Holden again impresses in US police tests

HOLDEN’S Caprice-based pursuit car has once again impressed in a batch of US law enforcement tests pitting the latest crop of police vehicles against one another.

The Chevrolet Caprice PPV – which took out equal line honours in the Los Angeles County police vehicle trials earlier this year alongside the Ford Taurus Interceptor – won several categories in tests conducted by the Michigan State police.

For the second consecutive year, the 6.0-litre V8-powered Chevrolet took out the 96km/h-zero braking test by coming to a dead halt in just over 38 metres – 1.2 metres less than its Ford Taurus Interceptor archrival.

Lead development engineer of the PPV James Soo said that this equates to an average deceleration rate of 30.77 feet (9.4 metres) per second, which is “unprecedented for police cruisers”.

“When we set out to develop the Caprice PPV, we received critical input from police officers around the nation and they told us they wanted a serious rear-drive performance cruiser,” he said.

The big Chevy also won the top-speed challenge by clocking 248km/h at the Grattan raceway outside Detroit, compared to 238km/h for the Ford.

The 3.6L V6-powered Caprice variant also performed strongly, topping the naturally aspirated Dodge Charger V6 and Taurus Interceptor V6 variant in the 96km/h-zero brake test, as well as top speed and acceleration.

As GoAuto reported in July, at least two North American police departments – Georgia and Iowa – have taken delivery of the Adelaide-built PPV after the first examples were delivered to the US in May.

General Motors said the sheriff of Georgia’s Forsyth County, Ted Paxton, committed to replacing his county’s fleet of about 175 vehicles with Caprice PPVs.

US website Jalopnik also reported in July that a Maryland car dealer had sold a small number of Holden’s Australian-made Chevrolet Caprice PPV local individuals, though GM has reportedly closed the legal loophole that made this possible.