I happened to come across the results of Michigan State Police’s (MSP) results of tests of their 2005 vehicles. There is a lot of interesting items that came out of this:

*The Dodge Magnum (not the new Interceptor, which will be tested this fall) isn’t designed or intended as a pursuit vehicle. Yet, the 2wd Tahoe is.

*The Police Tahoe comes only with the 5.3 liter V8.

*The Crown Victoria is quicker in the vehicle dynamic’s testing than the Impala (so was the old Dodge Intrepid).

*Ford’s CV Interceptor comes in both a 3.27 & 3.55 axle ratios.

*The quickest accelerating Police car of 2005 is the Crown Victoria (w/3.55 ratio) at 8.15 seconds to 60 mph.

*The 2nd is the Tahoe 4wd at E85 8.19….. the 2wheel drive Tahoe is slower at 8.27 0-60.

*Impala does 8.76.

*The Crown Vic with the 3.55 axle does 119 mph. With the 3.27, it’s 128!

*Impy does 123, Magnum 119, the 4wd Tahoe is marginally faster than the 2wd at 125 & 124 respectivly.

*As great as the B-4-C Camaros were (147 ft @ 60 mph), they can be initially outstopped by 2wd Tahoes (145 ft), Magnums (144) and 2wd Expeditions (141 ft). However, B-4-Cs are consistant stoppers when hot, and actually stop better hot than cold. End result: B-4-Cs stop in an average of 141 feet. By comparison, 9-C-1 Impalas average 136 ft(!) 2wd Tahoes 144, Crown Vics 147, and Magnums 143.




A few B-4-C facts that I came across:

*California Highway Patrol (CHP) B4Cs have the SS exhaust system.

*All 2002 LS1 Camaros are speed limited to 159 mph, including B4Cs.

*B4Cs have Zexel-Torsen differentials, and unique trailing arms.

*B4Cs have 3.23 ration.

*Although 125 of 543 B4Cs had manual trannys, none are recorded delivered to actual Law Enforcement agencies.

*The alternators on B4Cs are different than standard issue Camaros, at least on the 2002s. They have the same output, but are more durable.

*All CHP ordered 2002 B4Cs have the single disc CD player (option #UN0) instead of the standard cassette stereos.

*B4Cs typically dyno as high as 2004 GTOs at 350 hp, despite being advertised at the lower end of 2002 LS1s at 310 hp.

*Law enforcement agencies have to disconnect GM’s (very poor idea IMO) un-defeatable automatic headlights.

*B4Cs with all law enforcement equipment (lights, road safety box, electronic equipment, radios, etc) do 0-60 in 5.7 seconds according to the MSP. Without this extra weight, they do it in 5.1 seconds (please don’t post any “yeah, but……” dribble. This is actual times.)

*The CHP bought 4th gen B4Cs only 1 year, 2002. It was a bulk order of 102 cars.

*Biggest problem with 2002 B4Cs? Transmission failure (not differential problems).

 

Bah! I defeated mine w/a paperclip

 

PART 2
Some FWD enthusiasts (or appologists) may wonder why FWD hasn't really caught on with law enforcement. Here's the story.

After minor front end collisions, Impalas (and other FWD vehicles used for law enforcement) are disabled after minor front end collisions. Also, encounters with curbs or potholes pretty much destroy the front suspension system, and cost far more tax dollars to repair than RWD vehicles (meaning the Crown Victoria).

Chevrolet has partially answered that by designing an engine cradle for the Impala that is engineered to withstand an "encounter with a 6" curb at 25 mph with damage only to the rim & tire.

Chevrolet Impala Police cars do have another weakness. There are more than a few situations where Impala's frame members crack during normal police use (and abuse). Chevrolet again has had to change the engineering of the Impala to answer this. They have changed the type of steel alloy used in these parts of the chassis, and have changed the front engine mounts and front springs to redistribute vertical road shocks.

Impalas, despite weighing 300 pounds less than a Crown Victoria, the Impala is consistantly slower than the Impy, typically by over half a second to 60 and 1 1/2 seconds to 100.

However, New York Police Department intends to eventially convert their entire fleet to Impalas because of the Chevy's high marks for it's engine, transmission, brakes, and urban handling in extreme use.

Highway patrols still demand the [i]high speed[/b] balence and handling dynamics of a RWD vehicle. The reason why Crown Vic has become the nation's police car & Chrysler's Magnum & Charger are muscling in.

 

Performance numbers be damned... I would still rather have an Impala just because of its handling feel. Anyone who has driven one more than a few miles knows what im talking about. Those cars are reall easy to throw around. The Crown never felt as "certian" to me.

 

Having driven both the Vic's and the Impy's in full police getup....I can honestly say that I like the feel of the Impy better also.....like graham says, the Vic doesn't feel as "certain" to me either....

 

Good call on the Impala. Here's what I said about it a few years ago:
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hlight=seattle

 

Anyone else think it is hysterical that the police had faster cars 11 years with the LT1 9C1 Caprice? I also bet those b-bodies handled better too(than the Vic at least, those things are a boat).

 

Good stuff here!

A few corrections/clarifications.......

All Camaros since 1998 have had Zexel-Torsen diffs --- from 1993 thru 1997, they were Auburn diffs.

All V8 Camaros have the same alternator, regardless of whether or not it's a B4C........

The only "unique" parts in a B4C are the rear trailing arms from the 1LE package.....it IS true, however, that the B4C is "packaged" differently....(i.e....power windows/locks/mirrors/seat are standard in the package in order to force the heavier wiring harness in the vehicle)

The top speed of a B4C is severely hindered if a light-bar is mounted to the roof......by as much as 10 to 12 mph. (aerodynamics!)

oh.....one other tidbit.....the battery in an LS1 Camaro/Firebird has less amps than the 3800 V6.....due to lower turn-over effort.

 

The F-Body LS1s were underated, nothing new there.

 

But they didn't dyno around 350 HP to the WHEELS.

 

Not the rear wheels.

Generally they put out around 335 to 340 horses (regardless if it's rated at 305 or 320). The B4Cs (at least the ones run out here by the CHP) seem like they are putting out SS & GTO numbers +/- 350.

 

The police in British Columbia bought lots of Impala's when they first came out, but have since switch backed to mostly Crown Vic. The reason? Impala is too small and doesn't have as much belly room as the CV when they have all of their gear on (radio, belt, vest, etc etc). Maybe Chevy could get more sales back if they gave Impala a telescopic steering wheel?

 

My bad, I thought you meant 350 to the wheels

It was late at night.

 

Confirmed here in NC too.
Trannys are the #1 problem with the B4C units in service here since @2000.
We still have a ton of them in service here in NC - the service shop is right down the road from me in Salisbury, so we know many of the maintenance guys there - good insiders to know!
From slushy shifts in some (which is uncharacteristic of GM trannys) to flat-out mechanical failure (as in a local Davidson County trooper came out of a median U-turn, lined-up straight and nailed it to go after a speeder only to have it downshift and the RPM's hit the limiter... no gears at all as he coasted onto the shoulder.)

It's a love/hate relationship with the troopers driving these cars - some think they are God-sent and want nothing else.
Seems like the older guys complain about how difficult they are to get into/out of with their equipment belts on, and how little storage space they provide. NOBODY complains about power though!

 

Ummm...really? I've talked with a few people who've informed me my '98 was the last of the Auburn (clutch type) diff equiped cars.

Where can I get this cleared up? I'm looking to upgrade the diff for autocross next year, and if I don't have to, all the better.