2021 Chevy Tahoe gets the police vehicle treatment
Time to memorize a new set of headlights.
The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe is reporting for duty. On Tuesday, the Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle debuted online as the latest option from the Bowtie brand for law enforcement.
While the general consensus is positive for the 2021 Tahoe's design, the SUV looks pretty menacing suited up for police vehicle duty. A long stripe starts from the headlight back and compliments the reworked headlight design and the bull bar protrudes outward with integrated lights to compliment the emergency lights atop the SUV. The brand also decided to base the design on the Tahoe Z71 trim, which looks more rugged than the standard Tahoe.
What this Tahoe PPV isn't is a civilian model with a police livery. In fact, Chevy made a number of specific tweaks to the Tahoe PPV to ensure it suits law enforcement. They range from larger seats to accommodate officers' utility belts, to specific all-season tires. The special rubber comes from Bridgestone, which Chevy tested at various race tracks to ensure durability. They also reduce the 2021 Tahoe PPV's stopping distance by 11 feet feet in a 62 to 0 mph test compared to the outgoing Tahoe PPV. A set of 20-inch steel wheels keep the SUV looking discreet, too.
Under the hood of each Tahoe PPV will be a familiar 5.3-liter V8 engine with a couple modifications. Notably, there are rocker covers from the Camaro ZL1, which improve crankshaft ventilation, and there are heavy-duty cooling systems for the engine oil and transmission fluid onboard.
Diving deeper into the engineering, the Tahoe PPV is actually lower than a civilian model for better high-speed aerodynamics, according to Chevy. There's also a PPV-specific suspension to further reduce body roll, Brembo brakes, a heavy-duty clutch with a beefier limited-slip differential and a 140 mph top speed. Chevy will also offer a Special Services Vehicle model focused on off-road and towing needs.
Comforts remain abound for officers to help make life easier in the police car. Chevy baked a suite of active safety gear in as an option, 4G LTE Wi-Fi is onboard and GM's neat rear-camera mirror should make maneuvering the SUV easier than ever, especially for K9 units, which often obstruct the rear view with a standard mirror.
Production starts late this year with order books opening in early 2021. It's best to start memorizing these headlights now.