UK Prime Minister Now Use Non-British Armored Audi A8L As An Official Car, Here Is The Reason Why

UK Prime Minister now use non-british Armored Audi A8L, following the discontinuation of Jaguar XJ Sentinel.

Govt went for Audi as there was no UK Original Equipment Manufacturer able to meet the requirements of the tender.

Using an Audi A8L broke 80 years of protocol that the Prime Minister must drive a car made by British manufacturer.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s non-British armored Audi A8L (L for long-wheelbase) sedan was recently seen being escorted by security detail from the Metropolitan Police Special Escort Group (SEG).

Starmer’s motorcade seen in the video shared by OneManTravelsUK included a marked and unmarked police Range Rover SUVs and multiple motorcycle outriders to aid swift travel.

First used by ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the German-made Audi A8 models replaced the armoured Jaguar XJ Sentinel since 2023, following the discontinuation of the current model by the British luxury brand.

• See Also : Tanzanian President Reduce Her 30-car Convoy To Just 3, Order Officials To Travel In Single Bus Amid Fuel Shortages

Why Met Police went for an Audi A8Ls instead of the British-manufactured Jaguar XJs for ministerial cars

“All MPS contracts are subject to public procurement regulations, with considerations given to safety requirements as well as cost and vehicle availability,” London.Gov said in a statement.

“For this tender specifically, at the time of tender, there was no UK Original Equipment Manufacturer able to meet the requirements of the tender, or producing a similar specification of vehicle, therefore no bid was made by any UK manufacture for the contract.”

Ordering an Audi A8L, a non-British car, broke the over 80 years of protocol that the Prime Minister must drive a car from a British manufacturer, although the Range Rover Sentinels are still in use by the Prime Minister.

Like other presidential cars, the reinforced armoured ministerial Audi A8L comes with a range of security features, including special bullet and bomb-proof security armour, run-flat tyres and bullet proof glass.

British Prime ministerial limousines are driven by officers from the Metropolitan Police Royalty & Specialist Protection branch (RaSP), who are skilled in protection convoy, anti hijack and evasive driving skills.

The official State Cars currently used by Starmer are the British-made armored Range Rover Sentinel SUV models, alongside the armored Audi A8L (L for long-wheelbase) ultra-luxury sedan models.

• See Also : “NPF 01” : Moment IGP Arrived For His Historic Visit To NSCDC HQ In An Armored Toyota Land Cruiser 300 SUV