The new Volvo S60 saloon this spring will be the first Volvo to be produced without a diesel engine, highlighting Volvo Cars’ commitment to a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine. All new Volvo models launched from 2019 will be available as either a mild petrol hybrid, plug-in petrol hybrid or battery electric vehicle. Aston Martin reported a 3% rise in first-quarter … [Read more...]
Triple whammy hitting fleets
A “triple whammy” means that fleets are in their biggest ever state of policy flux, says fleet software specialist FleetCheck. The WLTP fuel and emissions measurement changeover, the “demonisation” of diesel and the lack of information about company car taxation after 2020 are creating a high degree of confusion and frustration, says Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck. He said, … [Read more...]
Mileage fraud is bigger than believed
Mileage fraud may be more prevalent in UK than previously thought, with the practice risking driver safety as well as costing millions of pounds every year. Carly - Connected Car, the world market leader in mobile car electronics, has found the top four UK hot spots where 18 per cent of vehicles are displaying the incorrect mileage, three per cent higher than the national average of 15 per … [Read more...]
Mounting worries over safety recalls
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency are calling on UK fleet operators to join the millions of consumers who have checked if their vehicles have an outstanding safety recall. In the first three months of this year, SMMT’s online Vehicle Safety Recalls Service was used 2,334,385 times by drivers to check their car was safe. Manufacturers … [Read more...]
Home, office, diner, the role of the company car
The average business driver will spend nearly three years of their working life sitting in their car, according to a study. Researchers for Skoda took an in depth look into life on the road for the nation’s company car drivers and revealed the average worker spends over two-and-a-half hours in their car on a typical working day – that’s 13 hours a week or 26 days every year. Over a standard … [Read more...]
Tradelines 25 April
Expensive new registration taxes take effect this month hitting the highest polluting cars. The Lamborghini Aventador has the highest level of CO2 emissions at 394 g/km but 74 car models over 14 makes will pay the top road tax rate of £2,070, says the Motorway.co.uk car valuation site. The iconic MG badge will take pride of place following a significant £500,000 investment in the company’s … [Read more...]
Diesel decline accelerated last month
Diesel’s decline continued on new car forecourts last month. It was the 12 consecutive month of falling sales but an inflated registration spike in March 2017 to beat tougher emissions requirements and tax rates has distorted the tables for March 2018 although the underlying trend is bad for diesel. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders today show a 37.2% drop over … [Read more...]
Prices confirmed for new Mazda6 models
Mazda has announced UK pricing and specification for the latest 6 series Saloon and Tourer versions of its flagship model. Featuring an upgraded cabin, revised styling and enhanced technology, plus the UK debut of Mazda’s cylinder deactivation SKYACTIV-G 2.5-litre petrol engine, the updated Mazda6 also sees the popular SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre diesel engine benefit from a power upgrade to … [Read more...]
Diesel costs more than you may think, says analysis
The fall in oil prices will be a welcome relief for UK motorists as data shows drivers could be burning through as much as 75 per cent more fuel than stated by manufacturers. Carly Connected Car, the worldwide number one in car apps, has released data collected from over one million vehicles, including 150,000 from the UK. The data shows year-on-year growth of discrepancies in fuel … [Read more...]
Very special Barbarian appears from Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi is adding even more style and purpose to the multi award-winning L200 with the unveiling of the new special edition Barbarian SVP II – the second vehicle to be produced by its Special Vehicle Projects division. The Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II builds on the success of the original limited edition SVP version and, like its predecessor, is instantly recognisable with a striking … [Read more...]