And Europes most reliable car is...... WHAT !!!!!!!! REALLY !!!!!!!!!!

British and French brands produce Europe’s most reliable cars, according to the latest research by Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index.

With the 85^th Geneva Motor Show displaying the latest automotive technology closing its doors at the end of last week, Warranty Direct has revealed which are Europe’s most reliable models. The vehicles analysed were an average of five years old with mileages of around 50,000.

British brand, Vauxhall, topped the table with its diminutive Agila model the most reliable European-badged car on the road.

French manufacturers, Peugeot and Citroen completed the top three, with their similarly small 107 and C1 superminis.

Swedish, Spanish, German and Czech brands also won places in the top 10 reliability rankings with Volvo, SEAT, Volkswagen, Smart and Skoda.

Vauxhall’s Agila is most likely to incur issues with its axle and suspension, accounting for an average of 30% of its faults. The cooling and heating system is responsible for 44% of the Peugeot 107’s downtime; with fellow French carmaker Citroen finding most of the issues in its C1 derive from the electrics.

TEN MOST RELIABLE EUROPEAN CARS

Car	Rank	Warranty Direct Average Reliability Index	Most Common Faults (Average % of faults)
Vauxhall Agila	1	9	Axle & Suspension (30%)
Peugeot 107	2	18	Cooling & Heating System (43.75%)
Citroen C1	3	20	Electrical (44.44%)
Volvo S40	4	25	Axle & Suspension (33.33%)
Peugeot 3008	5	29	Electrical (40%)
SEAT Ibiza	6	30	Axle & Suspension (25%)
Volkswagen Lupo	7	30	Electrical (57.14%)
Skoda Fabia	8	32	Electrical (34.62%)
Citroen Berlingo Multispace	9	38	Electrical (45%)
Smart Fortwo	10	50	Engine (31.37%)

Volvo S40 drivers report more axle and suspension faults, with a third suffering complications. Warranty Direct’s data reveals Smart’s Fortwo most frequently faces engine issues, accounting for more than one in three of its breakdowns.

Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said: “It’s good to see a British manufacturer at the top of the table, especially at a time when Britain’s automotive industry is flying high. Our data also highlights that Swedish, Czech, Spanish and French carmakers are all more reliable than their often celebrated German counterparts, which will surprise some consumers, who may still assume that German cars are the most durable.”

At the other end of the scale, the Audi RS6 is Europe’s most unreliable vehicle, with data indicating it’ll break down at least once a year. Four out of the five most unreliable models are produced by German manufacturers.

FIVE LEAST RELIABLE CARS

Car	Rank	Warranty Direct Average Reliability Index	Most Common Faults (Average % of faults)
Audi RS6	1	1123	Axle & Suspension (34.43%)
BMW M5	2	766	Electrical (29.47%)
Porsche 911 (996)	3	652	Electrical (26.27%)
Bentley Continental GT	4	593	Electrical (31.73%)
Mercedes-Benz CL	5	582	Axle & Suspension (32.39%)

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index score is calculated on a combination of vehicle criteria from a database of more than 50,000 live policies:

• Frequency of failure
• Cost of repair
• Duration of repairs
• Average age and mileage

The higher the Reliability Index score, the worse the car is – the lower the score, the better and the average RI number is 100.

Vauxhall takes title as biggest brand in Scotland 2014, for the seventh year running.

Vauxhall was the biggest-selling manufacturer in Scotland last year, for the seventh year running. Innovative finance programmes helped drive retail sales with many models now available with great value PCPs.

The outgoing Corsa had an excellent 2014 and with over 10,000 sold. It was the number one selling vehicle in Scotland at retail, private buyers purchasing vehicles with their on hard-earned cash or on finance, with over 8,000 registered.  It just missed out on the top spot overall, a position it has held for six of the last seven years by just 79 cars.

“We are delighted to be Scotland’s biggest-selling car manufacturer for the seventh year running,” said Gordon Hannen, Vauxhall’s Regional Operations Manager for Scotland. “We are confident the new 2015 Corsa, in showrooms now, can regain its position at the top of the Scottish car charts.”

Priced from just £8,995 on-the-road, Vauxhall’s all-new Corsa raises the class benchmark for driveability, comfort and practicality.

Opels Image is at last turning around with a raft of brand new models.

Opel is succeeding in turning around its tattered image in Germany, the brand's marketing chief Tina Mueller said.

General Motors' money-losing brand has been harmed in its key home market by bad publicity over job losses and the closure of the Bochum factory. But a major marketing campaign and new models such as the Adam minicar and Mokka small SUV are winning back customers.

"Last autumn more people thought Opel as a brand was on its way down than on its way up, that has now changed thanks to the new models and with our new image campaigns," Mueller said.

Mueller said negative publicity over job cuts had not affected the brand in other European markets but in Germany owning an Opel car in Germany had become a social stigma, also in part due to an aging product lineup in the past. “The brand became an invisible wall in the heads of customers, people that said the car is super but I wouldn’t drive an Opel,” she said.

To fix the brand's image, Mueller, who joined Opel in August 2013 from the consumer goods industry, launched a marketing campaign called “Umparken im Kopf” – roughly translated to "change parking spots in your head."

The campaign took an unusual approach. Mueller deliberately left out any association to Opel as a brand initially and instead aimed at generating interest by challenging people’s preconceived notions and prejudices in general.

Only later did Opel take credit for the campaign and begin using it as an advertising slogan to position itself as a challenger of the status quo.

The brand's advertising for the Insignia midsize sedan was a success even though initial ads for the brand's top-line model did not mention the car at all. Opel took advantage of the popularity in Germany of Juergen Klopp, the charismatic trainer of soccer club Borussia Dortmund, as a brand ambassador.

In an advertising spot for the Insignia, an airline stewardess discovers a set of dropped Opel keys on the floor close to a curtain that divides business class passengers from those in economy.

Immediately assuming they must belong to a passenger in the economy class, the stewardess is surprised to find out that they belong to Klopp, who comes out from behind business class curtain to claim them without any sign of shame. “We sold 35 percent more Insignias since this relaunch,” Muelller said.

The brand still has a "way to go" in changing public perceptions but it is moving in the right direction, she said. "We have the foundation for progress. We are confident," Mueller told the Automobilwoche Congress here earlier this month.

New products such as the Karl minicar and a new-generation Astra compact, both launching next year, will continue the brand's revival, she said.

Opel vehicle sales in Germany were up 6 percent to 185,740 in the first ten months, giving it a 7.3 percent market share, an increase of 30 basis points, according to data from the German Federal Transport Authority.

Henning Krogh contributed to this report

You can reach Christiaan Hetzner

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Vauxhall to give away £500 fuel for each new car and van sold, at weekend event.

• £500 free fuel with Vauxhall cars and vans purchased from 7^th – 10^th November
• Additional 20 per cent off accessories during four day celebration

Vauxhall is hosting its ‘Weekend of Giving’ at its retailers across the country during the weekend of Friday 7^th and Monday 10^th November, where customers purchasing a new Vauxhall car or van will receive £500 of free fuel*.

The offer is available on a wide range of brand new models including the urban-chic ADAM city car, the Mokka compact SUV and the Corsa supermini.

As well as passenger cars, the offer is also open to commercial vehicle customers across Vauxhall’s multi-award-winning van range, including Corsavan, Combo, Vivaro and Movano.

‘The ‘Weekend of Giving’ is a great opportunity for motorists looking for a new Vauxhall vehicle to benefit from £500 free fuel, which is available in addition to Vauxhall’s existing range of fantastic offers,’ said Mark Pinkney, Vauxhall’s Marketing Programmes Manager.

‘We’d like to invite all those interested in a new 64-plate model to join in the excitement at our dealerships during the event period and discover the Vauxhall vehicle that best suits their needs.’

During the four-day event, customers who buy a new car can also get 20 per cent off selected Vauxhall Accessories, including a vast array of equipment such as Garmin sat navs, roof boxes, iPad cradles and bike carriers.

The Vauxhall Weekend of Giving takes place 7^th to 10^th November 2014.  To find your local dealer and claim the £500 free fuel on a new Vauxhall, visit www.vauxhall.co.uk.

*£500 free fuel offer applies to car and commercial vehicle orders from 7^th to 10^th November 2014, which are then registered by 31^st December 2014. Exclusions, terms and conditions apply. £500 free fuel will be supplied via pre-paid debit card, purchases only and cannot be used to withdraw cash.

Vauxhall/Opel plans 27 new models and 17 new engines by 2018.

• Market share in Europe to increase to 8 percent by 2022
• EBIT margin of 5 percent targeted
• 27 new models and 17 new engines by 2018

Opel has presented an update of its DRIVE!2022 strategy. The company has set itself five strategic objectives. By 2022, Opel and Vauxhall are aiming for 8 percent market share in Europe, with the focus on profitable growth. The profit margin (earnings before interest and taxes – EBIT) is targeted to reach 5 percent. At the same time, the company plans to further enhance the quality of its products as well as the satisfaction of its customers and employees.

Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann: “In the past months Opel’s management team has worked hard on advancing the DRIVE!2022 initiative. The catalogue of strategic targets presented here today is the result of our efforts. We have already made the preparations for implementing the plan step by step. We have the full backing of our parent company General Motors.”

Opel is focusing on three strategic priorities: models, brands and an improved market penetration. The model and engine offensive is continuing at a fast pace. A total of 27 new models and 17 engines are planned for the years 2014 through 2018.

The second strategic priority is the strengthening of Opel’s image as an emotional, approachable and German brand. The values are brought across by such factors as technical innovations, German engineering skills, and good value for money. Technical innovations, for instance, are exemplified by OnStar, the next stage of vehicle connectivity that will turn the automobile into a Wi-Fi hotspot starting in 2015.

Market share and growth targets represent the third priority. By 2022, Opel plans to increase its market share in Germany from 7.2 to 10 percent. In Europe (including Russia and Turkey), the company aims to raise its market share from a current 5.8 to 8 percent. By 2022, Opel plans to become the number two in the European passenger car market together with its British sister brand Vauxhall.

Opel announced the DRIVE!2022 ten-year plan for the first time in summer 2012. In 2013, the company had already made substantial operational progress, cutting its losses in Europe by more than half. Opel expects 2014 to be a challenging year. On the one hand, the company continues to improve its operational business. On the other hand, non-recurring costs such as the closure of the plant in Bochum and volatile currencies will put pressure on earnings. Opel plans to return to profitability by mid-decade thanks to a number of measures, including lower product and structural costs, improved capacity utilization of plants, higher sales revenues and the improved brand profile.

VIVA - Let the party begin, Vauxhall to use classic name on new Micro-car for 2015.

Famous Vauxhall Viva badge set to return on new city car on sale next year for less then £7,000

The famous Vauxhall Viva name is set to be revived for an all-new city car set to rival the Ford Ka and Hyundai i10, plus the Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii triplets. The new Viva will go on sale in spring next year, and our images show how we expect it to look. 

The last time the Viva name was seen was in 1979 on a small saloon car – a forerunner to today’s Astra. However, the new Viva will be a sharply styled small hatchback that replaces the unloved Suzuki Splash- based Agila. The Viva will be based on the next-generation Chevrolet Spark.

With Chevrolet pulling out of Europe, it leaves the way clear for Vauxhall, and its sister company Opel, to market the new model as GM’s budget car offering – Vauxhall is aiming for a starting price of around £6,995.

It also marks the first time in more than 20 years that Vauxhall and Opel will use different names for a car in the UK and mainland Europe.

Vauxhall management were keen to have a name that fitted in well in the UK in a new market segment for the company, and one that reflected on its heritage. Opel will not be using the Viva name.

Although the new car will be based on the Spark and will be built in Korea, GM’s European design team, led by Brit Mark Adams, has worked hard to give the car its own unique look. So expect some typical Vauxhall design cues, with a front end similar to the Adam and other recent Vauxhall products.

There’ll be swept-back headlamps with distinctive LED daytime running lights, a large Vauxhall badge sitting on large chrome wings on the grille and ‘blade’ surfacing along the sides.

Inside, different finishes have been used on the plastics to give a more stylish, premium look. There won’t be the huge array of options seen on other small cars to keep the costs down – Vauxhall is more likely to evolve the range with some special editions. And although there will be some tech on board like Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, don’t expect the latest IntelliLink infotainment systems – it would make the car too costly.

Instead, space will be key to the new Viva’s appeal. There’ll be five doors and easy access, while dynamically the new model is said by Vauxhall insiders to focus more on comfort and refinement than sporty handling.

GM’s latest family of small, economical engines will help to keep costs low, so we’d expect to see the new three-cylinder, 1.0-litre engine with 89bhp offered, possibly with a lower-powered version of the same unit. Vauxhall is aiming for sub-100g/km from all models, which would mean an average of around 70mpg.

Next year is set to be a busy one for Vauxhall. The Viva will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, by which time the new Corsa will be in showrooms. It’ll be followed by an all-new, British-built Astra likely to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

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