If you manage to find yourself sitting in a the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle in an indoor setting, you’re either an over-achieving criminal or a dedicated automotive journalist. Autoblog’s Michael Harley is the latter. He went to the Chicago Auto Show for a closer look at Chevy’s newest cruiser.
Scott Vandekerckhove, a bow tie product specialist for the PPV, states “it is the last body-on-frame, full-size, pursuit-rated cruiser in the market.” In Chevy’s vehicular police academy, the civilian Tahoe is lowered and given more robust brakes, wheels and tires. The interior integrates aftermarket functions such as a push-to-talk steering wheel button to make officers’ jobs easier and safer. Police departments are able to set up the spacious rolling mobile offices according to the needs of their squad members. Harley points out the low-maintenance and utilitarian vinyl surfaces and praises the driver’s bucket seat for feeling European. Surprisingly, Vandekerchhove deems the cargo area of the PPV—and its capacity that trumps that of other pursuit vehicles—its crown jewel.
A 355-horsepower EcoTec3 5.3-liter V8 is the only available engine, but should get the rig up to nearly 140 miles an hour. Flanking that mill are two batteries: One for the auxiliary functions required by a pursuit vehicle, such as lights and communications, and one for the SUV’s regular operations.
If you think going off-road will shake the 5-0, think again. The PPV is available in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive with low range. It will be on patrol this fall.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
