Click "next" to follow along with the modern history of the special package Chevy police vehicles and finish up our "Maximum Caprice Day" coverage.

Photo Credit: AV8Pix

1959 Chevy Biscayne Introduced
The Chevy Biscayne sets a new standard for law enforcement vehicles with the specially-tuned policy-only version with a 348-cubic-inch V8 capable of propelling the car to a then impressive 135 MPH.

1965 Chevy Big-Block
As police officers get used to high power Chevy offers a "big-block" 396 V8 in both Biscayne and Bel Air police cars, making them the most powerful patrol cars at the time. A year later they added a 427 V8.

Photo Credit: IMCDB

1976 Sees Introduction Of The 9C1
Just as the average buyer could check the Z28 box to make their bow-tied sedan into something with a bit more power, the 9C1 code is introduced for the first as a full-size police car package.

1977 Chevy Impala 9C1
The effects of the oil embargo even impacts the police packages and the Impala is downsized, but the 9C1 code remains.

Photo Credit: IMCDB</em.

1986 Caprice Introduced As Impala Replacement
The Impala nameplate would have to wait for a few years as the Impala is replaced with the Caprice. Coming along with the badge is a 5.7-liter small block V8.

Photo Credit: IMCDB

1991 New Generation Caprice
A new generation Caprice is introduced, including a sweet wagon version.

Photo Credit: IMCDB

1994 LT1 V8 Introduced For Caprice
The LT1 V8 makes its first appearance in the Caprice 9C1 making it one of the fastest police cars ever.

Photo Credit: CarDomain

1996 Caprice Ends
The last 9C1 Caprice rolls off the assembly line.

Photo Credit: MSOE.edu

2000 Impala Police Car Introduced
The FWD Impalas were a dull replacement for the rough-and-tumble body-on-frame Caprices.

2011 Caprice Returns
Yeah! A new 2011 Chevy Caprice PPV with promised best-in-class performance and tougher looks is around the corner.

Click "next" to get the low-down on the five-oh in the 9C1s

Movie: Nothing To Lose
Year: 1997
Type: 1990 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: Oh man, Martin Lawrence movies. This is a classic 9C1 done up in a fake highway patrol livery. Given the movie is supposed to be contemporaneous in 1996 it's a little questionable that this vehicle would still be in service in this great condition, though we've seen local sheriffs drive in older cars.

Movie: The Bone Collector
Year: 1999
Type: 1992 Chevrolet Caprice SSV K-9 Unit
Role: Carrying police officers and K9 unit to the scene of the crime. We love wagons, and the SSV wagons were popular with police forces for non-patrol units such as K9 (seen here), special investigations, and special traffic duty.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: Groundhog Day
Year: 1993
Type: 1980 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: The police chief uses it to chase down a suicidal Billy Murray/Groundhog combination. This is once again another example of older Caprices being limited to small town duty. There's something iconic

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: 2 Fast 2 Furious
Year: 2003
Type: 1995 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: Chasing those 2 bad 2 be stopped guys, the 9C1 typically manages to keep up with even the most hopped-up rides in films. Because this is a 1995, we assume it has LT1 V8 power and thus is able to blow the doors off your average Honda Civic.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: The Matrix Reloaded
Year: 2003
Type: 1995 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: Attempting to kill Neo. There were so many GM vehicles in this movie you knew you weren't going to see a Crown Vic. There's also something decidedly more sinister about the 9C1.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: Bad Boys II
Year: 2003
Type: 1994 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: Getting smashed up as the bad guys, not to be confused with the bad boys, who are tossing cars off a transporter! May God help you if you're a police officer in a Michael Bay film because he has a penchant for crushing Caprices.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
Year: 1996
Type: 1993 (we think) Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: Why do we love Mike Judge? The intricacy of the animation and the attention to detail. When Hank Hill moved up from a Ranger to an F-Series Super Duty we all noticed. And we noticed when the cops in the standoff had Caprices.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: Tommy Boy
Year: 1995
Type: 1993 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: "Bees! Bees! Bees in the car! Bees everywhere! God, they're huge! They're ripping my flesh off! Run away, your firearms are useless against them!"

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: No Country For Old Men
Year: 2007
Type: 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
Role: One of the few films we feature using a Caprice during the early 1990s, the lighting package is ideal for a county police department in middle-of-nowhere Texas. Oh man, you don't want to know how this ends.

Credit: IMCDB.org

Movie: Black Sheep
Year: 1996
Type: 1987 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1
Role: "Well, I got a 426 hemi here, 3/4 cams, nitro boosters, I can get 'er up to as good as 155! Never do, though, of course, unless I'm chasing a cute chick in a Ferrari! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I guess I was goin' about... 65, tops." Of course, it's unlikely there is HEMI under there given it's a GM product, but who knows. Chris Farley is crazy.

Credit: IMCDB.org

From what we can see and what we're told in the press release, the folks at Australia's National Safety Agency (NSA) are collaborating with the LAPD, Holden and Chevy to show off an advanced integrated technology system with the new Chevy Caprice. The system will include:

*Large, purpose designed, multi-function, touch screen integrated into dashboard
*Intelligent power management system
*Consolidated user interface
*Automatic Licence Plate Recognition
*In-car video with live broadcast capability
*Advanced wireless connectivity
*Automatic and seamless CAD and computer system updates performed ‘on the fly' minimising down time and costly service calls
*Wireless vehicle telemetry fleet management system
*Forward looking infrared/night vision (FLIR) camera
*Fingerprint and facial recognition capability
*Virtual prisoner cell
*Latest high output low power LED lighting technology

While yes, the proposed Carbon Motors E7 would probably beat out the tech package from Chevy, the new Caprice is, you know, real. So take a look through the photos below of what appear to be two different packages and tell us what you see.

The one issue we had with the new Caprice was that it looked rather pedestrian — especially when compared to the menacing front end of a Dodge Charger. Well, in black, the Caprice actually looks pretty damn mean-looking. Take a look at that as well as the interior with its killer technology package that we'll be showcasing more on shortly.

Chevrolet plans to make the announcement of their new police cruiser today at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police convention, in Denver, Colorado. Because we asked, we've been given an exclusive look at the details of the new car they plan to begin taking orders on next year with cars set to hit the streets in early 2011.

Contrary to reports at the end of last week by a number of auto outlets, we're now able to exclusively report GM's new police cruiser brings back the old Chevy Caprice name. It also will not be a re-badged Pontiac G8 sedan. Instead, the new Chevy uses the longest wheelbase version of the Zeta platform — 118.5" — making it almost four inches longer than the 114.7" wheelbase Pontiac G8 sedan. If that bigger-than-G8 number sounds familiar, it should — it's the same length as the Holden VE Ute, the Holden Statesman and the Middle Eastern Chevy Caprice and...drum roll, please...the Pontiac "El Camino" G8 ST. That's right folks, the new police car from Chevy is as close to the El Camino as we're coming here in the U.S. We'll give you a moment to clean up any coffee you've just spit up.

Done? Good, because there's more to the story. Chevy sounds like it's setting up the Caprice to not only meet the bar set by the police vehicle competition, but to blow it away. The long wheelbase Zeta-platformed Chevy sits right in the middle of the Ford Crown Vic's 114.7" wheelbase and the larger Dodge Charger's 120.0" wheelbase.

Under the hood, GM says the Caprice will have a 6.0-liter LS2 V8 engine rated at an estimated 355 HP and 384 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed auto transmission. Power output compares favorably to the 340 HP HEMI in the Dodge Charger police edition and absolutely blows away the Ford Crown Vic's 250 HP 4.6-liter V8.

We're told that bigger engine will deliver an expected best-in-class 0-to-60 time of under six seconds along with a similarly best-in-class top speed. But, for those forces uninterested in the super-sized 6.0-liter eight-cylinder engine, we're also told a V6 engine will be offered beginning in the 2012 model year.

The Caprice with both engine sizes will recieve the same police car-specific vehicle systems like high-output alternator and standard 18-inch steelies with bolt-on center caps and will ride on a heavy-duty four-wheel independent suspension and a "police-calibrated stability control system."

Chevy's cop competitive streak continues to the interior with optional compatibility available for in-dash, touch-screen computer technology (by relocating the standard radio to the trunk), two trunk-mounted batteries, with one of them dedicated to powering various police equipment and complimentary special packages such as spotlights; lockouts for the power windows and locks; and an "undercover" street-appearance package. Good luck with the "undercover" part considering there's no civilian version of the Caprice PPV.

Even the front seats have been sculpted to "pocket" an officer's equipment belt, with the foam density of the seatback and cushion insert surfaces designed to conform to the shape of an equipment belt's various items, allowing the officer's back to rest properly on the seatback surface. The barrier between the front seat and rear seat is also positioned farther rearward than the Charger or the Crown Vic, allowing for full front-seat travel and greater recline while officers take a highway-side siesta.

The new Caprice will also have significantly larger interior volume — 112 cubic feet — than the Ford Crown Victoria, including — thanks to the longer wheelbase — nearly 4 inches more rear legroom to help give handcuffed suspects a much more comfortable experience. The Caprice PPV's long wheelbase also gives it 18 cubic feet of free trunk volume. That's enough room for a full-size spare located under a flat load surface in the trunk storage area and any number of shotguns, RPGs and whatever other riot gear an officer feels like fitting into a trunk.

The new Caprice will not replace any current vehicle in the GM police vehicle fleet. Rather, it will join the Chevy Impala and the Chevy Tahoe in the bowtied brand's marked patrol vehicle lineup as a very high-powered member of GM's fraternity of police vehicles.

We can't wait to try out the driver's seat. Hopefully it'll be sometime before we try out the extra-large back seat.

Not what we drove, believe us. We had a great time at the Dream Cruise, but we didn't have a really great time getting there (or back!) because we drove Bumblebee/Phyllis/Edith, our bright yellow Camaro, and frankly most muscle cars are hell for long trips. Once we got back, dropped Phyllis/Edith/Optimus McBumblebee off, and cabbed it home, we realized the cabs were by far the comfiest yellow cars we'd ridden in all weekend. Which explains our first choice:

Chevy Caprice-or really any big American body-on-frame sedan

Occupants: Up to four down-to-earth friends with extensive cassette-tape collections

Attitude: Relaxed, with ample stops for gas-station souvenirs

Slouchy comfort is the strong suit here. You get big bench seats fore and aft to stretch out on, a sort of floaty wallowy comfort, and a huge trunk for storing enormous 256-ounce collector's drink mugs, petting-zoo T-shirts and silver naked-lady silhouettes. It's unquestionably American without being a grandiose flag-waving statement, and some of them are still mistaken for cop cars in many regions. A great car to use when the trip matters more than the destination, but the drive matters less than the trip, if you will.

Photo Credit: Geocities

Volkswagen Camper Van

Occupants: Two in comfort, but up to four with increasing probability of hippies occurring

Attitude: Face-first and wide-eyed into the eternal now of the North American continent, or other such pseudopoetics

The VW van is really a very serviceable little automobile, within its limits, but those limits are defined as much by metaphysics as physics. Something about its ambling rate of progress, its right-up-front driving position, and of course its heritage, all combine to make this car a spiritual pitfall. People have been known to become cut-rate Ken Keseys after a week traveling in one of these, which is too bad. They really are pleasant and functional little things to putt around in, if your tie-dye inoculation is up to date.

Photo Credit: Motivemag

Mercedes E-Class Wagon

Occupants: Married couple with 2.4 kids

Attitude: Don't Make Me Turn This Thing Around, You Spoiled Ungrateful Brats

The point here isn't Mercedes style or quality or comfort or any of that, though it's nice to have those conveniences and comforts as possible on a family vacation. Any wagon would work just fine here as long as it had, as the Merc does, the rear-facing bench seats for the wee 'uns. The backwards bench is plain awesome to ride in when you're a certain age (roughly 7-65) and your mean dad won't stop at the petting zoo. It's also a good barometer for judging the behavior of your little darlings. Just belt them in, give them some juice, and set out for the other coast. If a Peterbilt rear-ends you and kills you all stone dead, your children were hellions who have learned to give The Finger. If not, they're probably pretty good kids.

Photo Credit: Motorward

Mazda Miata

Occupants: One thoughtful loner or two people who are deeply and genuinely in love and have good nonverbal communications skills

Attitude: "I am just going outside and may be some time"

This is really the only hairshirt option on this list. Usually we love the Miata because of its balance and handling, but if you're the sort who can travel with a single big duffle bag and you're not limiting yourself to Interstates, the Miata is a brilliant tourer. The seats are good for moderately long stints, there's just enough weight that you don't get buffeted by trucks, and you can put speakers in the headrests so your music is audible over the wind noise, mostly. Believe us, driving through the mountains in a nimble convertible with the top down feels transcendent, like getting away with something. Of course, you'll become really familiar with American wheelcovers, and driving through a thunderstorm with the top up feels like spiralling down the Norway maelstrom in a tent, so there are tradeoffs.

Photo Credit: Automotive

Ford Bronco

Occupants: 1-3, plus huge dog with bandanna around its neck (not optional)

Attitude: Roads are nice, but not really necessary

Who wouldn't love a good old Bronc? It's the perfect cross-county ride for people who take the phrase literally. Plus you sit up nice and high, so you can see over bridge railings and the like, and you can roll the rear window down and feel rugged and raffish. And everyone loves them so you'll instantly make friends with the locals, especially when you stop to take snapshots of the petting zoo and your huge dog with the bandanna around its neck jumps out.

Photo Credit: flickr

Infiniti FX35

Occupants: Up to four adults with luggage or two with a darling credenza

Attitude: Before we leave, make sure all the NPR stations are pre-programmed in

There are some people who simply must have an SUV, so if you must, take this. It has the ride height to give you good views, it drives more or less like a car, it returns fair fuel economy, and it can even carry a few tasteful pieces back, for those who are too button-down for kitschy road-trip crap but aren't above a bit of modest antiquing. Just don't bring kids, who tend to leave unsightly smudges on the glass as you drone right past waterparks and petting zoos and giant roadside dinosaurs. Come to think, don't bring us either.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Cadillac Sedan DeVille, 1994-1999 models

Occupants: One.

Attitude: Stern, plus must be starting in upper Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest, or Upper Northeast, and be heading for Florida

This is a seriously comfy car: good leather, nicely done LED lights, arctic air conditioning, very smooth Northstar V8. God alone knows why they stopped making it, but it's no surprise because there hasn't been a sane day in this country since Eisenhower. Ashtray's really too small for the cigars, but that's why Christ created power windows. Damn if Rush doesn't sound like he's right in the car with you, and the music would sound okay too if it all didn't sound like some loon bangin' on a can anymore. How many more miles to Fort Lauderdale?

Photo Credit: picasa

Converted School Bus

Occupants: Up to 30, but who's counting?

Attitude: Either "Taking a year off to see a game in every great American ballpark" or "If it's really and truly terminal, this is better than a hospital bed."

Sometimes a transcontinental journey is both a specific goal and a way to say To Hell With Everything. In those cases, see of your local school district has a Bluebird they're not planning on using and go to town with whatever tools and batty ideas you have lying around. The example in our photo is a bit extreme, but you don't have to have a camper van welded to the top. Cutting off the roof aft of the wheel humps to make a porch works, as does adding alfresco seating in the middle section, as is installing a hang-glider launch ramp on the roof. Once you finally trundle it out there, just don't be in a hurry. Be willing to let "across the nation" become "around the nation." And watch for hippies.

Photo Credit: hackedgadgets

Acura NSX

Occupants: 1-2

Attitude: Understated, underappreciated, and well over the speed limit.

There may be better and faster grand-touring cars, but we just love this thing. Honda couldn't convince people their exotic really was an exotic, but we get it. Most know its reputation as a very balanced car, even with "only" 300 horsepower-less than the FX35. But it's also a supremely comfortable car, with some of the all-time great seats. It'll only hold two carry-ons in its "trunk," but you're not going camping in an NSX; have the coincierge send your clothes out to be cleaned and pressed while you take dinner. If we were to make a serious attempt at a fast but sane personal transcontinental record, this car would be hard to pass up.

Photo Credit: gotbroken

Mustang GT

Occupants: 1-3

Attitude: One man drives while the other men scream

We repeat: Muscle cars are terrible long-distance transportation. But if we had to pick one, it'd be the Mustang GT, with its combination of good outward visibility, ride quality, driver comfort, and survivable back seat room. If you have to play Third Cylon in a muscle car, as we did on our recent Detroit trip, this is the muscle car to do it in. But seriously, after the first gas stop, you'll be thinking about trading it in on a nice '94 Sedan DeVille.

But whatever you go in, go! We've given you the best states to drive across, discussed the worst, and now a list of vehicles and ideas. Now get out there on the road and make our country a great destination again. Those petting-zoo animals ain't gonna pet themselves!

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

OK, I have some late-breaking news for you from the world of GM, where things are indeed moving quickly, and what I'm about to say is proof.

In fact, we're moving so fast, we're going back in time to, oh, about four or five days ago, when the Pontiac G8 was going away and was not going to become a new Chevrolet Caprice.

And therein lies the news: The G8 will not be a Caprice after all. I'd mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too good to waste.

That's all still true. But I have to say that, with my new "marketing" hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today's market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be.

I know that we'll get a lot of complaints from G8 lovers, because I'm one of them. And the product guy in me is complaining as loudly as anyone. But the marketing guy says there's no case. With budgets being what they are for the time being, the resources must be allocated elsewhere.

In no way, and this is very important, in no way does this mean we are backing away from performance, or backing away from rear-wheel drive. Look no further for proof than the Corvette, the Camaro, the CTS or many other present and future Cadillacs. We have a strong lineup of RWD vehicles already and we will continue to have it.

And we have a tremendous RWD team in Australia that gave us the beloved G8, a team that we will tap into at some point again in the future for its expertise and sheet metal. Just not right now.

For those of you keeping score at home, that's New GM 1 and Fun GM 0. [via GM Fastlane Blog]

To summarize: CEO Fritz Henderson first says G8 GXP survival unlikely. Then, Lutz says it's coming back. Today we find out from AutoBlog that Fritz said yesterday:

We've been looking at it for police applications. As for whether or not it's broader than police applications, I am not a believer in re-branding and re-badging. We've been talking about in terms of potential police applications and we'll leave it at that."

It could be a long year if the "New GM" is going to be nothing but Lutz Said/Fritz Said. Either way, big G8 fans may at least be able to settle on retired police cars.

[AutoBlog]

No, unfortunately, it's not. But what it does mean is Lutz will have a greater say in product planning than sources had initially claimed.

"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet," Lutz said. "It is kind of too good to waste."

CEO Fritz Henderson has repeatedly denied that the G8 would survive as part of another brand, saying he's "not a fan of rebadging."

But Lutz, citing export agreements with Australia and the fact that the Holden Commodore is already sold in many countries as a Chevrolet, assured Automobile GM would not let the car die. Find out more over at Automobile Magazine.

Photo Credit: GM Press Photo

We've got a '69 Cadillac Sedan De Ville, a '66 Dodge Coronet 440 wagon, and a '68 Chevrolet Caprice sedan, all parked on or near the gritty Glascock Street in Oakland's Fruitvale district. These days, there's not so much grit in that neighborhood, as you can see in Google Street View (though the Googlemobile refused to drive down Glascock itself), but you still see some nice vintage iron parked in front of the condos and live/work lofts nowadays. I bought the legendary Hubert The Hatred Bug at a junkyard on Glascock, and the original Oakland Hell's Angels HQ, circa 1960, was just a few doors down.

It was truly a glorious weekend for Detroit at MSR; in addition to the Mustang domination of the race, a Saturn came in third. We also enjoyed the sight of such LeMons rarities as a Pontiac Grand Prix and an Eagle Talon.

Thanks to Myke Toman, Nick Pon, Zerin Dube and Speed:Sport:Life, Anna C of Bikini Racer, the Norwegian Slaabs, Saabs Gone Wild, Prison Break Racing, Team Beermer, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman, Jackson Williams, and others for their fine photographs. And now, the American cars of the 24 Hours Of LeMons Gator-O-Rama:

We saw this '73 Caprice last week and this '70 not long before that, but that means that now is an even better time to check out this '67.


The two-door hardtop 1967 Caprice sold for $3,078 new, which was a little over 600 bucks more than a Bel Air two-door. Unlike the Bel Air, which came with a 250-cube six as standard equipment, the V8 was included in the base Caprice. Cheapskates got the 283, which got the job done just fine… but why would a cheapskate be buying a fine luxury machine such as the Caprice? Smart Chevy shoppers sprang for an extra $316 and got the SS 427 package, which upgraded the horsepower from 195 to 385. Of course, what's a 427 without a Rock Crusher 4-speed? A bargain at $181!

We saw this 1970 Caprice last month, but prior to that it's been all Bel Airs and Impalas in the Alameda Full-Size Chevy-O-Rama. Let's make it two Caprices today! The Caprice was the most expensive and luxurious big Chevy for 1973, with a four-door hardtop like this one going for $4,064, or more than 800 bucks over the price of the base Bel Air sedan. You could even get one with a 454 big-block V8… which made just 245 horsepower (and, on the bright side, about 9 billion foot-pounds of torque at 3 RPM).


This car lives on the same block as the 1971 Datsun 240Z, and it has enough custom touches to indicate that the current owner thinks of the car as more than just basic (if thirsty) daily transportation.

OK, now let's take a look at the big Chevrolets of the 1960s and 1970s we've seen so far in this series. No wagons, just regular Bel Airs, Caprices, and Impalas. Then, vote for your favorite!

1965 was the peak year for big Chevy sales, but pretty close to a million 1970 model year Bel Airs, Caprices, and Impalas roared off the showroom floors. That's more than twice the number of Chevelles and three times the number of Novas that year; the Camaro wasn't even on the sales radar by comparison, with just under 120,000 being sold due to the midyear introduction of the "1970-1/2" models. The full-size models really were the face of Chevrolet during this period, though you'd never know that now by looking at the machinery at car shows and cruise nights.


This Caprice is certainly on the rough side, but it's still here and still getting the job done. We've seen two other 1970 full-size Chevrolets in this series- this pretty nice one and this terrifyingly evil one- but today's is the first one that still has emblems identifying the model. The previous two are probably Impalas, but we can't be sure.

Some of these may be familiar to you, thanks to our Top Car Commercials Of The 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s series a while back, but we've got plenty of lost classics as well. We had to be careful not to give you too much of a Camaro Overdose (the Camaro seems to be the most heavily advertised product ever hawked by The General), but we don't want anyone missing out on the heartbeat! Enjoy.

1980 Monte Carlo Turbo	1985 Corvette	1985 Camaro	1985 Celebrity Eurosport
1967 Camaro	1984 Sprint	1969 Impala	1955 Chevrolet Cars
1970 Nova	1970 Chevelle SS 396	1984 Camaro	1984 Cavalier
1982 Chevette	1977 Camaro Z/28	1985 Camaro IROC Z	1970 Caprice
1986 Camaro	1971 Vega Kammback	1969 Chevelle SS 396	1955 Chevrolet Engines