New biturbo V6 TDI engine

Audi has just announced that a new biturbo V6 TDI engine will enter production, to power executive class Audi models to 62mph in a fraction over five seconds and returns up to 44.1mpg. The new advanced new biturbo TDI engine heads the diesel line-up in the A6 Saloon, Avant, allroad quattro and A7 Sportback ranges, with OTR prices starting from £43,810.

It is available now in the A6 Saloon and Avant and A7 Sportback (and later in 2012 in A6 allroad), with first deliveries in the spring. The 313ps A6 Saloon 3.0 BiTDI quattro reaches 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, has a top speed of 155mph, combined MPG of 44.1 and CO2 emissions of 169g/km.

Power is transmitted from the BiTDI engine via an eight-speed tiptronic transmission to the latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive system, which features a self-locking centre differential and torque vectoring for optimum traction control and stability. The car also comes with a sound actuator in the exhaust system that generates a “petrol engined” sports car exhaust note, to match the remarkable performance.

The new BiTDI engine is available in conjunction with SE and S line specification in the A6 Saloon, A6 Avant and A7 Sportback. Highlights that are common to all these models include satellite navigation linked to a 6.5-inch retractable colour monitor, Milano leather upholstery, the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system controlling throttle response, transmission shift points and steering feel, the Audi parking system plus, light and rain sensors, cruise control and keyless go push-button engine ignition.

BMW ActiveHybrid 5 Saloon

BMW is taking the development of intelligent hybrid drive systems to the next level with the introduction of their new BMW ActiveHybrid 5. This model combines a combustion engine and an electric motor to enhance both efficiency and the brand’s hallmark driving pleasure.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 comes with a BMW TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line engine, plus an electric drive system, with an eight-speed automatic gearbox for the first time. This combined package offers an exceptional balance of performance and fuel economy for the premium executive car class.

The combined drive system generates a combined output of 340 hp and the car can be driven on electric power alone with speeds up to 37 mph. The  BMW ActiveHybrid 5 sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds, yet still offers CO₂ emissions of just 149 – 163 g/km (depending on the model and tyres).

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 has the sporty, yet elegant body design of the BMW 5 Series Saloon and comes with bespoke touches which highlight the identity of its innovative drive technology. The “ActiveHybrid 5” lettering on the C-pillars, the BMW kidney grille with galvanised slats and the exhaust matt chrome tailpipes set the exterior apart from the other models in the range.

The comfort of driving this car is enhanced by addition – on this model – of stationary climate control which can be activated before your journey begins. The interior climate remains constant even during breaks in the journey and when the car is in coasting mode (with the combustion engine switched off).

BMW ActiveHybrid 5 technical details

Displacement: 2,979 cc, output: 225 kW/306 hp at 5,800 rpm, 
max. torque: 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) at 1,200 – 5,000 rpm.
Synchronous electric motor; output: 40 kW/55 hp, 
max. torque: 210 Nm (155 lb-ft);
Combined output: 250 kW/340 hp, 
max. combined torque: 450 Nm (332 lb-ft).
Acceleration [0 – 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 5.9 seconds,
top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph), 
top speed purely on electric power: 60 km/h (37 mph). 
Average fuel consumption*: 6.4 – 7.0 litres/100 kilometres 
(40 – 44 mpg imp), 
CO₂ emissions*: 149 – 163 g/km, 
exhaust standard: EU5. 

*As per the EU test cycle, figures may vary according to the tyre format specified

Click for Hyundai contract hire

Hyundai contract hire has just loaded their new Q1 2012 pricing and their new Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi (115) Blue drive Active 4-door diesel saloon is on the site now from only £194.59+VAT per month on business contract hire. Personal car leasing prices are also available.

This special offer is based on a 4-year contract hire arrangement, 6 rentals in advance, 10,000 miles per annum on a non-maintained lease.

The Hyundai i40 saloon is the follow-up model to the popular i40 Tourer and this entry level model offers a combined mpg of 65.7 and CO2 emissions at just 113g/km. Other quote terms and contracts (with your option accessories) are available direct from our car finance partner. So fill out a Contact Form today for more information on this car, or other i40 saloon models

BMW 1 Series M Sport

BMW  has announced some new models for 2012, which include an eagerly awaited BMW 116d EfficientDynamics model. March 2012 will see the introduction of three new engines for the popular BMW 1 Series 5-door Hatch – the 116d EfficientDynamics, 125d and 125i – completing the range’s powertrain line-up.

BMW 116d EfficientDynamics

The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics is powered by a 116hp, four-cylinder 1.6-litre TwinPower Turbo diesel engine which propels the car from zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds. This super fuel-efficient BMW  emits just 99g/km CO₂ and returns 74.3mpg.  These impressive economy figures are helped by a longer final drive ratio, Optimum Shift Indicators, lower suspension and reduced rolling resistance tyres.

The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics is based on the current SE specification and comes with 16-inch light alloy V-spoke wheels, Bluetooth hands-free with USB audio interface, front foglights, multifunction leather steering wheel and BMW Professional Radio with freestanding 6.5-inch Display and iDrive controller. 

New 125d and 125i engines for BMW 1 Series 5-door hatch

Two new engines will be available on the new BMW 1 Series 5-door Hatch from March 2012.  The 125i and 125d, only available in M Sport guise. Both feature ventilated front and rear brake discs and dual chrome exhaust tailpipes as standard kit.

The BMW 125d features a 2.0-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, with two-stage twin turbo.  This powertrain develops 218hp and it launches the car from 0 to 62mph in just 6.5 seconds.  This power doesn’t hamper the car’s fuel economy, with it returning 57.6mpg on the combined cycle and emitting just 129g/km CO_2.

The BMW 125i introduces BMW’s latest 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine with TwinScroll turbo.  This model accelerates from 0 to 62mph in just 6.5 seconds, produces 218hp, while still managing to return 44.1mpg and emit CO₂ emissions of just 152g/km.

New M Sport for BMW 1 Series

Again from from March 2012, the BMW 1 Series 5-door Hatch will now be available in M Sport.  In addition to the SE specification the BMW 1 Series M Sport will include M aerodynamic bodystyling, 18-inch M Star-spoke light alloy wheels, High-gloss Shadowline exterior trim and kidney grille with extra-wide high-gloss black vertical slats. 

The interior of the new car also gets the M Sport treatment with Sports seats in exclusive Anthracite Hexagon cloth and Alcantara upholstery, Aluminium Hexagon interior trim with Estoril Blue trim finishers, Anthracite headlining, M designation door sill finishers, M Sport multifunction steering wheel and an M Sport short-shift gear lever.  M Sport suspension, lowering the car by 10mm, completes the specification package.

BMW 1 Series Coupé and Convertible Exclusive and Sport Plus Edition

Thre are also two new special editions offering enhanced standard equipment for the BMW 1 Series Coupé and Convertible.

The Sport Plus Edition builds on the M Sport trim and is enhanced by 18-inch M double-spoke light alloy wheels, Chrome kidney grille with black vertical slats, Dark Line rear lights and Black mirror casings.  Inside exclusive Boston upholstery lines the seats while a Bluetooth handsfree facility with USB audio interface are both included as standard.

The BMW 1 Series Exclusive Edition builds on the Coupé and Convertible ES specification. This adds 17-inch Star-spoke light alloy wheels, Chromeline exterior trim, Oxide Silver mirror casings, Chrome kidney grille and Chrome exhaust tailpipes.  The interior adds bespoke Boston leather upholstery, Brushed Aluminium trim, BWM Edition door sill finishers and BMW Professional radio with single CD player, with MP3 playback capability. 

BMW Z4 gets new folding roof

The BMW Z4 Roadster gets a revised folding hard-top and the elegant two-piece folding roof with reinforced hydraulic system can now be raised or lowered at speeds of up to 25mph.  Previously the roof could not be lowered while on the move so this is a great addition if you are driving, it starts raining and there is nowhere to stop. 

BMW 3 Series updates engine line-up

The BMW 3 Series Saloon range gets three new entry-level engines. The new BMW 316d and 318d Saloons feature a BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder diesel engine which combines with a single turbocharger with variable vane technology. Both of these new diesel engines can come with the optional 8-speed automatic transmission if required.

Joining the two new diesel engines is the BMW TwinPower engine with High Precision Direct Injection four-cylinder powerplant for the 320i Saloon.

Details of of new BMW 3 Series engines

*Electronically limited.

BMW Blue Performance in the UK

Finally, for the first time in the UK the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon, the BMW 120d Hatch, BMW 520d EfficientDynamics Saloon, BMW 520d Saloon and Touring plus the BMW 530d Saloon and Touring will also be available with the option of BluePerformance technology for £995.  This will provide a storage catalytic converter which reduces the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions of the vehicle. This new addition provides compatibility with the strict EU6 emission standards which are due for introduction in September 2014.

The new EU6 emission standards will reduce the cap on NOx emissions by over 50 per cent, compared with current EU5 regulations, to 80mg/km. Combined emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides are also capped at 170mg/km. This will continue to drive down the average CO2 emissions of new cars as manufacturers strive to ensure their vehicles are compliant.

Fisker Karma at Harrods

The world’s first luxury electric vehicle, the Fisker Karma, will take pride of place in the prominent Brompton Road window display at Harrods, Knightsbridge, until the 4th of February.

“Harrods is one of the most prestigious retail sites in the world, which is perfect for our car,” said Henrik Fisker, co-founder and CEO of Fisker Automotive.  “The landmark store attracts hundreds of thousands of customers from all over the world during January, and we look forward to introducing them to the Fisker Karma.”

The Karma is one of the most efficient, low-emission vehicles available today and it can travel from 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds,was recently given an emissions rating of just 51 g/km CO2 and this luxury EV saloon car offers up to 112 mpg. The car also has a range of 50 miles on “electric only” operation with zero emissions. 

If you go to see the car you will be able to take a tour of the vehicle and offered the chance to virtually configure your own model. The 2012 Fisker Karma is already on sale in the United States, priced from $102,000, and will soon be available at dealerships internationally, in the coming weeks.

Citroen DS4 5-door coupes

Clear Channel UK has just taken delivery of its first Citroen DS4s as part of a single badge agreement with Citroen, for the supply of its fleet cars. They are one of the UK’s market leaders in outdoor advertising and chose Citroen as part of their commitment to reduce CO2 emissions.

Their vehicle order included new DS4s, new C4, C4 Picasso, C5 Saloon and C5 Tourer, with a combination of HDi diesel engines or the ultra-efficient e-HDi micro-hybrid powertrains with Stop & Start. The DS4 e-HDi models have Citroen’s six-speed EGS automated manual transmission as standard and return 64.2 combined mpg and emit 114g/km of CO2. Citroen contract hire is on the site now for the whole range of cars and vans.

Glenn Ewen, Fleet Manager for Clear Channel UK, said: “In each price band Citroën has a choice of three or four models and using a single supplier cuts down on paperwork. It also reduces work for our drivers as they don’t have to compare models from a variety of manufacturers. With these new Citroen cars our drivers certainly appreciate paying less Benefit in Kind tax than they did before.”

New Kia Optima saloon

The all-new Kia Optima goes on sale on the 1st February as Kia targets the business fleet car market with this new model, with a diesel-only line-up. The car is available in six-speed manual or automatic transmissions with four trim levels available – all with a very high level of standard specification. The new Kia Optima offers class-leading space and CO2 emissions as low as 128g/km of CO2 and a combined mpg of 57.6, so is an ideal shortlist for any company car driver.

The Optima was unveiled at the New York Auto Show and became Korea’s top-selling car within a month of going on sale. To date nearly 300,000 Optimas have been sold worldwide and the car was designed by Kia’s Chief Design Officer (Peter Schreyer) and his team.  

Kia Optima

It now joins the Kia family of Sorento, Soul, Venga, Sportage, c’eed, Picanto, Rio and provides Kia a full range of vehicles to offer across a fleet company car policy.

The UK model line-up and pricing  

New Ford Mondeo

Ford has revealed their new all-new Ford Fusion, in North America, which will be the new Ford Mondeo when launched in the Europe, in the first quarter of 2013. This important fleet company car will be the first saloon to offer petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains when launched, and will offer top fuel economy.

The new Mondeo features a sleek silhouette and fresh face and will include numerous Ford technologies including a Lane Keeping System, adapative cruise control, active park assist, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and SYNC^® communications and entertainment system, which enables voice-activated communication through a driver’s mobile phone and interaction with the car’s audio system.

In addition the car features the latest version of MyFord Touch^®, allowing a driver to interact with other vehicle systems through voice control, a touch screen tap or a conventional button.

New Ford Mondeo

Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development, said,”We brought our global teams together around a blank slate with the charge to develop a midsize car with ground-breaking design and jaw-dropping fuel economy-one that featured technologies to help our customers safer and better drivers. This car is the result”.

MG6 added to Avis hire fleet

Avis is adding the new MG6 to its national car hire fleet with both the MG6 GT Fastback and MG6 Magnette sports saloon on offer. The first 100 cars have just been delivered and this is the first order of its kind for MG. Both cars are powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine and offer comfort, space for five adults and the legendary MG driving dynamics.

Guy Jones, MG Motor UK’s Sales and Marketing Director, said,”We are delighted that such an important company as Avis will be promoting the MG6 as part of its fleet”.

Anthony Ainsworth, Commercial Director of Avis Rent a Car, commented,”We are extremely pleased to see the iconic MG marque back again and know that our customers will be delighted to be offered the chance to drive an MG when they hire a car from us”.

New Lexus GS 250

Lexus has launched a further extension of its all-new luxury GS saloon car range with their new GS 250 which has just been showcased at the Guangzhou motor show in China. The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine with D-4S direct port injection and Dual VVT-i intelligent valve timing. This luxury Lexus saloon car has a maximum 206bhp,  0-62mph time of 8.6 seconds, a top speed of 142mph (where permitted), CO2 emissions of 207g/km and the combined mpg figure is 31.7.

The engine is mated to a Super ECT-i close-ratio intelligent six speed automatic transmission, with a sequential manual shift function and also a Drive Mode Select option. This allows you to change the driving mode of the car to the road conditions, with Eco, Normal and Sport S modes available. If you opt for Adaptive Variable Suspension as an option you then get Sport S+ mode added to the drive mode functions.

The Lexus GS 250 is equipped with the same innovations and safety features as the new Lexus GS 450h and will be launched in the UK in June 2012 alongside its larger sibling. The safety provisions include Lexus’s advanced Pre-Crash Safety system, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring and Lexus Night View. Further details and vehicle specifications of the new Lexus GS 250 will be released closer to the launch date.