JUST a few weeks into the New Year and Ford has already said that 2015 will be one its busiest years ever in terms of new product launches in the UK.

The company strengthened its UK market lead last year on strong demand for its cars – primarily the country’s best-seller, the Ford Fiesta. More than 130,000 of the evergreen supermini found their way to new buyers.

But it is the family sector to which the company has now switched its attentions, with all-new versions of the Mondeo, Galaxy and others all set for launch.

The all-new Galaxy that will join Ford’s family vehicle line-up this year is the fifth generation of one of Europe’s most popular people carriers.

But keen to show its versatility, Ford has also developed a raft of new models to appeal to smaller and growing families. It has lined up a new version of the S-MAX sports activity vehicle, together with the C-MAX and Grand C-MAX multi-activity vehicles. Its intention is to ensure the Blue Oval can offer the broadest choice of family vehicles in Europe.

The Mondeo has always been a true all-rounder but Ford wants to extend the limits of the range and for the first time will be offering it as a hybrid electric vehicle. Another first for the range will be a 1.0-litre EcoBoost, which will be equipped with the engine that achieved an unprecedented third consecutive victory in 2014 when it was named International Engine of the Year. Ford will also introduce to the line-up Intelligent all-wheel drive, and a new twin-sequential turbocharged 210PS 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine.

As an indication of its intention to challenge the more exclusive executive sector, Ford will also be giving a debut to the upmarket Vignale Mondeo.

Among bespoke services available to customers buying the new Vignale will be a collection and delivery facility for vehicle servicing – from a home address or office location – alongside servicing scheduled to suit the owner. Vignale customers will be able to make all arrangements, and make any Vignale-related enquiries via a single, free telephone number. Ford has pledged that Vignale vehicles will always be handled with care and, with a premium valet, handed back to owners waxed, cleaned, and vacuumed.

The company has recognised that today’s drivers want a more sophisticated product, so buyers of the new Mondeo and S-MAX will this year be able to specify a range of technological options including:

•    Intelligent all-wheel drive, which measures how the car’s tyres are gripping the road surface every 16 milliseconds, and can adjust power delivery to individual wheels in 100 milliseconds
•    Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, which can detect people in the road ahead – or that could cross the vehicle’s path – and automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings
•    Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking technology, which can detect and reverse the car hands-free into spaces alongside other cars as well as parallel to the road; technology first offered on the new Ford Focus (as seen in the remarkable mirrors advert on TV).

The new S-MAX will also debut in Europe Ford’s Adaptive Steering, which continually changes the ratio between the steering and road wheels according to vehicle speed. It will also introduce Front Split View Camera technology to the segment, which makes negotiating junctions or parking spaces with restricted visibility easier through the use of a 180deg camera system installed at the front of the vehicle.

Finally, all of the vehicles being launched in 2015 will feature SYNC 2 – Ford’s connectivity system with advanced voice control and eight-inch colour touchscreen. This enables drivers to operate phone, entertainment, climate and navigation systems using simple conversational language. Drivers can even bring up a list of local restaurants by using the command: “I’m hungry”.

In the SUV segment, Ford will be expanding its range with the launch later in the year of the all new Edge. This is Ford’s most advanced SUV and the vehicle is intended to complement the company’s other utility vehicles, the Kuga and EcoSport.

In the performance segment, Ford has confirmed that its new Mustang (left) will go on sale in the UK later in the year and for the first time in the car’s 50-year history, will be offered with right-hand drive.

Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe, said: “Our entire product development team around the world, and especially here in Europe, have been working harder than ever to deliver on the product promises that we have made as part of our revitalisation plan.

“From performance cars that deliver outstanding on-road performance to family vehicles that deliver great quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology, 2015 promises to be one of the most exciting years for Ford of Europe and its customers.”

Bentley set to scale new heights with off-roader

‘DAMNED by faint praise’ isn’t an epithet levelled at the likes of Bentley too often but it’s fair to say the buying public was slightly underwhelmed when it unveiled its last attempt at a luxury off-roader three years ago.

Some said – rather unkindly – that the vehicle debuted at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show should have been called the ‘Moose’ rather than the ‘Falcon’.

Undeterred, Bentley licked its wounds and went away determined to learn from the experience.

The company’s German owners have continued with the view that its model line-up will forever be incomplete without a vehicle that out-luxuries the Range Rover.

It has now pledged that its latest attempt to lure buyers away from the Solihull superstar will be revealed to buyers later this year.

It has abandoned the label ‘Falcon’ in favour of ‘Bentayga’. The name is taken from Roque Bentayga, a 4,642-foot mountain peak in the Canary Islands.

The vehicle is intended to combine Bentley’s reputation for luxury with a newfound ruggedness that will appeal to buyers new to the brand.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, said: “2015 is a landmark year for Bentley as we launch our greatly anticipated luxury SUV. Bentley is already the world’s most sought after luxury car brand and our future plans will only strengthen this desirability further.    
     
“Bentayga is a name that reflects what we know our SUV will do better than any other car in the world – combine the best automotive luxury with outstanding performance to take the Bentley experience to new environments.”

So far the company has only teased this image (left) of the new vehicle. However, spy shots have a shown a vehicle which is far more car-like than the last offering and one displaying more of Bentley’s familiar styling trends.

The new Bentley Bentayga will go on sale in 2016.

Salary sacrifice schemes offer fresh incentives to employees

AS the nation returns to work, one car salary sacrifice scheme provider has revealed new insight into the hidden employer benefits of salary sacrifice cars.
While falling fuel prices reduce on-road costs, Fleet Evolution is encouraging employers to take advantage of the less measurable benefits of salary sacrifice schemes.

According to data compiled by the firm, 80% of new cars are distributed to employees who have never owned a brand new vehicle. It said this was an incredible perk for workers yet employers also stood to profit from a range of hidden benefits.

Andrew Leech, Director of Fleet Evolution said: “Our car salary sacrifice schemes reduce on-road costs by 30% but there are also a fantastic range of hidden benefits for employers. In 2015 we’re urging businesses to cash in on the advantages and use salary sacrifice schemes to boost their bottom lines.”

It said one of the standout advantages of helping employees acquire a new car was a boost in productivity due to ongoing managed service provision. Instead of employees arriving late for work because of having to take their cars to be serviced, Fleet Evolution said its mechanics collected the car on-site and returned it at the end of the day. Tyre changes could even be carried out in the office car park for absolute efficiency.

Other benefits, it claims are a wider choice of environmentally-friendly vehicles and advanced product engineering such as osteopathic seating to reduce mobility problems.

The company said as well as enhancing employee health and wellbeing, new cars distributed on salary sacrifice schemes actively supported recruitment and retention strategies. Mentioning the option of a car salary sacrifice scheme in a job advertisement could attract a higher calibre of applicant, while it said existing employees were far more inclined to stay with a company that offered such a benefit.

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