The second generation Skoda Superb was the pinnacle of the Czech brand’s offering when it was launched in 2008, however five years on, a busy schedule of new models had left Skoda’s ‘flagship’ feeling a bit neglected. Until now.
Anyone who says they cannot break the smoking habit is talking absolute nonsense: it’s pure laziness on their part to deal with it. What has this got to do with company car drivers? A lot.
Peugeot is boosting the fleet appeal of its 508 range by deleting the trim line previously created for fleet appeal. Don’t worry though, there’s method in this and it’s not madness.
Diesel has proved hugely popular in the UK and across Europe, while hybrid-powered vehicles have also gained a lot of sales. There is, however, one option that is regularly and wrongly overlooked: LPG.
Skoda tends to go big on practicality as a rule of thumb, however the third gen Octavia Estate improves on the high standard set with the hatch saloon to up its usefulness with larger luggage space and for the first time, a four wheel drive option.
Hot hatches have been through a few ups and downs in the time the class has properly existed but the Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTI and Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo all want to bring fun motoring back to the business driver. This is why each now delivers acceptably low carbon dioxide emissions of less than 140g/km and fuel economy that easily steps into the 40mpg bracket.
Ford - the UK’s largest new car manufacturer - has recently revealed that reverse parking camera has actually become its fastest-growing driver aid of all. Businesses and retail buyers alike are, it seems, switching on to the benefits of a rearward-facing live TV screen with a hefty 55,000 Europeans buying a Ford car with a reversing camera in 2012. More impressive still, 11,000 of them were in the UK!
Mercedes-Benz has simplified the model line-up of the E-Class with just two choices now: SE or Sport. These two are easily identified by the front grille. For the SE, there is the traditional grille with horizontal bars and the three-pointed star perched above it, while the Sport has its Merc badge placed prominently in the grille itself.
Sacre bleu and Mon Dieu, ce qui se passe a l’industrie automobile Francaise? Or in even plainer English, what’s going on with French car companies? While the British car industry is going from strength to strength, with Jaguar Land Rover taking on more staff to build cars the world cannot get enough of, France is languishing in the automotive doldrums.
The fourth generation Toledo slots in between the Ibiza and Exeo in SEAT’s current range and shares much of the charm of its Skoda Rapid cousin. Despite its niggling flaws, the Toledo is a proficient and tempting fleet proposition.
With all the extra perks that come with electric vehicles, including; congestion charge and VED exemption, 100% first year write-down allowance, low ‘fuel’ costs with free charging in some locations, grants for charging points, maintenance costs around 20 per cent lower than equivalent ICE car and no BiK to pay, the ZOE should be the electric car that finally gets businesses to switch to electric power. At around £10,000 cheaper than early electric models, this should be the final push for any firm that has been considering it anyway.
The sound of silence is something usually reserved for the luxury end of the car market, but sat here in a Vauxhall Zafira Tourer there is an eerie lack of audio interruption. Before you think we need the tender care of an ear doctor or the car isn’t moving, we should tell you this is a prototype car fitted with Vauxhall’s new 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine.
Nissan’s battery-powered hatchback gets a refresh some two years after the car dubbed the ‘world’s first fully electric family car’ first arrived on the marketplace. Now more affordable, practical and with a visible presence in one of the most EV-friendly parts of the UK, the first British-built electric car might still only attract a small share of the UK car market, but we’re expecting that at around £5,000 less than the very first models, the new model will definitely take a bigger bite of the pie with this smartly-improved, refreshed version.
The RAV4 isn’t the most obvious choice for company car drivers but Toyota hopes to address that by sending one in five RAV4s to fleets, shifting 7,200 overall in 2013. It launches in the UK with a choice of one petrol and two diesel engines: 2.0 Valvematic, 2.0 D-4D with front wheel drive and six speed manual box, and 2.2 D-4D all wheel drive with six speed auto or manual transmission.
Chevrolet has announced that the new Corvette Stingray will set you back £61,495 when it arrives in UK dealerships in the autumn. The European version of the seventh generation Corvette boasts excellent equipment levels…
Japanese carmaker Mazda has announced that Holdcroft Mazda in Stoke-on-Trent and RRG Mazda in Salford, Greater Manchester have become the fifth and sixth franchise dealerships to join Mazda’s Fleet Specialist Dealer Network.…
Japanese carmaker Honda is celebrating innovation and curiosity in its latest advertising blitz. Set to be shown tonight for the first time on Channel 4 (9pm, ‘Child Genius’), the campaign premieres as a set of short bumper…
Nissan has launched a new PCP deal for its all-electric LEAF. Describing the deal as making the Sunderland-built machine more affordable than ever, the headline monthly rate is just £189 and includes the £70 monthly battery…
Car-to-X communication technology has seemed like a futuristic fantasy for many years: but now it is ready to be introduced in our vehicles. Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will introduce C2X technology into its series…
Vehicle leasing and fleet management companies need to do more to help their corporate customers manage grey fleet risks. That’s the opinion of Simon West-Oliver, Director of Drive Software Solutions, who is concerned…
Equipment rental provider Speedy has ordered 400 new Ford vans in a fleet deal worth £8.6 million. This latest order will see 380 Ford Transit vans and 20 Ford Ranger pick-ups head to 283 Speedy sites around the UK. …
BMW’s new 4-Series Coupe will go on UK sale from October as the successor to the 3-Series. The 4-Series uses the same platform as the 3-Series saloon and will be initially available with a choice of three turbocharged engines:…
How do you celebrate taking leadership of the small car multi-activity vehicle market? If you’re Ford, then you roll out the stars. With the Ford B-MAX claiming segment leadership within six months of going on sale, Ford…
Ford has started production of its all-electric Focus at the brand’s Saarlouis plant in Germany. The Focus Electric can cover 100 miles on a full charge and has a top speed of 84mph. It is powered by an advanced electric…
A range of new optional safety features and driving aids have been made available on Lexus’ recently launched third generation IS saloon. Restricted to the flagship Premier trim, the IS 250 and IS 300h hybrid is now available…