Inchcape Fleet Solutions has announced it has secured a vehicle and driver management outsourcing contract from Allianz.

The new rolling contract, which was won following a competitive tender process after a review by Allianz of its entire vehicle operation, builds on a fleet management contract that Inchcape Fleet Solutions has held for more than six years.

Allianz has chosen to focus on its core business and has outsourced complete responsibility for its 1,050-strong company car fleet.

The new arrangement means that Inchcape Fleet Solutions has taken over management of the 250-strong Allianz management car fleet with the 800-strong job-need fleet contract going live on April 1, 2010.

The Allianz job-need fleet is a sole supply Ford contract with employees at the wheel of a range of low emission models.

The fleet review has seen the management fleet switch from an open user-chooser policy to a five-badge choice embracing Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. Drivers are being offered incentives to choose cars with CO2 emissions below 160g/km.

Allianz will continue to fund its fleet on an outright purchase basis, but Inchcape Fleet Solutions will undertake the acquisition and selling of vehicles.

Allianz corporate procurement manager Abigail Swartz, said: “The decision to switch to a full outsourcing solution is a natural extension of our existing fleet management arrangement and will enable us to take greater advantage of Inchcape Fleet Solutions’ knowledge and experience to deliver optimum efficiencies to our vehicle operation.”