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2015 Chevy Tahoe gets Police Patrol Vehicle treatment

That was fast. Mere days after showing a Police Concept based on the 2015 Tahoe at the SEMA Show, Chevrolet has announced that it will build a PPV model based on the SUV to do battle with the Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) and Dodge Durango Special Service.
You'll recall that the Tahoe has been police staple for several years, predating both the Explorer and Durango police variants, so the fact that the new model would spawn a police variant is hardly surprising. Like the civilian model, the 2015 PPV benefits from a more efficient 5.3-liter, direct-injection V8 that pumps out 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It also features more high-strength steel, offering better crash protection, on top of optional safety items like lane departure warning, forward collision alert and a Safety Alert Seat.
The press release is rather light on police-specific items, aside from the auxiliary battery, which keeps the myriad of electronics in a modern police car running even when the engine isn't. Lightbars, 17-inch steel wheels on Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires and a push bar round out the mods for the Tahoe PPV. The cabin features a revised center console and room for laptop and other equipment mounts.

The U-2 spy plane needs high-performance cars to help land

Typically, aircraft deploy their landing gear from three main points. Most military aircraft, for example, deploy two gears at the back and one forward, like a tricycle. Some civilian aircraft flip the layout, with two in front and one in back - tail-draggers. The U-2 Dragon Lady is wildly different than any of these. With a 103-foot wingspan but a body that's just 63-feet long, the layout of the U-2 makes a traditional landing setup infeasible. Instead, the U-2 utilizes a pair of wheels, one up front and one in back. With such a bizarre layout, landings are so tough that since the U-2's earliest flights at Area 51, the US Air Force has used high-performance chase cars to guide the pilot down safely. The landing process isn't over there, though. As this video from Sploid shows, balancing out the aircraft to fit the detachable "pogos" – think training wheels for spy planes – is a comical procedure requiring a number of airman using their full body weight to even out the U-2. This video also recaps some of the great vehicles that have served as chase vehicles for this legendary spy plane. They include Chevrolet El Caminos, and the Fox-body Ford Mustangs so favored by the California Highway Patrol. For the last several years, the USAF has utilized products from General Motors, using fourth-generation Chevy Camaros, before switching over to the Pontiac GTO and most recently, the awesome Pontiac G8. It's fair to say that if you're a gearhead in the Air Force, this is the job you want. Check out the video, embedded up top. News Source: Sploid via YouTubeImage Credit: Sploid Chevrolet Ford GM Pontiac Military Performance Videos

Driving the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and big news from Hyundai | Autoblog Podcast #640

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They discuss some of the big trucks Joel drove: the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and a Mil-Spec-modified Ford F-150. After that is a look at the latest car news including Trofeo versions of Maserati's sedans, Hyundai's new electric brand called Ioniq, and the BMW M3 Touring station wagon and Hyundai Elantra N-Line. They wrap things up with some musings on anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and how cars played a role in it. Autoblog Podcast #640 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Reviews2021 Chevy Tahoe Mil-Spec Ford F-150 Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo models revealed Ioniq becomes EV brand for Hyundai 2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line revealed BMW finally announces an M3 station wagon The 19th Amendment and how cars fit in Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Government/Legal Green Podcasts BMW Chevrolet Ford Hyundai Maserati