So, why don't we have them? I just saw a page where the Chevrolet Caprice is still in production, it looks slightly updated from the 96 models, but you can tell it's a Caprice just by looking at it. They also make a Buick in that same bodystyle, called the Royaum. The thing is, those cars are only for the Japanese, Australian, and Middle Eastern markets, used often as vehicles to transport dignitaries, they're based off of the Holden Statesman. Here's a picture of the Buick version. The Chevrolet version looks very similar.


Here's a Caprice with a Impala SS bodykit, doesn't look bad.


Do you think it would be worthwhile for GM to bring back their version of the big, long wheelbase RWD sedan to the states rebranded as V8 equipped Roadmaster and Caprices? Provided that it was a reliable vehicle I could see police forces purchasing them for highway patrol cruisers, and fire departments for fire chief vehicles and other agencies for various uses, and as a generally nice family car, popular with rental car agencies.

So, what does everyone else think?

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

All of the police I know, that drive the current Impalas, are quite happy with them. In terms of reviving those large RWD sedans, I believe the older market that was enamored with those vehicles have become accustomed to FWD vehicles, or moved up to Devilles or the new 300C etc. Bringing them back under those names will not evoke nostalgic memories like the Challenger would. Just my opinion.
The cars might well come back reformed and reliable, but I think their market time has passed. Are you certain that isn't a RWD Impala sold as a Caprice overseas? The dimension to me look rather similar to those of the newer bodied Impalas here, though I don't pay much attention to what GM does anymore. Is the newer Impala still FWD? considering America's newfound fascination with RWD, I'd expect a lot more redesigns to include a tranfer to RWD.

__________________
2004 Chrysler Crossfire

The new Impala is still FWD. The overseas Caprice is larger than our FWD Impala. For comparison purposes, the Caprice has a length of 204.4 inches, which is 2 inches longer than a LWB W126, but the wheelbase is 115.7 inches, which is .1 inch longer than the SWB W126. The US Impala is just 200.4 inches long, with a 110.5 wheelbase.

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Now I really hate GM. Yes, give us back our small block V8, rear wheel drive big body sedans. We invented them, we like them, and we deserve them more than the Japanese or the Saudis. That Buick doesn't look half bad.

Read the latest Car and Driver and their opinion of the latest Impala SS with the V-8. Goes like hell, but the FWD issues remain. Torque steer up the ying-yang, with all the other disadvantages of the front wheels doing ALL the work. They all wished for the RWD being brought back to combat the Chrysler 300.

__________________
95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

I have to agree. It would seem that the day GM decided to kill the RWD models was like the final nail in the box. Why you would do something like that is beyond me. The police/svu is $, and they litterally handed it to ford. (Crown Vic) and then Ford walked away from it.

STUPID!

The Chevy Captiva is an SUV thats available only in Europe. Looks quite nice too, with diesel power to boot.

As for myself, I like the G6 GT with leather, Monsoon stereo, and panorama roof for <$25K.

BTW, GM stock is almost $26!

__________________
1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

When I drove cab in Seattle, the big Chevies, the Caprice especially, were the main item, at least from the mid 80s on. Up there, Crown Vics were rare. I drove untold numbers of old GM police cruisers -- that's what they usually bought -- had the big alternators -- and at 100K, that's about new for a cab. Decent cars all in all.

Down here, it's Crown Vics everywhere. Yellow Cab in SF buys new Crown Vics. Lot of money in the cab biz in SF. I drove a couple with under 10K. Not bad, but I'm a Chev man when it comes to Detroit Ahrn. Does seem odd that GM would cede all that reliable biz to Ford.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Yes you are right, the Crown Victoria is the default police car in SF Bay area, Highway Patrol, and MOST taxi companies, they are durable, roomy, huge trunk capacity, and pretty good build quality.

These cars are sold in Left hand drive versions in the Middle East and the Gulf states, the very name "Caprice" still has a strong draw there, magic and charisma, based on the 1977-96 models, which were the affordable Cadillac for the typical Saudi family, where comfort, Reliable Airconditioning, trumped the price of gas. Also most of these states use this "new" Caprice as the default police vehicle, It works for them very well. The Saudi GM websites offer an intriguing pallette of new car choices, check them out...

These older ones can still be seen today in Saudi, the Emirates, Jordan, Iraq,
(it pains me to see them used as car bombs there). MANY were looted from Kuwait in the first Gulf war by Saddam's boys.

Few Fords were sold in the Gulf in those days, but I believe this had more to do with their trading with Israel. Though now, they do well there and the Ford dealer that sells the most Crown Victorias in the world per year (about 11000 I heard) is in Saudi Arabia, proof there is a market for these cars there.

Thats why the Aussie Caprice does well in the Gulf - it's a good market for them there

As for GM quitting this market, most of them were built in the Arlington Texas factory, and GM in 1996 converted that factory to production of the Suburban, Tahoe, and Yukon, as they saw a big market there, much more than for the Caprice/Cadillac Brougham Fleetwood/Buick Roadmonster

Finally, Pontiac's rebadging of the RWD V8 Holden Monaro here as the GTO never caught on, and that car, considered too bland and overpriced, is going to be discontinued in the USA come this fall. That probably suggests that GM will be unlikely to bring them to the United States even though they are very nice cars, I always liked them (before build quality slipped) and the Crown Victorias - owned several, and I was young and single then

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The problem with the GTO is that they tried to bring a niche car (2 door, hard top, performance car) into the market that was already crowded with the more fun likes of the RSX, Civic SI, G35 coupe, MINI, 3 series, SLK and CLK. Against this competition the GTO (Holden) didn't stand a chance coming late to the party with its early 90's GM suspension. Of course the geniuses at GM thought otherwise and were, once again, sadly mistaken. Its actually getting kind of boring watching them screw up. Its like watching the Knicks.

GM is still heavily invested in SUV's. Like you said the capicity to build those big rear wheel drive cars was used to make SUV's. They wouldn't sell even if you brought them back, except the Police and Cabbies not many middle class people will buy their V8's at the current gas prices the way they did back then.

I think the Opel Astra or Signum for GM and the European Focus for Ford would compete very well here. But thats too freaking obvious for these idiots.

OMG I spoke too soon. There are some brain cells at GM fighting to stay alive LOL check it out http://www.caranddriver.com/carnews/11090/news-saturn-ion-to-be-replaced-by-opel-astra-in-2007.html

See the ongoing series of columns by Robert Farrago
www.thetruthaboutcars.com

He started the column after the San Francisco Chronicle ran him out of town because the columns he wrote for them were a little too true and brutal for some carmakers, I'm told. Good stuff

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The day GM offers a mid sized sedan, with an advanced V8 or an really cool I6. Nice transmision, maybe 6spd auto with touch shift. Throw in an advanced suspension, and awsome brakes.

Oh yeah RWD or AWD is a must.

The day they offer such I car I will walk into one of their dealers. Until then I'll stick with the Europeans.

GM build a car to go head to head with a 330I, I'd like to see that!

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200