What was that old motor racing saying? Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.
Yes, that was it.
I’m not so sure that’s the case anymore now that the racing formats have changed so what you see on the track isn’t so showroom recongnizable.
But I reckon Porsche’s victory at Le Mans this month – that great, French 24 hour endurance racing classic – can do a lot to promote greener driving.
Now, motor racing and green tech might seem oxymoronic – OK, I had to look that one up on my smartphone! – but actually green technology is driving forward motor racing.
The Porsche 919s that came first and second at Le Mans were hybrids. However, it wasn’t just the winning cars that were hybrids, other cars in the top ten from Audi and Toyota also had hybrid two power sources.
So a Toyota Prius might seem nowhere near as exciting as a 200+mph racing car, but the basic technology is the same: the combination of an electric motor with a petrol or diesel engine for increased efficiency – just what you need in an endurance racing car for speed and reduced fuel pitstops; and just what you need in a fleet car too, for reduced emissions, lower running costs and less exposure to benefit in kind taxation.
So what are my current fleet favourites in the hybrid category?
How about the Toyota Yaris Hybrid with CO2 emissions of around 75g/km? If you fancy something more luxurious – then there’s the Lexus CT200 h with 82g/km emissions.
Or perhaps an avant-garde French premium car, that’s got four-wheel drive on top of being a hybrid – so what about the renamed and face-lifted Citroen DS DS5 Hybrid 4×4 200 in Elegance trim, with 103g/km emissions?
Or if you need a crossover, there’s the individual looking Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 Active with its 82g/km emissions.
And if you want something more premium, then there’s always the Mercedes E300 (107g/km) and the BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid (from 149g/km).
You might not go as swiftly as the Porsche 919 Le Mans winning car, but the technology will be delivering winning figures in the areas that matter to fleet.
What was that old motor racing saying? Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. Yes, that was it. I’m not so sure that’s the case anymore now that the racing formats have changed so what you see on the track isn’t so showroom recongnizable. But I reckon Porsche’s victory at Le Mans this month – that … Continued
Was that the start of summer I spotted? A hint of sun; a breath of warmer temperatures; and the ‘official’ start of summer at the beginning of June. It all leads to one thing: me getting my top down and choosing my convertible favourites for summer sunshine fun. Here’s my pick of soft-tops for Summer … Continued
So you’re looking for your next fleet choice but what criteria do you use to help you choose? If you’ve been heeding our advice you would certainly take into account the MPG and CO2 of all the vehicles you’re looking at. You can then make the most cost-effective decision regarding Benefit in Kind tax, plus … Continued
We have been known to win the odd award (or two). But one gives me particular pleasure: it’s the Best Place to Work Award. Nothing else demonstrates more than this the commitment of our team and the fun they have while working. And we’ve done it again at the Great Place to Work Institute Awards, … Continued
You might have noticed this before, but we do tend to bang on about the green aspect of motoring here at Fleet Alliance and actively encourage the funding and fleet management of low emission and alternative fuel vehicles. Now, that might have been wasted hot air, but I’m glad to see it’s not: our fleet … Continued
I spluttered into my cornflakes when I first saw the cost of the new Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell. It’s just over £53k (and that’s with the help of a grant from the HyFive consortium, who are dedicated to promoting hydrogen technology). Will anyone want one of these terrific and innovative cars at this price (as … Continued
Should you worry about or just embrace the raft of new technologies that not only monitor you but your car too? Hmmm, sounds almost like in-car CCTV. Nevertheless, myself and all of us at Fleet Alliance, are always interested in new technologies on cars – even though my lack of ability with a smart phone … Continued
As you’re probably aware, we like to encourage alternative fuel vehicles here at Fleet Alliance. I’ve mentioned before that we’ve been running a couple of all-electric Nissan Leafs and the feedback from our staff has been very positive. So I read with interest in the news that the British Government has made the move to … Continued
I do like the Geneva Motor Show. It’s the first European show on the calendar year, the excitement and chatter is always heightened as a result, and so too are the great cars that go on show. It’s a brilliant way to bridge that dull grey gap between January and spring. So here are my … Continued
Yesssssssssssss! Sorry, I’ll calm down now. Apart from my natural exuberance at seeing my football club win (or beating my personal best over a 10km run, I reserve my special yeses for really big moments. And this is one such. We’ve just won the Fleetye CSI award – for the company providing the best service … Continued