THE company car is assuming even greater importance in the recruitment war as employers seek to hire and hold on to the highest calibre candidates in the most competitive sectors of commerce. In two separate fleet deals announced this week, BMW clinched its largest ever contract to supply 1,000 vehicles to Pearl Assurance while Rover enjoyed a 20-fold increase in business with Royal London Insurance in a 2,000-vehicle deal.

City firms have already discovered the importance of offering a prestige car as part of the package to attract high-fliers but this trend is now filtering down to other sectors. Companies are finding they have to improve choice, include prestige marques or offer a company car where they didn't previously to attract the best candidates - or face losing staff to those which do.

In the fiercely competitive financial services sector, where sales personnel have been required to pass new professional qualifications, a number of institutions have undertaken wholesale reviews of their car policies in a bid to hold on to key personnel.