another holden Chevy??

[nthfinity]

Rumor is GM will rebadge another Holden and import it as a Chevy this time under the Caprice name. Again, just rumor:

May 7, 2004

General Motors may revive the Caprice name in North America with a V-8-powered rear-drive sedan called the Chevrolet Caprice Royale.

The new four-door sedan would be a variation on the Caprice that GM's Holden operation sells in Australia now, featuring several North American touches, including the famous Chevrolet bowtie badge on the front. GM has made no secret of its plan to use its far-flung global empire as a source of new cars for North America.

GM has not announced this Caprice for production yet, but is clearly testing the waters by leaving one out for the press to see during a visit to the company's testing grounds in Milford, Michigan.

It was left-hand-drive and had several cosmetic touches that clearly differentiated it from the Australian model.

Should GM decide to produce the Caprice Royale, it would be the biggest car in the Chevrolet fleet, running 5,193 millimetres in length on a 2,939-mm wheelbase and weighing in at about 1,780 kg.

The Caprice uses MacPherson struts up front with a sway bar and progressive-rate coil springs, and a control-link independent rear that also gets a sway bar and coil springs.

It's likely, however, that it would get a suspension retuning before coming to North America.

In the Pontiac GTO, which GM takes from the Holden Monaro, the 5.7-litre V-8 delivers 350 horsepower at 5,200 r.p.m. and 365 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 r.p.m. through a four-speed automatic, so we can probably expect similar output in the Caprice.

There is, of course, a chance that we will not see the Caprice in Canada even if it comes to the United States, because GM of Canada currently does not import the GTO.

GM dropped the Chevrolet Caprice Classic and its sister models, the Cadillac Fleetwood and Buick Roadmaster, when it ended production of its venerable "B-body" line in 1996. The Texas plant where the big rear-drive cars were assembled was converted to truck and sport-utility production.

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/8/web/380000-380999/380853_75_full.jpg

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/8/web/380000-380999/380853_74_full.jpg

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/8/web/380000-380999/380853_73_full.jpg

[gigdy]

That thing is half impala. Its got the badge and nose.

[Schwalbe]

Finally GM will imports this australia cars, I await them in America since 1997. The fact is: I saw an article in 1997 from Popular Mechanic that said that we will have this car soon . We are now in 2004 . :roll:

[cho_888]

its odd, i have been seeing lots on holdens latly in Australia with chevy badging. So it wouldn't surprise me. But any way that car is every where!

[troskap]

Hrm. In the positive column, at least this car looks like a late-model B-Body Caprice, unlike the Monaro vs. the GTO.

Of course, if it drives as well as the Monaro/GTO does, all the better! :)

[Kangaroo Boy]

Oh God,not another Aussie car stolen for the yanks. :(

[nthfinity]

Oh God,not another Aussie car stolen for the yanks.


agreed :)

as much as i love rear drive v8's..... i think it would be a totally bogus move for GM to import another car under the guise of a domestic... with the imported price.

i think its great that the Aussie's have it... and that mabey they import it to europe or wherever, but i dont think its quite right here.

im sure it wouldnt be anywhere near affordable

[hemi_fan]

Yeah, its not a good idea. Only police departments would be able to afford it, and then how would we all be able to get away!?!?! Their current Impalas arent exactly speed demons, but this would be scary.

[SilviaS15Cwest]

Is there going to be a police version? That would be cool. Even more power to that engine. Im not a big fan of the looks though. I think is just because I dont like big cars though.

[cyberdiamond]

This seems to be becoming a trend lately, I wonder how far it will go.

The US has an appetite for large rear wheel drive cars.

We get your Taurus and you get our rear wheel drives.

Doesn't seem like a fair swap :?

[Garretts_turbo]

performance aside, ^ ^ ^ ^ sorta looks like a stretched cavalier, which is sorta yucky...IMHO

[yalbader]

I'm from Kuwait (just south of Iraq). The Chevy Caprice was out of production in 1996. In Kuwait market, a new generation came in 1999. A face lift was done for 2004 (the blue SS shown above is 2004). They come in LS, LTZ, SS, and Royale trim. Its based on a streched Opel Omiga/GTO chassis.
Also in 1999, a new rear wheel drive Chevy Lumina based on the GTO was sold here. In 2004 they did a face lift and a coupe version (a la GTO). The ugly American market Monte Carlo and FWD Lumina were never sold here :D

http://www.gmarabia.com/content_data/LAAM/KW/en/GBPKW/chevrolet/showroom/showroom_model_sedan.htm

I drove my brothers Caprice Royale, I liked it. Its agile, smooth and very big inside. The rear seats leg room is bigger the S-Class. The 328 hp LS1 engine and 4 speed auto are nicely matched and provide a quick acceleration. Brakes were average. The steering is numb. Inside materials are cheep. It retailed for 32,100 US Dollars.

[ahmedgiyab]

the performance of the Caprice SS is similar to a S500 but it costs only 1/3 of the

Merc... :wink:

I think its not a bad offer...for this money you can get a C200 Kompressor maybe... :roll:

[hemi_fan]

yalbader, is that ur stang in the pic?

[geargirl63]

Yeah, its not a good idea. Only police departments would be able to afford it, and then how would we all be able to get away!?!?! Their current Impalas arent exactly speed demons, but this would be scary.

They only have Impalas as police vehicles in canada???? :?:

The US has cameros and stangs dude, we can't outrun them. Unless of course, we have a viper or enzo. :twisted:

A v-8 and 350 hp :shock: In a car that looks luxery? Pretty sweet and it has leg room and 4 doors. Not bad. If you were a mom in need of getting kids some where quick. :lol: On a serious note: it doesn't look half bad. But how does it handle? :?: 8)

[yalbader]

hemi_fan

Yep thats my Mustang.

[suqish76]

A v-8 and 350 hp :shock: In a car that looks luxery? Pretty sweet and it has leg room and 4 doors. Not bad. If you were a mom in need of getting kids some where quick. :lol: On a serious note: it doesn't look half bad. But how does it handle? :?: 8)
well.... like you said, they are a luxury car, not a perfomance vehical so handling could be better, they are a heavy

[HeilSvenska]

Oh no. Americanized Holdens shouldn't exist. Holdens are great...as Holdens. I wouldn't want Pont. GTO or Chevy Caprice with knowing that it's a Holden. I'd rather want a Holden with a Holden badge on it. the other way, isn't cool.

anyone who read a Chevy mag some months ago probably saw so called "Chevelle" concept that looked like crap

[Evo]

A friend of mine already have the car for 2 years now.. We call it Caprice SS.. And seriously it sucks..It keeps braking down every other day.. the build quality sucks the brakes and handling, well same thing.. And I don't know why USA market did't get that car eailer ??