All posts by Graham

The Show-stopping cars at the Geneva Motor Show 2018

Car news

The spectacle that is the Geneva Motor Show was held in Switzerland 8-18 March, giving us a glimpse into the future trends expected to dominate the car industry, whilst bringing together the wealthiest people in the world. Debuting some of the boldest and most innovative car concepts in the world, which are expected to lead the way in revolutionising car technology, spoiling us with a handful of wonderful but frankly bizarre and baffling concept cars.

The show continuously manages to break the mould and break with convention in terms of car manufacturing. Inevitably there was a strong push towards electric cars but the show also boasted the likes of flying cars, sport cars, saloons and coupes and certainly didn’t disappoint, pushing the boundaries in every way possible and opening our eyes to a new era of mobility –  you could soon by flying to work!

Geneva is the best show to get an overview of the latest trends and striking designs to shape the automobile industry. One thing clear,the industry is facing a dramatic change and pressure to reinvent itself, with autonomy and electric taking precedence.

Here’s a roundup of the best and most crazy car concepts and themes that captured our attention at the awe-inspiring yet bonkers motor show:

Sleek, elegant and magnificent motors:
Luxury EV and hybrid performance cars graced the stands at Geneva with a whole spectrum of striking, elegant and dynamic designs, here is a taster of some of the crowd pleasers:

GFG Sibylla
GFG

Touring Superleggera Scià di PersiaPersia

Pininfarina HK GT

Pini

The bold and handsome M8 Gran Coupe concept with its four-door model, is a revamped version of the relaunched 8-series range and is planned to join coupe and convertible variants 600bhp, in a three-model strong 8 series line-up. The creation of the concept car all stems from BMW’s reformed decision to create premium positioning.

The BMW M8 concept:

M8

The Wacky, the Flying, The Sharing and The Autonomous Varities:

Now moving on to the more bizarre conceptions brought to life at the Geneva Motor Show. Fully autonomous vehicles are expected to revolutionise the future of car technology, but even the Renault EZ-GO concept seemed somewhat extreme. The driverless concept electric car enables passengers to enter through a front door, with glass on the sides and roof, yet only reaching speeds of 30mph.

wacky

The luxury futuristic Mercedes F015 driverless car concept managed to differentiate itself from the numerous driverless car projects that we have been bombarded with and stand aside in a class of its own.

cars10

Another gutsy driverless car concept was the Icona Nucleus, a ‘lounge on wheels,‘ providing room for 6 adults, basically a wide cocoon on wheels. The other striking element of the design is the lack of conventional glass windows – there’s no driver so there is no need for a front windscreen.

Icona Nucleus:

Nucleas

World’s first Revolutionary Commercial Flying Cars:

flying

Top tips for driving in the snow and ice

Motoring Advice

Despite meteorological spring starting in a few days, the UK braces itself for cold and snow to come in the next few days, as temperatures plunge. Whilst driving in snow can be difficult and should be avoided if possible, if you do venture out, read our tips below to be car safe!

Clear your vehicle of snow
Before setting off, make sure that you clear off all snow from your vehicle, including your roof as this could come off whilst driving and obstruct your view.

Plan your trip
Prior to your journey, make sure to check your route and avoid smaller less travelled roads where possible. Motorways and other major roads are more likely to be gritted.

Tyres treads
During the winter months you should have at least 3mm of tread on your tyres. If you live in a rural area, it is worth considering winter tyres or snow chains to keep you safe and avoid a winter related accident.

Anti-Freeze
Ensure you top-up your anti-freeze fluids during the winter months, use a 50/50 mix with water.

Winter packing and survival kit supplies
Make sure that you are prepared in case you get stuck somewhere. Make sure you pack a blanket, warning triangle, torch, first aid kit, jumper cables, mobile phone charger and food (small packages are always handy to keep in your car) and fluids to drink.

Fuel
During the winter months you are more likely to get delayed, so it is important to make sure you have enough fuel for your journey (at least a quarter of a tank extra).

Once you are on the road:

  • To avoid your wheels from spinning, accelerate slowly and try to get to the higher gears as soon as you can
  • If you have poor visibility (less than 100m) use your fog lights until your vision improves
  • Give yourself and other road users plenty of space as your stopping distance could be ten times more than normal
  • Turning a corner? Make sure to brake in plenty of time before you turn the wheel, reducing your speed
  • If you do skid, steer gently into it, keeping both hands on the steering wheel
  • Drive more carefully and allow more time for your journey

Safe travels during this(hopefully) final winter month #CarSafety

Snow Road

 

Road tax changes, everything you need know about Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rules 2018

Tax and Legislation News

Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced the updated VED rules in his Autumn Budget 2017, but what does this mean for motorists? Our handy guide will tell you everything you need to know about the updated VED rules coming into place on the 1st of April 2018.

Diesel vehicles need to conform to the latest EURO 6 Standard, the aim of this is to reduce harmful exhaust emissions. If you buy a new diesel vehicle (the rule only applies to cars, not vans) that doesn’t meet the EURO 6 standard you will go up by one TAX band for example a Range Rover Evoque SD4 with emissions of 153g/km Co2 will rise by £315 to £830.

Ownership rules that were introduced in April 2017 still apply, which means that cars are taxed based on one of the 13 Co2 bands they fall into.

The table below will show the new diesel tax bands from April 2018:

Co2 emission (g/km) Current first year VED rates First year VED Rates for diesel cars bought from 1st of April 2018 not meeting Euro 6 Standards
0 £0 N/A
1-50 £10 £25
51-75 £25 £100
76-90 £100 £120
91-100 £120 £140
101-110 £140 £160
111-130 £160 £200
131-150 £200 £500
151-170 £500 £800
171-190 £800 £1,200
191-225 £1,200 £1,700
226-255 £1,700 £2,000
Over 255 £2,000 TBA

Cars that are worth more than £40k pay a £310 supplement for five years.

If you want to avoid the extra VED charges that come in place on 1st of April 2018, order your new vehicle today. Alternatively why not go for a Plugin or Hybrid vehicle?

Get in touch today for more information.

CVSL takes on Etape Caledonia

Company News

Our very own Tony Poole and Stuart Sinclair are taking on 81 miles of cycling through the Scottish Highlands in Etape Caledonia, all to raise vital funds for Ronald MacDonald House in Manchester.

Steve Burne, Tony’s brother –in-law and close friend of all the team at CVSL was diagnosed with terminal cancer in October 2017 and in the precious time he has left, he is hoping to raise £250,000 for Ronald MacDonald House in Manchester.  The charity, which Steve has been involved with for over 15 years, keeps families together through difficult times at the hospital.  The £250,000 will allow Ronald MacDonald House Manchester to refurbish three living areas to large family rooms of up to 6 people where families can stay together for a longer period of time.

Tony Poole Director at CVSL comments ‘’ I feel honoured to be cycling 81 miles through the Caledonian Hills to raise funds for the new  Steve Burne rooms at Ronald MacDonald House, I didn’t have to think twice about participating for this great cause, although the twisting climb of Mount Schiehallion at 1,083 metres worries me! ‘’
We are hoping to raise a significant amount for Steve and Ronald MacDonald House, I know how close this is to his heart. ‘’ Tony continues,  ‘’I have known Steve for a long time and has always been involved with this great charity and since 2012 he has dedicated even more of his time as Chairman to board of governors  at RHMC in Manchester.’’

Tony and Stuart who are participating in the challenge with a team of 12, will be joined by Steve’s son Daniel Burne and other close friends to raise funds for the Steve Burne Rooms.

We wish the whole team, the best of luck with their challenge.

If you would like to support them and help Ronald MacDonald House in Manchester you can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/etapecaledoniaburne

CVSL Etappe

What does the Autumn Budget 2017 mean for motorists?

Tax and Legislation News

Chancellor Phillip Hammond announced significant changes to his 2017 Autumn Budget, a large amount of which will affect motorists around the country. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Fuel duty has been frozen for the 8th consecutive year in a row, saving the average driver a cumulative £850 by April 2019.
  • The Fuel Benefit Charge and Van Benefit Charge will increase by RPI from the 6th of April, 2018.
  • Existing diesel supplement in company car tax to rise by 1%
  • Sale of new diesel cars that don’t meet latest emissions standards will have a one-off tax increase from April. This would mean that a Ford Fiesta that currently not meet the standards will see a one off £20 rise and whilst vehicles in the top band such as a Porsche Cayenne would receive a £500 one off increase
  • £220m made available to local authorities in England to improve air quality in the most polluted areas
  • £400m has also been made available to improve plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure, with an extra £100m in plug-in-car grant £40m in charging R&D
  • HRMC will clarify the law for people who are charging their Electric Vehicles at work will not face a BIK charge from next year

If you have any questions on how the new budget will affect you, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

diesel