Volkswagen pushes the Polo Event from now until Valentines day - the ideal lovers car ?

• Volkswagen’s award-winning Polo is available with deposit contribution of £1,400¹ at 6.2% APR representative and a year’s insurance included²
• Customers now benefit from a free service plan³ on orders placed on or before Valentine’s Day
• 25 per cent discount on the popular Style Pack

Volkswagen has extended its tempting Polo offer with two new incentives.  As well as a generous deposit contribution with insurance included, Polo customers can now take advantage of a free service plan and receive a discount on the Style Pack.

The deposit contribution of £1,400 is available for customers who opt for a Volkswagen Financial Services’ Solutions Personal Contract Plan at 6.2 per cent APR representative.¹ 

This is a significant saving for potential Polo customers and the terrific value for money that this represents is enhanced by the offer of a year’s insurance included.²

Running from 27 January to Valentine’s Day on 14 February the Polo Event offers customers a valuable saving on Volkswagen’s popular supermini. 

With this strong package Volkswagen has ensured it’s even easier to fall in love with a Polo: whether it’s the practical S, the sporty GTI, or anything in between.

And throughout the Polo Event all customers will now benefit from a free service plan, too. This includes both of their Polo’s first two services.³

The Polo’s clean, sculpted lines draw admirers and during the Polo Event customers can further enhance the look of their new car with the Style Pack. This includes stainless steel door sill trims to keep scratches away. 

Tyre valves are protected with stainless steel caps and a chrome strip on the boot lip combines protection with style. In addition, a chrome exhaust trim adds an extra element of sportiness to the rear.

Together, this additional flair makes up the Style Pack that usually retails at £318 RRP but is reduced to just £236 RRP for the duration of the Polo Event.

Every model in Volkswagen’s extensive Polo range is packed with big-car technology. This includes Electronic Stability Control which, together with Traction Control, enhances safety. Driver comfort is ensured with speed sensitive power assisted steering, which is combined with a ‘hill hold’ function that prevents the car from rolling back when paused on an incline.

A five-inch colour touchscreen is the centrepiece of the Composition Colour infotainment system. This includes a CD player, DAB radio and an SD card reader. A smartphone can be connected via Bluetooth and the Polo boasts six speakers as standard. All of this is included on the Polo S, which costs from £11,830 RRP OTR before the offer is applied.

New for 2017 is the Polo Match Edition, which starts from £13,315 RRP OTR and includes cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, automatic wipers and even more equipment besides. In addition the Polo Match Edition’s Composition Media system has a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen that allows the simultaneous pairing of two mobile devices and includes a car information option plus album title and cover art display.

A notable highlight of the Match Edition is the App-Connect element of Volkswagen’s Car-Net connectivity system. This allows the mirroring of the customer’s smartphone display on the infotainment screen via Apple’s CarPlay, Google’s Android Auto or MirrorLink, depending on the make of the customer’s smartphone.

App-Connect brings the smartphone’s functionality to the infotainment system’s touchscreen and allows access to maps, contacts, news, music and more. All of this comes at the touch of a button, and can also be operated via voice control. Other apps, such as Spotify and Skype, are supported too.

The Polo range includes the Polo beats, which starts at £14,215 RRP OTR, with its 300-watt sound system with a eight channel amplifier. The SEL features sharp LED headlights and stylish 16-inch ‘Rivazza’ alloy wheels, while the Polo R-Line adds a comprehensive ‘R-Line’ styling pack for head-turning looks both inside and out.

A further highlight of the range is the Polo BlueMotion. This model is powered by a 1.0-litre TSI engine that produces CO₂ emissions of just 98 g/km* and returns 67.3 mpg on the combined cycle. The BlueGT is a high-specification Polo with precise handling and clever engine technology to keep fuel consumption low. With Active Cylinder Technology, two of the engine’s cylinders shut down to save fuel. Its 150 PS 1.4-litre TSI powerplant keeps CO₂ emissions at 110 g/km* while returning 58.9 mpg.

The Polo range is crowned by the 192 PS Polo GTI. With a 1.8-litre TSI engine that reaches 62 mph in just 6.7 seconds the GTI provides vast entertainment in a potent package. A body-coloured rear spoiler emphasises the GTI’s inherent sportiness, as do the LED headlights and honeycomb air intake. The look is completed with red brake callipers. The GTI starts from £19,430 RRP OTR.

*Fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions are standard EU test figures for comparative purposes, and may not reflect ‘real world’ driving results. CO₂ emissions shown refer to standard specification only.

¹ At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) own the vehicle: pay the optional final payment; ii) return the vehicle: subject to fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle.Available on Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s and over. Subject to availability. Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Excess mileage charges up to 4.8p per mile. Offer available when ordered by February 14th, 2017. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication. Freepost Volkswagen Financial Services.

² One year’s insurance included at no extra cost from Volkswagen Insurance is available on new Polo models ordered from 21 December 2016 to 3 April 2017 and registered by 30 June 2017 for drivers aged 18-80 (BlueGT and GTI is 25 and over). Drivers under 18 are not eligible. Residents of Northern Ireland must be aged 19-80 and must have held a full driving licence for a minimum of 2 years. Drivers aged 18-24 are required to share their driving style data with a telematics product. Other eligibility criteria apply. Go to www.insurewithvolkswagen.co.uk/polo for full terms and conditions. This offer may be extended, changed or removed at any point. Volkswagen Motor Insurance from Volkswagen Financial Services is arranged and administered by Carrot Risk Technologies Limited.

³ Covers first two consecutive services (limited to 1x oil service and 1x oil and inspection service).

Vauxhall has enriched its aftersales services by introducing an Extended Warranty.

Vauxhall has enriched its aftersales services by introducing an Extended Warranty, which alongside its existing digital assets, makes owning a Vauxhall even more convenient for its customers.

Through a dedicated website, Vauxhall owners have a quick and easy way to manage their extended warranty cover, including the level of cover required, desired excess amount and a range of payment options to suit each individual.

Vauxhall Extended Warranty gives drivers cover beyond their original warranty period and ensures all repairs are done by expert technicians with genuine parts. It can be set up instantly either online or over the phone.

“The new Vauxhall Extended Warranty website gives our customers a quick and easy way to manage their cover, tailoring it to suit their needs,” said Tamsin White, Vauxhall’s Aftersales Communications and CRM Manager. “Our aftersales services are designed to give Vauxhall owners peace-of-mind, offering them digitally provides convenience and flexibility.”

Powered by Allianz Global Assistance UK, Vauxhall Extended Warranty’s online service is the latest digital tool available to Vauxhall drivers, joining the Vauxhall Service Plan, VX360°and My Vauxhall.

The Vauxhall Service Plan was launched last year and is available to purchase online; its features and level of cover compliment those of the extended warranty. My Vauxhall gives drivers the ability to manually manage their vehicle online. 

It includes exclusive rewards, discounts, prize draws and special offers, as well as service scheduling. Completing Vauxhall’s digital aftersales offering is VX360°, an innovative system that enables technicians to share video footage with a driver that clearly shows any work identified.

USA - Ford raises incentives on Fusion to cut inventories

Ford Motor Co. has been raising incentives on the Fusion sedan to help clear out growing inventories, just months after it started building the car in a second North American plant to keep up with demand.

In many parts of the country, the Fusion is now offered with zero-percent financing for 60 months plus $1,000 cash back. Ford also is offering leases with no money due at signing and no first payment, or discounts of as much as $3,000 for buyers who decline the financing and make a trade-in.

Dealers and analysts said they are the most generous deals on the Fusion since the current generation was introduced in 2012.

"The car is selling, but not as fast as they're building them," said Larry Taylor, the owner of Beau Townsend Ford in Vandalia, Ohio, and a former member of the Ford dealer council. "They've buried us."

Taylor said he has sold 17 so far this month and has 90 more on his lot, plus 100 more on the way.

Ford had a 97-day supply of the Fusion as of Feb. 1, up from 84 days a month earlier, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Fusion sales declined 8 percent year-over-year in January, though it outsold the Honda Accord by 113 units.

Sales of the Fusion -- and mid-sized cars in general -- have weakened in the past six months, coinciding with when Ford began building it at a plant in Michigan to ease inventory shortages. The segment topped 200,000 units a month from February through August 2013 but has fallen short of that mark in each month since then.

In addition, snowstorms and cold weather slowed sales of many new vehicles in January, allowing inventories to grow.

Ford's chief sales analyst, Erich Merkle, said he is confident Fusion supplies will thin out as the weather warms up. He said Ford plans to be disciplined with incentives, yet "maintain a competitive position." After accounting for incentives, the Fusion commands the segment's highest transaction prices, he said.

"The midsize sedan segment is the most competitive segment in the industry right now," Merkle said. "The good thing is average transaction prices are still very healthy."

Ford has been spending about $2,900 in incentives on each Fusion since December, up from an average of roughly $2,200 for all of 2013, according to Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst with Kelley Blue Book. Both the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima still have higher incentives, he said.

Even though Ford now has enough Fusion production capacity to keep up with the segment's leaders this year, Gutierrez said the company would be ill-advised to get into a discounting war to try to knock off the Camry.

"When you know that Toyota has already committed to doing whatever it takes to keep the Camry No. 1," he said, "I think it would be a risky proposition for Ford to try and make a statement in this segment right now."

Mitchell Dale, the owner of McRee Ford in Dickinson, Texas, said he doesn't see the Fusion incentives as a worrisome sign. Dale said he actually could use more Fusions than what he has on hand now.

"They're being proactive to increase the sales pace of the car," he said. "I don't think it's a panic. I think they're trying to get the dealers moving them at a faster pace. That car is a tremendous value and stacks up well against the competition. I think they're trying to jump start it."

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USA - 30th Birthday for the Toyota 4Runner brings some large discounts

The Toyota 4Runner turns 30 this year, and to commemorate the special occasion, Toyota is offering some steep discounts on the SUV.

Buyers can snag a $500 discount on the 2014 4Runner SR5, which is the base model. This price cut brings costs down to an MSRP of $33,180, including a destination fee. A $500 discount is also available on SR5 4x4 and Trail 4x4 models.

Those opting for higher trim levels can see bigger savings. Toyota is offering a $750 discount on the SR5 Premium 4x2 and 4x4 models as well as the Trail Premium 4x4. On all Limited models, Toyota is giving discounts of $1,000. With the hefty discount, the Limited model now starts at just over $41,000. All 30th anniversary Toyota 4Runner discounts are available at Toyota dealerships now.

While 30 is still young in people-years, this is not the case for SUV-years. The 4Runner is one of the few remaining body-on-frame SUVs on the market. Although it received a redesign for the 2014 model year, it still looks as bit dated. Sales were down almost 12 percent in January, so hopefully the discount will bring in more takers for this SUV.

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two new special editions give more kit along with reduced pricing

• New Mii and Ibiza Toca editions get cutting edge SEAT Portable System and other desirable equipment
• Mii Toca adds rear parking sensors; Ibiza Toca adds 16-inch alloy wheels
• Available now, Toca models are based on the already generously specified Mii 1.0 60 PS SE and Ibiza 1.4 85 PS SE 
• Buy before April for amazing discounts; Ibiza SC Toca just £9,995
• Ibiza Toca models reduced by a stunning £2,705; Mii Toca reduced by £850

To prove that SEAT really is in touch with what its customers want, the company is delighted to announce the market introduction of the Mii and Ibiza Toca editions.

Toca is the Spanish word for ‘touch’, giving a fairly obvious clue as to the particular bonus that buyers get when choosing one of these new models.

Yes, it’s a touch screen. Specifically, Toca models come with the very useful SEAT Portable System, first introduced to the SEAT range with the Mii city car.

The Mii Toca is based on the 1.0 60 PS SE version, and adds the SEAT Portable System and rear parking sensors – both especially useful in the car’s natural environment, the busy city streets.

At full retail price (see table below), the additional outlay for the Mii Toca edition over the SE is a modest £475 – great value when these options individually would require an £805* spend.

In the Ibiza Toca, buyers get a set of 16-inch ‘Stratos’ alloy wheels (up from 15 inches) along with the SEAT Portable System, for a £425 premium over the SE car on which it’s based. 

The Toca editions are available to order now, with first cars expected to hit the road during early February – and customers buying either the Mii or Ibiza Toca before April will enjoy huge discounts.

That’s because until the end of March 2013 the Mii Toca is reduced by £850, putting the three-door model at an attractive £8,995, while the Ibiza Toca editions all receive a £2,705 cut, leaving the three-door (SC) model with an outstanding £9,995 price.

Every Toca edition is loaded with equipment, including air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, electric front windows, electronic stability control (ESC), remote central locking, and front fog lights with cornering function (Ibiza Toca only).

The SEAT Portable System packs a deluge of digital driver aids into a lightweight package not much bigger than a cassette box. It includes satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming, a MicroSD card slot for music storage, and trip computer functions, all controlled via a fool-proof interface on a five-inch touchscreen.

“The Ibiza Toca is another example of SEAT giving great value to buyers by providing cutting-edge equipment at a very reasonable price,” said Simon Bradley, Product Manager at SEAT UK.

“The SE specification is very popular among current Ibiza owners, which is no surprise given the amount of comfort, safety and convenience equipment it has as standard. But we really want as many as possible to have access to the remarkable SEAT Portable System. By bringing big car technology to the city car and supermini classes, the device really has moved the game forward,” he added.

The SEAT Portable System is, from this month, available as an optional extra on all Ibiza models, superseding the TomTom unit previously available. The system is capable of having additional functionality added by way of software upgrades, and will shortly be updated to include internet search functionality. Existing SEAT Portable System owners will be able to access these additional features.