Sinclair Finance & Leasing

Improved Safety on New Cars

About to be launched is a new safety system that can automatically boost the side protection strength of cars that are about to collide with other vehicles.

Based on a multi-dimensional camera monitor system surveying 20 meters around the car, the system can identify a side collision risk 200 milliseconds before impact

Mercedes-Benz Goes Green!

At this years Geneva show Mercedes-Benz launched a new blue green brand - three C class models are first to get the treatment of the new blue efficiency range set to reduce emissions.  Although plans to introduce them into the UK are yet to be finalised.

Over the next year 20 Blue Efficiency models are set to roll out, with the Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor, C200 CDI and C350 CGI first in line - all cars have had weight saved on them through using a thinner windscreen, less sound proofing and lighter alloy wheels, with low-rolling resistance tyres.

Budget 2008: Vehicle Excise Duty changes

With the latest budget comes a reform of the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) structure.  2009 will see a restructure where financial incentives are offered for those choosing the greenest cars, while from 2010 in order to deter people from buying the high emitting vehicle, there will be a new higher first year rate. 

This will mean that cars emitting less than 130g/km of CO2 will pay no VED in the first year, but cars that produce more than 254g/km will pay a first year VED of £950.

Budget 2008 - Company cars capital tax reformed

From the recent budget, the Chancellor has decided to change the capital tax on company cars.  In addition to reforming Vehicle Excise Duty, Chancellor Allistair Darling promised that the Government will further promote the take up of cleaner cars through reforms to the taxation of company cars business travel.

The new approach will mean replacing the existing capital allowance treatment for company cars with an emissions based method.  This will take effect from April 1, 2009.  Expenditure on cars with CO2 emissions above 160g/km will attract 10% Writing Down Allowance (WDA) and expenditure on cars with CO2 emissions of 160g/km or below will attract 20% WDA

Techonology makes a dream car, a perfect car!

Every so often television shows have a good laugh at the expense of past visions of the future.

Rocket cars, hover boards and the like have been touted by futurologists since the 1950s and such predictions have usually fallen hilariously wide of the mark.

                  

                       Cars that drive themselves?

                                     Ridiculous

                                   But hang on..

Vehicles running on nuclear power might not be with us yet, but self-aware machines that can drive for us are much more of a reality.

Some technology that allows cars to take over aspects of control from the driver is already with us, and more sophisticated versions are on the way.

UK fuel prices, when will it end?

A 10 per cent fall in the oil price during January has barley registered at the pumps for UK drivers instead prices seem to be forever rising leaving motorists very concerned.

The average fuel prices in the UK currently stand at:

Diesel	110.1ppl/500ppg
Super unleaded	110.5 / 502
Unleaded	104.5 / 475
Four star	1060 / 482
LPG	53.6 / 244

In one week, the UK price of petrol has shot up by a penny with diesel even more. However, at the same time market commentators have reported the US selling cut-price fuel to Nigeria.

So why are the UK fuel prices soaring while petrol is being offered at a discount elsewhere?

Still Texting while driving!

It seems even after all the warnings that almost half of us British motorists are still breaking the law by texting while driving - this infact increases the risk of crashing by 400%

An online survey conducted by the RAC foundation revealved that 45% of UK drivers send and receive messages on their mobile while they are driving - the survey marks the first anniversary of the increase in penalties for using a hand-held phone at the wheel.  Motorists risk a fine of £60 and three penatly points on their licence for using their mobile phones, including texting and receiving whilst driving, and if they have a crash they may be prosecuted under careless and dangerous driving laws, which can even include imprisonment.

In effect police even warn that fleet mangers should introduce a ban on using hands-free phones for all employees who drive for work as they feel that even this method causes a distraction to the driver, leading to an increase risk of a collision.

New Year, New Plate, New Environmental Opportunities

Fleet operators are unclear and perplexed regarding the variety of environmental options open to them.  It is evident that while businesses aspire to operate greener fleets there is uncertainty about what the most important issues to tackle are along with how to go about assessing the multitude of possible solutions and cost benefits, before new vehicles are ordered.

If a fleet is to be truly environmentally sound, it should consider emissions other than CO2 and address vehicle procurement, usage, deployment, maintenance, tyres and recyclability.

It should also embrace driver behaviour technologies such as vehicle tracking, which give a proper understanding of how efficiently the fleet is operating.  Its a daunting prospect but businesses need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues and solutions, relate them to their specific operations and plan for the coming years right now while contempating the orders of new vehicles.