The new package incorporates a pre-owned Volvo offering to provide chauffeurs with an alternative to buying new with the same level of service. It also includes an in-car black box recording camera for collision evidence

The move follows feedback from industry and chauffeur companies in which Volvo Car UK’s corporate sales team noted widespread dissatisfaction with current professional driver packages and the standard of new and used car offerings which would appeal to a range of customers from owner-operators to companies with larger fleets.

The new Volvo Chauffeur Programme 2013 places new and used vehicles on the same programme for clarity, and to ensure chauffeurs receive the same levels of service. Used cars will be chauffeur vehicles already ordered, used, serviced and maintained in this market, including vehicles from the Tristar Worldwide fleet which will be six-months old with 30,000 miles.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the market, Ethos Finance has been selected as Volvo’s partner to provide funding for both new and used vehicles, whilst Volvo Car Leasing will continue to offer contract hire for new vehicles.

The scheme includes a 12-month policy for fault and non fault incidents requiring the car to be off the road for a period of time, for both new and used cars. Subject to terms and conditions, Volvo’s partner Proximo will supply a replacement vehicle – often the same day or at the very latest, the following day depending on distance, which is fully licensed for their local area. Alternatively, chauffeurs will be offered £40 a day to hire a car themselves. Furthermore, legal support is also provided.

Volvo will also supply a Roadhawk in-car black box, forward-facing camera to continuously record the road. This means that in the event of an incident footage could provide evidence for insurance purposes.

Selwyn Cooper, VCUK national corporate operations manager, said: ‘We undertook extensive research to really understand the needs of the market and discovered aftercare and an attractive used offering figured highly on the lists of many.

‘We received comments repeatedly that chauffeurs didn’t want to just buy a vehicle or be sold a car, they wanted a fully rounded service. We listened and set to work creating a programme that understands that their car is their office. This means we’ll be there to quote finance on the right terms, provide chauffeurs with the right tools to do their jobs and ensure that if they’re ever off the road, this is kept to the minimum amount of time possible.’