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spotlight showcase BIRTHDAY

SPECIAL
Tony Williams on This year’s new 30 years of Fleet
All in One’s rapid cars unveiled News p32-35
growth p36-37 p12-25

FleetNews
13.03.08
£2.25
fleetnews.co.uk

I AM

30 Business motoring strategy and finance

Our champions:
simply the best
A glittering crowd cheers on this year’s Fleet News Award winners
BY MARTYN MOORE
The winners of the 20th annual Fleet News
Awards were announced at a gala ceremony
at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on
Monday evening.
The Fleet News Awards are regarded by
those within the industry as the most signifi-
cant recognition of their skills and services.
The individuals who received hard-won
personal recognition on the night – winners
of the three fleet manager categories, Plati-
num Award and Fleet of the Year – were:
JUG JOHAL
Fleet Manager of the Year
– sub-100 vehicles
Jug, who manages the North Lincolnshire
and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust fleet, won
because of his enthusiasm and passion for
his job. He has achieved significant reduc-
tions in both costs and emissions.
MARIE JARROLD
Fleet Manager of the Year
– 101-400 vehicles
Marie Jarrold manages BCA’s fleet. She has
applied new techniques and technologies to
significantly reduce operating cost and is
passionate about formal fleet management
training.
GARY BLACK
Fleet Manager of the Year
– 401-plus vehicles
Gary launched initiatives to direct drivers of
Inspired Gaming’s 1,300-vehicle fleet to the
business’s preferred fuel outlets, manage
down emission levels of new cars and deploy,
where appropriate, alternative fuel vehicles.
Oh what a night! Celebrating after receiving their awards are: back, from left – Nigel
Trotman, Jug Johal, Gary Black; front – Stewart Whyte and Marie Jarrold
STEWART WHYTE
Platinum Award
This year, to mark the awards anniversary,
the judges looked back over two decades.
One name was always there in the thick of it,
ruffling feathers and arguing for what he
believes is right. ACFO director Stewart’s
strong opinions, energy and dedication to
the industry made him an obvious winner.
WHITBREAD GROUP
Fleet of the Year
Business relationships manager Nigel
Trotman demonstrated a co-ordinated
commitment to efficiency, safety, the envi-
ronment and driver satisfaction.
■ Go to www.fleetnews.co.uk for a full list of
winners. For further coverage from the night,
see next week’s issue.
GM commits
to 2008 event
Vauxhall, Saab, Chevrolet and
Cadillac have all been confirmed as
marques that will be available to
drive at this year’s Company Car in
Action, to be held at Millbrook
Proving Ground from June 17-19.
There will be more than 30
models from the firms available
after GM UK Fleet signed up to take
part in one of the world’s biggest
drive-and-decide events.
Vauxhall will have its fleet range
and performance VXR models,
while the new Saab 9-3 and
BioPower models will also be
available to test. The Cadillac BLS
will be showing how serious the
brand is about fleet, while the
Chevrolet Aveo and Epica will also
be tempting fleet buyers.
There will be chance to put a
range of GM’s 4x4s through their
paces on the event’s off-road
course. The Vauxhall Antara and
Chevrolet Captiva can be driven,
while the Hummer H3 will be
making its driving debut at the
show.
The line-up is part of a growing
fleet available to drive at the show,
including Honda, which was one of
the first companies to sign up.
If you receive Fleet News then it
means you are already likely to
qualify to attend Company Car in
Action 2008.
To ensure you have secured your
pass into Millbrook, log on to www.
companycarinaction.co.uk or call
Lorraine Goodwin on 01733
468859.

NEWS P3 ROAD TEST P31 CAREERS P41 TOP STORIES ONLINE

Ever y year in The Audi A4 Sarah Brading, human ■ Fleet News Awards
the UK, 4,000 has been resources manager at spectacular – the results,
successful synonymous epyx, is working on the pictures, the video
prosecutions with fleets since something so secret ■ Editor’s Blog – unveiling
for unsafe its launch in that if she told you, the Fleet News wiki
loads are 1994. Since she’d have to shoot ■ Videos: the Alfa Romeo 8C
brought against drivers and operators. then it has been locked in a battle with the you. Find out who is Competizione Spider
Now a new campaign has been BMW 3 Series for supremacy. But how on the move in our
launched to educate fleet managers. does its latest incarnation fare? recruitment section.
NEWS

IN BRIEF
Combined fleet
Alert issued over RAC under
fire for road
building call
licence renewals
Europcar and National Car
Rental have combined their
fleets, creating a daily rental
fleet of more than 60,000 Following its criticism of the
vehicles, including more than Government’s poor transport
6,000 vans. management strategies, the RAC
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD decade as the UK’s 25 million has itself come under fire from
Kwik-Fit credit licence holders begin the process environmental campaigners for
Kwik-Fit has gained The first motorists to be issued of updating their photos. suggesting more roads need to
PAS80 accreditation from with photocard driving licences Over the next 12 months, be built.
the British Standards 10 years ago have been warned £5.2 million will be paid in fees, The RAC Foundation said in
Institute. In addition, the that they need to apply for updated which are used just to cover costs, its latest report that Government
company’s headquarters licences or risk £1,000 fines. says the DVLA. “Subject to public indecision, poor management
and centres have again Hundreds of thousands of Photocard licences need to be consultation and agreement by and transport departments that
been accredited with renewal notices will be sent out updated every 10 years parliament, fees are balanced lack long-term vision have set
ISO9001, the BSI quality by the Driver and Vehicle Licens- across all transactions to meet back the development of UK
management standard ing Agency (DVLA) over the However, he stressed that operating costs.” roads.
which Kwik-Fit has had in coming weeks as the first photo- although the photograph may be Fleets carrying out regular The RAC warns that Britain is
place since1992. cards, which were issued from out of date, the licence holder is licence checks have been assured facing serious economic and
July 1998, become out of date. still entitled to drive. This means, that these will highlight if a photo- financial problems in future years
Cfc seminars While the driving licences will contrary to many reports, motor- card is coming up for renewal. if a coherent long-term plan is
Details of a series of fleet still be valid, failure to send the ists will be able to continue to “This will be clear both from the not put in place.
seminars, to take place at the photo licence, the paper counter- drive legally even if they fail to licence and any check of the “Badly planned, poorly config-
Commercial Vehicle Show part and a new photo, along with a update their photocard. record,” said the spokesman. ured, piecemeal road building
2008, have been announced £17.50 fee, will leave the driver UK licences are valid under The licences were introduced programmes should be a feature
by cfc solutions. The open to prosecution. most circumstances until the to comply with an EC Directive of our country’s past,” said Sheila
seminars will take place at “Drivers are required by law to driver reaches 70 years of age. which required that a photograph Rainger, acting director of the
the company’s stand at the ensure their photocard driving It will come as a surprise to of the driver be included on all RAC Foundation.
NEC from April 15 to 17. licence is updated every 10 years,” many that they must renew their UK driving licences from July “To avoid roads to ruin we
Email sales@cfcsolutions. warned a DVLA spokesman. licence. 2001. need to learn from mistakes, and
co.uk for further details. “This is to ensure that the photo- But it will also annoy many that By March 2000, the DVLA had develop stronger planning frame-
graph is of true likeness. A fine of they have to pay £17.50. This stopped issuing paper licences works and more powerful deliv-
Lex training £1,000 may be imposed on failure means the DVLA will take in altogether. ery organisations with a clear
Lex has teamed up with to surrender a licence.” £437.5 million in rolling fees every daniel.attwood@emap.com duty to develop and manage the
the Manchester College of strategic road network.”

Highways education scheme for fleets

Arts and Technology to However, this suggestion has
run a series of technical angered the Campaign for Better
training courses for its Transport.
staff. Lex’s driving The Highways Agency has begun This included explaining the Its roads and climate
ser vices division, which a series of regional events aimed new active traffic management campaigner, Rebecca Lush Blum,
manages relationships at fleet operators. scheme on the M42, which said: “With traffic and carbon
with 278,000 drivers, has The first event was in Birming- involves hard-shoulder running. emissions rising we agree with
set up the 40-week course ham last week, when the agency Other presentations included the RAC Foundation that the
to ensure its staff ’s demonstrated a number of traffic explaining how the agency clears Government’s road policy is a
technical knowledge information services, including a traffic incidents and showing a mess.
matches the rapidly free electronic system that gives new system of weather alerts for “However, the RAC Founda-
changing face of vehicle real-time information on incidents Electronic roadside signs goods vehicles. tion’s solution to build more
technology. or delays on motorways or major provide information to drivers Further free events aimed at roads will just take us further
A-roads. fleet managers are planned for back in time and reduce people’s
Cybit can It even shows what is currently ble for England’s motorway and the rest of the country. travel choices at a huge financial
Telematics provider Cybit being displayed on electronic A-road network, also set out steps ■ More information can be found cost.”
has announced that new roadside message signs. it is taking to make journeys safer on the Highways Agency’s website, She said policies are needed
‘CanBus’ capabilities will be The agency, which is responsi- and more reliable. www.highways.gov.uk that reduce traffic growth.
integral in its next generation
of telematics systems. It
means vehicle position
reports can be combined EVENTS ROUND-UP
with CanBus-generated
vehicle performance data to
build reporting suites for
entire fleets.
Government hammers home safety message
Road safety minister Jim been estimated at between £2.7 be detailed presentations from
Fitzpatrick has warned that billion and £3.7 billion a year. other industry experts on a
accidents could be costing “There is no fleet size limit range of issues covering the
UK FUEL British businesses £3.7 billion a dying in at-work road incidents. below which driver safety is not conference themes of corporate
PRICES year and every fleet, no matter
how small, has to take action.
Mr Fitzpatrick, whose
comments are revealed on www.
good business. All employers
have a legal responsibility for the
risk and financial risk.
■ Full details of the day’s events
ppl/ppg
The hard-hitting warning is riskinfleet.co.uk – the website safety of all their staff, including are available by logging on to
DIESEL............................. 112.1/504
intended to hammer home the for the Risk in Fleet conference, employees on the move.” www.riskinfleet.co.uk
SUPER UNLEADED........112.0/504
UNLEADED..................... 105.9/477 financial impact of crashes in which takes place on April 22 – Risk in Fleet will include case ■ Alternatively, call Maddie
FOUR STAR......................107.5/483 addition to the human toll, with said: “The cost to industry of at- studies from some of Britain’s Collins on 01733 468171 or email
LPG......................................53.6/241 an estimated 1,000 people a year work road traffic accidents has safest fleets, while there will also madaline.collins@emap.com

2 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Nexus bought
in £11m deal
Nexus Vehicle Management has
been acquired by ISIS Equity
Partners in an £11 million
management buy-out/manage-
ment buy-in.
The new business will be led
by Neil McCrossan, a former
National Car Rental senior execu-
tive. John Ellis will continue as
operations director. Nexus
already works with several daily
rental providers as well as
contract hire and leasing compa-
nies and end user organisations.
The company pioneered the
IRIS system, which brings
together more than 40 rental
suppliers with corporate users to
automate the daily rental process
in a paperless environment.
Mr McCrossan said the
funding provided by the multi-
million pound buyout will enable
Nexus to grow. He added: “Nexus
is ideally poised for growth. In
IRIS we have a unique market-
making portal, bringing together
users and suppliers of vehicle
rental.”
Negotiations on behalf of ISIS
Equity were led by Andrew
Garside, who added: “We are
attracted to the fleet manage-
ment sector as quality service
providers earn loyal customers
who are keen to outsource their
fleet management requirements.
Nexus provides a platform for
the new management to grow a
larger business in the sector.”
Blue favoured
Following news that white has
overtaken silver as the most
popular global new car colour, it
has been found that blue is the
favourite colour in the UK
second-hand market.
BCA analysed the colour
spread of more than 125,000
vehicles last year from a range of
sources. Once sorted into general
colour groups, blue was the most
popular colour at 23.4%, just
above silver at 23.3%.
Red, black and white followed
in that order. The most unpopu-
lar were orange (0.32%), beige
(0.53%) and mauve (0.55%).
“While colour is a critical factor
for new car buyers, our research
shows it doesn’t rate nearly as
highly with used car buyers
when it comes to making a
purchase decision,” said BCA’s
UK operations director, Simon
Henstock. “BCA’s annual used
car market report shows that
when motorists chose their last
used car, price was the most
important factor (54%).”
Local road tolls
add to burden
BY STEVE MOODY
The Government’s raft of
congestion-reducing plans will
increase the administrative
burden on fleet managers as they
deal with employee claims for
local road tolls.
The news comes as the Govern-
ment finally confirmed it was
dropping plans for a national road-
pricing network, as exclusively
revealed by Fleet News last year
(September 27).
Now transport secretary Ruth
Kelly has revealed that further
funding will be offered to towns
and cities to develop local
congestion-charging schemes, as
well as workplace charging.
With the London congestion
charge already causing fleets
headaches through registrations,
non-payments, fines and mistakes,
the spectre of other cities running
their own systems could cause
huge amounts of extra work.
Ms Kelly said: “Local authori-
ties are already considering
whether local road pricing,
Campaign targets unsafe loads
A new campaign has been
launched to encourage fleet
managers to ensure vehicle
loads are properly secured.
Every year in the UK, 4,000
successful prosecutions for
unsafe loads are brought against
drivers and operators.
Police investigating crashes
in Britain in 2006 recorded
overloaded or poorly-loaded
vehicle trailers as a contributing
factor in 15 fatal crashes and 360
crashes in which someone was
injured. In an attempt to reduce
these numbers, a free six-page
information booklet is now
being made available to fleet
managers.
The booklet explains the
dangers of unsafe loads, and the
legal responsibilities of
companies to ensure loads are
safely secured. It includes an
overview of a variety of
restraining equipment devices,
and best practice case studies of
companies who demonstrate
risk assessment and training in
relation to safe loading.
AA president Edmund King
coupled with investment in public
transport, could help them cut
congestion. The extra funding I’m
announcing shows the Govern-
ment’s commitment to funding
these schemes over the longer
term and I hope that more local
authorities will bring forward
proposals for consideration.”
Matt Goodman, policy repre-
sentative for the Forum of Private
Business said: “The nationwide
road charging plans, which
amount to financial penalties for
trading in or delivering to certain
areas, appear to have been
Unsafe loads contribute to a high number of crashes every year
It also contains an informa-
tion sheet that can be copied for
drivers, which gives advice on
safe loading. The booklet has
been produced by the Fleet
Safety Forum, a division of
Brake, in partnership with
Modul-System.
“Overloaded or poorly-loaded
vehicles cost lives,” said Chris
Frost, Fleet Safety Forum
officer at Brake.
dropped, at least for the time
being. But the Government has
yet to commit to scrapping the
idea altogether and authorities
are still being encouraged to
experiment with charges locally.”
Also announced were schemes
for road tolls on designated lanes
of motorways and use of the hard
shoulder during congested
periods. The Government claims
that the first six months of the full
M42 hard shoulder trial saw
average journey times fall by
more than a quarter.
Edmund King, the AA’s presi-
dent, said: “We welcome the
Government’s retreat from
national road pricing and would
support the tolling of extra capac-
ity lanes where they offer a
premium service and a choice for
motorists.
“We are pleased that at last the
Government has plans to tackle
congestion. Controlled use of the
hard-shoulder at peak periods at
congestion hot-spots will improve
journey reliability.”
fleetnews@emap.com
“All fleet managers need to be
aware of the dangers and carry
out risk assessments for new
vehicles, carefully choose load-
restraining equipment and train
and educate drivers on load
safety policy and procedure.”
For a free copy of the booklet,
email your name, job title,
company name, phone number
and address to admin@brake.
org.uk or call 01484 559909.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 3
IN BRIEF
Brakes assist
Food distributor Brakes has
outsourced its accident
management logistics to
Sopp & Sopp. Brakes
operates more than 1,500
commercial vehicles and
will use Sopp & Sopp to
assist with accident
management, end of lease
returns, disposal of old
vehicles and re-branding of
acquired vehicles.
Autosafe move
Autosafe, the nationwide
franchise network of
more than 420 indepen-
dent garages, has
switched its call centre
function to All Fleet
Ser vices to help expand
into the fleet market. It
is hoped the move will
enable Autosafe garages
to operate more effi-
ciently and minimise the
downtime of vehicles.
Ocado order
Online grocery retailer
Ocado has awarded an
exclusive supply deal to
Lombard Vehicle Manage-
ment. LVM will supply 90
liveried Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter vans with Paneltex
bodies on a five-year cycle
by the end of June.
LVM’s Rob Hazzard (left)
hands keys over to Stuart
Skingsley, from Ocado
Vrs partnership
Skoda has partnered
with vrs, which is part of
the Manheim Group, to
provide remarketing of
its used cars. Stephanie
Benton, from Skoda
Used Cars, said: “The
partnership ensures that
retailers have access to
the right car at the right
price, in the right place
and at the right time.”
Renault switch
CBS Outdoor, in partner-
ship with its fleet manage-
ment supplier Fleet
Alliance, has switched a
substantial proportion of its
fleet from Ford to Renault,
taking delivery of 72 new
Renault vans.
NEWS
Used buyers are ignoring green vehicles
While carbon reduction remains a
major concern for fleet managers,
it seems to be dropping down the
list of priorities for used car
buyers.
Fleet managers concentrating
on reducing their fleets’ carbon
footprint are leasing an increasing
number of lower-emission cars.
While these cars are saving
fleets money, fuel and carbon
emissions, they are not proving
any more attractive to used car
buyers once they are de-fleeted.
Regional
study into
congestion
The role of transport in unlock-
ing the economic growth poten-
tial in the east of England is to be
examined in a new study.
The East of England Develop-
ment Agency (EEDA) has
commissioned Steer Davies
Gleave (SDG) to report on the
economic costs of congestion on
the region’s road and rail
networks, identify priorities for
the region and recommend trans-
port solutions.
Cambridgeshire, which falls
within the region, is one of only
two authorities to apply for
money from the Government’s
Transport Initiative Fund to
explore congestion solutions,
including road tolling.
The study will lay out the
benefits of additional investment
in the transport systems.
The results, when published in
the summer, will be used to
inform the regional economic
strategy so EEDA and its part-
ners in the east of England can
manage growth.
Major funding for FMG
FMG Support has secured
£7 million from Aberdeen Asset
Managers Private Equity
(AAMPE) for a significant minor-
ity stake in the company.
Seven of the FMG Support
board and management team
have also become new equity
holders in a partial management
buyout.
The extra money will be used
to help FMG deliver new prod-
ucts and services, as well aid its
expansion.
“The additional funding
provides us with the financial
base on which we can deliver
CO2 emissions have little
influence on used car buyers
In fact, a second-hand vehicle’s
environmental impact is even
lower on the list of priorities than
it was in 2006, with only 26% of all
Rising fuel cost
leads to thefts
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
Police are warning fleets to be on
their guard against fuel thieves
after a spate of incidents in which
vehicles’ fuel tanks were drilled
and emptied.
The increase in fuel theft from
stationary vehicles is being
blamed on the record price of
petrol and diesel, which both now
cost well in excess of the UK
average of £1.05 a litre.
This means an average family
estate can contain £80 of fuel
when its tank is full.
Last month 20 cars parked
overnight in Oxfordshire were
targeted by thieves, who drilled
into their plastic tanks to steal the
fuel.
In addition to the lost fuel,
which is untraceable and in high
demand, the owners also had to
pay an estimated £400 per car in
against the full potential of our
strong market position,” said
Nick Brown, chief executive,
FMG Support.
“We now have the backing and
financial support to develop new
products and services that will
change the dynamic of this indus-
try.”
Colin Stirling, director of
investment at AAMPE, added:
“FMG Support is a high quality
business that we have been shad-
owing for some time and we are
really pleased to have the oppor-
tunity to support the team in the
next phase of its development.”
drivers listing it as a top concern
when deciding on which used car
to buy. Reliability was seen as the
most important issue, but even
factors such as styling ranked
higher than emissions.
“Currently, there is little real
incentive for used car buyers to
take emissions levels into
account,” explained David
Brennan, managing director of
LeasePlan.
“Compare that with the fleet
market, where considerable
repair costs, which involved
replacing the damaged tanks.
Nobody has been arrested for
the thefts, which Oxfordshire
police blamed on “organised
criminals” who knew what they
were doing.
“While we can’t directly link
the crimes to the rise in fuel
prices, it is likely that there is a
link,” DC Clare Routledge, of
Oxford police, said.
“Our advice to fleets is to be on
the look-out for suspicious behav-
iour, always ensure your vehicles
are parked in well lit areas, and, if
possible, with the fuel tank facing
away from the street.”
Oxford has seen a marked
increase in fuel thefts from parked
vehicles.
Already this year, there have
been almost twice as many
reported thefts than for the whole
of 2007.
Investment: (from left) Colin Stirling, Aberdeen Asset; Rob
Lawrence, Lloyds TSB; Nick Brown, FMG Support; Craig Hopwood,
Aberdeen Asset; and Tim Pickup, FMG Support.
changes have been made to
encourage the uptake of cleaner
vehicles, including the introduc-
tion of the CO2-based benefit-in-
kind tax system.”
The LeasePlan survey did find
one positive – a small rise in the
numbers of people considering
alterative fuels for their next car.
Of all those looking to buy a
new car, around 6% plan to buy
one powered with an alternative
fuel such as LPG or a petrol/
electric hybrid.
And the problem is not confined
to the Oxford area.
A Southampton-based LCV
driver was reportedly targeted
twice.
His van suffered £1,000 of
damage as a result of thieves drill-
ing through the diesel tank and
draining it.
The incidence of drilling
directly into plastic tanks is a
direct response to the widespread
use of anti-siphoning devices and
the growth in the use of plastic
rather than metal tanks.
It is estimated that 85% of new
vehicles in Europe now have
plastic fuel tanks.
These tanks are cheaper, safer
and lighter than the metal tanks
they replace, although the rise in
fuel thefts may force manufactur-
ers to rethink their positioning
and accessibility.
daniel.attwood@emap.com
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 5
IN BRIEF
Twin contracts
Leasedrive Velo has signed
a new contract with
accident management
provider Nobilas UK to
supply rental vehicles in
support of accident claims.
Reciprocally, Leasedrive
Velo has appointed Nobilas
to deliver an accident
management service to a
number of its fleet
management clients.
Ambulance deal
ING Car Lease is
providing Yorkshire
Ambulance Ser vice with
80 rapid-response
vehicles on a four-
year/100,000-mile lease
deal. The Vauxhall
Zafiras are fitted with
radios, medical equip-
ment, liver y and beacon
lights. They will be
delivered before new
performance targets are
introduced in April.
ING’s Steve Laycock (left)
hands the keys to a rapid
response vehicle to Mick
Farmer, from Yorkshire
Ambulance Service
Green Virgin
Virgin Atlantic has said it
will use Chevrolet Equinox
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
for its complimentary
ground transfer service for
upper class passengers for
planes landing at Los
Angeles International
Airport.
PVH growth
PVH Flexihire is
celebrating its first year
of trading. The Bristol-
based firm has grown its
original fleet from 300 to
over 800 vehicles. Tony
Cooper, sales director at
PVH said: “Our business
has gone from strength
to strength because the
way we operate is unique
in our industr y. By going
back to basics, we have
put personal customer
ser vice at the top of our
agenda and kept
overheads low.”
NEWS
Road safety plans could be illegal
European Commission proposals
that would force highway authori-
ties to upgrade the safety design
and signage on roads used for
cross-border journeys may be
illegal.
The proposals were part of new
harmonised standards that aimed
to ensure major road networks
throughout Europe were built
UK and Ireland
work together
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
England and Ireland have entered
into a new partnership to promote
sustainable transport in cities in
both countries.
The new Civitas UK and Ireland
Network, which is part of an EU
initiative aiming to bring cleaner
and more efficient transport to
cities, will see the local authori-
ties in Preston, Norwich,
Winchester and Bristol in
England, and Cork in Ireland,
work together with help from the
UK and Irish Departments for
Transport.
Civitas – City-Vitality-Sustain-
ability – involves 36 cities across
Europe taking part in the
scheme.
“Across Europe, Civitas
Tell us your lost van stories
Do you have any amusing
stories about your van drivers
getting lost in unusual places or
under bizarre circumstances?
Fleet News has teamed up
with sister publication Fleet Van
in a competition that has a
Navman Wireless sat-nav unit
as its prize.
The winner will be the reader
who sends in the funniest or
most extraordinary story. It
doesn’t have to be long – a
couple of paragraphs will do –
but it must make us laugh.
Here’s an example of one we
heard recently: “One of my
drivers went missing for hours
on a short delivery job. When
he got back I asked where he’d
been and he said he missed his
turn-off from the M25 so
and maintained to the safest stan-
dards. However, they could be
illegal under European Union
treaty laws, MEPs have warned.
The European Parliament
transport committee has alleged
that the tabled directive could
break the key EU principle of
subsidiarity, where policy issues
are reserved for member states,
Cities will work towards cleaner
and more efficient transport
members are aiming to provide
transport that’s safe, affordable
and comfortable. They appreciate
the need to meet rising demand
for travel and support economic
growth while at the same time
Your funny story could win you a Navman sat-nav unit
decided that rather than taking
the next turning he’d go round
again – a distance of 117 miles.
It’s funny now but I wasn’t very
amused at the time!”
Entries must be in by Friday,
March 28, and the winning tale
unless expressly approved other-
wise.
A committee statement also
pointed out that the new system
would create too much red tape.
While infrastructure improve-
ments would save lives, “this is
best achieved by allowing member
states (to choose their own)
guidelines,” said the MEPs.
providing cleaner, safer environ-
ments,” said transport minister
Rosie Winterton.
“I think that the communities
involved can benefit greatly from
the network and help share best
practice with similar towns and
cities across Europe.”
The minister pointed out that
the scheme, which includes
walking and cycling projects as
well as work towards developing
cleaner fuel and more efficient
vehicles, complements the UK’s
own sustainable travel towns
initiative where measures, includ-
ing personalised travel planning,
have helped change the travel
habits of thousands of people in
Peterborough, Darlington and
Worcester.
daniel.attwood@emap.com
will be published in the April
issue of Fleet Van.
Email entries to trevor.
gelken@emap.com or post them
to Navman Competition, Trevor
Gelken, Media House, Lynch
Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA.
FleetNews
Europe
www.fleetnewseurope.com
Opinions sought on
safety technology
BY KEITH NUTHALL
Fleet managers and other transport professionals are being asked for
their views on whether car manufacturers should be forced to fit
intelligent transport systems and drivers made to use them.
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on
the issue and wants comments by March 26. Brussels is looking at
how to encourage the use of technology such as emergency braking
systems, speed alerts, emergency alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane
control systems, electronic tolling and collision avoidance systems.
In a memorandum, it said: “Intelligent transport systems contribute
to a safe, efficient, sustainable and seamless transport of goods and
people. However, it looks like acceptance and market penetration of
such novel applications and services is low.”
The commission wants to know which technologies are believed to
be best suited to improve road safety and transport efficiency, and
which legal weapons – compulsory rules or voluntary guidelines –
“should best be used to speed up market penetration”.
More information can be found on the commission’s website –
www.europa.eu
Pan-Europe deals sealed
Masterlease has secured 12 full-service leasing deals in Europe to be
implemented over the next two years. Most will see Masterlease
managing and delivering fleets on a pan-European basis.
The success means Masterlease will be managing some 15,000 new
vehicles across Europe over the next two and a half years.
“As a smaller player in this market, we can offer customers
something that our larger competitors cannot – individual attention
and a fleet specifically tailored to the needs of each country,” said
Emmanuel Roche, director of international sales at Masterlease.
“We don’t try and implement a one-size-fits-all standard solution
across all territories. Instead, we work with teams in each country to
ensure we are mindful of cultural sensitivities and local needs.”
Last year Masterlease made its first entry into the Scandinavian
market, launching in Norway and Denmark, and expanding the
company’s global footprint to 17 countries.
Hydrogen research approved
European Union ministers have approved the creation of a public-
private Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative. The
initiative will see the EU spend €470 million on new vehicle engineer-
ing and matching fuelling networks. The private sector is expected to
match this funding by bringing hydrogen technology in the vehicle
sector to the point of commercial viability between 2010 and 2020.
Green safety convention
Transport executives and specialists will meet at a conference in
Ljubljana, Slovenia, from April 21 to 24, to discuss possible technolo-
gies for funding under the European Union’s Transport Research
Arena 2008 programme. It aims to create vehicle systems that
simultaneously improve performance and road safety while reducing
greenhouse gas and other emissions.
Fleet News Europe is sponsored by
www.bca-europe.com
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 7
��������
Ford stands by Flexi-Fuel
BY STEVE MOODY
Ford will continue to build its
bioethanol Flexi-Fuel Focus
alongside its new range of
ECOnetic models, but has called
on the Government to give the
dual-fuel cars more support.
Speaking at the Geneva Motor
Show, Ford of Britain chairman
Roelant de Waard: calling for
more dual-fuel support
THINKING CAP
Hardworking Martin Ward scours the globe for the week’s insider fleet intelligence
MONDAY
I’ve been looking back through
my note book at scribblings I’ve
taken recently, and there seems
to be one common theme – the
Chinese are coming.
Those manufacturers who
have traditionally been at the
lower end of the market, selling
cars that have not had the
quality we have come to expect,
have all raised their game and
are now producing vehicles of a
much higher quality – with fit,
finish, technology and style also
much improved, but with
increased prices, they are no
longer bargain basement.
They say that they have had
to improve, as they feel that
Chinese car manufacturers will
replace that end of the market
and they don’t seem to want to
compete with them.
This week’s vehicle market news and information Edited by Julian Kirk
and managing director Roelant de
Waard confirmed that the car had
a future.
He said: “We will continue to
build Flexi-Fuel Focus but we
need the right conditions in the
UK to create demand and if the
support from the Government is
not larger then buying one is
something many are not prepared
to do.
“It can work – we have success
with Flexi-Fuel in Sweden, France
and Spain, selling a number of
cars because there is active
backing from the governments in
those countries.
“Buyers need to understand
what the CO2 benefit of
bioethanol is, too. I think
there’s a general belief
that biofuels are here to
stay, but it is easiest to
get into the UK
network through
blending biofuel into
petrol and diesel in
small amounts,
increasing it gradu-
ally over the years.”
Ford’s 1.8-litre Focus
and C-MAX Flexi-Fuel
WEDNESDAY
Discovered a new word today
– a word that is apparently
used quite extensively within
the walls of manufacturers’
secret corridors, but a word
I have never heard before.
Nor, it appears, have most
other people in the industr y.
It’s a word that has got past
the security guards from
research and development
departments and may now
be introduced into our world.
This word is ‘haptics’.
What does it mean? It means
‘the touch, feel and sound’ of
a component. Ever y switch,
control, handle and door
close has to have the right
haptics – touch, feel and
sound.
Ever y manufacturer
spends a fortune on ensuring
Vehicles (FFVs) run on a blend of
85% bioethanol produced from
home-grown wheat and 15%
petrol, but little support for
purchasing the vehicles and near-
non-existent availability on the
forecourts makes it difficult for
fleets to consider in all but a
limited role.
Over the next year, Ford’s
attention will switch to low-CO2
models in its standard car range
under the diesel brand ECOnetic,
starting with the
new Focus
ECO-
we get the right sound and
the right touch from all the
parts in their vehicles. If
something doesn’t do the
right job it has to be
changed, so the human
sensor y part of our brain
likes what it sees and feels.
When you get back into
your car, check its haptics –
does the handbrake, door
handle, heater controls and
heated rear window switch
make you happy, or do they
‘clunk’ and look, feel and
sound cheap? Haptics – the
new word we should start
using, now that we under-
stand what it means.
THURSDAY
Over to Barcelona to the SEAT
plant for a presentation by Erich
Schmitt – president of SEAT SA,
netic, with deliveries starting
around now. Mr de Waard said
demand had been “well beyond
expectations” for it, but that there
was sufficient capacity to satisfy
all orders.
Mr de Waard confirmed there
would be low-emission ECOnetic
versions of the Mondeo and new
Fiesta (pictured below) too, with
the latter offering less than 100g/
km of CO2.
■ Ford unveils new Fiesta –
page 12
Schmitt – wants Audi quality
and a look around some of the
new parts of its Spanish factory.
Mr Schmitt is more than
passionate about quality – he
lives and breathes it. He told me
that he wants SEAT quality to
match Audi, and having spent 15
years at Audi, he should know
what he is talking about.
He says that the materials are
the same, the robots that build
the cars are the same, and they
use the same tolerances, so
there is no reason why the two
brands should be different.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 11
This
week
Geneva – p12-25
Fleet cars of the future
Launch – p28
Mitsubishi Lancer
Road test – p31
Audi A4 2.0 TDI SE
Tooling has to be exact and
precise from all suppliers for all
components. He has quality
meetings every day at 7.30am
where any issues are discussed,
and a variety of components are
inspected by him personally. If
they are not to his standard, the
component supplier is
summoned to the factory at
6.30am the following day.
SEAT showed us its R&D
centre and prototype depart-
ments, which were state of the
art. If Mr. Schmitt continues on
his crusade to get SEAT up to
Audi quality levels then the
Spanish manufacturer could see
a rise in its worldwide fortune,
providing it produces some
stylish, sporty cars.
Martin Ward is
CAP’s manufacturer
relationships manager
 GENEVA SHOW

Volkswagen

Fleet stars o
A host of core fleet models were unveiled at Geneva, with
with the new Honda Accord, Citroën C5 and Volkswagen
Ford
Volkswagen’s Scirocco will be priced from around £20,000

Volkswagen gave four models Volkswagen rolled out the Golf

debuts at Geneva – with two
key user-chooser models, a
greener people carrier and the
marque’s first hybrid.
Receiving most interest were
the two all-new models – the
Scirocco and Passat CC.
The Scirocco coupe will go
on sale in the UK in September
with a guide price of £20,000 for
the 2.0 T FSI petrol model with
200bhp. Further engines,
including diesels, will be added
to the line up in 2009.
The Passat CC is being
marketed as a more upmarket
cousin to the regular Passat,
featuring more coupe-like
styling influenced by the
Mercedes-Benz CLS. It goes on
sale in the UK this summer
with a choice of three petrol
and two diesel engines.
Elsewhere on the stand,
TDI Hybrid. Although officially
just a concept car, expect the
model to make production later
this year.
At its heart is a 1.2-litre
diesel engine delivering 75bhp
linked to a seven-speed semi-
automatic gearbox. This is
linked to an electric motor
which produces an additional
27bhp. The end result with
both units combined is a Golf
which returns 83mpg on the
combined cycle and CO2 Striking Fiesta echoes look of Verve concept car. It will launch in the autumn with a sub-100g/km model
emissions of just 89g/km.
Continuing the green theme Two major new models were “Such is the rate of product Ford of Britain chairman and
is the new Sharan BlueMotion, given their public debuts by development, the S-MAX, which managing director Roelant de
with the seven-seat people Ford, in the form of the was only launched in 2006, is Waard.
carrier being given gearing and impressive new Fiesta supermini now the second-oldest vehicle in And Mr de Waard was bullish
aerodynamic tweaks to drop and Kuga SUV. our range after the Fusion,” said for the firm’s prospects with the
CO2 emissions from its 2.0 TDI
engine from 177g/km to 159.
Volkswagen claims average fuel
economy of 45.6mpg. Honda

Volvo The new Accord range took

Volvo claims the XC60 will be the safest SUV ever produced
The new XC60 sport utility
vehicle will be the safest car
Volvo has ever produced when it
launches later this year thanks to
technology that reduces the
chances of collisions.
Called City Safety, the XC60
features technology that helps
the driver avoid or reduce the
effects of low-speed impacts.
Using lasers built into the
windscreen, the XC60 senses if it
is about to drive into the vehicle
in front and the driver is not
reacting, and brakes itself.
Claimed to be more of a
driver’s car than the larger XC90,
the XC60 will initially be available
with the six-cylinder turbo-
charged T6 engine producing
285bhp and two five-cylinder
turbodiesels: the 185bhp D5 and
163bhp 2.4D. Four-wheel drive is
standard, although the firm
announced a front-wheel drive
2.4D will be launched in 2009
with CO2 emissions around
170g/km. Prices are yet to be
announced, but should start
around £28,000.
centre stage on Honda’s stand
at Geneva, with both the saloon
and Tourer estate models
unveiled.
Due to go on sale in the UK
on June 1 (the Tourer arrives in
September), Honda is aiming to
follow the success of the Civic
and CR-V models in pushing
further upwards into the
premium market territory.
Honda has benchmarked the
Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series in
the development of the Accord,
with the Audi’s quality levels
and the BMW’s driving
experience both targeted as
being key to success in the
market.
When sales begin there will
be a choice of 2.0 and 2.4-litre
petrol engines and the new
Euro V-compliant 2.2 i-DTEC
diesel. The latter will take the
majority of sales, with fleet
customers in particular driving
demand for the diesel.
Bernard Bradley, general
manager – cars, at Honda UK,
said: “Fleets account for around
Accord Tourer and its saloon sister made their debuts at Geneva
60% of current Accord sales and
our expectation is that this will
grow to just over 70% with the
new model. This is at odds with
our image as we have been
seen traditionally as a retail
brand. However, we have grown
our fleet share in the last three
years and were the fastest
growing fleet manufacturer in
2007.”
Honda will continue to offer
GT sports versions with the
new model to appeal to the
many drivers who opt for an
Audi S line or BMW M Sport.
This decision is backed by
the fact that the Sport GT
version of the old Accord,
launched part-way through
2007, accounted for 50% of the
model’s sales in the UK last
year.
Mr Bradley said: “Drivers in
this sector want something that
looks sporty but does not have
a huge engine.
“They need something to be
competitive in company car tax
terms.”
He also revealed that early
indications from the price
guides indicate an uplift on the
42% retained value figure of the
old model after three years/
60,000 miles.

12 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
of the show
Ford’s striking Fiesta supermini leading the way, along
Renault

Scirocco. By Julian Kirk, Steve Moody and Phill Tromans

launch of the two new cars, with
the Fiesta’s striking design
closely allied to the Verve
concept car which made such an
impact at the Frankfurt show last
year.
Launched in the autumn, Mr
de Waard confirmed the Fiesta
would come with a sub-100g/km
CO2 ECOnetic model, saying that
low emission models were
increasingly important to the
manufacturer.
Further details will be revealed
later in the year.
He was confident that the
Kuga would continue Ford’s
success in attracting buyers of
more expensive cars, a trend
started with the S-MAX and
which has continued with the
Mondeo and Galaxy.
He said: “We are seeing that
we are selling a richer mix of
vehicles, and are comfortable
selling cars priced above £20,000,
thanks to excellent products.
“It’s something that started
with the S-MAX and shows the
positive development of our
range.”
With prices starting from
£20,495, Mr de Waard said the
Kuga would prove a hit with
fleets and user-choosers,
combining performance,
handling and strong residual
values.
Ford Kuga will join the growing SUV market in April
It is launched in April with a
2.0-litre TDCi 136bhp engine,
and CO2 emissions of 169g/km.
Reflecting the firm’s new–
found confidence in selling cars
at premium brand prices, the
Kuga will be offered with luxury
items such as a rear-facing
camera, panoramic roof, USB
connectivity and DAB radio.
Renault unveiled its new Koleos SUV crossover model
Renault’s fleet director reckons
the firm has two key messages
to get across to the industry
this year: that its new Laguna
is more dependable and that
the firm’s low emission Eco2
range is as wide an offering as
there is in the industry.
Keith Hawes said: “People in
the industry are reacting well
to the improved quality of the
Laguna, and we are getting
back on to choice lists that we
had previously dropped off,
which is a great start.”
Mr Hawes is also keen to get
the message across about how
many cars the firm has in its
Eco2 sub-140g/km CO2 range,
believing that brands such as
Volkswagen’s BlueMotion are
taking the green spotlight.
“Perhaps because we’ve had
so many cars at low CO2 levels
for so long, people have got
used to it, but we really need to
be promoting the Eco2 brand
to fleets and raising its profile
to show just what we offer.”
The firm had a busy stand
with the new Koleos 4x4
crossover unveiled, as well as a
stunning Megane Coupe
concept, which insiders say
closely resembles the new
Megane, due to be unveiled in
Paris in September.
Koleos will be available with
2.0 dCi diesel engines in a
choice of two power outputs,
150bhp or 175bhp, and two and
four-wheel drive models.

Vauxhall Citroën

Fresh from launching its stylish

Meriva concept points the way to the next small MPV model
All the talk at the Vauxhall
stand surrounded the sleek new
Meriva concept, which – bar a
few glitzy trinkets – is what the
next Meriva compact MPV will
look like.
The unique selling point to
the Meriva concept is the
FlexDoor system, which
features a suicide-style set of
rear doors designed to allow
easier access to the back seats
for children, shopping or
luggage.
The doors have double locks
on them to ensure that they
cannot be opened while the car
is moving.
Expect the new Meriva to
arrive in showrooms in 2010,
hot on the heels of the new
Astra, which is due next year.
Vauxhall staff were also
dropping heavy hints that the
new Zafira, due in 2011, will
take significant design cues
from the Flexstream concept,
first seen at the Frankfurt
Motor Show last year and on
show again at Geneva.
new C5 saloon model, Citroën
gave the Tourer estate its first
public showing at Geneva.
The Tourer will go on sale a
couple of months after the saloon
which arrives in showrooms in
April. It will feature the same six
engines as the saloon, with
1.8-litre and 2.0-litre petrols and
1.6-litre, 2.0-litre, 2.2-litre and
2.7-litre V6 HDi diesels.
The Tourer is 5cm longer than Citroën’s C5 Tourer made its world debut at Geneva
the saloon and boasts 533 litres
of luggage space, or 1,490 litres hooks, side storage nets and and style and with the new C5 we
with the rear seats down. It ceiling hooks. have dedicated ourselves to
comes with a panoramic glass Xavier Duchemin, managing deliver those qualities at
roof along with an electric director of Citroën UK, said: unprecedented levels.”
sunblind, as well as the option of “Our customers want and Also making its debut on the
an electric tailgate. The boot area deserve the highest standards in Citroën stand was the new
also features shopping bag comfort, reliability, performance Berlingo van.
Further coverage of the Geneva show continues over the
next 10 pages. For more pictures log on to:
fleetnews.co.uk

www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 13
GENEVA SHOW
BMW/MINI
X5 concept
(above) is
powered
by a 2.0-
litre diesel
engine with
an electric
motor. M3
Cabriolet
(right) made
its debut
Toyota
Geneva was very much the calm
before the storm for Toyota.
Although it revealed the new iQ
city car and Urban Cruiser small
SUV, both cars do not go on sale
until 2009, when the firm will
launch 18 new products in 12
months, including the new Prius
hybrid and Avensis.
The firm also claimed it
expects to be selling 100,000
hybrids a year by 2010 across
both Lexus and Toyota –
doubling 2007’s tally of 49,000
units, in itself up 36% on 2006.
Less than four metres long,
the Urban Cruiser is expected to
take over from the discontinued
three door RAV4 in offering
Peugeot
Peugeot once again showed off
its 308 RCZ coupe concept at
Geneva, making it more likely
that a production version of the
Audi TT rival will follow.
However, with a launch at least
a year away Peugeot revealed
two new additions to the 308
family – the SW estate and GT
hot hatch.
The performance 308 GT THP
175 will be the first to arrive in
April, powered by a turbocharged
1.6-litre petrol engine which also
finds a home in the smaller 207
GT model. This engine produces
175bhp, which gives the GT a 0-
62mph time of 8.3 seconds and a
top speed of 140mph.
Claimed combined fuel
16 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Toyota’s Urban Cruiser arrives in the UK next year
compact dimensions and a high
seating position. Toyota is
confident that it will be able to
offer models with emissions of
less than 140g/km of CO2, while
still fitting five adults plus
luggage in comfort.
Peugeot added a hot-hatch model, the GT THP 175, to its 308 range
economy is 37.1mpg and CO2
emissions are 180g/km.
The other new arrival is the
308 SW estate which goes on sale
in June. Billed as a more practical
member of the 308 range, the SW
offers up to 2,149 litres of load
Green issues top BMW agenda
BMW’s stand at Geneva was
dominated by Efficient-
Dynamics, with a spokesman
claiming it has to work even
harder to get the message about
its emissions-reducing technol-
ogy across to fleets.
Surrounded on all sides by
examples of the Efficient-
Dynamics-equipped cars from
the 1 Series to 6 Series was the
new X6 sports activity coupe,
which it is claimed offers drivers
unmatched levels of handling in
the SUV sector.
But emissions was the key
theme, with a spokesman for the
firm saying it will be promoting
the technology more widely than
ever to fleet managers to ensure
the benefits are clearly known
and understood.
The iQ is designed to take on
the Smart fortwo, but offers
three rather than two seats. With
low weight and a choice of two
petrol and one diesel engines,
the firm expects CO2 emissions
to start at around 100g/km.
space with the seats folded down,
and 674 litres when they are in
place.
There is also a panoramic
glass roof and the option of two
extra seats which can be folded
down into the boot space.
Worldwide, BMW will sell
700,000 cars in 2008 equipped
with EfficientDynamics, with 21
models now emitting 140g/km
of CO2 or less.
Alongside the X6, which will
go on sale in the spring costing
around £1,500 to £2,000 more
than the equivalent-engined X5,
was a concept X5 which delivers
43.5mpg on the combined cycle
and CO2 emissions of 172g/km,
yet produces 204bhp.
Showcasing the next steps in
EfficientDynamics, the Vision
EfficientDynamics X5 has mild
ActiveHybrid technology
combined with a twin-
turbocharged four-cylinder
2.0-litre diesel engine, mated to
an eight-speed automatic
gearbox with roof-mounted solar
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi was celebrating the
announcement of strong
residual values for its new
Lancer saloon, with CAP
predicted three-year/60,000-
mile RVs of around 37%.
Jim Tyrrell, Mitsubishi UK
managing director, said: “For a
four-door saloon in the UK
market to be so close behind a
key competitor such as the
Honda Civic five-door is a very
pleasing result for us. The
designers and engineers have
worked really hard on this
Subaru
Subaru unveiled the next
generation of its trusty
Forester at Geneva, which will
be available with its new boxer
diesel engine in the autumn.
Sales of the petrol variant
start in April, with the new car
boasting more passenger and
luggage space plus a smoother
ride and more agile handling
thanks to a new multi-link
double-wishbone rear
suspension. Based on the
platform of the new Impreza,
panels which produce energy
and also pre-heats the diesel,
allowing for more efficient
running from start-up.
■ MINI unveiled its new tuned
John Cooper Works model,
which will be factory-built and
on sale in the summer.
With engine modifications
that deliver 211bhp and 0-62mph
in 6.5 seconds, and engine,
brakes, suspension settings and
transmission adapted from the
MINI Challenge racing car, the
John Cooper Works model will
cost £20,500 for the hatchback
and £21,700 for the Clubman.
There is also a full range of
bodystyling pieces available, as
well as Dynamic Traction
Control for the first time on a
MINI.
vehicle, and it is good to see
that effort rewarded by the
UK’s experts.”
The firm also unveiled the
Prototype-S, a hatchback
Lancer that will go on sale
later in the year in both
standard and 240bhp Ralliart
forms.
Sitting alongside the saloon,
the hatch has been designed
specifically for the tastes of
European buyers and is
intended to compete the
Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Mitsubishi’s
Prototype-S
will become
the new
Lancer
hatchback in
the UK later
this year
The G4e electric supermini
Subaru believes the new
Forester’s extra internal
dimensions and 2.0-litre diesel
engine will help it compete
more closely in the SUV sector
with the Honda CR-V and
Toyota RAV4.
Also on show was the G4e –
a supermini electric concept.
GENEVA SHOW
SEAT
The Bocanegra gives a strong hint to the look of the next Ibiza
SEAT’s new Ibiza supermini
appeared at Geneva, albeit in
thinly-disguised concept form.
The Bocanegra (which
means black mouth) shows the
direction the firm is taking
with its new challenger, which
is due to go on sale later this
year. A production version
should make its debut at
September’s Paris Motor Show.
The car has been designed
by Luc Donkerwolke, the
former chief stylist at Lambo-
rghini, and features a more
aggressive look than before.
The Bocanegra name refers to
the large black front grille area.
20 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Under the bonnet is the
latest Volkswagen Group
technology, including the
seven-speed DSG gearbox and
a 1.4-litre TSI twin-turbo-
charged petrol engine.
It seems that SEAT has
learned from its previous
model launches, with very
similarly-styled models – Leon,
Toledo and Altea. The styling
of the Bocanegra shows a
sportier slant being taken by
the company, which will also
launch a rival to the Ford
Mondeo next year.
■ SEAT chief’s quality pledge –
see Martin Ward on page 11
Jaguar/Land Rover
Jaguar’s XKR-S (above) and
Land Rover’s LRX Concept
(right) made their debuts at
Geneva. Both firms are being
sold to India’s Tata Motors
New models were not the key
focus for Jaguar and Land
Rover at Geneva – instead the
two brands were preparing for
a new start under the owner-
ship of Indian company Tata.
Tata Motors is in the final
stages of negotiation with Ford
about buying the two British
premium brands for an
estimated £1billion.
The company’s chairman,
Ratan Tata, was at Geneva to
allay fears that the companies
could be moved away from
their traditional West Midlands
manufacturing base. He said
that his company’s aim was to
retain the ‘Britishness’ of
Jaguar and Land Rover, adding
“these brands belong to Britain
and they will continue to
belong to Britain”.
After the hectic XF launch
schedule of the past few
months, Jaguar had a low-key
Geneva, preferring to display
its much-vaunted new saloon
rather than unveil the super-
charged R version.
However, it did reveal a
limited edition version of the
XKR coupe – the XKR-S.
Extensive changes to the
suspension, brakes and
steering, a noisier exhaust and
a recalibrated engine manage-
ment system makes this the
fastest production XK to date.
The supercharged 4.2-litre V8
produces 420bhp.
At Land Rover, the striking
LRX small SUV concept made
another appearance, this time
sporting a new paint scheme.
A production model is due
next year, possibly using the
firm’s diesel hybrid technology
which is claimed to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions to
120g/km.
 Mercedes-Benz
CLC coupé
(above) made
its debut
at Geneva
alongside
a facelifted
version of
Mercedes-
Benz’s
evergreen SL
(right)
Cadillac
The American carmaker’s latest
assault on the UK market
continues in July, when the
right-hand drive CTS will arrive.
Cadillac hopes the car will
provide an alternative to those
looking at the likes of BMW and
Mercedes-Benz for their next
company car.
“This is a major statement for
Cadillac,” a company spokesman
said.
“This is new generation stuff.
We call it our sea-change car.”
A CTS Coupé concept was also
on show, which will form the
basis of a production model due
in 2010.
The Cadillac spokesman said
the numbers coming to the UK
Audi
The estate version of Audi’s new
A4 range was the key model for
fleets on the firm’s Geneva stand,
alongside a host of new versions
of the TT sportscar range.
Available to order now, the A4
Avant will go on sale in the UK in
June with a predicted £1,200
price premium over the saloon.
This means prices should start
from around the £23,900 mark.
At launch, there will be five
engines from the saloon –
1.8-litre turbo and 3.2-litre V6
petrols and 2.0-litre, 2.7-litre and
3.0-litre TDI diesels.
Available in SE or S line trim,
the Avant has a boot capacity
similar to its rivals, offering 490
litres of luggage space, or 1,430
Cadillac’s CTS Coupé concept will be a production reality in 2010
would be small, but promises
driving dynamics to rival BMW.
The Provoq concept car
unveiled in Detroit also made an
New A4 Avant goes on sale in the UK in June, priced from £24,000
with the rear seats folded down.
Elsewhere, Audi has
announced that a diesel-engined
TT will join the line up in the
summer, boasting CO2 emissions
of 140g/km and combined
economy of up to 53.3mpg from
its 2.0-litre TDI 170bhp engine. It
will be available in coupé and
Mercedes-Benz turns blue
While the rest of the world is
going green, Mercedes-Benz is
going blue.
Not to be confused with
Volkswagen’s BlueMotion –
used on the greenest variant of
each model – BlueEfficiency is
the name used to describe the
innovations put into the C-Class
range, which could then be
rolled out across all Mercedes-
Benz products. The combined
technologies reduce fuel
consumption by as much as 12%.
A demonstration C200 CDI
boasted reductions to drag
coefficient, weight and rolling
resistance and a lightweight
windscreen. A gearshift display
tells the driver when to shift, and
the power steering requires less
energy to operate.
appearance in Switzerland, and
will eventually become the new
BRX, which will also come in
right-hand-drive form to the UK.
Roadster forms. Also due to go
on sale in the summer are the
TTS models, with a power
upgrade from 200 to 272bhp.
Prices start at £33,380 for the
range-topping model.
Finally, the 2.0 TFSI is now
available with Quattro four-wheel
drive.
Simon Oldfield, sales director
at Mercedes-Benz UK, said:
“This will be a broad approach to
all our cars in the future.
“We don’t want a standalone
model that’s green while the rest
of the range isn’t. If it makes
sense we will bring it in and it
will be on everything.”
Also on display was the new
CLC sports coupé, out in the UK
in the summer. Events in the
north of England and the
Midlands are planned to let fleet
managers and company car
drivers try the CLC as the
launch approaches.
■ With no new products
imminent, Smart is concentrat-
ing on refining its existing
offering. From September this
year, all new Smarts will come
Fiat/Alfa Romeo
A house-sized 500 dominated
the Fiat stand, but it wasn’t just
the MINI rival that grabbed
visitors’ attention.
The Fiorino will hit UK
shores at the end of this year,
and continues the growing
trend among manufacturers of
bringing out vans that can
double as passenger vehicles.
Slightly cheaper than the
Doblo, the Fiorino was
displayed in MPV form but will
also be available without rear
seats as a van.
There was a substantial
green presence at Fiat, with
two concept cars bearing the
Aria name – a 500 and a Panda.
The Stop & Start technology
contained in the concept will be
available on the production 500
from October.
A new Bravo engine, the 1.6
Mazda
Mazda has enjoyed strong
demand for its new 2 supermini
in the UK since its launch last
year and has now announced
details of a three-door version.
It will join the existing five-
door hatchback in the summer
in 1.3-litre petrol guise, with a
1.5-litre version arriving later in
the year.
Initial demand for the 2 has
mainly come from the retail
sector and Mazda is not
actively pushing the car into
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 21
with Mild Hybrid stop-and-start
technology.
Simon Oldfield, who is also
Smart’s UK sales director, said:
“The new fortwo has sold very
well in fleet as well as retail.
There will be an 8% fuel saving
with the Mild Hybrid, which is
good news for businesses.”
Meanwhile, decisions are
being made over the possibility
of introducing the diesel version
of the fortwo sold in mainland
Europe to the UK. If the go-
ahead is given, a trial sale of left-
hand-drive versions could begin
later this year. Although all
fortwos emit less than 120g/km
of CO2 – the magic figure that
puts vehicles in the lowest band
of benefit-in-kind tax – the diesel
version emits just 88g/km.
Alfa Romeo’s 8C Spider
Multijet with either 105 or
120bhp and capable of 60mpg
was on display, and will be
available in the UK from April.
■ Alfa Romeo’s flagship 8C
Spider stole the limelight.
The 159 and Brera both have
styling and performance
tweaks for 2008, and the firm
was also showing its Electronic
Q2 system, a differential
designed to help with traction
and stability that will become
standard across the range.
The three-door Mazda2
fleet, although it has high-
lighted public sector and
driving school fleets as a target
market for the car.
Mazda has also just released
further versions of its 6 upper-
medium model, with a 2.0-litre
turbodiesel and spacious estate
bodystyle joining the range.
GENEVA SHOW
Skoda
Skoda will be targeting contract hire business with the new Superb
Skoda’s new flagship car, the
Superb, was unveiled at Geneva.
Designed to take on the likes
of Renault’s Laguna and Ford’s
Mondeo, the Superb features
class-leading rear legroom and
an innovative boot known as the
Twindoor. The boot can be
opened like a traditional saloon,
or with the rear windscreen like
a hatchback.
A range of engines will be
available, including a 170bhp
2.0-litre diesel which is expected
to be a fleet favourite.
Skoda’s David Ovended, the
UK head of operations, said the
new model should ensure a 50%
growth in sales of the Superb
compared to the outgoing
version, which sold almost 3,000
a year.
“It’s a very attractive car for
the fleet sector and it’s a key
market, particularly in leasing
and contract hire,” he said.
“Superb will be an important
addition to the fleet mix. It says
something about the brand
overall. It’s our halo product.”
Kia
Two concepts took pride of
place on the Kia stand, the most
obvious being a trio of cars
known as Soul.
A Kia spokesman said the car
was designed to be a different
vehicle for different people that
want different things. It takes
the concept of customisation
seen in the MINI and the Fiat
500 and aims to take it further,
with huge amounts of different
paint, trim and accessory
combinations available.
Kia’s Soul Searcher (above) and Soul Burner (left) concepts
“We don’t want to pigeonhole
it until it’s in the marketplace,”
the spokesman said.
“Although it’s a B-segment
car, modern lifestyles give all
sorts of possibilities. It will be a
car that will fit into your
lifestyle rather than making
some kind of lifestyle statement
itself.”
A production version of the
Soul will be on sale at the
beginning of next year.
The eco_cee’d is, as the
name suggests, a more
economical version of Kia’s
current hatchback, and the
technology within the concept
will make it into production.
The innovations include a
stop and go system, low rolling
resistance and underfloor
aerodynamic improvements, as
well as high ratio gears.
When used on the three-door
pro_cee’d, the technology
reduces CO2 emissions to just
104g/km.
 Nissan
Nissan’s new Murano SUV
The big news at Geneva for
Nissan was the GT-R supercar.
But of more interest to fleets –
eventually – will be the new-look
Murano. Currently the petrol-
only SUV sells in very small
numbers in the UK, but a diesel-
powered version will hit the UK
in the next 12 to 18 months.
“That will be so important to
us when it comes out,” said a
spokesman for Nissan UK.
“Then the crossover family
will really be able to push on.
Qashqai is starting to make
inroads in the fleet market now
and we think it will be the fastest
selling Nissan vehicle globally,
ever.
“We will be concentrating on
crossover as a major part of the
corporate strategy over the next
two years.”
Saab
Saab’s 9-X concept points to a new lower-medium model
Although no one will officially
confirm it, Saab’s 9-X BioHybrid
concept is a very strong hint to
the look of a new vehicle for the
Swedish – the 9-1.
Taking its design cues from
Saab’s aircraft heritage and the
Chevrolet
A three-door version of the
Aveo was the highlight of
Chevrolet’s stand.
Making its first public
appearance, the car will go on
sale later this year with a petrol
engine with 84bhp. No prices or
specifications are available.
AeroX Concept of 2006, the 9-X
BioHybrid is powered by a 1.4-
litre turbocharged engine with
200bhp, and an electric motor.
Able to run on E85 bioethanol,
the concept emits just 105g/km
of CO2.
Chevrolet’s three-door Aveo
Hyundai
Hyundai’s i-mode will become a road-going MPV in 2010
Taking centre stage at the
Hyundai stand was the i-mode
concept car, an MPV that forms
the basis of a forthcoming
production car in 2010, possibly
under the name of i35M.
The six-seater concept
features a brand new twin-turbo
2.2-litre turbodiesel engine with
215bhp. The same engine, with
a single turbo, will be seen in
future large Hyundais such as
the Tucson and Santa Fe.
The i-mode also features self-
healing paint, developed with
3M and designed to magically
repair minor scratches.
A Hyundai spokesman said
the production i-mode would
have considerable fleet appeal.
Also on show was the
facelifted Sonata, which boasts
an all-new interior. It’s
replacement, the i40, is due in
2011 or 2012.
There was also a facelift for
the Matrix, and a raft of
economical refinements known
collectively as i-blue. An i30
Blue with CO2 emissions of
113g/km will be launched in
the UK in April.
NEW LAUNCH: MITSUBISHI LANCER
Evolution of the species
New Lancer has all the ingredients to appeal to user-choosers – including the hot Evo version
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
Mitsubishi has rarely made an
appearance on fleet managers’
radars, except for those in search
of four-wheel drive models.
The car range had traditionally
lacked that one basic ingredient
demanded by fleets – a diesel
option.
Many would argue that the old
range was lacking in other areas,
including styling, excitement and,
ironically given the name of one of
its models, charisma.
User-choosers just weren’t
interested in Mitsubishi’s cars, as
Lance Bradley, sales and market-
ing director, freely admits.
“Most of our sales were into
retail,” he said.
However, with the all-new
Lancer things should change. The
four-door version of this new
lower-medium sector car has just
arrived, and it comes with a diesel
engine.
“This is our first real competi-
28 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
tor in the sector,” says Mr
Bradley.
A five-door version, including
the 240bhp RalliArt hot hatch that
sits between the standard Lancer
and the awesome Evo X, will
arrive in September. Expect this
RalliArt model, which premiered
at Geneva as the Prototype-S, to
compete against the Ford Focus
ST on cost and power – it will be
priced around £20,000.
Unfortunately, this staggered
model launch means the more
popular hatch is not yet available
and so we can only, for now, get
behind the wheel of the four-door
car.
Mitsubishi has listened to its
styling critics – gone is the
unimaginative three-box look that
defined the easily forgettable
outgoing model. It is replaced by
a sleeker-looking European-
designed saloon, which sits on
standard 18-inch alloys and
carries a more aggressive new
double grille nose with style.
The interior is also a leap
forward in terms of fit as well as
the use of quality materials. There
is still plastic overkill and the dash
lacks imagination – think func-
tional rather than fun – but it is a
world away from the depressingly
dull Lancers of old.
The car is also roomier than the
competition – Honda Civic,
Mazda3, Ford Focus and Volvo
S40 – and this is most apparent in
the rear.
There will be a 1.5-litre 110bhp
petrol engine in the hatch, but for
the four-door models there is a
choice of just three engines – the
1.8-litre 145bhp petrol, the
Volkswagen-sourced 140bhp
2.0-litre turbodiesel and the manic
2.0-litre turbo petrol in the Evo X,

which, for the UK market, pumps
out 300, 330 or 360bhp depending
on your wallet.
The diesel, which Mr Bradley
predicts will make up 50% of the
5,000 Lancer sales he hopes for in
the first full year, is the engine of
choice.
Carbon dioxide emissions from
the 1.8-litre petrol place it in VED
band E (F for the CVT auto
model), while the diesel sits in
band D.
Fleets, especially police forces,
are already showing an interest in
the four-door version.
But it will not be until Septem-
ber that we will see any signifi-
cant increase in Mitsubishi
corporate sales.
When the two-model range is
in showrooms – there will be no
Business talk: here to help
A regular series that offers help, advice and assistance to fleet decision makers on a variety of current industry issues
Should I fund my vehicles
I M
through contract hire?
’ve heard contract hire is an
efficient fleet funding method. Is
this true, and if so what can I expect
from a service point of view?
I A
tʼs no surprise that the majority of
fleets now use contract hire, as
it removes a lot of the stress and
administration of fleet operation, and
often proves financially advantageous.
Importantly, the leasing company takes
the residual value risk on your vehicles,
so you donʼt have to worry about disposal
headaches.
Contract hire also removes vehicles
from your company’s balance sheet.
As all company cars depreciate, this
takes away the problem of having a
depreciating asset ‘on the books’.
As contract hire is an outsourced
service, the management element of
operating the fleet is simpler; it removes
much of the expense, logistics and
administration in vehicle procurement
and delivery. Because of the economies
of scale a leasing company may benefit
from, this could help keep your monthly
rentals down.
Almost all contract hire deals include
service and maintenance costs in the
monthly charge, so the burden of running
that side of the fleet should be taken care
of for you too, and at lower prices than
you might be able to negotiate.
estate version – Mitsubishi
predicts 20% of sales will be into
fleet.
While information is still
patchy, Mr Bradley confirmed to
Fleet News that the Japanese
manufacturer has brought
forward the development of its
own diesel engines by 12 months.
This means there will be a smaller,
cleaner diesel-powered Lancer in
showrooms by 2010.
Pricing, which Mitsubishi
benchmarked against the
Mazda3, is aggressive.
When it arrives, the five-door
manual 1.5-litre will kick the
range off at £12,499. The diesel
will begin at £15,499 in the
medium spec GS2 version and
top the range at £18,499 for the
GS4.
Strong anticipated residual
values should keep leasing
costs down for the all-new
Honda Accord
Tendering for a fleet supply deal need not be the daunting task it might at first seem
W
hat is the best way to set
out a tender for my fleet
and what should I be
looking for in the successful bid?
O
ne way is to go for the
company offering the lowest
quote, but in the long run
you should be looking for a supplier
offering a well-rounded package.
When setting out a bid for tender,
there are a number of demands over
and above the price the successful
bidder must meet. For a start, do they
offer a wide range of funding options,
Above this sits the Evo X,
which has already sold out of the
current allocation. This rally-
bred car will make up a huge 20%
of all UK Lancer sales – or 1,250
Evos from a total allocation for
the whole of Europe of 3,000
units annually.
Mitsubishi’s entry-level Evo X,
the five-speed manual FQ-300, is
priced at £27,499, which is
cheaper than the outgoing
model.
CAP residual figures are
strong – 37% for the four-door –
which is higher than the Mazda3,
Subaru Impreza or Focus.
Mitsubishi’s service plan
should also appeal to fleets. For
the cost of a first service, the
following three years’ services
are free. This applies across the
range, even to the Evo X.
FACT FILE
Model: 1.5 1.8
Max power (bhp/rpm): 110/n/a 145/6,000 140/4,000
Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): n/a 131/4,250 228/1,750
Max speed (mph): n/a 127
0-62mph (secs): 11.6 9.8
Fuel consumption (mpg): 44.1 36.6
emissions (g/km): 168 183
On sale: Now – four-door, Evolution X;
September – five-door, RalliArt
Prices (OTR): £12,499–£37,999
and are they members of the BVRLA?
Find out if you will have the services
of a dedicated account manager, and
what succession planning is in place
if they leave. Workforce stability and
service is absolutely essential to a
strong working relationship.
Set out service level agreements
and key performance indicators on
delivery times and servicing work,
and find out how they intend to
meet and measure them. Also, ask
what IT capability they have and
how their systems will interact with
yours and what additional services
BEHIND THE WHEEL
On the road it is the diesel, which
pumps out 140bhp and 228lb-ft
torque, that wins over the rather tame
1.8-litre petrol.
The diesel is noisier but the
engine’s ability to punch its way up to
motorway speeds makes the petrol
alternative feel unresponsive and
strained.
The ride is on the hard side, but
not jarring. On the track, all of the
models react as expected. Stability
and grip are plentiful, and when the
limits are approached, there’s lots of
easily controlled understeer on the
front-wheel drive cars and four-wheel
drift on the Evo. The stability and
traction systems on the higher spec
models are well set-up for the road
2.0Di-D 2.0 FQ-300
300/6,500
300/3,500
129 155
9.6 4.7
44.8 27.4 CO2
165 246
they offer, such as accident and risk
management.
One way of finding out if they are
really interested in meeting your needs
is to ask for some rental quotes, and
then change the criteria. A keen supplier
will meet these demands quickly.
Talk to other fleet managers who
use the same supplier as the flashiest
presentation doesnʼt necessarily
mean a strong operation. Through the
Association of Car Fleet Operators
at www.acfo.org you can speak to
colleagues who have experience of
many leasing firms.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 29
cars, although they intervene too
quickly in the Evo when it is tackling
high-speed track cornering. It can all,
of course, be turned off.
The full four-door range comes
with a ridiculous rear spoiler that
does little except hamper vision –
Mitsubishi clearly believes the Evo’s
halo effect means drivers want a
spoiler on the boot lid of a 1.8-litre
petrol saloon.
VERDICT
The new Lancer is a massive
leap forward. The Evo X will
always have a cult following,
but now the full line-up has
something to offer. Fleets
interested in strong residuals,
Japanese reliability, competitive
pricing and something that does
not have a blue oval at the front
should consider it.
How to manage your
end of contract costs
y fleet’s end of contract
and early termination
charges seem high. What
can I do to lower them?
ll leasing companies have
standards of condition they
expect at defleeting time.
If you are returning cars with much
higher mileage then agreed, or in
unreasonable condition, they will
charge accordingly.
If you find it difficult to predict
mileages, you could try pooling: in
this case the leasing company would
take an average across the fleet, so
cars with low mileage offset those
that have travelled further. A good
leasing company should be able to
help predict your mileages and adjust
your contract terms if needs be.
You need to be vigilant on vehicle
condition. Make drivers aware of
what is required at hand-back time,
and perhaps include a clause in the
driverʼs contract that they contribute
to the cost of any reconditioning
necessary at defleeting time.
An industry guide to acceptable
return standards is produced by the
BVRLA at www.bvrla.co.uk.
Produced in association
with Honda Corporate
Sales. Tel: 01494 480515
 ROAD TEST: AUDI A4 2.0 TDI SE

New A4 builds on THREE RIVALS TO CONSIDER

Audi’s strengths ■ BMW

318d ES

P11D PRICE
■ Mercedes-Benz
C200 CDI SE
■ Volvo
S60 2.4 D S

Bigger and better to drive, but can it match the 3 Series? Four cars which are very evenly S60 £22,180
matched on price, but the Volvo 318d £23,595
leads the way with 163bhp, A4 £23,775
compared to 143bhp for the Audi C200 £23,892
and BMW and 136bhp for the the Audi offering climate control and
C-Class. All are well equipped, with rear parking sensors as standard.

EMISSIONS AND TAX RATES

BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology 318d 123g/km/18%
puts the 318d a long way ahead, A4 144g/km/19%
costing a 40% taxpayer £141 a C200 149g/km/20%
month in benefit-in-kind tax. The S60 174g/km/25%
Audi comes in second, costing the Mercedes-Benz will cost £159 and
same taxpayer £150 a month. The the Volvo £185 a month.

SMR COST
With variable service intervals, the ppm/60k total
BMW and Mercedes-Benz eke out a 318d 3.53/£2,118
small advantage. The Volvo is on a C200 3.74/£2,244
S60 3.78/£2,268
par with them with its fixed 18,000-
A4 4.57/£2,742
mile service intervals. The Audi is
BY PHILL TROMANS why some rival manufacturers are most expensive, costing one pence to needing attention at some point

The A4 is one of a bastion of vehi-

FACT FILE so far behind in this area.
Fuel consumption is also
per mile more than the BMW, thanks between 9,000 and 19,000 miles.

cles synonymous with fleets and

the company car. It has been a
firm favourite since its launch in
1994, and now the new generation
has arrived.
The new A4 is a recognisable
evolution of the outgoing model
and, let’s face it, most of the A4s
before that. Audi has always erred
on the cautious side when it
comes to restyling its cars, but
that’s not to say that the new look
is a dull one.
It’s subtle but stylish, with
some well-placed lines and neat
little touches. The headlights
have a slightly mean-looking
frown, accentuated by the optional
LED running lights (£1,100 with
the Xenon Plus headlight kit),
while the rising creases running
from front to rear break up the
flanks and give the car a sleeker
appearance.
This is a good thing, as the new
A4 is wider and longer than its
predecessor, although it is lower.
The interior is a benchmark in
quality. The seats could use a bit
more lateral and lumbar support,
but everything feels robust and
well made, from the switchgear to
the type of plastics used.
This is mirrored in the driving
experience. Audis aren’t usually
exhilarating behind the wheel,
but not much can beat them for
an indomitable feeling of safety
and solidity.
The new 2.0-litre TDI engine
P11D value
CO2 emissions (g/km)
£23,775
144
BIK % of P11D in 2008 19%
Graduated VED rate £115
Insurance group 12
Combined mpg 51.4
CAP RV (3yr/60k) £11,275/47%
Monthly lease (3yr/60k) £434
■ Solid as a rock
✔ ■■ Plenty
Stylish but subtle
of standard kit
■ Economical
■ High SMR costs
✖ ■ Seats lack support
packs 143bhp and 236lb-ft of
torque, which makes for smooth
and decisive acceleration and the
A4 reaches 62mph from rest in
9.4 seconds. The engine is mated
to a six-speed gearbox, which is
one of the car’s highlights.
All recent Audis that we’ve tried
have been a treat to change gear
in and the new A4 continues to set
benchmarks for the opposition.
Not too light, not too clunky; it’s
just right and makes us wonder
impressive, with an official
combined figure of 51.3mpg. The
A4 is not a small car, but during
our time with it we averaged a
whisker under 50mpg on the
motorway and never dipped
below 42mpg, even when crawl-
ing through London traffic.
Carbon dioxide is emitted at a
rate of 144g/km, which puts it in
the 19% benefit-in-kind tax band.
The cost of the SE model we
tested is £23,775, which is on a
par with rivals such as the BMW
318d ES and Mercedes-Benz
C200 CDI SE. As standard, you
get 17-inch alloys, Audi’s Concert
audio system, complete with a
6.5-inch colour screen and 10
speakers, as well as automatic
headlights, rear view mirror and
wipers. Parking sensors, ESP and
climate control are also included.
Drivers seeking thrills from
their wheels need not apply, but
those who value quality of build
and a relaxed driving experience
should take a look at the new A4.
FUEL COST
Once again EfficientDynamics helps 318d 7.48/£4,488
the BMW top the chart. Its fuel- A4 8.74/£5,244
saving technology returns a claimed C200 9.06/£5,436
60.1mpg average economy to give a S60 10.50/£6,300
fuel spend of under £5,000 over 51.4mpg, the C200 CDI 49.6mpg
60,000 miles. The Audi returns and the Volvo a lowish 42.8mpg.
DEPRECIATION COST
As the newest kid on the block, the A4 21.62/£12,972
Audi has the strongest residual
value predictions, with a CAP
C200
318d
22.82/£13,692
22.95/£13,770
estimate of 47% after three years/ S60 25.21/£15,126
60,000 miles. The next newest car, BMW 41%. The ageing Volvo is
the C-Class, will retain 44% and the outclassed here, retaining just 31%.
WHOLELIFE COST
The BMW wins with an advantage 318d 33.96/£20,376
of almost one pence per mile over A4 34.93/£20,958
the A4. At just under 34ppm, the C200 35.62/£21,372
318d will cost £20,400 to run over S60 39.49/£23,694
a typical fleet life. The Audi will cost class leader than it used to be, but
£21,000. The C-Class is closer to the the Volvo is outclassed again.
VERDICT
We’ll discount the Volvo first – it’s an ageing model which simply doesn’t
have the badge cachet to compete directly with the established German
premium trio. Of these three, it’s very hard to separate them in emotional
terms. The Mercedes-Benz is a handsome car, the Audi is impeccably built and
very stylish, while the 318d is the choice of drivers thanks to its handling and
engine. But rationally it is easier to pick a winner, and it is the BMW which
retains its crown in this test thanks to its superior on-paper running cost
performance.
■ WINNER: BMW 318d ES

www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 31

I am
30!
BY STEVE MOODY
T
he year is
1978. Margaret
Thatcher has yet
to wield her
handbag across
the British political, industrial
and social landscape, a strike-
ridden British Leyland is hoping
that the Austin Princess will
challenge the best-selling Ford
Cortina, Angela Rippon pres-
ents a new programme called
Top Gear and nobody can quite
believe that Olivia Newton John
got into those trousers in the
year’s hit film Grease.
And, of course, Fleet News is
launched, the brainchild of two
brothers, Bill and Ross Jackson,
following a conversation with an
accountant who was saddled
with trying to run his company’s
‘
fleet with no expertise.
THE CONCEPT OF
WHOLELIFE COSTS WAS
ALMOST UNHEARD OF
In 1978 – the year in which Fleet News was
launched – the Ford Cortina was the best-
selling car, with 139,204 registrations
32 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Fleet News was born out of
what many people see as the
birth of the fleet industry, when
Jim Callaghan’s pay freeze in
the 1970s inspired firms to offer
cars as a substitute for wages.
In fact, companies supplying
cars to employees had been
around for decades, evidenced
by the foundation of the British
Vehicle Rental and Leasing
Association in 1967.
Ford dominated the car
market with its Essex-built
Cortina, which sold 139,204 cars
in 1978, and Escort, which
racked up 114,415 units. The
third best-seller – the Morris
Marina – managed more than
30,000 fewer registrations than
the Escort.
For these cars, and for the
lucky company car driver, a
1.6-litre engine managing 60bhp,
30mpg and some fetching brown
’
SPECIAL FEATURE: 30TH ANNIVERSARY
A look back at
the changing
face of fleet
As Fleet News celebrates its 30th birthday, let’s look
at how the industry has evolved since the first issue
FleetNews
vinyl was about the best that
could be expected.
The fleet market was also
much smaller, totalling around
500,000 new cars a year – about
15-20% of overall sales – rather
than the 50%-plus of today.
It was also very different for
fleet managers, and its change
reflects the way British society
itself has shifted away from grimy
industry to shiny corporations.
For the fleet manager of 1978,
Fleet News provided very differ-
ent information on very similar
subjects.
High on any list of important
issues for fleet managers now are
financing vehicles and control-
ling running costs, and indeed
the first issue of Fleet News
reflects this. But like the two lead
characters from television show
Life on Mars, who are both out to
catch criminals but with hugely
varying methods, the fleet
manager of 30 years ago needed
a very different approach to
today.
The DCI Gene Hunt approach
of the 1970s was hands-on, and
the same could be said of the
1978 fleet manager – hopefully
without the flying fists workplace
and sexism – rather than the
more cerebral Sam Tyler
approach of 2008.
For example, most fleet manag-
ers, many of whom had been
engineers, bought and sold their
own cars, which meant having
industry contacts at both points
of supply and disposal, an under-
standing of the market and what
was selling where, and for what,
and getting the cars to market.
Editorial in Fleet News dedi-
cated a lot of column inches
towards examining used prices,
trends and results from auctions.
A fleet manager today has less
need to concern themselves with
actual used prices, and has more
often than not come from an
administration or accountancy
background.
With the majority of cars
contract hired, that risk and
administration is dealt with by
the leasing company.
A knowledge of used prices is
helpful in ensuring you’re going
to be getting competitive rental
rates from a supplier, but rarely
are they as crucial to day to day
fleet management life as in 1978.
This more cerebral approach
to the running of a car can be
seen in the fact that the concept
of wholelife costs was almost
unheard of, with digital storage
and communication way off.
Instead, economic analysis was
less of a decisive factor in fleet
purchase, with emotive issues of
what the boss wanted as a car,
and what you could get hold of, a
major influence.
Indeed, in 1978 the then-editor
of Fleet News Don Penny
suggested the idea of a table of
costs for cars, but ran into prob-
lems getting the project off the
ground because it would have
required a full time group of
continued on page 34
▲
When Fleet News arrived in March 1978 it went to some lengths to explain what it was and who it was for. It’s interesting to note that the very first front page announced it was
for managing directors and chief executives. A front page comment, speaking directly to heads of companies, reminded them that the fleet operation was their responsibility. A
cartoon rams the message home. Thirty years later many fleet managers are still trying to get through to senior executives and win the support of the board. Has Fleet News
failed to get its message across, or is some senior management extraordinarily slow on the uptake?

www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 33
 SPECIAL FEATURE: 30TH ANNIVERSARY

continued from page 32 cost £3,423 new, while the price of people, rather than car

▲
people calculating the figures.
Fleet departments often didn’t
have calculators and computers
were non-existent.
To lease a Ford Cortina 1600L
from Dial Contracts would cost
£16.38 a week for a 20,000 miles-
of a gallon of four star was 82p.
But everybody knows the
price of living is massively differ-
ent to 30 years ago.
The essential difference
between the job of fleet manager,
seen through the pages of Fleet
management.
In 1978, a fleet manager was
mainly concerned with the state
of the metal and keeping it chug-
ging along. For a fleet manager
now, the key focus is the person
inside it. Risk management was

‘
a-year contract. The best-selling News, now and then is in the a non-existent subject on the
fleet car, the Cortina 1600 GL, amount of time spent on issues pages of Fleet News and only

’
started to become an issue in
1983, with the advent of the law
RISK MANAGEMENT WAS A requiring all drivers to wear a
NON-EXISTENT SUBJECT ON seatbelt. Odd, when you
consider that having an accident
THE PAGES OF FLEET NEWS in a Cortina or similar metal box

Helplines had appeared by 1989, just part of the support given by

the paper to the fleet manager. Recognition came in the shape of the
Fleet News Awards, the first ever, held at the Hilton Hotel in London.
Jim Barnett from Philips Electronics was the first Fleet Manager of
the Year. The first awards categories featured an environmental
award which made a welcome return for the 2008 event. Away from
the celebrations, drivers were contemplating the prospect of petrol
at £2 a gallon and a “national insurance” catch for lower-paid drivers
receiving private fuel.

For more information and details of our 3 Day Test Drive Programme call 0870 010 0651*

Official Government Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). BLS Saloon - Urban 34.9 (8.1), Extra Urban
metallic paint at extra cost (£500). Prices are correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offers may be varied or withdrawn at any time. *3 Day Test Drive vehicles
Bank Holidays. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.
 from the 1970s was more likely
to put you in a wooden box.
Now, most of a fleet manager’s
time is spent ensuring their
drivers are safe and that they are
served with everything neces-
sary from the company to
comply with duty of care. Policy.
Strategy. Compliance.
Then there’s the latest subject
unheard of to the fleet manager
of 1978 – environmental impact.
A fleet manager of the 1970s
would assume carbon footprint
was a new prog rock band.
Life on Mars indeed.

British Leyland launched its

Ford Cortina challenger – the
Austin Princess – in 1978

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott brought some humour to this
front page from 1998, squeezed into a Honda concept car that he
went on to crash. “Two Jags” continued to loom large in the paper
until 2007. The Fleet News website, formerly known as Fleet
NewsNet, had been launched in 1996 and the address (confusingly
www.automotive.co.uk) sat under the masthead. That year’s Fleet
Motor Show had its own radio station, Fleet FM. In many ways this
was the forerunner of our modern-day internet podcasts. More than
10,000 people attended the four-day event at Donington Park.
Ever the fleet managers’ champion, this front page from 2002 tackles
the two groups responsible for most fleet managers’ headaches – the
government and the drivers of their own fleets.
By now the fleet industry had developed into a formidable lobby.
Both the fleet operators’ association ACFO and the British Vehicle
Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) were calling on the new
transport secretary Alistair Darling to be honest, transparent and
prevent the introduction of the London congestion charge.
Drivers weren’t checking their oil. Plus ça change ...

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT
THE FLEET NEWS INTERVIEW:
TONY
All in One has made a rapid entry into the FN50, but its managing director has set his sights higher
BY RALPH MORTON
J
on Walden would probably need a pair of
binoculars. Even then, the boss of the
UK’s number one contract hire company
might wonder if he was looking through
the wrong end of his glasses from the top
of the Lex tower.
Far, far down below, near the bottom of the FN50
chart, is All in One Leasing. Who, you might ask?
It’s a name that made quite an entrance. Now at 47
in the FN50, following an impressive debut at 50 in the
hall of fame last year, All in One only commenced
trading at the beginning of 2006.
Of course, the company has been assisted up the
ladder by the volume of contract hire company
mergers in the leasing industry. As other names have
disappeared from the leasing landscape, so smaller
players have been sucked up the league table.
But to appear, blinking into the glare of the FN50
spotlight in its first year, provided some indication of
the company’s progress. It now has some 300 custom-
ers and a fleet of 1,500 vehicles.
“Reaching the FN50 came as a pleasant surprise,”
says Tony Williams, All in One managing director.
36 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
“Don’t get me wrong. We planned to be there, but not
necessarily in our first nine months. It’s a significant
milestone.”
Start-ups need to be ambitious. They also need
financial stability. However, All in One has the backing
of the UK Car Group, the largest independent used
car retailer in Britain.
A family-run business since 1951, the UK Car Group
trades as Carcraft, selling 50,000 used vehicles a year.
And this, reckons Tony, is a key to All in One’s
offering to fleet managers. “We have a cradle to grave
approach,” he says.
“We buy new, operate and maintain the vehicles in-
life, and finally remarket them through our own chan-
nels. It means we cut out the disposal costs, which
gives us a considerable advantage.”
It’s certainly a very different proposition. Most of
the large leasing companies are gravitating towards
auction houses to dispose of their cars and have
ditched owned used car outlets in favour of the
services offered by BCA and Manheim. So should –
and can – fleet managers trust such a minnow of the
FN50 to deliver in the face of such giants?
“I think the fact that our holding company is family-
owned and has been in the automotive business for 55
years suggests a continuity of intent sadly lacking in
some competitors,” comes the robust response.
“Because we own our used car outlets we can be
bold on residual values. Our leasing rate benchmarks
against Insight data (www.derwentdata.com) show
we’re on the right side of value for any customer.
“We have a suite of products for the small and
medium enterprise market as well as the mid-sector
100 to 500-vehicle market that includes driver licence
checking, online reporting and accident management.
We also have the flexibility to rewrite contracts to
reflect changed mileage parameters and national
agreements on labour rates.”
The company has six regional sales managers for
bigger fleets; a direct telesales team for small busi-
nesses after-value propositions; and a network of
brokers. The company also has a dedicated van
website, Van Leasing Direct.
In particular, it’s the sales team that Tony sees as
All in One’s key differentiator.
“A sales manager will ‘own’ the relationship with a
customer,” explains Tony. “Our remuneration policy
allows the manager to invest in that relationship. It’s
this superior customer service that larger contract
hire companies often struggle with.
“It’s a difficult market and it’s not easy competing
against the larger brands. So the proposition has to be
compelling just to get through the door. But once
there, customers realise our guys know what they’re
talking about. We’re a family-owned business – those
values permeate throughout the entire company.”
Williams says the company is currently writing
between 150 and 200 contracts a month.
But All in One won’t stop there, according to
Williams, who plans to put the company in the FN50
top 30 with a fleet of at least 30,000.
“We want to be a meaningful supplier in the contract
and lease management industry,” he says.
It seems Jon Walden won’t require those binoculars
for too much longer. If all goes to plan, All in One will
loom rather larger in the FN50.
A BRIEF
HISTORY
With a head office base in Rochdale,
Lancashire, All in One Leasing was
launched in early 2006 as the contract
hire and vehicle funding subsidiary of UK
Car Group. The holding company has a
strong automotive background. Trading
as Carcraft, which was established in
1951, it is now the UK’s leading group of
independent used car hypermarkets,
selling 50,000 used cars a year.

WILLIAMS’
WAY
Tony began working in 1984 at
Chartered Trust’s leasing division ACL
before moving to Masterhire, Vauxhall’s
leasing division, in 1988. There, Tony’s
first task was to put into place the
foundations of the company which saw it
grow into the FN50’s top 10. With the
integration of Masterhire and Interleasing
(now Masterlease) Tony headed off to the
European operation director’s post at
Dent Wizard (2002). He joined LeasePlan
in 2004, before helping set up All in One
Leasing at the end of 2005.

CUSTOMER
COUNTERPOINT
Car Crash Line is a vehicle hire company ALL IN ONE’S
that specialises in accident management
claims, providing both insurance and
TOP 10 CARS
trade replacement vehicles. 1. Vauxhall Corsa
The company has 6,000 vehicles on its 2. Volkswagen Golf
fleet which are all financed by non-risk 3. Volkswagen Touran
methods – either contract hire or 4. Volvo S40
manufacturer buy-back. Car Crash Line 5. Ford Mondeo
has 10% of its fleet with All in One 6. Volkswagen Passat
Leasing. 7. BMW 3-Series
Car Crash Line fleet director Adrian 8. SEAT Leon
Hayter said: “We have a very specialist 9. Renault Clio
funding requirement, because we only 10. Vauxhall Astra
want to hold our vehicles for 12 months.
The traditional leasing companies are
only interested in two to four-year leases.
All in One was able to take a very
proactive view on this sort of funding ‘WE’RE A FAMILY-OWNED
because it has the backing of Carcraft.
“The used car supermarkets provide a BUSINESS – THOSE VALUES
ready market for these cars when they
come back at the end of the lease PERMEATE THROUGHOUT
period.”
THE WHOLE COMPANY’
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 37
CAREER DEVELOPMENT: NETWORKING
Networking best way to
improve your knowledge
Opportunities from regional meetings to major events exist for developing new contacts
BY EMMA COOPER
T
he fleet industry is
undergoing constant
change. Managers
have to keep up to
date with legislation
and consider a wide range of
issues – risk management, duty
of care, costs and going green, to
name just a few. And there is no
‘one size fits all’ solution in fleet.
If you’re new to fleet, the indus-
try can appear complex, limitless
and downright scary. Experi-
enced operators know that the
best way to get started and
develop your fleet expertise is to
build up a network of colleagues
and industry contacts and to get
involved in the fleet community,
but even that first step can seem
rather daunting.
“A fleet manager or fleet opera-
tor’s role really can be a very
lonely one, especially if you’re the
only person in your organisation
that has that job,” says Julie
Jenner, chairman of the fleet
operators’ association ACFO.
“You might think, where do
you start, who do you turn to? It’s
imperative to have a network of
contacts on hand.”
Debbie Floyde, fleet manager
at Bauer Automotive, agrees.
“I don’t think there’s anything
better than getting out there and
networking to improve your fleet
knowledge,” she says. “Speaking
to others is the best way to get
advice on best practice.”
If you’re not sure whether to
brave a large industry conference
straightaway then ACFO regional
meetings can provide a gentler
introduction to fleet.
“ACFO meetings are relaxed
and informal and will give you
more confidence at larger events,”
says Alan Miles, fleet manager for
the Royal National Institute for
the Blind.
“They’re one of the best
ongoing ways to network. You’re
not under pressure to actively
participate but managers have
that common background.”
Managers will find networking
opportunities if they choose to go
down a more formal route, such
as taking a diploma with the Insti-
tute of Car Fleet Management
(ICFM). As part of the institute’s
fast-track learning scheme candi-
dates work together in small
groups and are encouraged to
network during their modules.
“Networking is critically
important which is why we
continually mix up the groups as
part of our training programme,”
says ICFM director of education
and training James Langley.
Alan Miles believes manufac-
turer launches and hospitality
events offer a more relaxed start-
ing point for networking, rather
than formal presentations.
“Manufacturers’ driving days
or events such as Company Car
in Action are a good way to meet
managers and suppliers. They’re
relaxed events where you all get
involved,” he says.
These kind of events are also
easier on the company purse, as
Debbie Floyde points out:
“Smaller fleet managers might
find it hard to get the funding to
go out to industry events. In that
case take advantage of manufac-
turer launches and hospitality.”
‘
If you do want to jump straight
’
in and head off to a large indus-
try event then you need to know
which one to choose. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE
“Pick an event like the Fleet
News Risk in Fleet conference
AFRAID TO SPEAK TO OTHER
that covers a range of issues, MANAGERS
rather than a more specialised
one,” advises Julie Jenner. It’s also advisable to consider “There will be somebody there
And the cardinal rule, when the conference topics before you with a fleet similar to yours who
faced with a room full of unknown arrive and think of a game plan is happy to share their knowl-
suits, is to just get talking. and who you would like to speak edge,” says Nigel Trotman, fleet
“If you’re new to fleet or to during the day. manager for Whitbread.
haven’t been to many events you “The first thing I do at an event “It’s just a case of trying to
should never be afraid to speak is grab a delegate list and scout start up a conversation – “How
to other managers. It is scary if people out,” says James Langley. big is your fleet?” is always a
you’re at a large event and don’t But if you are still unsure then good question to break the ice.
know anyone, but we’re all in the try talking to the event organis- He also suggests new manag-
same industry. Most managers ers and see if they can put you in ers look for events with question
are happy to help,” says Debbie the direction of fleet managers and answer sessions, to get your
Floyde. who can introduce you around. queries answered quickly and to
get your face known.
“Break-out sessions, like those
NETWORKING TIPS at the FN50, are good. Every-
body’s on the same level and
■ Join a fleet organisation such as ACFO or the ICFM. you’re encouraged to participate
■ Take advantage of manufacturer and supplier hospitality. – if you speak out, people will talk
■ Pick a diverse conference that is relevant to you. to you more.
■ If you’re nervous, talk to the organisers. “Don’t be afraid to talk to
■ Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and start asking questions. others – we all want everybody
else to succeed.”
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 39
 Recruitment Call Daniel Bragg: 01733 468271
email: daniel.bragg@emap.com

Brighter future
New Business Manager Fleet/Rental, Berkshire £35k + Benefits
Maintenance Controller Fleet, Surrey £25k
Business Development Mgr Fleet, Surrey £55k
Fleet Account Manager Fleet, Berkshire £30k
01235 536440
To apply for the above vacancies or to have a confidential conversation regarding your recruitment needs email your current
www.steele-dixon.co.uk CV to jeremy@steele-dixon.co.uk or call 01235 536440.

IS NOW THE TIME

FOR A CAREER CHANGE?
CBC Recruitment Solutions are one of the UK’s leading recruiters to the finance
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Are you ready to push your career forward?

Regional Sales Manager – Midlands – Southern

This banking organisation are looking for talented contract hire professionals
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This sector is seeing fantastic growth and we have a number of opportunities
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40 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Your views, your queries, your chance to get involved
FLEET CV
Jane
Edgworth-
Lane
Transport
manager
Mitie Pest
Control
Describe your fleet.
We have 100 vehicles –
15 cars and 85 vans, all
purchased outright.
What advice would you
give to someone starting
in the fleet industr y?
Listen and learn as much as
you can from colleagues and
others within the industry
and be prepared to change
some of your working habits.
What is your greatest
challenge at work?
Keeping everything up to
date and ensuring we get the
best from our vehicle
technicians.
What is your biggest
achievement at work?
During the fuel shortages in
2005, I was able to provide
an information map of all the
areas where fuel was
available and was the point of
contact for up to 30
companies.
How is the fleet industr y
changing?
The industry is always
changing and now we have
more green concerns. We
respect our vehicles more, as
well as the impact they have
on the environment.
What do you do to relax?
I love interior design and
have done both my own
houses and those of my
friends.
SETTLING IN
Sarah
Brading
Human
resources
manager
epyx
Businesses neglect
employee checks
BY EMMA COOPER
Many businesses are not doing
enough to verify the legality of
their employees, placing compa-
nies at risk of fines and legal
action, according to a new study.
A joint survey by BusinessZone.
co.uk and HRZone.co.uk found
that 34% of small businesses have
no procedures in place to check
whether employees are eligible to
work in the UK.
Large organisations with dedi-
cated HR departments are also
overlooking legal status, with 37%
delaying their checks until after a
candidate has accepted a job
offer.
APPOINTMENTS
Paton named Brown joins CAP CV Monitor
as chairman CAP has appointed Ken Brown as forecast manager for commercial
vehicles. Mr Brown will head the company’s Monitor valuation tool
Bill Paton has been named as
chairman of quality assessment
at research centre Thatcham. He
will chair the company’s board of
motor insurers, overseeing
research developments in auto-
motive security and crash repairs.
Mr Paton is currently chief
claims officer for Zurich Finan-
cial Services.
How was your first day?
Great – everyone was very
friendly and welcoming.
How does your new role var y
from your last job?
People are the same wherever
you work. However, epyx has a
very enlightened attitude to the
activities that I carry out.
Find your
favourite
s
Letters – p43
A reader has welcomed the
call for traffic wardens to
show discretion over fines,
but feels the penalty system
is in need of change.
Under the 2006 Asylum and Helplines – p45
Nationality Act, companies could
face a £10,000 fine for every illegal
worker they employ.
Employers and managers
should carry out regular docu-
ment checks to avoid falling foul
of the legislation.
Laura Mitchell, of Clarion Many of our drivers are
Solicitors, said: “It is a real on the road for most of
concern that such a high propor- the day. What should I
tion of businesses do not have a include in a guide about
consistent policy in place to verify coping with fatigue?
the legality of their workers,
particularly given the conse- First car – p47
quences of non-compliance.
“Employers who fail to check
the legality of their workers do so A high number of firms do not
at their own risk.” carry out staff legality checks
■ email: fleetnews@emap.com
Nigel Trotman, of Whit-
bread Group, harks back to
his “boy racer” days.
Competition – p47
and will be responsible for maintaining and developing the service for
the UK truck and van market. He has more than 35 years’ experience
in the commercial vehicle sector.
Stevens takes Cars Direct role
Corby-based online vehicle remarketing specialist Cars Direct has
named Carol Stevens as national sales and marketing manager. She
Three laptop locks worth
will be responsible for managing future growth and will liaise with
£35 each are up for grabs.
customers to identify new business, as well as improving the
company’s brand awareness. Previously, she was vehicle remarketing
manager at BCA.
Job of
the week
Lloyds TSB appoint head of HR CBC RECRUITMENT
Sue Lincoln has been made head of human resources at Lloyds TSB Various positions,
Autolease. She will be responsible for the company’s recruitment and various locations p40
retention policies, talent management and in-house training. Ms
Lincoln has been with the company for more than 10 years.
What challenges have you What are you working on at will be looking for ways of
faced so far? the moment? running more efficiently the
Although I have worked in If I told you, I think I’d have to same or smaller levels of
HR in the IT arena for many shoot you. . . business – perhaps with the help
years, one of my challenges of some specialist automotive
has been to immerse myself How is the fleet industr y software.
in – and gain greater knowledge changing?
and understanding of – the I believe that with the economy What item could you not live
fleet industry. I’m definitely showing signs of beginning to without?
learning. become increasingly tight, fleets My car, of course.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 41
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LETTERS ■ Email: fleetnews@emap.com. Please include name, job title, company and address
Don’t rush
into AMAP
rates change
I read with interest the article
from Fleet Audits suggesting the
majority of employees using their
own car on business travel are
not out of pocket (fleetnews.
co.uk, March 6).
This is far from the case and it
depends on what you measure
the ‘cost’ to be.
It is the view of Fleet Audits
that the employee would already
have incurred the cost of purchas-
ing and insuring their vehicle
and therefore the ‘cost’ is only
the additional cost of the busi-
ness journey. On this basis, many
employees would not be out of
pocket with a reimbursement of
40p per mile. This, though, is not
how the legislation designed the
arrangement and the ‘cost’ being
reimbursed is the total cost of
running that business journey.
On this basis, unless an
employee uses a small car then
the 40p would be insufficient to
meet their costs.
It must be remembered that
there are a significant number of
employees who claim AMAP
relief and any change to this will
not be considered popular.
In real terms, the relief is
significantly reduced from what
was permitted prior to 2002.
The real issue is how can the
Government propose any change
when it does not know the impact
of that change?
I hope the Government will
undertake a proper assessment
of the position for any proposal to
change are introduced.
ALASTAIR KENDRICK
Bourne Business
Consulting LLP
Long hours fault
of greedy bosses
I have just read the article by
Emma Cooper on long hours
causing absenteeism (March 6).
It has always baffled me why
office people work over their stip-
ulated hours without getting paid
anything extra.
If it was factory work or similar,
overtime would be applied for and
paid.
Targets depend on sales of the
product produced. If the buyers
aren’t interested in that particular
product for a month or two, then
all the pressure in the world won’t
change it. The situation often
changes from month to month.
The pressure is caused because
the owners are greedy for more
sales. They are never satisfied
with a comfortable profit – they
always want more.
As a result, managers suffer
the long hours trying to work out
how to increase the target figures.
They then make themselves ill in
the process.
Annoyed at lack of right to appeal
I was pleased to read your article
regarding the relaxation of
parking enforcement (March 6).
We have seen a huge increase
in the number of parking penalty
charges in the last year. But the
worst involved Stevenage.
A ticket was received on Dec-
ember 7 and an appeal lodged on
the same day. On January 10 the
appeal was dismissed. A cheque
The best manager along with
the best junior clerk/shop floor
worker can still be struck off the
payroll at a stroke by the powers
that be.
People should prioritise and
have a routine which then allows
for the emergencies and
unplanned meetings.
They should keep meetings
short and avoid issues being
repeated. Make sure the other
for £30 was sent on the same day.
On January 31 we received a
notice of underpayment (for not
paying within 14 days), so we
wrote back spelling out the
details of the case. On February
14 an enforcement notice arrived
demanding an additional £30 or
court action would ensue.
We had no option for further
appeal or to represent our case. I
Interface
people understand what is
required first time.
Some companies have meet-
ings every day of the week with
the same people.
This has to be a waste of time.
With all industries I would say:
make sure the product is good
and it will sell on its own merits.
SUE COTTER
Fine Tubes
responded on each occasion on
the same day.
Most annoying was the lack of
a right to appeal, and the
complete lack of commonsense.
The lesson is – stay away from
Stevenage!
DAVID FOOTITT
Managing director,
NEWS Transport
Glaringly
obvious
solution
The article about what drivers
do to reduce rear view glare
caused me considerable
alarm (March 6).
Don’t these drivers know
about that handy little lever
which can be found at the
bottom of the rear view
mirror? If one was to move
the lever it actually ‘dims’ the
rear view, thereby reducing
the amount of light reflected
from vehicles behind.
What a clever invention.
And it’s only been fitted to
production cars for the last,
oh, 20 or so years!
Any driver who doesn’t
read his or her vehicle hand-
book to find this out deserves
to be dazzled.
RON BACKHOUSE
Fleet support clerical
officer,
City of Bradford
Metropolitan District
Council

ONLINE POLL FleetNews COMMENT

Are you following LAST WEEK’S POLL This is a heck of a week for Fleet News. Our 20th impossible challenge. We can’t hold the presses
the Budget on the annual awards ceremony was held on Monday for two days, yet the fleet industry needs to know
Fleet News website? 100 Does your company
night and Wednesday was Budget day. what the chancellor’s announcements mean.
If so, while you’re 80 pay your drivers’ In order to get the newspaper posted to you on Thank goodness for the internet.
parking fines?
there, vote “yes” in Tuesday/Wednesday every week, we send it to The Fleet News website at www.fleetnews.co.uk
the online vote. 60 the printer on Monday night. But on Monday is 12 years old but we’re only just starting to get
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Thanks to a big effort from our production
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week’s newspaper will back it all up with analysis.
Fleetnews.co.uk YES NO But an event on a Wednesday presents an Now we need a lie down.

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 Fleet services Call Dee Kennedy: 01733 468275
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HELPLINE ■ Do you have a problem with your fleet? Email: fleetnews@emap.com
DRUG TESTING
Getting staff to accept
a drug testing policy
Q I read in Fleet News that
fleet managers are being
advised to carr y out compul-
sor y drug tests on all their
drivers. I agree with the
sentiment but I think if I
suggested this to some of our
more senior people I would
have a riot on my hands.
Can I legally impose drug
testing on my drivers and if
not, how can I persuade them
to take part in such a scheme
willingly?
A You cannot carry out drug
tests on employees without
first obtaining their consent. To
do otherwise would amount to a
criminal assault and could lead to
an employee resigning and
claiming constructive dismissal.
It is advisable for the company
INSURANCE POLICIES
Q One of our drivers had
his car keys stolen
when his house was burgled
but the car was left
untouched.
We had to replace all the
keys at considerable cost but
our insurance company
won’t pay for this as they say
DRIVER FATIGUE
Q Many of our drivers are
on the road for most of
the day. I know fatigue and
tiredness are both factors in
driver safety and want to
supply more information to
drivers to help spot the signs
before it’s too late.
I’m planning to produce a
guide on our company
intranet site – what should I
include in it?
A You are right to focus on this
as one element of your fleet
risk management programme,
because fatigue is a killer.
Research suggests that as many
as one in five collisions, and
maybe more, are related to driver
tiredness.
According to the Victorian
Transport Accident Commission
in Australia, many crashes
happen in the early stages of
to have a detailed drugs policy
(which could also include
alcohol) in place to make it clear
how the company will deal with
drink and drug abuse.
As a starting point it would be
a good idea to ensure employees
are made aware either in their
contracts of employment or in
the company’s drugs and alcohol
policy that testing will be carried
out. If the company also wants to
search employees for drugs the
right to do so should be included
in their contracts of employment.
The company needs to give
careful consideration as to
whether the policy should apply
to all employees, or specific
groups of employees.
For example, it may be more
difficult for the company to
justify random drug testing on
the policy only covers the car
itself. Is this usual practice?
A The Schedule of the Motor
Insurance Policy should
stipulate whether the loss or
theft of keys is covered while
not in or on the insured vehicle.
However, there may be a
fatigue, rather than when
motorists actaully fell asleep at
the wheel.
Its experts urge drivers and
their passengers to look out for
symptoms of fatigue, including:
■ frequent yawning
■ heavy or sore eyes
■ slow reactions
■ daydreaming or inability to
fully concentrate
■ driving speed creeping up or
down
■ impatience
■ poor gear changes
■ feeling stiff or cramped.
Drivers planning long trips or
spending lots of time on the road
should:
■ get a good night’s sleep the
night before heading off
■ not make any plans to travel
when they would normally be
sleeping
■ not travel for more than eight
It is advisable for fleets to have a detailed drugs policy in place
employees who only have
administrative duties.
Persuading employees to take
part in drug testing may not be
easy. The company should
therefore undergo a period of
consultation with employees,
during which it can explain why
testing is being introduced and
address any concerns employees
have.
clause stating that the insurers
would not be liable for any
replacement costs where it
can reasonably be expected that
the keys or lock transmitter are
in the possession of any person
likely to know the identity of the
garaging address of the vehicle.
With regard to the household
to 10 hours in any one day
■ not drink any alcohol before or
during the trip
■ drink lots of water
■ share the driving where
possible
■ take a break at least every two
hours
■ stop in a safe place and take a
15-minute powernap at the first
signs of fatigue.
More local objective sources of
information on fatigue, and
general fleet risk management,
are provided by the Department
for Transport (www.dft.gov.uk/
drivingforwork) and by the road
safety charity Brake (www.brake.
org.uk).
DR WILL MURRAY
Research director,
www.virtualriskmanager.
net and www.fleetsafety-
benchmarking.net
The company should stress
that it has an obligation to
provide a safe place of work and
to comply with health and safety
legislation and that drug testing
is one way of doing this.
PHILIP SOMARAKIS
Senior solicitor,
Blake Lapthorn Tarlo
Lyons
insurance cover, the policy
terms and conditions should
specify if the house keys only
are covered.
SUZANNE TIFFANY
Insurance officer,
Devon & Somerset Fire &
Rescue Service
Driver fatigue is a contributory factor in around a fifth of accidents
www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 45
Interface
CAR
SHARING
Q I read that the Govern-
ment is tr ying to
encourage car-sharing.
I have suggested this to
some of my drivers but they
just don’t want to know. Any
ideas how I can get them
interested?
A This is a very common
problem and my sugges-
tion would be that you firstly
promote the benefits of car
sharing – the primary one being
the reduction in fuel costs and
then to incentivise the drivers in
some way.
I appreciate this can be a
problem in itself as most fleets
do not have the budget to offer
incentives but if you can offer a
financial bonus to those who co-
operate over a set period you
might be on the way to a
reduction in both costs and
carbon footprint.
With the escalation in fuel
prices if two employees shared
travel equally over a month they
will both be 50% better off in fuel
expenditure!
This will obviously only be of
benefit to office-based employ-
ees, the geographical logistics
involved in those in field related
roles making car sharing an non-
viable concept.
Communication via global
email with maybe a weekly
update of those drivers prepared
to share cars and from which
locations may assist your efforts.
DEBBIE FLOYDE
Fleet manager,
Bauer Automotive
 Fleet services Call Dee Kennedy: 01733 468275
email: dee.kennedy@emap.com

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46 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
AND FINALLY...
You couldn’t make it up...
Real-life stories about your fleet’s dimwit drivers
fuelcards.co.uk – helping to make fuel cards easy
EVENTS
BRAKE FORUM: ROAD
SAFETY AND BRANDING
March 27, National Social
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www.brake.org.uk
FLEET NEWS RISK IN FLEET
CONFERENCE
April 22, National Motorcycle
Museum, Birmingham.
www.riskinfleet.co.uk
BRAKE FORUM: DRIVER
BEHAVIOUR
April 24, Cranfield University,
Cranfield. www.brake.org.uk
BRAKE SPEED CONFERENCE
May 14, Royal College of
Physicians, Regents Park, London.
www.brake.org.uk
ACFO REGIONAL MEETINGS
For details visit the fleet operators’
association website www.acfo.org
MY FIRST COMPANY CAR
Back in 1990 I was given a
Ford Escort XR3.
I had the car for about three
months while waiting for my
car of choice, a Vauxhall
Cavalier, to arrive.
It was a red “boy racer” car,
NEWS QUIZ
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though I wasn’t that kind of
driver.
It was all right but it doesn’t
stick in my mind now – it was
OK on the open road but round
the houses the wide wheels
and sticky tyres were a night-
mare.
I much preferred the new
Cavalier which followed.
NIGEL TROTMAN
Fleet manager,
Whitbread Group
Interface
‘
One of our drivers was
having an affair and used to
park his big Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter van outside the
CONTACT US
Fleet News, incorporating Company Car, is
same house every day when
published by Bauer Automotive, Media
House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2
he should have been at 6EA. Phone 01733 468000. Fax 01733
468296. Email fleetnews@emap.com
work.
The owner of the house EDITORIAL
EDITOR
complained it was always Martyn Moore 01733 468024
there from 9am to 11am martyn.moore@emap.com
and it was blocking his view DEPUTY EDITOR
Julian Kirk 01733 468308
when he tried to get his car julian.kirk@emap.com
’
out of the drive. NEWS EDITOR
Daniel Attwood 01733 468294
Our vans are covered in daniel.attwood@emap.com
the company name, logos SECTION EDITOR
Adele Barry
and telephone number. This (currently on maternity leave)
made me laugh at the time MOTORING WRITER
and still does – discretion is Phill Tromans 01733 468314
phill.tromans@emap.com
definitely not that driver’s REPORTER
middle name. Emma Cooper 01733 468309
emma.cooper@emap.com
SUPPLEMENTS EDITOR/EVENTS
John Maslen 01733 468307
Email stories about your drivers john.maslen@emap.com
to fleetnews@emap.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Steve Moody
All entries published will steve.moody@emap.com
remain anonymous. If yours is
ADVERTISING
chosen you’ll receive £10. COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
Ian Warrington 01733 468583
KEY ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Fuelled by Laurence Hagger 01733 468273
Andy Smith 01733 468339
Peter Millis 01733 468268
Sheryl Graham 01733 468256
PROJECT MANAGER
Leanne Patterson 01733 468332
TELESALES MANAGER
Penny Care 01733 468375
RECRUITMENT EXECUTIVE
Daniel Bragg 01733 468271
CLASSIFIED EXECUTIVES
Dee Kennedy 01733 468275
PRODUCTION
HEAD OF PUBLISHING
For a chance to win, answer Sandie Hurford 01733 468312
the following questions, based sandie.hurford@emap.com
SENIOR ART EDITOR
on articles in this week’s Fleet
Luke Neal 01733 468262
News. luke.neal@emap.com
1 Who has signed a new PRODUCTION EDITORS
Andrew Ryan 01733 468310
contract with Nobilas UK? andrew.ryan@emap.com
2 What are the CO2 Alan Salt 01733 468267
alan.salt@emap.com
emissions of the Audi A4 DIGITAL PRODUCER
2.0 TDI SE? Jeremy Bennett 01733 468298
jeremy.bennett@emap.com
3 Who is the new forecast EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
manager for commercial Colleen Dixon 01733 468306
Avenquest lock passing vehicles at CAP? colleen.dixon@emap.com
through the gap left by the zip. Last week’s winner of a Road PUBLISHING
More information can be Angel sat-nav system was MANAGING DIRECTOR
Ed Kenyon 01733 468862
found at www.avenquest.co.uk Jessica Lloyd, of Dorset Police. ed.kenyon@emap.com
MANAGING DIRECTOR’S PA
Vicky Meadows 01733 468319
vicky.meadows@emap.com
Send your answers, with your job title and address, by email* to fleetnews@emap.com with
‘News Quiz’ in the subject line. The closing date is 5pm on Friday (tomorrow), when a winner GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR
will be chosen at random from the correct entries. *By supplying your email address you are Rob Munro-Hall
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FLEET NEWS © 2008 Bauer Automotive.
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www.fleetnews.co.uk 13.03.08 47
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
All eyes are
focused on
ECOnetic
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F
leet customers are
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The Ford Fleet Business Centre
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It is one of 28 current Ford
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Allergy award for six Ford models
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It awarded its sought-after Seal
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More than 100 materials and
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48 13.03.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
who prioritise low emissions
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dermatologically tested.
According to ECARF, “results
showed that the materials used
greatly reduce the risk of allergic
reaction”.
The vehicles have a high-
performance pollen filter, which
effectively prevents pollen
entering the interior.
technology, coupled with a clever
combination of individual, fuel-
saving measures.
The first model, the Focus
ECOnetic, uses the 109PS 1.6-litre
Duratorq engine, which delivers
an average fuel consumption of
65.6mpg. This corresponds to a
conventional powertrain best-in-
class CO2 emission performance
of only 115g/km.
The Ford ECOnetic vehicle
portfolio also now includes a
Mondeo ECOnetic with 125PS
1.8-litre Duratorq engine, with
sub-140 g/km CO2 emissions,
which is available to order now.
This will be followed by a
sub-100 g/km CO2 model in
Ford’s all-new Fiesta range.
For further information on
any vehicle in the Ford
range please contact the
Ford Business Centre on
08457 23 23 23, email
info@fordfleet.co.uk, or
visit www.fordfleet.co.uk
Ford Focus
ECOnetic emits
just 115g/km of CO2
The five-door Ford Fiesta is as
stunning as the three-door model
Five-door Fiesta
unveiled at Geneva
Immediately after the announcement
of the new three-door Fiesta, the
wraps came off its stylish five-door
twin at the Geneva Motor Show.
The all-new Fiesta takes much of
its exterior and interior design from
the striking Verve Concept, and the
dimensions of the three- and five-
door models are the same.
The visual impact of the five-door
is stunning because the kinetic
styling has not been compromised.
Three- and five-door models are
equally popular with British buyers.
Full technical details and UK
specifications will be released closer
to the launch of the production model
this autumn.
The 2008 Fiesta marks a major
leap forward in terms of style,
craftsmanship, quality of materials
and model choice.