With them fresh off the truck, I took one out to lunch yesterday. First thing I noticed for a standard cop car, these cars are well loaded.

Keyless entry....unheard of on a cop car
CD player w/mp3 input jack and 6-speaker stereo....another unheard of
6-way power driver & passenger seats....very nice
Drivers computer, monitors mpg, average speed, etc,.....nice touch
Digtal Speedo below the analog speedo is nice.
Full guages including tach.
Pirelli performance tires...a cop car first, can we say exotic.

This wasn't my first drive of a '06 9C1, I got to go to a preview last year at Indy and drive some around some courses pretty hard, and I came away very impressed. But this was my first time driving one on the open road. I'd forgotten how throaty the 3.9L V6 sounds, with dual exhaust and what sounds like a pretty unrestrctive intake this V6 has a nice growl.
I found a nice curvy road, and turned the overdrive off, the V6 has a nice response coming out of cruves. I couldn't get over the handling, for a FWD car the handling is very neutral, and tight with no sway or leaning. If the V8 SS has this suspension setup it should be a very fun car to drive, but from what I've seen and heard I believe the SS is some what softer, but I haven't driven one myself, yet. The suspension setup may be more along the line of the Grand Prix GXP, but once again I can't compare because I haven't even seen one yet much less driven one.

Bottom line, even though the Impala doesn't have the torque of a V8 or RWD, it truely leaves the antiquated Crown Vic in the dust in every aspect, especially with a top speed of 142 mph doesn't hurt.

 

hmmm, wonder why they put the V6 in the cop car.

cop suspension

cop wheels

cop seats

sedan engine?

Jake and Elwood would be disappointed.

 

I don't know how the SS stacks up to the 9C1. I know it's got different spring rates and more bar than the LT/LTZ w/ the 3.9, but I'm not sure about the 9C1. Too bad you guys couldn't get the V8, it's a hoot for a family car!

 

Sorry to get off topic, but for the '06 Impala with the V8 and D.O.D, how's the fuel consumption in MPG around the city, let's say?

 

I've heard that they won't put the LS4 in it because of issues with the tranny and reliability.

 

Almost the same as the 3.9L v6. Just look at the figures below. I realize the v6 most likely has higher gearing and it lacks DOD, but the numbers are near identical despite the power/performance difference....you can now get a v8 without the harsh fuel penelty associated with it.

Figures.

3.9L - 19 city 27 highway
Ls4 SS- 18 city 28 highway

Combined average fuel economy for both is the same: 23mpg

 

Scott sait it was a cooling issue.

 

It's still hard to believe that Ford doesn't at least up the power in the Crown Vic. The new Mustang GT V8 is pushing 300HP with its mod motor and it isn't that expensive of an engine (still SOHC). It's like they don't even care.

 

You can pretty much assume that if it's standard equipment in the regular Impala, then it'll be in the cop version. For example, the keyless entry system... I'm going to guess they don't offer the new style Impala without keyless... therefor it'd cost them more in retooling cost to make a special 'stripped down' cop version than it would save them in parts cost.

 

Those numbers remind me of the Camaro. The LS1 got just about the same *stated* mileage as the 3.8.

 

Its because of cooling issues under extreme conditions with the LS4, they are working on a solution and the LS4 "should" be available on the 9C1 in 2007.

 

Cooling, like mentioned above.

Police often sit with the engine idling for long periods.

 

I'm pretty baffled by it myself. It might even be cheaper to use the Mustang engine simply because making a single version of an engine is cheaper than making 2 (plus more volume to spread cost of an engine around). It's already slower than a V6 Impala, and it's only a matter of time before the Hemi Charger's catch on (New York City purchased a few).

I gues with 80% of the market, and a FWD car poised to replace the Crown Victoria, Ford really doesn't care.

 

I don't understand it either, even the new Explorer Special Service Pkg. is faster than the Crown Vic, by a lot.

 

Ha, I wish. 14.6 on my last tank, ALL city, no highway at all, lots of lights and stop and go.