| Panda Cars | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Type: |
Panda Car |
| Affiliation: | |
| Call Sign(s): |
Sierra 8-4 |
| Use: |
General patrol |
| Currently In Use: |
Ford Focus MK1 |
Information[]
A Panda Car is a three- or five-door hatchback patrol car used in The Bill. It was first introduced in the 1980s, alongside the Rover SD1 and later Ford Sierra Area Cars. They first were Austin Metros, Rover Metros and Rover 100s. Two Metros appeared in the early series, B260 MLX and C83 DRW, but were seldom seen as the early series didn't focus heavily on the vehicles. Between 1988 and 1990, three Austin Metro City-X 1.0 3-door models were used in filming, E258KWP, E259KWP and F306NLH, though at this time Sun Hill only had two pandas according to the scripts - these were referred to as Sierra Oscar 8-5 and 8-6. Another Metro City-X, a 5-door 1.3 model, F519FVR, was occasionally seen driven by Inspector Christine Frazer. During 1990, the Austin Metros were replaced by updated Rover Metros, but the models used in filming changed far more often than previously - about nine or ten H-registered models appeared at different times through the early 1990s The Metros were replaced in 1996 by the Ford Fiesta Mk4 but had been downscaled to make room for the new IRVs, which were Mk3 Vauxhall Astras, and in 2000 they were doubled with the introduction of several Ford Focus IRVs, but a fleet of facelift Ford Fiestas was introduced, and the IRVs were downscaled, with fewer Astras and eventually there were one Astra and one Focus by early 2003, Sierra Oscar 3 and Sierra Oscar 2-1 respectively. The Panda Cars were once more downscaled as the IRVs were once again brought in with a fleet brand new Vauxhall Astra Mk4 models, which were once CID cars. The Panda Cars were scaled down to two Sierra Oscar 8-4 the old Mk1 Ford Focus IRV and Sierra Oscar 8-5, the last Ford Fiesta, which was last seen in 2006, however, the Focus stayed until the show's end in 2010.
Panda Cars Used at Sun Hill[]
- 1986-1996: Austin and Rover Metro
- 1996-1998: Rover 100
- 1996-2000: Ford Fiesta Mk4
- 2000-2006: Ford Fiesta Mk4 Facelift
- 2004-2010: Ford Focus Mk1
Gallery[]
Damages[]
In Workers In Uniform, Dave Quinnan borrows a panda car signed out to PC Turnham to run an errand but manages to cause minor damage by reversing into a street cleaner's cart. Quinnan covers up the damage with dirt and neglects to note in the log book that he had used the car, leaving Turnham to face the music when the station mechanic alerts Inspector Monroe to the unreported damage.
In On The Hurry Up, PC Nick Slater is attacked by a flying bottle, causing him to crash into a parked car, causing minor damage to both vehicles.
In Confessions of A Zookeeper a Ford Fiesta Panda had a case of alcohol thrown at it resulting in it losing control and crashing. The body of the car buckled and it was written off. The occupants, PCs Vicky Hagen and Jim Carver were unhurt.
In The Morning After, PC Vicky Hagen, driving a Vectra Area Car collided with PC Polly Page's Panda. Minor damages were done to tail-lights and bumpers, but no one was injured.
In A Week of Nights, Part Two Sergeant Craig Gilmore's Ford Fiesta Panda was vandalized. Sergeant Gilmore was not in the car but it was dented, had smashed windows and the light bar was smashed off.
In Episode 005 another Ford Fiesta Panda (X262GBY) was blown up when it was attacked by a racist, Jeff Simpson. The occupant, Chief Inspector Derek Conway, was killed instantly.
In Episode 208 yet another Ford Fiesta Panda (W393TBY) had the front end blown off, whilst PC Kerry Young was chaperoning a bank manager, who had a bomb tied onto him, and when he attempted to remove it, he was blown up. Kerry suffered minor injuries. The car was written off.