Car Leasing News

2010 Renault Van range

Renault is updating its commercial van range for 2010 with their new Master, Trafic Phase 3 and the new Kangoo Van Maxi. The flagship of the range is their new Master with its bold new styling, stylish interior and rugged build.

The range also get a new 2.3 dCi engine in a choice of thee power outputs, (100, 125 and 150 bhp) with improved fuel economy of up to 4.1mpg. The front wheel drive version of the New Master returns 33mpg on the combined fuel cycle and servicing costs have also been reduced by 28% to help reduce operating costs for commercial fleet operators. The Master range also gets a fourth length option with a load capacity of 22 cubic metres and new 3.5 and 4.5 tonne versions with twin rear wheels.

2010 Renault Vans

The third-phase Trafic is also updated and is much more comfortable and driver friendly with new practical stowage spaces also offering a reduction in fuel consumption with its 2.0-litre dCi engine.

Finally the new Kangoo Van Maxi is available with two or five seats and offers a load volume of 4.6 cubic metres and a maximum load length at floor level of 2.90 metres. This latest addition to the range means that Renault now offers a compact van range in a choice of three wheelbases ensuring there should be a model to suit any commercial fleet operator. Renault contract hire pricing will be loaded once full vehicle pricing is confirmed by Renault.

Fiat Professional

Fiat Professional, the commercial vehicle arm of Fiat Group, has commissioned a new film sitcom called “The Fleet”. The first viewing of the three minute episode will be on Monday, March the 15th, in a special commercial break during News at Ten.

There will be a further nine episodes of the comedy broadcast on the Internet and the new innovative marketing campaign is the brainchild of marketing specialist krow, which has been appointed to the Fiat Professional UK advertising account.

The sitcom will follow the trials of Pete, played by top comedy actor Phil Cornwell, the fleet manager of Lightfoot Logistics. The script is written by Ali Crockett and David Scott and will feature a strong marketing message from Fiat Professional.

The Road Haulage Association has welcomed the report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which makes the point that foreign lorries are much more likely to be the cause of accidents  involving heavy goods vehicles than UK operators. The Association was encouraged by the report’s acknowledgment that “they contribute little in the way of revenue and pose a particular challenge in terms of enforcing regulation”.

RHA Chief Executive said,”We have been campaigning for stronger enforcement for many years. Until May 2009 foreign operators had a free ride; no penalties were imposed, in practise, unless someone was actually killed. Today’s report highlights that while we have gone some way to closing the enforcement gap,there is still work to be done”.

TRACKER, the UK’s leading stolen vehicle recovery company, has helped the police in Warwickshire close down an organised car crime syndicate following the recovery of a stolen Volkswagen Golf GTi. The TRACKER system was activated when Mr Glover’s cars was stolen and led police to a large batch of stolen cars.

Mr Glover said,”I felt utterly shocked and confused when I received the automated movement alert from TRACKER, informing me of a possible unauthorised movement of my car. Thankfully, because of the movement alert, I was able to act quickly, and report the theft to Warwickshire Police. To my relief, it meant my car was found the very next day”.

Stuart Chapman, Police Relationship Manager for TRACKER said,”Not only did we recover Mr Glover’s car but 19 other stolen vehicles were found simultaneously”.

The TRACKER system works like a homing device and a covert transmitter is hidden in your car (or van) in one of several places around the vehicle. There is no aerial so a car thief will not know you have a TRACKER system installed. Many insurance companies will also look at reducing company (or private) vehicle insurance premiums if you have a TRACKER system installed in your vehicles.

Used Car Expert, the leading used car magazine, has undertaken an analysis of the depreciation of small family hatchbacks (1.6-litre petrol or comparable engine) and has discovered some interesting results. They looked at the resale value of three year old values against their new price, with 30,000 miles on the clock.

They found that many new car buyers will have lost up to 50% of their money in this time. Depreciation is never on most people’s minds when they buy a new car and this is why business car leasing is becoming more popular with many small businesses, as the risk around depreciation is with the vehicle leasing company.

• New car prices are an approximate guide price of the price paid for a new car 3 years ago

Fiat vans

Fiat Professional is set to show two new vans, the Doblo Cargo and the Fiorino at the forthcoming Food and Drink Logistics Show 2010, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on the 21st to the 24th March.

The Doblo engine line-up of a 1.4-litre 16v 95bhp petrol unit and three MultiJet 16v diesels -1.3 (90bhp), 1.6(105bhp) and 2.0 (135bhp) should appeal to most smaller and food and drink logistics transport companies. Standard equipment across the range includes ABS, height adjustable steering wheel, power steering, electric front windows and central door locking.

The Fiorino line-up consists of a 1.4 73bhp petrol and 1.3 MultiJet turbodiesel and offers safe and economical motoring. Fiat contract hire prices for these vans are available now.

Fiat eco:Drive Fleet

The highly successful Fiat eco:Drive system has now been launched to the fleet market after more than 34,000 private motorists have enjoyed the benefits, with over 4 million journeys now being logged and analysed on the dedicated website.

The Fiat eco:Drive Fleet system analyses mileage and fuel consumption from your company car driver journeys and then provides suggestions on how to improve efficiencies in the future. The data can be sorted in various ways i.e. by individual driver or batches of drivers.

eco:Drive Fleet is free to download from www.fiat.com/ecodrive and is available on all fleet models including 500, 500C, Punto Evo, Bravo, Qubo and new Doblo. The application can also be used on Fiat Professional commercial vehicles (equipped with Blue&Me) such as Grande Punto Van, Fiorino and Doblo Cargo.

Skoda facelift

Skoda Auto has now released the pricing for the improved Fabia and Roomster models. The new look is evident in the new redesigned radiator grille and 3-D shaped headlamps which give both cars a new dynamic look.

Both cars benefit from a new range of engines which include four petrol units and two diesel units ranging from 60bhp to 105bhp. Both the Fabia and Roomster will be available on S, SE and Scout vehicle specifications while the Fabia line-up also gets an Elegance trim level as well. Skoda contract hire pricing will be loaded shortly.

Ford increases market share

Ford increased its market lead in February to 8,084 cars for the year to date after selling 9,915 cars in February, according to SMMT data. The Ford Fiesta takes the number one position with the Ford Focus coming in second place. 

Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain managing director said,”February is traditionally a curtain raiser to the plate change month of March, when Ford customers will benefit from the company’s best-ever vehicle range and its Spring marketing campaign, which establishes lower price points for its most popular models.

Ford’s ongoing freshening of the range will be unrelenting in 2010 with the new Ford S-MAX and Ford Galaxy range appearing in April, the new Ford C-MAX and Ford Grand C-MAX later in the year as well as a number of new engine and transmission introductions.”

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has criticised the impending increase in fuel duty that is scheduled for the 1st April 2010. The planned fuel duty increase of 2.5 pence per litre comes into force on the 1st April and the RHA thinks this could mean the end for many UK hauliers.

“Diesel is the commodity on which this industry is totally reliant”, said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning. “We are already paying fuel duty rates that are up to six times higher than our European counterparts. If the Chancellor goes ahead with the 2.5 increase next month, it will mean that road transport operators will, on average, be paying an extra £1,100 per year in fuel duty alone, and that’s on top of the price of the fuel itself”.