In those days Coleman Milne was commissioned by Mercedes Benz to design and manufacture a Hearse, which would complement the 6-door Limousine, which Mercedes had recently announced. The Hearse was sold by Mercedes Benz through its dealership network and built to order by Coleman Milne. Since its early days, over 400 Mercedes based Hearses and Limousines have left the Coleman Milne factory at Westhoughton, using the E-class range in its various guises.

Within Woodall Nicholson Ltd our relationship with Mercedes Benz goes much deeper. At Coleman Milne, within our Police & Emergency Service Department, we are one of only three approved partners that supply the UK Constabularies with approved products. At our Mellor Division we have an exclusive relationship with Mercedes Benz Minibus to manufacture under license, a complete Mercedes Designed and developed Sprinter Low Floor Coachbuilt Vehicle, "The Sprinter Accessible". Working with manufacturers is obviously a key requisite for success and Woodall Nicholson were and still are, a pioneer in this area.

The desirability factor for a Coleman Milne Mercedes based Hearse or Limousine is so high that used vehicles taken in Part Exchange are usually sold before they even get back to the factory! The result is that the residual values are amongst the highest in the funeral industry: goods news for current Coleman Milne users! It is no surprise therefore that customer loyalty is a major factor in the success of the business.

When the new Mercedes Benz based vehicles were launched at Westhoughton many customers placed their orders even before they had seen or tried the finished product! As we go to press, over 50 Orders for the new Hearse and Limousine have been received, with some Orders already committed for 2006!

Why are so many Funeral Directors returning to Coleman Milne for their Mercedes Benz based fleet? Apart from extensive attention to detail and specification, they offer two vehicles that will meet the criteria of even the most discerning customer.

The Hearse has sufficient height to carry the largest American casket & floral tributes, with easy dignified access through the full-height side doors for the Funeral Director and Bearers - wearing a top hat is therefore not a problem inside this UK specification Hearse.

Apart from its striking visual appearance, the Limousine is of all-steel construction with a single piece pressed steel roof and centre door panels. It also features a modified rear seat, which will seat three people in comfort. It also features Mercedes Benz Air-matic self-levelling suspension, thus coping with even the more extreme speed bumps in some town centres! As with all UK supplied Mercedes Benz and Coleman Milne Hearses and Limousines, the vehicles are Fully Type Approved and carry a full three year warranty which covers original Mercedes Benz components and the conversion.