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Volvo Car UK has experienced a growth of
over 40 per cent in corporate sales in the first half of 2010 as
companies start to return to the market to replace vehicles on extended
company car contracts. Company
car drivers can now benefit from lower CO2 emissions and
improved fuel consumption which results in reduced Benefit in Kind. In
2006, the lowest CO2 variant of the V50 was the 2.0D, which
offered fuel consumption of 48.7 mpg and emitted 154 g/km of CO2.
Today’s low emission V50 1.6D DRIVe Start/Stop model, emits only 104
g/km of CO2 emissions and is capable of up to 72.4mpg,
demonstrates how far engine technology has developed over the last four
years and shows the clear benefit of getting drivers into a new car.
A 40 per cent tax payer driving a 2011
model Volvo V50 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop will save around £27 per
month in lower Benefit in Kind tax bills and benefit from a 23.7mpg
improvement in fuel consumption.
“Engine technology has been developed
dramatically since a typical lease car was registered in 2006. For
instance, a 2011 V50 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop provides a 50g/km
reduction in CO2 emissions compared with the lowest CO2-emitting
2006 model – the 2.0D. That is equivalent to a five tier drop in company
car tax bands,” said Selwyn Cooper, Volvo Car UK’s National Corporate
Operations Manager.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in
orders during the last 6 months, with many fleets enquiring about
getting their drivers into new cars with lower CO2 emissions
and better fuel consumption,” he added.
Fleets are recognising, with DRIVe in
particular, that their drivers don’t have to compromise on comfort by
driving a low emission car. All Volvo models, regardless of engine size,
are available with the high level of specification company motorists
have come to expect.
On the back of this strong start to the
year, and with the launch of the dynamic all-new Volvo S60 and V60,
Volvo has announced it is to expand its Business Centre network, from 23
to 25 sites by the end of 2010.
Volvo Business Centre dealers are
resourced to sell more than 200 corporate vehicles annually, although a
number of them achieve over 500 units. Cooper is also keen to support
the non business centre dealers to handle local corporate business in a
professional and knowledgeable fashion.
“We are talking to all our dealers
about them developing sales people with business specialist skills in a
bid to make the most of the launch of the all-new Volvo S60 and our
range of DRIVe cars,” said Selwyn. “We must build on our current
corporate sales success as it is becoming an increasingly important part
of Volvo’s future growth ambition,” he added. |
