Half a year after it seemed sorted, Skoda can fess up to a deal car spotters might have already twigged to … that the new Superb has joined the Force.

THE TRIAL concluded months ago, the evidence is already on the road …. but it’s only now that Skoda’s distributor can confirm it has kept an especially important fleet contract: Supplying NZ Police with cars.

Volkswagen’s Czech brand has been provisioning almost all patrol and traffic duty cars since 2021, primarily the Superb station wagon, mostly for patrol duty - Prime 1 cars in Police vernacular.

The tender acknowledged today was announced in late 2025.

Back at on February 2, MotoringNZ.com was first to report on Skoda NZ’s pitch to renew the lucrative contract.

Back then, the brand indicated high confidence it had the deal sorted and expected an announcement within weeks. At end of month, dealers went sent cupcakes in apparent celebration of the paperwork having been sorted.

But an actual public announcement never came. Not until today.

The new cars have begun entering service, some have been in circulation for some period.

Today’s release didn’t include images of the latest models on duty. NZ Police’s media site also lacks images. Those here are of the original cars, and come from the Skoda factory media resource in the Czech Republic.

A fleet of 3700 vehicles all up seems to require an annual intake of up to 500 fresh candidates.

The last tender specific to Prime One patrol cars signed up more than 2000 Superb station wagons and around 70 Kodiaq sports utilities.

Enlisting the latest generation of the Superb that has been in civilian use since mid-2025 was a start again in respect to recruitment.

While the latest model is similar to the original police choice styling and size-wise, it runs a completely new technology suite. Ensuring that hardware would synch with the police’s specialist equipment demanded a fresh round of trials.

Skoda NZ boss Alex Brown says achieving an extension of the fleet partnership was a proud moment “continuing a successful collaboration that began four years ago.

“This renewed agreement marks a significant milestone in our shared commitment to delivering fit- for-purpose vehicles that support the vital work of police officers across the country.”

Skoda has been a major supplier of police and emergency services products in Europe for many years. IT has put more than 23000 cars into those roles. Its experience paid off for the NZ contract.

Said Brown: “A key element of this collaboration is the support from our factory partners at Skoda Auto, who work closely with us to build vehicles that meet New Zealand Police’s custom specifications.

“From operational refinements to vehicle integration and durability enhancements, these vehicles are designed to perform in the most demanding environments.”

Brown says the latest choices were selected following extensive technical evaluation, demonstrating strong safety performance, efficiency and compatibility with Police operational equipment.

“This partnership goes beyond supplying vehicles - it’s about supporting the people who serve our communities every day.”

That includes fast attention to repairs; a vital component with Police vehicles often being damaged in line of duty.

“As we look ahead, we remain committed to continuous improvement, ensuring the NZ Police have access to the best tools for the job.”