The withdrawal of the Government’s plug-in hybrid grant will add about £2,500 to models and make them no longer commercially viable for many fleets, said Meridian Vehicle Solutions. It has taken the decision to operate its current plug-in rentals but not add further versions when they are due to be replaced. VW has introduced an old-diesel swapping scheme in Germany where 14 cities are … [Read more...]
Hiring
Releasing cuts costs not corners
A used car leasing product aimed at businesses and consumers has been launched by Arval in the UK. Called Arval Re-Lease, it is up to 20% cheaper than a new, equivalent model. The vehicles on offer are taken from Arval’s own fleet, have fewer than 30,000 miles on the clock and are less than 30 months old. They are also hand-picked to make sure they are in attractive condition for second … [Read more...]
Thieves target leasing deals and users
The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association has been made aware of a spate of fraudulent activity, where scammers are advertising bogus vehicle leasing deals on social media and are extracting money from unsuspecting customers. Using social media advertising, including Instagram, the scammers are posing as BVRLA members to lure in customers with advertising headlines targeting those … [Read more...]
Tradelines 26 September
The FitCar PPV ‘prototype #2’ is based on a standard Audi A4 Avant 2.0L petrol TFSI auto, with the throttle replaced by a bicycle pedal mechanism and mated to a flywheel, which generates an electronic pulse to engage the accelerator. The car is powered as normal, delivering manufacturer specification performance and economy, governed by an active pedalling motion instead of the conventional … [Read more...]
Year of the van predicted as sales evolve
“Will 2019 be the year of the used van?” is one of the key questions being posed at the next meeting of the Vehicle Remarketing Association, taking place on 21 September at Manheim auctions in Bruntingthorpe. Key presentations will be made by James Davis of Manheim, looking at the prospects of used light commercial vehicles in the year ahead; by Karl Davis of Coachworks Consulting on the latest … [Read more...]
Tradelines 12 September
Ford will show a new 2-tonne Transit with 48V mild hybrid powertrain at next week’s Hannover CV show. It will also reveal a PHEV Transit Custom due to launch in 2019 and the latest telematics and data services to be fitted in next year's models. Lex Autolease, the UK’s leading vehicle leasing provider, is launching a new fund to offer contributions of £1,000 towards the cost of 1,000 new … [Read more...]
Rentals rising amid emissions confusion
Confusion among fleets about the impact of WLTP is leading to a rise in daily rental bookings, reports epyx. Activity through the company’s 1link Hire Network platform has been increasing in recent months and WLTP appears to be the key driver, the company says. Tim Meadows, commercial director at epyx, said that there had been a 17% increase in bookings over the same period last … [Read more...]
Tradelines 5 September
The battle for global SUV sales is a neck-and-neck fight between the long established Toyota RAV4 and the rapidly gaining new VW Tiguan. Under 4,000 units globally separate the two with the German model gaining every month and a long way behind them in third is the best seller of 2016, the Honda CR-V, say Focus2Move analysts. The new Vauxhall Combo van will start from £15,630 exc VAT. It … [Read more...]
Audi on demand heading to Wales
Cardiff is being considered for a new type of Audi daily-rental scheme backed by the German manufacturer. Working with Cardiff-franchise holder Mon Motors, the Audi on demand service is being rolled out to selected locations after a highly successful pilot programme in Oldham & Manchester. It asks drivers to sign up for the scheme which covers most of their range and provides cars for an … [Read more...]
UK fleet turnover fastest in Europe, says Arval
UK fleets are keeping their cars and vans almost two years less than the European average, according to authoritative new research from Arval. Here, the average time before a vehicle is replaced is 3.9 years but, across a basket of 12 other European countries, it is 5.7. The finding comes from the 2018 edition of Arval’s long-established Corporate Vehicle Observatory Barometer, research … [Read more...]