Peugeot 107 Experience

Peugeot has launched a special YouTube channel which will broadcast targeted videos of the Peugeot 107 city car at young-minded people on the Internet. The worldwide campaign uses personalised, entertaining and interactice content and it is designed to introduce the values of the 107 to this targeted audience.

Four videos have been commissioned with Continental Productions, with one video available in two versions to cater for both specific male and female viewers. Users can share from four universes: VIP, SHARE, GLAM or FUN with a different story to each, and you can upload your picture to the video, your name and then share it on Facebook , Twitter or E-mail with your friends.

The site can be found at www.youtube.com/107experience

Fiat Panda gets Euro 5 engine

Fiat has introduced new Euro 5 engines across the Fiat Panda city car range giving each model a higher top speed, stronger acceleration, improved fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. The new line-up is Panda 1.2 Active, 1.2 MyLife, 1.2 Dynamic and the diesel 1.3 MultiJet Dynamic.

The 1.2-litre Euro 5 petrol engine replaces the outgoing 1.1-litre and the 69bhp unit takes the car from 0-62mph in 13.4 seconds, has a top speed of 101mph, returns 57.6 combined mpg and emits 113g/km of CO2. The 1.3-litre diesel MultiJet engine accelerates from 0-62mph in 13.1 seconds, has a top speed of 103mph, combined mpg is 67.3 and CO2 emissions of 109g/km.

All versions of the new Fiat Panda come with a generous standard specification with even the entry-levl Active offering power steering, electric front windows, body-coloured bumpers and driver airbags as standard. If you want air-con, opt for the Dynamic model and we have Fiat car leasing prices on the site now.

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.

The 2,000,000th Panda

Fiat has just announced that the 2,000,000th Fiat Panda has just rolled off their car production line at Fiat Auto Poland at Tychy. The actual car was a Panda Cross version finished off in Pasodoble Red and powered by a 75bhp 1.3 MultiJet engine. The second series Fiat Panda was launched in 2003 and has been sold in 76 countries worldwide and is a successful city car for Fiat.

The Panda was also recently upgraded with Euro 5 engines, methane and LPG, as well as versions with front-wheel and four-wheel drive. The four-wheel drive version also gets Electronic Locking Differential with ESP as well. There are many different versions to order namely Actual, Active, MyLife, Dynamic, Mamy, Emotion, Climbing and Cross with 15 different colours available. Fiat car leasing on the whole range is on the site now.

"Cygnette & colette"

Aston Martin and the Parisian fashion authority, colette, have joined forces to produce a new limited edition “Cygnette & colette” city car with only 14 examples of this hand-built car being produced. This striking limited edition comes in Lightning Silver paint with exclusive colette blue styling details.

These include a race collection inspired front bumper and bonnet livery, mirror caps and diamond turned road wheels. This exclusive limited edition Aston Martin features a Bitter Chocolate themed interior with inspiration taking from colette’s mascot Oscar, the chocolate-brown Labrador.

Kia Picanto campaign

The all-new Kia Picanto city car has just gone on sale and Kia has started their “Small,yet mighty” advertising campaign to prove that small cars can offer more of everything without ballooning in size or cost. Kia will be using TV, cinema, on-line media (MSN), YouTube and features in What Car?, Auto Express and Autocar to promote the launch.

If you are interested in finding out more about the new Kia Picanto, then there is a new website that has been developed which is at www.kia.co.uk/newpicanto. The site has a wide range of information on features and vehicle specifications and for the first time an iBrochure is available. Three versions have been created; a desktop onine version plus and iPad and iPhone version. Kia contract hire leasing prices on the all-new Kia Picanto should be loaded shortly.

smart foryou

Both fleet and private buyers can benefit from the new smart foryou customisation programme that allows you to enhance and personalise the appearance of your smart city car.

There are 33 exclusive designs available from launch including “Flying Flag”, “Modern Flame”, “Double Sport Stripe”, “Graphiti”, “Rainbow” and Butterflies” and you can further customise your smart car with front, side and rear body panels and full body wraps, with all graphics guaranteed for five years. Business users can also personalise their fleet cars with their company details as well.

smart foryou

Prices range from £50 to £1900 for the full “Carbon smart” body wrap and if you want to see how your smart car would look, try out the new car configurator on the smart website.

Gary Savage, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz cars UK, said,”Many owners see their smart as an extension of their personality and smart foryou allows them to show this to full effect. The added style of smart foryou optimises owners’ enjoyment of their cars but for business users it can be an invaluable addition to their company, providing a very cost-effective means of advertising that is both mobile and very eyecatching”.

If you are interested in smart contract hire leasing we have the full range of cars on the site.

New Hyundai i10 2011

The Hyundai i10 city car has undergone a comprehensive update for 2011 and now comes with Hyundai’s ultra-efficient Blue Drive technology as well. The Hyundai i10 Blue is the lowest CO2 car of the new range, offering just 99g/km of CO2, however there are improved 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre engines with Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) on offer as well.

The new 1.0-litre “Kappa” three cylinder engine  achieves 67.3 combined mpg and the 1.25-litre “Kappa” offers 108g/km of CO2 and 61.4 combined mpg. There are now four trim grades across the range- Blue, Classic, Active and Style and standard equipment across the range remains pretty impressive with air conditioning and iPod plug-in on all versions.

In addition you will also get four airbags, six-speaker stereo, electric windows and central locking and as usual, all Hyundai i10s come with the Five-Year Triple Care (unlimited warranty, roadside assistance and vehicle health checks). Hyundai contract hire leasing prices will be updated on the site soon.

Fiat 500

The 2011 BusinessCar Awards “City Car of the Year” award has gone to the Fiat 500 for the third year running. The car’s great looks, coupled with excellent running costs and residual values, made a real impression on the judges. Paul Barker, editor of BusinessCar said,”Fiat’s 500 has once more proved that business cars can make sense to both the head and the heart. The 500 has great residual values and running costs combined with the ability to put smiles on faces, making it the perfect city car for the corporate market, something BusinessCar readers obviously echo in voting the 500 City Car of the Year”.

The Fiat 500 is available with a wide choice of Euro 5 compliant engines, 85bhp 0.9 TwinAir,69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol, and 95 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel. It is also available in three trim levels, Pop, Lounge and Sport and Fiat contract hire leasing on all models is available off the site now.

Toyota AYGO Go!

Toyota has launched a new high-spec version of their AYGO city car, called AYGO Go!. This latest addition to Toyota’s city car line-up includes as standard a TomTom detachable satellite navigation system with touch-screen controls and voice recognition, USB port for connecting digital music players (and Bluetooth), new design alloy wheels and dark-tinted privacy glass.

The new exterior colours are Chilli Red and Cirrus White, with Metallic Carbon Quartz also available as an option. Coming in three or five door body styles, the car is powered by Toyota’s 1.0-litre three cylinder VVT-i petrol engine with manual or MultiMode transmission and other cost options include air conditioning, plus a range of AYGO Style and Protection packs.