Ignition Jan 2013

Ignition Issue 8 Jan 2013

Car views and news by FleetNews

FIRST DRIVE: MAZDA6

Stylish Mazda6 back with a bang GO Skyactiv technology offers class-leading CO2 ●

Wraps come off GO show stoppers ● A glimpse of the future at Detroit motor show

Hyundai is 2012’s GO big fleet winner ● Carmaker sees 40% rise in sales while Renault struggles

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F IR S T DRI V E

6 WINS ON STYLE, VALUE AND LOW EMISSIONS But petrol models are better for benefit-in-kind tax

MAZDA6 NEED TO KNOW

n Standard diesel produces 108g/km of CO2 n Autonomous emergency braking on some models n Big price premium for diesel versions over petrol

2.2D 150 SE

T

By Simon Harris he Mazda6 is about to put the Japanese brand back firmly on the map with fleets, just as the original model did more than 10 years ago.

But while its predecessor scored highly for style and value, the thirdgeneration Mazda6 will also win over businesses and drivers from class-leading low CO2 emissions.

With 108g/km from the entry-level diesel – the 150bhp 2.2-litre SE – it's great news for drivers seeking to reduce BIK tax liability as they can choose a low-CO2 car without compromising performance, while employers’ NIC is also at a lower level. The Mazda6 is the company’s second Skyactiv model after the CX-5, which focuses on key aspects to improve efficiency: weight reduction in the structure of the car, engines and gearboxes as well as ensuring engines and transmissions are as efficient as possible.

The styling is also eye-catching. The production version of the Mazda6 seems to have evolved only slightly from the Takeri concept car of a year ago. Its sleek styling makes it stand out in a sector where many models look rather sober.

It’s a great car to drive, with smooth power delivery and plenty of pulling power low down. Maximum torque for the 150bhp diesel is 280lb-ft while the 175bhp version produces 309lb-ft.

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

VEHICLE SALES

COMING SOON

Sleek styling helps the Mazda6 stand out

Interior quality is noticeably improved Noise intrusion from the engine is low, while Skyactiv construction makes the Mazda6 feel nimble, as well as provide excellent comfort on the motorway.

While the interior of the Mazda6 is rather plain in black, there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of materials, and equipment levels are generous.

It’s also roomier than the outgoing model SE versions come with cruise control, four electric windows, touch-screen display, keyless start and iPod connectivity. SE-L upgrades manual air conditioning to dual-zone automatic climate control, automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers, and autonomous emergency braking (Smart City Brake Support). Sport models have 19-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and adaptive lighting, reversing camera, leather seats with heated front seats, smart entry and Bose audio with 11 speakers.

A disappointing aspect of the new Mazda6 is the £2,200 price premium for diesel models over petrol. It around £1,000 higher than the differential for the outgoing Mazda6, and substantially higher than for most rivals.

When Fleet News spoke to senior executives at Mazda in 2010 (click here for more), they said Skyactiv diesel would be able to achieve Euro6 emissions standards without expensive exhaust after-treatment, and claimed the price premium for diesel should be maintained at the same levels. Instead Mazda has added £1,000 to the price.

High P11D values penalise drivers as well as organisations paying Class 1A National Insurance contributions. It’ gives the impression that Mazda hasn’t kept its word.

COSTS P11D price £21,740 BIK tax band 15% Annual BIK tax (20%) £652 Class 1A NIC £450 Annual VED £0 then £20 RV (4yr/80k) £4,975/23% Fuel cost (ppm) 9.32 Running cost (4yr/80k) 35.8ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 2,191 Bhp/torque (lb-ft) 150/200 CO2 (g/km) 108 Fuel economy (mpg) 67.3 Max speed (mph) 131 0-62mph (secs) 9.1

To compare running costs, click here

T E S T ED T HIS MON T H

Toyota Auris Hybrid Excel

Maurice Glover Executives at Toyota think the tighter company car tax regime announced in the 2012 Budget will prompt higher demand for the next-generation petrol-electric Auris as fleets look for increasingly cost-effective transport solutions.

Dramatically better looking and with a highergrade finish, the new model gets improved aerodynamics from a 55mm reduction in height and is ÂŁ615 cheaper than its predecessor.

Relocating the battery pack from the boot to beneath the rear seat has freed up luggage space.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC ES

Simon Harris One of the easiest ways to produce lower CO2 emissions is to use a smaller capacity engine, and Honda has now introduced a new 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel in the Civic range.

It does feel more agile than a typical front-wheel drive diesel hatchback, and engine noise is less intrusive than on the early prototype we tried in November.

With peak torque of 221lb-ft kicking in at 2,000rpm, the Civic is also much more responsive than a typical 1.6-litre diesel hatchback too.

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Seat Mii 1.0 Ecomotive

Sarah Tooze While it’s important to offer sub-100g/km CO2 emissions, it arguably comes at the expense of performance in the Mii. Sharing platform and technology with two other brands (Volkswagen and Skoda) has helped to keep costs down and means better quality can be offered at a lower price.

For a small car there is plenty of interior space.

Two adults can be comfortably seated in the back, with decent room for luggage (although the high lip can make it awkward to load).

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

Audi A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI SE

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

Debbie Wood Unlike the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, there is no radical styling departure from the outgoing model, as the new A3 Sportback is instantly recognisable.

Put through its paces during the test, the car handled impressively when cornering, and the engine is smooth and quiet.

Available in three trim levels, SE, Sport and S line, the A3 Sportback launches with a 2.0 TDI diesel engine and a choice of two petrols (1.4 TFSI and 1.8 TFSI).

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Ford Fiesta 1.0 Titanium 125

Maurice Glover One-third lighter and 11mpg more frugal than the four-cylinder engine, the British-designed motor has ample torque to provide a refined and unruffled demeanour that belies its small size.

Fresh styling gives an Aston Martin look to the front of the car.

The car is the first in Europe with MyKey, which allows owners to programme an ignition key that restricts top speed, reduces maximum audio volume and prevents the driver from disabling anti-skid equipment.

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Mercedes E300 BlueTec Hybrid Est

Stephen Briers The E300 estate offers decent handling and a comfortable ride – perfect for a load-lugging car – with abundant power from the 228bhp electric/ diesel combined output and 369lb-ft torque from diesel alone.

The diesel hybrid ticks all the green boxes but also makes a strong business case.

Given the model-on-model improvements Mercedes has made with recent launches, it is fair to assume that the all-new E-class due in March will further enhance ride and handling.

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DE T R OI T MOTOR SHO W

DETROIT SHOW STOPPERS Lexus IS300h Launched in the UK this summer, the IS line-up includes the first full-hybrid IS, the IS 300h, together with the petrol-powered IS 250. Both versions feature rear-wheel drive and will be available with a further evolution of Lexus’s F Sport package.

Audi RS7 Sportback Available to order in the summer priced in the region of £84,000 OTR, and due in the UK towards the end of the year, the RS7 Sportback shares its 4.0-litre V8 TFSI engine with the recently-announced RS6 Avant. This means that with the help of its two turbochargers peak power of 560PS arrives between 5,700 and 6,700rpm, and peak torque of 516lb-ft is constantly available between 1,750 and 5,500rpm.

Mercedes CLA-Class With its frameless doors, the coupé adopts the design of the Concept Style Coupé into series production. The new CLA will be available for ordering from March 2013 and will be delivered to retailers in June 2013.

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

Infiniti Q50

The Q50 is a rival for cars like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, and was unveiled with a choice of a 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine or 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid. The car is expected to make its European public debut in Geneva in March with a four-cylinder diesel engine under the bonnet.

Honda Urban SUV Concept The Urban SUV Concept hints at the styling direction of an all-new small crossover scheduled to be launched in Japan at the end of 2013 and in the US in 2014. The model will subsequently be introduced in Europe.

The Concept represents the expansion of vehicles that will be based on Honda’s new Global Compact Series platform, which include the Honda Jazz.

Nissan Resonance Concept

The Nissan Resonance concept suggests the styling direction the brand will employ on future crossover cars.

OUR F L EE T

FORD GRAND C-MAX

2.0 TDCI TITANIUM POWERSHIFT

Blind spot warnings contribute to effortless motorway driving

T

By Andrew Ryan he Grand C-Max returned to our fleet in mid-December after three months with our sister magazine AM, and was immediately thrown into the deep end with a 600-mile round trip to Ireland.

Loaded up with my parents and Christmas presents for the Irish side of my family, the Grand C-Max proved an ideal vehicle for the journey, offering loads of space, refined motorway manners, a smooth automatic gearbox and plenty of power for effortless cruising.

One real boon for the motorway driving was our test car's Blind Spot Information System, which detects any vehicles in the blind spot and alerts you by illuminating an orange warning light in the relevant door mirror.

At first the lights seem like they may prove a slight distraction as they are sometimes triggered when driving past hedgerows, but in the dark with heavy traffic on the M6, it was reassuring to have a bit of extra help in knowing what was around me at all times.

The trip to Ireland also saw the Grand C-Max's seven-seat capability used.

Usually the rear-most seats are folded flat into the boot floor, but a quick pull on a couple of straps sees the back seats pop up and ready for use.

It's a simple mechanism, and the car's rear sliding doors make access to them straightforward.

On this occasion, the occupants of the rear-most seats were a three- and a five-year-old and there was plenty of room for them. However, space is tight and they would be uncomfortable for an adult for any length of time.

NEED TO KNOW n Blind Spot Information System improves safety n Folding rear seat mechanism is easy to use

COSTS P11D price £24,320 BIK tax band 24% Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,167 Class 1A NIC £805 Annual VED £170 RV (4yr/80k) £5,675/23% Fuel cost (ppm) 13.19 AFR (ppm) 15 Running cost (4yr/80k) 40.51ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,997 Power (bhp) 138 Torque lb-ft 236 CO2 (g/km) 154 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 48.7 Max speed (mph) 123 0-62mph (sec) 10.5 Test mpg 45.7 Current mileage 10.353 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Sliding rear doors make access to the Grand C-Max easy

Click here for previous Grand C-Max tests

WHAT'S NEW

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

KIA OPTIMA

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

1.7 CDRI 2 TECH

Car review initiative is confidence booster for prospective buyers

Y

By John Maslen ou can tell a manufacturer is confident in its product when it puts independent consumer reviews on its website.

Kia is the first vehicle manufacturer to publish such unfiltered, independentlyverified owner reviews – making itself openly accountable to its customers in a partnership with Revoo, the independent third party review website.

More than 3,000 customer reviews of Kia cars have been posted to the company’s website, including 50 reviews of the Optima which we have on long-term test.

Overall, drivers score the Optima 9/10, with the lowest mark of 8.4 for fuel economy (and I have shown in previous tests that the Optima can hit its predicted economy figure, so shortfalls are down to the driver, not the car in my opinion).

Most comments are glowing, particularly when it comes to design, boot space and general value for money. Negative points, apart from the odd fuel economy remark, include the lack of a rear wiper, the fact that the satellite navigation doesn’t take full postcodes, the handbrake being too far to the left and the need for hooks in the boot to stop shopping rolling around.

It is a great initiative for two reasons. Firstly, it gives customers confidence in the product (you can even submit questions to other Kia drivers) and secondly, it’s a fantastic customer service and market research tool.

The comments can all go towards future product development and when there is a problem, Kia responds directly to the driver on the site offering advice and support, which also inspires confidence in other users.

It's an initiative that more drivers will be supporting in future, as Kia has just set a new record UK sale with 66,629 cars delivered to customers during 2012 – compared to 53,615 in 2011. This year, it is targeting 70,000.

NEED TO KNOW

n 3,000 reviews posted on website n Kia is targeting 70,000 sales in 2013

COSTS P11D price £21,640 BIK tax band 19% Annual BIK tax (20%) £822 Class 1A NIC £567 Annual VED £0 then £100 RV (4yr/80k) £5,225 Fuel cost (ppm) 11.15ppm AFR (ppm) 18 Running cost (4yr/80k) 36.08ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,685 Power (bhp) 134 Torque lb-ft 239 CO2 (g/km) 128 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 57.6 Max speed (mph) 125 0-62mph (sec) 10.2 Test mpg 54.0 Current mileage 16,700 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Optima tests

OUR F L EE T

RENAULT MEGANE

SPORT TOURER 1.5DCI DYNAMIQUE

Megane wins fresh respect and its engine line-up generates fleet interest NEED TO KNOW

n Largest load capacity in its class n Excellent longdistance comfort

COSTS P11D price £20,545 BIK tax band 13% Annual BIK tax (20%) £534 Class 1A NIC £369 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £4,125/20% Fuel cost (ppm) 7.96 AFR (ppm) 12 Running cost (4yr/80k) 32.1ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,461 Power (bhp) 110 Torque lb-ft 177 CO2 (g/km) 90 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 80.7 Max speed (mph) 118 0-62mph (sec) 12.4 Test mpg 62 Current mileage 5,000 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Megane tests

The latest Megane is considerably bigger than its predecessor

P

By Maurice Glover ositive feedback from all sections of the media suggests the latest Clio is all set to be a success in the showrooms. But the next model range up from the smart new supermini is also playing a major role in the campaign to revive buyer confidence in Renault.

With a significant upgrade in quality backed by some deft modifications to its style lines, the Megane is winning fresh respect for the beleaguered car manufacturer. Its latest engine line-up is also gaining renewed interest from fleet buyers – probably the most significant targets for sales.

Faced with ever-rising costs, business motorists are paying greater attention to vehicles that are genuinely versatile and can deliver improvements in operating economy and so far there’s a lot to commend the Megane Sport Tourer.

This model is considerably bigger than the original and the most practical car in the range excels by boasting the biggest load capacity in the compact class with the rear seats folded. Quickly achieved by pushing just one button at each side of the split-fold rear seat, the volume on offer makes this a viable proposition for users who need maximum space that’s easily accessed.

Irrespective of load, ride comfort is excellent considering the car rides on sporty alloy wheels with relatively wide tyres. Supportive seats and the good spread of equipment that comes as standard in TomTom trim make it well equipped for full days at the wheel and cruise control proves to be particularly useful over long distances.

WHAT'S NEW

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

NISSAN QASHQAI

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

1.6 DCI N-TEC+

Crossover continues to be roaring success as replacement nears

A

By Simon Harris s the Nissan Qashqai nears the end of its first-generation life, and our 1.6 dCi N-Tec+ approaches the end of its stay with us, it’s worth considering the model’s success.

The manufacturer abandoned the traditional medium car sectors occupied by the Almera and Primera and focused on a niche when it introduced the Qashqai six years ago.

In 2012 it sold more high-spec Qashqai N-Tec+ models (which made up 60% of sales) in the UK than the entire number of Mondeos registered.

In total, of Nissan's fleet registrations of almost 51,000 units in 2012 (an increase of more than 3,000 units), almost 28,000 were Qashqais.

Our Qashqai test car was fitted with Nissan’s Around View 360° monitor, which uses four cameras to display the area around the car on the screen inside when parking. Nissan has now focused on this technology in launching a new Qashqai derivative to replace the N-Tec+ in 2013, called the 360 – an attractive model in the car’s run out year.

We expect to see a new version of the Qashqai at a major motor show this year. In this month's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Nissan showed a concept car called Resonance (click here for report), which showed how its crossover car design is likely to evolve.

We’ve forgiven our Qashqai’s trip computer aberration because the car’s breadth of ability makes it so easy to live with and, with the 1.6-litre diesel engine, it’s still proving to be one of the most fuel-efficient cars on our fleet.

NEED TO KNOW n Qashqai enters its run-out year n Ends 2012 in the top 10 new cars n Clues to next generation shown

COSTS P11D price £23,090 BIK tax band 17% Annual BIK tax (20%) £785 Class 1A NIC £542 Annual VED £0, then £30 RV (4yr/80k) £6,575/28% Fuel cost (ppm) 10.23 AFR (ppm) 18 Running cost (4yr/80k) 34.96ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,598 Power (bhp) 130 Torque lb-ft 236 CO2 (g/km) 119 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 62.8 Max speed (mph) 118 0-62mph (sec) 8.5 Test mpg 52.4 Current mileage 14,034 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

A 360 derivative will replace N-Tec+ trim this year

Click here for previous Qashqai tests

OUR F L EE T

MITSUBISHI ASX

4 1.8 D I-D 4WD

Aggressive and edgy stance helps ASX stand out from the crowd NEED TO KNOW

n Wheelbase matches the Outlander n Jet-fighter-themed grille n Heated leather seats

COSTS P11D price £24,895 BIK tax band 21% Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,046 Class 1A NIC £721 Annual VED £120 RV (4yr/80k) £6,375/26% Fuel cost (ppm) 11.83 AFR (ppm) 15 Running cost (4yr/80k) 39.98ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,798 Power (bhp) 114 Torque lb-ft 221 CO2 (g/km) 136 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 54.3 Max speed (mph) 117 0-62mph (sec) 10.2 Test mpg 48 Current mileage 4,500 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous ASX tests

ASX proved its worth on Norfolk's lanes

H

By Debbie Wood ow a car looks may not be at the top of a fleet manager’s agenda, but it is still an important part of the decision process for the driver.

Personally, I like my car to stand out from the crowd and my long termer, the ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 4WD, definitely ticks that box.

My previous long-termer, the Nissan Qashqai, has become so popular that I could not drive anywhere without seeing another.

The ASX has an aggressive and edgy stance on the road that gives it a powerful and rugged look helped by the jet-fighter-themed grille.

The wheelbase matches that of the current Outlander and the ASX has been admired by friends and family for its spacious interior and boot space.

In contrast to the stand-out exterior, the interior focus is on comfort and practicality. The controls are easy to use and the specification includes leather heated seats – a particular bonus at this time of year.

On a recent weekend trip to Norfolk, the ASX was able to show off its offroad capabilities when driving through small country lanes and gravel drives on my way to the remote lodge I was staying in.

I was surprised at how easily it managed the tricky terrain and the ride and handling proved to be excellent.

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

TOYOTA YARIS

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

HYBRID T SPIRIT

Hybrid economy faces challenge of high-speed commute NEED TO KNOW

n Lowest CO2 emissions of any non-plug-in car n Boot space not compromised by battery

COSTS Yaris can achieve 80mpg on the combined cycle

T

By Simon Harris oyota has the widest range of sub-100g/km models of any car manufacturer, and most of them achieve their low CO2 emissions as a result of hybrid power. The Yaris is the smallest of its models to use a petrol-electric powertrain. In its most efficient form it achieves 79g/km and more than 80mpg.

Our top-of-the-range T Spirit version is on larger wheels than T3 and T4 derivatives and achieves 85g/km and 76.3mpg. This makes it among the lowest-emitting cars and, in the small car sector, is a figure only matched or bettered by diesel rivals which are subject to a 3% supplement on company car tax (until 2015).

The Yaris Hybrid also qualifies for a full discount on the London congestion charge and would also be well placed to continue to qualify should the CO2 threshold be reduced as a result of the current consultation to make more car owners have to pay the charge.

The Yaris is smaller on the outside than some cars in the sector, such as the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa, but is roomy enough inside.

The battery pack is packaged under the rear seats, so it also has the same boot space as petrol and diesel versions.

Our run-in model was delivered in December with 4,000 miles on the clock. Although I’m not optimistic of achieving the official fuel consumption figure on my high-speed commute, I’ll be trying to adapt to see how much of a compromise is required, and how much fuel can be saved.

For companies paying AFR, an urban-based driver achieving good fuel economy in the Yaris Hybrid could be pocketing 10p per mile.

P11D price £17,790 BIK tax band 10% Annual BIK tax (20%) £356 Class 1A NIC £246 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £4,650/26% Fuel cost (ppm) 8 AFR (ppm) 18 Running cost (4yr/80k) 28.77ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,497 Power (bhp) 101 Torque lb-ft 82 (engine only) CO2 (g/km) 85 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 76.3 Max speed (mph) 103 0-62mph (sec) 11.8 Test mpg 53.1 Current mileage 4,452 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

DIGI TA L R A DIO

Digital radio: what are the pros and cons of switching over?

DAB offers greater choice but many people remain happy with FM In the wake of a successful digital television switchover last year, the Government has confirmed it will be announcing a decision on plans for the digital switchover for radio in October.

For the Government to announce actual dates for the switchover, DAB has to hold a 50% share of all radio listening hours and at least 90% of local coverage.

The general consensus is that this will be reached in 2015 – around nine million digital radios have been sold to-date with the current run-rate around 1.9 million per year.

BENEFITS FOR CARS n Hiss and crackle-free sound n Find the station you want by name, not number (same as FM car radios) n Track and artist listings: digital radios display on-screen information, so you can find out what’s playing n Choice: 61 stations are available on digital, 35 of which are not available on analogue

NEGATIVES FOR CARS n DAB cold spots exist where signal strength is low, resulting in loss of reception n Cost: mostly offered as a paid-for option by manufacturers, although growing number are making it standard fit n Switchover: DAB means the end of FM, which many people are happy with

STANDARD OR OPTIONAL? Currently 5% of cars on the road have DAB technology. It is offered as standard in 33% of new car models, while 50% offer it as an option.

Featured opposite is a look at the top 10 fleet manufacturers and what they are offering.

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

WHO’S TUNED IN TO DIGITAL RADIO? * Audi BMW Ford

Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Peugeot Toyota

Vauxhall Volkswagen * Models where DAB is fitted as standard

All models – expected during 2013 All models B-Max, new Fiesta (from Zetec S), Focus (from Zetec), all C-Max/Grand C-Max, Kuga (Titanium X) and on large cars in Titanium and Titanium X None standard or optional None standard or optional CLS and C-Class Coupé None standard or optional Across all new models – expected during 2013 Prius, Prius plug-in, RAV4 (from Icon grade upwards), Auris (from Icon grade upwards), Verso (from Icon grade upwards), Landcruiser V8 and Avensis on T4 and T Spirit grades All models All models – except Up

C A RM A K ER NE W S

Jaguar Land Rover to create 800 One-third of new cars now jobs following record global sales fitted with DAB as standard Jaguar Land Rover is to create 800 jobs at its Solihull plant to support the introduction of new model programmes throughout 2013.

The move follows record global sales (357,773 vehicles) for Jaguar Land Rover last year with retail sales up 30%. Its sales were up in every major market due to new model introductions and update programmes, with particularly strong performances from the UK, China and the US. China is now Jaguar Land Rover’s largest market delivering its best ever sales performance in 2012 (71,940, up 71%).

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Peugeot reveals new 2008 crossover

A milestone has been reached this week with onethird of all new cars (33.3%) in now having digital radio fitted as standard, according to CAP/SMMT. This compares with 25.5% in Q3 2012, 20.8% in Q4 2011 and just 7.5% in Q4 2010.

In Q4 2012 there was a 76% increase in the number of cars registered fitted with digital radio as standard compared with Q4 2011.

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Cascada undercuts main premium rival by £8,000

Peugeot has revealed the production version of its new compact crossover ahead of its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The 2008 was first shown as a concept last year and will be targeting customers of the Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Mokka, as well as forthcoming rivals from Ford and other brands.

It's slightly longer than a 208, and will be offered with the latest e-HDi diesel and new three-cylinder petrol engines, with CO2 starting from 99g/km.

Vauxhall’s new full-size, four-seat convertible, the Cascada, will be priced from just £23,995 on-theroad – nearly £8,000 less than its main rival in the premium drop-top sector – when it arrives in showrooms this April.

IT comes in two equipment grades, with the entrylevel SE getting 18-inch alloy wheels, a sports chassis, LED tail lamps and aux-in/USB as standard. The Elite includes leather trim, heated front seats and steering wheel and front fog lamps.

Starting the line-up is a 1.4-litre (140bhp) turbo petrol achieving a combined 44.8mpg and 148g/km CO2, and a 2.0-litre (165bhp) diesel engine achieving up to 54.3mpg combined and 138g/km CO2.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

FIRST DRIVE

TESTED THIS MONTH

DETROIT SHOW

OUR FLEET

DAB RADIO

CARMAKER NEWS

SALES FIGURES

COMING SOON

Subaru extends new car warranty to five years

Mercedes-Benz reveals new-look coupé and convertible

Subaru UK has changed its aftercare programme on new cars in response to feedback from dealers and customers.

All new Subaru cars (excluding WRX STI) now come with a new, longer five-year/100,000-mile warranty which replaces the previous warranty of three years/60,000 miles.

The ETCo (‘Everything Taken Care of’) package launched at the start of 2011 is also replaced in favour of the longer standard warranty.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed a new look for coupé and convertible versions of the E-Class, as well as new engines and new technology.

The revisions are revealed two weeks after the facelift for saloon and estate models, and include sharper, more aggressive styling as well as extra safety features.

In the UK, both the coupé and cabriolet models are fitted with Collision Prevention Assist as standard, a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive brake assist systems. It helps reduce the risk of a rear-end collision.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Kia to open new head office after setting record sales total

Honda and BCA launch training initiative

Kia Motors (UK) has set a new record sales total with 66,629 cars delivered to customers during 2012 – compared to 53,615 in 2011 – and is aiming to continue that performance by selling 70,000 units in 2013. This gave Kia a 3.26% share of the UK new car market – up from 2.76% in 2011.

To support that growth, Kia is to move to a new head office in Walton, Surrey, during the fourth quarter of the year – more than doubling its current space at The Heights in Weybridge.

Honda and BCA are partnering throughout 2013 to deliver an appraisal training programme for the Honda dealer network.

BCA’s training manager Les Butler will head up the programme of full-day, structured courses which aim to instil good practice into used car appraisal techniques, both at the dealership, for incoming part-exchange and traded vehicles and in the remarketing environment.

Honda dealers will be trained in BCA’s Appraisal Pro, Market Price and Smart Sell technology.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

F UEL P RICE S

5

9

6

6 EXETER Diesel 140.6 Unleaded 132.46 LPG 76.9

2 BRIGHTON Diesel 138.64 Unleaded 132.22 LPG N/A

7 HEREFORD Diesel 141.26 Unleaded 132.97** LPG 79.9**

3 CAMBRIDGE Diesel 141.04 Unleaded 132.37 LPG 77.2

8 LEEDS Diesel 137.87* Unleaded 130.41 LPG N/A

4 DERBY Diesel 138.73 Unleaded 129.46* LPG N/A

9 LIVERPOOL Diesel 138.63 Unleaded 130.89 LPG 79.9**

5 EDINBURGH Diesel 136.84 Unleaded 130.54 LPG N/A

10 LONDON Diesel 138.52 Unleaded 131.07 LPG 76.4 11 MANCHESTER Diesel 138.54 Unleaded 130.56 LPG 71.9*

8 11 4

1 7

1 BIRMINGHAM Diesel 139.15 Unleaded 131.48 LPG 76.9

13

12 3 14 10 2

12 NORWICH Diesel 138.12 Unleaded 130.47 LPG 78.9 13 OXFORD Diesel 141.73** Unleaded 132.73 LPG 77.9 14 WATFORD Diesel 138.57 Unleaded 130.85 LPG N/A

For full UK fuel price figures Click here * Cheapest ** Most expensive

F L EE T S A L E S F IGURE S

Hyundai is 2012's big winner Manufacturer saw fleet sales rise by 39.8% as market dynamics shift

2

By Jay Nagley, Redspy Automotive 012 ended with a total market as flat as a millpond – both the December and the year's figures were less than a percentage point away from their corresponding 2011 numbers. However, within the market, there were some huge changes in the performance of individual manufacturers.

Winners (sales growth) Of the major manufacturers (defined as those with more than 10,000 fleet sales per year), the overall winner was Hyundai with a 39.8% improvement, with sister brand Kia in third place. Perhaps surprisingly, the manufacturer splitting the two Koreans was Fiat with a 35.9% improvement (albeit from a much lower base). All the growth came from Fiat’s city cars – indeed the 500 and Panda jointly accounted for 71.3% of all Fiat’s fleet sales, which is a lot of eggs in a rather small basket.

Behind Fiat came Land Rover, thanks mostly to the smash-hit Evoque, and Honda. The fact that Honda increased fleet sales by 90.5% in the month of December is intended as a sign of things to come.

With a low-CO2 1.6-litre diesel and a new CR-V SUV, Honda will be looking to make up ground lost over the past three years.

Range Rover Evoque has been a smash hit

Renault saw its fleet sales halve last year Losers (sales reduce) Rock-bottom of the table is Renault, whose halving of fleet sales follows a fall of 22% last year. Renault would say that, having dropped underperforming models, it can now grow again in 2013. However, the question is whether the range is now so limited that it can still make a coherent fleet offering. The fact it now sells fewer fleet cars than Mini is also a question mark about whether Renault retains critical mass.

Three of the remaining bottom five places are taken up by Japanese manufacturers. This reflects the fact that the strong yen makes it difficult to finance fleet deals in the UK – and the fact that Mitsubishi and Subaru models are not that attractive to UK buyers.

Indeed, Subaru is now making so much money in the USA, where it can’t make enough cars to meet demand, that one wonders if the UK is worth bothering with at all.

The other manufacturer in the bottom five is Alfa Romeo. Given that Fiat apparently plans to withdraw to the A- and B-segments and leave the middle ground to Alfa Romeo, the company’s perennial failure is a lot more important than it used to be.

Annual fleet sales of around 3,000 cars a year is so small that the next generation of Alfa Romeos will effectively be starting from zero in the UK.

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COMING SOON

Dec Dec Fleet Fleet Manufacturer fleet 2012 fleet 2011 % change 2012 2011 % change

Vauxhall 11,595 11,806 -1.79% 136,819 155,688 -12.12% Ford 9,200 8,986 2.38% 157,269 154,272 1.94% BMW 5,838 3,700 57.78% 74,675 68,827 8.50% Volkswagen 5,143 6,943 -25.93% 101,788 108,352 -6.06% Hyundai 3,662 3,615 1.30% 39,960 28,593 39.75% Nissan 3,027 3,449 -12.24% 50,990 47,877 6.50% Peugeot 2,910 2,804 3.78% 58,776 54,720 7.41% Renault 2,449 2,666 -8.14% 17,862 35,967 -50.34% Audi 2,376 3,845 -38.21% 66,788 65,380 2.15% Mercedes-Benz 2,331 2,375 -1.85% 46,111 44,242 4.22% Toyota 2,086 2,743 -23.95% 33,465 30,954 8.11% CitroĂŤn 2,074 1,862 11.39% 32,392 30,129 7.51% Kia 2,010 1,106 81.74% 33,919 26,096 29.98% Skoda 1,659 1,684 -1.48% 23,524 21,899 7.42% Seat 1,600 1,115 43.50% 19,842 19,061 4.10% Fiat 1,514 955 58.53% 14,197 10,447 35.90% Mini 1,347 2,000 -32.65% 19,241 20,998 -8.37% Volvo 1,277 1,132 12.81% 18,969 19,459 -2.52% Honda 1,265 664 90.51% 21,010 16,823 24.89% Land Rover 657 636 3.30% 13,793 11,008 25.30% Jaguar 525 403 30.27% 7,203 6,540 10.14% Mitsubishi 433 88 392.05% 1,681 2,689 -37.49% Suzuki 375 216 73.61% 5,290 2,918 81.29% Smart 348 119 192.44% 2,420 1,604 50.87% Mazda 324 740 -56.22% 6,447 11,898 -45.81% Chevrolet 232 380 -38.95% 7,658 5,815 31.69% Lexus 200 364 -45.05% 4,117 4,062 1.35% Alfa Romeo 111 310 -64.19% 3,268 5,896 -44.57% Chrysler 99 29 241.38% 1383 618 123.79% MG 72 104 -30.77% 556 199 179.40% Porsche 68 151 -54.97% 869 902 -3.66% Other 66 57 15.79% 1,128 3,185 -64.58% Jeep 44 52 -15.38% 900 675 33.33% Bentley 28 10 180.00% 426 347 22.77% Subaru 15 52 -71.15% 765 981 -22.02% Total 66,960 67,161 -0.30% 1,025,501 1,019,121 0.63%

C OMING S OON

COMING SOON...

A mid-life refresh for the Mini Countryman concentrates mostly on updating the cabin. There’s a new centre console with improved storage space, which is helped by moving the electric window switches to the door panels. This also means there are new door armrests, while instruments and air vents now have gloss black surrounds unless you opt for the Chrome Line pack.

In the back, a three-seat bench becomes standard, though customers can choose a two-seat rear bench as a no-cost option.

MINI COUNTRYMAN On sale: January

VAU X H A L L ADAM On sale: January

The Adam will be offered with a choice of three Ecoflex four-cylinder petrol engines from launch: a 1.2-litre 70bhp, plus 1.4-litre engines with either 87bhp or 100bhp. All will be available with optional stop/start technology and have a five-speed manual gearbox.

Later it will be the first car in Vauxhall’s range to adopt the new-generation small petrol engine, featuring direct injection and forced induction, and an all-new six-speed gearbox.

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The new models you need to know about for the next 3 months

SE AT IBIZA CUPRA On sale: January

The hottest Seat Ibiza goes on sale this month with the arrival of the Cupra. It packs 177bhp from a 1.4 TSI petrol engine and sees off 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, while it tops out at 142mph. The Cupra will return an average of 47.9mpg and will cost from ÂŁ18,825.

The all-new Renault Clio goes on sale from February and offers CO2 emissions as low as 83g/km coupled to fuel economy of 88.3mpg.

This is for the new eco model that comes with a 1.5-litre 89bhp turbodiesel engine. There is also a 0.9-litre petrol eco model with 89bhp that returns 65.7mpg and 99g/km. Stop/start is standard in both of these models.

REN AULT CLIO On sale: February

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