Skip advert
Advertisement

Classic cop cars cross central London in convoy

Fourteen classic police vehicles were relocated to a new home yesterday, passing in convoy through London

The Metropolitan Police's heritage fleet, which includes a 1948 Wolseley and a 1983 Rover SD1, was relocated from Hampton Court Traffic Garage to Hendon Driving School yesterday, travelling in convoy across central London.

The fleet of classic Police vehicles consists of fourteen cars and motorbikes that have been involved in active police work over the last six decades. The cars are not on public display but they are used in public engagement events across London.

Advertisement - Article continues below

MG at 90: mega road test

Detective Sergeant Phil Hames, who manages the fleet, said: "These vehicles are much more than old bits of metal - they are the heritage of the Metropolitan Police Service and all Londoners… It will be emotional to see the collection leave the gates of this beautiful Victorian Police Station for the last time. They are a terrific ice breaker and always get a positive reaction."

We've picked out some of the most interesting classic cop cars below. Make sure you tell us your favourite in the comments section, or on social media: you can find us on Twitter (@AutoExpress) and Facebook.

Morris Minor 1000 Panda Car

This Morris Minor was built in 1970 and was used just like a police car is today - to respond to 999 calls and supervise local beat officers. With its 1.0-litre engine producing just 48bhp, it wasn't exactly suited to high-speed chases.

Rover P6

This Rover P6 uses the same 160bhp 3.5-litre V8 from the production model, but this car is special: it features armour plating and bulletproof glass, meaning it weighs over two tonnes. It was used by the Special Branch and for protecting Royalty and the Prime Minister between 1972 and 1983.

Wolseley 18/85

The 18/85 is the oldest car in the MET's fleet, and features a built-in radio aerial hidden in the roof. The engine is a 2.3-litre straight-six, but with just 85bhp the Wolseley takes over 25 seconds to go from 0-60mph.

Rover SD1

This 1983 Rover SD1 is actually still officially a police patrol car, but it was only in active service until the early 1990s. Thanks to the big V8 engine (producing 190bhp) it was mainly used to patrol motorways and other fast roads.

Find out more about the classic cop convoy here. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Jaecoo and Omoda announce ‘tax rebate’ to counter pay-per-mile tax
Omoda E5 and Jaecoo E5

Jaecoo and Omoda announce ‘tax rebate’ to counter pay-per-mile tax

Not a fan of the Government’s 3p per mile road tax proposal for electric cars? Omoda and Jaecoo are already offering discounts they’re promoting as ‘t…
News
26 Nov 2025
Autumn Budget 2025 revealed: fuel duty, road pricing, tax and potholes
Parliament

Autumn Budget 2025 revealed: fuel duty, road pricing, tax and potholes

Rachel Reeves has unveiled her financial plans for 2026 and beyond; we explain how they will affect drivers
News
28 Nov 2025
Audi introduces new digital interfaces on A5, A6 e-tron, Q5 and Q6 e-tron
2026 Audi - line-up

Audi introduces new digital interfaces on A5, A6 e-tron, Q5 and Q6 e-tron

The first steps are being taken to answer criticisms of Audi’s latest user interfaces
News
26 Nov 2025