Impala Police Car Specifications
by Michael G. Sanchez
Unlike the standard, consumer Impala -- which was fully redesigned for the 2014 model year -- the 2015 Impala Police model soldiered on with the previous-generation platform. Officially called the Chevrolet Impala Police, the full-size sedan was based on the ninth-generation version of Chevy's venerable four-door, which was sold to the public from 2006 to 2013. The car featured a front-wheel-drive layout and a V-6 under the hood. This differed from the V-8 and-real-wheel-drive standard set by the iconic Ford Crown Victoria and upheld by the Dodge Charger and various SUV-based cop cruisers.
Sized for Service
The full-size Impala Police had room for five occupants. It measured 200.4 inches in length, 72.9 inches in width and 57.8 inches in height. Its wheelbase was 110.5 inches. The Chevy's front seats provided 39.4 inches of headroom, 58.7 inches of shoulder room, 56.4 inches of hip room and 42.3 inches of legroom. In the back, passengers got 37.8 inches of headroom, 58.6 inches of shoulder room, 57.2 inches of hip room and 37.6 inches of legroom. The law-enforcement-spec Impala offered a 18.6-cubic-inch trunk. The car had a curb weight of 3,736 pounds. For comparison, the civilian-spec 2013 Impala weighted in at a somewhat-lighter 3,555 pounds.
Six-Cylinder Efficiency
The big four-door's engine was a 3.6-liter, dual-overhead-cam V-6 with variable valve timing. Power was sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine produced 302 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 262 foot-pounds of torque at 5,300 rpm. The car's manufacturer-estimated top speed was 150 mph. The Impala police was EPA-rated for fuel economy at 17 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 21 mpg. This was marginally less than the comparable civilian model, which was rated at 18/30 and 22 combined.
Law Enforcement Modifications & Enhancements
The Impala Police featured numerous modifications and additions designed to prepare it for law enforcement duty. These included certified analog instrumentation with a four-gauge cluster, 100-amp ignition-controlled main power supplies located under dash and in the trunk, a heavy-duty, four-wheel ABS system, a 170-amp alternator, a heavy-duty cooling system with 225-watt fans and extended-life coolant, iridium-tipped spark plugs and wires designed to reduce radio frequency noise levels that may interfere with radio transmissions, a heavy-duty suspension with increased ride height, strengthened front seats and W-speed-rated tires instead of the civilian cars H-rated rubber.
A Functional Interior
Up front, the Impala Police offered dual cloth-upholstered buckets seats with space in between ready for job-related equipment. The rear seats were upholstered in vinyl to facilitate easy clean-up and repair. The Chevrolet also came standard with dual cupholders, manual air conditioning with an integrated air filtration system, remote keyless entry, cruise control, a tilt-adjustable steering column, power windows and locks and an AM-FM-CD sound system.
Optional Equipment
The Impala Police offered a wealth of add-on features for law enforcement fleet buyers. These included heated exterior mirrors, driver- and passenger-side spot lamps, heavy-duty vinyl flooring, matching fleet keys, up to six additional keyless entry transmitters, inoperative inside rear door handles, locks, and window switches, siren and loudspeaker wiring, grille lamps and body-color side moldings.
Writer Bio
Michael G. Sanchez has been a professional writer for over 10 years. A lifelong car enthusiast and former senior mechanic, he has written on a wide range of automotive topics. He holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Castleton State College. Sanchez started writing about cars as a part-time copywriter for a local dealership while still in high school.
