Hubert Waltl

Volkswagen Passenger Cars has set some ambitious environmental targets for car production, with a plan to reduce energy consumption, waste volumes, air borne emissions, water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent by 2018, at all its factory production plants worldwide.

The “Think Blue. Factory” initiative is an addition to the “Think Blue” portfolio and the new Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee,was the first factory worldwide to receive a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental) certificate. This certification confirms Volkswagen’s compliance with some of the most demanding standards for sustainable, environmentally compatible vehicle production.

Hubert Waltl (pictured) , Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand, said,”Through the growing efficiency and productivity of our plants, the Volkswagen brand is already making a key contribution to the achievements of Group strategic targets for 2018. However, we are going a step further: by 2018 we intend to make production at all our plants 25 per cent more environmentally compatible”.

Ford concept sleigh design

Ford has created a concept sleigh design aimed at helping Santa Claus reduce his CO2 emissions this evening. The new concept sleigh would involve Santa retiring his reindeers for the evening and using Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which Ford calculates would reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 per cent. According to Ford, Santa’s reindeers create many tons of CO2, travelling some 200,237,360 km at Xmas.

Paul Wraith, Ford car designer, said,They may look cute, but Santa’s team of nine reindeer create a staggering 214,670 tons of CO2 equivalent CO2 emissions each year, so something had to be done to help him re-discover his greener roots”.

Santa Claus was not available for comment as he is busily preparing for this evening, however Mrs Santa Claus said,”I am not looking forward to telling Donner and Blizten the news, but the polar bears in the North Pole will certainly welcome the Ford Eco-Boost-powered sleigh”.

The redesigned Ford sleigh also incorporates other cutting edge Ford technologies. Highlights include:

• Active park assist: Clever technology that first checks if a parking space is big enough, then automatically steers your car/sleigh in. Useful for Santa Claus when making those tight reverse rooftop landings.
• Door edge protector: A simple, but ingenious addition to Ford doors, helping prevent dents, dings and scratches even in the tightest parking spot. Vital to help Santa stop scratching the door of his sleigh on all those chimneys.
• SYNC: A sophisticated in-car, voice-activated technology system, that can be easily personalised.  This will help Santa Claus keep in touch with the elves back at base, stay en route with GPS navigation and enable him to listen to and change, his favourite Christmas music.
• EcoMode: In-car software that provides useful advice for drivers on achieving better fuel economy tailored to their individual driving styles.  A specially modified version of the software will include an electronic Christmas tree image. The better Santa’s green driving performance, the more of the trees branch symbols will light-up.
• Active City Stop & Blind Spot Information System: Two driver assistance technologies, the first assists drivers in slow moving traffic by detecting if the car in front unexpectedly stops and braking automatically in response, whilst the second helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving. Both will be useful to Santa, as he tries to avoid planes in our increasingly crowded skies.
• MyKey: Enabling car owners to encourage their teenagers (or elves) to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, with increased safety-belt usage, through a range of driver specific configurable features.
• 1 litre EcoBoost engine: As outlined, helping ensure the engine powering Santa’s sleigh is green, lean, mean and compact.

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.

Vauxhall Insignia

Vauxhall has released the details of their new Insignia ecoFLEX diesel that improves CO2 emissions over the outgoing model by 10% (115g/km from 129g/km). The new 2.0 CDTi ecoFLEX’s performance is achieved with Start/Stop technology which is also available on the Insignia range for the first time.

There are two revised Euro 5 compliant CDTi engines (130PS or 160PS) and quick performance is still available from both, with the 130PS model 0-62mph time taking just 10.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 129mph where permitted. The 160PS variant is even quicker, reaching 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, with a top speed of 137mph.

If you prefer a petrol engine, then the new 1.4 Turbo engine emits 129g/km, has a combined mpg of 51.4mpg in both hatchback and saloon and all models have been updated with 18-inch five spoke alloy wheels and new satellite navigation units. Vauxhall business car leasing prices on all the models will be loaded shortly.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has just released its 10th annual New Car CO2 Report, which shows that emissions of new cars have fallen by 3.5% in 2010 and by over 20% since 2000.

Other highlights of the reports are as follows;

• Sub 130g/km CO2 new cars now represent nearly 40% of the market (was less than 1% in 2000)
• Nearly 40,000 vehicles are now exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty, with emissions under 100g/km.
• Luxury saloons and MPVs made the the biggest reduction in CO2 over the past year, falling by 6.4% and 6.0% respectively

The European fleet emissions target is set at 130g/km by 2015 and this report clearly demonstrates that many manufacturers are on track to achieve this target.

Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive,said,”New technology has delivered impressive reductions in CO2 emissions but coordinated action, to support research and development, new infrastructure and consumer incentives, is critical to securing significant future advances. The economical and political challenges of high fuel prices, energy security and climate change are shared issues that must be addressed at an international level”.

The full SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2011 is free to download off www.smmt.co.uk

There is a direct correlation between low CO2 emissions and good fuel economy, so if you are thinking of leasing your next car, the Vehicle Type leasing shopper enables you to select body type i.e. hatchback, then choose your CO2 ranges and also the combined mpg range you want to achieve. This way you can chose the lowest CO2 car, with the best combined mpg, for your next leased vehicle.

Peugeot 308 Hatchback

Peugeot is updating the 308 for a UK launch in May and the new range may include a micro-hybrid-e-HDi offering CO2 emissions of a remarkable 98g/km* (*subject to final approval). The new Peugeot 308 range now incorporates all the latest styling elements of the Peugeot 508 and SR1 Concept Car and will be available in three body styles – Hatchback, CC and SW.

Peugeot 308 SW

There are four multi-model trim levels on offer, namely Access, SR, Active and Allure plus a range topping hatchback and CC THP 200 model in single GT trim. At launch four latest generation Euro V petrol and four diesel engines will be available as follows;

Petrol options – 1.4-litre VTi 98, 1.6-litre VTi 120, 1.6-litre THP 156 and 1.6-litre 200 (GT hatch and CC only).

Diesel options -1.6-litre HDi FAP 92, 1.6-litre e-HDi FAP 112, 2.0-litre HDi FAP 150 and 2.0-litre HDI FAP 163.

All the cars will feature a new elegant front look with LED headlamps and running lights completing the modern appearance. They also offer air-conditioning, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), ABS, EBFD, EBA, front and rear electric windows with child security, remote control central door locking with deadlocks and six SMART safety airbags.

The Peugeot 308 will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and the new range should be on sale in the UK by May 2011, when we will be able to load Peugeot contract hire leasing prices.

Fuel prices rising

A new survey conducted by RoadPilot, the GPS speed camera application for smartphones, has found that 46 per cent of motorists have reduced their average speed in the past 12 months, with fuel costs listed as the main reason.

This was ahead of speed cameras and congestion and it demonstrates how UK drivers are monitoring their fuel consumption more closely than ever.

The number of motorists who have reduced their average speed due to fuel prices was 33 per cent, 22 per cent cited greater “road congestion” and just 13 per cent  said “traffic enforcement” was the main reason.

The study also found that 40 per cent of motorists are monitoring their vehicle’s fuel consumption more closely than they did a year ago. In addition, 86 per cent of motorists said fuel efficiency and emissions were “quite or very important” when buying a car.

James Flynn, CEO of RoadPilot said,”The cost of filling up seems to be a more effective deterrent to speeding for most drivers than the possible risk of incurring a speeding fine. It appears that motorists are putting their own driving driving techniques under greater scrutiny than ever before, and as a result their average speeds have started to come down, which can only benefit road safety.

Choosing your next car (or van) by its fuel efficiency can be a laborious process if you are looking at several models and that’s one of the reasons why the Vehicle Type Shopper on the site is so useful. Just select the manufacturers you are interested in (or all) and then set what combined mpg and what CO2 emissions you want from your next vehicle and see the results. You can also see the monthly vehicle leasing rental for each vehicle as well.

Subaru website

Subaru has just launched their new interactive website and is the only UK car manufacturer that allows video content to be viewed on iPhones and other mobile devices. The use of HTML5 technology is being rolled out across the site throughout the year making the site quick and easy to load.

To help you find your ideal Subaru car, there’s a colour changer tool for every vehicle derivative, together with 360- degree animation and you can also refine your searches using criteria such as price, CO2 emissions and ground clearance. The interactive Dealer locator map is Google based and uses reverse geocoding providing you with door to door results plus printable routes.

Auris Hybrid

Toyota will start production of the Auris Hybrid, the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle to be built in Europe. After an extensive investment in Britain, Toyota’s car plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire and the engine factory at Deeside in North Wales are both geared up for the new model. The Auris Hybrid is being built on the same production line for the standard petrol and diesel models. Toyota has had to change many procedures, equipment and parts processes, as well as extensive training for its technicians, to incorporate the Auris Hybrid which takes 11 minutes longer to build.

The exceptional CO2 emissions performance of the Auris Hybrid at only 89g/km shows they are leading the way in hybrid vehicle production and in achieving the highest standards in environmental management. Toyota contract hire prices for the Auris Hybrid will be loaded shortly.

Fiesta upgraded

The new Ford Fiesta range has been updated with safety, technology and powertrains upgrades to keeps itself as the UK’s number one favourite car. All new Fiestas will now have Electronic Stability Programme as standard, which previously was a cost option at £300.

If you choose the Studio series you will now get heated door mirrors and an in-car entertainment bonus of remote steering-controls, aux-in jack and two additional speakers. Titanium models now have Bluetooth and USB connection as standard (worth £200) and a new colour called Ink Blue is also available, across all models in the range.

The new Euro Stage V emission levels are also updated with diesel particulate filters, including the 98g/km CO2 ECOnetic plus diesel power increases by 5PS to 95PS on the 1.6-litre TCDi with DPF. The 1.4-litre TDCI with DPF is out in August and sees power increase to 70PS.

Three petrol engines in the range also see reductions in CO2 emissions as follows;

• The 1.25-litre 82PS reduces by 4g to 129g/km
• The 1.6-litre 95PS drops by 3g to 107g/km
• Finally the 16-litre Ti-VCT 120PS falls by 5g to 134g/km

Ford contract hire prices on the new range will be loaded as soon as possible.