to be different products? At least the Outlook is going away.) OTOH, two years is two years--given GM's current health, two years with an uncompetitive place-holder product is an awfully long time, especially considering that a new "Impala" based on the G8 could have been sitting on dealer lots right now, with the LWB Statesman to follow as the Caprice.
EDIT: And as far as CAFE, if only GM had some sort of hybrid system that they could use with their big V8 RWD drivetrain. Some sort of system that had more than one mode, but less than three. Man, that could come in handy both in fleet use and in retail sales.
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Ray we need details. Will this be as hard to get from the dealership as a Police Interceptor Crown Vic (not too hard) or as hard to get as a full mil-spec Hummer H1 (impossible)? These are details we need to know before incorporating Jalopnik Security Services for the sole purpose of purchasing "Patrol Vehicles" for our independent contractor agents.
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Did the funds from Jalopnik Gold kick in?
Or was it the Nigerian Prince that is funding this endeavor?
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[www.americanpolicegroup.com]
Eagles. And lots of them. Some with several heads.
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Huzzah!
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We need to get Maximum Bob doing a Maximum burnout in this Maximum cop car, on this Maximum Caprice Day.
10/05/09
I prefer the meaner black with white doors look
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Now I'll have to train myself to recognize another set of lights in the dark. Crown Vics and Chargers are easy, but I get the feeling that this thing will be able to sneak up on me pretty damn easily.
On the other hand, the CHP needs something new since the loss of the Camaros.
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The Crown Vics are easy from the front. Unlike most other cars that have their orange indicator lights on the outside end of the headlights, the Crown Vics have them on the inside end of their headlights, as do their Mercury cousins. The taillights are also somewhat unique, though I will admit that at a half-mile distance, I have difficulty telling the difference between Crown Vics and previous-gen Altimas/Maximas.
This thing, though, I can see myself mistaking for any number of cars.
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That should be a dead give away in the dark, while the chrome-barred grille with Chevy bowtie should be the give away during the day. The taillights, though, are going to be a pain in the ass.
As for the Accord, I never noticed that. I haven't seen too many of them around, interestingly enough, though if the headlights are slanted and have the parking lights on the inside end, then that may be a tell, as the inside parking lights are unique to the Crown Vics, and the slanting headlights are unique to the Charger. It would be tough to tell from a distance, though.
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[image.motortrend.com]
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I'm pleased it will be police-only...makes them easier to spot. However, five years after they're pressed into service, you'll see those who typically ride in the back seat driving them.
I see future Caminoized versions of this coming stateside.
/hopeless romantic
10/05/09
Not too hard finding deserted sections of Detroit to shoot the promo video, I notice.
A big V8 doesn't have to be as thirsty as everyone is assuming it must be. With cylinder deactivation, it'll probably be in line with what current models deliver.
I'm waiting for Ford to discover the Taurus has become gigantic, and with the addition of the big Ecoboost V6, a rare combination of somewhat thrifty and downright thrusty. When that happens, we may see the Panther finally die off.
10/05/09