(Mon 24 Apr 06)

Hampshire Police has bought back a Volvo 121 Amazon estate which it first used back in May 1966. Traffic Officer Steve Woodward has restored the car, registered FOR 289D, and has sold it to the force's Historic Society.

This is very nearly the UK's first Volvo police car, but not quite. Hampshire Police actually bought a similar car in July 1965, but that one "met an unfortunate end" while patrolling the Winchester bypass. It was replaced by FOR 289D the following year.

Police cars manufactured outside this country are nothing surprising these days, of course. Back in 1965, though, they certainly were. Hampshire Police had to withstand criticism from car magazines and the national press, and questions were asked in Parliament.

But the force needed something quick and reliable, with a large luggage capacity, and having tried out estate versions of the Citroen DS (which might have caused an even bigger fuss) and the Humber Super Snipe, it decided that the Volvo was the best option. Even so, it wasn't all that quick fully loaded, so a company called Ruddspeed, based in Arundel, was commissioned to soup it up a bit. The result was a top speed of 112mph, which was quite something back in the mid-1960s.

Hampshire Police has used Volvos ever since, and in fact Steve Woodward himself runs a V70. "In my opinion, there's no questioning the reliability of Volvos," he says. "They are on the road 24 hours a day and don't keep our workshops too busy. We generally keep them in service for two and a half years, by which time they have usually clocked up 160,000 miles."

Volvo Gallery
Volvo Road Tests

Previous: Prince Albert Unveils Caparo Supercar                                                             Next: Ferrari Back In Profit

Back to News index