Chevrolet Trio Lead at Michigan State Police Tests

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Sep 21, 2011, 05:04 ET

GRATTAN, Mich., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Caprice PPV posts best-in-class top speed and best-in-class braking for second consecutive year
Impala PPV posts best-in-class top speed among all V-6 entrants at 150 mph
Tahoe PPV has segment-leading top speed and reduces stopping distance seven feet

Chevrolet has three good reasons for scofflaws to behave on the roads. Led by the 2012 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV), the brand's 2012 police lineup beat the competition at the recent Michigan State Police testing in Chelsea and Grattan, Mich.

"The results speak for themselves and prove why they're the best choice for law enforcement duty today," said Dana Hammer, manager, Law Enforcement Vehicles.

The Caprice PPV 6.0L V8 was best-in-class in the 60-0 mph braking test for the second straight year, with a 125.8 ft. stopping distance. That was four feet less than the Ford Police Interceptor Taurus AWD turbo.

"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," said James Soo, lead development engineer of the Caprice PPV. "The Caprice has been designed solely for the police officer who depends on performance and technology to get the job done."

Caprice also posted a best-in-class top speed for the second consecutive year increasing 6 mph to 154 mph compared to 148 mph for the Ford Police Interceptor Taurus AWD turbo.

"In terms of braking, an average deceleration rate of 30.77 feet per second is unprecedented for police cruisers, so we're quite pleased," Soo said.

The Caprice LFX 3.6L V-6 outperformed the naturally aspirated Dodge Charger V-6 and Ford Police Interceptor Taurus Sedan V-6 in 60-0 mph braking, top speed and acceleration.

The Impala, with its new LFX 3.6L V-6 engine, posted a best-in-class top speed of 150 mph – faster than any V-6 entrant. The Impala has an increase of more than 70 horsepower compared to last year. It topped all naturally aspirated V-6 entrants in acceleration and top speed.

At 150 mph, the naturally aspirated Impala posted a higher top speed than the Ford Police Interceptor Taurus AWD twin-turbo V-6.

"We increased the 2012 Impala's power significantly, so it was a wolf in sheep's clothing and surprised quite a few agencies," Hammer said. "We did this while not sacrificing the safety performance or fuel efficiency of the vehicle."

The Impala PPV improved in the MSP 60 to 0 braking test by seven feet compared to 2010, and delivers 28 mpg highway, a 4 mpg improvement over the 2011 model.

The Tahoe PPV, the first and only traditional SUV designed for police use, achieved segment-leading top speed at 139 mph and reduced its stopping distance by seven feet compared to its 2011 model.

"With the Tahoe PPV, police officers get their cake and can eat it too," Hammer said. "It not only delivers top performance efficiently, but does so with best-in-class cargo capacity."

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SOURCE General Motors