Volkswagen Group UK has selected Manheim Vehicle Services to provide Defleet services for a five-year term, taking the partnership between the two companies up until December 2026.

Sam Panayides, Sales Director at Cox Automotive Europe and Jon Higgins, UK Group Vehicle Operations Manager at Volkswagen Group UK

The agreement will see Manheim provide the solus supply of defleet services for all Volkswagen Group UK owned vehicles including: rental buyback vehicles (car and LCV), company cars, ex-demonstrators and event fleet vehicles. Around 46,000 units per year are covered in the agreement.

Manheim will provide a dedicated suite of refurbishment and defleet facilities for Volkswagen Group. This will encompass Manheim’s class-leading gas catalytic technology, in addition to specialist centres for LCV to ensure that ‘fast flow’ production is never interrupted, with supporting image solutions that meet the needs of Volkswagen Group UK’s current and future buyers.

Speaking about the agreement, Jon Higgins, UK Group Vehicle Operations Manager at Volkswagen Group UK said: “I’m delighted to begin our partnership with of Manheim Vehicle Services’. We welcome their desire to continuously improve their facilities to meet the high demands customers have come to expect.

“We also value the trust built between both companies to enable us to continue our relationship.”

Sam Panayides, Sales Director at Cox Automotive Europe, said: “Everyone at Manheim is proud of its long running association with Volkswagen Group UK, the latest win is fantastic news and testament to the trust and investment we’ve made to continue this brilliant relationship in the Vehicle Services area.

“For us, this is not just about defleeting Volkswagen Group vehicles; it is about exploring ways we can work together to digitise the process, unlock opportunities to drive greater value and make the defleeting process even more environmentally sustainable.”

Volkswagen Group UK is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG – the world’s leading car, truck and mobility company comprising 12 brands from seven European countries. In total the global Volkswagen Group sells vehicles in 153 countries with production facilities in 118 plants. In 2021, 369,747 cars were registered from the Volkswagen Group UK brands achieving a market share of 22.6% of the passenger car market plus a further a further 36,718 vans and pick-ups thus confirming the Volkswagen Group as the leading automotive company in the UK. Across the UK, over 600 retail partners offer outstanding sales and service while in Milton Keynes Volkswagen Group has its own core training centre for apprentices, service technicians and retailer staff.