All-new Ford Focus Estate

Ford has reported strong sales of the all-new Ford Focus Estate with 2,000 UK customer order already taken. The new Focus Estate shares the same appeal as the five-door model with a full range of low-CO2 engines and lots of smart technology on offer. The engine range includes the 1.6-litre TDCi 115PS engine which is equipped with Auto-Start-Stop and this is the most popular model to date, accounting for 43 per cent of all sales due to its low CO2 output of 109g/km.

The Focus Estate is practical too, offering a company driver the extra space and flexibililty that may be needed as it is 20cm longer than the five-door, is 10cm wider and has a maximum load capacity of 1,502 litres (in two-seat mode). The all-new Focus Estate comes with over £1,000 of additional standard equipment over the outgoing model including Bluetooth and voice control, USB connection, DAB, Thatcham Category 1 alarm, aluminium roof rails, tonneau cover, driver lumber adjustment and torque vectoring control. Ford car leasing on all models is on the site now.

SEAT Ibiza Copa Ecomotive S offers 80.7 mpg

The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) has conducted a recent poll of 2,500 people and over half said they had changed to a more eco-friendly driving style and eighty per cent said they had changed their overall driving behaviour in a number of other ways.

Changes in overall driving behaviour;

• Making fewer journeys – 38%
• Walking shorter journeys when perhaps they had driven before – 35%
• Using public transport more – 21%
• Cycling shorther journeys when previously they would have driven- 19%
• Buying a more fuel efficient car – 18%

However 74 per cent were against giving up their cars completely, but more than half said they stick to the speed limit to keep fuel consumption down and more than 70 per cent check their tyre pressures regularly. In addition taking the heavy clutter out of your car i.e. tools, bikes etc and turning off the air-conditioning were also popular in saving fuel.

IAM director of policy and research, Neil Greig, said,”The days of cruising the motorway at eighty regardless of cost are over. With rocketing fuel prices it is clear that drivers are changing their behaviour, which is good for their health and the environment. You don’t need a new car to become a greener driver. You just need to change your driving style”.

The IAM has provided some useful tips as well on saving fuel and if you are thinking of buying or leasing a new more fuel-efficient car then try the Vehicle Type Leasing Shopper to help you. For example the SEAT Ibiza Copa Ecomotive pictured above offers you 80.7 combined mpg.

New D5 diesel engine

The new Volvo improved D5 diesel engine has been updated to increase power from 205hp to 215hp (depending on the version) and fuel consumption has improved as well with the S80 D5 manual with Start/Stop offering 57.7 mpg and only 129g/km of CO2.  The V70, XC70 and S80 are the first models in the Volvo car range to benefit from the new engine.

Selwyn Cooper, Volvo UK’s national sales manager commented,”We have made these vehicles more enjoyable and as cost efficient as possible to drive. With that comes lower CO2 which means company car drivers have a widened choice of vehicles powered by larger engines without the expected hike in the amount of tax they would have to pay”. We hope to load Volvo car leasing prices on the new models shortly.

Peugeot RCZ "Asphalt"

Peugeot has opened their orders books for the new “Asphalt” limited edition Peugeot RCZ with only 75 RHD models being available in the UK, so you need to get your order in quickly if this is the car for you. The limited edition RCZ “Asphalt” has a special matt Telluric grey bodywork and features a bespoke high level of specification over the top-of-the-range GT trim, plus power comes from the spirited 200bhp THP petrol engine.

Standard specification includes a black roof, “Asphalt” badging, 19-inch Solstice black alloy wheels with matching black brake calipers, front and rear parking aid, auto lighting, Peugeot Connect Media Navigation, JBL sound system, ”Asphalt” branded and stitched Nappa leather trim, an Alcantara/leather steering wheel and gear stick, plus bespoke “Asphalt” sill covers and floor mats. Peugeot car leasing on the current RCZ range is on the site now and we hope to load the new model shortly.

EV charging point

A new survey, conducted by Elektromotive, the producer of the Elektrobay charging station, has found that two thirds of motorists (65.7 per cent) say they would be more likely to buy an electric car if more charging points were available. Out of the 1,417 motorists that participated in the survey, only 7.8 per cent said that greater availability would make no difference to their purchasing decision. But a quarter (26.5 per cent) said they were “undecided”, which suggests that a significant minority still need to be persuaded about the viabililty and benefits of EVs.

The Government is currently offering an incentive scheme to save £5,000 on the purchase price of an EV but in the first quarter of this year, only 534 grant applications were made in the whole of the UK. Elektromotive thinks the lack of a widespread, publicly-available recharging infrastructure could be one of the major factors holding back the demand for electric vehicles. 

To date, Elektromotive has installed over 600 Elektrobay charging stations in public and private car parks and on roadsides across the country, but insists many more need to be installed in order to eliminate “range anxiety”, which is where motorists fear they will run out of power between charges.

Calvey Taylor-Haw, Managing Director of Elektromotive, said,”The development of electric vehicles has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but many consumers are understandably concerned that if they buy a new EV they might not be able to easily charge it when away from home or the workplace. It’s clear that much more needs to be done to create the charging infrastructures that are essential to underpin mainstream acceptance of EVs”.

Peugeot 205 GTI

Veloce has launched the Peugeot 205 GTI- The Essential Buyer’s Guide, which is the 53rd book in the series covering classic, sports cars and motorbikes, plus there is a new 205 GTI App as well. The new book  is written by 205 GTI enthusiast and owner, Jon Blackburn, and covers the 205 GTI & CTI Cabriolet plus special editions such as the Miami Blue and Sorrento Green.

It has over 205-specific photos and points out potential mechanical defects, weak spots and rust traps but also highlights the car’s good points too, as well as model variations. The book also gives sound advice on how much to spend, what is worth restoring and what is not and further information can be found at the Veloce website. The book costs £9.99 and the App £2.39.

Lexus IS 250C interior

Lexus has released the IS 250C Limited Edition which is one of the most stylish coupe-convertibles on the market. It has a quick and quiet electric folding roof that lets you enjoy open-top motoring in a matter of seconds and there are only 50 examples of this Limited Edition being made.

Lexus IS 250C Limited Edition coupe-convertible

The car has a distinctive black and red semi-aniline fine leather interior and each model comes with a numbered badge denoting its special status (hidden in the glovebox).

The 250C Limited Edition is based on the regular SE-L model and standard options include 18-inch alloy wheels, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats with built-in ventilation and heating, cruise control, electric one-touch access to the rear seats, climate control and cruise control.

In addition to the launch of the IS 250 C Limited Edition, Lexus is also providing a new panoramic roof option for the full hybrid RX 450h SE-I which can be specified on order (costs £900). This fixed roof lets light flood into the cabin and provides an excellent view all-round for the driver and passengers alike. We should have Lexus car leasing prices on the new models loaded shortly.

New Astra ecoFLEX

Vauxhall’s new Astra ecoFLEX 1.7 CDTi 130PS produces 20g/km of CO2 less than the Astra 1.7 CDTi 125PS and achieves its 99g/km CO2 figure using an all-new engine management system, a new variable geometry turbocharger, friction reduction to the piston rings and a friction-reduced six-speed gearbox.

All this new technology makes the new car a desirable fleet vehicle, offering 76.3 combined mpg yet still providing strong performance from the powerful diesel engine. CO2 reducing technology also includes Start/Stop, energy recuperation from the braking system, a clutch that activates the air-conditioning compressor only when needed, low rolling resistance tyres and standard LED daytime running lights (reducing energy consumption).

The ecoFLEX Astra should be in dealer showrooms later this year and full pricing and vehicle technical specifications should be released shortly. The car will be available in three trims: Exclusive, SE and SRi and we will load Vauxhall car leasing prices once the pricing has been announced.

TomTom App for iPhone

TomTom has updated its latest navigation App for iPhone with version 1.8 now available. The new App has a brand new feature called multi-stop routes which makes it easier for drivers to make multiple stops on a single route by allowing them five stop-off points when planning their journey.

So for example you could plan a trip to a petrol station, supermarket, then an appointment in Leeds, then onto a petrol station in Manchester and then Home. The new App also gives users the latest map available that incorporates all changes to the road layout (daily download free via Map Share) and also fixed speed-camera locations.

You can purchase the new TomTom App for iPhone v1.8 via the App Store or visit the TomTom site for further information @

www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/mobile-navigation/

The Institute of Advanced Motorists has found that today’s cars generate 14 per cent of all CO2 emissions in the UK, which is marginally less than in 2000, however there has been an increase of 4 million cars on the road since then. Their new motoring report is called “Energy use and CO2 emissions”.

The report details some useful “green” facts and some of the highlights are below:

• Carbon emissions from all forms of transport continues to rise but cars fell from 196g/km of Co2 in 1997 to 174g/km of CO2 in 2008.
• People’s perception is that cars and aircraft are the biggest carbon polluters when the top two are power stations and industry.
• The average new car fuel consumption for petrol cars fell from 8.28 litres per 100km in 1997 to 6.93 litres per 100km in 2008.
• UK households produce as much CO2 as cars.

IAM director of policy and research, Neil Greig said,”Despite what many green experts may say, Britain’s drivers and the motoring industry are doing their bit to reduce carbon emissions. Drivers are shifting to greener engines and have embraced incentives like cheaper vehicle excise duty for more fuel-efficient models. Manufacturers should also take credit for producing models across the range that are cleaner and greener. But driving style is crucial- the best fuel-saver is a light foot and anticipation of the road ahead”.

The IAM has also provided some CO2 and fuel saving tips:

• Keep your vehicle moving rather than stopping and starting all the time by trying to look further ahead and slow down earlier to avoid stopping. Driving at a constant speed is far more fuel efficient than heavy accelerating and braking.
• Check your tyre pressures as under-inflated tyres have a big impact on your fuel economy.
• Put your car on a diet and remove any unnecessary weight, including roof racks, car clutter and any heavy items in the boot.
• Try to avoid using air conditioning and climate control at low speeds as they increase your fuel consumption. Open a window instead.
• However at high speeds, do close your windows to maintain the aerodynamics of the car. Use your air-conditioning to get the car to a comfortable temperature and then turn it off to save fuel.
• Clean windscreens and windows rarely mist up – so you’ll use the heater and air-conditioning less if they sparkle.
• Try changing up your gears earlier; for petrol engines at 2,500 rpm (revs per minute), and diesel engines 2,000 rpm
• Reverse into parking bays: manoeuvring with a cold engine uses more fuel, so make the most of having a hot engine.
• It will take most cars at least a couple of miles to warm up and run efficiently. Could you walk or even cycle?
• Drive at an even pace over speed humps as slowing down and speeding up drinks more fuel.
• Stick to the speed limit at all times.

Finding the most economical car can be really be a time-consuming exercise however an easy way to find the cars with the best Co2 or best combined mpg is by using the Vehicle Leasing Type Shopper. Just select the bodystyle of the vehicle you are looking for i.e. saloon, hatchback etc, then tick “all manufacturers” and choose the ranges of CO2 and mpg you are looking for, i.e. 60mpg upwards for example.