Volkswagen vans

Volkswagen Vans has just taken 47 orders from the dishwasher specialist, Winterhalter, who has replaced their entire fleet with a mixture of Volkswagen Caddy, Transporter and Crafter vans.

Winterhalter designs and manufacturers commercial dishwasher systems and the vans are going to be used by their national service engineers. Jason Mckay, Operations Director at Winterhalter said,”We operate a 96 per cent first time fix service for our customers so vehicle reliability was very important to in our purchasing decision and as a German manufacturer we were pleased to find a German van brand that could meet our standards”. Volkswagen van contract hire on the whole Volkswagen van range is on the site now.

Porsche Boxster

Porsche has announced a new programme that will develop electric Porsche sports cars in the future. Based on the Boxster roadster, the tests will begin in early 2011 and will help research user behaviour and the infra-structure necessary for electro-mobility.

There will be three all-electric drive Porsche Boxsters in the field tests and Porsche will continue to develop its hybrid powertrain as well. Michale Macht, the President and Chief Executive of Porsche AG commented,”We will definitely be offering an electric sports car in future. But such a concept only makes sense if it offers performance and a cruising range comparable to that of a sports car today”.

The Porsche hybrid powertrain programme for the Cayenne and Panamera will continue alongside the development of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car and 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid will race in the American Le Mans Series at Road Atlanta on October the 2nd and will then travel to China for the six-hour Le mans International Cup at Zuhai. Porsche business contract hire for the current range is also available now, if you are interested in leasing a Porsche now.

New Mercedes-Benz CL 63 AMG

Mercedes-Benz has released the details of their new CL 63 AMG which features a new cutting edge look and newly developed powertrain. The AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine delivers up to 571hp (with AMG package) and comes with the unique AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed transmission, all of which improves performance, driving dynamics and fuel consumption.

The new AMG 5.5-litre V8 offers a combined fuel consumption of 26.9mpg which is 7.4mpg more economical than the outgoing model, races from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds (4.4 with AMG performance package) and onto a limited top speed of 155mph (186mph with the AMG package).

Bonita Norris

Nissan has selected Everest adventurer Bonita Norris to launch the new Nissan Juke crossover. Bonita is the youngest ever woman to climb Everest and was selected for her sense of achievement and natural sense of adventure.

Bonita said,”I’m delighted to back the launch of Nissan Juke because I believe in backing British, and anything that creates jobs and pride for this country has my support. Juke defies the stereotypes and breaks the mould, I can relate to that”.

The Nissan Juke is officially launched on the 24th September and Nissan has reported that over 2,000 UK orders have been taken already (15,000 across Europe), so if you fancy the new Juke, Nissan business contract hire prices are on the site now.

Skoda

Many UK motorists will take to the roads in Europe this year for their summer holiday but how many actually know the rules in each country? The recent volcanic ash disturbances has ensured that for many, driving to the continent is a much easier option and that air flight disruption will not affect their holiday plans.

However the rules are different in each European country, where for example in France, Italy and Belguim, the drink-driving limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (in the UK it is 80mg per 100ml of blood) and in Norway it is just 20mg. In Germany it is illegal to use a GPS navigation system that indicates speed cameras and in Spain, it’s compulsory for drivers to keep a reflective jacket within reach inside the car at all times.

Help is on hand as Skoda and the RAC has teamed up to offer a free European Travel Advice Guide to help keep you safe and as well as dealing with driving regulations and mandatory equipment, it also lists any recommended  items required to drive safely in more than 40 European countries.

The guide is available from any Skoda dealer.

Peugeot 3008 Sports HDis

Nilfisk Advance, a Danish manufacturer of powered floor cleaners, vacuums and pressure washers, has selected the Peugeot 3008 as the car of choice for their UK salesforce. They have ordered 25 of the Peugeot 3008 Sport HDi crossover models to replace their outgoing Peugeot 407 SWs.

The Peugeot 3008 achieves 55mpg on the combined fuel cycle and has CO2 emissions of just 137g/km from the efficient Peugeot HDi diesel engine, offering excellent value for money. Phil Robson, Director -Fleet and Used Vehicle Operations at Peugeot UK said: “The 3008 is certainly proving a formidable vehicle for both private and business users, with orders easily outstripping our projected figures. With its raised seating position, high quality interior and assured driving characteristics, coupled with Peugeot’s renowned efficient, low CO2 engines, the 3008 is leading a shift from traditional fleet cars to a more discerning driving experience”. Peugeot contract hire pricing on the 3008 is on the site now.

Brake, the road safety charity, has reacted with horror at the news that many local authorities are cutting or even disbanding their road safety programmes, due to cuts in the road safety grants provided from central Government. The Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership is ceasing operations as a result of the cuts and The Devon and Cornwall Partnership is also under review.

Brake deputy chief executive, Jule Townsend said,”We are horrified that vital road safety work is grinding to a halt as a result of draconian funding cuts made by the Government. We have made a huge amount of progress in reducing tragic, needless and costly road deaths and injuries in recent years- progress that is at great risk of being undone”.

Brake has written to all local authority chief executives asking that road safety work continues and a copy of the letter can be read here.

Go to the main site and quote this car

The Audi A3 1.6 TDI SE 3- door Sportback is a favourite on the site and Audi business contract hire starts from only £228+VAT per month. This great looking hatchback offers a small business a quality car that is really economical too, as combined mpg is 68.9 and CO2 emissions a lowly 109g/km.

Audi contract hire terms are based on the following;

- Non-maintained business contract hire over a three year contract at 10,000 miles per year – total 30,000 miles.

- Only three month rentals in advance followed by 35 subsequent rentals.

-  This totals 38 equal payments

- “With maintenance”, metallic paint and all other accessory options can be added to your vehicle at an extra cost to the rental shown above.

-  Please note the image we have shown may not represent the exact model.

-  Pricing is subject to change at any time and must be verified directly with each vehicle leasing supplier.

Go to main site and quote

The BMW 3 Series is a great company car for any small business and BMW business contract hire on the BMW 318i ES 4-door saloon manual starts from only £267.57+VAT per month. CO2 emissions are only 146g/km and combined mpg is 44.8, so it’s kind on the pocket too.

The BMW contract hire deal is based on the following;

- Non-maintained business contract hire over a three year term at 10,000 miles per annum.

- Only three months rental in advance followed by 35 subsequent rentals. (38 equal payments in total)

- “With maintenance”, metallic paint and all other vehicle options can be added at an extra cost to the rental shown above.

- The image shown may not represent the exact model.

-  Pricing is subject to change at any time and must be verified directly with each vehicle leasing supplier.

Lancia Delta Integrale

A new book written by Graham Robson, a leading motoring historian, has been released by Veloce Publishing and details the story of the Lancia Delta/Integrale rally car. It tells how Lancia and Abarth, speedily developed this exciting, successful rally car and is part of Veloce’s Rally Giants Series.

The book is a full history and development of the HF 4×4, the Integrale 8-valve, Integrale 16-valve through to the Integrale 16V Evo 1 and is packed with colour pictures, comparisons with rivals plus a step by step account of the technical evolution of the car. Priced at £15.99 ($29.95 for the USA), the book is available off the Veloce Books website or from most bookshops.