Chicago 2010: Chevrolet rolls out Caprice Police Car

Late last year, General Motors announced that it would build a Zeta-based Police Car for North American duty. Though there was already a perfectly good Pontiac G8 available before GM decided to shutter the brand, this Zeta would be based on the longer version of that platform as used by the Holden Statesman and be known as the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle.

Well, what do you know. Chevy brought just such a vehicle to the Chicago Auto Show, and we managed to snap off a series of photos to share. According to the personnel manning the booth, the Caprice PPV is still in concept form, complete with a refurbished Toughbook panel from Panasonic attached to the center console.

Being a long-wheelbase Zeta, the Caprice PPV has plenty of room for a divided cockpit with what appears to be a plexiglass barrier protecting the driver and front passenger from whatever or whomever happens to be confined to the rear. Other interesting tidbits include a number of storage locations, including one for weapons between the two front seats.



We're sure the cops will appreciate the E85-compatible 6.0-liter V8 and the 355 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque it puts out. Now if only GM could find a way to put just such a Caprice (or, would that be a proper Impala SS?) in every single Chevrolet dealership around the country, they may really be on to something.

Chicago 2010: Racecars zoom into McCormick Place

It isn't so much "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday," here at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, maybe more like "Show on Sunday, sell on Monday." While many manufacturers have their newest production cars on display here at McCormick Place, a number of them also dragged out their racecars to remind the public of their motorsports heritage.

Racecars are always a popular attraction at auto shows, and the ones here in Chicago are exemplary. There are dragsters, funny cars, and pro stockers for the quarter-mile fans, NASCAR stock cars, amateur racers, open wheelers, and even Le Mans runners. Mazda, Audi, Ford, Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, Acura, Honda, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Mitsubishi and others are all here with stickered up and numbered racecars. 

Chicago 2010: Even civil servants appreciate a nice ride

According to one of Chicago's most famous poets, Carl Sandburg, it's the City of the Broad Shoulders. There has been some debate about exactly what he meant by that, but we'd like to think it has something to do with the spirit of selflessness in its citizens. When there is public need, Chicagoans respond. It's no surprise then that the Chicago Auto Show always features lots of first response vehicles, military rides and other service organization transportation.

With so few big debuts to keep us busy this year, we found ourselves admiring the plethora of cars, trucks and "others," painted in fire engine red, black and white, or camo. We've assembled a gallery to show you what Chicagoans typically only get to see when there's a crisis. There are cop cars, fire engines, snow plows, military vehicles, quads, motorcycles.