Police using Rover SD1 again

We were very interested to read in today's Times newspaper (17th June 2010) that the UK police have gone back to using trusty Rover SD1 V8 saloons, like the one we hire out here at Great Escape. Apparently with felons to apprehend nearby and a dearth of modern patrol cars in the car park, officers at Ruislip in Middlesex had to use a Rover 3500 SD1 kept in the police car pool.

The Rover SD1, in full police livery complete with blue flashing lights, apparently belongs to one of the officers at the station and is one of three police-liveried cars that he owns. He also has a 1962 Jaguar Mk2 and a 1956 Wolseley. In similar circumstances with the long arm of the law to extend, for us it would have been a toss up between the Mk2 and SD1 - the Jaguar Mk2 is more powerful (220 bhp according to Jaguar, versus 155bhp for the Rover) but the SD1 copes better with taking corners on the doorhandles. We are told.

Full marks to the police and we hope the miscreants were apprehended. Perhaps they gave up - after all, who'd want to miss a cosseting ride in the big 80s Rover?

You can imagine recreating the scene with Great Escape Classic Car Hire's 1986 Rover SD1 Vitesse - the ultimate high performance limited production Twin Plenum model. You can hire it by the day or weekend with classic car hire prices starting at £165 for 24 hours, including insurance and unlimited mileage.

Relax and de-stress with a weekend in the Cotswolds

When the news is filled with credit crunches and sub-prime mortgages, we all need to destress. We’ve found a new way to relax that doesn’t involve foot spas, face packs or hill walking. Take to the wheel of a Morris Minor Traveller from http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/ and discover what it really means to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery.

With a top speed of just 60 miles per hour and the sort of acceleration that keeps cyclists waiting, the cute Morris is the perfect addition to a relaxing, romantic weekend away. Great Escape can even provide gourmet picnic hampers and interesting route plans to help you get away from it all. From Great Escape’s site you can head for the Cotswolds, Wales, Shropshire, Worcestershire or Warwickshire. Great Escape can even recommend luxury boutique B&Bs and hotels.

The Morris costs £135 per day to hire. The price includes 24 hours use, unlimited mileage, insurance, a full information pack and carbon offsetting. It is the only one of its type to hire in Europe and one of only two in the world. Great Escape also has two Morris Minor Convertibles for hire.

The Morris guarantees relaxation and smiles because it’s so slow it forces you to take life at a slower pace. Just cruise along, enjoy the scenery, find a quiet spot and throw out the picnic rug. What could be more better on a summer’s day?

Great Escape has sites in Worcestershire, Dorset and Suffolk and has over 30 cars for self drive hire. Alongside the Morris, Great Escape has classic and sports cars for hire including Jensen Interceptors, Jaguar XJS convertible, Alfa Romeo Spider, Jaguar E Type roadster and 2+2, Porsche 928, Jaguar Mk2, Rolls Royce Silver Spirit and 1974 Jaguar XJ6 long wheelbase saloon.

Great Escape provides classic cars for self drive hire for daily and weekend use. For more details visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/ or call 01527 893733. Great Escape is the only classic car hire company with full online availability check, reservation service and online booking and payment.