Josh452

Fords major advantage as it relates to cost of their police program is that they also sell a retail version of the same car, so much of the engineering is already paid for.

If GM plans to offer the Caprice in a fleet only package then the new Ford cop car will be cheaper due to the retail availability of their platform.

I don't see how GM can be cheaper then Fords new program if Ford plans to offer both a retail and fleet version and GM is going to move ahead as fleet only.

teal98

GM does have a retail version. It's just not sold here. BTW Crown Vics aren't available at retail any more -- only the Grand Marquis.

guionM

Fleet only Josh?

Do you realize that the Caprice police car we're getting is produced not just in one but in THREE countries under 3 brands?

It's made in Australia as the Holden Statesman and Caprice for the Aussie market and is exported to the Middle East as the Chevrolet Caprice.

It's made and sold in China as the Buick Park Avenue and Buick Royaum.

It's also made in Korea by Daewoo as the Veritas and Statesman. Unless I'm mistaken, some are even shipped to Brazil.

OH yea........... and Holden of Australia is kicking a few our way to be used as police cars.

The United States is by no means the only car market on earth. It's no longer even the biggest car market. Just because something isn't sold here doesn't mean it isn't selling in volume somewhere else.

If you are worried about GM not being able to make money because they aren't selling them here as retail, don't worry.... they have already been selling them globally on the retail market for a few years.

The Chevrolet Impala is 200"long.
The Caprice Police Vehicle is 203".

The Chevrolet Impala is 58.7" high.
The Caprice PV is 58.2" tall.

The Impala is 73" wide.
The Caprice 74.7".

Tha Caprice is barely any bigger than the current Chevrolet Impala on the outside. The Ford Taurus is significantly taller and wider (60" and 76.2" respectively).

I believe Alpha is important on a long term basis. The next round of downsizing will make the Alpha vital. However, on the short term basis, excluding SUVs and crossovers, the public gravitates to roomy sedans when fuel prices aren't an issue.

Ford has a premium large sedan in their showroom called the Taurus, which packs alot of value (and quality) in it's price, that is already selling well above expectations and will no doubt be even more successful as the economy improves.

Although the future (8-10 years) may belong to Alpha, when the economy rebounds over the next couple of years, it's going to be cars like the Taurus, the upcoming new300 and Charger, and... the Caprice... that are going to generate the profits in the interum.


BTW:
Going back to the original subject (is the Caprice coming to the US for the regular buyer in Chevrolet showrooms), I'd pretty much call it a near certainty.

1. We already know Bob Lutz view on this, and know that Fritz himself shot it down.

2. Holden has capacity for a moderately successful Caprice (you don't want the Caprice becoming a hit, and straining the Holden plant to the point of breaking).

3. Fuel economy concerns isn't an issue as long as the car buying public's priorities don't shift much as things get better (actual CAFE this year is expected to be well over 30mpg... well ahead of the law).

With the WM scheduled for a facelift and the fact it's going to the US (more volume), I can easily see GM creating a entirely different sheetmetal for the Holden before it reaches our shores, even in police trim.

Although many who simply don't know any better still say the GTO was a failure, the fact is that the volume and the money generated by the sales of the GTO in the United States paid for an all new dash, new hood, and new tailights for the Holden Monaro which the GTO shared (not to mention the hood scoops, bigger brakes, and the entirely revamped exhaust). Holden (and by ownership, General Motors) made money on GTO.