Chevrolet to Re-enter the Police Car Market

Ford recently announced that it will discontinue production of the Crown Victoria, the predominant police patrol unit used by North American police departments.  Ford will be pushing the new Taurus model as a replacement for the Crown Vic. 

Discontinuation of production of the Crown Vic has created an opening for other car manufacturers to re-enter the police car market.  For several years Chrysler has been producing the Dodge Charger with a police package.

General Motors announced this week that it is planning to re-enter the police car market.  Prior to 1996 Chevrolet marketed the Caprice with a police package.  Since 1997 GM has touted the front wheel drive Chevrolet Impala as a viable police car.  It failed to gain wide acceptance with North American police departments.  Plans are underway to reintroduce the Caprice in 2011 as a police car for the North American market.  The new Caprice would be a rear wheel drive vehicle based on Gm’s Zeta architecture which is currently used in the Camaro and the Pontiac G8 models. 

The new Caprice will be available with V8 and V6 engines. 

According to GM, dealers will start taking orders in late 2010.