MERCEDES-Benz is preparing a new programme to capture police fleet business, following positive reaction from a number of forces about its saloon and niche sector vehicles. Factory-prepared Mercedes models are already available to police forces in Europe and the Middle East, but by January the manufacturer expects to be able to offer a full range of vehicles to UK constabularies.

Five UK forces have now taken Mercedes vehicles and attested to the marque's reliability and efficiency. Mike Sands, Mercedes UK's corporates sales manager, said: 'Our reputation has been spread by word of mouth until now because of the strength of wholelife costs. The cars don't break down, so there's no off-road time which police forces realise now as they look beyond the higher up-front costs.'

Lothian and Borders Police was one of the first forces to take on Mercedes vehicles and has had a C280 operating as a traffic vehicle for three years in which time it has clocked up 170,000 miles. Digger McCullogh, Lothian and Borders fleet manager, said: 'We had originally intended to run the car for 150,000 miles, but it is still going strong and it is our least expensive traffic car to operate.'

On the strength of the C280's performance, Lothian and Borders is also running five C230 Kompressors. Northamptonshire Police has just taken delivery of its first specially adapted C200 Esprit as an immediate response vehicle and the Kent and Wiltshire police forces have A-class cars in service. South Yorkshire police uses an A140 in Sheffield. An M-class 4x4 will soon be tested by UK police forces.