Watch Your Rearview Mirror for Chevy PPV

After extensive study and refinement, the Chevrolet Caprice PPV (Police Patrol Vehicle) is being put into service by law enforcement agencies around the country.

Sheriff Ted Paxton saw the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) at several events last year and was impressed enough to be among early law enforcement customers. The PPVs began patrol in Cumming, Ga. in May.

?With its emphasis on the ergonomically designed seats for officer comfort, and enhanced safety features, the Caprice is a vehicle that is made for police work,? said Paxton.? ?We?ve had our vehicles for a month, and we?re sold. This will be a worthwhile investment.?

After the vehicles? first month on patrol, the sheriff?s office plans to replace its current fleet of approximately 175 other patrol vehicles with Caprice PPVs.

Paxton has company. Dennis Hogan, Fleet Services manager in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also pulled the trigger.

?We view the police vehicle as an extended office for our officers,? Hogan said. ?We chose the Caprice, because it delivers optimal officer operational space, trunk and storage space, and generally provides our officers the most-suitable operating environment.?

Equipped with segment-leading interior volume (112 cubic feet) and specially designed front seats sculpted to allow space for gun belts, the rear-wheel-drive Caprice PPV provides officers the comfort they need during their long hours in their mobile office.

Police agencies across the country told Chevrolet they need a powerful rear-wheel-drive vehicle that offers performance, safety and comfort.

?The Chevrolet Caprice PPV is our response to what our nation?s police officers?said they needed to safely and effectively perform their jobs,? said Brian Small, general manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.? ?In the design process of this vehicle, we polled many of our customers to gain insight. Thus far, the results seem to speak for themselves and prove that customer feedback is critical to meet and exceed expectations.?

Armed with a powerful 6.0-liter V-8 engine, 355 horsepower and 384 lb-ft torque, Caprice PPV has best-in-class top speed and zero-to-60 acceleration (sub six seconds). The vehicle also offers a segment exclusive front-seat-only head curtain air bag, which allows for installation of a full-width prisoner partition. Additionally, StabiliTrak, GM?s electronic stability control technology, provides a ?police performance? mode for enhanced stability during high-speed driving to help ensure the safety of the PPV occupants.