Gleaming fleet awaits leaders

By Chris Daniels

Just one week out from Apec, the last spit and polish has been put on a fleet of 88 brand new cars, ready and waiting for the best-protected passengers in the world.

Ford has provided Apec with the LTDs and Falcons and once the world leaders have finished driving about Auckland, the cars will be sold around the country.

United States President Bill Clinton will travel in his own car, flown over in a huge transport plane.

Police and security officers will accompany the cars, including heavily armed police counter-assault teams in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The counter-assault teams will shoot back at any attacker who might try to ambush any of the motorcades.

Apec security chief Jim Butterworth said most of the cars were fitted with satellite location devices, so police could monitor their exact location at all times.

They were not fitted with any special security devices or armour, he said, and would be sold through dealers in the same state as leaders would see them The cars will all be moved today into secure storage at Hobsonville Air Force base, after being first searched for bombs.

Ford is a major sponsor of the Apec conference, supplying almost all vehicles used by the leaders, ministers and trade delegations.