March 2010

Geneva 2010 was all about pushing back boundaries. Car dealers will be exhibiting new concepts of eco-awareness and design, with new cars from manufacturers like BMW, Ford and Vauxhall shortly to begin arriving in their showrooms.

One of the most anticipated new cars of the year made its debut. The new BMW 5 series will be introduced to car dealers in 2011, but is already being snapped up in advance orders. Central to its design is efficient dynamics – something that is epitomised in the sporty, but eco-friendly ActiveHybrid. Another new BMW making its debut was the graceful F10 saloon, which despite its sleek modern styling still manages to retain the traditional appeal of earlier generations.

If you want a new Ford next year, take your pick, as there are plenty to choose from. The new Ford focus looks set to eclipse its rivals in the showrooms, while the new Galaxy, C-MAX and S-MAX have been completely redesigned both inside and out. Combining luxury with utility, these new cars epitomise Ford’s dedication to producing quality family multi-action vehicles (MAVs).

Ford also debuted its new “green warrior” system, ECOnetic Technologies. Following the trend towards fuel economy with performance, the technologically advanced system promises outstanding fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions, coupled with sleek design features and an outstanding ride. Other new Ford models included updates of the Ka and Fiesta ranges – including a totally new concept in self-personalisation of your new Ka.

Among the concept cars, the Vauxhall Flextreme is an electric car that will definitely appeal to families when it reaches the car dealers.

Elderly drivers have had a lot of flak in recent years, but the majority are safe and careful drivers who just want the chance to continue to be so.

New cars have a range of modern innovations that make life easier for the OAP who wants to remain mobile. However, on today’s pension, elderly drivers are usually restricted to buying equally elderly used cars, with all the associated problems.

This is why Motobility Car Schemes are such a brilliant idea for OAPs. Provided they get the war pensioners’ mobility supplement or the higher rate mobility component of the disability living allowance, they can lease new cars from a range of outlets. All they have to do is apply, and they can turn part or all of the allowance they receive into a brand new motor car.

There are many benefits to the Motobility Scheme. No credit checks or assessments are required, as this is all taken care of in the benefits they receive. As it’s a leasing scheme, OAPs get a new car – of their own choice – every three years, as well as benefits like personal accident cover and insurance, servicing and maintenance, free replacement windscreens and RAC breakdown cover.

It’s good news for people looking for used cars too, as it increases the number of “single owner, elderly driver” cars that are in the showrooms. As everyone knows, if you’re in the market for a used car, then a recent model that’s been carefully driven by an OAP is the one to go for.

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘cars club’? A group of car enthusiasts meeting up on Sunday afternoons? These days car club is usually the term given to drivers who join a specific club to save on the costs of car ownership. Car clubs began springing up in the mid 90s. Today, as the costs of car ownership rise more and more and the environment becomes a bigger issue more and more people are turning to car clubs for a more convenient option.

Joining a car club means you can often make large savings of car running costs whilst keeping the convenience of having access to a car. You don’t have to pay for tax or insurance or even maintenance you can just sign up to a scheme where you either pay as you go or pay monthly for the privilege.

Using these sorts of club cars means that sometime you can have access to a much nicer car than you would usually be able to afford. For example some car clubs offer Bentley GTC hire and BMW 530 hire. By relying on a car less you can then drive in style when you do drive.

Another option could be to go for a green car. Many car clubs offer electric cars such as the Citroen C1 ev’ie. By opting for this sort of car in a car club scheme you are not only saving money but also being more environmentally friendly.

New Vauxhall cars are going to be taking over the stands at the motor shows this year. The one that everybody’s holding out for is the new Meriva, which will be unveiled at Geneva and on sale from June. This compact MPV will certainly be one of the most innovative family cars for sale, with a range of features that will put Vauxhall - yet again – ahead of their rivals.

Geneva, it seems, will be all about Flex-ability. The Meriva will be the first of the new Vauxhall cars to feature their unique FlexDoors. These are a rear-hinged concept that swings back at almost 90 degrees, dramatically improving ease of access for passengers. The high roof further improves space, while the streamlined body contours ensure wind resistance is kept to a minimum. With an automatic child-proof locking system and parent-friendly accessibility this looks set to be one of the fastest selling new cars in the compact family class, when it arrives.

The biggest UK event on the Vauxhall calendar is undoubtedly the Performance Vauxhall 2010 show. Running since 2002, this takes place each year at the Santa Pod Raceway in Wellingborough, Northants. This year’s show is set to run on the 12^th and 13^th of June, and will feature owners’ club displays, a new cars trade area and plenty of action on the Santa Pod strip.

The new Meriva will still be under wraps, but there will be plenty of other exciting new Vauxhall cars on the stands; among them the new Astra ecoFLEX. First unveiled at the shows last year, Vauxhall are releasing these cars for sale from April 2010 onwards.

Is 2010 going to be the year of the city car?  Judging by how inundated we’ve been lately with television adverts showcasing the latest and greatest new cars in the small car market - and it’s only February - we could be in for quite a year.

The new Vauxhall Corsa ecoFLEX is one of the new cars for 2010 getting the industry excited, thanks to its improvement in fuel consumption and emissions. It’s supposed to be “the most economical Vauxhall model ever” – so what does it have that it didn’t have before? Well for a start…

- C02 emissions of just 98g/km
- Combined fuel consumption of 76.3mpg.
- Equipped with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) as standard, which dramatically reduces the most harmful emissions.
- Packs 21 per cent more power from its 1.3 CDTi turbodiesel engine

The new VW Polo is being billed as “the fastest, most focused and cleanest performance Polo yet produced”.  Some of the talking points include:

- 1.4-litre TSI engine that uses a supercharger from idle through to 3,000 rpm
- Capable of delivering 47 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 139 g/km of CO2
- Fitted with the XDS differential, an electronic cross-axle traction control system
- Output of 180 PS at 6,200 rpm and 184 lbs ft of torque from 2,000 rpm

The new Renault Clio S is, in Renault’s own words, “Super, Sporty, Splendid”.  Focusing on aesthetic appeal, they’re also pushing the following:

- dCi 106 combines high torque and power levels with low fuel consumption.
- 1.2-litre 16V 75 for fuel economy and low C02 emissions combined with supple handling.