Skip advert
Advertisement

No more BMW police cars: German brand halts sales to UK forces

BMW is to prioritise sales to retail and corporate customers as supply chain issues continue to be felt

BMW 3 Series police car

BMW will no longer be supplying police cars to forces in the UK. The company confirmed to Auto Express that its Park Lane dealership in Mayfair will be restructured, including the International & Specialist Sales Division based there that has historically been responsible for handling specialist vehicle sales.

The change has been made amid ongoing supply chain issues for the automotive industry, including the global shortage of semiconductors. BMW is prioritising sales to retail and corporate customers as a result of this, although Auto Express understands this announcement applies only to the UK.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The full statement issued by BMW UK reads: “With high demand for our cars continuing to outstrip supply, we will be prioritising sales to our retail and corporate customers in the future and moving away from some areas of our authorities and specialist business.

“BMW Park Lane has historically been responsible for specialist vehicle sales and so now is being restructured. It is proposed that some responsibilities will move into the BMW UK National Sales Company in Farnborough. BMW Park Lane is now entering into a consultation period with a small number of impacted staff.”

The news, which was first reported by trade publication Car Dealer magazine, comes one year after police forces around the UK were instructed not to use BMW patrol cars fitted with the brand’s N57 engine in any high-speed pursuits due to safety concerns.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Neither BMW nor the police would specify what the issue was at the time, but BMW was adamant that it didn’t affect civilian cars and was only due to the “particular way in which the police operate these high-performance vehicles”. 

BMW police car crash inquest

The N57 engine issue was linked to the tragic death of PC Nicholas Dumphreys, of Cumbria Police on January 26, 2020. The officer's BMW patrol car crashed on the M6 motorway and an inquest into the fatal accident in 2022 heard that a faulty crankshaft bearing had broken loose and punctured the oil sump causing a fire in the N57 engine. 

Reporting from Lancs Live shows that BMW had been aware of the potential problem in 2016, at which time there had been five to seven similar incidents in the previous two years. The inquest suggested the series of faults could be attributed to particular factors associated with police vehicles - namely cars with high mileage that experience extended engine idling time often followed by sharp acceleration. 

The inquest also revealed that in 2016 BMW UK prompted BMW head office in Germany to investigate the incidents and tests were carried out by engineers at the firm's factory in Steyr, Austria. They identified the cause as poor lubrication resulting from ageing and degrading engine oil.

As a result, BMW UK were instructed to advise UK police forces using N57 engined models to upgrade the oil used and shorten oil change intervals to 10,000 miles on all police cars. The advice was passed via the voluntary National Association of Police Fleet Managers, but Cumbria Police is not a member of this body. BMW confirmed that there have been no incidences of the particular fault developing in cars not operated by the police.

Now read our guide to buying an ex-police car or check out the world's best and worst police cars...

Skip advert
Advertisement

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

9 coolest SUVs coming soon: new models aiming to take the 4x4 market by storm
Coolest SUVs coming soon - September 2025 header image

9 coolest SUVs coming soon: new models aiming to take the 4x4 market by storm

Thought SUVs couldn't be cool? Here are some forthcoming contenders that should have the grunt – and the looks
Best cars & vans
24 Sep 2025
More power for BMW’s 4 Series, M340i and M240i: better efficiency and kit too
BMW M440i xDrive Convertible - front 3/4

More power for BMW’s 4 Series, M340i and M240i: better efficiency and kit too

BMW announces model revisions on selected 2, 3, 4 and 5 Series models, focusing on increased power and improved efficiency
News
24 Sep 2025
Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond
New cars coming soon header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond

Here are the most important new cars from Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more that you need to know about
Best cars & vans
22 Sep 2025
New BMW i1 will cram big EV tech into a small package
BMW 1 Series render - front

New BMW i1 will cram big EV tech into a small package

The all-new BMW i1 will rival the all-electric Audi A3 and new Mercedes CLA when it arrives in 2027
News
28 Aug 2025

Most Popular

400bhp family SUVs have become common in the EV era, but they're completely pointless
Opinion - Volvo XC40 Recharge

400bhp family SUVs have become common in the EV era, but they're completely pointless

Editor Paul Barker thinks new car firms don't have heritage behind them, so power figures and straight line speed are an easy way to grab headlines
Opinion
15 Oct 2025
New Leapmotor B10 2025 review: budget brand's best EV yet
Leapmotor B10 - front action

New Leapmotor B10 2025 review: budget brand's best EV yet

The new Leapmotor B10 is a serious player in the small electric SUV sector, boasting good range, plenty of kit and a tempting price tag
Road tests
14 Oct 2025
New Volkswagen T-Roc ride review: small SUV shows plenty of promise
Volkswagen T-Roc prototype - front

New Volkswagen T-Roc ride review: small SUV shows plenty of promise

We ride shotgun in the latest Volkswagen T-Roc, giving us a taste of what’s shaping up to be next year’s hottest small SUV
Road tests
16 Oct 2025