Citroen Berlingo

The Citroen Berlingo LCV has just gained the accolade of the Institute of Transport Management’s (ITM’s) ‘Best LCV 2012’ award. The ITM’s key criteria for choosing the award winner meant a van had to, “embody perennially important qualities such as reliability, cost-effectiveness and durability. It is because of this that the Institute of Transport Management has named the Citroen Berlingo the ‘Best LCV 2012’.”

The ITM’s judges were very impressed with the Citroen Berlingo and said, “Businesses are looking for LCVs that are lighter, with lower emissions and better fuel efficiency, qualities that the Citroën Berlingo range has in spades.  In particular, the Citroen Berlingo e-HDI Airdream models are equipped with e-HDi micro-hybrid Stop & Start technology. For further fuel savings, all Berlingo vans are specified with Citroen’s unique Trafficmaster telematics package.  This further reduces urban fuel consumption and emissions by offering the fastest congestion avoidance routing direct to the driver.”

Citroen’s key addition to their Euro 5 Berlingo range is the new e-HDi Airdream models, with their efficient micro-hydrid drivetrain. This power unit provides a unique combination of environmental, economic and driver benefits.

Berlingo Airdream vans have Stop & Start with an advanced micro-hybrid starter/generator to restart the engine quickly and smoothly and incorporate regenerative braking to recover and store energy that would otherwise be lost.

Berlingo e-HDi vans are available with a choice of either a 5 speed manual transmission or Citroen’s advanced 6-speed automated manual transmission, which provides the benefit of two-pedal driving and a combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 60.1mpg and CO₂ emissions as low as 123g/km. We have the full range of Citroen vans, including e-HDI models, on the site now on Citroen commercial vehicle contract hire.

New Citroen DS5

If you fancy spending the weekend in St. Tropez, driving the new Citroen DS5, then Citroen is running a competition for five lucky winners. You will experience the DS5 first-hand and your driving reviews will also be placed on video on Facebook too.

The five lucky winners will spend the weekend in the exclusive Riviera with flights and five-star hotel accomodation all included. The theme of the weekend is called “The Refined, Redefined” and the lucky winners will take part in a series of fun activities and experiences, with filming taking place to record the weekend’s events.

If you want to enter the competition, you need to write 50-100 words on why you think you should be one of the first to drive the brand new Citroen DS5. The competition closes on the 31st January 2012 and the winners and guests will fly out on Friday the 10th February, returning on Sunday the 12th February.

Full details can be found @ www.facebook.com/citroenuk and click on the DS5 Star Experience tab.

New Citroen C1 city car

Citroen has updated the Citroen C1 for 2012, giving their new city car a “sharper” look and “greener” credentials. The new features on the Citroen C1 include LED daytime runing lights, CD audio system with Citroen’s integrated Connecting Box (Bluetooth and USB) and an Electronic Gearbox System (EGS) with steering-mounted paddles.

The new C1 will make its debut at the Brussels Motor Show, which starts on January 10th, and should go on sale in the UK in April 2012. It is the most compact car in the Citroen range at 3.44 metres long and will be available in both 3- and 5-door guise when launched. The car boasts loads of storage spaces and the boot capacity is 700 litres with the rear seats folded (139 litres when rear seats are up), which is great for carrying things around town.

The three-cylinder petrol engine in manual tranmission emits 99/km of CO2 and offers you 65.7 mpg over the combined cycle. If you opt for the EGS version (Electronic Gearbox System) the CO2 emissions are 104g/km and combined mpg is 62.8.

Citroen C1 city car - rear view

The front headlights on the new Citroen C1 keeps their rounded shape with a complete re-design of the front bumper housing front fog lights and LED daytime running lights. The vertical design LED light signature is unique to Citroen and can also be seen on the DS3 and C4 AIRCROSS. At the rear the C1 keeps its distinctive glass tailgate and the brand’s new chevrons and badgings are on display.

The range of body colours include Botticelli blue, Scarlet red, Electra blue, Lipizzan white, Caldera black and two grey tones- Gallium grey (light) and Carlinite grey (dark). Inside there is a range of colour options for the upholstery materials with the entry-level models coming with Mistral “Nokimat” cloth, right up to an Alcantara leather option.

Safety features include new power steering settings and shock absorbers, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Isofix child seat anchorage points and ESP. The car also gets stylish new “Notus” design 14-inch wheels with ”Rift” 14-inch alloys standard on top-of-the-range models.

Citroen C3 Picasso Code Special Edition

Citroen has just added a new, stylish model to their popular C3 Picasso range with the C3 Picasso Code Special Edition. This new Citroen model replaces the Blackcherry special edition and is based on the HDi 90 manual VTR+ version, plus some extra kit as well.

The C3 Picasso Code comes with air conditioning, curtain airbags, cruise control with speed limiter, Bluetooth system with USB socket plus a “Look Pack” that also features the following features;

• “Clover” alloy wheels in Polar White or Cherry Red depending on your body colour choice.
• Chrome lower bumper inserts.
• Shiny black painted door handles and front rear bumpers.
• Obsidian Black painted front and rear bumpers, door mirrors with shiny black surround and base plate.
• Roof bars and carpet mats.

You have four colours to choose from namely Polar White, Cherry Red, Belle Ile Blue and Thorium Grey. The efficient diesel HDI 90 bhp engine returns 61.4 combined mpg and emits 119g/km of CO2 making this a fuel efficient and low CO2 car. Citroen contract hire prices for the new Code model are on the site now.

New Citroen DS5

The stunning new Citroen DS5 has been pictured in a series of photographs in which the aviation inspired car met Concorde. The Citroen DS5 is the latest Citroen model in the DS line-up and the photo shoot with the legendary Concorde aircraft recreated what the classic DS did in its heyday.

All the pictures were taken at Le Bourget Airport in France by Laurent Nivalle, a photographer at Citroen Styling and the shoot was organised by the “C-Forum” Citroen fan club to feature the aviation theme that inspired the design of the new DS5.

Stunning new Citroen DS5

The new DS5 has pilot-style overhead switches (like a plane cockpit), a head-up display and a roof divided into three light wells. The DS5 has already been voted by Top Gear Magazine as “Family Car of the Year” in their 2011 awards and will be launched in the UK in March 2012.

Citroen Nemo vans

The independent automotive parts distributor, Motor Parts Direct, has just added 25 Citroen Nemo HDi 75 manual Stop & Start LX vans to its 275 vehicle fleet. Motor Parts Direct is based in Braintree and supplies parts for cars and LCVs to trade customers from Norwich to Poole. Their current fleet is made up of mainly Citroen models including Relay and Dispatch vans so the Nemos will be a welcome addition.

Mukesh Shah, Chairman of Motor Parts Direct, Said,”We go for the LX spec as it sends a good message to the drivers. It gives them a height adjustable seat and other additional features like a nearside sliding door and remote central locking, which are important when doing our type of multi-drop work”.

The Citroen Nemo has a 660gk payload and up to 2.8 cubic metres of loadspace and is well suited to accomodating the wide range of parts that MPD offers to its trade customers. The drivers also make use of the Extenso fold-flat seat when they need to carry larger parts securely. If you are thinking of getting a new van for your business we have the full range of Citroen commercial vehicles available now on contract hire.

Citroen C3 e-HDI 70 Airdream EGS VTR+

Citroen has just announced the launch of the new Citroen C3 e-HDI 70 Airdream EGS VTR+, which is its most CO2 efficient conventionally powered model to date offering CO2 emissions of just 87g/km and a combined fuel consumption of 83.1mpg.

This new low CO2, fuel efficient version of the C3 was first displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and the highly specified e-HDI 70 Airdream EGS VTR+ is now available to order and comes with the C3′s renowned panoramic Zenith windscreen. This new model of car also uses Citroen’s innovative e-HDI micro-hybrid Stop & Start technology coupled to a 68bhp HDi diesel engine, to offer its stunning green credentials.

Citroen’s UK Marketing Director, Jules Tilstone, said,”Citroen is committed to driving down the cost of motoring and this new model is a perfect example of that. With impressive fuel economy, low CO2 emissions, a BIK rate at just 13%, free VED and the benefit of no London Congestion Charge, this stylish model is a financially and environmentally attractive addition to the Citroen range” .

Auto Express, one of the UK’s leading car magazines, has found that as many as 50% of car manufacturers are steering clear of offering DAB (digital) radios as either an option or as standard fitment in their new car models. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has named 2015 as the deadline for turning off the analogue radio network and switching to digital. By doing this the vast majority of in-car tuners would cease to work overnight.

The survey was undertaken with 24 mainstream car manufacturers with Citroen, Fiat, Nissan and Hyundai among some of the makers who have shunned the new technology, according to Auto Express. The problem seems to be poor coverage with only 85% of the UK population able to get digital audio broadcasting at present and only 18% of the radio listening population use DAB (according to audience monitoring firm, RAJAR).

A Citroen spokesman said,”No Citroens have digital radio radio fitted (or as an option) and no date has been set as to when this will change”.  An Audi spokeswoman said,”We’ve had negative feedback from customers about poor digital radio coverage. If the broadcasters get the transmitter infrastructure right, then it would be a totally different ball game”.

Digital Radio UK, the body representing broadcasters, manufacturers and retailers, thinks the Government may have to revise the switchover plan from 2015 to possibly 2017. There are fears that a complete switchover would result in the loss of audience meaning it is likely that both analogue and digital will probably run in tandem for a prolonged period.

Citroen 2CV

The Citroen 2CV is still breaking records after 60 years with a record-breaking global-gathering taking place from the 26th-31st July, at the 19th International ‘Amis de la 2CV” event near Salbris in France, where over 6,000 examples are expected to attend.

The original 2CV was developed in the 1930s with most of the prototypes being destroyed in the second world war, with the exception of three, which were hidden to stop them falling into enemy hands, with the fourth prototype stored by Michelin. The 2CV was officially launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1948 and a remarkable 5,114,940 units were sold between 1948 and 1990.

The 2011  ’Amis de la 2CV” event will have a wide range of features including a 2Cv “disassemble-reassemble” competition, a bring-and-buy sale, children’s events and the use of driving simulators, plus the Citroen REVOLTe concept city car will be on show, which was inspired by the 2CV’s distinctive silhouette.

Goodwood Moving Motor Show

There will be a record number of new cars attending the Goodwood Moving Motor Show in two weeks time. The event gets underway on the 30th June, closely followed by the popular Festival of Speed (1-3 July). Goodwood expects more than 175,000 visitors over the four days of the event and if you are thinking of attending this fun packed meeting, here is a sample of some of the cars on show.

There will be public debuts for the Citroen DS4, Morgan 3-Wheeler, Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, Ford Focus Estate and BMW 1 Series M.

In the Supercar Run you can feast your eyes on the Ferrari FF, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, Pagani Huayra, Jaguar XKR-S, Marussia B1 and B2, Hulme Can Am Spyder, Hennessey Venom GT and the BAC Mono.

In The First Glance interesting performance cars section on show will be the Vauxhall Astra GTC, Honda CR-Z Mugen, Range Rover Evoque and Citroen Survolt concept. Other concepts at the show include the Alfa Romeo 4C and Jaguar CX-75 plus a number of other surprises.

Ticket details, and other information for the 2011 Festival of Speed can be found by calling the Ticket Hotline on 01243 755055 or at the Goodwood website below.

http://www.goodwood.co.uk/motorsport/motorsport.aspx