The demise of locally manufactured Falcons and Commodores has meant various Australian police departments have had to begin the process of procuring new vehicles to fill the void.
Victoria police have entered into a supply partnership with BMW which will see up to 80 530d sedans be deployed as highway patrol cars by the end of 2018.
In an effort to save the taxpayer some money, the cars will be presented to Victoria Police in an entry-level specification meaning most of the luxury items usually found on the 530d. Instead, these units will have a factory-fitted ‘police pack’ which prepares the vehicle for heavy-duty operations.
Exact specifications have not been confirmed, however, they are likely to be filled with cheaper, hard wearing materials that are found on BMW 5 Series vehicles used in police forces in Europe.
The technical specifications would be of interest, the standard 530d is equipped with a turbocharged, six-cylinder diesel producing 195kW and 620Nm.
The bimmers would have a consumption advantage over the outgoing Commodores and Falcons which may go some way to offsetting the cost difference.
As a former BMW fanboy, I’m not sure this is a move that aligns with BMW’s premium brand status. It reminds me of the old jokes about German taxis.
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