DVLA Personalised Registraions has released the details of the personalised vehicle registrations going on sale to celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games. There will be 1,750 personalised vehicle registrations available for a three-day auction, commencing on the 7th June at City Hall in London.

Some of the Olympic Games themed plates on sale include 2012 OG, GO11 DEN and WON 601D. The DVLA has also picked plates for different sports so you can also choose plates like BMW 1X or CYC 111E for example.

Don’t forget if you have, or want a leased car, or van, you will need to get permission from your leasing company to fit a personalised plate to the vehicle as they own the asset (and have the V5 registration document).

When you buy a personalised plate the final sum includes the winning bid, auctioneers commission, 20 per cent VAT (currently) and finally the transfer fee.

Full details of the process and a list of available plates will be available at the following web address.

http://dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk/auction/next.html

Autotrader.co.uk, the UK’s leading car motoring website, has just launched a brand new car video review content facility in full HD, to help car buyers decide which new car to choose. The expert video reviews use a range of experienced motoring journalists to front up each video, including Jon Quirk, Jethro Bovington and motoring presenter Ruth Frances, to name just a few.

Car reviews

The videos focus on the needs of consumers with data such as performance figures, luggage space, turning circles and so on ,with the videos filmed at bespoke locations.

They have been filmed in Full HD so you can always view the video on your 50-inch plasma if needed. Autotrader has also enabled the videos to be viewed on a mobile phone and a clever feature is their video player automatically recognises the device and bandwidth to give you the best viewing experience.

Dacia Duster

Dacia will launch their new Duster SUV in June of this year with first deliveries expected from January 2013 and this compact SUV certainly looks a bargain. The Duster range will start from less than £10,000 with 4X4 versions under £12,500.

The Manufacturer Recommended Retail price list and vehicle specifications will be announced on the 28th June at which time our contract hire partners will supply leasing prices for the new Duster.

This is an affordable, rugged, high-quality vehicle and the Dacia Duster is likely to be extremely popular if you are looking for an SUV that offers value-for-money.

Mazda6 Venture Edition

Mazda has announced the details of three special editions for the Mazda6, named Venture Edition. This special edition is available in both hatchback and estate versions of the popular fleet favourite and come packed with upgraded vehicle equipment and specification levels.

The Mazda6 Venture Edition is based on the TS2 grade and in addition has Sanyo TomTom navigation, an integrated Bluetooth facility plus half-leather seat trim and heated front seats for those cold winter days. The features outside include stylish 17-inch gunmetal alloy wheels, Privacy glass, Sports front grille and a bespoke range of colours.

You can choose from colours like Brilliant Black, Crystal White Pearlescent, Black Mica, Stormy Blue Mica and a new addition- Dolphin Grey Mica.

The petrol version is powered by a 2.0-litre (155ps) MZR engine offering CO2 emissions at 159g/km, a combined mpg of 40.9, yet still offering you a responsive acceleration from 0-62mph in 10.3 seconds.

Diesel models come with a 2.2-litre (163ps) MZR-CD engine that emits 140g/km (hatch) and 141g/km for the estate so it’s kinder on the taxable benefit for a company car driver. Combined mpg is better too at 53.3 and performance is slightly quicker, with the 0-62mph time reduced to 9.2 seconds.

The estate version offers you bags of space and has a Karakuri 60/40 split easy-fold mechanism plus it provides up to 1,751 litres of cargo volume with the rear seats folded, more than enough for most people.   

The cars are on sale now with only 257 models being built and the key data is shown below.

All-new V40 hatchback

Last month, the all-new Volvo V40 hatchback made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show and Volvo has now released the prices and specification for this premium hatchback model.

There are three trim levels available, namely ES, SE and SE LUX, all of which have Bluetooth fitted as standard. However it is likely to be the D2 that is the one for fleet customers as it offers company car drivers only 94g/km of CO2 emissions and a combined mpg of 78.5 from its 1.6-litre 115 bhp diesel engine.

The all-new Volvo V40 is also the first car to offer a pedestrian airbag  and City Safety as standard to further boost the brand’s safety credentials.

D2 offers CO2 of 94g/km

Looking at the entry-level ES, this model’s standard vehicle specification also features high performance audio with 5-inch colour display screen, Electronic Climate Control, 16-inch Matres alloy wheels, Dynamic Stability and Traction Control, power windows, leather steering wheels and gear knob and textile floor mats.

The SE model adds Textile/T-tec upholstery, shimmer graphite inlays, steering wheel remote controls and keyless start, autofolding door mirrors with ground lighting and chrome exterior trim for the outside.

The SE LUX is the most luxurious version and this adds leather-faced upholstery, 17-inch Mannan alloy wheels and LED day running lights, plus active bending xenon lights with a headlight cleaning system.

The NAV option, available on all models in the range, includes a fully integrated satellite navigation system (full European mapping with two complimentary annual map updates) with voice activated control, a 7-inch colour display screen and DVD player.

Pricing starts from £19,745 on-the-road for the entry level D2 (115bhp) Start/Stop ES up to £26,795 for the D4 (177hp) Start/Stop SE Lux Nav. You are able to place orders now with full car production starting in May and first deliveries in time for the new “62 plate” in September.

All “On-the-Road” prices include Volvo’s standard national delivery charge, number plates and VAT plus Vehicle Tax and the first year registration fee.

2012 Infiniti FX

Infiniti has made key enhancements to their top-selling model as the FX design is taken to fresh heights with an expressive new look plus new alloy wheels and paint choices.

The 2012 Infiniti FX range also comes at unchanged 2011 prices, starting from £46,750 on-the-road for the luxury FX37 GT model, and just £90 more for the V6 diesel equivalent.

The car’s sporting appeal is reinforced on GT and GT Premium derivatives with a new five double-spoke design of 20-inch wheel with S versions keeping their distinctive 21-inch wheels. There is more choice with the latest exterior paint colour, Iridium Blue and it is Infiniti’s newest Scratch Shield finish available exclusively on the FX, with Graphite Shadow also now available.

The Infiniti FX range for 2012 is made up of four grades.

• The FX37 GT (£46,750 OTR) is the complete luxury package powered by Infiniti’s 3.7-litre petrol V6 and offering 316bhp (320PS).
• The entry FX30d gets the same luxury features but with a lower CO2 (238g/km) from its 3.0-litre V6 diesel of 235bhp (238PS). Despite its high performance the FX30d GT (£46,840) offers 31.4mpg on the combined cycle.
• S versions are more sporting and come with Rear Active Steering (except FX37) and Continuous Damping Control, among other changes. The S versions are set apart by their 21-inch alloy wheels, smoked headlights, red S badging and dark chrome exterior air vent and sill strip. The FX37 S has an on-the-road price of £48,850 and the FX30d S diesel £48,940.
• Premium versions of both the GT and the S are one of the most comprehensively equipped cars in their class.  Their vehicle specification majors on innovative technology with standard equipment including advanced navigation and entertainment systems, along with a safety features such as Lane Departure Prevention. Both petrol and diesel V6s are available in Premium guise, along with the 385bhp (390PS) 5.0-litre V8 of the FX50 performance flagship, available in S Premium guise only.

Every FX is also equipped with Infiniti’s intelligent torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system plus a 7-speed adaptive shift automatic transmission. The car comes with solid magnesium gearshift paddles on the steering wheel of every model demonstrating both the FX’s manufacturing integrity and its sporting performance personality.

New digital radio adaptor

Alpine Electronics of U.K. Ltd. an industry-leading manufacturer of automotive mobile media stations has launched a brand new, innovative digital radio adapter called the EZi-DAB.

The new Alpine EZi-DAB is a professionally installed digital radio adapter for almost any car, that has been designed to keep in-car clutter to a minimum. It connects to any existing car stereo and provides outstanding digital radio reception as well as the ability to connect and control your iPod, iPhone, iPad and many other compatible USB devices.

The unit is “Powered by Pure”, the world’s leading wireless music and radio systems manufacturer.

Keith Holness, Alpine’s senior business manager, commented: “The new EZi-DAB digital radio adapter allows almost everyone to add digital radio to their existing car audio system and provides a neat and classy solution to accessing more radio stations and much more listening choice. We are proud to have collaborated with Pure on this project, as their reputation as leaders in digital radio is legendary.”

The control unit has a choice of five different illumination colours; green, amber, red, blue and white, has a small, discreet windscreen film solution for the antenna, where no cutting or drilling to your vehicle is required and also offers the option to connect your iPod, iPhone or iPad. You can search and play the music via the car speakers plus it also charges these Devices at the same time and you can listen to tracks from a USB flash drive, other mobile phones or MP3 players with USB connection.

Other useful innovations include the pause button when you stop and before you remove your car keys, where the broadcast or music is paused until you return, for a maximum of 15 minutes. Ideal if you have popped into the shops when you’re in the middle of listening to something you don’t want to miss. This feature allows you to simply pause live radio and continue to listen later, exactly where you left off, or rewind at 15 second increments.

The Alpine EZi-DAB is available now with a Typical Selling Price of £249.99, which also includes the discreet window antenna and is available through authorised Alpine dealers.

If you want more information on the EZi-DAB or to find an authorised Alpine retailer, then visit the Apline website @  www.alpine.uk.com.

Please note if you lease your vehicle you will need to get permission from the vehicle leasing company before you can have this unit installed.

Range Rover Evoque

The Range Rover Evoque has just been crowned World Design Car of the Year 2012 at the 2012 New York International Auto Show and this sees Evoque’s awards tally now reaching more than 100 global accolades.

The Range Rover Evoque was shortlisted from an original list of 46 nominations and beat off stiff competition from the two other finalists, the Citroen DS5 and the Volkswagen Up!

The panel of five highly respected world design experts decided on the shortlist, which was then voted on by each of the 66 World Car Jurors, who are all highly respected, top-level automotive journalists and come from 25 separate countries.

One of the experts on the panel was Silvia Baruffaldi, Managing Editor of Auto & Design magazine, who commented: “True to the concept car it derives from, it is a contemporary automotive design masterpiece. Besides not having equals in the markets, it is able to deliver the Land Rover DNA in a more compact, sporty bodystyle. A premium product without the bad habit of showing off.”

The Range Rover Evoque’s award winning design is matched by its superb class-leading performance with dynamic and agile handling across all terrains, plus numerous innovative Range Rover technologies, including Terrain Response, dual-view touch screen, surround camera system and an array of personalisation options to suit customer needs.

Range Rover Evoque awards to date:

1. China Best Car in Class Award, Motor Trend, China
2. Best Production Design, Autodesign and styling magazine, Czech Republic
3. Best Car 2011 SUV category, Motorpress Portugal and Autohoje magazine, Portugal
4. Most Exciting Car for 2011, What Car? Car of the Year Awards, UK
5. Anticipated SUV of the Year, Top 4×4, China
6. The Most Anticipated Import Car of the Year, Sohu Auto, China
7. SHAS most popular imported car, Dragon TV, China
8. Best Car for Urban Young, Elites International Finance News, China
9. Most fashionable car at Auto Shanghai, Beijing Times, China
10. Car Design of the Year award – best production car unveiled in 2010, Car Design News
11. Stunning Design Award, Orient Car, China
12. Auto Express New Car Honours Best Compact 4×4, UK
13. Auto Express New Car Honours Car of the Year 2011, UK
14. Best SUV, Women on Wheels Women’s Car of the Year Awards 2011, South Africa
15. The Most Anticipated Luxury Car, Chengdu Business Daily, China
16. Car of the Year Design and Performance, Car China
17. Golden Steering Wheel Award for Best SUV, AutoBild, Austria
18. Fashion Style Award, Sina Auto, China
19. Best Compact SUV, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, UK
20. Scottish Car of the Year, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, UK
21. Autonis Design Award – Best New Design, Auto Motor und Sport, Germany
22. Best SUV, Autorevue, Austria
23. SUV of the Year Award 2011, Motor Trend, US
24. Urban Truck of the Year, Decisive Magazine, US
25. Star of the Show, 41st Annual South Florida International Auto Show (Miami), US
26. 2012 Automobile Magazine All-Star Award handover at LA motor show, US
27. Continental Irish Executive/Luxury Car of the Year 2012, Irish Car of the Year Awards
28. Best Luxury Compact Utility Vehicle, ALG Residual Value Awards, US
29. Best Luxury Utility Award, Auto123.com, Canada
30. Indian Import SUV of the Year, CNBC TV and Overdrive Awards, India
31. Car of the Year, Stuff magazine, UK
32. Best SUV 2012, Car & Driver magazine, Brazil
33. SUV of the Year Award 2011, BBC Top Gear Magazine, UK
34. Car of the Year, BBC Top Gear Magazine, UK
35. Import SUV over 30,000 Euro, Autozeitung, Germany
36. Best SUV 2012, Car & Driver magazine, Spain
37. Car of the Year, Stuff magazine, India
38. Auto Style Award, Auto Style Award, US
39. Best Luxury SUV of the Year, National Business Daily, China
40. Best Import Car of the Year, Guangzhou Daily, China
41. Best Import SUV of the Year, Top Gear China
42. Best Import SUV of the Year, Sohu.com, China
43. Best Luxury SUV of the Year, China Business News, China
44. Most Fashionable Import SUV of the Year, Southern Metropolis News, China
45. Most Attractive SUV of 2011, Xinhua News, China
46. Design Trophy, l’Automobile Magazine, France
47. 4×4 Car of 2012, Auto Club Bulgaria
48. Crossover Car of the Year, Bloomberg, US
49. 2012 4×4 of the Year, 4×4 Magazine, UK
50. Car of the Year 2012, Czech Republic
51. Best SUV 2012, Auto Press, Brazil
52. Car of the Year, Independent Online, New Zealand
53. Readers’ Choice 2011 – Launch of the year, Carro Online, Brazil
54. Ruedes ESPN Best SUV, US
55. Best Luxury SUV, Middle East Motor Awards
56. 2012 Car of the Year, Hispanic Motor Press Association, US
57. Carro Online Best Car of 2011, Brazil
58. Sunday Times Best Car of 2011, UK
59. Sunday Star Times Best Car of 2011, NZ
60. Drive Car of the Year, Christchurch Press, NZ
61. Import SUV of the Year, NDTV Car & Bike Show, India
62. Car Design of the Year, NDTV Car & Bike Show, India
63. Car of the Year, The Sun, UK
64. SUV of the Year, The Sun, UK
65. Premium 4×4 of the Year, Wheels Magazine, Middle East
66. Best Premium SUV, Evo Middle East
67. Best Cars of 2011, Vroom Girls, US
68. Top Winter Vehicle of the Year, Kelly Blue Book, US
69. Editor’s Choice, SUV of the Year, AOL, US
70. Car of the Year 2012, Readers’ vote, AROnline, UK
71. Small 4×4 of the Year, 2012 BusinessCar Awards, UK
72. Best of Best Truck 2011 Autoweek, US
73. 2012 Luxury SUV of the Year, Autobytel, US
74. 2012 International Truck of the Year, Road & Travel Magazine, US
75. Car of the Year, Stuff Online, NZ
76. 2011 Car of the Year, Straits Times, Singapore
77. 2012 North American Truck of the Year, US
78. Car of the Year, Scotsman Awards, UK
79. MSN Cars’ Readers’ Best New Car of 2011 honour, UK
80. Auto Express 2012 New Car Championship – Compact SUV category, UK
81. Auto Illustrierte magazine Best Cars 2012, Switzerland
82. Most outstanding debut vehicle of the year Golden Klaxon Grand Prix, Russia
83. Best Cars 2012 – Off-Road Import winner, Auto Motor Und Sport, Germany
84. La Novità dell’Anno 2012 Quattroroute readers’ award, Italy
85. The Golden Steering Wheel 2011, Auto Swiat, Poland
86. Playboy Car of the Year 2011, Poland
87. Crossover SUV of the Year, Abto Poky, Ukraine
88. Design Award 2012, Abto Poky, Ukraine
89. Best SUV & Off-roader Award, Auto Motor Und Sport, China
90. Newcomer of the Year, Off Road Magazine, Germany
91. New Car of the Year, AM Awards, UK
92. Best Cars’ in SUV Category, Auto Magazine, Slovenia
93. Off-Road & SUV Category 10^th Internet Auto Award, Germany
94. Best SUV, Volante, Portugal
95. Best Car chosen by the public, Autosport, Portugal
96. Premium SUV of the year, Business Standard Motoring Awards, India
97. Best SUV readers award Auto Motor and Sport, Czech Republic
98. It’s my business and I’ll buy what I want to’ award, Business Car Manager, UK
99. Best Car on the Internet, Coches.net, Spain
100. SUV of the year award 2012, Car of the Year 2012, Luxembourg
101. 2012 World Car Design of the Year, US
102. Parkers Cost of Motoring New Car Awards 2012, UK
103. Luxury SUV of the Year, Top Gear Malayalam, India

MG

There will be thousands of people throughout Britain that now qualify to drive the new MG6 models under the Motability Car Scheme for disabled people, with MG dealers across the country set to offer the award-winning MG6 GT when they join the Motability network from the 3rd of April.

Motability allows people who receive certain disability allowances to lease a new car and nearly 600,000 people currently use the Scheme *

The Motability Scheme allows disabled people who qualify to lease a new car every three years and their package includes insurance, servicing and maintenance cover, full RAC breakdown assistance and the annual car tax.

Andrew Lowerson, MG Motor UK’s Product Manager, commented: “The MG6 is particularly suited to many Motability users because it has an extremely roomy cabin and the boot capacity is class-leading. It’s also a car that’s easy to drive and has a host of extras as standard so the value for money is outstanding. Our dealers who have signed up to the Motability network will be able to guide people through the scheme and show them the MG6 models in great detail.”

* Anyone who receives the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement, can exchange this weekly payment for a new car through Motability.

Honda Civic

The new Honda Civic 1.4 i-VTEC SE has just been recognised as representing the best “value for money” in the Parkers Cost of Motoring New Car Awards, 2012. It came out on top in the competitive Medium Hatchback category on the basis that it offered better value than any of its current competitors over a three year period, plus it was also named as the overall Awards winner.

The Parkers’ Cost of Motoring innovative tool calculates the true “hidden costs” associated with owning and running a new car, including fuel consumption, depreciation, servicing, breakdown cover and road tax over a three year period. In addition, the Jazz 1.3 IMA HE Hybrid was also awarded the Eco Car category title for the second year running.

Kieren Puffett, Editor of Parkers, said; The Medium Hatchback category is a hugely competitive market so to have a winner here is truly a tremendous achievement and that is why we are not only delighted to announce that the Honda Civic Hatchback 1.4 i-VTEC SE five door wins the Parkers Cost of Motoring New Car Awards for the Medium Hatchback category, but is also the overall winner.

Dave Hodgetts, Managing Director of Honda (UK), commented: “This is a fantastic result for the new Civic. It has only been in dealerships since February and to have received this accolade so soon is a great achievement. What makes the award even more special is that it is based on fact. Thanks to Parkers’ very clever cost of motoring tool, we can officially say that the new Civic is the best value new car out there! ”

Honda contract hire prices on the Civic and the Jazz range are on the site now.