Vauxhall has shown a fully kitted out police car based on the latest Astra. It boasts some impressively integrated crime fighting technology.
It was developed at Millbrook proving ground by Vauxhall's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) team, which has long specialised in converting showroom models for police use.
Vauxhall claims that around one in five police 'pandas' - small and medium-sized cars - is an Astra. This one is the most advanced yet.
It incorporates all kinds of specialist police equipment - including video capturing devices and multiple radio communications receivers - into the Astra's standard cabin architecture. It also gets the full compliment of exterior decals, and 'blues and twos'.
Every Astra police car that goes into service is built from scratch by SVO from a factory-fresh production car.
Dick Ellam, Vauxhall's manager of vehicle conversions, said: "with the new Astra, Vauxhall is offering the UK's Police constabularies a vehicle which is not only superior dynamically to its predecessor but which also has the scope for much improved integration with the systems law enforcement demands."
Mark Nichol - 13 Apr 2010