VOLVO has revealed one of its largest ever fleet deals - a £14 million contract to supply Virgin Atlantic Airways with 450 S80s over the next 14 months to chauffeur upper class passengers from their home or business to Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The first batch of 20 cars will be pressed into action at the end of this month and will be supplied to Tristar Cars, Virgin's chauffeur drive supplier, as part of the airline's exclusive check-in system.

The fleet will then be built up at a rate of 20 vehicles a week leading to a maximum of 150 Volvos in action over a six-month period. Tristar will use the Volvos exclusively for Virgin passengers until the end of 2000. Richard McCully, Volvo UK's national corporate account manager, said the Virgin contract was 'one of the top three fleets deals it had ever done' and that both sides had a 'very strong view' of looking to continue the relationship in the future. The deal will see the Volvo fleet, chosen for its environmental, safety and comfort factors, operated on a six-monthly replacement cycle.