The very successful Chevy Caprice Classic, in one form or another, proved to be a big winner for Chevrolet, from its debut as the Caprice in 1965 right up until the nameplate was finally killed off after the 1996 model year. The vehicle served General Motors and the buying public well over four generations of various body styles and engine-transmission combinations.
As a vehicle for the masses, the Caprice Classic became Chevy’s most-expensive, full-size rear-wheel-drive model, and General Motors took care right from its roll-out in mid-1965 to keep it as well-stocked as it could with all the good things that Americans expected from their traditional rear-wheel, full-size automobiles.
For the first two generations (there were four in total) Chevy offered on 8 cylinder big and small-block powerplants. At the start of its third iteration, the company dropped an inline-6 into the mix in an attempt to improve fuel economy, though the car had never been able to brag at being much of a gas sipper prior to that. The most important change to the car up that point came in 1977, when it was completely redesigned and slimmed down in dimension.
The new changes proved to be a great success with the buying public, and buyers took to the modern, boxy-looking vehicle with enthusiasm. This look would be the standard until 1990. Cops loved the big Chevy, too, and many police departments looked at the Caprice as the perfect vehicle for their needs due to its body and engine combination (body-on-frame and V8) and large rear seat.
The Caprice Classic – as a part of the Caprice lineup – was always considered the “luxury” model in the family, and sat near the top of the Chevy’s price lists. The final generation saw the big Chevy – with its equally big V8 engines (even including a variation of the Corvette’s LT1 engine) – take on a completely new and far more rounded-off body style, growing in outward appearance.
The Caprice Classic was always a vehicle that attempted to provide maximum interior dimensions and was a consistent high-seller for the company over its lifetime, though increasing fragmentation in the automotive markets meant that it would see sales taper off over the years. Still, police everywhere loved the vehicle for what it could do, and the station wagon sold well until the advent of the modern SUV.
The Chevy Caprice Classic, for all intents and purposes, went away after 1996, though there is a version of the Caprice being sold in Middle Eastern markets which is based off an Australian vehicle made by the Holden auto company. Truly an American icon, the big Chevy occupied a place in many an American consumer’s heart for over thirty years.
Andy Zain is the admin of 1995 Chevy Caprice Car Forum , a place where fans and owners can get the right information for tuning, customization and general discussions on anything about Chevy Caprice. Get the information you need when you visit Chevy Forum
