Vauxhall Corsa

The Vauxhall Corsa is currently setting the standards for all other small cars to follow. It has all the hallmarks of Vauxhall’s new design ethos, with styling masterminded by Niels Loeb and Mark Adam’s designteam. Add to this all of the attributes you’d want from a small car: fuel economy, low road tax, lesser insurance groups, and you have a formula for a market leading small car.

The driveability of the new Corsa has come a long way. The improved chassis makes for good handling, and the EPS power steering is precise and full of feel. The steering system is a highlight of the new Corsa, designed for advanced driveability – it has just the right amounts of feedback and assistance in the right areas.

The amount of kit available in the new Corsa is also eye catching. If you’re a music fan, you may be tempted by the 7 loudspeakers and a multimedia screen connectable to your iPod or iPhone.There are numerous
editions of the Corsa available – the Expression, Exclusive, Excite, SXi, SE, Sri and VXR.

The price range for the Corsa rightly suggests a universal appeal. Entrylevel prices are £8,995 for the 1.0 litre petrol edition, whilst those looking for a hot hatch may look towards the Nurburging edition at around £22,000. The Nurburging is a specification that lies in Clio Sport territory: a superpower car not burdened by weight or size. The
Nurburging will do 0-60 in an earth shattering 6.5 seconds.

For the more practical driver, the CDTi ecoFlex models will have great appeal. EcoFLEX is Vauxhall’s fuel economical brand and offers a range of diesel engines that appear just the right size.  The 1.3 CDTi is fuel economy at its peak, whilst the 1.7 CDTi is only slightly thirstier but also delivers power where needed: a real all-rounder.

The new Corsa is a leader in its class and looks set to project the famous brand to new levels. Even if you are looking to buy a used vauxhall corsa you can pick them up cheap and still in great condition.

Britain’s Allan McNish took time out from fine-tuning his new diesel-engined Audi sportscar to personally get himself up to speed by attending Audi Sport’s annual winter fitness training camp last week (12-19 Feb).

McNish has been testing his Audi racecar in readiness for the season-opening Sebring 12 Hours in Florida next month (19 March) but spent seven days in the mountain region of Ofterschwang, Germany, to ensure his physical fitness is in absolute peak condition.

The Scotsman, along with his Audi “factory” team-mates, went through the pain barrier in various activities. These included skiing and mountain walking in snow shoes plus intense gym sessions featuring running, weights, spinning, soccer and volleyball.

Allan hopes the hard work will pay off in his racecar’s cockpit when the Dumfries-born ace begins a hectic seven race, nine month Intercontinental Le Mans Cup campaign.

“It is always a hard weeks training but also a good week to get to know and understand your team-mates a better in a non-racing environment,” commented McNish. “Tom [Kristensen], Dindo [Capello] and I are all strong and fit enough but there is still that healthy element of competition between us which makes it a fun week.”

To start the winter camp, the drivers were subject to a medical examination, in which the blood values and stamina were checked on a bicycle ergo-meter. “For every driver who has been with us for a number of years it’s possible to draw good comparisons over that time,” says Audi Sport’s team doctor Dr. Christian John.

“We’ve often won races over the last few years, particularly at Le Mans, because our drivers are fit and can drive four consecutive stints at night without any problems. The competition has caught up a little in this respect – but I believe we are still a little bit ahead.”

The daily programme at the Sonnenalp was always in two parts: 30 minutes stretching followed by endurance training with the focus on skating, cross country skiing and “snow shoe” hiking during the morning with team sports like football, tennis or volleyball later in the day.

Audi competes with a “closed” sportscar for the first time since 1999 at Le Mans in June, a fact not lost on Dr. John. “The regulations stipulate that the cockpit temperature may not exceed a certain value,” he says. “But the air in the cockpit is drier and warmer than with an open sports prototype, which is why it will be important to carry a drink bottle on board.”

In general race drivers must be able to drink a lot of fluid before a race to withstand the heat. “Endurance training helps the body to compensate for both,” says Dr. John.

“A driver’s neck is heavily loaded, which is why the neck and shoulder muscles must be specially trained. There are exercises and devices specifically for this which all our drivers have at home. Arms, legs and the neck must all be seen as one. Long-distance running is a particularly good exercise for race drivers, which is why I am very pleased that many of our drivers regularly take part in marathons.”

McNish will share a diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI with regular co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) and sets out to score his fourth and Audi’s 10th race victory in the season-opening Sebring 12 Hours race on 19 March.

The first images of Volkswagen’s all-new Golf Cabriolet have been revealed ahead of the car making its public debut at next week’s Geneva Motor Show.

The two-door, four-seater, front-engined soft top is the first Golf Cabriolet available since the Mk IV Golf, and builds on the company’s heritage for producing popular convertibles which started with the original Beetle cabriolet and still continues today with the Eos. With sales of around 1.42 million units, Volkswagen is one of the world’s most successful producers of convertibles.

But the latest Golf Cabriolet marks a whole new era of open-top motoring, boasting an electrically-powered soft top which can be lowered in just 9.5 seconds including on the move at speeds up to around 18 mph, a range of efficient petrol and diesel engines as well as the highest levels of quality, refinement and safety.

Measuring 4,215 mm in length, 1,424 mm in height and 1,779 mm in width, the Golf Cabriolet is smaller than the Eos. Yet despite being 208 mm shorter than the Eos, the cars share a 2,578 mm wheelbase, resulting in maximum interior space for all four passengers. From the front the new model is unmistakeably a Golf, and adopts the now familiar ‘face’ incorporating the latest Volkswagen ‘design DNA’. The heavily raked windscreen gives it a sportier appearance than the hatchback model, while at the rear, new LED lights and a deep crease in the bootlid endow the new Golf Cabriolet with its own individual style. Inside the Golf Cabriolet’s appearance matches very closely that of the hatchback, adopting the same high-quality materials and design.

The new Golf Cabriolet will be offered in the UK with a choice of trim levels – S, SE and GT – and all will have a high level of standard specification which is likely to include 16-inch alloy wheels, a fully automatic electro-hydraulically operated soft top, DAB radio and Bluetooth.

As customers would expect from any car in the Golf family, the Cabriolet will be equipped with the highest levels of safety equipment. This will include an active roll-over protection system, ABS, ESP, airbags all round and a driver’s knee airbag.

In addition to active safety equipment, protection is built into the Golf Cabriolet’s design. A reinforced window frame and structural modifications to the underbody, side panels, cross-members and doors endow the new car with an extremely high level of torsional rigidity which benefits safety, comfort and refinement.

Also having a positive impact on noise reduction and refinement is the advanced design of the Golf Cabriolet’s fabric roof which has an additional exterior skin, as well as new window and door seals. The heated rear windscreen is integrated in the soft top with high frequency welding. When the top is down, the upper side of the leading edge (the segment the directly connects to the windscreen frame) covers the entire top surface of the roof storage box, eliminating the need for a separate cover. This contributes to the very rapid opening time, and means it does not need to descend as deep into the bootspace. Even with the roof down, there is 250 litres of available space.

A choice of six engines will be available: three from launch (a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS, 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS and a 1.6-litre 105 PS TDI) and a further three later in the year (a 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS, 2.0-litre TSI 210 PS and a 2.0-litre TDI with 140 PS). BlueMotion Technology modifications will be applied to the diesel engines to ensure high efficiency and low emissions.

Volkswagen UK plans to begin taking orders for the new Golf Cabriolet in July, with the first customer orders arriving in September. More details and pricing information will be available closer to launch.

Following the first images of the new Tiguan which were revealed earlier this month, Volkswagen has released more details about the latest compact SUV model, ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March.

Thanks to a new look and new technologies, the model will be the sharpest and most efficient yet, featuring improved fuel consumption and reduced emissions.

The new Tiguan will be available with a comprehensive range of refined TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines and, as with the current Tiguan, four-wheel drive will be available with all engine derivatives. An optional two-wheel drive transmission will also be offered with select engines.

The new Tiguan will be available to order in the UK from early summer and specification and pricing will be announced nearer to launch.

Completely new car retains 908 name
New 3.7 litre V8 HDi FAP diesel engine
Same successful driver line up as 2010
Full Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) Campaign for 2011.
Last week in Paris, Peugeot Sport unveiled their new 908 endurance racing car which they will campaign in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours and the ILMC.

Peugeot Sport has a busy 2011 ahead of it with the launch of its all new Peugeot 908 and a comprehensive endurance racing programme. After a strong season in 2011, which saw it claim the inaugural Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) title, Peugeot Sport will be looking to defend its crown, although the highlight of the season will again be the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 11-12). The calendar for this year’s ILMC features seven races, including Le Mans which will carry double points. This year’s visit to Le Mans is also eagerly awaited as the recently introduced new technical regulations have given rise to a new generation of cars.

Peugeot’s all new car, built to the new technical regulations introduced for 2011, was originally given the code name 90X. However, with the 908 HDi FAP helping Peugeot build up an enviable record of world class successes, including the title in the 2007 Le Mans Series, a one-two finish at Le Mans in 2009 and the inaugural ILMC crown in 2010 it was decided to keep the same name for the new car.

“We have chosen 908 as the name of the new car in order to build on the wave of success with which it is associated,” says Peugeot’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Xavier Peugeot. “At the same time, the new car fits perfectly with the brands new modern image. It mirrors the modernity that is clearly visible in the new 508 and the recently announced new 308. At Peugeot, we have always sought to associate our commitment to motor sport with the real world and with our model range. The name 908 consequently stood out as the obvious choice.”

Following in the wake of the legendary Peugeot 905 and the 908 HDi FAP, the 908 is the third car to have been developed by Peugeot Sport for endurance racing. Like the previous cars, its mission will be to extend Peugeot’s winning record at Le Mans which already stands at three wins, in 1992, 1993 and 2009.

The 908 complies with all the latest technical regulations and the new for 2011, “shark fin engine cover”. It is a closed-cockpit car, with the same size front and rear wheels, and is powered by a new 3.7 litre V8 HDi FAP 550 bhp diesel engine. It means Peugeot Sport will be competing in endurance racing for the fifth year running with a diesel engine equipped with a particulate filter (FAP). Since 1998, more than seven million HDi diesel engines have been sold worldwide, helping Peugeot to earn a reputation as one of the largest producers of clean diesel power.

The 908 shares the same technology as is used in all Peugeot’s HDi diesel road cars. There is a very close collaboration between the group’s engineers and specialists and their counterparts at Peugeot Sport, to ensure that expertise in areas such as fuel consumption, respect for the environment and performance is shared between road cars and motor sport.

Immediately after the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours, Peugeot Sport’s engineers started to put pen to paper to design a new car destined to comply with the new, upcoming technical regulations. They also drew on all their experience and knowledge learned from the 908 HDi FAP: “The regulations have evolved a great deal but we didn’t start with a clean sheet of paper,” notes Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director. “The experience we have gained over the past four years helped to steer the decision-making process and our technical choices, although the only component which has been carried over at the end of the day is the windscreen wiper! One of the principal challenges we faced was to design an all-new car while continuing to race another at the same time. We also needed to set ourselves sound objectives with a view to obtaining the best possible package with regards to engine performance, aerodynamics and weight distribution.”

908 Overview

A closed-cockpit car: “we knew from previous testing work that there is little significant difference between open and closed cockpit cars in terms of their aerodynamic performance. At the same time, despite the added constraints they bring when working on them at races, closed-cockpit cars provide additional safety for the drivers. We therefore decided to stay with the same solution.”

Engine: “We have also made full use of our experience with the 908 HDi FAP’s V12 diesel engine. We decided to opt for a turbocharged V8 diesel engine for the 908 but, with characteristics which are very similar to those of the V12. The angle of the “vee” is 90 degrees (compared with 100 degrees in the case of the V12) to improve the engine balance. The cubic capacity is 3.7 litres and the new V8 HDi FAP engine produces a peak power of 550 bhp. We ran the engine for the first time on the dyno on January 25, 2010.”

Four identical wheels: “Today’s LMP cars have a shortcoming with regards to ultimate grip of the front wheels. The logical way to cure this was to increase the size of the contact patch between the tyres and the track, which entailed running bigger front wheels, within the limits specified by the regulations. This aspect of the car’s development was carried out in close collaboration with our partner Michelin.”

Aerodynamics: “Given the big reduction in engine power resulting from the 2011 regulations (a reduction of approximately 150 bhp), we had to take a fresh look at the trade-off between aerodynamics, drag and down force. The latter has been significantly reduced in order to maintain a reasonably high top speed.”

The new car made its track made its track debut on 27th July 2010. “This was the deadline we set ourselves, although we knew we would almost certainly run into teething trouble given that this was an all-new car. We did indeed have problems but we succeeded in resolving them one by one as we got more and more kilometres on the clock. One of the very positive points we found was that the car’s handling lived up to our expectations straight out of the box. Between the car’s track debut in 2010 and the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours, we will have completed twelve tests in all, at a number of different circuits,” concludes Bruno Famin.

Full 2011 Championship

The Intercontinental Le Mans Cup has expanded from three rounds in 2010 to a seven-round championship in 2011, including two races in the USA (Sebring and Petit Le Mans Road Alanta), three in Europe (Spa-Francorchamps, Imola and Silverstone) and one in China, plus the Le Mans 24 Hours.

“We clearly want to defend our ILMC title,” underlines Oliver Quesnel, Director of Peugeot Sport. “We won all three rounds of the series in 2010, but there is one round we are especially targeting this year, and that is Le Mans. This legendary event has now been incorporated into the championship, a move we believed was necessary. Including Le Mans will be very beneficial for the championship and will put an even bigger spotlight on endurance racing which is a discipline that permits car makers like Peugeot to showcase their know-how and technology in extreme conditions. We have, therefore, submitted entries for two cars to the ACO for every round, with the exception of Spa-Francorchamps where we will take three cars to use it as a full-scale dress rehearsal ahead of the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

Driver Line-up Le Mans 24 Hours 2011

The driver line-up for the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours will be as follows:

Car No7 – Alexander Wurz / Anthony Davidson / Marc Gené
Car No8 – Franck Montagny / Nicolas Minassian / Stéphane Sarrazin
Car No9 – Sébastien Bourdais / Pedro Lamy / Simon Pagenaud

New micro-hybrid e-HDi reduces CO2 emissions to 98 g/km*
Latest generation Euro 5 VTi, THP petrol and HDi diesel engines
Four model range – Access, SR, Active and Allure – all with high-level specification
Two range topping GT THP 200 models – Hatchback & CC
Range starts at £15,245 O.T.R
On sale in May
The New Peugeot 308 will be launched in the UK in May with a new look, a range of innovative technology and CO2 emissions from just 98 g/km.

Since launch in September 2007 over 900,000 308 models have been sold worldwide. In the UK over 84,000 vehicles have been sold, making it the second most popular Peugeot model.

The New Peugeot 308 is being launched onto the UK market integrating all the latest Peugeot styling elements already seen on the Peugeot 508 and the SR1 Concept Car. The new Peugeot 308 will be available in three body styles; Hatchback, CC and SW, and four multi-model trim levels; Access, SR, Active and Allure. A range topping hatchback and CC THP 200 model will also be available in a single GT trim level.

A new look at the front with the latest LED headlamps and running lights gives the New Peugeot 308 an elegant and modern look. All the dynamic and emotional strengths of the original Peugeot 308 have been retained and strengthened further with the introduction of more efficient engines and Peugeot’s innovative micro-hybrid e-HDi Stop & Start technology.

Peugeot’s micro-hybrid e-HDi Stop & Start technology is the latest generation technology and combined with Peugeot’s class leading 1.6 litre HDi FAP 112 Euro 5 diesel engine reduces CO2emissions to 98 g/km. This engine option will also be available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed electronically controlled manual gearbox (EGC). This will give the New Peugeot 308 the lowest emissions in its segment.

All models feature air conditioning, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), ABS, EBFD, EBA, front and rear electric windows with child security, remote control central door locking with deadlocks and six SMART safety airbags.

To ensure the New Peugeot 308 is as environmentally efficient as possible all factors affecting CO2emissions have been optimised;

Overall weight reduced by 25 kg on average on all models
Fitment of new 16” ultra low rolling resistance tyres
Optimisation of all engine options (VTi, THP petrol and HDi diesel engines to Euro5)
Cx of 0.28 for the low consumption models – Record for this segment
This also enables the New Peugeot 308 HDi FAP 92 model, fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox, to emit CO2 emissions of only 110 g/km.

• Two new Audi R18 cars used in tests at Sebring (USA)

• Preparation for the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours

• All nine “factory” drivers shared the test tasks

Ingolstadt, January 31 – Four and a half months before the Le Mans 24 Hours, preparations for the endurance classic are in full swing at Audi. Two new Audi R18 cars and one Audi R15 TDI were used in tests at Sebring (U.S. state of Florida).

The programme planned for the tradition-steeped American circuit specified endurance runs for one of the completely re-developed LMP1 sports cars while the second Audi R18 was primarily used for development work. The Audi R15 “plus plus” that will be fielded at the 12-hour race at Sebring – the season opener of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) – completed a long run as well. In addition, the basic setup for the race in March was worked out on the vehicle.

During the tests, which ended on Saturday, the nine Audi “factory” drivers took turns at the wheel so that all of them had the opportunity to drive each of the three sports cars.

“We’re very pleased with the performance of the Audi R18 at our first outing at Sebring,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “We opted for this race track because it makes high demands on the mechanical systems of our vehicles. The temperatures are better than in Europe right now, plus the dry weather provides us with assurance that we’re able to conduct the endurance runs as

planned. On a wet track the loads would be lower and the test results therefore less conclusive.”

BMW named Manufacturer of the Year for the third year in a row

The BMW Group UK has scooped seven awards from one of the country’s leading fleet publications. BusinessCar magazine has honoured the BMW Group with the headline accolade of ‘Manufacturer of the Year’, for the third year in a row, in recognition of BMW’s diverse product portfolio and class-leading running costs.

The title ‘Business Car of the Year’ was awarded to the new BMW 5 Series for its combination of superior build quality, driving dynamics and class-leading economy, while ‘Green Car of the Year’ was scooped by the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics.

Continuing on from their success in 2010 the BMW X5 was again named ‘Large 4×4 of the year’, the BMW 3 Series took home ‘Upper Medium Car of the Year’ for the second year in a row and on top of its main billing, the new 5 Series was named ‘Executive Car of the Year’. Remaining the small car of choice for the fleet user MINI was crowned ‘Supermini of the Year’ for the ninth year in a row.

Voted for solely by its readership, the BusinessCar Awards reflect the opinions of the people who really matter in the fleet industry, giving the awards a particular gravitas.

“BMW’s massive achievement in providing cars that are both cost-efficient to run and desirable to staff has led to a well deserved and very impressive seven awards, including all three of the headline car awards” said BusinessCar Editor Paul Barker.

“The new 5-series was the obvious choice as BusinessCar of the Year, while the 320d Efficient Dynamics has seemingly achieved the impossible when you combine its emissions figure with its size and performance. And BMW’s model range meant it would always be the favourite for Manufacturer of the Year thanks to the stunning emissions and economy figures combined with unmatched badge appeal in the corporate sector.”

Sean Green, Sales Director BMW Group UK, said: “To win the big three from BusinessCar is a huge honour, as there are no other awards which can claim that they truly represent the views of the industry in quite the same way. The corporate customer is very important to BMW and with models such as the award winning 320d EfficientDynamics and new BMW 5 Series, we are dedicated to staying ahead of our rivals and exceeding customer expectations.”

For an impressive ninth year in a row, MINI’s commitment to manufacturing frugal and fast premium small cars has been recognised as the MINI Hatch is named ‘Supermini of the Year’ by BusinessCar Magazine.

MINI’s unbeatable mix of performance, low running costs and CO2 emissions, coupled with high residual values are just some of the reasons why it has proven to be so successful with business car users.

Commenting on the award Jochen Goller, Director MINI UK said “We are delighted to receive this prestigious recognition from BusinessCar. The corporate sales channel has increased in importance for MINI since the recent launch of the fourth member of the MINI family. The new four door MINI Countryman has already generated huge interest in the fleet market amongst buyers seeking the unique MINI driving experience combined with increased space and practicality.”

“Normally it would be incredible to see a car hold onto its title for nine years, but with the MINI’s unbeatable running costs and driver appeal, it’s no surprise to see it take the BusinessCar Supermini of the Year Award for a ninth straight year” said BusinessCar Editor Paul Barker. “The excellent residual values and economy mean it’s a small car that makes big sense for business.”

Under the new Greener Vehicle Discount scheme the new MINI One D and MINI Cooper D Hatch models are eligible for standard free of charge entry into the London Congestion Charge Zone both as cars emit just 99g of CO2 per kilometre,

As with all MINI models both the MINI One D and MINI Cooper D comply with the EU5 emission standard and they achieve the same low fuel consumption of 74.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. These values are an absolute record for any series production car produced by the BMW Group. In addition to the high efficiency of the diesel engine in the MINI One D and Cooper D, under the MINIMALISM umbrella both cars employ a host of fuel-saving and emission-lowering technology including Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop, Gearshift Indicator and Electromechanical Power Steering. All of these technologies and the standard six-speed manual gearbox play a role in eking the most out of every drop of fuel while also minimising the tailpipe emissions.

The BusinessCar Awards are the only awards in the market decided solely by the readers of the magazine and website.

The new Volkswagen Passat is setting off on a nationwide tour, showcasing the new model to small businesses and fleets at business parks across the country. Starting on Monday 24th January in Aylesbury, the epic 50-day road show will visit all four corners of the country giving customers a chance to see and experience the vehicle, and also understand how the seventh generation Passat would operate as a company car within their business.

Accompanying the tour will be a hospitality unit hosted by staff from local Volkswagen Retailers. Visitors to the road show will be welcomed with complimentary refreshments and have a chance to explore the new Passat, the first examples of which went on sale earlier this month with prices starting at £18,875 for the saloon and £20,175 for the versatile Estate. They will also be able to talk to trained Volkswagen representatives who will be on hand to talk through the competitive contract hire and finance packages available, as well as having information on company car tax and BiK implications.

The Passat has established itself as a firm favourite with UK buyers with over 600,000 examples having found homes here since its launch in 1973. The new seventh generation Passat is the most advanced iteration yet with every model fitted with special sound insulating windscreen glass and new sound deadening materials to make it one of the quietest cars in its class.

As well as an elegant new look on the inside and out the new Passat can, for the first time, be specified with air-conditioned seats and Automatic Distance Control (ADC) that can automatically slow the car to a halt should it encounter traffic. In addition, the new Passat can be fitted with an automatic fatigue detection system that monitors the driver’s inputs and automatically emits an audible and visual warning to recommend a break if required.

Every diesel engine is now badged as a BlueMotion Technology product and is equipped with battery regeneration and Stop/Start systems as standard. The result is that the entry-level 1.6-litre TDI 105 PS is capable of exceeding the economy of the outgoing BlueMotion model with a combined economy of 65.7 mpg and CO2 emissions of 114 g/km. In turn, the new BlueMotion model, due to go on sale in mid-2011, will return a forecast 68.8 mpg and emit 109 g/km of CO2.