Metropolitan Police Reportedly Orders Fleet Of Audi A8 Cars

For the first time in history, prime minister Liz Truss will reportedly be driven around in Audi A8 cars instead of home-made British Jaguar XJs.

The British prime minister has been transported in homemade British vehicles since the 1980s. Jaguars, Land Rovers and vintage Humbers have served British leaders over the last decades. The last few prime ministers have been driven around in bulletproof Jaguar XJs called the 'Sentinel', but this reportedly may change.

The Daily Mail has reported that Jaguar has paused production of its Jaguar XJ models due to a fall in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic. This could mean that there will be no new XJ for our newest prime minister, Liz Truss. Instead, the Metropolitan Police has reportedly ordered a fleet of bulletproof Audi A8 cars to replace the XJs.

Liz Truss, speaking at Tory leadership hustings hosted by LBC has said: 

"In my current role as Foreign Secretary, I have police protection, and ultimately it is a decision for the police about the best car to use". Truss added that she would: "prefer to examine issues of energy prices and the British economy".

Many MPs have chimed into the discussion and are outraged, saying that the decision is "unpatriotic" and that the "prime minister's vehicle should champion British models rather than turn to foreign-made alternatives."

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Telegraph: "We have our own home-based manufacturer in Jaguar, and Grant believes we should champion them". He added, "It’s not something he would ever approve of, this is a bad look".

Downing Street has kept fairly quiet on the situation, saying in a statement: "The PM will always promote British companies, but on that, it is a matter for the Met". But so far, the Met has refused to comment on the reports.