Welsh drivers have Britain’s worst phone-fixation. One in five Welsh drivers told pollsters they regularly check or use their mobile while driving, and the Scots are only a bumper behind. A survey for Select Car Leasing also revealed that despite the well-publicised threat of six penalty points and a £200 fine, a variety of phone-related offences continue, including 1 in 7 checking mobile … [Read more...]
Hiring
Law change will open up van market
A new announcement from the Government promises to open the large panel van market to alternative fuel commercial vehicles (AFCVs), says fleet financing group Arval. The UK Government has announced a five-year derogation stating that drivers with a standard Category B licence will be able to drive AFCVs of up to 4.25 tonnes GVW rather than the normal 3.5 tonnes for a petrol or diesel commercial … [Read more...]
Hire fleets turning to used models
The next car you hire is likely to be a used model. Daily rental companies have found there’s a shortage of new cars reaching market because manufacturers are struggling with output due to the new emissions requirements of the latest exhaust test, or WLTP programme. Typically, they are purchasing batches of small-medium sized cars that are less than six months old, helping to keep values for … [Read more...]
Newslines 20 July
SsangYong is backing its faith in the new Musso pick-up by introducing a sector-leading 7-year/150,000 mile warranty. The new 7-year warranty also applies to new Rexton from 1 July and can be applied retrospectively to all new Rextons sold since launch and also all other models purchased since 1 January 2018 at a cost of £500. The RAC estimates about 34M pleasure journeys will take place … [Read more...]
Rental & leasing companies register 83% of UK vehicles
The vehicle rental and leasing industry contributes around £49B per year to the UK economy, supports over 465,000 jobs and generates £7.6B in taxation annually. Commissioned by the BVRLA from respected research organisation Oxford Economics, the study provides some robust, independent data on the size, scope and importance of the vehicle rental and leasing industry. The £49B takes account of … [Read more...]
New-car delivery delays boost nearly-new values
Demand from dealers for nearly new stock is increasing thanks to long waiting times for many new cars, reports Meridian Vehicle Solutions. Phil Jerome, managing director, explained that his company’s medium term rental model meant that it almost exclusively defleeted 6-12-month old prestige and semi-prestige cars, and so had a strong insight into this sector. He said, “We have seen a … [Read more...]
White van man is becoming a myth
IAM RoadSmart has discovered that the myth of ‘white van man’ recklessly tearing his way up and down the country may be just an urban myth after all. In spite of vans being the fastest growing type of vehicle on UK roads in terms of miles travelled, serious and fatal crashes involving them are falling. Vans and light good vehicles now travel 49 billion miles a year on our roads according to the … [Read more...]
JLR enter subscription service market
Jaguar Land Rover is the latest to launch a car subscription service. The all-inclusive car subscription service is a no-deposit 12 contract inclusive of insurance, taxes, servicing, roadside assistance, and fair wear and tear without any option to buy at the end of the year, and it's called Carpe. Packages start from £910 per month for a standard specification Jaguar E-PACE through to … [Read more...]
EVs’ Smart idea for growing numbers
More than 8 million people in Britain are considering buying or leasing an electric vehicle in the next 5 years, according to a new survey. The findings by Populus on behalf of Smart Energy GB highlight the importance of smart meters to the uptake of electric vehicles. It found: More than one third of drivers (34%) would be more interested in buying an electric vehicle if they have a … [Read more...]
Tradelines 23 May
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...]