THE old song has it that a policeman’s lot is not a happy one - given the high attrition rate it has copped, the same might be suggested for the police’s current primary patrol vehicle.

However, as much as the rigours of frontline work have been telling on the Superb station wagon, with a litany of dramatic crashes in the line of duty, there is a positive. 

From big smashing episodes for the car over the four years since it joined up has come a safety commendation.

That’s a point of pride for the general manager of Skoda New Zealand.

Alex Brown says there’s no doubt police cars have a hard life.

But in the main when any of the 1000-plus Superbs in police duty require repair attention it’s not often because of any mechanical failing.

On weekly basis, primary fixes are for accident damage - and more often than not, this has been inflicted by miscreants using their own cars to ram into the patrol vehicles.

“It seems to be a growing trend for some in the community to hit police cars,” Brown says. 

Many are repairable, but of course the damage is often extensive. 

When Skoda achieved the patrol contract, it committed to establishing a parts and repair network that could handle any issue. 

They’re doing the job, Brown says. A vast warehouse near Auckland airport is stocked with all manner of parts, from wing mirrors and windscreens to complete sides of the car, the largest Skoda builds.

“It was a big ask, and required a huge commitment, but we made it and we have kept it,” Brown says of the back-up regime.

“We feel need to look after the police and get those cars back on the road as quickly as possible. 

“Ninety-eight percent of the time have all the parts on the shelf here in our warehouse, and if not, we fly them in.”

Brown says he has seen some “pretty horrific” video footage of patrol cars being subjected to what appears to be intentional collisions from other vehicles, sometimes at considerable speed.

While the damage is nasty, he says the feedback from police is something he feels good about; that the Superb’s crash integrity is extremely good and its safety systems are keeping occupants from harm.

“I've seen some pretty horrific shots of cars being rammed and all that … and the most important thing out of all of this is that the police men and women get out of those cars with either no injuries or very minimal injuries.

“They get to go home to their families and that’s really important. The thing we do really want is for them to go home in good health. And they are.”

The Skoda factory has signed off on producing the car currently in NZ Police use and no more will ship here. But there is a stockpile of factory-fresh cars yet to see service; Brown believes there are enough to last out the remainder of this year.

In the meantime, a fresh tender for the ‘prime one’ role has just been issued and the brand is vying for that job with the new-generation Superb wagon, which has just launched.

The latest car equips with the same engine as the current police car, in identical 195kW tune (whereas the previous one also ran with a 206kW unit).

This time it delivers in a purely all-wheel-drive setting; the police went for front-drive. 

Though closely similar in styling to the previous generation type, the new car - here now in a $74,990 standard spec with a $83,990 Sportline coming around April - is larger with more cabin and boot space. 

It also has additional safety gear and a whole new electronic suite; including the new addition of a big touch screen.

That enough reason why, if accepted as a candidate for consideration, it will have to be entirely reappraised. Police communications equipment can be compromised by electronics.

Brown is hopeful the new car will get to service alongside the previous model but doesn’t know how many others might have tendered for the contract.

“We are committed to the New Zealand Police. We have stock on the ground, and we will be absolutely putting our best foot forward.”