Standard equipment includes a 60GB hard drive includes 30GB dedicated for music storage and is accessed via the infotainment touch-screen display. In addition to the standard radio with steering wheel controls, an optional Bose premium audio system is offered together with a navigation system, voice recognition and Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity as an optional package. Other standard features include heated front seats and twin seven-inch display screens which replace traditional dials.
The Vauxhall Ampera is a genuinely revolutionary concept. It solves the problem of running an electric vehicle for urban commutes while offering something more versatile for weekends and holidays. It’s not cheap but it is something really rather special. Swishing about on battery power makes even the most refined petrol engined car feel old-fashioned and makes a diesel feel positively archaic. Company car drivers will delight at its 5 per cent benefit in kind taxation, while the free vehicle excise duty will also win it many admirers.
Try asking the mpg question about the Ampera and the response is usually a knitted brow and a ‘that depends’. One full electrical charge tends to cost around £1 and will get you around 50 miles. When the internal combustion engine is running, the Ampera returns a combined fuel figure approaching 40mpg. The petrol engine will operate in three specific output levels so again, your emissions will depend on load. Naturally, you’re CO2-free when operating solely on battery power, at least at the local level. The usual arguments as to the environmental efficiency of your local power station will, like the Ampera itself, run and run.
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While it might be a tricky car to conceptually understand, the Ampera is simplicity itself to operate. It’s thoughtful too, not allowing you to drive away when it’s plugged in and turning the engine over periodically to keep it in fine fettle. Those looking to get hung up on definitions won’t like the Ampera. For those with a more open mind, it’s something very special indeed.
For more details about the Ampera, please contact Evans Halshaw at Challenge Way in Wigan (01942 212221) or 06 Skelmersdale at Inchfield in Skelmersdale (01695 554000)
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