VAUXHALL has retained the 'Whitehall superfleet' in a huge tender to supply Government department fleets. The 12-month contract, with a possible six-month extension, is worth an estimated 2,000 cars in the first year alone, and covers 21 Government departments and agencies including the Inland Revenue and Department of Social Security.

It begins on October 1 and replaces the three-year, £20 million deal struck by the Inland Revenue, DSS and Employment Agency in 1995. The shorter duration of the new contract is designed to give the Government departments the opportunity to assess, and perhaps follow, the Inland Revenue on to a fast-cycle fleet rotation policy.

Vauxhall won the deal in the face of fierce competition, and will supply vehicles from across its range particularly Corsas, Astras and Vectras. Stan Ayling, head of transport and travel at the Inland Revenue, and chairman of the joint Government departments' tender board, said the 10-month tender process had been tortuous, but had produced 'strikingly improved terms over the previous contract'.

The DSS has made a commitment to switch 20% of its 3,100-strong petrol fleet over to dual fuel vehicles which run on unleaded petrol or liquefied petroleum gas over the next three years, and Gwilym Anthony, DSS departmental transport office, said environmental considerations had been one of the key criteria in awarding the contract to Vauxhall.