Cops, Cabs, Livery & Onions

Before I begin, I'd like to tip my hat to the Ford's Panther platformed cars for their service to our country.   The Crown Victoria has served as a trusted police car for more then 30 years.   The Crown Vic and Grand Marquis have been reliable taxi cabs for many in great cities such as New York and Chicago.  The Town Car has served as a limo for weddings, funerals or an executive express "black car" in large cities.  

With the demise of the Panther platform, there is currently a unique opportunity for General Motors to rise to the occasion and grab thousands of livery sales from the competition.  The new 2011 Chevrolet Caprice PPV is only offered to law enforcement buyers currently.   The Caprice PPV is built off of an extended wheelbase rear wheel drive Zeta platform that we knew in America as the superb Pontiac G8 and in other markets as Holden Commodore (Australia), Chevrolet Lumina (Arabia),

2011 Chevrolet Caprice PPV

Currently, the Caprice is only offered to law enforcement, unfortunately limiting the model to only a small percentage of the livery market.   If GM believes the Caprice is tough enough to be a police cruiser, then it should be able to handle the crowded big city streets of New York and Chicago.   In Australia and China, the Holden Caprice/Buick Park Avenue are sold as high end luxury models with posh appointments in both the front and back seats.   The Caprice could be offered in high end luxury trims that would rival the outgoing Lincoln Town car and offer livery companies a highly capable, roomy, luxuriously appointed "Black car" for executives to be chauffeured from place to place.   The Caprice could also be extended into a stately limousine as well.

The potential for sales in the livery market is huge.  There would be nominal cost for GM to modify the Caprice for taxi and livery service.  The money made from taxi and livery services would more than make up for this cost.   In closing, just do it GM, and while you're creating the livery version, give Chevrolet and Buick (Park Avenue redux) one as well.