PARIS - The Best of British will be fully showcased at this years Paris Motor Show.

• 8 British-built cars and industry leaders join forces to promote UK Automotive ahead of key Paris motor show.
• UK brands more popular than ever, with exports reaching record levels in 2015, and almost 900,000 cars shipped to global buyers in first eight months of 2016.
• £10 billion invested in UK over past five years to produce new models and enhance UK’s position as a centre for engineering excellence.

EightvofvthevUK’s major car brands united today at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on the eve of the key international motor show to demonstrate the diversity and quality of cars currently produced in the UK. 

Senior executives from British based manufacturers, including Aston Martin, BMW MINI,vHonda,vJaguar-Land Rover, McLaren, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall, were joined by Mark Garnier MP, the British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade, to promote the strength of the UK automotive sector to a global audience.

ThecUKvautomotive industry has undergone unprecedented growth in recent years –thanks to competitive business conditions, tariff-free trading and significant investment in new models and facilities. 

Car manufacturing achieved a 10-year high last year and British-built cars have never been so popular, with a record 1.2 million cars exported to more than 100 countries. Already in the first eight months of 2016, that total looks set to be beaten this year, with exports reaching almost 900,000 vehicles –13% ahead of the same period in 2015.1

The UK’s biggest trading partner is the European Union and 57.3% of UK-produced cars have been exported to the rest of the EU so far this year, followed by 12.1% to the US and 7.1% to China. While the US topped the list of individual countries buying British cars, EU Member States took six of the top 10 places: Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “The UK automotive industry is respected globally for its rich heritage, iconic brands and engineering excellence. More than £10 billion of investment has gone into new facilities and models over the past five years and we’re proud to see so many rival brands coming together to promote the strengths of UK Automotive ahead of a key international motor show. The future success of this sector will hinge upon the ability of the UK to maintain the business and trading conditions that make the sector so competitive globally.”

Huge sums are invested into the UK to develop, manufacture and bring to market vehicles that are cleaner, more fuel efficient, safer and more advanced every year. When it comes to ultra low emission vehicles and plug-in cars in particular, the UK has a strong record, with a £1 billion joint industry-government initiative to develop advanced propulsion technologies, while the UK ultra-low emission car market itself is the second fastest growing market in Europe after Spain.2

Meanwhile, the UK is already earning a reputation as a global development hub for connected and autonomous vehicles, thanks to significant industry and government investment. The ability to trial these cars on public roads – as a result of the UK not having ratified the Vienna convention some decades ago – has given the UK a two-year head start on many other countries. This offers huge growth potential for the UK as the development and introduction of these technologies could result in an annual £51 billion contribution to GDP by 2030, along with 300,000 new jobs created and 25,000 accidents prevented every year.

That the UK has grasped this opportunity is testament to its ability to adapt, lead and innovate. Thanks to early investment, expertise and an inherent commitment to technological advancement, UK Automotive is well placed to be at the forefront of these breakthrough technologies to make driving smarter, safer and cleaner.

10 facts about the UK car industry

1. In the UK, a new car rolls off production lines every 16 seconds.
2. The UK exports around 80% of all the cars it produces – and exports are at record levels, with 1.2 million people across the world buying a British car in 2015.
3. Some 2.5 million engines are produced every year in the UK, with more than half exported to global markets.
4. The UK is home to 13 R&D centres and six design centres. In fact, innovation has been a major part of the sector’s growth – with £2.5 billion invested every year in R&D.
5. In terms of car production output, the UK now ranks 3rd in the EU (behind Germany and Spain); and 10th in the world3 – and the sector also has the highest level of workforce productivity in Europe.4
6. If development of connected and autonomous vehicles continues at its current rate, the industry could be worth £51 billion to companies operating here by 2030.
7. The UK has one of the EU’s fastest growing electric car markets – demand grew by more than 50% last year.
8. The UK imports 86.5% of the 2.63 million new cars sold in the country – 81.5% of them from the EU – offering consumers a huge choice.
9. The UK is home to 90% of the world’s top automotive suppliers, and a £6 billion untapped supply chain opportunity has been identified there.5
10. The UK new car market is one of the most diverse in the world, and with 2.63 million vehicles registered in 2015, it is the second biggest in Europe behind Germany.6 

The 8 cars and where they are made:

• Aston Martin DB11 (Gaydon)
• McLaren 570S (Woking)
• Honda Civic (Swindon)
• Jaguar F-Pace (Solihull)
• MINI Clubman (Oxford)
• Nissan Qashqai (Sunderland)
• Toyota Auris (Burnaston)
• Vauxhall Astra (Ellesmere Port)

Some 16 car brands are currently manufactured in the UK:

Aston Martin (Gaydon); Bentley (Crewe); Caterham (Dartford); Honda (Swindon); Infiniti (Sunderland); Jaguar Land Rover (Castle Bromwich, Solihull, Halewood); Lotus (Norwich); McLaren (Woking); MG Motors (Longbridge); Mini (Oxford); Morgan (Malvern); Nissan (Sunderland); Rolls Royce (Goodwood); Toyota (Burnaston); Vauxhall (Ellesmere Port).

1. 877,457 cars exported from UK in the year January – August 2016: SMMT Data
2. ACEA data for Q2 2016
3. OICA data for 2015
4. Automotive Council: The UK Automotive International Competitiveness Report
   November 2015
5. Automotive Council
6. ACEA data for 2015

Top 10 export destinations in the EU28:

1. Germany: 73,916
2. Belgium: 65,431
3. Italy: 64,526
4. France: 60,108
5. Portugal: 32,963
6. Spain: 31,229
7. Poland: 12,568
8. Ireland: 12,407
9. Netherlands: 11,153
10. Sweden: 10,915

The Kia Sportage takes the top spot for the second month in a row for the UK's best selling second hand car sales.

• Record double for Kia Sportage as the UK’s fastest selling car in April and March
• Convertible appears in the top 10 fastest selling cars for the first time in 2016
• Hybrid estate takes third spot for the first time this year
• Five different body styles appear in the UK’s top 10 fastest selling cars for April
• i-Control users enjoy better than 60% improvement on stock turn

The Kia Sportage shows no sign of letting up as the hottest set of wheels off the UK’s forecourts, as it proved the UK’s fastest selling car for a record second month in a row.

In March the Korean-built SUV took a remarkable three spots in the UK’s top 10 fastest selling cars with first, second and fourth. It has proved again it is the UK’s fastest selling car and the seventh quickest car to shift out of the showrooms in April.

Just as in March, the Sportage enjoyed selling success both as a new and used model, so the same is true in April with the Sportage proving to be the ninth most popular new car on sale in the UK.

Sweeping into second place is the Mercedes-Benz SLK Convertible perhaps heralding the appeal of the coming summer as buyers switch their attention to drop tops. This particular version, which takes just 18 days to sell, is the diesel automatic revealing that prospective owners could be looking for frugal, wind-in-your-hair motoring.

There’s another first time appearance in the top ten this year in the shape of a hybrid, with Toyota’s Auris Estate motoring into the third spot. The petrol/electric hybrid offers owners the chance for more fuel efficient driving along with lower emissions. Alternative fuel vehicles represented the biggest growth of all the fuel types in April’s new car registrations, up over 26% year-on-year.

The particular version of the Sportage enjoying the most rapid sales success is a 2014 petrol model with manual transmission and it took 18 days to sell in April. With Kia’s seven-year transferable warranty it means the new owner can still take advantage of five years of manufacturer-provided cover.

Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader Retailer & Consumer Products Director said: “It’s clear the Kia Sportage continues to prove a very popular buy with consumers in both used and new formats. The 2014 version of the Sportage is well-equipped and owners are very happy with them according to Auto Trader’s owners’ reviews with a score of 4.4 out of five, a level of satisfaction aided by the long-running warranty provided by the manufacturer.”

There are five different body styles represented in the UK’s top 10 fastest selling cars including convertible, people carrier, estate and hatchback. It is the crossover or SUV, however, that is proving the most popular with four of the top 10 coming in this body style.

The 2013 BMW X1 in diesel auto format ranks as the fifth quickest to shift off the UK’s forecourts, while another Korean-built SUV is the sixth quickest. It’s the 2015 Hyundai ix35 with petrol power and manual transmission, and similar to the Sportage, comes with a long warranty of five years from new, that also includes free European breakdown cover and servicing over the same period. Both it and the X1 took 20 days from appearing on the forecourt to finding a new owner.

Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader Retailer & Consumer Products Director said: “Across the regions we have seen just how popular the crossover is with the Nissan Qashqai the fastest selling car in the East of England and London, plus it enjoys another 13 spots across the UK regions top 10 quickest selling cars. The Qashqai’s smaller sibling the Juke is also proving popular with five top 10 positions across the different regions. The combination of high driving position, practicality and reassurance of four-wheel drive (where fitted) deliver a strong appeal to buyers, particularly those with families.”

Rank*	Description	Average Days to Sell	Average Price Position	Average Retail Price
1	2014 Kia Sportage SUV Petrol Manual	18	100.2%	£13,934
2	2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK    Convertible Diesel Automatic	18	98.55%	£20,632
3	2013 Toyota Auris Estate Electric Hybrid Automatic	18	100.36%	£13,018
4	2009 Citroen Berlingo Multispace MPV Diesel Manual	18	99.06%	£4,679
5	2013 BMW X1 SUV Diesel Automatic	20	101.22%	£17,359
6	2015 Hyundai ix35 Estate Petrol Manual	20	99.44%	£13,536
7	2013 Kia Sportage SUV Petrol Manual	21	99.52%	£12,552
8	2010 Mazda6 Hatchback Petrol Manual	21	99.56%	£6,633
9	2010 Peugeot 3008 Hatchback Diesel Automatic	22	99.16%	£6,801
10	2013 Skoda Fabia Estate Diesel Manual	22	98.17%	£7,745

Auto Trader’s forecourt management tool, i-Control, continues to give retailers a clear advantage in stock turn, with those using the tool turning stock within 26 days on average in April, compared to a whole market average of 63 days.

i-Control tracks live market movements, recommends what stock to buy, where to find it, how much to pay for it, and how much to sell it for taking into account regional differences in supply and demand – and is proven to improve stock turn by nearly 60%.

Karolina Edwards-Smajda said: “Those retailers that are placing digital at the heart of their business are reaping the rewards of a quicker turn around from stock to sell. Using data not only enables a dealership to stock cars that are in demand in their region but also to price them to the market. The retailers doing that will attract more interest from consumers researching online and they are far more likely to walk into their showroom looking to buy on their first visit.”

Using a combination of daily guide prices from over 4,500 dealer websites, the 500,000+ ads on autotrader.co.ukand price data from all major auctions, fleet & lease companies and manufacturers, i-Control provides accurate valuations ensuring retailers’ stock is competitively priced from day one.

*Please note that ranking for fastest selling is based on days to sell and the vehicle count with those cars enjoying the fewest days to sell and the highest vehicle count being ranked highest.

USA - Scion has announced that the future of the brand, the iA & iM models are arriving at dealerships now.

Believe the buzz. The versatile 2016 Scion iM hatchback and 2016 Scion iA sedan are now arriving in more than 1,000 dealerships and are ready to go wherever drivers can imagine.

The dynamic Scion duo has been the talk of the town with a combination of practicality, desired technology and unique style for today’s young drivers. Then there are the highly competitive prices. The fun-to-drive Scion iM has an MSRP of $18,460 for the manual transmission and $19,200 for the CVTi-S model. The sporty Scion iA has an MSRP of $15,700 for the 6-speed manual transmission and $16,800 for the 6-speed automatic. A $795 delivery, processing and handling fee is not included.

“With the arrival of the iM and the iA in showrooms, Scion’s evolution moves from talk into reality,” said Doug Murtha, Scion group vice president. “This new, savvy generation of drivers will find these cars have the features, space and styling to meet whatever challenge or opportunity comes their way.”

When drivers walk into one of showrooms all over the country, either model could catch their attention.

The athletic design of the 5-door hatchback Scion iM communicates the engaging driving experience that’s ahead. It impresses with a hexagon lower grille, sharp-eyed headlights and sporty body aero kit side bezels. Under the hood is a 137 horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine with Valvematic continuously variable valve timing technology. The lengthy list of standard amenities includes the 7-inch Pioneer Display Audio unit with standard HD Radio and Aha™, rear-view backup camera, Scion’s first 4.2-inch color TFT multi-information display and dual-zone automatic A/C control. The iM’s versatility extends to its ability to stretch out trips to the gas station with an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 37 mpg highway.

The Scion iA sedan adds some sophisticated touches for millennials looking for practicality and style. Just look at the piano black bumper treatment, chrome grille surround and the spacious trunk. Power comes from quick-revving, high-compression 1.5-liter engine with 106 horsepower. Like its sibling, the Scion iA takes Scion’s famous mono-spec strategy to new levels with a keyless entry with push-button start, low-speed Pre-collision system, rear-view backup camera and 7-inch touch screen multimedia system with voice recognition. Its premium features, aggressive styling and fuel-sipping EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 42 mpg highway make the iA an incredible value in its class.

Whichever buyers chose, with Scion’s no hassle, no haggle Pure Price, the same price posted in the dealership is the price customers pay.

Warrenty Direct details the most reliable Eco cars in the second hand market today.

• Warranty Direct names economical used cars with proven reliability
• Ford Fiesta ECOnetic boasts winning dependability and economy

Research by Warranty Direct has highlighted the used cars aged three years or older which offer the best combination of reliability and economy, as motorists continue to look for ways to reduce the cost of car ownership.

Manufacturers are continually developing new technology which delivers better fuel consumption and lower emissions, but some more complex machines are still prone to going wrong, forcing owners to foot expensive repair bills.

Warranty Direct analysed its 50,000 live policies, using the Company’s unique Reliability Index (www.reliabilityindex.com) to measure overall reliability by combining rate of failure, average mileage, age and repair cost.

Ranking cars based on fuel economy in this instance, Warranty Direct used its Reliability Index to name the top ten reliable makes and models of three years or more, as well as the optimal engine and trim combination for the best return at the pumps.

Top ten rated eco cars

(A higher Reliability Index rating means the vehicle is less reliable and more expensive to run)

Make and model	Year	Most economical derivative	Combined MPG	VED band	Reliability Index Score*	Largest claim*
Ford Fiesta	(08 - )	1.6 TDCi (95bhp) Edge ECOnetic II	85	A	24	1,698.85
Smart Fortwo	(07 - )	CDI Pure 2d Auto	85	A	50	918.89
Skoda Fabia	(07 - )	1.2 TDI CR Greenline II	83	A	32	1,043.15
Peugeot 3008	(09 - )	2.0 e-HDi Allure Hybrid4	74	A	29	801.20
SEAT Ibiza	(06 - 09)	1.4 TDi Ecomotive	74	A	30	628.00
Volkswagen Polo	(05 - )	1.4 BlueMotion TDI (80ps)	74	A	50	2,615.23
Toyota Auris	(07 - )	1.8 VVTi Hybrid T Spirit 5d CVT Auto	70	A	39	1,509.56
Citroen C3 Picasso	(09 - )	1.6 Hdi 8v 90 VTR+	68	B	40	732.00
Toyota Yaris	(06 - )	1.4 D-4D TR	67	B	32	1,646.49
Nissan Note	(06 - )	1.5 (90bhp) dCi Visia	67	B	34	2,019.70

The results revealed that the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, with an impressive combined MPG figure of 85.6 had the best mix of fuel economy and reliability. The Smart Fortwo was able to match the Fiesta’s MPG figure and is unlikely to let its owners down, though it suffered marginally more mechanical faults than the Ford.

The SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia put in a strong showing for the Volkswagen Group with closely matched scores, though the Skoda nudged ahead of its stablemates owing to an MPG return of 83.1. However, the frugal SEAT is statistically more reliable.

David Gerrans, Managing Director at Warranty Direct commented: “the ‘eco’ derivatives of a used vehicle are often desirable, promising economical motoring for the cost-conscious buyer.

“However, savings on fuel and road tax can soon be countered with astronomical bills for mechanical or electrical failure. It is important to take these factors into account when selecting a car based on green credentials.”