Archive for the ‘General Motoring News’ Category

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Potential fuel duty rise, supermarket petrol prices cut, new Chevrolet …

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Car finance customers were warned of what could be a fairly hefty blow to their bank balances, as a £13 billion shortfall in the Treasury’s coffers may lead to a 50% rise in fuel duty in the coming years.

The gap in the government’s accounts has been blamed on the increasing number of green cars on our roads. The low-emission vehicles are exempt from paying tax, meaning others will be forced to pick up the bill in the years to come. Currently, the money collected from fuel duty makes up 1.7% of Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, as more and more people turn to green cars on finance plans, this is forecasted to drop to just 1.1%. At the same time, vehicle excise duty is expected to drop from 0.4% of GDP to 0.1% over the next two decades. (more…)

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New Astra to be built in UK, Polo concept unveiled, BMW…

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

In good news for the UK motoring industry, an announcement was made this week stating that the next generation of Vauxhall Astra’s will be built on these shores, at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

Although the deal has just recently been struck, car finance customers will have to wait a while to take the new model for a spin as production won’t commence until 2015. When work finally gets under way, however, the site will see a minimum of 160,000 cars built each year, with the agreement continuing beyond 2020.

The announcement by Vauxhall comes after 94% of staff voted in favour of production occurring at the Ellesmere Port plant. The investment of £125 million also means that 2,100 current employees can rest assured that their jobs are safe, while 700 new jobs will be created at the plant. (more…)

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SEAT Alhambra adds to its awards, Google’s driverless cars up and running and alarmingly poor first MOT pass rates

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

SEAT’s widely praised people carrier, the Alhambra, has added to its list of awards after being crowned ‘MPV of the Year’ by magazine Diesel Car for the second year in a row. The accolade from the respected publication comes after awards from other influential titles such as What Car? and Auto Express.

SEAT UK Managing Director Peter Wyhinny welcomed the gong, saying, “This fantastic award from Diesel Car is the tenth UK accolade the Alhambra has received, and shows very clearly how brilliant our seven-seater really is”. The Alhambra was praised in particular for its value for money, high quality and flexibility of use – something those on the lookout for affordable family cars on finance plans should bear in mind. (more…)

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Increase in registered cars, new Porsche Boxter and Jaguar’s speed taxi service

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

The number of cars registered in the UK in April of this year was up 3.3% on the April 2011 figure. 142,322 new cars were registered in the UK last month, which has led the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to raise its estimate of the total new registrations for 2012 to 1.95 million. 

Proving its continued popularity with car finance customers, the Ford Fiesta was once again the most-registered car, with 42,170 of the supermini being registered so far this year. The Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Focus complete the top three, with 29,934 and 29,933 respectively. Volkswagen’s Golf and Polo models, as well as the Vauxhall Astra, make up the rest of the top 6. Experts say these stats reveal the UK’s ongoing desire for inexpensive, small family car finance deals. 

(more…)

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Insurance companies denying mobile offenders, sporty Evoque, Ford…

Friday, May 4th, 2012

It has emerged that car insurance companies are denying motorists insurance if they’re caught texting or calling someone from a mobile phone behind the wheel.

A survey of several insurers conducted by the AA found that this treatment even applied to first time offenders, with half of insurers refusing to quote at all. The half that would in such an instance apply a hike of nearly 20% on regular premiums.

The news is something that buyers and car financing customers should be aware of when driving or purchasing a new car. In the past, insurance companies have been lenient towards those with three points on their license (the standard penalty for the offence), but the same providers are starting to take a tougher line, according to the Association of British Insurers.

(more…)

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MG reveals new concept SUV, Audi gives the Q5 a facelift and Enzo Ferrari museum opens

Monday, April 30th, 2012

MG’s Chinese owners have provided hints as to what could be expected from the company’s models in the near future. The MG ‘Icon’ was unveiled at the recent 2012 Beijing Auto Show, although people interested in MG UK finance deals should know that the car is purely a concept at this point in time. The Icon itself is a four-door compact SUV-come-sports coupe that bears a strong resemblance to MGs of the past, in particular the MG BT. The rear lights, radiator grille and wheels all noticeably echo classic MG designs, but with a modern twist.

A spokesman confirmed that the car had been influenced by a Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) visit to the Longbridge factory in the West Midlands where MGs were formerly manufactured. “There are no production plans at present, but this is something we could definitely do”, the spokesman said. “The MG Icon highlights a global vision for MG’s design and represents a milestone for the brand, particularly this year which marks the 50th anniversary of the MG B”. MG’s UK arm, MG Motor UK, is increasing its production levels after the successful launch last year of the MG6, the first entirely new MG available in the UK in 16 years of producing quality cars on finance deals.

(more…)

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Hyundai posts rise in sales, BMW unveils Olympic fleet and…

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

In news that has surprised some quarters given the current slowing of European and Chinese motoring markets, Hyundai has managed to boost its quarterly net profit to $2.15 billion, a rise of nearly a third.

The South Korean car company, whose models are consistently popular with car finance customers, has stated that it expects to sell 465,000 vehicles this year – an increase of 15.4% on current sales.  The news comes in the same week that other manufacturers including Renault reported falls in sales, as the European car market fell 8% during the first three months of this year.

A huge part of Hyundai’s sales success is owed to the new i30 compact, which quickly became popular with parents looking for smart family cars on finance plans. So much so, that it has become Hyundai’s best-selling model in Europe according to market researchers JATO Dynamics, after 101,328 units were sold last year alone.

(more…)

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Petrol rise, Nissan plant, Jaguar F-Type, Lamborghini SUV and Citroen DS

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Petrol prices at the pumps have risen to a new high despite wholesale fuel prices declining by almost 7% in the last week, according to the AA. The average cost of petrol is 142.48p per litre, a rise of 10.23p since the start of the year. Diesel prices have risen less steeply but remain at a high of 142.48p per litre on average. The news follows reports of panic-buying in March over fears of a strike by tanker drivers.

There is, however, a ray of light for UK drivers currently considering cars on finance deals, with Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury set to cut the price of petrol by 2p per litre. According to a spokesperson from Asda, which was the first supermarket to announce the cut, this means that motorists will pay no more than 138.7p for a litre of unleaded petrol, or 143.7p for a litre of diesel.

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UK drivers buying more fuel efficient cars, Audi Q3 RS, Hyundai Santa Fe

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

A study conducted by motor industry body SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) has revealed that more and more UK drivers - car financing customers included -are buying fuel efficient cars that have a record of low CO2 emission levels.

The report, which is the eleventh of its kind, details how of all cars sold in the UK in 2011, 46.8% were models that emit less than 130g/km. This marks a considerable rise of 10.6% since 2007.

The other encouraging statistic that the report from the SMMT reveals is the 23% drop in average CO2 emissions since 2000, with the average emissions for a new car sold in the UK now standing at 138.1g/km. This leaves the UK in a promising situation with regards to meeting a European Union regulation that dictates that the average must fall to 130g/km by 2015.

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Citroen Numero 9 details unveiled and Volkswagen posts record sales

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

Citroen has released details of its new Numero 9 concept car ahead of the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. Automotive news sites are abuzz with information on the car, with speculation that its production name could be the DS9 – becoming the latest in a new line of cars that have been introduced to China in the form of the DS3, the DS4 and the DS5.

As the DS series is aimed predominately at the Chinese market, it isn’t known at this point whether the eventual model will be available to customers who finance cars in the UK. However, it’s thought that at least two of three DS models that are to be introduced in the future will make it to British shores.

(more…)

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