BMW reveals a host of upgrades and new models

January 27th, 2012

BMW has been working hard for many years to create one of the most desirable brands on our roads, with ‘the ultimate driving machine’ claims backed up by a range of cars that have rarely been a let-down. To stay ahead of the game, the Bavarian brand has bombarded us with diverse models in recent years, as well as keeping up its backbone ranges such as the 3 Series and 5 Series.

The 3 Series is BMW’s biggest seller and has recently been updated, much to the delight of legions of BMW fans looking ahead to their next BMW finance deal. BMW hasn’t left it there, either, with 2012 bringing a whole host of new and updated models.

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The benefits and value car leasing can bring you

January 26th, 2012

Have you ever fancied driving something a bit more glamorous than the normal humdrum saloon? Maybe you’d like to try out something a bit more upmarket, with a hint of exclusivity and desirability? Well, you might think that the dream of getting your hands on a premium motor is just that little bit too much out of reach due to budget restrictions – however, you might be wrong. Car finance options exist to make those dreams a possibility, and are well worth considering before you give up completely.

Leasing a car can be a very effective method of car finance. It’s been in use in the business world for many years now – although it’s often called contract hire when it comes to commercial use. Basically, contract hire packages are a great way for a business to provide company cars for its employees. As they’re leased, they don’t go on the balance sheets, don’t depreciate and lose the company money, and offer the business all sorts of tax incentives.

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VW Touareg lease gets you premium SUV luxury

January 25th, 2012

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that the only option for a luxury SUV was the hugely popular Range Rover. However, over the last decade nearly all premium car makers have hopped onto the bandwagon to offer alternatives to the classy British off-roader.

One company keen to get a slice of the action has been Volkswagen, who introduced its monstrous Touareg in 2002. VW knew its model would be expensive and that it would be up against more prestigious brand names, so went about designing a car that needed to feel like a high-quality product. As a result, if you plump for a VW Touareg lease deal, you’ll immediately notice the first-class feel throughout the car.

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New Minis, Kia launch new showroom design, …

January 24th, 2012

Popular car brand Mini is launching two limited-edition models in March. Both new models will have plenty of extra kit and are sure to be big hits with Mini car finance customers. It looks like Mini is keen to cash in on their British heritage, with the two models called the Bayswater and Baker Street.

The Bayswater will come in a choice of three colours, depending on the model variant. ‘Kite Blue’ metallic is standard across the range, with ‘Midnight Black’ metallic and ‘Eclipse Grey’ metallic available on Cooper S and Cooper SD engine variants. There’s extra sporty trim on the inside and outside of the new model, with snazzy alloy wheels and added equipment unique to this line. This extra equipment is likely to make the Bayswater a tempting package for people looking at Minis on car finance deals, ensuring they get plenty of bang for their buck.

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FSA fine Insurance firms, Jag XF Diesel purrs onto the market and…

January 23rd, 2012

Insurance is an essential and unavoidable cost when it comes to motoring. In a perfect world there would be no need to consider it as part of the budget for your next car finance deal, but many of us are glad it’s there when things go wrong.

Insurance companies always call for honesty when it comes to filling in their forms. Unfortunately, it looks like some firms have fallen on their own swords this week as the Financial Services Authority (FSA) issued large fines to Direct Line and Churchill after it emerged they had tampered with customer complaint files.

The two companies were fined £2.17 million after the FSA found that more than half of 50 cases submitted to them for inspection had been doctored, including forged staff signatures on seven documents. Details of the doctoring emerged after both providers were requested to submit the paperwork in 2009 as the FSA looked to improve the handling of complaints.

Both companies will now have to up their game if they’re to regain customer confidence after these revelations, and ultimately the taxpayer will have to foot the bill as both Churchill and Direct Line are part of the Royal Bank of Scotland; a state-owned body.

Thankfully, there’s better news elsewhere in the British motoring industry this week, as Jaguar took the wraps off its latest XF diesel, moving the popular executive saloon closer to those seeking Jaguar finance deals. The new diesel brings the starting price of the XF below £30,000, and its impressive figures are sure to make it a popular car finance deal option. It uses the same 2.2 diesel that’s found in the current XF diesel, though serves up 161bhp instead of the 187bhp of its older stable-mate.

While the new XF might be down on power compared to its more expensive sister, it’s still a good option for those looking for affordable luxury cars on finance. It returns 52.3mpg on a combined cycle and chucks out just 149g/km CO2, which will help keep your bank manager happy and stop the tax man from raiding your pockets. If the new diesel Jag sounds like the perfect match for you, it’s available on car finance deals now.

While the Jag is an inexpensive option for a large executive saloon, there are other cars out there that will go the extra mile for the environment. The darling of the hybrids, the Toyota Prius, is one such eco warrior. It has just received a freshening up for 2012, and is sure to be an attractive choice on car finance deals with its 70.6mpg figure and tiny CO2 figure.

The performance stats for the new Prius remain the same as the outgoing model, but it now features restyled exterior touches, extra toys to play with inside and tweaked suspension designed to get rid of the hard ride and improve driver comfort. If you fancy looking at green cars on finance deals and like the sound of the new Prius, you’ll have to wait until March before it takes to the road in the UK.

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Mercedes CLC: an attractive sports hatch

January 20th, 2012

It can be difficult to keep up to speed with the Mercedes range these days. The prestigious German marque has gone from producing a simple range of cars consisting of small, medium and large luxury saloons (with the odd sporty number thrown into the mix) to offering a huge range of models to draw in new buyers.

One of Mercedes’ main strategies has been to produce cheaper cars to attract younger customers and build long-term brand loyalty. One such car was the C-Class Coupe; a three door hatchback designed to take on the likes of the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. The C-Class Coupe remained in the shadow of its rivals, however, and – in an effort to make its mark in the market – Mercedes gave the C-Class a makeover and rebranded it the ‘CLC’.

Although the CLC is visually similar to its predecessor, if you plump for a Mercedes leasing deal you’ll be getting a vastly improved car. The exterior styling is sharper, more aggressive and prettier – it’s a design that oozes class, something that business customers looking at Mercedes CLC contract hire deals are sure to appreciate.

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Peugeot 207 lease presents pretty French supermini

January 19th, 2012

Small cars can be a tricky formula to get right. With modern technology and big demand for cheap compact cars, manufacturers face increasing demand to package a smaller vehicle cleverly, offering big space inside while cramming in all the technology and mod-cons you’d expect from a new car. Throw in the need to make it fuel-efficient, affordable, comfortable and safe – well, it can become a real head-scratcher for any manufacturer.

French car makers, however, have somehow been very good at getting the small car formula right for quite some time now. Companies such as Peugeot have had major successes in this sector over the years, though competition has heated up in recent years -meaning they’ve had to work extremely hard to try and stay ahead of the game.

Thankfully, Peugeot has held its own, and with a Peugeot 207 lease deal, you’ll understand why it’s still considered to be the leading manufacturer of small cars the world over. From the outside, the good looks of the 207 draw you in with clean lines and a design that’s brimming with Parisian cool. As such, with a Peugeot 207 leasing arrangement, you’ll be getting your hands on one of the most classically attractive small cars on the road.

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New Year, new car?

January 18th, 2012

The New Year is an ideal time to freshen things up – maybe the house, your diet, even your car. It’s possible you just feel like a change, or maybe your current vehicle’s giving you a bit of trouble – perhaps you’re planning a car finance deal in time for the number plate change in March. In any case, you’re in luck since manufacturers also tend to see this as the perfect time of year to preview and launch new releases.

In a time when belts are still tightened and after an always-expensive festive period, it’s a relief to know that a car trade up doesn’t have to dent your wallet too much. There are plenty of different payment options open to you, many of which make paying for your dream set of wheels a lot less stressful too.

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Wireless charging in London, Mazda launches app, and BMW expands 1 Series

January 17th, 2012

The electric car has become increasingly popular in recent years, as the rapid advance of technology has turned the concept into a viable alternative to petrol and diesel power. Faster charging times and greater mileage range are major plus points for the new generation of electric vehicles available on car finance deals compared to those available just a few years ago. It’s interesting to see just how technology has come to tempt us away from traditional motoring options and towards the land of the green car.

Geographically, London has been at the forefront of encouraging its inhabitants to look for electric cars on finance deals, and Mayor Boris Johnson has now announced a trial of wireless charging points in the British capital. The wireless charging concept does away with cables and plugs – which can be cumbersome and open to vandalism – and works in a similar fashion to the charging of an electric toothbrush using magnetic resistance.

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Volkswagen Touran lease offers sensible family or business transport

January 16th, 2012

There has been a considerable increase in new models and ‘crossovers’ pushed by manufacturers in recent years, as they’ve looked to open new markets and mop up the resulting sales before the competition gets its act together.

While some of these haven’t worked and faded into distant memory (anyone remember the Renault Avantime? Nope – thought not), others have caught people’s attention and gone on to become big hits. One area that’s grown enormously as a result of crossovers is the compact ‘multi-personnel vehicle’ (mini MPV) market.

The mini MPV concept has been a huge hit with families, as these cars have larger opening doors, extra space and (in some cases) seven seats available for only slightly more money than a small family hatchback. One such success story is the Volkswagen Touran, which has brought the classy reputation of the German brand to mini MPV buyers.

When you look at the benefits a VW Touran leasing deal can bring you, it’s easy to understand why it’s a strong seller. While it’s not the prettiest of designs, it has a sense of functionality and a solid feeling. It’s this quality that’ll reassure owners that the Touran can handle pretty much anything, including restless young children!

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