download 20-02-08

BY DANIEL ATTWOOD

Parts of the country are at real risk of becom-ing fuel deserts with nowhere for motorists to fill their cars after it emerged that the number of filling stations in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 1913.

Ninety-five years ago, there were around 10,100 places for motorists to fill up. Today, there are just 9,400 stations serving a British parc of more than 33 million vehicles – almost 31 million of which are cars.

Due to tiny margins, fierce competition and high overheads, petrol retailing is unat-tractive. According to the Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA), an efficient fuel retailing business will gross just 2% per annum on investment.

Such poor returns have resulted in only around 20 new forecourts opening in the last five years, the majority of which are attached to supermarkets. Forecourt closures continue at about 450 every year.

If these rates of decline continue, it will take just four years for the number of filling stations to drop below the critical 7,500 level – the number estimated by the PRA that are needed to keep the country moving.

But motorists in many rural areas are already finding it difficult to find anywhere to fill their vehicles.

The AA said: “We know there are some areas of the UK where supply no longer exists at a local level, meaning there’s a real risk of some drivers running out of fuel.”

Margins are so thin that forecourts use fuel simply to attract customers into their

convenience stores. Indeed, 86% of filling stations now have a convenience store, which acts as their main profit driver.

However, this has not been enough to stem the tide of closures.

“Fuel retailers work under great financial

pressure in order to provide a vital service,” said Ray Holloway, PRA director, following a meeting with a cross-party group of MPs to discuss what could be done to help secure the future of the forecourt sector.

“Many fuel retailers are barely clearing costs. There are now fewer than 9,500 fore-courts in the UK, including supermarket filling stations,” he said.

“The situation could become critical if the total number of forecourts continues to drop at the rate of recent years.”

Highlighting the problem in the south- west, the Highways Agency has launched a campaign to try to reduce the number of motorists breaking down in the area because they run out of fuel.

Highways Agency officers will be at motorway service areas during this week to show drivers where they can top up.

The campaign coincides with the news that more than half of motorists believe there is a shortage of fuel filling stations across Britain.

“On the one hand, fuel price competition is good for motorists but if it’s driving smaller independent filling stations out of business in some areas,” said David Shelton, manag-ing director of Motorpoint, which carried out the survey.

“More and more people are going to be forced to buy fuel from the supermarkets who may then feel able to push prices up.”

The PRA believes Government action is critical such as extending business rate relief to forecourts in urban locations.

Class actAlphabet according to Schoolingp22-23

MINI goes large

NEWS P9 LAUNCH P15 COMPETITION P39New cars could cost substan-tially more from 2012 to help pay

for new vehicle technologies and to cover the cost of fines imposed by the European Commission.

Fiat wants to be seen as the car firm with the best environ-mental

credentials and its new diesel MultiJet engine makes the Fiat Bravo greener and meaner with fuel than ever before.

Five winners of this week’s news quiz will receive a copy of this year’s Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland, worth £15.99, which uses a star system to rate hotels and restaurants.

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21.02.08 £2.25fleetnews.co.uk

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Biofuel RVsWill they take a hammering? p26-27

Fuel desert fears over fill-up crisisGovernment help sought as filling station numbers fall to all-time low

Lining up for CCIA 2008Honda has become one of the first manufacturers to sign up for Company Car in Action 2008.

CCIA 2008, one of the most important events in fleet managers’ diaries, is one of the world’s biggest drive-and-decide events.

It will be held at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, on June 17, 18 and 19.

At the 2007 event, thousands of fleet managers, finance managers, purchasing executives, HR manag-ers and senior managers of major companies signed up for the chance to test vehicles at the high-security venue normally reserved for the testing of vehicles before launch.

Honda will be showing many of its key fleet models at the driving event, including the all-new Accord.

Graham Avent, manager – corporate operations, Honda (UK), said: “Honda was the fastest growing fleet manufacturer in 2007 and is now poised to launch the all-new Accord into the corporate sector, with Company Car in Action providing the perfect showcase.”

If you are a fleet decision-maker and you already receive Fleet News, then you automatically qualify for a free driving pass.

Drivers will be able to compare a wide range of models back-to-back and discuss their views with experts from each manufacturer. ■ For full details and to register, log on to www.companycarinaction.co.uk

Areas of the UK could become fuel deserts

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EVENTS ROUND-UP

Speaker line-up confirmed for Risk in Fleet

Free wipersBritish motorists replace their wiper blades less often than their European counterparts. A survey by Car Parts Direct found that Germans replace their wipers every 15 months, while British drivers replace theirs on average only every 27 months. Car Parts Direct is giving away a free pair of wipers to all their online customers to encourage safer driving in the UK.

Volvo’s latest SUV

Volvo has taken the wraps off its new XC60 SUV challenger ahead of its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. A rival to the BMW X3 and forthcoming Audi Q5, the XC60 goes on sale in the UK in October with a choice of T6 petrol or D5 diesel engines.

Cybit orderCybit has won an order to install its Fleetstar-Online telematics system through-out the 200-strong service engineer team of Gilbarco Veeder-Root. It will integrate Veeder-Root’s systems to improve reporting, including allowing job status reports from engineers’ PDAs to be matched with vehicle location.

AA recruitsAA Fuel Assist has recruited an additional six technicians to meet demand for the misfueling service. The technicians drain, flush and replenish the vehicle’s fuel system at the roadside. The contaminated fuel is then recycled and, for example, used to power cement kilns and furnaces.

NEWS

IN BRIEF

2 21.02.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk

The full speaker line-up has been confirmed for the Risk in Fleet Conference 2008, which will take place on April 22.

The conference will focus on financial risk and corporate risk, including the impact of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, which comes into force in April.

Sessions on financial risk will include a financial health check

from Gary Hull, director of employment solutions at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Wholelife costs, residual values and discounts will be examined by Kevin Gaskell, chief executive officer of residual value expert Eurotax-

Glass’s. Other speakers are Meryl Gilbert, head of large corporate – fuel, for Arval, David Faithful, solicitor for Lyons Davidson, Chuck Ives, head of fleet for Network Rail, and Freddie Watts, fleet manager for Office Depot.

Other sessions include proactive cost control pre and post-accident, how insurers can

help lower fleet costs, case studies from British Gas and Wolseley, advice on drug and alcohol policies and expert guidance on grey fleet best practice.

Full details are available on www.riskinfleet.co.uk

Alternatively, call Maddie Collins on 01733 468171 or email [email protected]

ppl/ppgDIESEL..............................109.4/497SUPER UNLEADED........110.5/502UNLEADED......................104.0/473FOUR STAR......................106.1/482LPG......................................53.5/243

UK FUEL PRICES

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Police crackdown on illegal platesBY DANIEL ATTWOOD

A nationwide police crackdown has highlighted the growing use of illegal registration plates being used by motorists attempting to evade congestion zone and speed-ing enforcement cameras.

In January, police forces across Britain participated in Operation Larch, a week-long campaign which targeted vehicles with illegal plates.

An Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) spokesman said the campaign aimed to discover the extent of the problem and to allow police to identify any links between the use of false registra-tion plates and wider criminality.

Automatic number plate recog-nition cameras were widely used during the campaign, with offi-cers also catching offenders on digital camera.

Checks were carried out on all stopped vehicles and their drivers to establish links to any other crimes. All motorists stopped during the operation were also

subject to a Police National Computer enquiry.

ACPO said the campaign also provided them with the evidence they needed to justify harsher penalties for offenders.

Currently, a driver risks a fine of up to £1,000 if caught using a false plate.

“Criminals make use of vehi-cles to commit crimes and in some cases will tamper with number plates in order to try and

avoid detection by roadside cameras,” said Frank Whiteley, ACPO head of automatic number plate recognition and chief consta-ble of Hertfordshire Constabu-lary.

Illegal number plates range from changes to the layout of plates or use of non-standard letters, to sophisticated measures such as the use of stolen or false number plates to clone vehicles.

British employees drove some 7.3 billion miles on business last year.

The average expense-claiming employee drove 1,936 miles in 2007, in addition to normal commuting, took 2.5 train jour-neys and 0.5 plane trips.

This led to their employers footing a £2.8 billion bill for their employees’ business travel

and accommodation expenses, according to the GlobalExpense Employee Expenses Benchmark Report 2008.

Employees in the media and publishing industry claimed the most business miles and the most taxi journeys last year.

The actual cost of train fares for business trips has gone up by 20% over two years.

In 2005, the average UK train fare paid by businesspeople was £33.76, but by 2007 it had risen to £40.61.

At the same time, there has been a dramatic 25% fall in the amount claimed for business flights.

The average cost of business class tickets fell between 2005 and 2007 by over 28.7% to £1,443.34.

“It is no surprise that business travellers are increasingly choos-ing to let the plane take the strain, even for destinations within the UK, and benefit from much cheaper fares as well as reduced travel times despite the fact that this results in a far higher carbon footprint,” said David Vine, managing director of Global-Expense.

British business drivers clock up the miles

A new campaign to help fleet managers convince their compa-nies’ boards to prioritise road safety has been launched.

The Health and Safety Execu-tive estimates the costs to employers arising from “at-work” road crashes to be in the region of £2.7 billion a year.

The campaign by road safety charity Brake and Mitsui Sumi-tomo Insurance will call on board directors to listen to their fleet and health and safety managers’ concerns and put safety at the top of their company’s priorities.

Brake has also launched a low-cost workshop and free pack to help fleet managers to secure board investment.

The workshop enables dele-gates to build a strong business case relating to the legal, moral and financial reasons for invest-ing in a sound road risk manage-ment programme.

“Fleet safety makes legal, moral and financial sense for companies,” said Chris Frost, fleet safety forum officer at Brake. “Equipped with the case studies and statistics in this work-shop and campaign pack, fleet managers should have the neces-sary tools to convince their board and senior management of this.”

Boards must prioritise road safety

ACPO wants harsher penalties for using illegal registration plates

Jaama seminarsJaama is to host a nationwide series of ‘Fleet Management Essentials’ training days. The all-day training seminars will be held at 14 locations across the UK, beginning in Rotherham on March 4 and running through to November 18 in Brentwood. For further details go to www.jaama.co.uk

Tyre dealReflex Vehicle Solutions has agreed a nationwide contract with ATS Euro-master that will see ATS supply and maintain tyres across Reflex’s mixed fleet of 6,500 vehicles.

Inchcape dealInchcape Fleet Solutions has won a three-year fleet contract with Wesleyan Assurance Society, which operates 300 company cars. The dual badge General Motors (Saab and Vauxhall) and Audi fleet, is funded on contract purchase with the mix of petrol and diesel cars run on a three-year/60,000-mile replacement cycle.

QEK renamedFollowing its acquisition in 2007, Paragon Automotive has renamed QEK as Paragon Fleet Solutions. The company will continue to provide services ranging from fleet management and planning to events and remarketing.

Avis tie-upAvis has teamed up with Ai Claims Solutions to cut vehicle off-the-road times and keep repair costs under control. Ai has already reduced Avis’s average repair times to nine days.

Driver surveyThe Highways Agency is researching sources of driver distraction that are outside the vehicle. The study includes gathering views, experiences and perceptions of drivers. Go to www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17859.aspx

IN BRIEF

www.fleetnews.co.uk 21.02.08 3

Confusion over congestion feesBY DANIEL ATTWOOD

A warning that the latest changes to London Congestion charges could be altered again have left fleet managers confused.

The new charges introduced by mayor of London, Ken Living-stone will come into effect on October 27 and will now be emis-sions-based.

Drivers of cars and twin-cab pick-ups that emit more than 225g/km of carbon dioxide (CO2) will be forced to pay £25.

However, cars that produce 120g/km or less of CO2 and also meet the Euro 4 air pollution emission standard will be able to enter the capital for free.

Vehicles that fall between the two figures will be charged £8.

The changes tie in with the proposed new bands for company car tax that will be announced in March’s Budget.

This means fleets opting for sub-120g/km cars will save on tax and congestion charges. “Even if drivers rarely visit the capital, businesses will still benefit from lower taxes and running costs if their drivers choose low-emission cars,” said Mark Sinclair, director of Alphabet.

But the mayor warned that the new scheme is “flexible” and that both the charges and exemptions

may be changed in the future, leaving fleets uncertain about how long the exemption for sub-120g/km car, will stay in force.

This means that fleets are unclear whether sub-120g cars they order now could effectively be pushed back into the charge catchment pool.

“Nobody needs to damage the environment by driving a gas guzzling Chelsea tractor in central London,” the mayor said. “The CO2 charge will encourage people to switch to cleaner vehicles or public transport and ensure that those who choose to carry on driving the most polluting vehi-

cles help pay for the environmen-tal damage they cause.”

Mr Livingstone, who is hoping for re-election in May, empha-sised that the aim of the charge was still to tackle congestion.

This is despite independent research which said the changes will increase the number of vehi-cles coming into the capital and do little to cut CO2 emissions.

Motor manufacturer and car dealer associations have condemned the changes: “It is questionable if the plan will achieve its aim of further reduc-ing central London traffic levels and overall emissions,” said Alec Murray, chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Federation.

And Paul Everitt, chief execu-tive of the Society of Motor Manu-facturers and Traders, said: “This is totally disproportionate and does not present a consistent signal to consumers.”

Sheila Rainger, acting director for the RAC Foundation, said the changes will “confuse the public and reduce support and trust for future initiatives”. She accused the mayor of “political gesturing” ahead of the election.

One group backing the move was Friends of the Earth saying it will be supported by most Londoners.

New cat’s eyes that remain lit throughout the night even when a car is not passing are beginning to be installed on London’s roads.

Hillingdon Council has installed 300 of the new solar-powered eyes to help provide drivers with a clearer view of the road’s route.

The self-illuminating lights are powered by miniature solar panels. The panels store enough energy during daylight hours to glow throughout the night.

The cat’s eyes are being funded by the council’s road safety programme and will cost £27,000 to install.

The cat’s eyes have already been trialled to test their effectiveness and will be installed in other areas later this year.

A major survey of leasing and contract hire customers has named Alphabet as the leader in pre-sale services, while Lloyds TSB Autolease was placed at the top of the post-sale survey.

The 2007 apd landmark fleet operator customer satisfaction survey was based on more than 12,000 responses from leasing and contract hire customers. The survey asked fleet operators throughout 2007 to rate their leasing suppliers.

Those featured in the survey manage more than 1.1 million vehicles – over 80% of all vehicles under lease, finance or fleet management in the UK.

Alphabet topped the pre-sale surveys for the third consecutive year. This hat-trick is a first in the survey’s 10-year history.

Lloyds TSB Autolease topped the post-sale survey, which measured satisfaction of existing customers, ranking performance

across categories, such as communication, vehicle order-ing and delivery, in-life services and invoicing.

Road tax evasion is set to cost the Government nearly £80 million, despite the widespread use of automatic number plate recogni-tion cameras to catch law breakers.

The Department for Transport (DfT) estimates that £79 million in revenue will be lost this year due to road tax evasion, which amounts to 589,000 unlicensed vehicles on the roads.

Just weeks ago, the Commons Public Accounts Committee quoted the number of unlicensed motorcycles at 40% (Fleet News, 31 January).

However these figures have now been significantly reduced. According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the body charged with catching tax-dodgers, just 9.8% of Britain’s motorcycles are untaxed.

David Taylor, chief executive of the Motor Cycle Industry Association, said: “The DfT should be embarrassed and should apologise to the vast majority of riders who do pay VED.”

The DVLA also found that 5.2% of other vehicles, including cars and LCVs, continue to evade duty.

Liberal Democrat shadow transport secretary Norman Baker said: “The DVLA must redouble its efforts to clamp down on tax evaders.”

Alphabet and Lloyds TSB top surveyCat’s eyes get solar power

Tax evasion costs £80m

Sub-120g/km cars will escape the congestion charge

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Top firms (from left): Paul Hollick, general manager Alphabet sales development; Paul Turner, managing director at apd; and Mark Chessman, deputy managing director at Lloyds TSB Autolease

BY STEVE MOODY

Fleets will face increasing fuel bills and vehicle emissions from 2012, but possibly fewer acci-dents, after the Government and a number of safety organisations lost their battle to stop daytime running lights becoming compul-sory on all new vehicles.

Although daytime running lights (DRL) seem a safety benefit, giving motorists higher visibility, many road safety groups, includ-ing RoSPA, argue that motorcy-clists, cyclists and pedestrians will be in more danger as the glare could be a distraction, and make non-DRL users less visible.

In addition using headlights at all times could increase fuel usage by up to 1.5%, a Department for Transport (DfT) report has claimed.

Transport minister Jim Fitz-patrick said: “From early 2011, all new types of passenger cars and light vans will have to be fitted with dedicated daytime running

lights in accordance with the rele-vant European directive. By summer 2012, all new vehicle types will have to be so fitted.”

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for RoSPA, said: “We don’t think that the evidence justifies daytime running lights on vehi-cles in the UK. Our main concern

is that fitting them to all vehicles will remove the relatively high visibility that motorcyclists currently enjoy.”

This is a view shared by the UK’s motor manufacturer’s body, the Society of Motor Manufactur-ers and Traders. “We believe the introduction of DRL will increase

fuel costs, but only marginally,” said a spokesman.

“From the perspective of motor-cyclists, there is a reasonable body of European evidence to suggest that DRL will compro-mise safety as motorcyclists won’t be able to be seen as easily by motorists.”

A review in 2006 by the DfT of the reports from the European Commission on DRL questioned the level of claimed accident reduction, although agreed there would be some improvement.

“There is substantial evidence that the mandatory use of DRL would provide a net accident reduction,” said the review.

The DfT said the commission’s assumption of a 15% improvement on fatal accidents was “weak” and that reductions of between 3.9% and 5.9% was more realistic.

The report’s authors added that there would be an increase of between 0.5% and 1.5% in fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions.

Sharing planTomTom has launched a content-sharing platform which allows users to download, upload and share navigation content with other users at no additional cost. The platform will be available on the latest version of TomTom HOME for both PC and AppleMacs.

Duty of careNationwide Autocentres has launched a 19-point duty of care inspection service ahead of the new Corporate Manslaughter Act. Brakes, steering, shock absorbers and wheel cylinders are included in the inspection, which costs £25.

Little Buddy help

Windscreen replacement provider Autoglass has introduced a new lifting and positioning device – the Little Buddy – to allow a windscreen technician to undertake jobs previously only possible by two people.

Online serviceHitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services will use the 1link Service Network e-commerce platform to service and maintain its 17,000-vehicle fleet. The network can now be used for any light commercial vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes by creating online links between major fleets and providers of maintenance services.

Leasedrive dealLeasedrive VELO Rental Management has been named as the sole vehicle provider to the broadcast and media solutions company Arqiva. Leasedrive will provide online booking and an all-inclusive pricing policy, including free unlimited mileage. The contract covers both short and medium-term vehicle rental.

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Arnold Clark name changeLeasing company Arnold Clark Finance has changed its trading name to Arnold Clark Vehicle Management (ACVM).

ACVM is the largest dealer-based leasing company in the country, managing a fleet of more than 100,000 cars and light commercial vehicles.


[email protected]

Running lights will become compulsory

Daytime running lights are to become compulsory on new cars

Congestion is getting worse as traffic levels rise, according to the latest Department for Transport (DfT) statistics.

Since 2004, average vehicle delays have risen from 3.78 minutes to 4.05 minutes every 10 miles. The DfT defines conges-tion as the average delay over a distance of 10 miles.

The number of vehicles on Brit-ain’s roads has increased slightly over the past year by 0.6%, to 33.36 million vehicles.

This growth has mainly been down to an increase in the number of light commercial vehicles. In fact, the volume of cars dropped by 1% over the last two years, but the number of LCVs increased by 9%.

The number of vehicles using the motorways has remained unchanged over the past two years, while traffic on major A roads decreased by 2%, although traffic on urban A roads rose by 2%.

Congestion worsens as traffic levels increase

New car registration fees rise forecastFrom April 1, the first registration fee for new cars will rise 10% from £50 to £55 per car, according to the Society of Motor Manufactur-ers and Traders (SMMT).

While the increase appears minimal, it will add substantially to the costs facing businesses registering several hundred cars a year.

According to the SMMT, the move will generate an additional £11 million for the Treasury

and will take the total paid by companies and private motorists who are liable to pay the tax to £128 million a year.

“We hope this is not a move by the Treasury to plug holes in its finances,” said SMMT chief exec-utive, Paul Everitt.

“In the grand scheme, an extra £11 million in tax and a fiver for new car buyers might not sound like much. However, we fear that this ‘every little helps’ approach

could be the basis for further changes to motoring taxes in March’s budget.”

However, a spokesman for the Treasury has denied that any decision on increasing the first registration fee or Vehicle Excise Duty, which is also rumoured to be increasing in the upcoming Budget, has been made.

The Budget will be delivered by Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling on March 12.

EUROPEAN NEWS


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BY KEITH NUTHALL

European governments could meet ambitious targets for cutting transport emissions by introduc-ing a levy based on distance trav-elled, say experts.

This would be coupled with a reduction in the level of fuel taxes and would encourage people to use public transport more, a meeting hosted by the Interna-tional Transport Forum in Paris heard.

Stef Proost, of the Centre for Economic Studies at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, suggested that this system would be the most cost-effective should governments eventually decide to impose some form of green taxa-tion on general road users.

Higher fuel duties are usually cited as the most likely form of dissuading road users, but Mr

Proost said that this alone would not be sufficient. Instead, he suggested lowering fuel duties and imposing a tax based on the size of vehicle and the journey travelled.

This, he said, would encourage more people to use public trans-port rather than using their own – or rental – vehicle, thus reduc-ing greenhouse gas emissions.

An alternative system was suggested by Charles Raux, of the Transport Economics Labora-tory at the University of Lyon in France. He suggested extending the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme to include vehicle users as well as manufac-turers – which would see drivers allocated rights to a certain quan-tity of fuel, with the possibility of buying more rights or selling on surpluses, depending on their road use.

Again, fuel duty would be cut to be replaced with the rights system, which Mr Raux said would lead to significant cuts in CO2 at only a minimal cost (around £4.50-£10.50 per vehicle per year) to motorists.

Mileage levy bid to cut emissions Action on biofuels

The ability of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) to create a global standard for biofuels has been questioned by an alliance of the European Union, USA and Brazil. The absence of a chemical definition for biofuel is causing difficulties for companies wishing to trade these fuels on international markets.

As yet, there is no standard but the US, EU and Brazil are drafting one, releasing detailed proposals in a white paper. Controversially, it attacked the ISO saying its procedure for international standards is inconclusive and cannot be relied on.

The potential clash comes during disagreements at the EU Council of Ministers over whether sustainability guidelines regarding biofuel production should be written into a new EU fuel quality directive.

More pan-European businessFleet and finance companies are increasingly concluding pan-European deals as the vision of a single European fleet marketplace becomes a reality. EurotaxGlass’s said 2007 was its best-ever year for sales to fleet and finance businesses. The company saw a 15% growth in the segment, largely as a result of pan-European deals.

Plans are afoot to charge according to distance travelled

NEWS


The fundamental aspect of fleet management is controlling risk. Wherever you can reduce risk you should, but there are some instances where it is simply not possible.

The procurement of cars is one such area. Leasing vehicles removes a huge amount of risk surrounding resale value and market influences, but sometimes buying outright is the only option available.

Buying a car throws up numerous financial uncertainties – typical fleet cars nowadays lose around 60% of their original value after three years and 60,000 miles of normal wear and tear. But if you select and look after your vehicles in the right way you can maximise their value when they reach the end of their fleet lives.

When buying the vehicles, look for cars that are closer to the beginning rather than the end of their product life. These cars are more likely to still be the latest model available after their fleet life, and will therefore be more desirable on the used market.

Avoid flat paints, as nowadays metallic really is the standard. You must choose the right colour for the car – a white Ferrari wouldn’t look right because people expect it to be red. Ask the dealer what colour they would want back in three years’ time if they were selling it as a used car. Silver and metallic black tend to hold their value the best.

The specification of the vehicle should be right. Make sure you have alloy wheels and air conditioning, and on executive cars it is almost expected that the package includes satellite navigation, leather seats and an automatic gearbox. All those things will make the car more desirable when you come to sell it and maximise its value.

During your vehicle’s life it should be regularly serviced, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The vehicle’s service book should always be stamped and you should have a proper record of the service taking place.

Regularly clean the car inside and out and repair any damage as you go along, rather than leaving it until remarketing time. It should look as if it’s been cared for through its life.

When it comes to disposal, make sure the vehicle is washed and cleaned – many aren’t. Complete any minor repairs and don’t neglect the alloy wheels – they are not too expensive to get repaired and good alloys can make a big difference to the overall appearance of the vehicle. The car should have an MoT and most importantly the V5 should be available to the buyer. If it isn’t, there’s a risk that you won’t sell the vehicle at all.

You should be putting cars in the position where the buyer is able to sell it on with the minimum time elapsed. Anything missing has to be ordered and that takes time. That’s time that they are not selling and the car is losing them money. They will pay more for a car that’s not going to be sitting around, and you will get the most from your investment.

Maximising future value of your vehiclesBY PETER HOLLINSHEAD, HEAD OF VEHICLE FINANCE, HSBC BANK PLC

FINANCE MATTERS

Small details make a big differencewww.hsbc.co.uk/vehiclefinance

In association with HSBC

Opting for a white Ferrari rather than red could reduce its resale value

Fines will make new cars dearerBY DANIEL ATTWOOD

New cars will cost substantially more from 2012 if the latest Euro-pean Commission proposals become law.

Car manufacturers will not only be charging more for new vehicle technologies that help cut emis-sions, but they will also be increas-ing prices to help pay multi-billion euro fines imposed by the commission should they fail to meet stringent carbon dioxide emission targets.

Manufacturers have warned that the plans could add at least £2,230 to the cost of each new car.

If Volkswagen AG, Europe’s biggest car maker which produces marques ranging from the high-polluting Bentley to the everyday Skoda, misses that target by just 5g/km, it will face an annual £1.1 billion (€1.5 billion) fine.

Europe’s second largest car making group, PSA Peugeot Citroën, which does not make any very high polluting vehicles, will be fined £744.4 million (€1 billion), and the smaller Fiat Group, which makes Ferraris as well as the new Fiat 500 city car, will be hit with a £446,000 (€600,000) fine.

Europe’s manufacturers say the fines are unrealistic, unfair and will make the European auto-

motive industry uncompetitive. And manufacturers will have to

pass on the cost of these fines. “There is a total disconnection

between the legislators and reality – CO2 emissions from cars need to be reduced in a cost- effective way,” said Ivan Hodac, secretary general of ACEA, the European automobile manufac-turers’ association, at the recent Fleet News Europe conference.

“The level of the compensation payments should be no higher than for other sectors that miss their CO2 emissions targets.”

Under the plans, manufactur-ers will pay up to 100 times more than other industries penalised for excess emissions, he says.

But environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said: “The legisla-tion will ensure important fuel savings, which will translate into considerable benefits for consum-ers. Moreover, it will encourage the car industry to invest in new technologies and actively promote eco-innovation, which is a driver for more and high-quality jobs.”■ Read more on this story at www.fleetnews.co.uk

EU fines could see the cost of a new car increasing by at least £2,230

Small fleets targeted in energy campaignThe Energy Saving Trust has launched a new initiative to help small fleets become greener.

The trust has launched a campaign targeting UK fleets of 50 vehicles and under, asking managing directors to consider their fleet’s carbon footprint and get in contact with transport experts.

By calling the trust’s free small fleet hotline, managers can get advice on reducing emissions, cutting costs and improving corporate reputations.

Information on eco-driving, fuel management, driver training and health and safety is also available.

A recent report commissioned

by the trust found that compa-nies with fleets of around 50 vehi-cles could save up to £45,000 a year with green fleet policies.

“Companies with smaller fleets will not necessarily have anyone focused on their fleet full time,” said Nigel Underdown, head of transport advice at the Energy Saving Trust.

Researchers are to interview and test thousands of motorists to assess how different alcoholic drinks and narcotic drugs impair their driving performance.

The project is the latest in a string of initiatives to provide interested parties, including fleet managers, with more sophisti-cated information to help them

manage the problem of people driving while under the influence of alcohol, prescription medicine and illegal drugs.

The EU-funded DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicine) project will check samples from volunteers for 33 psychoactive substances, including alcohol,

medicine and illegal drugs and look at their driving perfor-mance.

The University of Ghent, in Belgium, which is co-ordinating the project, aims to check 4,000 drivers, some having been involved in road crashes and others in spot checks. All the subjects will be volunteers.

Drugs and drink-driving research


This week’s vehicle market news and information Edited by Julian Kirk

MONDAYWent down a very busy M1, as always, to the Midlands to have a look at some forthcoming models from Hyundai. Unfortunately, they were very early pre- production vehicles so I wasn’t allowed to drive them.

The first was the eight-seat i50M, a van with windows and seats, which is similar in size to a Volkswagen Transporter or Toyota Hi-Ace. To call it a van with windows is probably a bit

unkind, but it is based on the H-1 van which is due early next year.

The i50M, which goes on sale in June, is following the ‘i’ badging that Hyundai has chosen to use for all its models – with the M standing for MPV.

The second ‘i’ we saw was the i10, which is the Amica replacement and due on sale in early April. The styling of this small car is a huge improvement on the Amica and should appeal to a wider age group. Only one engine will be available at launch – a 1.1-litre 66hp petrol, but a 1.2-litre 75bhp version may become available later.

There will be three models at launch: Classic, priced at £6,495, Comfort at £7,095 and Style at £7,595.

Hyundai no longer badges

its cars externally, but now puts a small sticker on the A-pillar stating exactly what the car is, its engine size and power output.

The third car we looked at was the i30 estate which goes on sale in April and will be priced at £700 more than the hatchback. TUESDAY Set off from Yorkshire to Luton airport to fly down to Nice for the revised Mercedes-Benz SLK launch, but due to an accident on the M1 I missed the flight.

After many hours sitting in the car, I finally made it to the incident. The road was down to the hard-shoulder, with all three lanes covered in sand, presum-ably to soak up a fuel spillage.

The sand was being brushed into the central reservation by one bloke and his brush,

watched by six of those Highways Agency traffic officers – how annoying is that?

THURSDAYI’ve been using a Fiat 500 over the past week, and I think Fiat has done a fantastic job on this Polish-built small car. The quality is good and the styling both inside and out is a master-piece. It is also priced realistically.

But does it attract the attention the Italians told us it would at the Turin launch? In a word – no.

In Italy and across Europe everyone has grown up with the old 500, which has not only been the family run-about but also an icon.

Here in the UK, it would appear that very few people know about the 500 and its

history. If it had been used in The Italian Job instead of the Mini, then it might have been more easily recognised.

This little car is great in most departments, but Fiat is going to have to create demand for it and not depend on nostalgia. My daughter, and most of her friends, have never heard of the Fiat 500. One saw it and thought it was a Ford Ka!

THINKING CAP Hardworking Martin Ward scours the globe for the week’s insider fleet intelligence

Martin Ward is CAP’s manufacturer relationships manager

Hyundai’s new i10 and i50M

GM’s blue light fleetpxp p12��

Fiat 500 is priced realistically

BY PHILL TROMANS

The forthcoming Citroën C5 marks the completion of a range that the French maufacturer hopes will offer a credible alterna-tive to established fleet marques.

Citroën believes that C5 is a key fleet vehicle, with business sales expected to make up 70% of all vehicles sold when it is launched in April.

With Citroën’s share of the fleet market increasing over recent years, mainly thanks to the C4 Picasso MPV, the company’s head of corporate sales, Ian Hughes, said the C5 would carry on that impetus.

“We’re going to give society a bit of a jolt to try and stop people in their tracks, to suggest that there is an alternative vehicle to consider that has all the attributes of the cars they are used to buying, but with a flair and punch that’s really rather audacious,” he said.

“We’ve built our reputation and

credibility in the marketplace on the back of the C4 Picasso. But the C5 is tailored towards the user chooser and fleet market.

“This is massive for us, the equivalent of the Xantia, which in its heyday sold 40,000 units. We’re

not expecting to sell anywhere near that – we have a reputation of coming in to this market and doing well, but the game has changed.

“The arrival of the German marques has been very signifi-

cant and we’re going to go toe-to-toe with those guys.

“This is a very credible vehicle and with this, the C-Crosser SUV and C4 Picasso, we have a strong complement of vehicles in the £18-£20,000 bracket.”

Citroën has moved away from its historical sales techniques of cashbacks, which Mr Hughes said were misunderstood.

“We’re putting more focus on residual values,” he explained. “All the communication now talks about ‘prices from’ and consumer offers, finance offers. No cash-backs have been placed on any vehicle since I arrived.

“We have worked tirelessly with the residual value guides and developed a level of belief and trust that we have followed through on. Residuals have been a real key step change and some-thing that we have worked very hard on.”

In 2007 Citroën saw its fleet market share rise by 10% in cars and 5% in vans.

“Other manufacturers have suggested that this sector is all about quality and no style. We passionately disagree. Style is part of our history and we think you can combine style and high quality in the same packaging.”

A creditable alternative

Fleet boss Ian Hughes (inset) expects the new C5 range to be a key fleet vehicle for Citroën

��


Eco Bravo driven p15 Lexus IS F tested p15 MINI Clubman on test p19 Long-term update p20-21

Eco additionsVolkswagen is expanding its low-emission BlueMotion family with Golf, Jetta and Passat versions. The Golf model returns 62.8mpg, emits 119g/km of CO2 and costs from £15,565, while the Golf Plus returns 58.9mpg, emits 127g/km and costs £16,745. The Golf Estate and Jetta both return 61.4mpg and have emissions of 122g/km, while the Passat offers 55.4mpg and CO2 of 136g/km. They go on sale next month and prices start at £17,260.

Revised Zafira

Vauxhall has revised its popular Zafira people carrier. As well as styling tweaks, there are equipment upgrades and the introduction of a fleet-friendly Exclusiv version which comes with extra equipment.

i10 sale date Hyundai’s new i10 city car will cost from £6,495 when it goes on sale in April. Standard equipment on the 1.1-litre petrol-engined car includes air-conditioning, four airbags and MP3-compatible CD player.

Small is beautiful

Proving that small is beautiful is Toyota’s new city car, the iQ. The Smart rival is due to go on sale at the end of this year.

TTS pricingAudi has announced pricing for its high-performance 272bhp TTS models. The coupé will cost £33,380 and the Roadster soft-top £35,380.

IN BRIEF

The Renault Laguna Coupé, seen in concept form at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, looks likely to make it into production with relatively few changes.

These shots from a testing session in the Arctic show the coupé looking pretty similar to its original showing.

Due at the end of 2008, the car will start at around £20,000 and is likely to sport only the most powerful engines from the regular Laguna range, as well as the new 3.0-litre V6 dCi, designed with Nissan and packing 260bhp.

The Laguna’s all-wheel steer chassis will be available as an option.

Powered by...Laguna coupé shapes up

Spyshot

BCA has reported a strong start to the year in the auction halls, but is warning against compla-cency in the industry.

January trading conditions exceeded expectations at the company, with an average conver-sion rate of 69%.

This was on a par with last year’s record performance despite

entered vehicle volumes rising.BCA’s communication director

Tony Gannon said: “The start to the year has been strong but there is no room for compla-cency.

“With the March plate change likely to stimulate additional volumes of business from fleet, lease and dealer sources, buyers

will have even more choice later in the spring. Even with all this current activity there is an under-lying softness in demand and dealers are reflecting this by showing less interest in poorly presented cars and vans.

“If market conditions tighten, condition gets even more impor-tant.”

January auction trading beats expectations

This is the new Ford Fiesta which goes on sale this autumn – and the produc-tion model has stayed true to the striking looks of the Verve concept car.

Due to make its world debut at Geneva, the Fiesta will be offered in three and five-door hatchback form and with a choice of 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines.

Also available will be 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre TDCi diesels.

Ford is offering “large car” features on the Fiesta, with Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and the Covers+ monitor and control system first seen on the Mondeo and Galaxy.

Further details will be announced closer to its on-sale date later this year.

Concept car looks for Fiesta

The new Ford Fiesta will make its world debut at Geneva

Audi has revealed the first picture of its new A4 Avant model ahead of its world debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

Based on the new A4 saloon, the estate offers 490 litres of boot space and 1,430 litres with the rear seats folded down. This is an improvement over the outgoing model’s 442/1,184-litre capacity, thanks to the new A4’s longer wheelbase.

The order book for the Avant opens next month with

deliveries beginning in June. Expect the Avant to carry a price premium of around £1,100 over the saloon.

At launch there will be five engine options – the 1.8 TFSI and 3.2 FSI Quattro petrols and three diesels in 2.0, 2.7 and 3.0-litre Quattro guises.■ Audi has announced a new S line trim level for the new A4 saloon, priced £2,500 above the SE version. Extra equipment includes LED running lights, 30mm lower ride height, and exterior styling tweaks.

A4 Avant breaks cover

Audi’s new A4 Avant offers more load space than its predecessor


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BY RUSSELL BRAY

Think Lexus and luxury, comfort, reliability, excellent customer service and petrol-electric hybrids probably spring to mind.

But for its latest model, the first in the company’s new F performance range, Lexus has turned to the dark side and created a car to more than rival Audi’s RS4 or BMW’s M3 extreme machines.

With its 10-spoke alloy wheels, twin-tiered exhausts and aggres-sive stance, the IS F looks partic-ularly sinister in black and great in white. The cabin is a mix of the usual leather and aluminium garnished with a sort of mock carbon-fibre that’s shiny silver and a matter of taste, but it’s what under the bonnet that matters.

The Japanese company has fitted a 417bhp 5.0-litre V8 engine with so much torque – 372lbft – it

makes the 295lb-ft M3 look weak-wristed.

But because Lexus is still about effortless luxury the IS F comes with a clever eight-speed auto-matic transmission that starts in first gear using a torque converter for smoothness and then “locks up”, so that it feels like a manual and allows near-instant changes using paddles on the steering wheel or the gear selector.

The changes are smooth in

Drive or near-racecar-hard in Sport mode. From rest, the IS F feels quicker than an M3 even though the two companies quote identical 0-62mph times.

I’ve driven a road-going German Touring (DTM) race car and the Lexus feels similar but with all the noise, vibration and harshness removed and all the luxury kit put in. From about 3,600rpm – thanks to a specially-fitted airbox under the bonnet –

the IS F even sounds like a DTM car. Carbon dioxide emissions of 270g/km put the IS F into the highest road tax band even though it is 25g/km lower than BMW’s 4.0-litre V8 engine.

BY MAURICE GLOVER

Fiat is all set to cut fleet operating overheads with a new engine that uses less fuel and costs less to maintain.

Fitted in a fresh version of the Bravo hatchback, the Italian firm’s latest MultiJet turbodiesel engine returns more than 62mpg average economy and will come with service intervals stretching an impressive 21,750 miles.

But despite holding the promise of providing a dynamic proposi-tion for fleet users and private drivers alike, the money- stretching model will not carry badges that identify it as eco transport.

Fiat Automobile chief executive officer Lorenzo Sistino said: “We have to act in the face of growing concern for the environment, constant growth in oil prices and the linking of car taxation to CO2 emissions across most European markets.

“It is inevitable that operating economy and emissions have a major bearing on our product market.”

Unveiling the new model in

Turin, he added: “Sales of the Bravo are running well ahead of target, but I believe our develop-ment of this engine significantly improves the competitiveness of the car.

“Coupled with such high fuel economy, the longest service intervals in the sector present us with an outstanding proposition – we are hoping it is a factor that will prove to be a key buying moti-vator for corporate customers.”

The 105bhp MultiJet model will save the cost of one full service over 60,000 miles and could trim maintenance costs by up to 2%, the firm claims.

But exhaust emissions of just

119g/km – among the best so far in the sector and low enough to meet the stringent Euro V regula-tions two years early – also hold the promise of significant poten-tial reductions in taxation for company drivers.

Due here in March, the 16-valve eco challenger will be joined by another 1.6-litre Multi-Jet model. Developing 120bhp, it will replace the current 1.9-litre, eight-valve Bravo because it offers better performance while using 8% less fuel.

Fiat UK has yet to confirm specification details, but both 1.6-litre models will have six-speed manual gearboxes as standard.

In either form, the new MultiJet is the top performer in its class and with 90% of torque on tap from as little as 1,400rpm, it’s easy to see why. Each version is geared to produce around 30mph per 1,000rpm in top, making for a relaxed demeanour in main road cruising.

Both cars have a smooth flow of power and the 105bhp model is nimble through the gears, spinning freely to make a pleasant noise at high revs in intermediate ratios. Delivering record torque for engines of up to 200bhp, the 120bhp unit matches the existing 1.9-litre engine in benchmark acceleration but uses a variable geometry turbo to be four seconds quicker from 50mph to 75mph, allowing safer overtaking.

In each car, travel is noticeably more subdued at all speeds but figures show a 5% improvement at 80mph thanks to engine shielding, thicker side glass and a high-insulation windscreen.

Eco Bravo is cost championNew diesel MultiJet engine makes Fiat hatchback greener and meaner with fuel than ever before


NEW LAUNCHES: FIAT BRAVO 1.6 MULTIJET/LEXUS IS F

BEHIND THE WHEEL

VERDICTThe most driver-focused Lexus ever and refreshingly off message. With only 150 for sale in the UK this year, get your order in quickly.

FACT FILEModel: Bravo 1.6 MultiJetMax power (bhp/rpm): 105/4,000Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 213/1,500 Max speed (mph): 1160-62mph (secs): 11.3Fuel consumption (mpg): 62.8CO2 emissions (g/km): 119Prices (OTR): £14,100-£14,500On sale: March

In traffic you only ever need a few seconds of acceleration – and the gorgeous accompanying sound track – to reach any cruising speed you think of.

Even pushing on, the IS F feels more confidence inspiring and chuckable than the last M3 I drove, though the ride is lumpy by luxury car standards.

On a race track in Spain, the car was so stable in a straight line you needed a knack to get it turned into corners quickly so that you could get back on the power sooner.

Driving hard on the circuit the IS F felt stronger in acceleration than an RS4 and the brakes much superior to those on an M3.

F is for fast and fun, fun, funLexus shuns its traditional image with the launch of an M3-rivalling high performance saloon

BEHIND THE WHEEL

VERDICT

FACT FILEModel: IS FMax power (bhp/rpm): 417/6,600Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 371/5,200 Max speed (mph): 1680-62mph (secs): 4.6Fuel consumption (mpg): 24.8CO2 emissions (g/km): 270Priced (OTR): £51,000On sale: April

Fiat wants to be seen as the car firm with the best environmen-tal credentials and its new MultiJet diesel technology is a big step in the right direction. As well as reducing costs, this Bravo is also better to drive than before and is a viable fleet competitor.


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ROAD TEST: MINI CLUBMAN COOPER D

MINI goes large and gets greenerThe Clubman adds practicality but retains the icon’s difference

BY PHILL TROMANS

Seldom had the car world seen more controversy than when BMW launched the new MINI back in 2001. Many fans of the original Issigonis-penned icon were outraged by the inflated parody of their beloved classic, but the wider public were smitten by its cute looks and nippy performance and more than a million have been sold world-wide.

Until recently, the range consisted of various flavours of hatchback. But now there is the Clubman.

Immediately, more furore followed its announcement, as critics correctly noted that the twin opening rear doors of the new car were not derived from the original Mini Clubman, but from the Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman.

Everything forward of the B-pillar is identical to the hatchback. Those who know the hatch will feel instantly at home inside as all is very familiar, from the huge central speedometer to the pleth-ora of toggle switches adorning the dashboard and roof.

The Clubman is 24cm longer than the hatch and offers 8cm more legroom to rear seat passen-gers. But it’s the boot that people will notice. The split rear doors divide opinion, but they open to reveal a boot space increased by 100 litres over the hatchback to

260 litres. Fold the rear seats down and you get 930 litres of space.

BMW has crammed in all sorts of emission-reducing technology as standard, including start-stop, brake energy regeneration to charge up the battery, and a gear-shift indicator for optimal fuel effi-ciency. As a result, the 1.6-litre engine emits just 109g/km of CO2 and boasts a combined fuel economy of 68.9mpg.

The excellent handling of the hatchback is admirably retained. Some say the Clubman is not quite as agile, but unless you drive the two versions back-to-back you’d be hard pressed to tell. It’s almost go-kart like in its ability to whip round corners, although some may find the ride rather firm.

Another unique feature is a right-side suicide door to allow passengers easier access to the back. Great in Europe, but not so good in the UK where passengers are disgorged into the road.

MINI is selling the Clubman as a more practical alternative to the hatch, but don’t be fooled. While the boot is undeniably bigger than the hatch, it’s still tiny.

Rather than being a family car, the Clubman represents an alter-native to the modern ubiquity of the hatchback. It’s still cute, it’s still a great drive, and it’s still rather impractical, but it is that little bit different and that should guarantee it success, even if, at £15,315 with a sparse level of kit, it’s far from cheap.

■ Mercedes-Benz A160 CDI Classic SE

■ Volkswagen Golf estate 1.9 TDI S

The Clubman is cheapest, but has the smallest boot space and no air-con. The A-Class includes air-con but has 15-inch steel wheels against the MINI’s alloys. The Golf offers a big boot, but for £700 extra the Qashqai

features cruise control, parking sensors, climate control and more.

Clubman £15,315A-Class £15,507Golf £15,555Qashqai £16,234

THREE RIVALS TO CONSIDER

P11D PRICE

SMR COSTOver a fleet life of three years/ 60,000 miles, the A-Class, with its variable service intervals, is the cheapest car to maintain. But the MINI, with10,000 and 15,000-mile checks, and the Golf, with VW’s variable servicing, are not far

behind. In fact, only around £600 separates first place from last.

EMISSIONS AND TAX RATESThe Clubman has the green vote wrapped up, with emissions low enough to put it in the cheapest company car tax band. A 22% taxpayer would pay £36 a month. The rest fall into the 18% tax band,

meaning bills of £51 for the A-Class and Golf and £53 for the Qashqai.

VERDICTPicking a winner here is more difficult than it first appears. The MINI Clubman is miles in front when it comes to cost, but if drivers want any extras – such as air conditioning – then the price will very quickly start ramping up. Although it’s great to drive, it’s not particularly practical. The Qashqai has piles of luxuries as standard, but is much more expensive. Ultimately in fleet, cost has to be a big priority, and for that reason the Clubman takes it.

■ WINNER: MINI Clubman Cooper D

FUEL COST

DEPRECIATION COST

Thanks to a combined mpg of 68.9, the Clubman romps home when it comes to fuel spend, partly thanks to the stop-start system included as standard. The Mercedes-Benz makes 57.6mpg, putting it ahead of the

Nissan and Volkswagen, which both return 54.3mpg.

Clubman 7.21/£4,326A-Class 8.63/£5,178Qashqai 9.16/£5,496Golf 9.16/£5,496

The Golf, A-Class and Qashqai are all thumped by the rock-solid residuals of the MINI. The Clubman has a CAP RV of 49% and will cost almost £2,000 less in depreciation over three years/60,000 miles than the second-

placed Golf. It has an RV of 38%, the A-Class 34% and the Qashqai 33%.

Clubman 13.10/£7,860Golf 16.05/£9,630A-Class 16.97/£10,182Qashqai 18.05/£10,830

WHOLELIFE COSTThe Clubman is easily the cheapest car to run over three years/60,000 miles. Strong residuals, an econo-mical engine and decent SMR costs make it more than £3,000 cheaper to run than the Golf. The Mercedes-Benz

is very close behind, but the Nissan is £1,500 more expensive again.

Clubman 23.08/£13,848Golf 28.22/£16,932A-Class 28.25/£16,950Qashqai 30.82/£18,492

ppm/60k total

A-Class 2.65/£1,590Clubman 2.77/£1,662 Golf 3.01/£1,806Qashqai 3.61/£2,166


Clubman 109g/km/13%A-Class 128g/km/18%Golf 137g/km/18%Qashqai 139g/km/18%

■ Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi Acenta

FACT FILEP11D value £15,315CO2 emissions (g/km) 109BIK % of P11D in 2008 13%Graduated VED rate £35Insurance group 8Combined mpg 68.9CAP RV (3yr/60k) £7,450/49%Monthly lease (3yr/60k) £265

✔

✖

■ Looks■ Handling■ Frugality

■ Sparsely equipped■ Small boot ■ Silly suicide door

There’s lots to love in CR-VBut Honda’s headlights make a poor showing when it comes to driving down dark country lanes BY ADELE BARRY

Things I love about the CR-V: it handles brilliantly, it’s more fuel efficient than some upper-medium saloons and it’s one of the best looking SUVs on the market.

Things I don’t love about the CR-V: the parcel shelf in the boot won’t stay upright when loading shopping, the parking camera becomes dirty quickly, thus obscuring the view behind, and the wing mirrors fold manually when automatic would have been better.

But when thinking about the possibility of a new model on a fleet, drivers’ niggles are likely to come second to running costs, reliability and safety.

The CR-V is likely to be a user-chooser favourite rather than a fleet staple but fleet managers still need to consider the impact it would have on their company.

It’s likely to appeal thanks to the 2.2 i-CTDi diesel engine which can also be found in the Civic and

Accord. With 140bhp at 4,000rpm and maximum torque of 251lb-ft at 2,000rpm, it’s not the speediest model on the market but there is ample power and I haven’t needed or wanted more since I’ve been driving it.

With the CR-V’s mpg figures matching some estates and even regularly beating our long-term Ford Mondeo, there’s no room for fuel economy arguments. The 173g/km CO2 emission level

should also keep drivers happy when it comes to the monthly tax bill, falling into the 25% benefit-in-kind tax band.

In terms of reliability, Honda’s is legendary and the three-year/90,000-mile warranty is reas-suring. The CR-V is sturdy, solid and feels as though it will easily outlive the 90,000-mile mark.

So with all the major boxes ticked how does the CR-V fare day-to-day? I have two more

niggles I must mention. The range on the headlights seems unusu-ally short. Driving along country lanes, I was finding it difficult to see the contours of the road. After taking home a Jeep Cherokee for a night it was clear to see there was a huge difference between the two models in headlight range.

I booked the CR-V into the local Honda garage and within a few minutes they’d adjusted the head-lamps to the highest possible setting. They are marginally better since the adjustment but I’d still prefer a longer range.

The second niggle is a hole in my pocket. I’ve discovered it now costs £7 to have the CR-V hand-washed at the local car wash – it’s classed as a 4x4, which means more metal to clean, compared to a standard car which costs £5.

It’s not really enough to put you off buying one but the headlight range could definitely be improved and make driving at night feel safer.

FACT FILEPrice: £27,567 (£27,942 as tested) Mileage: 6,948CO2 emissions (g/km): 173Company car tax bill (2008) 40% tax-payer: £213 per monthInsurance group: 13ECombined mpg: 43.5Test mpg: 39.7CAP Monitor RV: £10,275/41%Contract hire rate £531Expenditure to date: NilFigures based on three years/60,000 miles

LONG-TERMERS: HONDA CR-V 2.2 i-CTDi EX/AUDI TT 2.0 TFSI

BY JULIAN KIRK

After more than 3,000 miles behind the wheel of our long-term TT, I feel in the position to make a few suggestions to anyone thinking of ordering one.

The first thing I would say is: good choice. The TT continues to be a joy to own, blending style and performance with badge

appeal. That’s surely the holy trinity when it comes to keeping user-choosers and fleet manag-ers happy, isn’t it?

Less charitable ‘friends’ have accused me of being either a hairdresser or of driving a Golf GTI in drag, but I think they’re just jealous. And badly informed, certainly on the second point, because the TT’s body is 69%

aluminium – which the GTI’s certainly isn’t.

What this means is that the TT in front-wheel drive form tips the scales at just under 1,300kg – combined with 200bhp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and this provides sparkling performance.

Some German rivals could take note here – power is not everything.

But back to my recommenda-tions. Firstly, don’t be tempted to tick the Audi Magnetic Ride options box. Not only is it point-less but it will also save you £1,150.

Through habit and personal preference I’ve kept it in sport mode, which provides a very firm ride, but in the past week I’ve been trying it in normal mode. To be honest, there’s not a lot of difference – even normal offers a hard ride, with every road imperfection passed

through the chassis and up to your backside. I’m sure the optional 18-inch alloy wheels on our test car don’t help either.

I would use some of that £1,150 to invest in a couple of optional extras that I wish I had ticked the box for, though.

First up would be Xenon head-lights at £975 (although this includes directional headlights). The standard lights are poor when driving down country lanes and having experience of Xenons I know what a massive difference they can make.

I’d also splash £180 on the multi-function steering wheel. Even though the stereo volume control is within arm’s reach when driving, I still find myself thumbing on the left steering wheel spoke searching for the roller button which I’ve used on various Audis to control the radio.

It’s a little thing, but that £180

would be worth it to save me from getting annoyed.

Of the optional extras fitted to our car, the heated seats at £250 are proving a real boon. Heated seats may be no big deal these days, but what sets the TT’s apart are the speed in which they warm up – in less than two minutes I’m toasty warm.

A performer with badge appealStylish TT is a joy to own and has everything to keep user-choosers and fleet managers happy

Price: £25,200 (£30,000 as tested)Mileage: 3,230CO2 emissions (g/km): 183

Company car tax bill (2008)40% tax-payer: £192 per monthInsurance group: 17Combined mpg: 36.7Test mpg: 31.9CAP Monitor RV: £11,900/48%Contract hire rate: £466Expenditure to date: Nil

Figures based on three years/60,000 miles

FACT FILE


INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Being a successful multi-marque leasing company is so important to the BMW-owned firm

THE FLEET NEWS INTERVIEW:

BY RALPH MORTON

Alphabet: BMW’s own spaghetti soup of a leasing company – or a serious multi-marque player?

It’s certainly serious enough to have made impressive progressive over the past three years, even though it has climbed just one place up the slippery pole of the FN50 leaderboard.

In 2005, Alphabet was the 13th biggest contract hire company with 28,000 vehicles on its books. A year later, the company had trodden water: 13th, but the company’s book had gone up to 36,470 vehicles.

And now, in the 2007 list, Alphabet is 12th, but this time with 40,588 vehicles: a 45% upswing on 2005. Some result. No wonder, then, that Richard Schooling (right), commercial director, was smiling when I met him.

Just the day before our interview, BMW had recognised this achievement by promoting Richard to chief operating officer, with increased responsibilities for BMW Group Financial Services.

Also with Richard was Mark Sinclair (left). Mark takes over as head of Alphabet from Richard. Trained as a chartered accountant, and with a CV that includes BMW Financial Services and seven years with Alphabet, we’ll be hearing more from Mark in the future.

So, two for the price of one: can’t be bad. Fleet News should get the proper low-down on Alphabet, then.

Let’s start with Alphabet as a multi-marque leasing player. I always thought Alpha-bet was a good way of disguising the company’s owners, because it distanced the contract hire company from the holding company’s own products.

But is Alphabet serious about being multi-marque, or is Alphabet just another channel for selling BMWs?

“Calling ourselves Alphabet obviously helps. And while we fund all BMW manage-ment cars, we do have very good relationships with the likes of Lexus, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Volkswagen. Being called Alphabet certainly helps with any political sensitivities there,” says Richard. “But we must have strong relation-ships with these manufacturers to operate as a multi-marque company.”

But surely the lustre of the blue and white BMW propellor plays a part in the attrac-tiveness of Alphabet to companies?

“Well, yes and no,” counters Mark. “In some ways BMW is so powerful as a marque it often outweighs any advantage. But, on the other hand, it does give us financial stability.

“The other thing is, we don’t do special deals on BMWs, even though that’s the market perception. Other companies can get better discounts than us! But obviously we have a focus on BMW so we do well on contract hire with them.

“But really the customer decides where the value lies. For example, Alphabet has one of the strongest residual values in the market on Audi. In fact, we’re strong on all the premium brands,” continues Mark.

“Our cars have a good reputation in the used market. They are rarely over three years old, they’ve been well looked after and have a low mileage. That gives us an edge in RV setting. Only 25% of our used cars go to auction: the rest go to dealers or used car buyers.”

So, multi-marque, but with a distinct German upmarket flavour seems to be the Alphabet deal. Certainly, for a young company – just 10 years in the market – Alpha-bet has a very confident tone of voice.

“I think that, when we started, we had the opportunity to create something new based on the experience of older players within the industry. So we’ve had a confident voice from the start and that confidence is also expressed visually in the way we present ourselves,” reckons Richard.

“We’re also confident in the way we approach customers. We’re about long-termism, doing what is right for the customer. So that might mean we’ll challenge


Golden rules for successHonesty: it’s simply a question of doing what you say you were going to do.

What makes Alphabet tick?Have fun doing things well. It’s a unique part of the way we work.

And a bit of advice for fleet managers?Don’t get taken in by people offering a great deal today that’s not sustainable tomorrow. And don’t overcomplicate the tendering process.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?Respect customers.

ECO car or company car: what do you drive?Well, it has to be an ECO car from us! I currently drive a BMW X5 but I’m moving to a 3 Series Coupé next.

SCHOOLING’S TIPS FROM THE TOP

Richard Schooling, formerly Alphabet’s commercial director, is now chief operating officer of the company.

In addition, he has director level responsibilities for BMW Group Financial Services – a group with a portfolio worth £4billion and is an umbrella organisation for six separate businesses, each with its own head.

These are:■ Alphabet: the contract hire company.■ Alphera Financial Services: retail finance for non-BMW franchises.■ BMW/MINI Financial Services: dealer-based financial products.■ Insurance: from motor to life. ■ BMW Bank: BMW/MINI credit cards.■ Rolls-Royce Financial Services: dealer-based financial products.

Schooling’s new responsibilities include group marketing and group pricing. “My role is to make the business scaleable and prevent duplication of management,” says Richard.

“There is a steady erosion of the boundaries between fleet and personal leasing, and retail and commercial finance channels. As a group, we are well placed to anticipate the effects of these market changes.”

ALPHABET RE-ORDER

blue-chip tenders. We might be harder to deal with, but the answer isn’t always yes. You don’t want to store up problems for later on.

“We’ve certainly never lost a company on service, although we have lost a customer because we weren’t big enough. So FN50 size does matter to some customers – but it’s the service delivery that is critical to us.”

That’s useful to know. But how else can Alphabet help fleet managers?“Running a fleet is all about the basics,” replies Richard. “It’s about getting some of

the softer issues right which is an area where we can help. Let’s take the environ-ment – today’s hot topic. How should a fleet manager tackle this issue for their company?

“Go out and plant trees? That’s such a cop out. It’s a case of educating people. So we use Deloitte’s wholelife cost tool to identify the greenest cars; we have Fuel Sense, a driver’s guide to more economical driving. There are lots of little tricks – like turning off your engine if stationary. These are all things that a fleet manager can get his drivers to do now.

“I think the other area where we’re strong is helping fleet managers with staff employment incentives. On the one hand you have sophisticated fleets that have either a company car scheme, or a structured employee car ownership (ECO) scheme. Or both. But in the middle are those companies that offer just cash. How can you service these customers properly? How can you keep the staff happy and moti-vated? But how can the company fulfil its duty of care and stop their staff just wander-ing into a dealership looking for the lowest-cost deal?

“I would advocate that fleets didn’t offer cash, but an ‘ECO-lite’ product. It’s not tax based. It’s a scheme where employees can take the cash alternative but under the employer’s own rules.

“It’s a case of the market maturing and understanding how best to service these changing requirements. That’s very much the case with my new job.”

Looking ahead, it will be Mark’s responsibility to push Alphabet further up the FN50 ladder. Will they scramble up to 11th?

“We’re looking for stable growth. I think if we find a couple of blue-chip companies in 2008 that would be good. Bigger businesses tend to play to our strengths: breadth of financial products and service delivery. It’s a good way to enable growth for us.”

I THINK IF WE FIND A COUPLE OF BLUE-CHIP

COMPANIES IN 2008 THAT

WOULD BE GOOD

TOP TEN MODEL MIX

Richard recalls the first sale Alphabet ever made 10 years ago. It was for a Hyundai Coupé, a Fiat Coupé and two Ford Mondeos. The model mix has broadened since then, he assures us...

ALPHABET’S FIRST DEAL

BMW 24.24%Volkswagen 19.63%Ford 14.65%Audi 8.24%Vauxhall 5.19%Renault 5.01%MINI 3.83%Peugeot 2.90%Toyota 2.83%Mercedes-Benz 2.36%

Will biofuel values take a hammering?Fleets should not write off

biofuels yet – despite

reluctance to adopt the new fuels

REMARKETING: ALTERNATIVE FUELS

BY PHILL TROMANS

The motoring indus-try is increasingly looking for alterna-tives to fossil fuels and, of the emerg-

ing technologies, biofuel power has been one of the leading contenders for the near future.

As with all new technologies, the risk of investing is high. Will those that trust in biofuel have their faith rewarded when they come to sell the vehicles on?

THE BACKGROUNDThe use of biofuels, and the production of the raw material it is made from, has been mired in controversy. Many fear that the environmental effects of large-scale biofuel production could counteract the benefits that using the technology for transport brings.

For fleet managers, this means uncertainty. As more manufactur-ers produce vehicles capable of running on biofuel, and more fleets take steps to reduce their

AT A GLANCE■ Relatively low numbers in the marketplace.■ Seen as marginal by professional buyers.■ Pockets of demand in congested urban areas.■ Motorists generally prefer diesel.

Will biofuel values take a hammering?REMARKETING: ALTERNATIVE FUELS

carbon footprint, the attraction of greener vehicles grows. But should the controversy over the future of biofuelled vehicles put you off? Will you get a sound return when the vehicles reach the end of their fleet lives?

The European Union backs biofuels and has plans to increase its target for biofuels use in trans-port from 2% to 10% by 2020.

But there are concerns that increasing production could itself cause environmental damage, and a group of UK MPs recently called the plans reckless. The EU has dismissed the concerns, but the concerns raise a question about the future of a technology that many don’t see as a long-term solution.

REMARKETINGCrucial to the success and contin-uation of biofuel vehicles is the infrastructure to ensure a supply is available to drivers.

“This is a real stumbling block,” says Jason King, head of market intelligence at EurotaxGlass’s.

“Fuel companies are reticent to

invest in facilities for the supply of another new fuel after not realis-ing the expected returns on the investment they made to accom-modate the supply of LPG.

“In terms of residual values, our early forecasts valued biofuel vehicles at the same mark as ‘standard’ petrol equivalents, since these cars are designed to use E85 as well as standard 95-octane unleaded.

“However, early indications indicate that used car buyers are only willing to take biofuel models at a lower price – up to £500 less in some cases. ”

Mr King says this lower pricing policy seems only to be evident in the trade values achieved.

“Retail pricing may be equal to or higher than the equivalent standard petrol models – dealers see the green credentials offered by biofuel technology as a poten-tial profit maker,” he says.

“These observations have been made on a very small sample of vehicles since relatively few biofuel vehicles have been regis-tered in the UK so far, thus limit-

ing the turnover in the used car market.”

Tony Gannon, communications director at BCA, agrees that acceptability with the general motoring public is key.

“They will drive the demand in the used market,” he says. “The rule of thumb is where fleets go, motorists follow, and fleets are going heavily with diesel. So it is perhaps less a question of future residual values, and more about future consumer perceptions.

“As the majority of modern cars can run on a specific petrol/bio-fuel mix it could be said we are selling biofuel vehicles every day already, but we have yet to see such specialist vehicles as the Ford Focus FFV or Saab 9-5 BioPower to judge how they will perform.”

Rob Barr, group communica-tions director for Manheim, is more positive.

“Consumers are clearly increas-ingly interested in the environ-mental impact of motoring but they are also still primarily influ-enced by economics,” he says.

“We know from all the recent research that if the green box can be ticked, together with a package of tried and tested technology combined with fuel economy, then this will be a vote winner

with the motoring public. In turn, there is no doubt that the RVs of such vehicles will always be at the high end of market demand and value.”

There is still considerable uncertainty over what will happen in the future because of the rela-tively small numbers of cars avail-able.

Jeff Knight, forecast manager for CAP, doesn’t think there is a conviction among manufacturers that biofuels are worth seriously pursuing. But that doesn’t neces-sarily mean that those who have purchased biofuel vehicles will be at a disadvantage.

“They will probably achieve very reasonable values because there are so few of them,” he says. “It’s the same as LPG – if you get a good quality model to the right person, they will pay for it.”

Tony Gannon adds: “We have already seen a variety of alterna-tive fuels heralded as the answer to global warming – such as LPG or hybrids – and motorists are understandably wary.

“There still needs to be a sea-

change in public opinion before any kind of ‘alternative’ fuels become acceptable.

UK motorists are still moti-vated first and foremost by price, and getting a good deal on the used cars they buy. Biofuels will have to tick a lot of boxes before motorists will choose them over diesel or petrol and in the short- to medium-term that looks like a hard task.

“This suggests that it is unlikely that UK motorists are ready to wholeheartedly embrace green issues and alternative fuels of their own accord. It might mean that the only way to make UK motorists ‘greener’ is by making it expensive for them not to change their habits.”

If you already have biofuel-powered cars, don’t despair.

“The few examples BCA handles seem to find ready buyers if valued in line with market expectations,” says Mr Gannon. “Otherwise, the normal rules of remarketing apply – presentation and preparation are as important as for any other vehicle.”

‘ ’THE GENERAL RULE OF

THUMB IS WHERE FLEETSGO, MOTORISTS FOLLOW

date event venue

10 March 2008 Fleet News Awards Grosvenor House Hotel, London

22 April 2008 Fleet News Risk in Fleet National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham

17-19 June 2008 Company Car In Action Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedford

Late September 2008 Fleet News Hit for Six South

Early October 2008 Fleet News Hit for Six North

4 November 2008 FN50 Conference & Dinner Royal Lancaster Hotel, London

2 December 2008 Fleet Van Conference National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham

Letters – p35Leasing firms should share the blame for the number of grey fleet vehicles failing to have vital safety work carried out.

Helpline – p37

“I’m interested in replacing the air in my tyres with nitrogen. Do you need special tyres?”

First car – p39

BY EMMA COOPER

Fleet managers and industry leaders could now have their efforts to improve staff skills and attract new talent recognised by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

As the sector skills council for the industry, the IMI has launched the SkillMiles scheme, with companies and individuals accu-mulating points for their contribu-tion to areas including learning, leadership, management and recruitment.

The IMI will judge efforts on a tiered system, ensuring contributions from large and

small organisations are weighted fairly, awarding bronze, silver, gold and platinum accredit-

ations in relation to points.SkillMiles points can be earned

for a range of activities, including financial donations to education programmes and participation in skills-related working groups, with suggestions on improving training standards.

Steve Nash, aftersales director, BMW Group UK and chairman of the IMI executive board, said: “The SkillMiles scheme provides a meaningful way of acknowledg-ing efforts and paying tribute to those who are actively making a difference to the industry through their work and commitment to improving performance, many of whom are unsung heroes.”

Recognition plan for unsung heroes

Peugeot has appointed David Peel (pictured) as fleet director. He will be responsible for fleet sales, contract hire, rental and used vehicle operations. Previ-ously the northern regional director, he replaces Steve Harris who has been named fleet opera-tions manager at Peugeot’s Robins & Day dealer group.

Thrifty Car and Van Rental has appointed Linda Paul as head of central services. She will be responsible for improving communica-tions between the company’s central service departments, as well as continuing to manage licensee relationships and franchise sales. Ms Paul has worked in the car rental sector for more than 20 years.

Peel takes on Peugeot fleet

Paul takes up new rental role

McCall manages national networkLexus has appointed Iain McCall as national manager of network development. He will be responsible for franchise representation, business development and the management of franchise standards. He was previously regional manager for the manufacturer.

SETTLING IN How does your new role differ from your last job at Lex?My previous role was very much focused on managing a relationship and delivering on a pre-set agenda. This new role allows me the freedom to concentrate on developing relationships from scratch.

How was your first day?Everything that I had been promised was ready for me to collect, which is always a promising sign.

Have you had a bad day yet? Not yet. Hopefully I have enough experience to spot one coming and work through it.

What has been your greatest challenge so far?I sat a two-hour examination on day 16 of my induction. And your greatest achievement?I have a lot of industry knowledge and it’s great when colleagues ask for my opinion

and use me to understand what the competition’s doing.

What are you enjoying most about the role?The autonomy to re-open past relationships and seek future opportunities to work together. There are so many avenues to investigate within fleet.

Mark Cassidy

Corporate sales

manager Inchcape

Fleet Solutions

Describe your fleetWe have 34 vehicles – 31 cars and three commercials.

How did you come to work in fleet?I have a varied vehicle background going back to my time in the Army but acquired the fleet along with my facilities role for the rugby club.

Would you recommend working in the industry?Yes I would. The combina-tion of responsibilities is a challenge – looking at duty of care, purchasing, funding, insurance, maintenance etc.

What are you working on at the moment?Along with other facilities projects, I’ve just managed to get our entire rugby club staff into a combination of owned, sponsored or leased cars.

What is the biggest challenge with your fleet?Improving the attitude of some of the younger rugby players allotted a company car and therefore improving the care of our vehicles.

How do you relax at the weekend?Watching rugby, juggling with my fantasy football teams, working out at the gym and hill walking in the Brecon Beacons.


Phil GreenFacilities and

fleet managerDekor and

Celtic Crusaders

RFC

Job of the weekTTL CONSULTINGArea fleet managers, various locations p33

■ email: [email protected]

Your views, your queries, your chance to get involved

APPOINTMENTS

Find your favouritesFLEET CV

New MD for IAM fleet group

We have five copies of the 2008 Michelin guide to eating out up for grabs.

SkillMiles will recognise efforts to raise industry standards

Seb Goldin is the new managing director of the Institute of Advanced Motorist’s (IAM) fleet group. He will be responsible for the running of IAM’s fleet companies, including Pro-Drive and Drive & Survive. Previously, he was partnership director at Royal Mail. Simon Best joins as managing director of membership and corporate services.

Competition – p39

Simon Cook’s first company car was a Mazda 323 Fastback. It scored high on the cool factor, thanks to its pop-up headlights.


Recruitment Call Daniel Bragg: 01733 468271

email: [email protected]

01235 536440www.steele-dixon.co.uk

Brighter futureZONE FLEET BUSINESS MANAGER

MANUFACTURER NORTHERN IRELAND £NEGEstablished car manufacturer requires a Northern Ireland based Fleet Sales Manager

to assist this volume operation to increase B2B vehicle sales penetration.An enthusiastic and professional Fleet or B2B Manager is required to rise to the challenge of 2008 targets.

Further details and applications to:Bill Porteous on 07753 982 311 [email protected]

straight talking : smart thinking : fast acting

www.dwc.co.uk

NORTH SOUTHManchester High WycombeMarc Bridges/Claire Anderson Will Gardner/Gregg Dampier0161 601 7766/7760 01494 538866/[email protected] [email protected]

daniel williams consultancySales and Marketing Recruitment Specialists

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERContract Hire/Fleet Management - Yorks/North East£35K Basic • £50K OTE • Car • Pension • Health • Other Flexible BenefitsA unique opportunity to break into the leasing industry, with an FN50 top 25 organisation.Our client’s fleet division has had an exciting 24 months and with further plans to double insize by 2009 they seek a talented individual to play a key part. You will be an adaptable andtenacious business developer, able to open doors and sell a true business solution withinthe 100+ fleet marketplace. Ref. CA4241

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERContract Hire & Fleet Management - North/East Midlands£30K Basic • £45K OTE • Excellent BenefitsEstablished over 30 years ago, our client is a Top 50 UK leasing company with a namerecognised for its reliability and cost effective solution offering. They wish to strengthentheir successful team with a dynamic salesperson. You will deliver contract hire and fleetmanagement solutions to customers operating fleets of up to 300 vehicles. This is anexciting opportunity for a proven relationship builder to join a business with a supportiveinfrastructure and ambitious growth plans. Ref. CA5490

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERBroker Leasing - Flexible location£25-30K Basic • £45K OTE uncapped • Car • Health • Pension • Home Based(flexible territory)As an industry leading finance broker our client offers a complete range of flexible financialsolutions, by working in partnership with some of the UK’s largest leasing organisations. Youwill focus on developing funding & fleet management opportunities within the SME sector:typically 15-100 fleets (with flexibility). Home based, you will manage your own diary andwill have the added advantage of planning and managing your own territory. Ref. CA5323

SALES DIRECTORPLC MAIN BOARD - MIDLANDS

Our client is a highly respected and well established PLC in theCommercial Vehicle Contract Hire sector. The Company haveprospered by innovative thinking and putting original ideas into

practice. To continue this trend they are seeking a Sales Director whois a high achiever and will lead from the front with an entrepreneurial

approach to providing practical solutions to customer needs.

As a dynamic leader of the Sales operation who thrives on continuousimprovement, you will build, drive and maintain a team to deliver

positive results across four defined but interlocking business areas:-

Contract Hire– Purchase and Leaseback – Fleet Management –Workshop Services

The role therefore calls for experience and a broad understanding ofthe constituent parts of the business and a person who has managed

a National sales force in a similar field.

This is a Main Board appointment and the rewards arecommensurate with that position; the successful candidate will

receive an excellent Basic Salary + Commission + Share Options +Executive Car. For a confidential talk about this role please call

Derek Webb 01889 591791 Direct or e-mail [email protected].

www.nicholasrecruitment.co.uk

A more individual approach


Corporate Sales Development – Up to £35k Basic + uncapped OTEFrom an office/home base in the Midlands, the successful candidate will be

responsible for opening new Contract Hire corporate accounts. This is an excitingopportunity to join a significant, well established and fast growing Contract Hire

business with great career growth potential.

Corporate Sales Executives – Midlands and Home Counties Up to £40k plusCommission

The ideal candidates will possess experience in Vehicle Contract Hire with aproven track record in New Business Development and Relationship

Management. These are major appointments for our PLC client which is reflectedby the package

Fleet Services Manager – Tyne and Wear - £30k Basic plus Bonus, Benefits.Our client, an FN top 20 Contract Hire business is seeking a Fleet Services

Manager. Managing a team of 8 Maintenance Controllers in authorising dealerrepairs on contract hire vehicles as well as planning and implementing a

maintenance strategy which includes the use of “1 link” platforms.

BDM – Finance, Large Ticket- M4 Corridor - £30k basic + OTE + Bank BenefitsSomething quite different - the ideal candidate will have a full understanding ofasset finance products including contract hire and ideally daily rental vehicles.

Working from a home base but with National support to provide funding for majorfleets. As a well established Bank brand, our client can offer successful people,

real career growth opportunities..

[email protected]

For a confidential discussion ask for Derek Webb on

01889 591554For on line application and more vacancies go to

www.nicholasrecruitment.co.uk

A more individual approach

Specialist Search and SelectionTo view a variety of current positions visit our website www.alastairames.co.uk or ring for details.

Tel 0207 917 1855 Fax 0207 917 1856 [email protected] 211 PICCADILLY, LONDON W1V 9LD

alwaysthe right person for the job

A L A S T A I R A M E S

www.riskinfleet.co.uk

Don’t risk it, takethe right route

For more information, contactMaddie Collins on 01733 [email protected]

Why attend?1 Learn about the new Corporate Manslaughter Bill and

ways to protect your fleet from prosecution.2 Gain an in-depth understanding of the latest risk issues3 Discover fresh thinking from some of the industry’s

foremost experts4 Share ideas and issues with like-minded fleet operators5 Find new ways to manage employees with safety

in mind6 Prepare your fleet for the impact of financial

challenges ahead7 Investigate what potential suppliers have to offer8 Exploit ideas for potential savings from more

efficient operations.9 Take away the skills to cut accidents and reduce

costs on your fleet10 Maximise your influence over senior management

The Fleet News Risk in Fleet conference focuses on twokey areas – financial risk and corporate risk. The event isintended to attract fleet managers at all levels who arelooking for a detailed briefing on the key issues facingtheir fleets when it comes to financial and corporate risk.

To advertise here call Daniel Bragg on 01733 468271

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Get a letter published in Fleet News and you will receive a 512Mb computer memory stick worth £15 courtesy of fleet soft-ware and occupational road safety specialist Jaama.

FREE GIFT

■ By writing to Fleet News you agree to have your details passed on to Jaama and may receive offers from or in association with Bauer Automotive unless you state otherwise.

Leasing firms should share grey fleet blame Regarding your story on intro-

ducing a blanket ban on under-25s driving company vehicles (February 14), this may prove difficult in practice.

Insurance companies can refuse to insure people under or over a certain age as they are not covered by age discrim-ination regulations.

If all insurance companies refused fleet insurance on this basis, it would be possible for an employer to say that people under 25 could not drive a company vehicle as the requirement for all drivers to be insured would supercede that not to discriminate on grounds of age.

There may, however, be a problem when only some insurance companies intro-duce such a ban. I think it would then be incumbent upon a fleet manager to look around for other insurers and obtain other quotes.

If they are wildly expensive, it may be possible to justify the ban on under-25s – although normally expense alone will not amount to sufficient justifi-cation. It would need to be tested and I am not aware of any reported cases.

I would certainly caution against introducing a blanket ban just because your current insurer refuses to issue insur-ance to under-25s as I think there is a real risk of being found to be in breach of age discrimination regulations if no further enquiries have been made.

AMANDA DINGLELegal adviser,Bulfin & Co, employ-ment law solicitors

Insurance and young drivers

Interface■ Email: [email protected]. Please include name, job title, company and addressLETTERS

Have you seen an increase in the number of drivers running out of fuel, possibly as a result of the decline in numbers of filling stations? If so, vote “yes” in our online poll at the bottom of the homepage at Fleetnews.co.uk

100

80

60

40

20

0YES NO

LAST WEEK’S POLL

60% 40%

Do your grey fleet drivers adhere to the same policies and standards as your company car drivers?

It’s not uncommon these days to get in a bit of a panic when we can’t find a filling station.

Modern cars tell you how many miles to go before you will run out of fuel so we tend to run them closer to empty when we might have previously filled up “just in case”.

And despite the gradual decline in the number of filling stations in the UK, we still

expect to see one around the next corner.

So when we round that curve to see the forecourt blocked by heaps of broken Tarmac, we’re in trouble.

Between the profits of the oil companies and the high taxes, the folk who sell the stuff are being squeezed out and more of us will have to go back to filling up “just in case”.

ONLINE POLL FleetNews COMMENT

I read with interest your recent article (January 3) highlighting the fact that one third of grey fleet drivers who lease cars without maintenance are failing to have vital safety work carried out.

The finger was being pointed at the bedroom brokers. However, many of the biggest leasing companies are fuelling these problems by giving these cheap rates to brokers in the first place.

Ten to 15 years ago, brokers found it harder to gain entry to the market. Only the best brokers had access to contract hire prod-ucts. But as the banks have entered the market and the pres-sure for growth increases, stan-dards appear to have lowered.

Brokers, who often have no more than a fancy website, are given access to the major leasing company rates, and, by finding out a customer’s allowance, are selling them a rate to maximise their commission. Excluding maintenance may increase commission by £700-£800.

If the major bank and manufac-turer-owned leasing companies do not improve the way in which

they vet and control brokers, there will always be people willing to offer grey fleet drivers non-maintained, cheap deals to the maximum of their allowance.

And while the companies employing these drivers have a duty of care towards their employ-ees, what are they expected to do when a driver turns to them and says that they have spent their allowance and cannot afford necessary repairs or, worse still, decide not to tell their employer and continue to drive the car with

defective and illegal tyres.Many of the major leasing

companies will tell you that it is part of their strategy to use brokers to enable them to reach the small fleets. While it has never been our policy at Sandicliffe Motor Contracts to work with smaller brokers, I understand the role the better ones play.

But we will see the emergence of more bedroom brokers encour-aging drivers to take out non-maintained deals to the maximum of their allowance.

If you turn to a financial adviser for a mortgage, they have a duty to ensure you can afford the repayments before they arrange it for you.

Isn’t it high time that the major leasing companies insisted on similar best practice from their brokers, striking off those who do not comply?

IAN MIDDLETONManaging director,Sandicliffe Motor Contracts

We have around 230 vehicles on our fleet, which is 80% commer-cial vehicles.

For the past 18 months we have been reviewing desk-based solutions to address our expo-sure to road risks.

We have followed the advice of the Health and Safety Execu-tive to assess our risks as the first step and decided on a desk-

based solution for this. Having a licence check was very impor-tant.

Some of the systems on offer have given us nothing but laughs at just how inconsistent they are.

We tried nine systems until we happened to come across the new Roadmarque system by chance after attending a Safe and

Sound seminar. I was delighted to find that this software gives us incredibly accurate results on individual risk, a direct licence check with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and carbon footprint per driver data, which was a bonus.

I can study the results and work out a cost-effective plan to reduce my risks moving forward.

It costs less than of a set of wiper blades per driver.

This is a big headache removed and leaves me to concentrate on other important areas of my fleet. DOMINIC KEEBLEFleet & facilities manager, Coinspinner Entertainments Group

Finding the right solution to road risks


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Q I’ve just tried to remove some decals from one of

my vans that was about to be sold off and I’ve found the paint is a slightly different colour where the logos were. Is it worth my while getting the van resprayed? It’s a three-year-old Vauxhall Vivaro with 90,000 miles on the clock and otherwise in pretty good condition.

A1: No, you would not recover the cost of the re-

spray in the sale price. Even worse, a re-spray could

lead a potential buyer to suspect that the new paintwork may have

been required to cover damage.Depending on the colour of the

vehicle, it may be possible to improve the colour difference with a good polish.

JOHN FLEET UK asset director, Northgate

A2: Modern preparation techniques are designed to

get used vehicles looking like new, so there should be no need to invest time or the huge cost of repainting the vehicle.

When vinyl stickers are removed they almost inevitably leave ghosting, which if not

further treated will potentially be offputting for potential buyers. Remember that the next owner will want to brand the vehicle to his or her business and will need clean panels to do so.

BCA offers a complete trade name deletion service that addresses and solves this problem far more cost-efficiently.

Once the vinyl stickers are removed, the panels are machine-polished to a consistent finish.

Further recommended enhancements to this profes-sional preparation process of LCVs can include a cabin valet, engine clean and degrease and

paintless dent removal.The aim is to make the van

more saleable. If the van is in very poor

condition, with an unappealing specification and in a non-factory corporate finish, then these techniques probably won’t add a lot of value.

But, on the right vehicle, the result is a van that will stand out at remarketing time and really attract the buyers.

DUNCAN WARD Business development manager – commercial vehiclesBCA

REMOVING LOGOS

QI am thinking of employing a few Eastern

European van drivers as I can’t get enough English ones. Any ideas of what I should look out for when giving them an interview?

ARecent statistical analysis of road incidents proves that

foreign drivers are responsible for a disproportionate number of crashes and collisions on UK roads. While some of the causes are no doubt attributable to employer management failings, it would appear that the majority are concerned with the driver as an individual and it’s vital that prospective employers tread warily at the recruitment stage.

An obvious point to gauge is the command of English that the candidate has. Although there is a lot of harmonisation through-out Europe on such things as road signs, a large amount of safety-related information available to the driver relies on his being able to understand the written word.

You must be able to establish if the driver has any health problem or other condition that might affect his ability to drive safely. The potentially fatal condition narcolepsy, for instance, would be very difficult to establish at the interview stage if it was denied, as would any dependence on recreational drugs. Even some prescribed drugs can have a detrimental effect on driving ability if the conditions of use are ignored or abused.

Clearly, the driver must have a licence suitable for the type of vehicle and a casual inspection of the bit of paper will not be enough for even the most experienced HR professional or fleet manager. A proper Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency check is highly recommended, especially in view of the reciprocal arrangements that now exist between the EU member states.

Ideally, once all the above has been covered, you should make it a requirement that the driver takes an on-road driving assessment with a qualified assessor. If he is found wanting, but declared essentially competent, he could well benefit from a specific UK familiarisa-tion course.

STEVE JOHNSONDirector of communications, DriveTech (UK)

QI have banned smoking in all our vans but I’m

pretty certain most of the drivers are ignoring this. All the cabs stink of cigarette smoke. What can I do?

ANot all vehicles have to be smoke free. If only one

person uses a van – e.g. there is no driver’s mate, no sharing of lifts, no pooling of use, then the

smoke-free regulations do not apply. Where the van has to be smoke-free, the smoke-free sign must be displayed.

A duty is then placed on persons controlling or being concerned in the management of smoke-free vehicles to prevent smoking from taking place. That would clearly include the employer. It could also include the fleet manager. The maximum

penalty for all is £2,500. It is unlikely that simply

placing a smoke free sign in a van will be sufficient. The reader is now on notice that the steps taken so far have been insuffi-cient.

If prosecuted, a defence is available but broadly speaking, one must show that reasonable steps were taken to prevent smoking. The most practical

solution is to update the vehicle policy, making it a disciplinary matter to smoke or to allow smoking to take place. All van users should sign this policy. Spot checks should also take place to demonstrate that the policy is being enforced.

PHILIP SOMARAKISSenior solicitor, Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons

Getting a branded vehicle ready for sale

HELPLINE ■ Do you have a problem with your fleet? Email: [email protected]


FOREIGNDRIVERS

SMOKING BAN

Q I read in Fleet News (January 24) that one

fleet has replaced air in its tyres with nitrogen. I’m interested in doing this on my fleet but do you have to have special tyres for use with nitrogen and if not, where can I actually get nitrogen from?

A Kwik-Fit Fleet was the pioneer of tyre inflation

using nitrogen several years ago.

However, despite offering the service through a number of our centres, demand failed to take off.

Since February 1 we have offered nitrogen inflation at 32 centres as the concept appears to be gathering momentum once again – further details are available by emailing [email protected]

The main advantage of nitrogen being used for tyre inflation is that as the gas contains less moisture than air it does not permeate the inner liner of the tyre, which holds the air in.

Permeation can cause oxidisa-tion of the steel belts in the tyre, which can go rusty and that in turn can rust the wheels, particularly on older cars.

A further benefit of less moisture is that the tyre runs

drier and cooler and retains pressure longer. Less heat in the tyre also means there will be less rolling resistance on the road surface and therefore vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption will be at optimum levels.

However, the real world truth is that if tyres filled with air are checked regularly, and Kwik-Fit Fleet recommends weekly, then exactly the same benefits will be obtained – optimum fuel efficiency and emission levels.

In addition, anyone who opts to fill their tyres with nitrogen must be aware that, notwith-standing the new service being trialled by Kwik-Fit, the network of facilities to inflate tyres with nitrogen is extremely limited in the UK.

MIKE WISEHead of Kwik-Fit Fleet

TYRE ISSUES

Tyre pressures and treads should be checked weekly

Interface


NEWS QUIZ

You couldn’t make it up...

EVENTS

NEXT WEEK

Win a GB Michelin guideFive lucky winners of this week’s news quiz will receive a copy of the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland 2008, worth £15.99.

The guide uses a star system to identify the best

hotels and restaurants within different comfort and price categories. It includes 15 new one-star restaurants, as well as 33 new Bib Gourmand establishments offering good food at moderate prices, with three courses for less than £28, reflecting the growing competition in fine dining.

The compact, easy-to-navigate guide has 4,567 entries and is made up of a range of hotels, restaurants and pubs to suit all budgets. All entries are regularly inspected by Michelin’s team of professional inspectors.

For a chance to win, answer the following questions, based on articles in this week’s Fleet News.1 What will be the new congestion charge for cars emitting more than 225g/km CO2?2 What is the maximum speed of the Bravo 1.6 Multijet?3 Who is Peugeot’s new fleet director?

This week’s winner of a RoadCam camera is Lesley Smith, car leasing officer at Thurrock Council.

28.02.08My first company car was a 1993 Mazda 323 Fastback.

Not overly endowed with goodies, it had wind-up windows, no sunroof and no air-conditioning, but it did have a 16-valve badge and

pop-up headlights which scored highly on the ‘cool’ factor.

In almost two years, I covered 85,000 trouble-free miles until somebody rammed into the back of it. To add insult to injury, I was given a Volvo 440 while the Mazda was repaired.

Simon CookAutomotive director, Mondial Assistance (UK)

’

‘I received a call from a driver asking for instructions on how to get a puncture repaired. I advised that our policy was to use Kwik-Fit and offered to put him through to the local branch.

The driver’s response was: “OK. My oil light has been flashing for nearly two weeks. Will they look at that at the same time?”

I couldn’t believe it and asked if he had checked the level. Apparently he “hadn’t had the time”, but as he couldn’t use the car because of the puncture he thought it would be a good time to get both issues sorted.

Send your answers, with your job title and address, by email* to [email protected] with ‘News Quiz’ in the subject line. The closing date is 5pm on Friday (tomorrow), when a winner will be chosen at random from the correct entries. *By supplying your email address you are happy to receive offers via email from Fleet News. We will not pass your information on to other parts of Bauer Publishing Group and/or third parties.

MY FIRST COMPANY CAR

CONTACT US

EDITORIALEDITOR Martyn Moore 01733 [email protected] EDITORJulian Kirk 01733 [email protected] EDITORDaniel Attwood 01733 [email protected] EDITORAdele Barry (currently on maternity leave)MOTORING WRITERPhill Tromans 01733 [email protected] Cooper 01733 [email protected] EDITOR/EVENTSJohn Maslen 01733 [email protected] EDITOR Steve [email protected]

ADVERTISINGCOMMERCIAL DIRECTORIan Warrington 01733 468583KEY ACCOUNT DIRECTORSAndy Smith 01733 468339Peter Millis 01733 468268Derek Hunter 01733 468280PROJECT MANAGERLeanne Patterson 01733 468332TELESALES MANAGERPenny Care 01733 468375RECRUITMENT EXECUTIVEDaniel Bragg 01733 468271CLASSIFIED EXECUTIVESSheryl Graham 01733 468256Dee Kennedy 01733 468275

PRODUCTIONHEAD OF PUBLISHINGSandie Hurford 01733 [email protected] ART EDITORLuke Neal 01733 [email protected] EDITORSAndrew Ryan 01733 [email protected] Salt 01733 [email protected] PRODUCERJeremy Bennett 01733 [email protected] ASSISTANTColleen Dixon 01733 [email protected]

PUBLISHINGMANAGING DIRECTOREd Kenyon 01733 [email protected] DIRECTOR’S PA Vicky Meadows 01733 [email protected] MANAGING DIRECTORRob Munro-Hall

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: £99 UK (two years £168, three years £238), £149 Europe and Eire (two years £253, three years £358). Call 01733 468659 for special offers

Back issues: 01858 438847Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Ashford, Kent

© 2008 Bauer Automotive.ISSN 0953-8526. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. You can purchase words or pictures for your own publications. Phone 01733 465982 or email [email protected]. Fleet News will not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Your business needs Fleet News and a subscription is great value. Call 01733 468659or email: [email protected]

Fleet News, incorporating Company Car, is published by Bauer Automotive, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Phone 01733 468000. Fax 01733 468296. Email [email protected]

Email stories about your drivers to [email protected] All entries published will remain anonymous. If yours is chosen you’ll receive £10.

Real-life stories about your fleet’s dimwit drivers

BRAKE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL FORUM March 5, Biffa Waste Services, Cannock. www.brake.org.uk

FLEET NEWS AWARDS March 10, Grosvenor House Hotel, London. 01733 468123 www.fleetnewsawards.com

INSTITUTE OF CAR FLEET MANAGEMENT’S ANNUAL MEMBERS’ CONFERENCEMarch 11, Honda Institute, Colnbrook, Berkshire. www.icfm.com

FLEET NEWS RISK IN FLEET CONFERENCEApril 22, National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham.www.riskinfleet.co.uk

BRAKE FLEET SAFETY FORUM: THE BUSINESS CASEApril 22, Leamington Spa.

ACFO REGIONAL MEETINGSFleet operators’ association ACFO holds regular regional meetings. For details, visit www.acfo.org

InterfaceAND FINALLY...

ROAD TESTRenault’s Laguna 1.5dCi Sport Tourer meets its rivals

STATE OF THE INDUSTRYKey fleet issues

COMPETITION Win a Halford’s digital tyre inflator

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE


For further information on

any vehicle in the Ford

range please contact the

Ford Business Centre on

08457 23 23 23, email

[email protected], or

visit www.fordfleet.co.uk

Taking much of its exterior and interior design from the striking Verve Concept,

the 2008 Fiesta, which will be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, marks a major leap forward in terms of style, craftsmanship and quality of materials.

The sixth generation of the Fiesta family, which will be offered in both three and five-door bodystyles when it goes on sale in the autumn, remains true to Fiesta fundamentals of practicality, affordability, agility and safety – in a structure that’s both lighter and stronger than before.

It will be available with a range

of efficient petrol and diesel engines. The 1.25-litre (60PS and 80PS) and 1.4-litre (91PS) Duratec petrol units are joined by a new Duratec 1.6-litre Ti-VCT option.

This advanced powertrain provides an additional 15PS over the outgoing 100PS model but, thanks to variable valve timing, with no fuel consumption penalty.

Ford’s economic TDCi common-rail diesel engines will continue to be offered in 1.4-litre (68PS) and 1.6-litre (90PS) guises. Later in 2008 a Fiesta ECOnetic with CO2 emissions of less than 100g/km will be available.

All Fiestas will be equipped with the slick Ford Durashift five-speed manual transmission, with automatic available on

some models. New Fiesta retains the MacPherson strut front suspension and twist-beam rear suspension layout that has been one of its traditional strengths, but the new suspension and steering system has undergone significant development.

Ford’s engineers have enhanced Fiesta’s ride comfort and isolated road, wind and powertrain noise from the cabin. The result is an impressively quiet drive for a small car.

Electric-Power Assist Steering (E-PAS) is introduced in the Fiesta for the first time.

E-PAS provides the right balance of low-speed assistance and excellent feel and responsiveness.

Concept car looks for new Fiesta

Focus on trainingFord has ensured that its dealers are fully prepared for the new Focus, with special training for 2,400 UK dealer staff at Henry Ford College, Loughborough.

The training combined interactive classroom sessions with on-road driving of Focus and key competitors.

The Focus training programme followed the successful dealer launch of the new Mondeo at the Henry Ford College last year.

“We have taken a different approach with Focus, to emphasise the ‘Feel the Difference’ message,” said product specialist Neil Wilson. “We have included more interactive sessions, where we give the delegates the opportunity to learn and experience the cars for themselves, and find out key facts on the new Focus and why it is a much improved car.”

Futuristic theme continues insideA Verve Concept interior – the futuristic, mobile phone-inspired, human-machine interface technology of the instrument panel centre stack – will be a core feature of the new Fiesta.

The Ford Convers+ monitor and control system – already available on Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy models – will also feature, representing a major step forward for the small car buyer.

It is just one of several new features and technologies, including keyless vehicle technology symbolised by the distinctive ‘Ford Power’ button on the instrument panel.

Connectivity is another new Fiesta strength.

The new centre console features a convenient tray for MP3 players complete with built-

in sockets for an auxiliary (AUX) audio and USB cables, along with the traditional 12 volt outlet. This allows the car’s audio system to control and charge the MP3 player.

Bluetooth® connectivity with voice control is also offered in the new Fiesta, along with more big-car technologies.

tgtg

The Ford

Convers+

system

– already

available

on Mondeo,

S-MAX and

Galaxy – will

feature in

new Fiesta

Supermini takes design

cues from Verve

download 20-02-08

Documents

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