THE NOVA 9C1, ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND STUDY CARS EVER MANUFACTURED BY CHEVROLET, PERFORMS WELL AS A POLICE CAR, ACCORDING TO POLICE AGENCIES IN FLORIDA AND CANADA. THE FLORIDA POLICE AGENCY SAVED $22,500 IN REPAIR, FUEL, AND TIRE COSTS THE FIRST 3 YEARS IT USED THE NOVA. IN 1979, CHEVROLET INTRODUCED ITS MID-SIZED MALIBU 9C1 POLICE CAR AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE NOVA. COMPARED WITH THE NOVA, THE MALIBU HAS A HIGHER GAUGE FRAME, HEAVY-DUTY ENGINE VALVE TRAIN, A GREATER CAPACITY OIL FILTER, FRONT AND REAR SEMI-METALLIC BRAKE LININGS, A 4,000-WATT BATTERY, SPECIAL SUSPENSION, AND OTHER FEATURES. CANADIAN POLICE, WHO TEST THE MALIBU UNDER GRUELING CONDITIONS, REPORT THAT, ALTHOUGH ITS HORSEPOWER IS REDUCED BY AN EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE, IT STEERS BETTER THAN THE NOVA AND OFFERS IMPROVED COMFORT AND ROOM, PERFORMANCE, AND HANDLING. THE CANADIAN FORCE PRESENTLY USES NOVAS BUT WILL SWITCH TO MALIBUS WHEN THE NOVAS GO OUT OF PRODUCTION. THE CANADIANS CLAIM THE MALIBU'S BEST FEATURE IS FUEL ECONOMY PLUS PERFORMANCE. THE LARGER, HEAVIER POLICE CAR, THE CHEVROLET IMPALA 9C1, HAS A LARGER REAR COMPARTMENT AND MORE TRUNK SPACE THAN EITHER THE MALIBU OR THE NOVA. ILLUSTRATIONS AND A CHART ARE INCLUDED.