!NEW! Vauxhall Completes Largest Ever Police Fleet Deal

• Police forces nationwide sign 2,000 vehicle contract
• Order includes 1,200 arresting Astras bound for UK forces

Vauxhall has signed one of the UK’s biggest Police fleet deals with over 2,000 vehicles, including 1,200 Brit-built Astras, destined for Police forces nationwide under a huge group tender.

The two-year multi-million pound contract also includes Corsas, Insignias and Brit-built Vivaro vans. This order cements Vauxhall’s position as the largest provider of low and intermediate performance cars to the UK Police, with a 60 per cent share of competitive markets.

All Astra models can be equipped with the ground-breaking OnStar technology which keeps the car connected via satellite and cellular networks, turning the vehicle in to a high-speed 4G LTE mobile hub with connectivity for up to seven smartphones or tablets. OnStar even includes a Police-spec ignition block, which can be triggered remotely in the event of a vehicle being stolen.

Procurement for the mammoth sale was led by West Midlands Police with vehicles 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

Six fire and rescue services are also included in the agreement which sees vehicles heading to East and West Sussex, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Surrey and Staffordshire.

David Wilkin, West Midlands Police’s Director of Resources and the national policing lead for the procurement of vehicles commented: “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 organisations have worked together.

“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.”

“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.”

!NEW! VAUXHALL LAYS THE FOUNDATIONS FOR TRAINEE SURVEYORS

Vauxhall Insignia fleet for Trainee Surveyor Programme: 2.0 CDTi 140PS engine and ecoFLEX technology

Countrywide Surveying Services has taken delivery of the 90 Vauxhall Insignias for new entrants of its Trainee Surveyor Programme.

Powered by a 2.0 CDTi 140PS engine that uses Vauxhall’s award-winning ecoFLEX technology, the Insignias, in Design trim, achieve an impressive combined fuel consumption of 76.3mpg and have CO2 emissions of just 98g/km, achieving low whole-life costs and low benefit-in-kind taxation for company car drivers.

As part of Countrywide plc’s new Trainee Surveyor Programme – which was met with high-demand from property professionals looking to develop a career in residential surveying – trainee surveyors will drive a new Insignia as part of a generous benefits package.

“We were delighted to secure the new Vauxhall Insignia to help us underpin our benefits package and help to attract the best quality candidates in the market. Vauxhall and the Insignia has formed the cornerstone of Countrywide Surveying Services’ Car Fleet for many years and it’s a real pleasure to extend this valued relationship into the next generation of Surveyors,” said Paul Chapman, Managing Director of Countrywide Surveying Services.    

“We wish all of Countrywide’s Trainees success as they embark on the new chapter of their careers, with these new Insignias providing them with a sophisticated, reliable and economical set of wheels with brilliant benefit-in-kind tax advantages over many of its rivals,” said James Taylor, Fleet Sales Director, Vauxhall Motors.

!NEW! Vauxhall Insignia True Fleet Sales Flourish

True fleet sales of Vauxhall’s class-leading Insignia were up over 50 per cent in the second half of 2013 over the first half of 2013.

 New Vauxhall Insignia 

Vauxhall launched its new Insignia in June, receiving universal plaudits from both customers and the press alike, thanks to its refreshed design, new powertrains including a sector-leading 2.0 CDTi diesel unit with emissions of just 98g/km and all-new advanced, infotainment system with internet connectivity.

New Vauxhall Insignia 5-door

True fleet sales are to company car drivers at end user companies and exclude other fleet segments such as rental and Motability.

“It is fantastic to see this growth,” said James Taylor, Vauxhall’s Fleet Sales Director.

“We took some very bold decisions when launching this car and how we’ve approached tackling the challenges of reducing whole life costs, SMR costs and National Insurance Contributions, plus minimising the benefit-in-kind taxation for company car drivers. 

“It wasn’t easy to do, but it was the right strategy and I’m encouraged by the sales results we’ve achieved and the very positive feedback from our customers and the new business we have brought in.

New Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTI

“With the new whisper quiet 1.6 litre Common-rail turbo-diesel now launched in Astra, and much-improved availability of Mokka, we expect another strong year for Vauxhall in true fleet.”