Italian police forces have chosen Spanish carmaker Seat as the supplier of patrol cars. Seat has won the fleet contract to supply new Leon cars to the Polizia di Stato and the Carabinieri.

The first 206 vehicles have been handed over last Friday – 106 service vehicles for the Carabinieri and a further 100 for the Polizia di Stato.

Overall, the contract includes the option for up to 4,000 vehicles over the next three years. So far, Seat has taken orders for 925 cars, split between 475 “panthers” (Polizia di Stato) and 450 “gazelles” (Carabinieri).

It’s the first time both Italian police forces have selected the same brand and the same vehicle for their fleets. Seat says the Leon was chosen because of its low fuel consumption and emissions figures, as well as its high quality and excellent total cost of ownership.

The Polizia di Stato and Carabinieri have chosen the five-door Leon powered by the 150PS version of the 2.0-liter TDI engine, with all vehicles being armor plated at the front end against small arms fire. Other special features are the safety tyres, adapted suspension, warning and alarm lights, radio and communications equipment, as well as weapons carriers.

Additionally, the back seat of the Leon police car is laid out as a secure “prisoner cell”, as police officers seated in the front are protected by a dividing partition.

Seat’s international fleet sales grew by 33 percent in 2014 to 68,900 vehicles. The new Leon family has been key to this success, with the Leon ST estate version being the most successful as a fleet car.

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