Fleet Car Spring 2016 webfull

IRELAND’S FOREMOST FLEET & CORPORATE SECTOR GUIDE

Volume 15. No. 1. Spring 2016

TESLA Temptation!

Model S impresses on first drives in Ireland

FEATURES

Motorcheck.ie Fleet Car Awards 2016 Shortlist announced

Report & pictures from Palexpo, Geneva

INTERVIEW: David McQueen, Product Director PSA LAUNCH PAD: Toyota Prius & Opel Astra Sports Tourer ROAD TRIP: Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG REPORT: CES 2016

TRAVEL IN STYLE. TRAVEL IN SPACE.

The new ŠKODA Superb.

From €289 per month including three years servicing.

Imagine a car that blurs the line between beauty and functionality. Where style and spaciousness are in perfect harmony. Where there’s room for everything, except compromise. We imagined such a car and we call it the new ŠKODA Superb. Longer, wider, taller, lighter and packed with the latest technologies, the new Superb represents 120 years of forward thinking. From €26,995, the Superb will be one of the most talked about cars of 2016. Call into your local ŠKODA dealer and see the all-new Superb for yourself.

skoda.ie

Clever inside The most popular Superb model, the Ambition, is available with a host of standard features such as: Bi-Xenon Headlights with LED day time lights

Smartphone compatible with latest Infotainment Systems

Largest interior in its class

Terms and conditions apply. RRP prices displayed exclude dealer delivery and related fees. Typical Finance Example: Superb OTRP €27,595. Deposit / Part Exchange €8,519. 36 monthly payments of €289 (Including service plan of €13.99 per month). Optional Final Payment €10,798. Total cost of credit €1,772.50. Total hire purchase price €29,368. Minimum deposit is 10%. Subject to lending criteria. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. ŠKODA Finance is a trading style of Volkswagen Bank GmbH Branch Ireland, authorised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Images used for illustrative purposes only.

www.fleetcar.ie | 3

Contents Spring 2016 Fleet Car Magazine, D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826 Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571 Email: enquiries@fleet.ie ISSN: 1649-9433 www.fleetcar.ie Editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie Deputy Editor: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Cathal Doyle, Newspress Administration: Orla Sweeney, Denise Vahey, Paula Mullarkey

4 News • Volkswagen sells off LeasePlan • Convenient AdBlue top-ups from Topaz • EU car sales rise again • SIXT undertakes education programme • Jeep’s Superhero • Plus Junction Box

10 Review 86th International Geneva Motor Show 15 Contenders Shortlist Motorcheck.ie Fleet Car Awards 2016

6 Cover Tesla comes to town

20 Road Trip Touring the USA’s West Coast in a top Merc

8 Interview with David McQueen, Product Director, PSA Peugeot Citroën

22/24 Launch Pad • Toyota Prius • Opel Astra Sports Touring

P20

26 Report CES 2016, Las Vegas

Advertising: Mary Morrissey

P26

Design: Eamon Wynne

Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Green Fleet Management/ Fleet Van & Utility/ Fleet Bus & Coach/ Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/ Fleet Maritime are published by JJDS Publications Ltd. Registered Office: D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Co. Reg. 368767 Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

Disclaimer: Fleet Car Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this

publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.

The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

Date: Friday 6 May 2016 Venue: Clontarf Castle Hotel, Dublin Showcasing the best cars for the fleet and corporate markets across a range of segments. The Awards ceremony and Forum is a business to business event bringing together key personnel within the motor sector, ranging from fleet buyers and customers, to the car manufacturers and distributors, and representatives from related support sectors.

CATEGORIES C-Segment - sponsored by Diesel Card Ireland C-Segment Premium - sponsored by Kazby D-Segment - sponsored by Autoglass D-Segment Premium - sponsored by 3M

Crossover - sponsored by AIB Finance & Leasing Crossover Premium - sponsored by Autoglaze Executive - sponsored by Goodyear Luxury - sponsored by FleetWatch Irish Green Fleet Car - sponsored by Flogas Autogas

Lunch Sponsor

www.fleetcar.ie

4 | NEWS I

Volkswagen offloads LeasePlan

L

easePlan, the world’s largest provider of f leet management services, has been sold by Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Fleet Investments BV to LP Group BV, which represents a consortium composed of a group of long-term investors.

The transaction, which will improve the net liquidity position of Volkswagen, is reported to have a value of about €3.7 billion.

Among the investors in LP Group BV are leading Dutch pension fund service provider

PGGM, Denmark’s largest pension fund ATP, GIC, Luxinva SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP. LeasePlan is represented in 32 countries throughout the world. With a workforce of more than 7,200 people, it has around 1.5 million vehicles under contract. In Ireland LeasePlan manages more than 16,000 vehicles and employs 80 dedicated staff.

Topaz offers AdBlue solution

T

opaz, Ireland’s largest fuel and convenience retailer, has launched its own-brand AdBlue

product.

Available across its network of over 340 service stations, the Topaz AdBlue® 1.89L priced at €12.99 is easy to use with a special fitt ing to fit most modern diesel cars. It is a no mess product thanks to a non-spill cap and is fully licensed and approved by major automotive manufacturers.

they enter the atmosphere, helps reduce harmful emissions. Since the advent of Euro 6 legislation, AdBlue fi ll points have been introduced to most new vehicles in Ireland including new diesel cars just last year.

EU car sales continue to rise

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Ireland recorded one of the biggest yearon-year increases in new car sales, jumping by 34.5% compared to last year with 61,296 units sold. Only the tiny market of Cyprus recorded a bigger increase of EU markets, its 2,165 sales representing an improvement of 47.2% compared to 2015. Outside of the FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

GoCar, the car sharing initiative, has unveiled a new GoCar Base at The Square, Tallaght. The new base will be served by three vehicles, the GoCity, a Hyundai i20, the GoTripper, a Hyundai i30 and the GoVan, a Ford Transit Connect.

GoCar works on a pay-per-trip basis allowing its members to access a vehicle where and when they need it. Members benefit from free parking at any payand-display parking space.

Since its launch in 2013 the company has experienced rapid growth seeing its membership base grow to over 5,000 members while its fleet of vehicles has expanded to 133 with 103 GoCar Bases supporting this fleet.

Demand for diesel continues

AdBlue, which is injected into the exhaust gases before

ew passenger car registration figures for the first two months of 2016 from ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, reveal an increase of over 10% compared to the same period in 2015. February sales jumped 14.3% as overall the EU market recorded its 30th consecutive month of growth. 2,118,273 units were sold in the January - February period.

GoCar's new Tallaght base

EU but still within Europe, Iceland returned a growth of 72.6% year-on-year.

All of the major European car markets posted growth, contributing to the overall upturn of the EU market. Italy (+22.6%) and Spain (+12.4%) recorded the strongest performances over the period. The French (+8.7%), German (+7.8%) and UK (+4.7%) passenger car markets also grew during the fi rst two months of 2016, although at more modest rates.

The only European market to return negative growth during the fi rst two months of 2016 was the Netherlands where sales fell by 14.9% compared to 2015.

The Volkswagen emissions scandal has not had a significant impact on demand for diesel vehicles according to UK based Venson Automotive Solutions.

Its latest figures show that 80% of the vehicles Venson sent to market were diesel, proving demand is still strong in the ex-fleet arena.

“We saw a brief impact at auction, when the emissions story broke, with a 1-2% drop in prices for diesel vehicles and models taking a few more days to sell,” explains Gary Curran, Strategic Supply Manager, Venson Automotive Solutions. “However, by the following month, diesel was back in demand and

NEWS II | 5

this looks set to continue in 2016.

“Typically, our ex-fleet diesel vehicles tend to hold their value because they are more desirable and we see a 1% difference in values, when comparing them with petrol. The diesel models are usually large, family size vehicles, offering good specifications and additional accessories.”

SIXT safety programme achieves spectacular results

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driver education campaign by car rental company SIXT has seen a dramatic 66% reduction in the number of accidents occurring in its vehicles since the safety initiative was launched.

A worrying statistic considering the number of cars being sold nowadays without a spare tyre, a survey from motoring solutions specialist easytrip has revealed that three out of four motorists have had a punctured tyre over the last 12 months, with a quarter of motorists surveyed having experienced one in the last three months.

The fi ndings were revealed at a German Irish Chamber of Commerce Member’s Night which was hosted by SIXT Rent A Car. Operations Director Trevor Toner explained that the company had undertaken research which revealed a significantly higher proportion of incidents befalling by its rental fleet were being incurred by tourist drivers not used to local driving conditions. Tourists were 5 times more likely to have a head-on collision and 3 times as likely to have a side impact, while the chances of being in a rear end or multiple vehicle collision were respectively 2.4 and 1.8 times more probable.

The easytrip research also showed that a staggering 47% of motorists admitted to only checking tyres for inflation levels and defects a few times each year, with 1 in 10 confi rming that that their tyres are only inspected by a mechanic at the car’s annual service.

With the Irish car rental market dominated by tourism - 87% of car rentals here are to tourists compared to just 31% in the UK, SIXT’s driver education campaign targets drivers from abroad who normally drive on the right hand side of the road via the use of simple reminders. These include a ‘Drive on

To allay driver concerns about being stranded with a puncture, Easytrip has partnered with car servicing and tyre retailer, Advance Pitstop, to launch Puncture Protect, giving easytrip members unlimited puncture repairs at any of Advance Pitstop’s 30 outlets nationwide.

Jeep’s Renegade Superhero

75% of motorists run flat

The Safety programme has seen a significant reduction in accidents according to Trevor who said, “The programme has been a spectacular road safety success. In a period of over 250,000 days, the Sixt safety programme has resulted in a welcome and unprecedented decrease in accidents and serious injuries.

In fact, the frequency of serious claims per 100,000 rental days has declined from over 6% in 2014 to below 3% in 2015”.

F

ilm goers flocking to see the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie which pits the two superheroes against each other will spot Jeep’s Renegade featuring in a number of scenes.

As an official sponsor of the fi lm, Jeep has launched an online experience in Batt le of the Renegades. Users are invited to choose their allegiance and become a Renegade Hero by using the car to help others, and evade impending catastrophe. Check it out at www.batt leoft herenegades.co.uk.

Eddie Ryan, Marketing Director, Advance Pitstop and Colin Delaney, General Manager, Easytrip

the left’ sticker reflecting in the windscreen reminding the driver to keep left., while other aids include guidance on how to merge onto a main road with traffic approaching from the right hand side, and how to negotiate roundabouts.

The iconic American brand remains a relatively rare sight on Irish roads, yet across the water it achieved its best ever sales figures last year, recording just under 10,800 units. It hopes that the compact Renegade, launched in the 2nd quarter last year, but already accounting for 60% of sales in Ireland, will revive the brand’s fortunes here.

Jeep boasts an impressively young line-up comprising Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Renegade and Wrangler, with all models apart from the Wrangler either new or updated since 2013.

Night Eagle models - two recently launched limited edition versions of the Cherokee and Renegade featuring unique styling and equipment levels add to the appeal of its line-up, though they’re not currently offered for sale in Ireland. www.fleetcar.ie

6 | COVER

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s Fleet Car personally witnessed recently, the State of California has taken to the Tesla Model S, the world’s first premium all-electric saloon, big time.

So too has the rest of the world where the Model S is sold.

Soon Ireland is to become its latest marketplace following a successful ‘soft’ launch in Dublin last month.

Initially, the four-door luxury performance Sedan will be sold through Tesla UK before an Irish headquarters is established alongside the required supercharger infrastructure.

Reaction from current owners has been extremely positive. Customers, while making a major green statement, appreciate the safety, smoothness and efficiency of the Model S, plus the ease of charging. Thanks to the higher capacity battery packs and the resultant longer range distance on offer – up to 530 km for the 90D model (that is 90kW ASD), travelling long distance can be enjoyed – anxiety free.

Comments from proud owners heard of late include, “For every day and long distance driving and ownership experience, the Tesla takes first prize every time. We’ve driven it down to the French Alps three times, and toured Scotland, Wales and Cornwall,” said one London based owner.

“It really comes into its own on long road trips. The Model S is a brilliant touring car,” stated another.

In addition, Model S buyers can be confident

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

that they are driving one of the safest cars on the road due to its perfect 50/50 weight balance, low centre of gravity and a maximum 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

Then there’s Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance system that will lend itself to autonomous driving eventually.

Ingenious 7-seat arrangement

Tesla elevates electric cars to new heights

After trying out this amazing technology around Dublin City and on the M50, the Model S can best be described as a combination between a top sports car in terms of performance, with the superb ride quality of an executive saloon. 0-100 km/h in just over 4 seconds indicates its performance capabilitlies. From its sleek exterior to the interior that’s most interesting, Model S offers more questions than the Old Curiosity Shop itself. The 17” touch screen answers all the queries relating to the car, its operation and even the driver.

Naturally the most important information provided is the state of the battery charge and how the car is being driven.

Connectability is the name of the game here, with Smartphone, Spotify (music) and SatNav all conducted through 3G-connection speed. GPS SatNav is also provided should the mobile phone transmission lose its strength.

Engagement of the car and its workings can be done remotely, such as defrosting the windscreen, warming up the interior etc. Best of all is that it can be brought to your door autonomously if required. Most intriguing is the touch screen application that opens and closes the panoramic sunroof.

The driving mode can be adjusted too, in that the strong regenerative braking can be reduced and a creep feature enabled during traffic congestion.

Model S 70D, the entry-level version offering a range of up to 440 km is currently on sale in the UK for £54,000. Irish customers will have to factor in additional charges including exchange rate and VRT/VAT, etc.

Tesla is committed to giving customers the best possible Model S experience no matter where they live. With that in mind, the company has completed a countryspecific validation programme to ensure the vehicles are optimised for every market in which they are sold. Right hand drive cars in the UK come with soft ware specific to the country and a configuration that fits the needs of owners who drive on the left hand side of the road. Everything from the wipers to the braces in the front trunk have been re-fitted for RHD. Tesla is continuing to change the face of electric cars. The US company has extended its line-up with the introduction of the Model X, a gull winged SUV with seating for 7 adults. Model 3 is on the way too!

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU THE LUXURY OF TIME

THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRESENTS

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FORD VIGNALE

8 | INTERVIEW

One-to-One with David McQueen, Product Director, - PSA Peugeot Citroën

O

n the occasion of the world premiere of the new MPV duo from PSA Peugeot Citroën at the recent Geneva Motor Show, Jarlath Sweeney had a chat with the Product Director for the Peugeot Traveller and Citroën Space Tourer people carriers, David McQueen. The new 8/9 seaters will also be marketed by Toyota as the Proace. Ultimately the new Traveller and Space Tourer will replace the Peugeot 807 and Citroën C8. In light commercial vehicle terms they will be marketed as the Peugeot Expert/Citroën Dispatch/ Toyota Proace. All three vehicles will again be produced at the Sevel Nord factory in France.

According to David, the project to create a whole new range of large people carriers and medium sized vans began prior to the introduction of the face-lifted current LCV range in 2013. “The timing was right for us to link up with Toyota Motors Europe as our arrangement with Fiat on the type of MPV and LCV was about to be discontinued. We were looking for a new partner and they needed a replacement for their original Proace for the European market, ” he said.

Contrary to previous reports at the time, Toyota did not have much of an input in the new development, as PSA’s own team of engineers and designers took on the project. Only after the fi nal clay model was produced did Toyota establish its own exterior identity. “Toyota is our customer for this vehicle, which means lots of recognition for us. i think it’s the fi rst time that Toyota actually buys a vehicle to sell in their range from the OEM. The contact, however, brings with it lots of responsibility for us, as we have to keep up with the highest quality standards and meet our requirements and theirs.

While the Toyota Proace will be sold FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

across Europe, PSA has bigger ambitions, as the new MPV/LCV range will be sold across world markets, including the African continent and possibly North America in due course. “The initial plan was to have an American OEM partner to market the product over there but that fell through, but we still went ahead with the USA design regulations for steering the AdBlue tank towards the left rear-axle of the vehicle.”

The new generation vehicle is both shorter and longer in that the new XS version is 4.6m in length with the XL at 5.30m with the M, middle of the range at 4.95m. Both ends of the line-up are said to cater for the family user and for e-commerce business operations (for the LCV version). “The short version, the XS, is extremely city friendly in terms of comfort, handling and manoeuvrability. Being much the same in size as the 807 and C8, there will be two versions on sale, the 8-seater passenger and B2C, and the 9-seater B2B type.

With an overall height of 1.90m, fitt ing into enclosed car parks is not an issue, ” added David.

For now, only diesel power will be offered, but PSA is looking at alternatives, particularly electric. “We are looking at an electric driveline, but it is too early to make a decision on what level of technology is needed, and when. We need a better understanding of the trends and what will be the fiscal decisions by city authorities on their rules for vehicles in city centres.”

The vehicle is built with the carriage of batteries in mind, as it has a 1.4 tonne payload regardless of the size of vehicle offered, which more than covers adequate carrying capacity.

PSA has kept the existing 1.6 litre and 2.0 litre diesel engine displacements for its powertrain, albeit modified with more power for Euro 6. Now termed BlueHDi, the 1.6 produces either 93 or 115 hp with the 2.0 litre offering 120, 150 and range topping 180 hp, both units coming with manual and automated transmission.

“With the robotised gearbox, more space in the cab is provided.” On the specification, David emphasised that high levels of comfort and safety equipment will be available on both the MPV and LCV, even at entry point. DANGEL, PSA’s long-term off-road traction specialists, and a partnership that started with the Peugeot 504 from the late 60’s, will supply 4x4 or all-wheel-drive technology. David was also pleased that the new creation excelled in the more stringent Euro NCAP crash tests with a 5-Star recommendation On the important safety issue, the PSA offering features top class installations such as Active Safety Brake, automatic main beam switching, voice activated navigation, rear camera, driver attention alert and lane detection system. Another significant development is the new wishbone rear suspension on the rear axle, which dampens the load impact together with variable stiff ness spring

INTERVIEW | 9

Citroën SpaceTourer - design concept

sett ings to maximise comfort.

David is extremely satisfied that the new drivetrain will satisfy the needs of its owners in that both the 1.6 and 2.0 BlueHDi’s provide a good choice of power options. Unlike other van manufacturers there was no downsizing option to a twinturbo 1.6 litre to replace the 2.0 litre.

“We pushed the 1.6 litre Euro 6 to 115 hp without twin-turbo and extended the 2.0 litre to 180 hp. Most have the stop/start option with 6-speed ETG6 controlled or EAT6 automatic transmissions.”

With two concepts premiered at the Geneva Show, namely the Peugeot i-Lab and Citroën Hyphen, David said that these prototypes are not too far away from actual production, should PSA choose to go ahead. While both models have been modified externally, it is with “their interior that most of the futuristic rework has been done. They are close to reality, coming with different seating and table configurations.”

The concept vehicles feature four individual seats arranged opposite each other, around a big 32” touch tablet that can be pivoted into various positions on its supporting arch. The tablet can even be split into four individual screens for each passenger's use, or enjoyed as one screen collectively.

On-board guests can take advantage of the WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, two charging docks for powering smart phones, even a Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headset.

SpaceTourer Hyphen Interior

Peugeot Traveller i-Lab

Developed in partnership with Samsung, the giant tablet and passengers’ smart devices are automatically integrated to offer a seamless, connected journey

experience, allowing remote hotel checkin and check-out, remote payment, virtual visits and automatic schedule changes. www.fleetcar.ie

10 | REVIEW

86th Internation Motor Show

O

pel winning the Car of the Year Award with the new Astra was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the 86th International Geneva Motor Show.

Abarth 124 Spider

Alfa Giulia

In the now familiar Eurovision Song Contest style scoring presentation process, the Astra had to batt le with the new Volvo XC90 for the prestigious title. It all went down to the fi nal ballot with the votes from the UK ensuring its success, no doubt enhanced by the fact that the new ha§tchback is built in Luton. Naturally all at Opel and its UK off-shoot were particularly happy with the fi nal outcome.

So too was Volvo. Speaking with Hakan Samuelsson, the Volvo Cars CEO (and formerly MAN Truck & Bus MD) was naturally disappointed to lose out at the end, but pleased that its new high-end SUV was recognised by the COTY jury as a serious contender.

GM Opel representatives present were quietly confident, having COTY 2016 pin-badges and stickers at the ready, just in case!

BMW 7 Series

Citroën SpaceTourer FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

As expected, concepts and premieres were the big attractions at the Palexpo. From the desirable such as the Abarth 124 Spider, to the indestructible in the form of the new Toyota Hilux, all tastes and needs were

Honda Civic

catered for within the seven halls.

For the fleet or corporate car sector, the mainstream Giulia RWD range from Alfa Romeo will be an interesting addition to the premium ranks. New 2.2 litre 4 cylinder powertrains offer from 150 bhp to 280 bhp with either 6-speed manual or 8-speed autoboxes.

A new entrant into the compact crossover segment is the Audi A2, while for those wanting a litt le more power and space the 367 bhp RS Q3 was worth a look.

Appealing too was the A4 all-road Quatt ro.

Not to be outdone on the performance ranks, BMW showcased the M2 small Coupé and the muscular X4 M401. Also drawing attention was the M760Li xDrive (6.6 litre, 600 bhp).

Over at Honda, a concept car noted for its rather pointed sheet metal styling is expected to eventually become the new tenth generation Civic.

When it comes to people carriers, the new 8-seater PSA duo, the Peugeot Traveller and Citroën SpaceTourer (along with the badged Toyota Proace Verso variant) should set the trend and standard for MPVs for the next few years.

DS, the Citroën upmarket off-shoot has revamped the DS3 model and added a performance version.

SsangYong XLV

REVIEW | 11

nal Geneva w 2016 Fiat is set to return to the volume marketplace with the well priced, well specified new Tipo range which comes in hatch, saloon and estate formations.

Two different aspects of Ford were displayed in the shape of a revamped Kuga SUV and a further broadening of its luxury brand family with the arrival of the Edge Vignale. From its performance division, enter the 200 hp Fiesta ST and the all mighty Le Mans-ready GT race car.

Sett ing out its stall for clean driving, Hyundai has broken the hybrid stereotype with the Ioniq, the world’s fi rst car to be offered with fully electric, hybrid and plugin hybrid powertrain options.

On the hybrid theme, Kia, Hyundai’s sister brand debuted the Neon, while much attention was given to the Sportswagon and its GT type.

Mercedes-Benz will be hoping that the all-new tenth generation E-class will push the three pointed star to the top of the business saloon category.

Mitsubishi is looking to introduce regular special editions of existing models and on this occasion the new L200 and ASX get cosmetic makeovers.

The Nissan IDS concept car’s autonomous electric drive was described as ‘quite staggering’. In this mode, the pedals and

Subaru XV Concept

steering wheel retract and the seats pivot, turning the cabin into a mobile lounge!

Alongside the newly crowned COTY Astra on the Opel stand were the overhauled Mokka and GT special concept. The new Astra Sports Tourer was presented too.

SEAT Ateca

In addition to the Traveller from Peugeot, the 2008 compact SUV has benefitted from a mid-life facelift. The GT Lite is worth the extra dosh!

Other activity across the border in France is from Renault which has been busy designing and producing the fourth generation Scenic MPV and next Megane station wagon. The brand is really moving forward again.

Seat Ireland representatives present were delighted that the Ateca SUV has joined the line-up. It broadens the customer base for the Spanish off-shoot from the Volkswagen Group.

Renault Scenic

From another side of the same stable is Škoda, which revealed the Superb SportLine, available in both saloon and estate models. Hints at a future offering in the SUV class were also showcased.

Another marque on the move with additional models is Ssangyong with its new XLV, which is basically an XXL version of the Tivoli SUV. Peugeot Traveller

Nissan IDS

Opel Astra www.fleetcar.ie

12 | REVIEW

Maserati Levante

Subaru kept its XL prototype offering top secret until the show doors opened while its bread ‘n’ butter offering, the Forester has been enhanced after three years of service with the current version.

A mild hybrid is how Suzuki described the new Baleno hybrid with its integrated starter generator that can save 0.5 litres of petrol per 100 km.

A newcomer to the Irish market is Tesla

Skoda Vision

with its ‘S’ model. Model X is its all-electric SUV with its ‘falcon’ rear wing doors. It is due to go into production shortly.

Asking a Belgian colleague what he thought was the standout exhibit, he highlighted Toyota with its trio of new models, the C-HR compact SUV, Proace Verso 8/9 seater MPV and the new era 8th generation Hilux Pick-up. “C-HR is the new future face of Toyota,” was his opinion.

Kia Optima GT

Toyota C-HR

Ford Vignale Edge

Volvo V90

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

As our A-Z of show premiers comes to an end with the ‘Vs’ – Volkswagen and Volvo, the German and Swedish brands were not found wanting. From the second generation Tiguan SUV to the latest up! and on to the T6 Panamerica luxury people carrier, Volkswagen kept visitors (and press) interested.

Volvo meanwhile brought the new V90, the estate version of its S90 flagship to the revolving stage.

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

A NEW KIND OF LUXURY The Volvo S90 D4 Geartronic from €48,400* Our new executive sedan was designed with a single aim in mind; to create a car that would redefine the idea of luxury.

The result is the new Volvo S90; a blend of the best Scandinavian design and advanced technology in safety and power to give you a new, unforgettable driving experience.

This is how a modern luxury sedan should be.

This is the new Volvo S90.

Innovation Made by Sweden *Delivery and related charges not included. Terms and conditions apply. Model is shown for illustrative purposes only. Fuel consumption for the Volvo Range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 35.3 (8.0) – 68.9 (4.1), Extra Urban 58.9 (4.8) – 85.6 (3.3), Combined 34.4 (8.2) – 156.9 (1.8). CO2 Emissions 215 – 48 g/km. All new Volvo cars come with a 3 year warranty and 2 years’ roadside assistance.

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Renault KADJAR Start living

From €249 per month With 5 Years Warranty* Book a test drive Model Shown: Kadjar Signtaure Nav 1.5 dCi RRP €29,290. Finance example: Renault Kadjar Expression+ RRP €25,190. Deposit €8,491. Term 36 monthly payments of €249. APR 6.9%. Total cost of credit €2,793 inc doc & completion fee €75 each. Optional final payment €10,378. Excess mileage plus excess wear and tear charges may apply upon return of vehicle. Offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. Subject to lending criteria. Terms and conditions apply. www.renault.ie [Warning: You will not own these goods until the final payment is made]. *5 Year / 200,000km Manufacturer’s Warranty as standard.

CONTENDERS - SHORTLIST | 15

Anticipation mounts ahead of 2016 Motorcheck.ie Fleet Car Awards

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ow well established as the de facto honours event for the corporate and fleet car sector, the fifth motorcheck.ie Fleet Car Awards will take place on Friday 6 May 2016.

The Awards Networking Luncheon & Forum, which recognises and honours the best and most relevant cars currently on sale, will be held at Clontarf Castle, Dublin, with nine category awards up for grabs. The Awards Networking Luncheon & Fleet Forum will also feature guest speakers covering topics of interest and relevance to the motor industry.

intelligence, the awards are open to all fleet relevant cars currently on sale. Just under 140 different models were assessed by the judging panel before voting to determine the shortlist of contenders listed below.

In the next stage of the assessment programme, the shortlisted contenders will be driven by the eight members of the judging panel over a two day refresher test before fi nal votes are cast. Points will be awarded not just on the cars themselves, but will factor in how they perform within the company car sector. Marks will also awarded to brands that can demonstrate they have proactive and progressive fleet strategies and policies in place.

Organised by Fleet Car magazine in association with Motorcheck.ie, Ireland’s leading specialists in vehicle data and

C-SEGMENT: Sponsored by - Diesel Card Ireland (DCI) Shortlisted contenders: • Ford Focus • Mazda3 • Opel Astra • Skoda Octavia • Toyota Auris / Corolla • Volkswagen Golf Ford Focus

Skoda Octavia

Mazda3

Toyota Auris

Opel Astra

Volkswagen Golf

Historically one of the two main fleet car sectors, the C-Segment still captures a large portion of company car sales. Despite the growth of the Crossover category it remains an important category for manufacturers, as demonstrated by the fact that the six shortlisted contenders above were selected from a long-list of twenty four.

Winner last time out in this category was the Ford Focus which won praise for its driving dynamics, ergonomics and dealer network. In previous years the Volkswagen Golf held sway, winning the award consecutively from 2012 to 2014.

Sponsored by Diesel Card Ireland, the country's leading business fuel card, new contenders for 2016 in what is certain to be a very competitive category include the new European Car of the Year in the form of the Opel Astra, a facelifted Toyota Auris / Corolla, and the Mazda3 featuring a new efficient 1.5 litre diesel engine.

www.fleetcar.ie

16 | CONTENDERS - SHORTLIST

C-SEGMENT Premium: Sponsored by - Kabzy Shortlisted Contenders • Audi A3 • BMW 2-Series • Mercedes-Benz CLA • Volvo V40 For company car drivers for whom space is not a priority, downsizing from a D-Segment mainstream model for a smaller premium brand car can be a tempting option. The Volvo V40 was successful in 2015, garnering praise for a proactive fleet policy and its new range of fuel efficient engines. It’s back in 2016 to try to retain its crown, but faces tough competition from 2014 winner, the Audi A3, the well regarded MercedesBenz CLA, and BMW’s 2-Series Coupe.

Sponsor Kabzy is a 24/7 monitoring vehicle security service that utilises GPS

and mobile technology to keep your vehicle secure.

Audi A3 Saloon

Mercedes-Benz CLA

BMW 2 Series

Volvo V40

CROSSOVER: Sponsored by - AIB Finance & Leasing Shortlisted Contenders • Honda HR-V • Hyundai Tucson • Nissan Qashqai • Renault Kadjar • Toyota RAV-4 • Volkswagen Tiguan It’s a measure of how popular the Crossover market has become that there were no fewer than thirty five different models

in contention this year. That number has been whitt led down to six, of which five are either new since last year, or about to be replaced imminently. The sixth is the Nissan Qashqai, winner of this category in 2014, and a fi rm favourite with private and fleet buyers alike. It faces strong competition from the likes of sister car, the new Renault Kadjar, and from Ireland’s best selling car so far in 2016, the Hyundai Tucson. Such is the competition, last

year’s winner, the Honda CR-V didn’t even make the shortlist in 2016, but the Japanese brand is represented by the all-new HR-V. Toyota’s RAV-4 has also had a makeover, and is not available with hybrid propulsion for the fi rst time.

Finally, Volkswagen’s Tiguan may be the old man of the group - there’s a new model on the way, but it consistently scores well with fleet customers.

Honda HR-V

Hyundai Tucson

Nissan Qashqai

Renault Kadjar

Toyota RAV4

Volkswagen Tiguan

CROSSOVER PREMIUM: Sponsored by - - Autoglaze Shortlisted Contenders • Audi Q3 • Land-Rover Discovery Sport • Volvo XC60 Such has been the growth in the Crossover FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

segment that a new category for premium brand offerings has been created in 2016.

Sponsored by Autoglaze which has been involved in the Irish Motor Industry for over 30 years and is a leading supplier of leather interiors, sunroofs and car

glass, contenders include Audi’s compact challenger, the Q3, a new version of which was launched in 2015, the all-new Discovery Sport which has replaced Land-Rover’s Freelander, and Volvo’s popular XC60, Europe’s best-selling mid-sized SUV.

CONTENDERS - SHORTLIST | 17

D SEGMENT: Sponsored by - Autoglass Shortlisted Contenders • Ford Mondeo • Hyundai i40 • Opel Insignia • Skoda Superb • Toyota Avensis • Volkswagen Passat

offering from the D-Segment comes to mind. The large family car category may be struggling to compete against Crossovers for private buyers, but it remains hugely relevant to fleet car buyers. 2015 saw the latest generation Volkswagen Passat take top honours with judges impressed with its ride and comfort, upmarket design, and fleet friendly engines. Th is year it

faces challenges from in-house rival the new Skoda Superb, and a revised Toyota Avensis, as well as firm fleet favourites, the Ford Mondeo, Opel Insignia and Hyundai i40. Autoglass, Ireland’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement company sponsors this category.

Ford Mondeo

Hyundai i40

Opel Insignia

Skoda Superb

Toyota Avensis

Volkswagen Passat

Th ink company car, and it’s likely an

D SEGMENT PREMIUM: Sponsored by - 3M Shortlisted Contenders: • Audi A4 • BMW 3 Series • Jaguar XE • Mercedes-Benz C-Class The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class won this category in 2015 thanks to its premium design, driver comfort and competitive

pricing. Such is the pace of change though that all its rivals are either new or have been revised in the past year. Audi will be hoping its all-new A4 makes a favourable impression, while BMW’s 3-Series received a mid-life minor upgrade in 2015.

An interesting new challenger is Jaguar’s XE which the brand is actively targeting towards f leet customers. Technology

company 3M sponsors the D-Segment Premium category.

Jaguar XE

Audi A4

BMW 3-Series

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Audi d Q3

Landd Rover Discovery Sport

Volvo l XC60 6 www.fleetcar.ie

18 | CONTENDERS - SHORTLIST

EXECUTIVE: Sponsored by - Goodyear Shortlisted Contenders • Audi A6 • BMW 5-Series • Jaguar XF • Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sponsored by tyre company Goodyear, the Executive category is again dominated by the big three German brands and

Audi A6

Jaguar. The BMW 5-Series’ dynamics and ergonomics, and BMW’s fleet strategy won the category last time out, but with a new model on the way later this year can it retain its crown? Likewise a new Mercedes-Benz E-Class is about to go on sale so Audi with the A6, and Jaguar’s new XF will be hoping to take advantage.

BMW 5 Series

Jaguar XF

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

LUXURY: Sponsored by - FleetWatch Shortlisted Contenders: • Audi A8 • BMW 7-Series • Volvo XC90

Back after a hiatus, this is the category for the successful company boss that has it all. FleetWatch, the provider of advanced GPS tracking devices sponsors this award.

Audi’s A8, launched in 2014 takes on the

new BMW 7-Series, while Volvo’s new XC90 SUV offers an alternative high-end driving experience to the more traditional saloons.

Audi A8

BMW 7-Series

Volvo XC90

IRISH GREEN FLEET CAR: Sponsored by - Flogas Autogas Shortlisted Contenders: • BMW i3 • Lexus IS 300h • Nissan Leaf • Toyota Prius • Volkswagen E Golf

Split into two categories last year, the Nissan Leaf won the Electric section, with the Lexus IS 300h claiming the Hybrid award. An all-new Toyota Prius looks set to mount a serious challenge, while

another new nominee is Volkswagen’s E Golf. The BMW i3 rounds off the shortlisted nominees. Leading natural gas supplier Flogas sponsors the Irish Green Fleet Award for 2016.

BMW i3

Nissan LEAF

Toyota Prius

Volkswagen E Golf

Open to alternatively fuelled vehicles including hybrids, gas powered and electric cars, the Irish Green Fleet Award recognises the growing importance and relevance of this sector to fleet customers.

Lexus IS 300h FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

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20 | ROAD TRIP

The Star’s the car in Hollywood!

• Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Coupe – top dollar in the US

M

otorists in the United States are spoilt for choice when it comes to the vast variety of cars in their marketplace. As the European and Asian influence becomes stronger, backed up by the ongoing move for more eco-friendly and compact cars, there is still room for premium brands such as Mercedes-Benz to excel.

The German ‘three-pointed-star’ recently introduced one of its totally new models in the shape of the GLE large crossover into North America. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show last year, the GLE Coupe competes head on with the likes of the X6 from BMW and more traditional SUVs such as the new Volvo XC90 and latest Audi Q7.

Fleet Car recently travelled to the West Coast of America to test drive the new GLE (in performance AMG form), taking in some famous roads such as Route 66, and Freeway 101, 154 and I5 towards San Diego from San Francisco via Los Angeles. A trip over and back to Las Vegas was also part of the excursion.

The GLE 450 AMG Coupe packs a serious punch as the ear-pleasing

growl from the 3.0 litre V6 BiTurbo petrol that boasts 360hp testifies. Not to mention the impressive pulling power of 384lb.ft of torque - that’s 520Nm in our language! A 9-speed automatic transmission allied to the AMG performances 4MATIC All-Wheel-Drive completed the driveline package, providing an extremely smooth progression.

At no time did the GLE 450 feel out of place in any of the jurisdictions visited, looking the part along such exotic locations as Santa Monica Boulevard or around Hollywood. Inside, the luxury tappings were fit for any ‘A’-listed star whether they prefer to sit front or back. Saddle brown and black leather seats and stitched leather dash with open pore brown ashwood trim set the opulent tone, topped up by a host of optional equipment and value added packages. These include heated and ventilated front seats with massage programme. Even the rear-seats are pre-wired for entertainment purposes. Other convenience items fitted included heated/cooled front cup holders and 3-zone automatic climate control and heated rear seats. So for your basic $65,000 you get the standard version, but add the afore-described ‘bells and whistles’ plus some more, and it tots up to $82,265.

As an indication of the smoothness of the drivetrain, the rev counter needle settled at 1600 at a steady 65 mph set on the Adaptive Cruise Control in ninth gear.

What about running costs, which no doubt are in your thoughts?

Well, according to the US Department of Transport, the combined fuel economy starts at 20 mpg or 4.2 gallons per 100 miles. In reality we managed to significantly improve on that figure during our time aboard. Worth noting too that 2 adults, 2 children and 70 kg of luggage were carried most of the time.

On the scale of 1 to 10 in the Greenhouse Gas Rating, the GLE 450 AMG scores a 4, which means that this vehicle emits 454 grams of CO2 per mile. To date, the US Safety Authorities (NHTSA) has not put the GLE thorough its 5-Star crash test programme but as the vehicle is manufactured in Germany (with final assembly in

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

ROAD TRIP | 21 Alabama), it is expected to meet this target comfortably, just as it did with the Euro NCAP programme.

An American road-trip in style and comfort Our journey began at San Francisco Airport where we collected the keys to the Mercedes-Benz. With our initial destination Los Angeles, there are two main routes to the City of the Angels, the Interstate 5 which is 382 miles and can take 5.5 hours, or Highway 101, which is 425 miles long and takes 7.5 hours without stops. We took the longer route, stopping overnight along the way. Auto stop/ start helped to keep fuel usage and exhaust emissions reduced at bay while in congested areas. Before heading down south in earnest, we doubled back to take in a drive through the great Golden Gate Bridge – so good, we did it twice! The tolled mile plus route has three lanes in each direction with an enclosed footpath for tourists to walk the iconic landmark.

Back on route, we soon settled into the groove for the long day ahead, passing though San Jose and taking a pit stop at Fin’s Café at Santa Cruz. That sustenance was enough to bring us to the Best Western Arroyo Grande situated south west of San Luis Obispo.

One could be forgiven for thinking that this city was located in America’s mid-west as the themed restaurant nearby, AJ Sears, has all the ingredients of the Wild West in its appealing appearance.

The following morning the next leg began with a stop at Sambo’s on the Santa Cruz beach promenade before moving on to the holiday base at Los Angeles. All the touristy spots (including Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Beverly Hills and Hollywood) were taken in during our stay there before heading further south to Carlsbad, with San Diego close to the Mexican border, not too far away.

Whether it was on the freeways or commuting in town, the Blind Spot Assist warning light fitted into the mirrors proved invaluable.

We could not have done without the navigation system either, especially when diversions had to be made due to numerous road traffic accidents on the various Freeways and Interstates.

Somehow the distance travelled seemed longer on these featureless routes, the only nullifying factor being the 100% concentration required as cars, pick-up trucks and vans veer between lanes from all sides. The music selection played on the radio stations dedicated separately to the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s did also help shorten the journey somewhat.

various venues around ‘Sin City’. The automotive industry was well represented, with presentations made by numerous companies such as Ford, Bosch, Panasonic, Toyota, and Kia, all promoting their latest electronic technology, mostly related to autonomous driving and telematics systems.

After spending some time at the Golden Nugget, situated on the strip, the bags were packed for the long haul return to San Francisco Airport with a stop off at Bakersfield. That journey on the I–15, and the sometimes single carriageway 58 was the most difficult of our whole driving period there. Continuous heavy, eye-cutting fog and a convoy of oncoming trucks made the trip quite horrendous and we were glad to get to the Courtyard Marriott for some much needed shut-eye and relaxation. Thankfully, the rest of the run back to San Francisco was less fraught. We passed miles and miles of citrus plantations, with the drive on the 4.5 mile Oakland Bay Bridge being most memorable.

Certainly the Golden State of California has much to offer the tourist or business visitor. Covering over 1,600 plus miles from south, east and west, the trips with the Mercedes-Benz GLE AMG 4MATIC Coupe (to give the SUV its full title) made the experience most pleasant and enjoyable. Such was its smoothness, we did not bother to use the Mercedes’ Drive Select system with its three modes - it was kept in ‘Comfort’ mode as the routes we travelled made no demand for the car's undoubted capabilities on off-road or adverse conditions. With plenty of style and substance, the GLE may have its roots in Europe, but it's a car equally at home in America.

Driving the GLE 450 AMG, we found that the 9-speed automatic worked extremely well, but on occasion the paddle shift option was used. It was especially useful when the automatic deceleration occurred during the adaptive cruise control process. One element of caution is the entry point into the driver’s seat, as due to its high position and the curvature of the doorframe and A-Pillar it is easy to hit one’s head on the low roofline. Look out also to ensure that there is nothing protruding from the hatchback door or the automatic closing system will not function properly.

No sooner were we back in LA than it was time to head to Las Vegas for the CES 2016 (Consumer Electronics Show) for a day of press conferences before the opening of the exhibitions held at Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

www.fleetcar.ie

22 | LAUNCH PAD I

Toyota’s Prius comes of age

I

t’s been eighteen years since Toyota unveiled the original Prius, launching the start of a hybrid revolution. Over eight million Toyota hybrids have been sold worldwide since 1997, including more than 3.5 million Prius.

For all that though, the Prius, a series hybrid that combines a petrol engine with an electric motor, appealed to a somewhat limited audience. It was largely purchased for its 'eco' credentials rather than for its driving characteristics, with a significant chunk of those 3.5 million sales coming from America where it has long been the fashionable choice for the environmentally conscious.

For the mainstream European motorists though, where diesel has been the preferred route to fuel efficiency and lower emissions, the Prius has been always something of a left-of-field choice. Its Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) has been an acquired taste that struggled to appeal to the keen driver, while there was also the reality that the impressive quoted fuel consumption figures often didn’t match to

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

reality - particularly if it was used outside urban environments.

The arrival of the new fourth generation Prius though is arguably the biggest advance that Toyota has made since it started its hybrid journey. If the fundamentals haven’t changed with the latest car - it still combines a 122 bhp 1.8 litre petrol engine and CVT transmission with an electric motor, overall the new Prius is quieter, more refined, and - dare we say - ‘normal’ to drive.

What’s noticeable is an improvement in the driveability of the CVT transmission.

Yes, put your foot down hard and it still whines away like a washing machine on spin cycle, but it’s far less noticeable than before. Drive it the way it is intended to be driven - i.e. with a gentle right foot - and the benefits of the seamless transmission become apparent, while engine levels remain impressively muted.

A lso worth highlighting is fuel consumption. Driving the new Prius in Spain at the international launch, and with three well fed journalists on board,

we achieved 4.6 l/100km (61.4 mpg) on our test drive across rural roads - and we weren’t sparing the horses. A later urban drive saw that figure drop to 4.3l/100 km (65.7 mpg). On these results, the Prius looks like it can genuinely match and beat the best diesels on economy.

The styling is another strong feature of the new Prius. While the basic silhouette remains - Toyota is taking care not to alienate existing owners - there are much stronger lines and angles than before, with the rear lighting cluster particularly striking. A lower centre of gravity gives it a more sporting appearance.

Toyota has improved the quality of its interiors in recent years and the new Prius oozes a quality not seen in previous generations. There is decent room for up to five adults. Boot space is also improved by 50 litres. Standard spec on all models includes a 7” multi-media touchscreen, LED headlights, Toyota Safety Sense anti-collision system, and adaptive cruise control. The higher trim Luxury model includes Blind Spot Monitor, a wireless phone charger, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

I came away from the launch event looking at the Prius in a whole new light. For the first time it’s a car I would genuinely buy myself. Better looking, more upmarket, significantly better to drive, and offering authentic standard setting fuel consumption and emissions figures, the new Prius should appeal to a whole new audience of buyers, not least those in the fleet sector. It’s now on sale in Ireland with prices for the entrylevel Prius from €31,450, and Prius Luxury priced at €33,550.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

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*Price quoted is for the Jaguar XF 2.0 D Business Edition. Official fuel consumption figures for the XF range in l/100km: Urban 4.8 – 11.9, Extra Urban: 3.6 – 6.7, Combined 4.0 – 8.6. Co2 emissions 104 – 204g/km.

24 | LAUNCH PAD II

New Sports Tourer from Opel broadens Astra appeal

W

hen you look at brands that focus on the f leet customer and market, Opel is consistently to the fore, with the Insignia and Astra in particular performing strongly with company car customers.

The awarding of the European Car of the Year 2016 title at the Geneva Motor Show to the Astra will no doubt further broaden Opel’s appeal to the fleet sector, as will the arrival of an estate version which goes on sale in April - the Astra Sports Tourer.

While Ireland has never been a huge market for estate cars, they have consistently achieved around 6-9% of sales every year. Noticeably that figure has remained constant in recent times, whereas the market share of hatchbacks and saloons has decreased significantly as customers move to crossovers.

For the company car driver that needs a decent amount of load capacity, an estate car can make a lot of sense. Cars like the Astra Sports Tourer can match or better the load carrying capabilities of a crossover, yet are just as good to drive as the equivalent hatchback.

Opel is certainly no upstart into the estate market. It was the fi rst German manufacturer to produce an estate car in 1953, while the fi rst direct predecessor to the Astra Sports Tourer, the Kadett Caravan, appeared ten years later. The new Astra Sports Tourer is in fact the

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

tenth generation of estates bearing the Kadett or Astra name. Worldwide 5.4 million have been sold, out of a total of 24 million Kadetts and Astras. Overall estates account for around 30% of Astra sales in Europe. Here in Ireland that figure is around 10%.

If, in the old days, estate cars were afterthoughts when it came to styling, that’s no longer the case, with many boasting more appealing profi les than their hatch or saloon equivalents. That’s the case with the latest Astra Sports Tourer, you certainly wouldn’t be ashamed to rock up to a fashionable party in it.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Astra Sports Tourer boasts a significant weight saving of around 190kg, which should help in keeping fuel consumption figures down. It’s more spacious too, not just for passengers who can avail of more headroom and improved rear seat legroom, but in the boot where there is now an extra 80 litres of load space up to a total of 1,630 litres.

A new for Opel is a power tailgate that opens and closes via a kicking motion under the rear bumper.

The Astra hatchback introduced a number of new features including OnStar, Opel’s personal connectivity and service assistant, and the latest generation infotainment system and driver assistant systems.

These are carried over on to the Sports Tourer. Its Apple Airplay connectivity is particularly seamless - just plug your iPhone into the USB slot for immediate access to telephone and selected apps.

Opel is offering the Astra Sports Tourer with three petrol engine options - the 105PS 1.0 Turbo, the 100PS 1.4, and 150PS 1.4i Turbo. Diesel versions include 110PS and 136PS power outputs of the 1.6 CDTi, though a new 1.6 BiTurbo CDTI with 160PS isn’t being offered here at present.

Four trim levels are available to Irish customers. Prices for the Astra Sports Tourer range from €21,195 up to €32,195.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

26 | REPORT

The Internet of Things

at CES 2016, Las Vegas

Car brands to the fore at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

A

udi paid its sixth visit to the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, USA.

Ricky Hudi, Head of Development Electrics/Electronics, and Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America, presented the latest trends, technologies and Audi products in the areas of infotainment and Audi connect, controls and displays as well as electrification and lighting technology. With a concept car and numerous technology exhibits, Audi provided an outlook on the automotive future, which will be influenced more than ever by the electronics field. The Audi Tech Talk, had technology experts offering an in-depth look at electronics Kia Motors development and were available to answer questions from journalists and show visitors.

Kia Motors introduced a new subbrand, ‘DRIVE WISE’, to encompass its future Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). DRIVE WISE is Kia’s philosophy to launch intelligently safe vehicles featuring the Korean marque’s latest and forthcoming ADAS technologies. Kia recently announced plans to manufacture partiallyautonomous cars by 2020, and aims to bring its fi rst fully-autonomous vehicle to market by 2030.

Volkswagen

Engineered to improve safety for all road users, DRIVE WISE will enable Kia to introduce intelligent safety technologies ZeroLight to its future model range, helping to eliminate potential dangers and (for some), the monotony of driving.

Volkswagen opened a gateway to the future with a new time machine - a zero-emission vehicle called BUDD-e minivan. It’s the first model based on an equally new and progressive Volkswagen technology programme for electric vehicles. The van is said to offer a distance range of up to 533 kilometres and has clearly set its sights on the immediate future, as the BUDD-e’s mobile interface connects the world on-board and to the outside world.

FLEETCAR | Spring 2016

A showcase of the car in the ‘Internet of Things’, the new buzz word in the sector, it provides access to your Smart Home, or your workplace. Equipped with next generation Infotainment to turn travel into an interactive experience, BUDD-e offers a completely new method of operation and information processing, with intuitive touch and gesture controls that make switches and buttons a thing of the past. Other features include individual displays that blend into large infotainment panels, while analogue mirrors are replaced by digital screens.

To demonstrate how much travel will have changed by the time we are in or around the year 2019, Volkswagen sent four friends on an imaginary journey on board the BUDD-e. While at the CES Show, they travelled from San Francisco to Nevada to go to a legendary American festival on what was to be an interactive journey into the world of tomorrow.

ZeroLight, the creator of the world’s most advanced digital 3D car configurator, received widespread media acclaim at CES. “We were delighted to be invited to CES as Audi AG’s strategic partner to help showcase its VR Experience, which utilises ZeroLight’s digital experience platform. It was fantastic to receive so many positive reviews from within the automotive, technology and retail industries,” said ZeroLight CEO, Darren Jobling. “Vision Summit is an opportunity to further demonstrate to those in the virtual reality field the potential reach of our visualisation solutions.

We are excited by the impact ZeroLight has already made on the automotive industry. Recognition in the Top Technology Predictions 2016 report by GP Bullhound is an endorsement of both our technological capability and business potential.”

ZeroLight has already achieved an international roll-out of its technology through its partnership with Audi AG, while building a bespoke real-time 3D car configurator for prestigious Italian supercar manufacturer, Pagani.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@flee Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

DECISION-MAKERS WANTED.

With Autonomous Follow Assist.

The Adaptive Cruise Control in the Opel Insignia* not only maintains the speed you set, but also automatically keeps the selected distance to the vehicle in front. This innovation transforms your Cruise Control into an Autonomous Follow Assist. You decide where you are going, the Insignia does the rest. Find out more on Opel.ie/Insignia

The Insignia. The decision-maker’s choice. *Fuel consumption combined 3.7 – 7.9 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 99 – 187g/km.

Picture shows optional equipment.

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