Fleet World May 2016

All-New

Renault MEGANE Feel the drive

A seductive design, both inside and out.

contents 18

All-New

Renault MEGANE

What being in fleet has taught John Ellis of Nexus Vehicle Rental.

Feel the drive

24

36 How telematics has enhanced Longleys’ fleet.

28

A seductive design, both inside and out.

Getting under the skin of Tesla’s all-new Model 3.

Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Editor Steve Moody steve@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Deputy Editor Alex Grant alex@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Business Editor Natalie Middleton natalie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Features Editor Katie Beck katie@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Behind the wheel of the eagerly-awaited Jaguar F-Pace.

Fleet Consultant Ross Durkin ross@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

47

VFW Editor Dan Gilkes dan@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Celebrating the best in the world of fleet.

Sales Director Anne Dopson anne@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Sales Executives Darren Brett darren@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Claire Warman claire@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Circulation Manager Tracy Howell tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Designers Samantha King sam@fleetworldgroup.co.uk Dan Desta daniel@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

Published by Stag Publications Ltd, 18 Alban Park, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0JJ tel +44 (0)1727 739160 fax +44 (0)1727 739169 email fw@fleetworldgroup.co.uk web fleetworld.co.uk

69 COME ALONG to the greatest show in fleet this Wednesday 11th May!!!

VAN FLEETW RLD

STAG Publications

®

75

To subscribe to Fleet World visit: www.fleetworldsubscriptions.co.uk

News from the CV Show 2016, New Iveco Daily, Renault 4x4s, Daily Rental.

Certified circulation Jan – Dec 2015 18,052

fleetworld.co.uk / 03

fleetreview This month, editor Steve Moody on why local council-run Clean Air Zones are bad news all-round, and the refreshing innovations that are moving the fleet industry forward...

Clean Air Zones are a lot of hot air A lot of what is talked about emissions is hot air. Not least the figures about how many deaths are caused by diesel fumes in cities: it’s an academic extrapolation, based on finger in the wind stuff, that has become concrete fact through endless repetition.

The danger is that bad science becomes a stick with which innocent people take a beating. Yes, manufacturers need to clean up their act, but the thought that, as a recent Select Committee suggested, local councils should be able to set up their own clean emission zones in towns and cities to save lives from the scourge of diesel, fills me with dread.

This is because they talk of “older, more polluting” vehicles being singled out. But how exactly do you qualify this? How old? How polluting? And how do you police it? In the current climate, post the VW scandal, the big concern will be that councils take the view that all diesels are bad, so decide to tar all with the same brush. It could be an easy vote winner in some places and not hard to enact.

UK PLC runs on diesel. It’s a fact.

Lorries, trucks, vans and cars are all heavily dependent on diesel. But if there is a suddenly a lottery (and let’s be honest it will be, dependent on whoever happens to be voted into local councils) about whether certain vehicles be let in to centres at all, or must pay, you could create no-go zones for business, or at the very least a huge logistical and cost headache for some fleets.

I don’t deny that more needs to be done, but giving local councilsWednesday carte blanche to make up their rules is not it. IMay would rather 11th 2016 see concerted programmes, led Silverstone from central Government, that help to shape buying habits to bring more low emission 04 / fleetworld.co.uk

vehicles onto our roads. Something like we’ve had for the last 15 years, then.

The various tax and incentive regimes are not perfect – nothing is in this highly complex area – but they have brought more positive change than people would have thought imaginable.

So let’s keep this progressive, measured improvement in efficiency and emissions going and not try to force change with clumsy, parochial, big stick stuff that will do more harm than good.

Don’t miss out on all the latest daily news! Visit fleetworld.co.uk

The fleet industry is like a swan Quite often you hear people say that the fleet industry doesn’t change much.

Companies buy and lease cars and vans, run them and then defleet them, and as long as there isn’t some major financial or political upheaval it all ticks along fairly smoothly. And they’re right to an extent.

But we feature our Innovation Honours in this issue, highlighting the very best new products and services brought to market in the past year, and what struck us when we were judging them was the originality of thought, the complexity and downright cleverness of some of these entrants. While the basic premise of fleet stays the same, there is a huge amount of activity going on to refine and develop the sector. It’s a bit like that analogy of a swan swimming: effortless on the surface, but working like mad under water to keep moving forward.

Congratulations to all our winners.

Join us on 11th May... www.thefleetshow.co.uk

Ford NEWS

inbrief Strong RVs make Edge a smart fleet choice

Efficient new EU6 engine for Transit Custom A new 2.0-litre TDCi EU6 engine means more power, lower emissions, better fuel economy, improved SMR costs and reduced downtime for Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom.

The EcoBlue engine has been designed and developed in Britain, at Ford’s Dagenham diesel centre and Dunton technical centre, with an investment of £475 million and the creation of 318 new jobs.

The new, quieter, more refined engine reduces nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions while fully meeting the 2020 Ultra Low Emission Zone clean air requirements designed to encourage the use of newer, cleaner vehicles in London.

The new engine – in 105PS, 130PS and 170PS variants – brings fuel savings of over 12% versus current Euro 5 models, reducing fuel bills over four years/80,000 miles by up to £1,000 (at £1.10 per litre). Increased service intervals from two years/30,000 miles to two years/36,000 miles reduces vehicle downtime.

The 105PS version of the engine has 5PS more power than the engine it replaces, 16% more torque at 1250rpm and up to 23g/km less CO2; the 130PS version has an extra 5PS and 35Nm with up to 21g/km less CO2; the 170PS engine gives 15PS more power, 20Nm more torque and up to 16g/km less CO2.

Both the Ford Transit and Transit Custom have been enhanced with an array of new Ford Smart Technologies designed to make driving safer.

Roll Stability Control and Side Wind Mitigation are standard, while options include Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre Collision Assist with Auto Braking and Traffic Sign Recognition.

Transit Courier adds to its awards roll THE Ford Transit Courier, crowned Best Light Van in the Van Fleet World Honours, is the little van with a big heart, combining best-in-class load space - 2.4 cu m behind the bulkhead, 10% more volume than direct competitors – with unsurpassed fuel efficiency.

The Dagenham-built 95PS 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine achieves 70.6mpg and 105g/km CO2, and the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine gives 54.3mpg and 119g/km CO2 with optional Auto-StopStart. A 75PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine that betters all rivals with 103g/km CO2 and 72.4mpg is also available.

Ford was named Van Manufacturer of the Year in the Van Fleet World Honours and the Ford Fiesta Van was chosen as Best Car-Derived Van.

For further information on any vehicle in the Ford range please contact the Ford Business Centre on 03457 23 23 23, email flinform@ford.com, or visit www.ford.co.uk/fordfleet

Ford News Feature // 05

THE all-new Ford Edge is a very strong financial proposition for fleets, forecast to retain an average 54.7% after three years/30,000 miles, according to independent figures.

The all-new Edge Zetec 180PS model registers the lowest depreciation, with a residual value forecast at 56.6%, according to CAP Gold Book December.

CAP Gold Book also predicts an average RV across the Edge range of 47.1% after three years/60,000 miles.

Both available engines – with 180PS and 201PS power outputs - have Auto-Start-Stop and will deliver up to 48.7mpg with 149g/km CO2 emissions.

Available in Zetec, Titanium and Sport series – and with a choice of 180PS 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine with six-speed manual transmission, or 210PS bi-turbo 2.0 litre TDCi diesel with six-speed PowerShift – the all-new Edge is well-equipped as standard, offering Ford intelligent all-wheel drive, Active Noise Control, Pedestrian Detection, Ford DAB Audio with SYNC 2 connectivity system, privacy glass and 19in alloy wheels.

Other cutting-edge features available include Adaptive Steering, which automatically optimises the steering response according to vehicle speed.

The premium Ford Edge Vignale, with features including standard SYNC 3 communication and entertainment system, will be on sale later.

inbusiness

New clean air zones risk fleet chaos F

leets vehicles are at risk of becoming pariahs in their own cities after MPs called on the Government to allow councils to install their own Clean Air Zones.

The air quality report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said the Government, “must act now to tackle this public health emergency”, and called for clean air zones, which charge vehicles for access during certain times, across dozens of areas with power devolved to local councils.

It added that a low emission infrastructure must be put in place to get “polluting diesel vehicles off the road quickly”, but within the fleet industry, there is concern that the inconsistent nature of introduction by individual councils could mean diesel vehicles are free to travel to one city, yet subject to charges 20 miles down the road.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “We can understand why the Committee has called for councils to be given greater freedom. The vehicle rental and leasing industry is concerned that the UK could end up with a lack of consistency across CAZs. “It’s also important that motorists are not punished with retro‐

spective measures for decisions that they have already made.

Fleets operate vehicles on three, four and five‐year contracts, and need time to prepare for any significant change.”

Keaney added that a blanket ban on all diesel vehicles in city centres would be damaging to businesses.

The result may be a restructure in the way fleets are oper‐ ated, with many having to run ULEV pool vehicles in urban centres, according to Chevin managing director Ashley Sowerby: “Until now, the only major low emission zone was London, so the effects on fleet operations were very localised.

Now we are moving into a situation where national and local government clearly want to extend the use of low emissions policy much further across the country.

“Some kind of flexible provision seems to be the way forward and there are various ways to do this. You could specify that a certain percentage of your fleet are ULEVs and then swap them as needed among your drivers but this can be complicated. For most fleets, creating a ULEV pool could be the simplest operational solution.”

630,000 German diesels to be recalled

Arval insources accident management

F

A

ive German manufacturers are to voluntarily recall a total of 630,000 diesel vehicles for a software fix aimed at reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx).

The recall affects Audi, Mercedes‐Benz, Opel, Porsche and Volkswagen. BMW is not affected, and there is no confirmation that the Volkswagen Group's non‐German brands are included. UK recall volumes could be significant, with four of the country’s five biggest‐selling brands involved.

Statements released indicate that the upgrades are aimed at improving emission control system performance ahead of new on‐road test procedures being introduced next year.

Koleos makes a comeback

R

enault has taken the wraps off its new Koleos SUV, which is expected to launch in the UK in early 2017.

Marking the revival of the Koleos model in the UK after the previous smaller model was pulled in 2011, the D‐segment SUV is based on the same platform as the Nissan X‐Trail and will bring both front and four‐wheel drive models.

08 / fleetworld.co.uk

rval has now insourced much of its accident manage‐ ment solution in a move to maintain greater control over interactions with customers and leverage in‐house technical expertise.

Benoit Dilly, managing director at Arval UK, commented: “Accident Management is one of the most important interactions that we have with our customers and their drivers. That influenced our decision to bring many elements of the process back into Arval, ensuring that we can fully support drivers and limit costs and business impact to our customers.

inbusiness

SEAT targets user-choosers for ongoing growth SEAT is aiming for “double digit” growth in sales by optimising its product range and focusing on higher-value segments than previously, according to chairman of the executive board Luca De Meo. By Alex Grant.

D

espite the Volkswagen Group’s turbulent 2015, and SEAT’s investment in developing and manufacturing new models at its Martorell plant, the brand recorded a €6m (£4.7m) profit after tax last year – its first profit since 2008, and a large turn‐ around compared to a €66m loss in 2014.

De Meo, appointed from Audi last November, says brand’s self‐sufficiency and new autonomy under the Group restructure means it has the potential to define itself more clearly. “After a period of strong centralisation, the wish of [new VW Group CEO] Matthias Müller and the Board of Management is to give

to the brands a little bit more independence in their decisions and to reinforce them as much as it makes sense,” he said.

“We have to do things that can make SEAT more unique because, to be completely blunt, the answer to the question “What is the purpose of SEAT?” in the Group and the market, hasn’t found a completely compelling answer yet. That’s exactly what we’re working on, and we’re convinced now we can 100% give the answer.”

New models will play a role, building on the success of the Leon and Ibiza. De Meo indicated that the brand would be looking to continue recent sales growth by focusing on low discount sectors at the core of the market, rather than trying to hit every niche.

“From a brand position point of view, when we do a car like Ateca we are moving a bit more in the centre of the room ‐ we were in the corner. That very exaggerated sports, boy racer positioning put us in the corner – now we are trying to appear more relevant to a bigger audience,” he said.

“You will be seeing SEAT growing two digits [percentage] in the next two or three years. We had that already on the Leon and on the fact that Ibiza is surprisingly stable. With the Leon we grew 25% in three years so with new models maybe we can continue this.”

High volume, low discounts:

Electromobility:

The Leon’s higher transaction price is a foundation for moving the brand upwards, but there’s no plan to stretch the range.

The Leon‐based Ateca SUV arrives this summer, and a smaller crossover is con irmed for a 2017 launch, which could put SEAT up against the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka.

De Meo is targeting segments where SEAT can compete viably for volume, both on price and brand credibility. So while there’s an ongoing role for the Alhambra, the brand has exited segments such as the Altea’s, and it’s looking for customer progression to higher trim levels across the board.

Unsurprisingly, electrification is on SEAT’s radar, but it’s seen as being more for 2025 CO2 targets than 2020’s: “We will have to find the right mix of solutions to hit the target,” he explained. “Because it is based on the average consumption of the fleet, you have to go into volumes. To go into volume in the SEAT segments and market means doing something that’s really affordable.

“If you talk of fuel cells and carbon monocoque chassis, no SEAT customer will be able to afford it. I think we have to come up with solutions that are reason‐ able in terms of pricing which segment etcetera ‐ that’s the challenge for us.”

10 / fleetworld.co.uk

Connectivity: De Meo doesn’t see technology companies such as Apple and Google as a threat to the automotive industry. Instead, he sees connected cars enhancing the customer experience. Working with Samsung, SEAT recently unveiled smartphone‐based access for sharing cars, and for reserving and paying for parking spaces, and plans are ambitious: “For me it’s the move from the iPod to the iPhone,” De Meo said. “We are putting [our cars] in the middle of a digital ecosystem. On those ields, 130 years of history doesn’t count – we almost all start from scratch. I hope and dream about the possibility that I can work to be maybe one of the front‐runners.”

SADLY, AT SOME POINT YOU’LL HAVE TO GET OUT.

THE NEW BMW 7 SERIES. DRIVING LUXURY. bmw.co.uk/7series

0G‫ש‬DJBM GVFM FDPOPNZ ‫ש‬HVSFT GPS UIF OFX #.8 4FSJFT 4BMPPO SBOHF 6SCBO ŀ NQH ŀ M LN

WELLBEING.

Relax in a beautifully crafted, fully connected world. Ambient lighting, Bowers + Wilkins Diamond surround sound system and massaging Nappa leather seats, all controllable from the Touch Command passenger tablet, create an oasis of calm.

KNOWLEDGE.

The state-of-the-art BMW Display Key illustrates vital information about your car, and possesses the impressive power of Remote Control Parking.. All housed within head turning design.

CORE.

The Carbon Core allows for an incredible power to weight ratio, giving the BMW 730d impressive figures of 60.1 mpg (combined). And launching in June, the BMW 740e plug-in hybrid has CO2 emissions from just 49 g/km.

Optional four-wheel drive xDrive gives optimum grip in all conditions.

VISION.

BMW Laserlight technology extends the headlight’s high-beam range to up to 600 metres, doubling the already impressive illumination range of the latest LED headlights.

BMW Fleet & Business Sales

bmw.co.uk/business

The Ultimate Driving Machine

&YUSB VSCBO ŀ NQH ŀ M LN $PNCJOFE ŀ NQH ŀ M LN $02 ŀ H LN 'JHVSFT NBZ WBSZ EFQFOEJOH PO ESJWJOH TUZMF BOE DPOEJUJPOT

inbusiness

Order of service Service plans sales have grown in the retail sector and could play a useful cost control role for SMEs too. Curtis Hutchinson, editor of Motor Trader, reports.

I

f you outright purchase your company cars and vans and source them through your local franchised dealers then you should seriously weigh up the pros and cons of taking out service plans to cover their maintenance costs.

The sale of service plans has boomed in recent years with demand from retail customers now at unprecedented levels. It's easy to see why. As consumers we've moved towards the convenience of monthly payments on all manner of items from sofas and utility bills to mobile phones, satellite television packages and now cars. According to the Finance and Leasing Association, last year 984,077 new cars were funded through point of sale dealer finance, a year-on-year increase of 10%. The bulk of these purchases were through low interest manufacturer-supported Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) schemes.

Far from being a new concept, PCPs have dramatically changed the way cars are funded with customers effectively paying for the use of the vehicle over three years and then either paying a final balloon payment, to secure ownership, or use any remaining equity to roll into another PCP-funded new car. Ford boss Andy Barratt reckons PCPs account for over 80% of the brand's retail sales. That's how big they are.

As a consequence of this shift towards monthly budgeting dealers are now selling more service plans than ever before and many are being sold alongside PCPs. Service plans, like PCPs, tend to be sold with low interest rates and appeal to customers as they remove the one-off financial pain normally associated with annual services.

For SMEs running outright purchased vehicles monthly budgeting is every bit as critical as it is with private owners. This might sound like a win-win for everyone but Which? magazine recently caused a bit of a stir when it suggested service plans were little more than smoke and mirrors used by overzealous dealers to fleece customers.

Its chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith, regaling his personal car buying experience of being offered an array of add-ons from paint protection to alloy wheel

14 / fleetworld.co.uk

insurance and "a servicing plan that will run out before I want to use it".

It's a curious and misinformed comment. Anyone buying a car will be aware of the need of an annual service to make sure the car is roadworthy and stays within its warranty cover. Indeed for businesses the annual service is all part of their wider duty of care obligations.

Unsurprisingly the service plan sector hit back at the Which? attack. Angela Barrow, managing director of EMaC, one of the UK's largest suppliers of service plans, was particularly irritated. An industry stalwart Barrow has been widely credited for helping popularise service plans in the UK. "Mr Vicary-Smith’s observations surrounding service plans are inaccurate and misleading," she said.

"Our service plans never run out and if a customer changed car their plan could be transferred or they could gain a refund. This is the same industry model that exists across our industry.

“Rather than adding to the cost of motoring, service plans invariably save consumers money and ensure vital servicing work is made affordable."

The relevance of a service plan for SMEs has just been ratified by a Mercedes-Benz Vans initiative.

The brand has dramatically overhauled its servicing offering to businesses by rolling out a national service pricing initiative to address regional variations with a flat national labour rate and standard pricing for oil and parts.

As part of the programme it also introduced a service plan package enabling firms to cover their vans from just £8 a month for the Citan and £10 for a Sprinter.

Furthermore with many of its dealers now offering fleets out-of-hours servicing to minimise vehicle downtime, Mercedes claimed a business could save up to £261 for out-of-hours servicing over four years if they pay for six services for a Sprinter van with a service plan.

It's a bold move and one sure to be followed by other brands keen to offer businesses the monthly budgetary control and peace of mind already afforded to retail customers.

inbusiness

Supply demands The integrity of your suppliers is fundamental in running a successful fleet, says The Insider.

T

he availability of robust independent data quantifying the return on investment from driver training and telematics is a major barrier to uptake, according to a report commissioned by the Department for Transport. The report suggests evidence can be “patchy, of variable quality and occasionally ambiguous”, and claims “most of the research has been produced by companies with a commercial interest in the fleet sector, meaning there is some potential for bias.” I say, steady on chaps.

As fleet managers, we can only make decisions based on the information available. And we do have to trust that that information is accurate. But I think we are intelligent and intuitive enough to decide when something is being sold to us in someone else’s best interests.

So I really liked the sound of a gadget I heard about recently which aids a fleet decision based on your own real world experience. Designed to accurately predict whether you could successfully switch some of the fleet to electric and make fuel savings, you simply plug this gadget into an existing standard fuelled car and drive as normal. At the end of the trial, which I’m guessing needs to be one to three months long to take into account all your regular driving routes and behaviours, you download a report which tells you whether electric would have been a better bet.

How refreshing to have a practical solution laid at one’s feet. I’m often torn between taking a chance on a saving now and running with it while it lasts, or ‘wait and see’. More often than not I take a view based on pension company projections – you know the one, interest rates of 5% and 10% . Is there anyone out there as old as me who remembers when we last saw those percentages as actual? But I take the seller’s best and worst projections, halve

16 / fleetworld.co.uk

them, and make a decision based on the lesser figures. And in the area of accident reduction, where safety is at least as big a selling point as cost reduction, I apply the same logic.

Case studies from a product’s satisfied customers can be helpful, but only if you know they are operating from the same starting point as you. If a company has had nothing in place previously, then one would expect major savings to be available from a newly-installed telematics system as it targets fuelefficiency, driving behaviours and accident reduction. Potentially, the demonstrated results need to be from a similar type of organisation too.

For me, the integrity of the supplier is the most important factor. What is its track record, will it still be around in ten years’ time; will it continue to invest to develop the product further? I don’t want to get left with a load of redundant hardware if the provider fails, especially if that’s before I start to see a return on my investment.

And finally, having invested in our systems, can the provider help us glean maximum benefit, or provide adequate training for us to do so? Too often I hear people are swamped with data and haven’t the resource to interrogate it efficiently. Maybe the “patchy” evidence referred to in DfT’s report resulted from the manner of its interpretation, and is that down to the provider or the end user?

Talking of results interpretation, recently I was asked to provide a report on the cost per mile per vehicle/driver combination, averaged over the course of one year. I was moderately alarmed to discover the worst performing vehicle on fleet is actually a Toyota Prius! Further investigation required but I predict it’s due to the driver relocating to the shires from London mid-contract, probably not something he foresaw when calculating his choices.

inbusiness

What I’ve learnt John Ellis, managing director of Nexus Vehicle Rental, on the importance of trying new things out and building a positive office environment.

First impressions count The importance of first impressions cannot be underestimated; the impact of your first interaction with a customer, supplier or member of your team can make or break the relationship you are trying to form with them. If you get things right from day one, the benefits can be huge and more often than not, will lead to the longevity you desire.

Know your market and how you/your business fits A thorough understanding of the marketplace you operate in is crucial for any successful business. You need to be able to articulate your value proposition and how this differs from your competition, whilst constantly monitoring how your market is changing, so that you can adapt your business model to stay ahead of the game. Your customer is buying from you because you are the expert in your chosen field and so it is essential that you can back this up.

Don’t settle for the status quo Too many businesses use the phrase, ‘that’s how it’s always been done’ and are reluctant to change. Change is a vital part of managing a business; if it can be improved then change is a good thing. Don’t be afraid to try new things, so long as you learn from the mistakes that are inevitably made, you and your business will be the beneficiaries in the longer term.

Learn to trust your instincts As a business leader, you are constantly needing to

come up with new ideas, and one of the best ways of making a success of these innovations is using your own instincts. If you know your business, your market and give your thoughts due consideration, it is highly likely you will be on the right track. So long as you show the required flexibility when things change, and you are open to listening to others who challenge your concepts, success will follow.

My door is always open A key part of any business is trust; your team have to be able to trust you and you have to trust them to do the role you require. As such, everyone needs to be able to communicate openly with you, and feel comfortable that they can express their views without fear of the consequences. Earning their respect from the way you handle these discussions, which can often be very challenging, will ensure that the business can continue to grow and the people within the team feel like they have a voice, which is very important.

Have some fun along the way The majority of us spend more time at work than at home; it is very important to be able to work in an environment that people feel positive about. Whilst meetings can often be very serious, allowing a level of good humour to be used appropriately can ensure there is no unnecessary tension and those taking part can feel more at ease in your company. Building a team who share in this belief is key to ensuring a happy workplace.

trading places

in

in

in

Darren Payne appointment at Nissan Nissan Motor GB has appointed Darren Payne to a new sales director role that will combine both Network and Corporate Sales functions, effective from 1 May. Payne has been with Groupe Renault UK for over six years, initially as fleet and LCV director. He is currently sales director and will be replaced in this role by Nick Tame.

ALD’s Greg Taylor joins Essential Fleet Services ALD Automotive operations director Greg Taylor has resigned to take up a new role as commercial director at Essential Fleet Services.

Managing director Mel Dawson will take interim charge of operational responsibilities until a successor is announced.

Arval appoints new head of broker Todd Williams has joined Arval UK as its new head of broker as the fleet and leasing specialist reports significant UK growth in the past few years.

Previously an international business development manager at Arval’s Group headquarters in Paris, Williams brings indepth industry experience and knowledge of supporting businesses to meet their company vehicle needs.

18 / fleetworld.co.uk

THE QUICKEST ROUTE DOESN’T ALWAYS INVOLVE TARMAC

NEW FORD RANGER With Ford Ranger’s outstanding wading depth of 800mm, you won’t let a little thing like a river get in your way. Driver assist technologies such as Lane Keeping Aid, rear view camera and SYNC2 Touchscreen with voice control will also help keep you on the right track.

For more information please contact our Business Centre on 0345 723 2323.

COMBINED

P11D

BIK

CO 2

MPG

£20,924.64 - £32,744.64

£105.67- £52.83

231 -173g/km

32.1-43.5

Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for New Ford Ranger range: urban 24.8 -38.7 (11.4 -7.3), extra urban 38.7-49.6 (7.3- 5.7), combined 32.1- 43.5 (8.8- 6.6). Official C02 emissions 231-173g/km.

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

inbusiness

Q &A Now the EV market leader in Europe, Renault wants to widen the appeal of existing products rather than over-diversifying, explains programme director, Eric Feunteun.

How healthy is the EV market?

The growth of EV volumes is quite impressive; over 50% worldwide, and also on a European basis. Among that Renault is achieving a sustainable leadership position. So we are very happy with that.

There is always the question of is the glass half empty or half full? It’s true that if you say it’s 0.4% [of the total new car market] in Europe it’s not that big, but within Renault we are above 25,000 units sold as pure EV, so it’s not nothing. It’s becoming significant, so we are very happy.

What’s needed to help it grow further?

We need the ecosystem to continue to develop. People are saying incentives are finished, the reality is they’re continuing and growing. Austria has just launched its incentive programme, Belgium also and the UK, OK there is a slight decrease, but it remains a very strong programme.

Then you have trends on charging. Private charging is easier and easier to install because we manage the relationship with the electricity companies and there is more and more support either from cities or government for the cost of this infrastructure. Then you have non-financial benefits, which are as important as the financial ones, everything that makes your life easier driving an EV whether it’s parking, driving in the bus lane in Oslo, accessing the city centre in London, in Milan or Rome.

Renault wants to double its electric range by 2020, will you offer multiple battery capacities as Nissan and Tesla have done?

Definitely. If you ask somebody if they want a larger range the answer is, of course, yes. Then when you move from emotion to facts, and you have a choice between 100 and 200 miles at difference prices, the reaction is more rational. Some would definitely need the 200, either because they have less constraint in terms of cost or because they really use it for 200.

Others say they have enough with 100, and I can manage with it.

20 / fleetworld.co.uk

So we will keep the choice because, I think, in the EV world, those are the two routes which will open. One focusing on range, one route focusing on cost of ownership. These are important, especially when you consider in the long term that the incentives might be reduced.

PSA and Nissan have rapid charging on their electric vans, do you see Renault offering this on the Kangoo Z.E.?

At this stage we don’t see how rapid charging can be effectively used. No companies can buy a DC charger, it’s too expensive, and we don’t think a large number of companies can rely on public charging to do their business.

If we can improve maybe to 7kW maybe this could help – that’s something we might do in the next few years. Clearly the fast charging for me is a very strong communication point, but we have to prioritise the engineering resources and I prefer to focus on items which have a real customer benefit. I didn’t see many fleet users saying they use rapid charging.

Most of the sales growth recently has come from PHEVs – do you see Renault offering one or are you focused on EVs? It’s not a philosophical debate, it’s a very pragmatic debate. Our position is to bring the technology at an affordable cost. So the question is in what segment, in what country, and with what tax scheme does it make sense to have plug-in hybrid, hybrid, mild hybrid? We are always trying to find the right compromise.

No doors are closed, the technology is available. Of course it’s easier to convince the customer to move to hybrids, because it’s changing less of their habits. Nevertheless, we still think that EV is very efficient for a big chunk of the market, that when we do the job properly – like we are doing now – we can convince people to move, and the more cars are on the roads the easier it will be to convince them. So we are not going to relax our pressure and our willingness to push pure EV technology. We are almost there, so we’re not stopping.

ALIGNED WITH YOUR NEEDS The Volvo V60 isn’t simply designed for your business, but for the people within it, too. For instance, its ergonomic seats are designed to assist driver posture, which increases oxygen flow to the lungs.

This is understood to not only enhance concentration, but also minimise the risk of back-related issues. And with the added support of the Business Edition benefits below, you and your drivers can always feel comfortable.

• 98g/km CO 2 • 19% BIK • Up to 76.3mpg (combined) • City Safety system • Sensus Connect with Navigation HUMAN MADE FOR BUSINESS DISCOVER MORE VISIT VOLVOCARS.CO.UK /V60SEATS

The Volvo V60 D2 Business Edition. From only £209* per month + VAT on Business Contract Hire.

• Initial rental of £1,254 + VAT • 36-month agreement • 10,000 miles per annum • VAT payable at 20% • Excess mileage charges apply Official fuel consumption for the Volvo V60 D2 Business Edition manual in MPG (l/100km): Urban 67.3 (4.2), Extra Urban 80.7 (3.5), Combined 76.3 (3.7). CO2 emissions 98g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. *Important information: Business users only. Subject to status. You will not own the vehicle. Vehicle must be returned in good condition to avoid further charges. Excess mileage of 10.20p + VAT per mile.

Subject to availability at participating dealers for vehicles registered 01/0+/2016 to 3'/0-/2016. Not available with other promotions. Provided by Lex Autolease Ltd trading as Volvo Car Leasing, SK3 9RB.

g fleet e k

ASUS ZenWatch 2 Compatible with Android and iOS devices, the second generation of Asus’s smartwatch ups the ante with a detailed activity tracker, support for viewing agendas and e-mails on the move and the ability to function as a camera viewfinder. There are two sizes, three case colours, 18 strap materials and 50 digital watch faces to choose from, and it takes 36 minutes to recharge for a full day of use.

Price: £149.99 see asus.com/uk

ProofCam RAC 03 dashcam A neat dashcam which clips over your rear-view mirror, recording wide-angle footage of the road ahead in high definition. It features built-in GPS enabling speed alerts and a lifetime safety camera database, as well as offering forward collision and lane departure warnings.

Settings are altered via a 4.3-inch touchscreen which disappears behind the mirrored surface after it starts recording, and footage is stored in three-minute segments on the device’s SD card.

Price: £159.99 from racdashcam.co.uk

Goodmans Heritage II Connect The Heritage II combines retro Sixties styling with the latest digital technology. It’s a digital radio which can stream music from portable devices via Bluetooth or near-field communication (NFC), as well as connecting to Spotify and multi-room audio systems via WiFi. There are two versions to choose from – encased in piano ivory or genuine walnut.

Price: £169.99 from goodmans.co.uk

apps of the month

Addison Lee

Workflow

Transit

Quick booking of transfers from one of London’s biggest private hire fleets.

The app includes simple payment options including PayPal and the Priority Account, with ratings for drivers and arrival times shown during the trip. It displays when your driver is due, with the option to Snooze for up to an hour if you’re not ready, simple access to your most frequent journeys and two-tap bookings to take you home.

Price: Free from Blackberry World, Google Play, iTunes & Windows Stores

Workflow creates a list of actions, enabling apps to be connected together to streamline day-to-day tasks. Whether that’s travelling from place to place, uploading files, sending voice memos or calling others, simply drag and drop what you want to do into a workflow and it’ll automatically run them in sequence. It can even create app-like icons on your homscreen for quick access.

Price: £2.29 from iTunes Store

A live tracker for London and Manchester’s public transport system. It shows real-time predictions of arrivals and departures, with a route planner and alarms, helping to minimise waiting times and ensuring you never miss a transfer.

Transit can also show nearby car2go vehicles and bike sharing stations for multi-modal travel, and it works offline – ideal for the Underground.

Price: Free from Google Play, iTunes Store

22 / fleetworld.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT Tesla Model 3

Magic number?

Unveiled at an Apple-like event in California at the end of March, the Model 3 will extend Tesla’s range into the compact executive segment when UK deliveries begin in 2018. Alex Grant finds out how.

Challenges ahead Priced from $35,000 (£22,000) in the US - likely to be around £30,000 in the UK – this will rival the A4, 3 Series and C-Class, among others. It’s a significantly higher-volume segment than Tesla has competed in before, but it’s readying for the challenges this poses.

Chief executive and co-founder Elon Musk says the company’s factory in Fremont, California has a capacity of half a million cars per year, and has hinted at local production in Europe, too. The ‘Gigafactory’ in Nevada, a joint project with Panasonic with the largest footprint and secondlargest volume of any building in the world, will produce the same number of battery packs.

In the meantime, Tesla is doubling its Supercharger network to 7,100 sites, quadrupling its destination charger network to 15,000, and will have 441 dealers by the end of next year, ready for the first deliveries.

“We don’t make slow cars…”

The Model 3 uses a skateboard-like platform similar to the Model S, with a flat battery pack under the cabin, and motors at either the rear or both axles offering two or four-wheel drive. None of the cars at the reveal had badges identifying their battery capacities, but expect there to be multiple options with progressively longer ranges.

It’s only the entry-level version which has been detailed so far. This will have a 215-mile range under the U.S. EPA test cycle, likely to be close to 300 miles on the more lenient European equivalent. This implies a 60kWh battery, matching the slightly cheaper Chevrolet Bolt and possibly the next Nissan LEAF. “We don’t make slow cars,” said Musk at the launch, noting that even entry-level versions will reach 62mph in under six seconds.

24 / fleetworld.co.uk

Technology and luxury Tesla hasn’t released dimensions for the Model 3, but Musk claimed luggage capacity will be best in class – helped by the additional compartment at the front of the car. Its dashboard is as far forward as possible, creating extra legroom for both rows, while the roof is a single pane of glass to increase headroom for rear-seat occupants.

Unsurprisingly, it’s also big on technology. The dashboard is bare save for a large central display positioned above a compartmentalised centre console – something the Model S lacks – and all versions will feature the AutoPilot driver assistance functions. So the Model 3 will regulate its speed and change lanes on the motorway, park itself with nobody at the wheel, and include autonomous emergency braking. Tesla is targeting maximum safety ratings across the board.

FLEET FACT More than 115,000 customers pre-ordered before the car had been unveiled.

What we think...

Against all odds, Tesla has proved it can lure drivers out of German premium brands with an entirely electric car and a limited charging, servicing and retail network. As the Model 3 will launch with an established infrastructure and known brand behind it, and a lower price, the company has plenty to feel positive about. But with high demand comes long waiting times, which is tricky as rival manufacturers rush to bring competitors to market. AG

fleetworld.co.uk / 25

SWOTTeam This month the SWOT Team analyses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the new BMW X1 against its closest rivals. Here is what they have to say...

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

GA The latest X1 is far more pleasing to the eye, and up with the best German offerings. Class-leading emissions and fuel economy make it a tough act to beat.

GA It’s still not the prettiest compared to its peers. The old model didn’t enjoy a huge uptake.

GA It’s clean, looks good and it’s a BMW! There is certainly an opportunity to win over new customers and pull others away from the usual suspects.

GA Range Rover and Audi are really up there in terms of desirability in this sector. On paper they aren’t the cleanest but end users will sacrifice that for image.

AC The new X1 gives BMW a real contender in this segment and should help them gain some conquests.

AC The main threats are the well liked Q3 and the GLA. Then of course there is the Range Rover Evoque when it comes to the top end pricewise. Another issue could come from over-supply; aggressive deals can really damage RVs.

AC It’s what the first model should have been; a higher seating position and more of an SUV stance rather than a bulky estate. Lots of practicality too.

MJ On the new platform, and unmistakeably a BMW SUV. Ride and handling, cabin style and appointment are equally BMW. Good equipment levels.

Rear cabin is very spacious and loadspace versatility is excellent.

MW Most drivers would be extremely happy to get any of these on their choice list.

Good fuel consumption is a bonus, and all are in demand on the used car market.

26 / fleetworld.co.uk

AC The old model didn’t have the elevated seating position that so many like, and wasn’t the most pleasing on the eye either. This allowed Audi to dominate the premium small SUV segment with the Q3. BMW may still have some work to do.

MJ Two-wheel drive is only available as a 148bhp 18d – but this strategy is true to the ‘X’ family.

MW Prices are much higher than similar vehicles from non-premium manufacturers and for the hatch they are loosely based on, but customers are prepared to pay the price to be different and have a very useable vehicle.

MJ Sub-130g/km emissions means this car works for corporate sector. This generation is certain to attract more buyers than the prior. Perfect for those seeing X3 as too large.

MW This type of vehicle is getting more popular, and taking sales from C and D sector saloons and hatches. They offer so much more, have great styling, a good choice of economical engines, and more space in a smaller footprint. There are massive opportunities for all of them.

MJ This sector is still growing, but the premium brands all look very cost-effective and brand preference will be a key factor.

Key competitors include 4X4 SUVs from the volume brands.

MW There are many other vehicles that are similar in size and capabilities, and could be argued just as good in terms of quality and design, and at a lower price.

Y A D S E N D WE 11TH

MAY 2016 CUIT

CIR SILVERSTONE

for more information, visit

www.thefleetshow.co.uk

T U O S S I M T DON’ YEAR!!!

ON

E H T F O T N E V THE FLEET E

e day!

s on th u in jo d n a e Com

WHY YOU NEED TO BE THERE...

• To experience the thrill of over 300 vehicles on Silverstone’s Circuits AND the extensive indoor exhibition!

• To meet the whole of the fleet industry in one place!

• To join informative and educational debates!

THE NEW MINI CLUBMAN. A BOLD STATEMENT. MINI Fleet & Business Sales

Martin Ward (MW) Manufacturer Relationship Manager, CAP

BMW X1

Gavin Amos (GA) Head of Valuations, CDL Vehicle Information Services

Mark Jowsey (MJ) Director, KeeResources KWIKcarcost

Strengths GA Up with the best in the class, low CO2.

AC Lots of practicality, drives well.

MJ Drives and feels like a proper BMW SUV, spacious cabin.

MW Low fuel consumption, strong RVs.

Weaknesses GA Slow uptake for the old car.

AC Audi has dominated this segment, BMW has work to do.

MJ Lack of two-wheel drive 20d.

MW Plenty of choice in this segment.

Audi Q3

Strengths GA Audi is enjoying great success, the Q3 is no exception.

AC A firm favourite; pretty and good driving position.

MJ Strong following. Audi interior quality.

MW A desirable product.

OTR: £33,990 P11D: £33,935 Fuel: 57.6mpg CO2: 129g/km RV*: £13,975 (41%) BiK: 25% SMR: £3,015 Fuel costs: £4,983 Insurance: £4,215 Finance: £4,581 NI: £3,793 VED: £220 Cost per month: £1,134

Standard equipment: • DAB/CD/BT/USB • Satellite navigation 6.5in • Rear parking sensors • Cloth/Alcantara upholstery, heated • Dual-zone climate control • Powered tailgate • AEB Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £550 • Cruise control £240 • Park assist £340

Audi Q3 S line 2.0 TDI quattro (184PS) S tronic

GA Ageing, users are looking for a change.

AC Showing its age now in some areas.

MJ Small boot area, compact inside.

CO2 over 130g/km.

MW Emissions could put some off.

Strengths

Mercedes-Benz GLA 220 d 4MATIC Auto AMG Line

GA Great quality, stacks up on paper.

AC Styling is different to the others.

MJ Low CO2, 19-inch alloys for 2017 MY. Most will be conquest sales.

MW Low fuel consumption.

Standard equipment: • DAB/CD/BT/USB • Satellite navigation, 6.5in • Rear parking sensors • Half-leather upholstery • Dual-zone climate control • Powered tailgate Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £550 • Cruise control £225 • Park assist, front sensors £500 • Heated seats £295

GA Not always considered due to its different silhouette.

AC More of an A-Class allroad.

Not great to drive, not SUV-like.

MJ Looks more crossover A-Class.

MW Cost difference over the A-Class.

OTR: £34,450 P11D: £34,495 Fuel: 56.5mpg CO2: 130g/km RV*: £14,700 (43%) BiK: 26% SMR: £3,219 Fuel costs: £5,080 Insurance: £3,555 Finance: £4,643 NI: £3,987 VED: £220 Cost per month: £1,124

Strengths

Range Rover Evoque TD4 Auto SE Tech

Weaknesses

Range Rover Evoque

BMW X1 xDrive20d M-Sport Auto

OTR: £33,680 P11D: £33,495 Fuel: 53.3mpg CO2: 139g/km RV*: £13,252 (40%) BiK: 27% SMR: £2,570 Fuel costs: £5,385 Insurance: £3,555 Finance: £4,522 NI: £4,021 VED: £390 Cost per month: £1,132

Weaknesses

Mercedes-Benz GLA

Andy Cutler (AC) UK Car Editor, Forecast Values Glass’s

GA Ultra-desirable! The standout fashionable choice.

AC Great brand and status, great styling. Real off-road capability.

MJ High price offset by very strong RVs. Good 4x4 ability. Still very fashionable!

MW Desirable product.

Weaknesses GA The highest list price of the group.

AC Pricier end of the scale.

MJ Discovery Sport may erode sales.

MW High pricing.

OTR: £37,000 P11D: £36,815 Fuel: 55.4mpg CO2: 134g/km RV*: £19,675 (53%) BiK: 26% SMR: £2,536 Fuel costs: £5,181 Insurance: £4,665 Finance: £4,970 NI: £4,268 VED: £390 Cost per month: £1,089

Standard equipment: • Radio/CD/BT/USB • Satellite navigation, 8in • F/R sensors, camera, park assist • Artificial leather upholstery, heated • Dual-zone climate control • Powered tailgate • AEB Optional equipment: • Metallic paint £575 • Cruise control £260 • DAB Radio £430

Standard equipment: • DAB/BT/USB/Aux • Satellite navigation, 8in • F/R parking sensors • Metallic paint • Leather upholstery, heated • Dual-zone climate control • AEB Optional equipment: • Auto parking £625 • Powered tailgate £415 • Reversing camera £345

* 3yr/60k

fleetworld.co.uk / 27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY. If you like cars incredibly efficient and packed with top technology, you’ll love the new MINI Clubman.

Sleek lines and forward-thinking innovation ensures your fleet stands out. Our intelligent E-Call system alerts the emergency services automatically in the event of an accident, transmitting the car’s location, putting your safety first. With MINI Navigation, Bluetooth® and cruise control as standard, it all combines to create the ultimate in-car infotainment hub.

A competitive fuel economy of 68.9mpg (combined) and CO2 emissions of 99g/km mean a low BIK rate of just 19%. While the Cooper D achieves an impressive performance of 150hp.

Now, the new MINI One D Clubman achieves new levels of efficiency. With CO2 emissions of just 99g/km, drivers will benefit from a BIK rate of 19%.

COMFORT AND PRACTICALITY. With ample space and impressive rear legroom, the new MINI Clubman seats five adults in comfort. Smart-opening rear split doors can be operated by a swipe of the foot allowing easy loading into the 360 litres of boot space, while the rear seats can be folded completely flat for maximum capacity.

Further enhance each journey with the optional CHILI Pack, upgraded upholstery, rear parking sensors and LED headlights.

To find out more visit www.mini.co.uk/clubman

THE NEW MINI CLUBMAN ENGINE AVAILABILITY. One D, Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S, Cooper S ALL4, Cooper SD, Cooper SD ALL4 99/km CO2 | 74.3mpg (Combined) | BIK 19%

Official Fuel Economy Figures for the new MINI Clubman Range: Urban 31.4-64.2 mpg (9-4.4 l/100km). Extra Urban 48.7-83.1 mpg (5.8-3.4 l/100km). Combined 40.4-74.3 mpg (7-3.8 l/100km). CO2 Emissions 162-99 g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. 48-hour test drives available (subject to applicant status and availability).

Jaguar F-Pace Will Jaguar’s new SUV give it a bigger presence in the corporate market? Steve Moody finds out.

SECTOR SUV PRICE From £34,170 FUEL 31.7–57.6mpg CO2 129–209g/km

F

or the last few years Jaguar has been in search of an identity and a place in the world of premium brands.

The problem has been that while it makes sports cars and very competent saloons it hasn’t hit the volumes that can transform it into a major player alongside the German brands. As a result in fleet, businesses are likely to think of those first when choosing cars, and the British marque after. The F‐Pace SUV will change all that.

What once was niche is now core, and with the launch of the F‐Pace there has been none of the teeth gnashing and worries of brand dilution that went along with Porsche or BMW when they launched big four‐wheel drives. Instead, executives at Jaguar expect this to be the biggest selling model by some distance, bringing new customers to the company. So it had better be good.

Initial impressions are favourable. The F‐Pace is a fantastic looking car, solid and upright but with brilliantly integrated hints at the firm’s sports cars, especially around the rear, which makes its bulk look more slender. For the type of buyer of an SUV, with executive earning power and 130g/km, and is at the same level as an equivalent an image to project, aesthetics are essential.

Mercedes‐Benz GLC with an auto box.

Manufactured at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull Plant That said, the leaps in CO2 are not vast for an auto and alongside the Jaguar XE, the F‐Pace is built the type of driver of one of these SUVs is not with a light, stiff body structure comprised of completely hung up on taxation, otherwise FLEET FACT 80% aluminium, and is the only aluminium‐ they wouldn’t be in one in the first place. intensive monocoque in the segment. Addi‐ Of more importance is the way it drives and tional weight savings come from the the manner in which it fits their lifestyle. The Rear-wheel drive composite tailgate and magnesium for parts manual 2.0 diesel body’s high torsional stiffness enables the F‐ such as the cross‐car beam, and the result is a Type‐derived front suspension and sophisti‐ model offers CO2 car that weighs around 150kg or less than the cated rear suspension to deliver an of 129g/km. competition. entertaining car for the size, even if it is You might assume that this would translate dynamically not as accomplished as the into a considerable CO2 advantage over its rivals, but the considerably more expensive Porsche Macan. The small gap is less than you might think. The rear‐wheel drive diesel does its job manfully, while the 300bhp diesel V6 is 180bhp 2.0‐litre diesel manual is the only model under wonderfully smooth and strong and by far the best power‐ train – although of course you will pay for the privilege.

On the petrol side, the 380bhp 3.0 V6 Supercharged motor, straight out of Jaguar’s high performance cars, is odd – being at once ludicrously quick at the top end and weedy at the bottom. Simply, it’s a sports car engine in a heavyish SUV and out of place.

For the owner of this car, there is a welcome improve‐ ment in the infotainment system, and Jaguar finally seems to be catching up with the modern world with every new model. The screen can be configured to suit you, and the ability to download Apps to add new functionality will only become more useful in future. The rest of the cabin though, is fine, without being fabulous, and still lags behind the Germans in terms of materials and finish.

Price‐wise, the F‐Pace is extremely competitive with cars such as the BMW X3, and has residuals any car company would kill for: more than 50% after three years/60,000, meaning whole‐life costs should be well tied down.

28 / fleetworld.co.uk

what we think Jaguar needs the F-Pace to deliver it into the hearts and minds of corporate Britain.

Good-looking, nice to drive and classy, it will be an extremely sought after SUV among executives.

key fleet model Jaguar F-Pace 2.0D 180PS R-Sport

fleetworld.co.uk / 29

Volkswagen Tiguan Volkswagen concocts an altogether predictable yet very appealing new Tiguan. By Mark Nichol.

SECTOR Crossover PRICE £25,530–£35,095 FUEL 38.2–58.9mpg CO2 125–170g/km

olkswagen claims the new Tiguan “redefines the SUV”.

VTheWell, let’s consider a few things.

Tiguan is a chunky big box, has a hatchback, perches

149g/km CO2 depending on whether yours is front‐wheel drive, four‐wheel drive, six‐speed manual or seven‐speed DSG automatic. the occupants above most other road users, and can tackle a At its best that means 58.9mpg, which is impressive muddy field but will probably never be required to go there. particularly given the relative pace it offers (9.3 seconds to So far, so SUV. By “redefine” then, Volkswagen must mean 62mph, but it feels quicker), the quiet with which it gener‐ “make it a crossover”. In that case, job done. ally goes about its business, and the size of the re‐defined Base models come with front‐wheel drive, while if you SUV it’s lugging about. want a proper off‐road experience (to re‐redefine your The the basic S model is all you really need of the five trim crossover as an SUV) you’ll need to specify both 4Motion levels, comprising S, SE, SE Nav, SEL and R‐Line. But as usual four‐wheel drive and tick a £350 option that changes the the line‐up is arranged so as to prompt you as far up the bumpers to prevent moderately steep food chain as possible – fully‐fledged embankments tearing them off. navigation is a £2,275 option in S models, Whatever the definition, the Tiguan is designed to prompt an “I might as well mesmerisingly competent. Every element jump to SE Nav” response. of the car is imbued with perfunctory To own a truly premium‐feeling excellence: squishy top‐level plastics, a Tiguan – a Tiguan with leather seats, an huge 615‐litre boot, a touchscreen info‐ automatic gearbox, adaptable suspen‐ tainment setup of unrivalled clarity, a sion, 4Motion four‐wheel drive and a perfect driving position, a manual gear‐ fully digital instrument display (an box that’s all at once light and substan‐ answer to Audi’s Virtual Cockpit) – tial, and ride quality that nearly always requires pushing the financial envelope sits nicely in the space between roly‐poly from the £27,290 of an SE to an area well comfort and fidgety sportiness. No quirk, into the mid‐thirties. Step in new SEAT no controversy.

Ateca. Granted, the (very slightly smaller) There are only two engine choices to Ateca can’t bestow you with a virtual A beautiful, if characterstart with: a 2.0‐litre four‐cylinder TDI cockpit, but it is virtually the same car – less, example of a midturbo diesel with 148bhp and a 2.0‐litre same platform, engines, drivetrains and sized crossover SUV – TSI turbo petrol with 178bhp. A 1.4‐litre myriad parts – and yet an Ateca 2.0‐litre petrol will come later this year, and then TDI SE costs just £22,930. an impeccable blend of a more powerful diesel or two.

And therein lies the problem. The space, comfort, quality But it’s the 148bhp diesel that Tiguan is excellent, but some might and efficiency, and probamost Tiguans will end up with regardless argue the pricing makes it the fool’s bly the best on the market. of how far the range eventually Ateca. And that’s before the new Skoda expands, registering 125g/km to Yeti arrives.

what we think

30 / fleetworld.co.uk

BMW GROUP CORPORATE SALES. FLEET MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR 2016

Groundbreaking new services, class-leading new models, enhanced vehicle specification and a number of new, fleet sector-specific programmes have seen BMW crowned as the Manufacturer of the Year 2016.

What the judges said...

$ 8< 251;3< 39:; /,< 4;279:8< 9:04;19)3%< 76647069(;< 65 )/89:;88<0/8652;48#<*96.<4;(9895:8<65< < ;49;8<27'9:-<96 254;< 052,;6969(;#< < ;49;8< :5*< 7:< ; 64;2;3%< 8645:,45,589695:<7:1<:;*< < ;49;8<7<8/,;4)<3/ /4%<074&< /6<968 0748<);9:-<; 0;33;:6<98<732586<7<-9(;:&<

.76< 27';8< $ < 5/4< 27:/+706/4;4< 5+<6.;<%;74< 98<6.; 9:(;862;:6< 7:1< *54'< -59:-< 5:< );.9:1< 6.;< 80;:;8< 9: "54,5476;< 73;8 <7<89-:9+907:63%<; ,7:19:-<873;8<6;72#<:;* 19(9895:8< +54< 355'9:-< 7+6;4< 8,;09+90< +3;;6< 8;06548# -45/:1)4;7'9:-<:;*<3;789:-<,45-4722;8<7:1<;:.7:0;1 8,;09+907695:<*96.<052,7:%<074<149(;48<9:<29:1&<!6<733<,45(;8 6.76< $ </:1;4867:18<7:1<074;8<7)5/6<6.;<+3;;6<274';6# 7:1<15;8<968< 5)<8/,;4)3%&

CLASS-LEADING NEW MODELS. A raft of class-leading new models are just part of the BMW Group Corporate Sales success story â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and here are some of the highlights...

MINI Clubman

BMW 1 Series

.;<:;*<$! !<"3/)27:<-9(;8<+3;;68<7<,4;29/2#</:9 /; 7:1< 8645:-< < 736;4:769(;< 9:< 7< .9-.< (53/2;< 8;0654& 92;:895:8< 74;< 374-;4< 6.7:< 6.58;< 5+< 6.;< ,4;(95/8 -;:;47695:<$! !<"3/)27:<7335*9:-<6.;<:;*<251;3<65 052,;6;< *96.< $;40;1;8< "3788#< /19< < 7:1 53'8*7-;:< 53+&<" ;298895:8<74;<78<35*<78< - '2 +54<6.;<$! !< :;< <"3/)27:#<*96.<5++90973<052)9:;1<+/;3 ;05:52%</,<65< & 2,-&<

.;<:;*< $ < < ;49;8<37/:0.;1<3786<%;74<*96.

6.;< +9486< < 3/8< ;:-9:;< 9:6451/0;1< 65< 6.; 054,5476;<274';6&< .;< $ < 1< < 3/8<5++;48 +3;;6<1;09895:8<27';48<7:1<052,7:%<074<149(;48 " ;298895:8< +452< 5:3%< - '2< 7:1< /,< 65 & 2,-< 052)9:;1 &

BMW 7 Series -2*5 0315 13-2/& 5 +0&,3%40&,35 .-$2/5 2-45 325 031 -4"2+'302/.- 5 5 .14-+0&,31 53,45/4%5 5 4-0415$2.131 #02/44-0/&50//2".302/153,.35%0++5$45144/52/5 152)53,4 )'3'-4 5 ."0/&5 '1351!22#4(53,45 2-+(5 ' '- 5 .-52)53,4 4.-5303+45 ./(5 %03,5 4*01102/15 2/53,45 5 ( *2(4+5 )-2*5 '135 & *5 ./(5 )'4+5 4!2/2* 5 2)5 '#5 32 *#& 53,015*2(4+52))4-15.33.0/.$+45+' '- 5)2-5)+4431

BMW 3 Series

BMW X1

,45/4%5 5 5 4-0415-./&45,.15$44/5(410&/4(53251'0353,45/44(152) $'10/4115!'132*4-1 5 #2-3 5+22 15./(52'313./(0/&54))0!04/! 5!2*$0/4 0/53,45/4%5 5 5 4-0415 .+22/5 5 +'1 5%03,5."4-.&45)'4+5!2/1'*#302/ )-2*5 5*#&5./(5 4*01102/15.15+2%5.15 5& * 5 ,45 (5 #2-35$'0+(152/53,015#4-)2-*./!45%03,5 4*01102/152)5 5& *

,45/4%5 5 50153,45+.34135*4*$4-52)53,45 5 ).*0+ 5%03,5./50/34++0&4/35)2'- %,44+5(-0"451 134*532 *. 45 3,45 *2135 2)5 3,45 -2.(5 .,4.( 5 %,.34"4-5 3,4 !2/(0302/1 5 %,0+45 3,45 1 -0"4 (5 )-2/3 %,44+5 (-0"4 *2(4+15$2.135 .15+2%5.15 & *

.("4-3014*4/35)4.3'-4

CLASS-LEADING NEW MODELS. BMW X5 xDrive40e !4=> 8=+> %'"> > 9:*= => :7 = 1:--=2>+:;4>= 9:*=>-51.#:8>4,)9:2 ;=348656.,(> 600=9:8.> <55> ;4= <2*<8;<.=7>60><>%'"> > 29:*:8.

-5=<719=><82>-9<3;:3<5:;,(><568.7:2= 56+#=/:77:68> /6;69:8.&> !4<8$7> ;6 ;4=> > 7,7;=/(> 61;-1;> :7 . $/(>9=715;:8.>:8><>%: >60> &

BMW 330e Saloon !4=>-51.#:8>%'"> =>36/=7>+:;4 ;4=> 7</=> -=;965#=5=3;9:3> 4,)9:2 ;=348656.,><7>;4=> > 9:*= =(>)1; 0:;;=2>:8;6>;4=>4:.45,>-6-15<9>05==;> =9:=7&>!4=>9=715;>:7> =/:77:687 096/>685,> . $/(><82><8>=5=3;9:3# 685,>9<8.=>60><96182> >/:5=7&

HELPING SPECIFIC BUSINESS SECTORS.

INDUSTRY-FIRST INNOVATION.

Part of BMW Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning approach is to tailor new products for sectors of the market who have very particular needs.

Helping introduce new thinking and ways of operating in the fleet sector.

Service Alerts BMW Business '=2:1/><82>7/<55>05==;7>86+>4<*=><>7-=3:0:3>2:*:7:68>;4<;>4<7>)==8>39=<;=2 =8;:9=5,> 069> ;4=:9> 8==27&> <55=2> %'"> %17:8=77(> <> ;=</> 60> 8=+> <33618; /<8<.=97>+69$>3567=5,>=*=9,>2<,>+:;4>;4=> >69>76>-=6-5=>:8>;4=>%'" 8=;+69$>;4<;>2=<5>+:;4>7/<55><82>/=2:1/>05==;>317;6/=97(>=8719:8.>;4=, 9=3=:*=>;4=>)=8=0:;7(>= -=9;:7=><82>73<5=>60>;4=>%'"> 961-> 69-69<;=> <5=7 6-=9<;:68><568.7:2=>;4=:9>563<5>%'">368;<3;7&

The BMW Chauffeur Programme !4=>8=+>%'"> 4<100=19> 96.9<//=>-96*:2=7><>81/)=9>60>)=8=0:;7>069 34<100=19>7=9*:3=7>60><8,>7: =(>+:;4><>;49==#,=<9>185:/:;=2>/:5=<.=>+<99<8;,( > /=9.=83,> =9*:3=><82><>5:$=#069#5:$=>*=4:35=>9=-5<3=/=8;>7=9*:3=& !4=9=> <9=> <576> <;;9<3;:*= 0:8<83=> 9<;=7> 7-=3:0:3<55, 2=7:.8=2> 069> 4:.4#/:5=<.= 17=97(> :83512:8.> <8> :8217;9,# 5=<2:8.> 0619> ,=<9# ( /:5=> -<3$<.=&> !4:7> +<7 :8;96213=2> <7> <> 9=715;> 60 0==2)<3$>096/>;4<;>7=3;69>68 ;4=> 2:00:315;,> 60> 6);<:8:8.

36/-=;:;:*=>5=<7:8.>;=9/7>069>;4=:9>7-=3:0:3>4:.4>/:5=<.=>8==27& >8=+>8=;+69$>60>%'"> 4<100=19> -=3:<5:7;> =9*:3=> 1;5=;7>=8719=7>;4<; 34<100=19>)17:8=77=7>9=/<:8><7>18<00=3;=2><7>-677:)5=>),><8,>+69$>;4<;>/<, 8==2>;6>)=>268=(><82>600=9>= ;=82=2>6-=8:8.><82> <7;> <8=>7=*:3:8.>;6 /:8:/:7=>26+8;:/=>219:8.>3913:<5>+69$:8.>46197&> <2*=9;:7=/=8;>0=<;19=

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

BMW E-Call %'">4<7>4<2> # <55 <*<:5<)5=> 68> /62=57 069><>81/)=9>60>,=<97( )1;> :8> <8> :8217;9, 0:97;> :8> > :;> +<7 :8;96213=2> <7> 7;<82<92> <39677> ;4=> 9<8.=(> <82> :;> +:55 )=36/=>7;<82<92>68>' >/62=57>;4:7>,=<9& 8> =/)=22=2> '> 3<92> :8> ;4=> 3<9(> 6-=9<;:8.

7=-<9<;=5,>096/>;4=>17=9 7>-468=(>=8719=7>;4<;>:8><8 =/=9.=83,(>69>+:;4>;4=>2=-56,/=8;>60><:9)<.7(>;4=>3<9 7 563<;:68>3<8>)=>;9<3=2><82>;4=>6331-<8;>-1;>;4961.4>;6 619>2=2:3<;=2>3<55>3=8;9=>;6><99<8.=>4=5-&>

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Delivering the best customer service for businesses and their employees is vital to BMW. As a result there have been a number of new initiatives to improve that service still further in the past year.

Aftersales 4 -'3(2.+2-/4 "/3,-.+3-4 %.1.&3,4 ).-4 331 .''021/3*4/04-0+3+ 4/. 34(.,340"4 0,'0,./3 "/3,-.+3- 4 2%',0#21&4 00 21&4 /2%3 ,3-'01-3- 4 ++4 21 4 00 21&4,3 $3-/-4!2++ 10!4 34 ,3-'01*3*4 /04 4 4 3,#2(3 31/,3-4 !2/)214 4 %21$/3- 4 .1*4 00 21& ,3 $3-/-4 "0,4 -3,#2(34 0,4 %.21/31.1(34 .,3 &$.,.1/33*4 .14 .''021/%31/4 !2/)214 -3#31 *. - 4 1 4.--0(2./3*4(0-/-4!2++4 343 '+.213* ./4'021/40"4 00 21&4.1*4*2-'+. 3*4014 21 0%'+2%31/., 4 (0++3(/2014 .1*4 *3+2#3, !2/)214 4%2+34,.*2$-42-4',0#2*3*4"0,4-3,#2(3 0,4%.21/31.1(34 00 21&-

FLEET-SPECIFIC SPECIFICATION. BMW has introduced an enhanced level of specification on key models in the past year to ensure fleets get excellent value for money.

ED Plus and ED Sport models

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE NEW ED PLUS AND ED SPORT MODELS ENSURE GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY FOR FLEET CUSTOMERS.â&#x20AC;?

)3413!4 4 +$-4.1*4 4 '0,/4%0*3+-4).#34 331 -'3(2"23*4/040""3,4.4)2&)4+3#3+40"4-/.1*.,*4-'3(2"2(./201 "0,4"+33/4($-/0%3,- 431-$,21&4&,3./4#.+$34"0,4%013 0!3,3*4 4 32/)3,4 .4 )'4 +2/,34 4 3,23- 4 0, %0*2"23*4 +2/,34 /$, 0*23-3+4 31&2134 *3#3+0'21& %. 2%$%4'0!3,40"4

)'4 4 3,23- 4/)3-34%0*3+21(+$*34 $-213--4 .#2&./201 4 +3./)3,4 $')0+-/3, $'&,.*3*4!)33+-4.1*4)3./3*4-3./-4.-4-/.1*.,* 4

Standard Navigation with ECO PRO ++4(.,-4214/)34 4,.1&3410!4(0%34!2/)4 ./3++2/3 .#2&./2014.-4-/.1*.,* 4&2#21&4"+33/-4/)34/3()10+0& /)32,4*,2#3,-4!.1/ 4.1*42%',0#21&4,3-2*$.+4#.+$3-4/00 /4 .+-04 )3+'-4 !2/)4 21 +2"34 ,$1121&4 (0-/- 4 *$,21&4 2/0'3,./2014 4 ./3++2/34 .#2&./2014 .+-04 &2#3*,2#3,-4/)340'/20140"4/)34 4 4"$1(/201 4!)2() %3.1-4/)34(.,4(.14(.+($+./34/)34%0-/43(010%2(.+ ,0$/34/04/)34*3-/21./201

For further information, visit www.bmw.co.uk/business contact corporatesupport@bmwgroup.co.uk or telephone 01252 920800

PROFILE Longleys Private Hire Ltd

Canterbury tales Katie Beck talks to Longleys Private Hire Ltd director, David George, about how investing in telematics and scheduling software can make, or break, a business.

T

elematics can transform a business.

It certainly did for Longleys Private Hire, which installed a system and found its business crippled as a result.

The Canterbury‐based private hire cab company has been owned by father and son team, Stephen and David George, since 2007. Comprising a leet of 25 vehi‐ cles, Longleys offers a 24‐hour private hire taxi service for the local community and large student population, and a few years ago the directors authorised an upgrade to the existing scheduling system, with disastrous results; “We switched to the next generation of the rather rudimentary system we were using and it crippled our business for a month. It was appalling,” reveals David George.

“We spent about a year searching for a platform that could better meet our needs, and one day I thought, “Addison Lee must have a good scheduling system to manage so many vehicles; I wonder what they’re using?” So, I made a couple of phone calls to their of ice, and was pointed in the direction of Magenta Technology.

“Our early approaches were met with a fairly guarded response, as they were only used to dealing with enormous busi‐ nesses like Greentomatocars and Avis Car Rental. After a few conversations however, they came to understand the unique challenges we face as a local taxi hire firm, and agreed to work with us to adapt the Echo system to meet the needs of our more modest fleet.”

Longleys adopted Magenta Technol‐ ogy’s Echo scheduling software in July 2014. The bespoke system allows passen‐ gers to book a taxi through a free‐to‐ download app, using GPS to pinpoint the exact pick‐up location. The driver uses

36 / fleetworld.co.uk

their smartphone to log in to the system, allowing jobs to be automatically assigned to the closest available driver.

The system is fully automated, and only jobs involving potential complications are addressed by controllers back at base.

David George’s enthusiasm for the system is palpable; “The scheduling capa‐ bilities are so good, within six months of using Echo, we were dispatching more than 95% of work automatically,” he explains. “Our fuel usage has dropped, our ef iciency has gone up across the entire leet, our drivers are averaging two minutes early for jobs and we get more bang for our buck out of all our resources.”

David George: fuel usage has dropped and efficiency has gone up across the entire fleet

Advantages for drivers As a much smaller – primarily cash‐ based – regional irm, Longleys had very different requirements of a scheduling system than large, account‐based busi‐ nesses like Addison Lee. Whilst a driver in London may complete one or two job in an

hour, drivers in Canterbury can complete up to six or seven short journeys in that time, so high turn‐over scheduling capa‐ bilities were a must for the irm.

Longleys’ 60 self‐employed drivers work double‐shift patterns and set their own hours to suit both the needs of the business and their personal work/life balance.

Echo’s ‘dynamic response times’ function‐ ality manages, in real time, the routing of online drivers, matching them with incom‐ ing jobs while maintaining commitments to pre‐booked customers. By allowing the forecasting of where and when drivers will be available after completing their current job, the technology provides a realistic response time for incoming ‘on demand’ queries. This allows drivers to improve their punctuality, reduce wait times, improve customer satisfaction, and ulti‐ mately maximise their earnings. Driving hours and accurate mileage are recorded digitally, and paperwork is automatically iled away for future analysis.

In terms of recruiting drivers, Canter‐ bury City Council acts as a regulator, and it is their responsibility to check that drivers are both fit and proper to hold a licence. “They do all the security and licence checks for us, and we are very picky ourselves about who we take on – personality is very important to us,” says George. “It has always been our belief that we can teach someone to be a better cab driver, but we can’t teach them to be a good human being. We’ve built up a really good relationship with the locals using our service, and we don’t want surly drivers jeopardising that.”

Alongside punctuality and a variety of vehicle options, Longleys also prides itself on the safety and security of

→

fleetworld.co.uk / 37

PROFILE Longleys Private Hire Ltd

“The scheduling capabilities are so good, within six months of using Echo, we were dispatching more than 95% of work automatically.”

Longleys was one of the first → passengers. adopters of Echo’s new booking app, which allows passengers to book a cab and share the details via a secure web link, enabling friends and relatives to track the journey in real time. “This new tracking app is really useful, as more than 20% of Canterbury’s population comprises students during term‐time.

Enabling tracking by a third party brings real peace of mind,” George explains.

Hands-on approach The fleet of 25 vehicles is a mixture of saloon cars and eight and nine‐seater MPVs, which are particularly popular with the student population. “All our saloon cars are Skodas, and are one to three years old,” says George. “We also have two

38 / fleetworld.co.uk

long wheel‐base Mercedes‐Benz Viano minibuses and four Ford Tourneos for transporting larger groups.

“We buy all our vehicles using hire purchase, because when you do as many miles as our drivers do (the fleet covers in excess of 12,000 journeys a month), leas‐ ing vehicles is just not cost effective.

Skoda warranties in general we are quite happy with; it’s 100,000 miles or two years, whichever is sooner, so all servicing and consumables are done in‐house. Once the cars are out of warranty we pick up all the maintenance costs ourselves.”

Longleys has its own workshop, with a full‐time mechanic employed to work exclusively on the fleet. “Warranty work goes to the nearest Skoda dealer that’s capable of handling it, and outside of

warranty we deal with everything in‐ house,” says George. “The main motivator behind keeping the workshop is reducing downtime – our cars are inspected on a daily basis, and any faults or concerns are reported immediately to the workshop.

“Our mechanic can get a vehicle back out on the road in a matter of hours, whereas booking into a Skoda dealer and waiting for a slot means that that car is not earning any money while the fault is being ixed. We’ve had a few issues with our new Skodas recently, so it’s all to do with convenience and keeping our drivers working.

“There’s the trust factor as well – we know our mechanic is going to do a superb job and casting no aspersions on other workshops, you really can’t put a price on reliability,” he adds.

→

Aiming to halve corporate emissions and save £140,000* on contract hire and fuel.

By quitting a conventional fleet for petrol full hybrids, Nick is helping to cut Itec’s CO2, NOx and particulate emissions by 50%. Thanks to lower BIK, drivers will also pocket average tax savings worth £1,200 each over the next three years. And, as contract hire and fuel costs will also fall by £140,000, Nick can breathe easy too.

Read Nick’ss story at toyotalexusfleet.co.uk

* Saving based on switching original VW diesel fleet to Toyota and Lexus hybrids.

PROFILE Longleys Private Hire Ltd

→

Looking to the future Longleys does not currently run alter‐ natively fuelled vehicles, but has trialled hybrid vehicles in the past; “We’ve found that the hybrid vehicles are not really suitable for us – we’ve tried using a Prius but we tend to find that the MPG is actually very poor when you make them work for a living,” reveals George. “With four people and suitcases the fuel economy is much lower than a diesel Octavia, for exam‐ ple, which is disappointing.

“We are very keen to get on with find‐ ing an alternative fuel vehicle that could work for us though, as we’re interested in where the technology is going,” he adds. “We are soon going to be the first private hire operator in Canterbury to run a fully electric vehicle. We will be working in partnership with our local Nissan dealer and a local environmen‐ tal trust to put a LEAF on the road as a private hire vehicle to trial it.

“We’re excited about that trial, and what we can learn from it – the taxi and private hire market in the UK is really big, so it could be a huge growth sector for the manufacturer that gets it right,” he says.

Building customer loyalty Scheduling software helps drivers be in the right place at the right time for pick-ups.

40 / fleetworld.co.uk

Breaking new ground Longleys is currently in the process of acquiring a small taxi company in Dover, and will be applying the Echo software to the management of the new business. “Our intention is to sophisticate the new business with our telephony and telem‐ atics system to measure the impact, and the speed at which the technology can help the new business develop,” explains George.

“The business in Dover is about 20% of the size of the Longleys business currently, so we’re really positive about the potential for expansion there.

We’re sure that implementing Echo is going to have the same positive impact on that busi‐ ness as it did for Longleys ‐ for us to make a profit we need to be as efficient in our operations as possible, and using a telem‐ atics and scheduling solution gives us the ideal tools to achieve that.”

Transformed by Telematics Other businesses that have benefited from technology Savings on fuel spend The RAC installed RAC Telematics on each of its 1,500 patrol vehicles in 2015. Improve‐ ments cited include a 25% reduction in wear and tear across the leet, contributions to £1.5m savings on fuel‐spend, and all‐round safer driver behaviour. www.rac.co.uk/business Security of vehicles Bolton‐based utilities provider Aptus Ltd has itted Quartix Vehicle Tracking to all its vehi‐ cles since 2013. Positive gains include an immediate reduction in insurance premiums and the quick recovery of stolen vehicles; often within one hour of a theft. www.quartix.net Reduced idling Natural and green gas supplier SGN has invested in TomTom Telematics’ WEBFLEET platform for its 2,000 commercial vehicles.

Improvements include a 68% reduction in idling time, 11% improvement in average MPG and a 15% reduction in speeding events. www.business.tomtom.com

Intelligent Thinking Providers of Fleet Management Solutions through utilising intelligent telematics.

Designers, developers and manufacturers of market leading Fleet Management Solutions.

Visit www.trakm8.com for more information about Fleet Management Technology Telephone: 0330 333 4120 Email: info@trakm8.com Lydden House | Wincombe Business Park Shaftesbury | Dorset | SP7 9QJ | United Kingdom

A BUSINESS SENSE OF ADVENTURE.

CO

2 FROM

115g/km

MPG

BIK

UP TO

FROM

64.2

23%

JEEP RANGE ®

For more information and to book a test drive call our Business Centre free on 0808 168 5840 or email us at jeep-fleet@fcagroup.com OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR JEEP RANGE MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 29.4 (9.6) – 70.6 (4.0), URBAN 13.9 (20.3) – 55.4 (5.1), COMBINED 20.9 (13.5) – 64.2 (4.4), CO2 EMISSIONS: conditions may also have a significant effect on fuel consumption. Jeep ® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

jeep.co.uk/ďŹ&#x201A;eet 315 TO 115 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO2 ďŹ gures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. Factors such as driving style, weather and road

flashback a look back at the company cars of yesteryear

model Ford Cortina Mk3 era 1970-1976 Global sales 1,126,559

L

aunched in the early days of Ford of Europe, the Cologne-based regional division formed by merging its British and German operations in 1967, the third generation Cortina was a familiar name, but it marked the start of a new era for the brand’s British model range.

Collaboration with Germany meant its platform was shared with the Taunus, while the styling was tuned to echo its global counterparts, particularly from North America, just as General Motors was at the time.

So the split grille and fluted bonnet had hints of Ford’s LTD, while the sweeping ‘Coke bottle’ shoulderline hinted at the U.S.-market Torino and Australian Falcon.

Although the Mk3 was the same length as its predecessor, it was two inches wider, four inches lower and had a longer wheelbase offering improved interior space. It was stiffer and better insulated from road noise than the Mk2, and the suspension was a new double-wishbone setup, softly sprung and matched to a larger fuel tank, ideal for the UK’s growing motorway network and company car market.

But the Cortina wasn’t a rebadged Taunus. The Germans never inherited the 1.3 and 1.6-litre ‘Kent’ four-cylinder engines, carry-overs from the Mk2 Cortina, which produced a lacklustre 57bhp and more bearable 68bhp. Ford of Europe did, however, adopt the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre Pinto engines from North America, and these offered 88bhp and 98bhp.

The launch range comprised two and four-door saloons and an estate, the latter offering a ‘heavy duty’ suspension option, plus five trim levels and a multi-

44 / fleetworld.co.uk

successor Ford Cortina Mk4

tude of options. Base and L versions were pitched as high-value family-haulers, while XL added contoured front seats for motorway cruising. An automatic gearbox was available on all three, while the 2,000cc Pinto engine was offered from XL upwards.

However, company car bragging rights meant moving up to the saloon-only GT or GXL, both only available with the Pinto engines and marked out by Rostyle wheels and quad-lamp grilles. GTs featured bucket seats and stiffer suspension, while the GXL was the picture of Seventies middle-management chic with its vinyl roof and velour trim.

The Cortina’s biggest update came in 1973. Behind rectangular headlights (from XL upwards) the new interior offered a better view of the instruments, while the gear ratios were altered and the suspension retuned, including anti-roll bars front and rear. GT and GXL versions had previously been the only Cortinas to have them, and only on the front. The 1.6-litre Kent engine was dropped, while the GXL became the 2000E, targeting emerging luxury brands with its deep-pile carpets and teak-accented interior.

Ford had struck a chord. Despite strikes slowing early production volumes, the Cortina was the UK’s best-selling car for four years running, the one-millionth version leaving Dagenham in 1975. Sold for an unprecedented six years, it brought Ford’s ‘world car’ ethos to Europe, a movement which has resulted in the Mustang – itself a ‘Coke bottle’ silhouetted Ford in the early Seventies – to the UK this year. An unlikely-sounding legacy for one of the UK’s most popular family cars.

9\ fe\ n`k_ pfli kpi\j# Xe[ k_\ ifX[ n`cc Y\ fe\ n`k_ pfl%

Luxury that never compromises safety

With an advanced VAI system that allows drivers to track vehicle alignment and aerodynamic sidewalls that minimise noise and vibration levels, the Ventus S1 evo² delivers the promise of performance and enhanced fuel efficiency.

Hankook Tyre UK Ltd, Fawsley Drive, Heartlands Business Park, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 8UG Tel: +44 1327 304 100 Fax: +44 1327 304 110

Take complete control of your fuel spend and reduce costs by 17.2% Europe’s leading mileage capture and auditing solution

TMC are Europe’s leading fuel card and mileage expense management specialist. Our award winning services provide fleet managers with total visibility and control over their fleet’s fuel expenditure. We connect the data generated from fuel card spend, driver trip records, telematics feeds and more to give fleet managers country by country, region by region and employee by employee dashboards.

Our solution provides fleet managers with everything they need to know about their businesses fuel spend.

Due to our unique auditing capabilities organisations typically see at 17.2% reduction in their fuel costs after 6 months. We’re so confident that we’ll save you money that we even offer a unique guarantee – if our service doesn’t save you twice the cost of our fee in the first year, we’ll refund the difference.

By combining the TMC fuel management solutions, expenses management and fuel card, it is the first step on the mobility roadmap.

Contact us today to find out more Phone: +44 (0) 1270 525 218 e-mail: reply@themilesconsultancy.com Visit: www.themilesconsultancy.com

2016 HONOURS

And the winner is...

We celebrate the best products and services in the fleet industry today

fleetworld.co.uk / 47

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Innovation Awards

Mark Gibson picks up the award for Alphabet

Neil Marcus collects the award for Selsia

Service, Maintenance & Repair Alphabet Teleservice Holy Grail for many fleets is a “ The car that can talk to its operator.

”

Available on the BMWs Alphabet runs, Teleservice uses data from the car to flag up warnings, proactively service scheduling and order replacement parts. The result is less downtime, efficient servicing and great productivity.

Accident Management Selsia Repair Pods

“ 2016 HONOURS

”

to Drive integrates all the “ Visa necessary documentation,

Arval was the first leasing “ company to provide an insured

48 / fleetworld.co.uk

2016 HONOURS

Driver Management TMC Visa To Drive

Risk Management Arval Fleet Insurance Policy

”

A moveable repair, spray and bake module, Selsia’s Repair Pods can be set up almost anywhere and allow a fleet to get a high volume of repairs done quickly and without the need to move vehicles off-site, saving huge amounts of time and money.

Paul Hollick picks up the award for TMC

Gary Burns collects the award for Arval

lease package on their vehicles.

Now it has taken it one step further, offering insurance across a customer’s entire fleet, whether some other vehicles are supplied by another leasing company or outright purchased.

Presented by Alex Grant, deputy editor, Fleet World

2016 HONOURS

”

insurance and certification for employees, and can refuse expense claims for noncompliant drivers. The result is a robust audit trail, with the ability to positively influence driver behaviour and reduce costs.

2016 HONOURS

Chris Cush picks up the award for Manheim

Andy Kirk collects the award for Quartix

Remarketing Manheim Project Swift Project Swift high-speed de“ The fleet and preparation channels

”

mean vehicles can be washed, valeted, inspected and imaged in under one hour. It provides quicker data, faster decisions around damage and condition and the faster sales, reducing costs and time for holding stock.

Telematics Quartix Safe Speed uses the Safe Speed “ Quartix’s database to shows when

2016 HONOURS

MANHEIM

”

Charlotte Shearman collects the award for Zenith

Cost Reduction Fleet Operations MOVE allows the fleet manager “ MOVE to manage the multi-leasing

s new system provides a “ Zenith’ personalised, proactive service

”

2016 HONOURS

Richard Hipkiss picks up the award for Fleet Operations

Customer Service Zenith Accelerate

for the thousands of queries and transactions that come into the business every day. It provides everyone involved with complete visibility on all issues, and involved in the process at all times.

drivers are above average speeds for some road sections, even if they are below the legal limit. It’s a far more granular understanding of risk and behaviour than box-ticking speed limit compliance.

2016 HONOURS

”

process as a standalone operation . With real-time access to whole-life cost data and the ability for employees to build cars within pre-agreed parameters, it has saved significant sums for its customers.

2016 HONOURS

fleetworld.co.uk / 49

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Innovation Awards

Ashley Sowerby picks up the award for Chevin

Mark Gibson collects the award for Alphabet

Fuel Saving Chevin FleetWave

Contract Hire & Leasing Alphabet

offers detailed fuel “ FleetWave usage information, allowing fleet

”

managers to see what vehicles, drivers or cost centres are performing, or otherwise, set targets and get greater understanding of fuel purchasing.

It has brought demonstrable savings for customers.

Alphabet has consistently “ introduced new products 2016 HONOURS

”

Rental ARI Fleet Hire Management

Mobile Communications Ogilvie Fleet App

system gives a rental “ ARI solution that works with a select

s new App is not only “ Ogilvie’ full of useful, well thought-out

”

50 / fleetworld.co.uk

2016 HONOURS

Keith Allen picks up the award for ARI

Jo Clark collects the award for Ogilvie

features and practical information for drivers, but it helps fleet managers too. It’s a great example of technology used to enhance the supplier’s services and make life easier for its customers.

and services to improve the customer experience and offer increased mobility options. It’s a company always pushing boundaries to offer new solutions to fleet operations.

2016 HONOURS

”

group of suppliers for the diverse needs of its customers. It identifies potential savings and brings added value such as out of hours service, crossover into manufacturer schemes and customised vehicles.

2016 HONOURS

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Car Awards

Paul Williams picks up the award for Hyundai

Richard Collier collects the award for Vauxhall

Best City Car Hyundai i10

Best Supermini Vauxhall Corsa

city car segment is one of “ The the most challenging, but the i10

”

exceeds expectations. It’s chic and fun to drive, yet also as wellequipped, practical and offers class-leading refinement.

Operators benefit too, with a long warranty, competitive pricing and efficient engines.

An established UK best-seller, “ Vauxhall’s very effective 2016 HONOURS

”

simplified the 1 Series “ BMW line-up last year. It’s become a

The Astra has become lighter and “ more aerodynamic, cutting fuel

52 / fleetworld.co.uk

2016 HONOURS

Best Premium Lower Medium Car BMW 1 Series

Best Lower Medium Car Vauxhall Astra

”

overhaul in 2014 means there’s never been more reason to opt for one. The range encompasses trim levels and engines to suit all types of corporate user, and it’s strong on design and technology too.

Matt Bristow picks up the award for BMW

Richard Collier collects the award for Vauxhall

consumption and maintenance costs, and sharpening the drive.

The hatchback and Sports Tourer offer incredible value and generous standard equipment, with a range of sub-100g/km petrol and diesel engines too.

Presented by Steve Moody, editor, Fleet World

2016 HONOURS

”

very complete company car with a proven record for realworld frugality. Peerless driving dynamics, solid residual values and a choice of sub-100g/km diesel engines put it ahead of its rivals.

2016 HONOURS

Business unusual

Elegant and unmistakeably Italian, new Giulietta cuts a coupé-like silhouette with design cues echoing Alfa Romeo’s iconic sports cars. Yet it also offers the flexibility of a five-door hatchback, with a premium interior finished in softtouch materials and finely upholstered sports seats for long-distance comfort.

Including metallic paint and 16-inch alloy wheels as standard, Tecnica trim features low P11d pricing from £19,195 with 19% Benefit-in-Kind, putting Italian chic within easy reach.

Tecnica versions are available with a choice of four second-generation MultiJet turbo-diesel engines, producing up to 175hp. For the first time, this includes a 120hp 1.6 JTDm-2 version available with the Alfa TCT (twinclutch transmission), providing the comfort of an automatic but without sacrificing responsiveness or fuel economy. With an official combined cycle fuel economy figures of 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions at 99g/km, the 1.6 JTDm-2 120hp TCT matches those of manual version, while providing same class-leading torque for easy overtaking.

True to its lineage, new Giulietta’s compact chassis is designed for excellent ride quality and includes an electronic Alfa Q2 differential for reassuringly surefooted handling on any type of road. The Alfa D.N.A. driving mode selector means each journey can be tailored to suit the route ahead, with three settings for engine torque, throttle and brake responsiveness as well as the reactions of driver assistance systems.

Included as standard on Tecnica trim, the internet-enabled Uconnect system means drivers are always kept up to date. Live traffic alerts provide quick and accurate planning to avoid hold-ups, while detailed threedimensional maps and voice-controlled destination entry result in easy route planning.

With Bluetooth® streaming and USB connectivity, DAB radio plus news and social media alerts, drivers always remain connected.

*The model shown is Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce.

alfaromeo.co.uk/fleet alfa.fleet@fcagroup.com

advertisement feature

01753 519442

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Car Awards

Davina West picks up the award for Skoda

Matt Bristow collects the award for BMW

Best Upper Medium Car Skoda Superb and stylish, the “ Understated new Superb is spacious and

”

well-equipped enough to shame much larger cars. It also scores highly on fuel efficiency, with the Greenline III diesel available in most trim levels. It’s hard to argue for any other winner in this sector.

Best Compact Executive Car BMW 3 Series a subtle facelift, BMW “ isFollowing the segment benchmark

2016 HONOURS

”

Best Luxury Car Tesla Model S

Best Executive Car Jaguar XF

luring “ Successfully drivers out of seemingly

XF arrived ready to take “ The on this segment’s best. Its

”

54 / fleetworld.co.uk

2016 HONOURS

Emma Rahmani collects the award for Tesla

Jon Wackett picks up the award for Jaguar

aluminium-rich structure cuts weight, reduces running costs and makes this a true driver’s car. It’s also packed full of useful internet-connected technology, perfect for a life on the road.

again. The 3 Series offers an unrivalled range of engines, trims and body styles to suit all budgets and demands.

Newcomers include the ED Sport and 330e PHEV and all feature navigation as standard.

2016 HONOURS

”

untouchable German brands, the Model S is a technological showcase which also offers real-world functionality without relying on a petrol or diesel engine. It's left rivals playing catch-up.

2016 HONOURS

Still sourcing all your vehicles from a single leasing company?

You don’t need us to tell you that saving £39 a month per vehicle on leasing costs could add up to a major saving across your fleet.

With managed multi-bid leasing, you get the simplicity and convenience of ‘sole supply’ leasing arrangements, but - with multiple leasing companies of your choice competing for your business - significantly reduced costs.

On a fleet of 200 vehicles, you could save over £374k on a 4 year lease contract.* * 48 months x £39 x 200 vehicles = £374,400

£327

month

£306

month

Call: 0844 567 8000 Email: info@fleetoperations.co.uk Web: www.fleetoperations.co.uk

£288

month

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Car Awards

Mark Dickens picks up the award for Renault

Matt Bristow picks up the award for BMW

Best Crossover Renault Kadjar

Best Premium Crossover BMW X1

of the best crossovers to “ One drive, the Kadjar adopts

”

Renault’s chic new styling and is packed full of flexibility and useful technology. Add in strong RVs, joint-lowest CO2 emissions and impressive value, and the newcomer goes straight to the top of the class.

compact crossover is “ BMW’s every bit the junior X5.

2016 HONOURS

”

Competitively priced with high RVs and low CO2, it’s smaller overall but with unmatched interior flexibility to carry all sorts of loads. Plus it’s easily the best driver’s car in this class.

2016 HONOURS

WHOLE LIFE COST LEADER . †

YES, IT’S AN ASTRA SPORTS TOURER. P11D FROM £16,530 | CO2 FROM 89G/KM UP TO 83.1MPG | LOADSPACE UP TO 1,630 LITRES

SEARCH NEW ASTRA BUSINESS

Official Government Test Environmental Data. New Astra Sports Tourer range fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km): Urban: 35.3 (8.0)-74.3 (3.8), Extra-urban: 55.4 (5.1)-91.1 (3.1), Combined: 45.6 (6.2)-83.1 (3.4). CO2 emissions: 142-89g/km.

Jeremy Smith picks up the award for Citroën

Best SUV Volvo XC90

Best MPV Citroën C4 Grand Picasso

XC90 is a distinctly “ The Scandinavian take on luxury.

”

Elegant and comfortable, it offers competitive diesel and plug-in hybrid options and the best interior in its class. World-first safety systems, connectivity and near-infinite practicality, make this a deserved winner.

moved this segment “ Citroën forward in 2014, and nothing 2016 HONOURS

”

has come close since. This futuristic-looking MPV remains the only non-hybrid seven-seater under 100g/km, and there are no compromises on flexibility or comfort to get there.

2016 HONOURS

Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. General Motors UK Limited, trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. * = Terms and conditions apply and vehicles are subject to availability. Please call 0870 240 4848 for full details.

All figures quoted correct at time of going to press (April 2016). † = Whole Life Cost leadership compares the following vehicles: New Astra SRi Sports Tourer 1.6CDTi 110PS ecoFLEX 92g/km, Focus Zetec S estate 1.5 TDCi 120PS 99g/km, Golf SE estate 1.6TDI 110PS 110g/km. New Astra Sports Tourer SRi model shown above is for illustrative purposes only and features 18” alloy wheels (£395), Dark-tinted rear windows (£275), Keyless entry and start (£395) and LED tail lights (£195) with P11D from £19,830, CO2 from 92g/km and fuel consumption up to 80.7mpg.

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Car Awards

Toby Marshall collects the award for Mitsubishi

Richard Collier picks up the award for Vauxhall

Best ULEV Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV sales phenomenon, “ Atheglobal Outlander PHEV has

”

introduced more than 21,000 UK drivers to electric motoring.

Low CO2 emissions make it an accessible company car, while updates last year have broadened its appeal still further. It’s a true game-changer.

Best New Car Vauxhall Astra Astra is a fleet staple, and “ The UK businesses have never had

2016 HONOURS

”

Technology Award Toyota Prius

Safety Award Mercedes-Benz

Prius remains the hybrid “ The standard-bearer. It’s able to

Mercedes-Benz has quickly “ adopted S-Class technology in its

”

58 / fleetworld.co.uk

2016 HONOURS

Charlie Holcomb collects the award for Toyota

Andy Medcraft picks up the award for Mercedes-Benz

smaller models. Collision Prevention Assist is standard across most of the range, while the C- and E-Class feature semiautonomous functions to reduce fatigue, and adaptive LED headlights to offer a clearer view.

it better. It’s more stylish, more fun to drive, more practical, and more economical than ever, and brings new technologies to the class.

Yet it still manages to be ultracompetitive on whole-life costs.

2016 HONOURS

”

make better use of its electric motors to reduce or avoid fuel consumption, resulting in staggering real-world efficiency with improved refinement, driveability and comfort.

2016 HONOURS

AW AR D

6

S

2

01

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Car Awards

Francis Bleasdale picks up the award for Alfa Romeo

Steve Tomlinson collects the award for Mazda

One to Watch Award Alfa Romeo Giulia

Roadtest Editor’s Award Mazda MX-5

Giulia looks set to transform “ The Alfa Romeo’s fleet presence. It’s a

”

stylish return to the compact executive class, underpinned by a driver-focused chassis with two fleet-friendly diesel engines. With Alfa targeting competitive whole-life costs, it’s an exciting addition.

Mazda’s smallest ever MX-5 is “ refreshingly simple, beautifully 2016 HONOURS

”

Fleet Manufacturer of the Year BMW

Most Improved Manufacturer Renault

impresses for the “ BMW investment and work behind

Alongside new cars and healthy “ van sales, Renault has strongly

”

2016 HONOURS

Matt Bristow collects the award for BMW

Mark Dickens picks up the award for Renault

supported businesses looking to go electric, increased its fleet team, launched a division to improve its service and enhanced its dealer network. The resulting growth has significantly outpaced the market.

proportioned and thoroughly addictive to drive. Yet it’s also an accessible company car, helped by low pricing, strong residual values and CO2 emissions from 139g/km. A very tempting perk car.

2016 HONOURS

”

the scenes: a significantly expanded sales team, new divisions for specific fleet sectors, groundbreaking new leasing programmes and enhanced specification for company car drivers.

2016 HONOURS

VAN FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Van Awards

Presented by Dan Gilkes, editor, VAN Fleet World

Andrew Fern picks up the award for Michelin

Innovation Award Michelin CrossClimate a van fleet on the road “ Keeping through the winter can be critical

”

to a company’s success. However, changing between summer and winter tyres is also an expensive business, so the launch of an allweather, all-season tyre such as Michelin’s CrossClimate is a major step forward.

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Technology Award REVEAL Field App visibility is essential for “ Fleet managers looking to boost

”

”

60 / fleetworld.co.uk

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Best Car-derived Van Ford Fiesta Van

Editor’s Award FTA Van Excellence

professionalism in managers and drivers, through the FTA Van Excellence Driver CPC and the annual Van Excellence Driver of the Year competition. It is benefitting all van operators, and that should be applauded.

VAN

Kevin Griffin picks up the award for Ford

Barrie Wilson collects the award for FTA Van Excellence

A beacon of professionalism for “ the van business, promoting

productivity and customer service. By delivering information directly to the driver as well as to the manager, the App allows real-time communication of jobs and assists in maximising the use of vehicles.

VAN

s FiestaVan offers the best “ Ford’ combination of driving

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

”

experience, load carrying ability, good looks and practicality in its class. It proves that driving a light commercial vehicle can be enjoyable, as well as offering the load capacity and practicality that companies require.

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Steve Ward (centre) collects the award for Fiat and Steve Bryant (right) collects for Vauxhall

Dave Petts picks up the award for Ford

Best Light Van Ford Transit Courier the Transit design “ Bringing and engineering philosophy

”

to the smaller end of the market, Ford has built a robust, practical high-cube van. The Courier offers buyers a totally new choice.

It fully deserves to wear the Transit badge.

Best Small Van Fiat Doblo Cargo / Vauxhall Combo

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

unrivalled “ An combination of engine

”

Chris Black picks up the award for Volkswagen

”

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Best Large Van Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Volkswagen Transporter T6

smooth and economical 2.0litre engines, with manual and DSG automated transmissions and two- and four-wheel drive all on offer, the Transporter goes straight to the top of the class.

VAN

Caroline Burnell collects the award for Mercedes-Benz

Best Medium Van two wheelbases, three “ With roof heights, and a range of

choice, payload and load volumes, with no less than four body sizes available and a dropside pick-up, will appeal to the widest possible audience.

vans form the “ Large backbone of fleets across the

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

”

UK. Sprinter remains as popular with the fleet manager and the finance director, as it does with drivers. Whether moving people or goods, it is our number one large van choice.

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

fleetworld.co.uk / 61

VAN FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Van Awards

Mark Wheeler picks up the award for Nissan

Stuart Webster accepts the award for Iveco

Best Pick-Up Nissan NP300 Navara a strong contender in “ Always the pick-up market, the latest

”

Navara rips up the rule book and takes a giant leap forwards, boasting new engines, suspension and technology. It has really thrown down the gauntlet to other manufacturers.

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Best Light Truck Iveco Eurocargo Revised engines offer increased “ power and torque, with

”

Volkswagen Transporter T6

”

62 / fleetworld.co.uk

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Van Manufacturer Of The Year Ford

Best New Van

moment we first turned the key in the ignition. As an ownership proposition, it goes straight to the top of the class. Of all the vans that we tried last year, this delivered a winning drive.

VAN

Kevin Griffin picks up the award for Ford

Chris Black collects the award for Volkswagen

Transporter had this “ T6 award sewn up from the

improved fuel consumption delivering reduced total cost.

A wide choice of bodies and drivetrains and host of advanced safety technologies will make Eurocargo even more desirable.

overhauled its entire “ Having range recently, Ford has one of

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

”

the strongest offerings, at any size, in the LCV market. It was among the top players in every award class, and offers dedicated Transit Centres around the country to better support customers.

VAN

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

FLEETW RLD 2016 HONOURS

Fleet Manager Awards

Fleet Environment Award Small Fleets Park House Healthcare

Luke Parry and Jovan Balach of Park House Healthcare alongside Andrew Benfield of Energy Saving Trust.

Large Fleets Vodafone

Helen Lee of Vodafone with Fleet World editor Steve Moody and Andrew Benfield of Energy Saving Trust.

Small Fleets Colas Limited Large Fleets Cogent Breeding

Cogent Breeding’s Innes Drummond and Ann Moore with Steve Moody and Melvyn Hodgetts of Roadsafe.

Fleet Management Award Small Fleets CH4 Gas Utility & Maintenance Services

Yvonne Cannon of CH4 alongside Steve Moody and Peter Eldridge of ICFM.

Large Fleets Müller UK & Ireland

Peter Eldridge of ICFM accepts the Fleet Management award on behalf of Müller UK & Ireland’s Julie Whyte. fleetworld.co.uk / 63

2016 HONOURS at a glance

CAR AWARDS

INNOVATION AWARDS

Best City Car

Hyundai i10

SMR

Alphabet Teleservice

Best Supermini

Vauxhall Corsa

Best Lower Medium Car

Vauxhall Astra

Selsia Vehicle Accident Centres Repair Pods

Best Premium Lower Medium Car BMW 1 Series

Risk Management Arval Fleet Insurance Policy

Best Upper Medium Car

Skoda Superb

Driver Management

Best Compact Executive Car

BMW 3 Series

Remarketing

Best Executive Car

Jaguar XF

Best Luxury Car

Tesla Model S

Best Crossover

Renault Kadjar

Best Premium Crossover

BMW X1

Best SUV

Volvo XC90

Best MPV

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso

Best ULEV

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Best New Car

Vauxhall Astra

Safety Award

Mercedes-Benz

Technology Award

Toyota Prius

One to Watch

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Roadtest Editor’s Award

Mazda MX-5

Accident Management

TMC Visa To Drive Manheim Project Swift

Telematics

Quartix

Cost Reduction

Fleet Operations MOVE

Customer Service

Zenith Accelerate

Fuel Saving & Management

Chevin FleetWave

Contract Hire & Leasing

Alphabet

Mobile Communications Daily Rental

Ogilvie Fleet App

ARI Fleet Hire Management

VAN AWARDS Innovation Award Michelin CrossClimate tyres Technology Award

Fleetmatics REVEAL Field App

FLEET MANAGER AWARDS

Editor’s Award

Fleet Environmental Award

Van Manufacturer of the Year

Small Fleets

Park House Healthcare

Best New Van

Large Fleets

Vodafone

Fleet Safety Award Small Fleets

Colas Limited

Large Fleets

Cogent Breeding

Fleet Management Award Small Fleets

CH4 Gas Utility & Maintenance Services

Large Fleets

Müller UK & Ireland

64 / fleetworld.co.uk

FTA Van Excellence Ford

Volkswagen Transporter T6

Best Car-derived Van

Ford Fiesta Van

Best Light Van

Ford Transit Courier

Best Small Van

Fiat Doblo Cargo & Vauxhall Combo

Best Medium Van Best Large Van Best Pick-Up Best Light Truck

Volkswagen Transporter T6 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Nissan NP300 Navara Iveco EuroCargo

look closer we offer more than fuel cost savings

More Discounts | More Coverage erage | More Options Find us at Fleetshow - Hall 3 Stand 18 or visit: www.look-closer.co.uk

iPad

FEATURE Taxation & Funding

An economic briefing for fleet managers Some macroeconomic indicators and the reasons they should be of interest to fleet managers. By Professor Colin Tourick.

I

am grateful to Dr. Eleftherios Filippiadis of University of Buckingham Business School, whose recent lecture inspired me to write this article and who provided much of the background data.

There are many macroeconomic indicators affecting UK busi‐ ness. The main ones we will discuss are: • GDP growth • Interest rates • Consumer confidence • The budget deficit There is a strong correlation between GDP growth and UK car registrations. When GDP is increasing businesses are confident to take on more staff and business vehicles, and consumers feel secure enough to buy new cars. The govern‐ ment is forecasting a GDP growth rate of 2% p.a. from 2016 to 2020 (source: Office for Budget Responsibility), which is lower than the 2.9% in 2014 and 2.2% in 2015.

When productivity declines (strikes, failure by businesses to invest in new technology) this reduces the willing‐ ness of businesses to invest, and if real wages do not grow (inflation rises faster than incomes or there is an increase in zero hours’ contracts) this reduces disposable income in the hands of consumers. Either will threaten the projected GDP growth rate, making it less likely that employers will increase headcount or add to their vehicle fleets.

A possible Brexit would also threaten the GDP growth rate, as so little is known about what might happen if the UK voted to leave the EU. Markets hate uncertainty and if the electorate votes

to Leave the economy might stand still whilst employers wait to find out what’s going to happen next. We would be in uncharted waters.

The official Bank Rate has remained at 0.5% for seven years, significantly reducing costs for UK businesses. There is no expectation of a rise in interest rates this year, though when it does come it will hit companies’ bottom lines and dampen demand in the economy (though savers will rejoice).

Consumer confidence is a key determinant of the state of the economy. If consumers are confident they will go out and spend, keeping the economy buoyant. The Consumer Confi‐ dence Index is currently high though it has fallen slightly since the peak in 2014.

The UK government has announced its intention to deliver a surplus on public sector net borrowing by the end of 2019‐ 20 and in each subsequent year. If it fails to balance the books it will need to raise taxes (income tax, corporate tax, indirect tax or all three) which could slow down GDP. This is because higher taxes on companies discourage investment in, and by, busi‐ nesses, and higher personal taxes reduce consumers’ disposable income.

So, as a fleet manager, what might these macroeconomic indicators mean to you? How might you respond if one of these numbers rose or fell?

Every company is different. Whilst most do well when GDP rises, others fare better when it falls. Some busi‐ nesses will do well from Brexit whilst others won’t. There are no rules that work for every company, so from this point on we’ll generalise.

If you see an increase in GDP growth and consumer confidence, things are

Uncertainty: How would Brexit affect consumer confidence?

66 / fleetworld.co.uk

“It seems the best way to protect your business would be to keep driving down the average CO2 emissions of your fleet.”

looking up for the economy. You might expect business to grow. Your company may well expand. More cars, more responsibility, more issues to control. Could this be the time to outsource your fleet management or to invest in some fleet software to help streamline your fleet administration?

If the economy is growing there will be more competition for new recruits. Is it time to review your fleet policy to ensure the cars on offer will be attractive to job applicants?

Conversely, when GDP growth or consumer confidence fall, you may find your company is less willing to invest. This might be the time to think about getting more from your existing assets. Do you need as many company cars? Would you save money if you took on a few pool cars rather than allowing your employees to use their private cars for busi‐ ness mileage? How can you get more out of your fleet budget? Is it time to take more control over mileage claims, perhaps by introducing mileage claim auditing or telemat‐ ics? Telematics might also reduce your insurance claims and help keep down your premiums.

If productivity in your business were to fall, you may find your fleet budget being cut. You may have to deliver the same amount of corporate mobility and the same number of cars for less. Could this be time to ask your leasing company to come up with a fleet list of attractive cars that staff will like and that will do the job but which will cost less to run? Here we are talking about fuel cost and Class 1A NIC as well as maintenance costs and the monthly lease rental.

At some stage, interest rates are going to rise. If the market expects the Bank Rate to rise, actual market rates may creep up more quickly than the Bank Rate. This will be reflected in the cost of three and four year leases, because leasing

companies’ own borrowing costs will rise. It is worthwhile monitoring Bank Rate and leasing company cost of funds (they will generally tell you if you ask).

If you currently fund your cars from working capital, bank overdraft or variable rate finance deals (such as variable rate lease purchase, finance lease or HP) at some stage you will need to decide whether to move to a fixed interest rate fund‐ ing method (fixed rate HP, fixed rate finance lease or contract hire) to lock in low interest rates for three to four years before prices rise.

Keep an eye on the budget deficit. If it doesn’t fall as fast as the government wants they may be tempted to increase taxes. There are no votes in company car tax and taxes on business vehicles. It seems that the best way to protect your business would be to keep on driving down the average CO2 emissions of your fleet. Low CO2 cars tend to be smaller and more efficient, and they cost less to buy, maintain and run than higher‐CO2 cars. Zero CO2 cars are still relatively expen‐ sive to buy, though for some drivers the fuel cost saving makes the extra cost worthwhile. In any event by moving to lower‐CO2 or zero‐CO2 cars you’re likely to be protecting yourself and your employees from sudden increases in car‐ related taxes.

Fleet managers and economics. Four words you don’t often hear mentioned in the same sentence. But economics provides the background for all business decisions and can therefore drive fleet decisions too.

Colin Tourick Grant Thornton Professor of Automotive Management, University of Buckingham

fleetworld.co.uk / 67

FLEETW RLD

What is the number of filling stations at which the card is accepted?

Is your card single-branded or multi-branded?

Do you provide management reporting?

Do you offer account and database management via the Internet

Does your card offer pan-European coverage?

Do you offer a card to pay for non-fuel items?

Do you offer rebates to major fleet customers?

What types of vehicles does your cards cover?

Do you offer a chip and pin security system?

Do you provide data download into PC-based fleet management systems

Do you offer a facility for splitting business and private mileage?

Do you charge a card fee?

Do you offer a non-pump price agreement?

MARKET OVERVIEW Fuel Management

8.45k

Multi

✔

✔

✔

✔

-

All

✔

✔

✔

✔

-

BP

7.5k

Both

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

All

✔*

✔

✔

✔

✔

euroShell Fuel Card

3.5k

Single

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

All

✔*

✔

✔

✔

✔

Fuelmate Ltd

7.2k

Both

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

All

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

Key to services

✔

Service provided

-

Service unavailable

Barclaycard in Association with The Miles Consultancy

* PIN enabled

Barclaycard in Association with The Miles Consultancy TMC and Barclaycard provide a total fuel solution via Barclaycard Fuel+ in Association with TMC. The exciting new Fuel+ card gives you the power of integrated audited mileage capture with the ability to purchase fuel at 98% of UK filling stations, including all supermarkets. It’s the single, powerful, secure solution for consolidated corporate vehicle fuel purchasing and mileage expense management. There are NO transaction charges (although card fees may apply) and customers love our service. Winner of the 2015 Fleet World Honours Innovation in Fuel Management, Fuel+ offers multiple opportunities to control fuel and mileage expenses.

Contact: Adam Prendergast Tel: 01270 525218 reply@themilesconsultancy.co.uk www.tmcuk.co.uk/products/fuelcard

BP Whether you are managing a fleet of HGV’s, cars, vans or a mixed fleet, no matter what size, BP has a range of Fuel Cards to support your business.

By partnering with the UK’s favourite forecourt you can benefit from: • Better control of your spend- via fuel savings and advanced security • Our extensive and strategically located network of sites • Account management and customer service teams • Reduction in fleet administration time and cost- via online fleet management tools Our Fuel Card solutions are used by thousands of companies across multiple industries, fleet sizes and fleet types.

Find out how BP can help drive your business forward.

Tel: 0845 603 0723 BPCardsAdmin@bp.com

www.bpplus.co.uk

euroShell Fuel Card With over 50 years of fuel card expertise, the euroShell card can give you greater control, convenience and security to help you save money! The euroShell card is accepted at an extensive 3,500 stations across the UK which includes Shell, Esso, Texaco, Gulf and Total sites. Here are some of the ways the euroShell Card can help you save time and money: • Control over your whole fleet • Access to secure online invoicing • Card management (with options to select card PINs) • Generate bespoke smart alerts Shell’s passionate experts will prepare a customised offer that meets your needs; give us a call to find out how easy it is to become a euroShell card customer.

Tel: 0800 915 6021 info@euroshellcard.co.uk

68 / fleetworld.co.uk

www.euroshell.co.uk

Fuelmate Ltd Whether you operate locally, nationally or within Europe, Fuelmate can provide your business with the perfect solution to your fuel card needs. Sitting within a 5th generation, family owned business we proudly deliver over 30 years of fuel card expertise to our valued customers.

Fuelmate offers a wide variety of different cards from the leading networks including; Shell, BP, UK Fuels, Keyfuels, Esso and Texaco. We also offer an innovative fuel card solution designed specifically for Fleets, the Fleetmate deal offers a fixed price deal across all networks.

Contact: Andy Smith enquiries@fuelmate.co.uk

Tel: 0800 158 3582 www.fuelmate.co.uk

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS OUT THIS WEEK!

THE GREATEST SHOW IN FLEET

SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

11TH MAY 2016

Find out more at thefleetshow.co.uk

our fleet Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI SE Business Estate

AS an all-round package the latest Volkswagen Passat is a tough act to beat, blending a handsome design and quality fit and finish with fleet-friendly costs thanks to strong residuals and low emissions.

And in the guise of our new long-term model – a 1.6 TDI SE Business estate – it represents everything a company car driver could ever need from a vehicle. As standard, SE Business trim brings plenty of luxuries inside, such as keyless start, active cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, Bluetooth telephony and navigation. The silver metal-effect trim inserts and leather steering wheel bring some relief to a cabin which is roomy, if a little bland.

Outside, touches such as the silver finish roof rails and

daytime running lights add a touch of class to proceedings.

However, as our car hails from the Volkswagen press demonstrator fleet it has had a fair few optional extra boxes ticked, rocketing the price up from £25,353 (basic P11d value and good value for money) to £31,190 (stretching things a little for a 1.6 diesel).

Chief among the options is an £825 upgrade to the navigation system, moving from a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen to an eight-inch version which also employs Car-Net features such as App-Connect (essentially replicating apps and content from your mobile device into the car).

We’ve also got a three-zone climate control system, giving rear seat passengers the ability to control their temperature (£600), the Park Assist automatic parking system (£200), keyless entry (£600), LED headlights (£720), the £1,110 driver assistance pack (high beam assist, lane assist, predictive pedestrian protection, side scan and traffic sign recognition) and metallic paint at £545.

Two of the most impressive options are the head-up display at £500 and the £580 active info display which turns the traditional instrument cluster into a 12.3-inch high resolution TFT screen which can be customised for various read-outs.

It’s early days, but I can’t help thinking that most of these options, while very nice to have, don’t add much to the allround appeal of the Passat. We’ve got a few months to find out…

Julian Kirk

Nissan LEAF 30kWh Tekna IT’S a little over a year since I’ve had an electric vehicle at my disposal for longer than the usual week-long press demonstrators. I’ve spent my first month with the LEAF remembering why I got on so well with the technology last time.

Our extended winter has highlighted one of them. Cold mornings – and trips at any other time of the day – are much easier when you can sign into the NissanConnect app and set the cabin heater to come on for a few minutes before going out.

It’s proved to be an easy family car, too.

The unusually-shaped back end is home to a surprisingly large boot, big enough for a buggy to fit into, and for the majority of weekend mileage we’re having absolutely no range anxiety. Actually, the biggest frustration is drivers of petrol and diesel cars blocking charging points at our local supermarket.

Plus we’ve been able to do this without worrying about running a cold engine.

The first ten minutes or so of any journey

are the ones where it’s least efficient and most likely to block exhaust filters.

Neither are problems LEAF drivers will have to face. Who said it’s hard to switch?

Alex Grant

We make EV charging smart business

Your people want electric vehicles

But, how will you manage charging points, electricity, maintenance? How will you secure your investment?

We can help cut your costs

We make reliable fleet hardware, like the dual Chago Wallbox. And our EV infrastructure solutions will drive

58 / down fleetworld. co.uk your costs.

For more on our products and services, contact Chago UK sales.

www.chago.com

Smart EV charging for fleet operators

Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI SE Business YOU get a lot of standard technology with our Superb’s Business SE specification. Some of it is very good, some less so.

The Skoda is equipped with an excellent

touchscreen sat nav, that takes full postcodes and has yet to lead me astray. It also comes with SmartLink, allowing connection to smartphones through Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto.

Among other benefits, this cleverly reads your text messages to you, allowing you to respond by simply speaking your return message. It also makes using an iPhone’s music function much easier, through the wheelmounted buttons or the touchscreen.

The auto wipers are always just on time and I have yet to turn the auto

lights off, as they work very well too. The system only falls down in fog, when the daylight filtering through the mist tells the car to turn the lights off, and you have to turn them back on to remain safe.

Though a fan of cruise control, I’m not keen on the VW Group’s adaptive system. You have to pull out into the next lane much earlier than you would without the system activated, or gradually slow to match the car in front.

I recognise however that this might be called a first-world problem.

Dan Gilkes

Mazda CX-3 1.5d SE-L Nav HAVING spent a year living with Mazda’s excellent CX-5, I was interested to spend a little time with its smaller sibling at the start of its 12-months on our fleet to find out how the two compare. This is a booming sector of the market, one almost every manufacturer will be looking to get into, and the CX-3 is already proving it’s got a good head start.

Size wise, Mazda’s compact crossover sits somewhere between the Mazda2 and Mazda3, but offers a higher-riding driving position than either of them which makes for easy loading and unloading. That applies to passengers and possessions, but particularly to children. It’s not hard to see the advantage of a few extra inches of height to lift young kids into high car seats.

Though the majority of CX-3 volume will be retail customers, Mazda does see this as a corporate option with potential among company car drivers and in salary sacrifice schemes. A low list price helps here, as does low CO2 from

the figures 105g/km, which means drivers with the ability to pick their own set of wheels will be able to choose the Mazda for its low BiK as well as the way it looks. Strong residual values – for the brand and this segment – mean leasing costs should be reasonable too.

But popularity means rivals, and this has some tough ones to face. The Nissan Juke divides opinions but it’s been a big seller for the brand, while the Vauxhall Mokka offers outstanding value from a very established fleet brand and the Renault Captur’s success is second only to the Clio in its range. And there are many more to come.

Clearly Mazda has a strong product here, though, and with the sure-footed driving experience of the larger CX-5 and a little of its practicality too, the CX-3 should do very well in fleet.

Anne Dopson

OTR PRICE £20,995 POWER 105bhp @ 4,000rpm TORQUE 270lb.ft @ 1,600–2,500rpm 0-62mph 10.1 seconds TOP SPEED 110mph COMBINED MPG 70.6mpg CO2 105g/km (21% BiK)

fleetworld.co.uk / 71

our fleet BMW X1 xDrive20d Sport Auto THE bell has tolled for the X1 which has now gone to meet its maker. Since then the car has won the Premium Crossover award in the 2016 Fleet World Honours, thanks in no small part to our long-termer, which gave us the opportunity to experience the finer points of the car and what a thorough job BMW has made of it.

Part of the appeal comes from the combination of BMW's impressive 188bhp diesel engine, a particularly refined example of diesel power and the well-matched ZF eightspeed auto 'box, which with paddle shifts and a choice of drive modes makes it easy to find a driving mode to suit your mood.

To return an indicated 47mpg average consumption from a 188bhp engine with an automatic shows how far automatic transmission has progressed. And when it's as smooth as this ZF transmission, it makes you wonder why you would want to change gear yourself.

My only disappointment was the level

SUPPLIER

DIRECTORY electric vehicle charging

Europcar Tel: 0871 384 0201 www.europcar.co.uk

of road noise from the run-flat tyres, not the first time and probably not the last that run flats have been blamed for the noise generated by a design with such thick side walls. But I know it's a personal thing. Alex Grant who ran the car before me says he didn't find tyre noise to be a particular problem.

Having driven other crossover models recently, I would still take the noise and have such a fine chassis and responsive, refined powertrain, even though there are quieter alternatives.

John Kendall

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

accident management Total Accident Management Tel: 0845 078 4157 www.totalaccman.co.uk

Selsia Vehicle Accident Centres Ltd

Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDI KX-2 Manual SOME six months after we were given the keys to our Sorento longtermer, it’s now departed from us.

Over the last half a year, the Sorento has proved itself indispensable for everything from family expeditions to unexpected loadlugging journeys. With just a tug of the straps in the rear, you’ve got two third-row seats suitable for kids or even adults – and easy to get into. Or use the same strap and you’ve suddenly got access to a vast boot even capable of transporting a single bed (we know, we tried).

That said it’s not felt excessively big to drive around town, helped by light controls and a good turning circle. Visibility could be a little tricky but our reversing camera and sensors combo helped put paid to that.

The sole engine on offer – the 197bhp 2.2litre – pulls well and is certainly punchy enough in the mid range. But it’s only available with four-wheel drive and the downside lies in the economy figures – the official combined fuel economy is 46.3.mpg with 161g/km but I only achieved mpg in the late 30s with some careful cruising on motorways.

72 / fleetworld.co.uk

And that’s where the Sorento makes the most sense. It’s not the sharpest-riding SUV but it does work well as a comfortable cruiser, helped by soft suspension that provides a supple ride although as a downside there’s some lean in corners. The cabin is a very comfortable place to spend time too, with superb fit and finish, a noticeable lack of engine noise and well-contained wind and road noise.

With a strong focus on value too – and Kia’s seven-year warranty – it’s got plenty to recommend it.

Natalie Middleton

Tel: 0845 468 6800 www.selsia-vac.co.uk

fleet insurance Bond Lovis Insurance Brokers Tel: 08000 113 444 www.bondlovis.co.uk

insureFLEET Tel: 0333 202 3133 www.insurefleet.com

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk

driver licence checking Jaama Tel: 0844 8484 333 www.jaama.co.uk

FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY contract hire, leasing & finance Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 991402 www.venson.com

Maxxia 020 7520 9450 www.maxxia.co.uk

daily rental

risk management

fleet management software

Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5338 08701544 56 56 56 www.budget.co.uk

AA DriveTech Tel: 01256 495732

Enterprise Software Tel: 0161 925 2400 www.essl.co.uk

www.AAdrivetech.com/fleetsafe DriveTech

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

Alphabet (UK) Limited Tel: 0870 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental Tel: 01786 468 700 www.arnoldclarkrental.com

0845 815 0019

Telephone 0113 250 0060

www.jct600vehicleleasingsolutions.co.uk

daysfleet.com

Contract Hire a Car Tel: 0370 218 8015 www.contracthireacar.com

Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Lex Autolease

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Zenith Tel: 0844 848 9311 www.zenith.co.uk

sgfleet Tel: 0845 154 0721 www.sgfleet.com

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.co.uk

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk FLEETW RLD FLEETW RLD November 2014

November 2014

All that matters in

the world of fleet

www.soficoservices.com

Europcar Tel: 0871 384 0201 www.europcar.co.uk

Roadmarque Tel: 01792 824438 www.roadmarque.com

Jaama Tel: 0844 8484 333 www.jaama.co.uk

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tel: 01784 221 300 www.enterprise.co.uk

Cardinus Risk Management Tel: 01733 426015

Chevin Fleet Solutions Tel: 01773 821 992 www.chevinfleet.com

SMR

Bill Plant Ltd Tel: 01765 645023

Autoserve Limited Tel: 0844 888 3001 www.autoserve.co.uk

fast fits & tyres ATS Euromaster Tel: 0870 066 3624 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

Volkswagen

stopping power

Why fleets should

stopping power

check their brakes

MODE MODEL PUPIL LPUPIL Behind the wheel

of Tesla’s remarkable

Model S

Sofico NV

www.thrifty.co.uk

interview

Michael O’Shea of

interview Michael O’Shea of Volkswagen

www.drivesoftwaresolutions.com

IAM RoadSmart Tel: 020 8996 9600 www.iamroadsmart.com

All that matters in the world of fleet

Why fleets should check their brakes

Drive Software Solutions Tel: 01438 317731

www.virtualriskmanager.net

Thrifty Car & Van Rental Tel: 01494 751 550 Total Leasing Solutions for your business

Interactive Driving Systems Tel: 01484 551060

www.cardinus.com

Tel:+3292018040

www.billplant.co.uk

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

ARI Fleet UK Tel: 0844 8000 700 www.arifleet.co.uk

Civica UK Ltd Tel: 0117 924 2703 www.civica.co.uk/tranman

MAC GB Ltd Tel: 01745 828180 www.reduceroadrisk.com

Full listings online at fleetworld.co.uk fuel management

misfuelling

Behind the wheel of Tesla’s remarkable Model S

2014 2014 MPG Marathon 100mpg in real-world driving from a C-segment estate? The UK’s premier economy event sees if it’s possible...

MPG Marathon

100mpg in real-world driving from a C-segment estate?

The UK’s premier economy event sees if it’s possible...

fleetworld.co.uk fleetworld.co.uk

AFF Tel: 0844 879 4770 www.autofuelfix.com

For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email

euroShell Card Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk

telematics & tracking

BOX Telematics Tel: 0330 333 4118 www.boxtelematics.com Trakm8 Tel: 0330 333 4120 www.trakm8.com

MiX Telematics Europe Tel: 0121 717 5360 www.mixtelematics.co.uk

Airmax Remote Limited Tel: 01932 504300 www.airmaxremote.com

Fleetmatics Tel: 0800 975 4566 www.fleetmatics.co.uk

www.quartix.net

Teletrac Navman Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk www.navmanwireless.co.uk

WEX Europe Services Tel: 0800 626 672 www.wexeuropeservices.com

TRACKER Network (UK) Limited Tel: 0845 604 6091 www.TRACKER.co.uk

The Fuelcard Company Tel: 0845 073 0873 www.fuelcards.co.uk

Tel: 0870 013 6663 Telogis Tel: 0203 005 8805 www.telogis.co.uk

Tel: 0345 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk

Promote your company here and online for just £500/year.

BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk / 73

fleet management

Building tomorrow’s fleet solutions As the doors open at ALD Automotive UK’s new Development Centre in Bristol, IT director Derek Barker outlines how new technologies will improve the customer experience and enhance services across the whole of the ALD Automotive group.

I

t’s an accepted given that to be successful, you can’t stand still and nowhere is this more obvious than when it comes to technology – including within the fleet sector.

Everything within the fleet market these days is shaped by technology, from ordering vehicles and running them, to the vehicles themselves; even business mobility such as car clubs and video conferencing.

At ALD Automotive we recognise that innovation in tech‐ nology can majorly transform the working lives of our cus‐ tomers, providing everything they need to ensure their employees are not just mobile but are using the latest and most efficient forms of travel.

We also recognise that technology is central to our busi‐ ness in the UK. In the last decade we’ve focused on providing advanced solutions across all the areas of business that we operate in; from our market‐leading ProFleet2 telematics solution which dates back to 2004, to our leading‐edge Total Cost of Ownership software that provides customers with a more holistic view of the cost of mobil‐ ity, and our class‐leading DSI system which underpins our work with our white‐label part‐ ners, dealers and brokers.

Technology runs right through every area of our business.

Underlying the importance of continuous innovation, ALD has recently established a new UK Development Centre which is intended to help the business stay at the forefront of technology, both within the UK and within the ALD International group itself.

We’ve been given the green light to develop applications that not only meet the needs of the UK market, but can also be adapted for key international customers, local markets and partner groups too.

Backed by a significant financial investment, the Development Centre is located near ALD Automotive’s current UK headquarters and the location for its new head office, which will open in December to help with its planned expansion.

Contact ALD Automotive:

74 / advertisement feature

t 037000 111 81

A 60‐strong development team, including testers, are already working at the centre, which has been geared around an environment of innovation as employed by such technology giants as Google.

To allow for greater collaboration and improve efficiency there are no fixed desks – instead we’ve opted for a hot desk environment. The centre is 100% wireless and all team members are using the latest Microsoft Surface tablets/lap‐ tops – after all if you’re looking to develop leading‐edge technology for your customers, you need to be using it yourself too.

With a number of projects being worked on concurrently – including the development of a group‐wide telematics platform to ensure ALD remains at the forefront of fleet telematics – we’ve already seen an acceleration in the development of key projects.

This will also benefit our Smart Mobility programme, which provides a holistic con‐ sultancy service to ensure that businesses have the optimum travel solution. Using advanced telematics to analyse cus‐ tomers’ current working prac‐ tices puts us in an ideal posi‐ tion to provide factual data and advice and help customers make an informed decision, whether that be on long term or short‐term rental, salary sacrifice, grey fleet manage‐ ment and personal leasing through to alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) and motorbikes or scooters.

Ultimately the Development Centre will ensure we con‐ tinue to develop and deliver innovative products to meet our customers’ ever‐changing needs, as well as improving efficiencies across our business, on a UK and an International level.

It’s a very exciting time at ALD and we’re really looking forward to seeing the feedback from our customers when the full range of products we’re developing go live. And the ongoing list of developments certainly doesn’t stop here!

e ukinfo@aldautomotive.com

w www.aldautomotive.co.uk

VAN FLEETW RLD

May 2016

p82 An impressive development, with lower noise, reduced running costs and the Business Up app.

at a glance driven...

Iveco Daily

plus...

Van bonanza at this yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CV Show, Renaultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off-road fleets and Daily Rental.

vanfleetworld.co.uk

show highlights

Van bonanza This year’s Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham, opened to the news that the number of vans on UK roads has topped four million for the first time. Demand for new vans in the UK is at record levels, with registrations up a further 1.2% in the first quarter of 2016, following a massive boost to sales throughout 2015.

That being the case, it was hardly surprising that a number of manufacturers chose the UK show as the international launchpad for their latest models. These are some of the main highlights of the show.

Citroën Citroën, along with PSA sister company Peugeot and coop‐ erative partner Toyota, chose to take the international covers off its latest mid weight vans in Birmingham. In Citroën’s case Dispatch took the stage first, closely followed by Peugeot’s Expert and the Toyota Proace.

The trio come in three body lengths on two wheelbases, including a new compact model that should open up new markets for the firms. Available in panel van, crew van and Combi minibus layouts, the vans offer payloads of up to 1,400kg and towing capacities of 2,500kg.

On sale in time for the introduction of Euro 6 emissions levels in September, the vans are powered by a range of 1.6 and 2.0‐litre BlueHDI engines offering 95‐180hp, with manual, automated manual and full automatic transmis‐ sions on offer.

Peugeot Peugeot has seen 20% year‐on‐year growth in LCVs over the last two years and the company is hoping that Expert will continue to push that rise in demand. Indeed Peugeot is hoping to sell 2,500 Expert vans in the last three months of this year, with more than 5,500 finding owners in 2017.

“We’ve got an enormous opportunity with Expert,” said Nick Crossley, head of commercial vehicles and business centre operations.

“We now have a van to meet every requirement.”

Peugeot is to offer a third trim level, above its current range‐topping Professional line. Expert Professional Plus models will benefit from a rear parking camera, auto lights and wipers, a higher payload, alloy wheels, metallic paint and front fog lights.

Peugeot has also announced that it will enter the 1‐tonne pick‐up market in the coming years, as part of its Push To Pass future development initiative.

76 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

LDV Chinese‐owned LDV continued its relaunch into the UK market with the unveiling of an electric van, the EV80. Expected to be ready for launch by the end of this year, the EV80 is said to offer a 220‐mile range on a single charge. Fast charging of the lithium iron phosphate battery is said to take just two hours.

Available in both short and long wheelbase van models and as a chassis cab, the EV80 has load capacities of 900‐1,250kg.

“The EV80 has one of the world’s highest technical specifica‐ tions for a commercial vehicle in its class,” said Mark Barrett, general manager of LDV UK and Ireland.

“With a driving range of over 300km and a battery capacity of up to 75kWh this vehicle offers a greater range and shorter charging time than any of its nearest rivals.”

LDV also took the wraps of its G10 compact van line at the show. Powered by a 2.0‐litre diesel engine the van will be avail‐ able with both manual and automatic transmissions. Pricing and full specifications will be announced later this year.

Renault The UK remains Renault’s second biggest van market and the French company reported that sales were up an incredible 40% in 2015, while the first quarter of this year saw registrations rise a further 21%.

As well as showing the new Trafic Sport+ on its stand, alongside a new 17‐seat minibus conversion based on the Master van, LCV product manager Steve Wilson said that the company is continuing to develop its Pro+ dealer network in the UK. At present 39 of its UK dealers have achieved the Pro+ status, offering extended serv‐ ices to business customers in a one‐stop LCV shop approach. He wants to see that number rise to 79 outlets by the end of next year.

Toyota

Isuzu

While the new Proace van was taking centre stage on the Toyota stand, its was the company’s new Hilux pick‐up that grabbed the most attention. Both Hilux and Proace will be offered with a new five‐year/100,000 mile Toyota LCV warranty when they go on sale in July and Septem‐ ber respectively.

Hilux is longer, wider and taller, while power comes from a new 2.4‐litre D‐4D diesel engine. Toyota will continue to offer a full range of 4x2 and 4x4 trucks, with single, extra and double cabs in four equipment grades.

The company is also set to offer Proace in three trim levels, with the full line‐up of three body sizes and two wheelbases. People‐carrying Verso models will be offered alongside the panel vans and crew cabs.

“We are working with our dealers to raise service skill levels throughout the network,” said LCV manager Gareth Matthews.

While visitors were expecting to see the D‐Max Centurion special edition on Isuzu’s stand at the show, the real attraction was the D‐Max AT35. Built in cooperation with specialist Arctic Trucks, the AT35 boasts massive 35” tyres and Fox Performance suspension.

Designed for off‐road expeditions, the AT35 will be offered through Isuzu’s UK dealer network, priced from £30,995 in both extended and double cab layouts.

The D‐Max Centurion, which celebrates 100 years of Isuzu production, has the same £30,995 price, but majors on luxury rather than off‐road capability. With a standard automatic transmission and more than £11,000 worth of extras, there will be just 100 Centurion models built.

→ vanfleetworld.co.uk / 77

show highlights

→

Iveco

Volkswagen

Iveco is another company riding the popularity wave of the 3.5‐tonne van at present, with demand for its Daily range up by 56.5% last year and a further 25.2% in the irst quar‐ ter of 2016. The irm chose Birmingham as the launch venue for a full range of Euro 6 engines across the Daily line.

It also unveiled a new version of its Daily Electric van.

The Euro 6 line‐up is based on 2.3 and 3.0‐litre diesel engines, offering 120‐210hp. Iveco claims fuel savings of up to 8% over previous generation vans and the Hi‐Matic eight‐speed automatic transmission is now available with any engine. The ZF auto box has been a big success for Iveco, with the company selling more than 10,000 Hi‐ Matic Dailys across Europe last year.

With new Crafter and revised Amarok not present in Birmingham, Volkswagen went all out on conversions, with a new Crafter Tipper developed in partnership with VFS taking centre stage. Using a five‐stage underfloor tipping ram, the tipper body can be ordered with a cage for refuse and leaf collection.

DFSK Chinese manufacturer DFSK added a second string to its compact LCV bow this year with the launch of the C Series. Available as a panel van, crew van, single or double cab dropside, the C Series models are powered by a 115hp 1.5‐litre petrol engine. Visitors to the stand seemed impressed with the 2.75m load length of the dropside, which is capable of carrying 1,245kg.

Fiat Professional Visitors to the Fiat Professional stand had the first chance to see the firm’s new Fullback pick‐up. Based on Mitsubishi’s recently launched L200 truck, Fullback will provide Fiat with a full LCV line‐up when it goes on sale later this year. The truck will be offered with 150hp and 180hp outputs, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. Fiat will only offer the truck in 4x4 double‐cab layout.

Ford While Ford’s Transit range and recently updated Ranger pick‐ up remain a draw for visitors, it was a new engine that was making the news for the company. The Euro 6 2.0‐litre EcoBlue diesel will debut in Transit and Transit Custom models later in the year, replacing the outgoing 2.2‐litre TDCi. Initially the engine will be offered at 105hp, 130hp and 170hp, though Ford said the engine can be taken to more than 200hp in the future. EcoBlue will deliver a 20% increase in torque yet manage up to 13% improved fuel ef iciency.

78 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

FEATURE Renault traction

Extra grip B

Fleets that require off-road traction are to be offered a wider line-up by Renault, says John Lewis.

usinesses that have to venture off‐road from time to time, occasionally need light commercials with real 4x4 capa‐ bility. More often though, all they really require is some‐ thing with a bit more ground clearance and grip.

In response Renault is offering X‐Track, as an option on Kangoo, Trafic and Master van models. Developed in conjunc‐ tion with France’s Poclain Véhicules, it swaps the transmis‐ sion's original differential for a limited slip diff, increases the ground clearance by approximately 30mm on Kangoo and Trafic, or 40mm on Master and fits a steel sump guard and all‐weather tyres.

X‐Track's launch follows the company's decision to equip most of its light commercials with Grip Xtend as standard.

Derived from the Electronic Stability Control system, it equips the transmission with advanced traction control so that the van does not struggle when being driven on sand for example. X‐ Track takes that further though, if one driven wheel loses trac‐ tion, then the limited slip diff instantly transfers up to a quarter of the available torque to the one that has the most grip.

Some customers genuinely cannot do without full four‐ wheel‐drive of course. To meet their requirements Renault has also developed a full‐on 4x4 Master in co‐operation with specialist converter Oberaigner.

Four‐wheel‐drive is selectable, all you do is press a button.

If the conditions get really challenging then you can hit another button and engage a low‐ratio set of gears. Four‐ wheel‐drive can be chosen when you are at a standstill, or at speeds of up to 15mph. The low‐range gears can only be engaged and disengaged when stationary.

Master's ground clearance has been boosted by 65mm at the front and 58mm at the back, falling to 45mm if you spec‐ ify twin rear wheels. A lockable rear diff is optional. The steel under‐body shield and sump guard are all present and correct and the Master rides on all‐weather tyres.

Produced at both 3.5 and 4.5 tonnes and with either a 3,682mm or 4,332mm wheelbase, the 4x4 Master is marketed as a van, a chassis cab and as a chassis double‐cab. Beneath the bonnet you will ind the 2.3‐litre dCi diesel at 125hp, 135hp or 165hp, married to a six‐speed manual gearbox.

We drove the X‐Track models on a 4x4 course in Spain, where they were all able to tackle the rough, modestly‐rutted surfaces and could scuttle up some surprisingly acute inclines if the driver remained in low gear with their foot hard down on the accelerator pedal. Although the Kangoo X‐Track in particular sometimes looked as though it was about to give up, perseverance kept the little van going until it finally wrig‐ gled over the crests of a number of steep slopes.

The course was however dry as the proverbial bone, our progress was accompanied by clouds of dust as a conse‐ quence and the vehicles were all un‐laden. We would prefer to see them with some weight in the back and trying to plough through some good old British mud before we pass final judgement.

We sampled the off‐roading Master too, again unladen but over a more‐severe section of the course. In this case we suspect that precious little would stop what appears to be a highly‐capable piece of kit.

With four‐wheel‐drive engaged and occasional use of the low‐ratio gears, the 4x4 Master rumbled along deeply‐rutted tracks and headed down some truly stomach‐churning inclines without missing a beat. A healthy dose of engine braking ensured the rate of descent was kept in check.

We sampled the 165hp, model which produces enough torque to enable the vehicle to trickle slowly over obstacles without any need to resort to the accelerator pedal.

The X‐Tracks and the 4x4 Master will be on sale through Renault dealers in the early autumn. Prices will be announced later this year.

vanfleetworld.co.uk / 79

VAN

MARKET OVERVIEW Daily Rental

How many commercial vehicles does your company operate?

How many rental locations does your company have?

Do you offer a one-way rental facility for vans?

Do you offer a delivery/ collection service for vans?

Do you offer an on-line booking facility for vans?

Do you offer an on-line management reporting facility?

Do you offer vans fitted with satellite navigation systems?

Do you offer vans fitted with tail-lifts?

Do you offer refrigerated vehicles?

Do you offer a guaranteed no turn down policy?

How many vehicle groups do you offer?

Do you provide electronic invoicing and statements?

Do you provide online damage management?

FLEETW RLD

Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

2.5k

36

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

-

-

7

✔

-

Europcar

7.5k

282

✔

✔

✔

✔

-

✔

-

✔

14

✔

✔

Nexus Vehicle Rental

500k

2000

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

All

✔

✔

Thrifty Car and Van Rental

5.5k

96

✔

✔

✔

✔

-

✔

-

✔

7

✔

-

Key to services

✔

Service provided

-

Service unavailable

Europcar

Arnold Clark Car& Van Rental Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental is one of the UK’s largest, independently owned rental companies with over 40 years’ experience providing long and short-term tailor-made economical fleet solutions.

We have a nationwide, multi-franchise fleet operating in over 35 branches throughout the UK. Close manufacturer relationships mean we can offer competitive rates on a range of up-to-date vehicles.

We have packages to suit all industry sectors, providing fleet solutions tailored to meet each client’s needs.

We have an online booking facility available for retail and corporate clients. Our business customers can also benefit from dedicated online management reporting.

Contact: Sales Team car.rental.sales@arnoldclark.com www.arnoldclarkrental.com

Operating 7,500 vans at peak times and working with all the key van and truck manufacturers, the Europcar fleet now includes 4x4 pick-ups, 5 and 6 seater crew vans and Chapter 8 compliant vehicles as well as the full range of standard commercial vehicles. With an average age of 14-15 months, Europcar vans offer the best in security and functionality as well as delivering important cost and environmental benefits. And a network of Van Supersites – running down the spine of the country – with the capacity to store hundreds of vehicles, mean Europcar customers’ needs can be met faster than ever.

Tel: 01923 811250 www.europcar.co.uk businesssupport@europcar.com

Tel: 01786 468 700

Thrifty Car and Van Rental

Nexus is the leading provider of corporate vehicle rental in the UK, the only provider that offers you any vehicle, any time, anywhere! We have over 500,000 vehicles available in over 2,000 locations. Our time-saving online system allows you to book in less than 10 seconds.

Thrifty Car and Van Rental has 96 UK locations, offering a full range of commercial vehicles. Thrifty has a dedicated Central Reservation Team, providing an immediate response to enquiries and offering highly competitive rates, with access to a quality fleet of vehicles nationwide and an efficient delivery and collection service. Fast, accurate billing and detailed management information is available along with a dedicated account manager.

For longer-term hires, Thrifty’s Flexi Fleet programme enables customers to rent vehicles on a short to medium term basis without being tied into a long term commitment.

Contact: Account Management Tel: 0871 984 1947 sales@nexusrental.co.uk www.nexusrental.co.uk

Contact: Caroline Gallagher caroline.gallagher@thrifty.co.uk

Nexus Vehicle Rental

80 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

Tel: 01494 751615 www.thrifty.co.uk

Iveco Daily Euro 6 engines lift Iveco’s impressive Daily van range, reckons John Kendall.

SECTOR Large van GVW 3.5–7.2 tonnes FUEL n/a CO2 n/a

T

he onward march of the Iveco Daily continues with further 10% for those choosing the Hi‐Matic transmission. the launch of the latest version, bringing a number of The Daily Business Up App leads where others are likely to revisions to the ‘Bullnose’ Daily launched in 2014. follow, by making a range of telematics information available While the latest revisions are concerned with introducing via the driver’s smartphone or tablet. All UK Dailys will come the Euro‐6 engine line‐up, the company has taken the with the new DAB radio that is needed to link with Business opportunity to bring in some fairly significant revisions.

Up. With it, drivers can see a real‐time assessment of their Iveco claims reductions of up to 8% for fuel consumption driving style with acceleration and braking monitored. For compared with Euro 5 models and reductions of up to 12% manual transmission models, gear selection is also recorded. in maintenance and repair costs. In‐cab noise is said to have The app can offer extra information not shown on the vehicle been lowered by 4dB – meaning it has been more than dashboard. Business Up also includes an interactive User halved. The Hi‐Matic eight‐speed ZF automatic transmission Handbook with links to pages and a dealer locator. is now available with all variants of the 2.3‐litre and 3.0‐litre Other functions include radio, music, and a phone man‐ four cylinder engine families, except the ager to handle calls and messages. Iveco 150hp unit. has partnered with Sygic to deliver a From 2017 all Daily engines will be fleet management package offering equipped with selective catalytic reduction tracking, navigation and routeing and (SCR) using the AdBlue urea additive. scheduling with job dispatch. The Iveco has also launched the Daily Busi‐ driver can obtain customer signatures ness Up Mobile App for Android and on the smart phone or tablet to close Apple iOS smart phones and tablets, the delivery. All data can be down‐ which offers a useful package of fleet loaded by the fleet manager. management and telematics possibilities.

Inside the cab, there’s a new leather Daily will be available with a new covered steering wheel, blue seat covers 5,100mm wheelbase chassis for 7.0‐ and textile foam headrests. Up to 18 stor‐ tonne GVW variants and the revised age compartments are now included. On range will be available from June. the road the reduction in noise is imme‐ New power ratings replace those for the diately noticeable, making the Daily cab The latest Iveco Daily previous models with the 2.3‐litre engine an even more pleasant place to work. I is an impressive offering 120hp, 140hp and 160hp, while drove a 2.3‐litre 140hp version on the the 3.0‐litre engine comes with 150hp, launch with the Hi‐Matic transmission, development, with 180hp and 210hp. In addition there will be which would be a real help to drivers on lower noise, reduced natural gas and electric versions. Service multi‐drop routes. Our route included running costs and the intervals have been extended up to twisting mountain roads and the ZF gear‐ Business Up app.

50,000km when using synthetic oils, while box always picked the right gear even on Iveco says that SMR costs can be cut by a steep climbs with hairpin bends.

what we think

82 / vanfleetworld.co.uk

VAN SUPPLIER DIRECTORY FLEETW RLD daily rental

contract hire, leasing & finance

racking systems

tail lifts

fleet management software

Europcar Tel: 0871 384 0201 www.europcar.co.uk

LeasePlan UK Ltd Tel: 0844 493 5810 www.leaseplan.co.uk

Tevo Limited Tel: 01628 528034 www.tevo.eu.com

Ratcliff Palfinger Ltd Tel: 01707 382880 www.ratcliffpalfinger.co.uk

Chevin Fleet Solutions Tel: 01773 821 992 www.chevinfleet.com

Avis Rent A Car Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5000 08701544 56 56 56 www.avis.co.uk www.budget.co.uk

Zenith Tel: 0844 848 9311 www.zenith.co.uk

Bott Ltd Tel: 01530 410600 www.bott-group.com

DEL Equipment (UK) Ltd Tel: 01993 708811 www.del-uk.com

Mycompanyfleet Tel: 0845 077 7760 www.mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tel: 01784 221 300 www.enterprise.co.uk

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

Sortimo Central Tel: 0121 511 2303 www.sortimo-central.com

Penny Hydraulics Tel: 01246 811475 www.pennyhydraulics.com

Bynx Tel: 01789 471600 www.bynx.com

Budget Rent-a-Car Tel: 0844 5338 08701544 56 56 56 www.budget.co.uk

Lex Autolease Tel: 0344 824 0115 www.lexautolease.co.uk

Tel: 0141 332 2626 www.acvm.co.uk

telematics & tracking

www.quartix.net

Civica UK Ltd Tel: 0117 924 2703 www.civica.co.uk/tranman

Tel: 0870 013 6663

automatic transmissions Stephens Engineering Automatics Limited Tel: 01920 462530 www.stephensengineering.co.uk

Volkswagen Group Leasing Tel: 0870 333 2229 www.volkswagengroupleasing.co.uk

Venson Automotive Solutions Tel: 08444 991402 www.venson.com

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk conversions Full listings online at

Clarks Vehicle Conversions fleetworld.co.uk Tel: 0845 319 2787 www.van-conversion.co.uk

STEPS

Fleet Alliance Tel: 0845 601 8407 www.fleetalliance.co.uk

TRACKER Network (UK) Limited Tel: 0845 604 6091 www.TRACKER.co.uk

Tel: 0345 055 8555 Ctrack www.ctrack.co.uk

Trakm8 Tel: 0330 333 4120 www.trakm8.com

fuel management

EV FLEET WORLD Tel: 01727 739160 www.evfleetworld.co.uk

WEX Europe Services Tel: 0800 626 672 www.wexeuropeservices.com

International Decision Systems Tel: 01256 302 000 www.idsdata.co.uk

Teletrac Navman Tel: 0345 604 8813 www.teletrac.co.uk

Full listings online at

www.navmanwireless.co.uk

fleetworld.co.uk risk management

Promote your company here and online for just £400/year.

Alphabet (UK) Limited Tel: 0370 50 50 100 www.alphabet.co.uk

vehicle data

Bill Plant Ltd Tel: 01765 645023 www.billplant.co.uk

euroShell Card Tel: 0800 915 6021 www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

Roadmarque Tel: 01792 824438 www.roadmarque.com

BP Oil UK Ltd Tel: 0845 603 0723 www.bpplus.co.uk

IAM RoadSmart Tel: 020 8996 9600 www.iamroadsmart.com

AVS Steps Ltd

Tel: 01939 235900 www.avssteps.co.uk

fast-fits & tyres ATS Euromaster Tel: 0870 066 3624 www.atseuromaster.co.uk

Full listings online at

fleetworld.co.uk

vehicle ventilation

accident management

Flettner Ventilator Ltd Tel: 020 8200 2321 www.flettner.co.uk

Total Accident Management Tel: 0845 078 4157 www.totalaccman.co.uk

VAN FLEETW RLD SUPPLIER DIRECTORY For more information, please contact Tracy Howell on 01727 739160 or email tracy@fleetworldgroup.co.uk vanfleetworld.co.uk / 83

All-New

Renault MEGANE Feel the drive

Elegant forms, classy lines, uncompromising choices, the All-New Renault Mégane is a blend of expressive design and assertive style. Its refined interior boasts an 8.7” touchscreen R-LINK 2 multimedia system and encompassing seats for unparalleled comfort, while the exterior lighting signature highlights its unique personality. The All-New Renault Mégane GT boasts a 4 CONTROL system – 4 wheel steering technology coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox with paddle shift, inviting you to get behind the wheel and feel the drive.

The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the All-New Renault Mégane GT: Urban 36.2 (7.8); Extra Urban 57.7 (4.9); Combined 47.1 (6.0). The official CO2 emissions are 134g/km. EU Directive Regulation 692/2008 test environment figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles, road conditions and other factors.