Vauxhall Secures United Kingdom’s Largest Police Car Order

General Motors’ Vauxhall has just signed a deal to supply the UK’s Police force over 2,000 vehicles over the next two years. The multi-million pound order cements Vauxhall’s position as the largest provider of low and intermediate performance cars to the UK Police, with a 60 percent share of competitive markets.

The deal calls for 1,200 Astras (that are built in Britain), while the remaining 800 models being made up of the Corsa, Insignia, and Vivaro van. All Astra modes can be equipped with OnStar technology, which offers law enforcement high-speed 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot that provides with connectivity for up to seven smartphones, tablets, or laptops, as well as a Police-spec ignition block, which can be triggered remotely in the event of a vehicle being stolen.

“We are delighted to supply the Police with this huge order,” said Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director. “Efficiency is a top priority for all Police forces and the investment made in these Vauxhalls will mean officers spend more time preventing crime.”

The deal was initiated and led by West Midlands Police. The vehicles are set to join 28 Police forces, including:

• Avon and Somerset
• Bedfordshire
• British Transport Police
• Cambridgeshire
• City of London Police
• Civil Nuclear Constabulary
• Devon and Cornwall
• Dorset
• Essex
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Hertfordshire
• Kent
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Northumbria
• Nottinghamshire
• Staffordshire
• Suffolk
• Surrey
• Sussex
• Thames Valley
• Warwickshire
• West Mercia
• West Midlands
• Wiltshire

In addition, six fire and rescue services are also included in the agreement. These include:

• East Sussex
• West Sussex
• Northamptonshire
• Shropshire
• Surrey
• Staffordshire

“A vehicle purchasing collaboration between police forces and partners on this scale has never been seen before and I am delighted to say that it has been a huge success in terms of the savings made and how well the organizations have worked together,” said David Wilkin, West Midlands Police’s Director of Resources and the national policing lead for the procurement of vehicles.

“The success of this group builds on the achievements of a large scale vehicle procurement project led by West Yorkshire Police earlier in the year. While cost is clearly a driving factor, the most important aspect is that these vehicles need to be the safest ones available for our staff and the public.”