Seat dealership Pulman, in Sunderland, has sold 240 recently launched Toledos to  one of the UK’s largest specialist vehicle suppliers to the taxi trade.

The Taxi Centre, with headquarters in Paisley, Scotland, spotted the car’s onward supply potential at a special business preview held by Pulman at St James’s Park football ground.

The Taxi Centre is poised to buy up to another 500 Toledos by the end of this year. A further 250 are set to be sold by Pulman Seat, with another raft of sales generated by other Seat dealers

Steph Barker, Pulman fleet sales executive, said: "This order is a massive vote of confidence in the new Toledo, the Seat brand and Pulman Seat."

Allan McGinness, sales director at The Taxi Centre, said: “We chose the Toledo for its great value, quality and space and Pulman Seat because of its highly professional and friendly service.

"We’ve enjoyed working with Seat UK to redevelop the specification to make it suitable for the taxi market. The vehicle will be supplied exclusively by the Taxi Centre for delivery throughout the UK. It’s the perfect taxi. It’s the right price and right size and has credibility.”

Deliveries for the initial order of 240 cars started this month, and one of the first customers, Dean Taxis from Gateshead, has added 10 Toledos to its fleet of almost 300 cars.

The Toledos sold to The Taxi Centre are a taxi-specific limited edition SX model. The specification includes Bluetooth, air conditioning, third rear head restraint, immobiliser and remote central locking, start/stop system and full size spare wheel.

The Seat Toledo, which was launched last December and starts at £12,495.