GERMAN manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has taken the honours at this year’s Fleet Industry awards. The company was named Fleet Manufacturer of the Year 2015 at the Fleet World Honours 2015.

The Fleet World Honours – divided into a series of categories representing car and fleet management – recognise innovation, quality and sustainability and the judges look for evidence of these characteristics when evaluating submissions.

In announcing the award for Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, Fleet World editor Steve Moody said: “The progression has continued for Mercedes-Benz with year-on-year fleet sales increases and an ever-strengthening line-up of vehicles, such as the A-Class, GLA-Class and the excellent new C-Class. The result is a wide range of cars and an offering that is second to none in the fleet market.”

Sally Dennis, Head of Fleet at Mercedes-Benz UK, said: “We are extremely proud to be recognised as the Fleet Manufacturer of the Year 2015. It’s a testament to our Fleet Team, our retailer partners, the unrivalled product over recent years and our development of the  Mercedes-Benz Fleet offering to the fleet and business industry.”

In announcing the S-Class Award for Best Luxury Car, Moody added: “The S-Class continues to set the benchmark in the luxury sector with its quality, comfort and refinement, and while many imitate, few manage to beat it. The choice of super smooth diesels, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains mean there always the right type of car for every senior executive.”

In the UK, the S-Class – priced from £66,910 OTR – remains the number one luxury car in its market segment with over 2,700 vehicles registered in 2014 and over 1,400 vehicles registered so far this year.

In announcing the C-Class Award for Best Executive Compact Car, Moody said: “Mercedes-Benz seems to have skipped a generation with the C-Class, which now looks and feels like a downsized S-Class. Technology-rich, its home to the best interior in the segment and features a wide choice of engines, including diesel hybrid and a plug-in hybrid version. This should prove invaluable for the brand’s aspirations in the premium sector.”

The C-Class – priced from £27,270 OTR – returns up to 134.5 mpg with CO₂ emissions from 48 g/km. Almost 20,000 C-Class vehicles have been registered so far this year and its popularity with fleet buyers is reflected by the fact almost 7,500 have been registered to the fleet industry.

Sporting chance for Range Rover at Fleet awards

HOWEVER, the Germans didn’t have it all their own way, with the Range Rover Sport named Best SUV in the awards.

Launched in 2013, the Range Rover Sport has amassed more than 85 awards globally including its recent accolade for Best Large SUV in the 2015 What Car? Awards.

JLR now considers the vehicle the benchmark in its class.

Moody said: “The Sport feels a cut above the rest of the SUV segment, taking the luxury of the full-size Range Rover and condensing it. Generously equipped, widespread use of aluminium means it’s also better to drive and more fuel efficient than ever, without compromising off-road ability. The excellent 169g/km diesel-hybrid is a unique, and versatile, option in the segment.”

Accepting the award, Jon Wackett, Fleet & Business Sales General Manager for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We are delighted to see that the Range Rover Sport continues to impress the critics two years after launch. These two awards show that Jaguar Land Rover has one of the most capable and diverse vehicle line-ups in the industry – one that consists of desirable vehicles that appeal to the head as well as the heart.”

Land Rover has recently added the Range Rover Sport Hybrid to its line-up. The sophisticated hybrid powertrain enhances performance and efficiency with an extra 170Nm of torque from its electric motors contributing to 700Nm of torque. The Range Rover Sport Hybrid boasts 44.1mpg on a combined cycle, achieving 60mph from standing in 6.4 seconds.

Shop around remains best advice to motorists looking for insurance deals

THE volume of UK motor insurance premiums declined by approximately £400m to £13bn in the last year, new figures show.

Despite the decline, figures from Deloitte’s 25th annual motor insurance seminar found that insurers’ 2014 results slightly improved. Net combined ratios in 2014 stood at 101%, meaning the combined cost of claims and expenses was £101 for every £100 of net earned premium.

The figure is slightly less than that of 2013 when the figure hit 102%. However, market premiums have been steadily declining since 2011, and it is possible that ratios in 2015 could sink to 103% and then 105% next year, suggesting insurers will face a challenging couple of years.
 
Matt Perkins, financial services partner at Deloitte in Birmingham, said: “This small improvement in headline results is supported by bigger reserve releases of 10%, which this year have been across a larger number of insurers. Some may question how this is sustainable, given increased regulatory focus from the PRA on reserve releases.  

“There is also increased focus from the FCA on fairness to the customer on ancillary products and premium financing.  Combined with low investment income, there is a definite need for motor insurers to react and improve their underwriting results to compensate for the reduction of other incomes.

“While premiums need to offset claims, there is a clear need for insurers to put the customer at the centre of their operations.”
 
He said that for consumers, while the challenging conditions appeared to indicate the possibility of rising premiums, the competitiveness of the motor insurance market meant that by shopping around motorists may find a better price.
 
Deloitte’s seminar also pointed to opportunities surrounding driverless cars and telematics in terms of risk pools and customer products.  
 
Sulabh Soral, insurance innovation lead at Deloitte, commented: “Driverless cars are expected to eventually reduce traditional risk pools. However, there is still significant uncertainty regarding the timeframe for when these cars will become the norm. The pace of change is highly dependent on multiple participants, so it is unlikely that we will see a ‘crash-less’ society any time soon.  

“However, as this transition occurs our roads will see a mixture of new semi-autonomous vehicles as well as older vehicles creating heterogeneity. This presents a great opportunity for insurers to take advantage of the variability on the road, using telematics data to create new customer propositions and products that are tailored to an individual’s preferences and insurance requirements.”

Drive safely.