Business Car Manager - vauxhall takes Six Best Small Trades awards in the recent ceremony.

Vauxhall has scooped a total of six top honours at the Business Car Manager Awards, across car and van categories, which were presented today in London.

Beating off stiff competition, the Astra was the big winner at the ceremony, picking up the headline award of “Business Car Manager SME Company Car of the Year 2017”, while the Astra 1.6-litre CDTi Design (110PS) Start/Stop ecoFLEX variant was named as the “Best Value SME Company Car” too. 

Vauxhall was also recognised in the “Best Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Company Car Programme” category, again taking away the top prize.

The success didn’t stop there for Vauxhall though, as its van range won a hat-trick of accolades in the Business Van of the Year 2017 awards. The Corsavan picked up the “Best Small Delivery Van” award, while the accolade of “Best Small Trades Van” was given to the Combo. The Movano rounded off the success, being named as the winner in the “Best Heavy Van” category.

“The independent judges placed the Astra ahead of highly competitive opposition – but it’s not hard to see why,” said Ralph Morton, Editorial Director at Business Car Manager. “From the fantastically low operating costs to really competitive benefit-in-kind company car taxation, the Astra has it all – and that’s before we get to the brilliantly competitive specification.

“Each year Vauxhall has been refining its company car programme for SMEs, and each year it has got better and better to the point that is has knocked BMW/MINI Partnership programme off its perch as the best in the business.”

Consisting of a group of independent experts in the SME field, the judges used criteria such as company car tax and whole life costs to judge and rank each entry.

“We’re delighted Vauxhall has been recognised by Business Car Manager and Business Vans,” said James Taylor, Vauxhall’s Fleet Sales Director. “The company car market is an important sector for the Astra. It’s great to see how well-received it has been so far, and we are also pleased to be recognised for our company car programme, and that Corsavan, Combo and Movano remain firm favourites.”

Euro NCAP Crash Tests on Heavy Quadricycles

Euro NCAP has tested four heavy quadricycles in a special safety campaign. All vehicles have performed very poorly and some have shown serious risks of life threatening injuries.

 

Renault Twizy 80

Tazzari ZERO

 | 

Ligier IXO JS LINE 4 places

Club Car Villager 2+2 LSV

In recent years, a new class of sub-compact vehicles has emerged in Europe. Quadricycles, originally derived from motorcycles, are small and fuel-efficient vehicles used in rural or urban areas as an alternative to motorbikes or city cars. In some countries, they are also used by local government authorities and institutions which require small and environmentally-friendly vehicles. Although street-legal, quadricycles do not have to pass any of the rigorous crash tests to which cars are subjected.

The Club Car Villager 2+2 LSV, the Renault Twizy 80, the Tazzari ZERO and the Ligier IXO J LINE 4 Places are fully type-approved for use on public roads. Yet, in frontal and side impacts at 50km/h, all vehicles showed severe safety problems. The tests differ from Euro NCAP’s normal procedures and the results of the quadricycles cannot be compared with the star ratings published for passenger cars.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: ‘It’s worrying to find that, because crash safety tests are not required by law, quadricycles show a level of safety that is way below that of cars. Even though they meet legislative standards, these vehicles lack the minimum safety equipment which has become commonplace on passenger cars sold in Europe.’

While some vehicles scored better than others, all four quadricycles showed serious safety problems. The vehicles were scored primarily on data from crash dummies but penalties were also given for poor performance of the structure or restraints. The Ligier and the Tazzari had major failings of their restraint systems in the frontal test. In the Ligier, the upper connection of the driver’s seatbelt pulled out of the structure, leaving the dummy unrestrained and leading to a high risk of injury. In the Tazzari, the driver seatbelt broke and the driver’s head hit the steering wheel with a force that indicated a high risk of serious or fatal injury. The structure of the Club Car virtually collapsed in the frontal impact. The Renault Twizy - the only vehicle of the four tested to have an airbag as standard - scored best but its stiff structure and restraint system resulted in some dangerously high dummy readings.

‘Our test campaign confirms that quadricycles generally provide a much lower level of safety than regular passenger cars. The poor results, however, urge us to ask ourselves whether consumers should really be satisfied with the protection currently being offered? As quadricycles look set to become more and more popular, Euro NCAP is calling for manufacturers and legislative authorities to ensure a minimum level of crash safety for this vehicle segment’ stated Michiel van Ratingen.

2014 Ram heavy Duty delivers best in class 410hp

• 2014 Ram Heavy Duty retains the highest level of capability with best-in-class towing, best-in-class payload and best-in-class Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
• Largest displacement V-8 in the segment, all-new 6.4-liter HEMI® delivers best-in-class power
• 2014 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty starts at $29,600, plus $1,095 destination; 6.4-liter HEMI option priced $1,495 greater than similarly equipped 5.7-liter HEMI-powered Ram
• New engine offering opens the door to additional customers who are looking for a large gasoline powertrain at a great value
• Two gas-powered options, plus manual and automatic transmission-equipped diesel powertrains offer customers a wide range of choices to meet their needs
• Available 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 delivers best-in-class 410 horsepower (306 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 429 lb.-ft. of torque (582 N•m) at 4,000 rpm, and features VVT with Fuel Saver cylinder deactivation
• Standard 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 delivers 383 horsepower (286 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 400 lb.-ft. of torque (542 N•m), and features variable-valve timing for greater efficiency and performance
• Available 6.7-liter Cummins High-Output Turbo Diesel produces 385 horsepower (283 kW) at 2,800 rpm and best-in-class 850 lb.-ft. of torque (1,151 N•m)
• Ram engineering continues to lead Heavy Duty segment innovation with Ram 2500 link coil rear suspension to deliver best-in-class ride
• Exclusive factory rear air suspension for Ram 2500 and exclusive factory supplemental air suspension system for Ram 3500
• New gooseneck/fifth wheel capability for Ram 2500
• Ram PowerWagon increases capability with all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine and new suspension
• New best-in-class dual alternator systems up to 440 amps
• New 18- and 20-inch wheel packages
• Unsurpassed powertrain warranty – five years/100,000 miles – and best-in-class 15,000-mile oil change interval on the Cummins diesel engine

Ram Truck brand offers the most capable heavy-duty pickups in the segment – the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty line features a list of best-in-class titles in the segment's number one purchase reason, capability:

• Towing – Up to 30,000 pounds with Ram 3500
• Towing – Up to 17,940 pounds with Ram 2500
• Payload – Up to 7,320 pounds with Ram 3500
• Power – 850 lb.-ft. of torque with 6.7-liter Cummins
• Power – 410 horsepower and 429 lb.-ft. of torque with all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8
• Capacity – Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 37,600 pounds with Ram 3500

Pricing for the new 2014 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty starts at $29,600, plus $1,095 destination. The 6.4-liter HEMI option is priced $1,495 greater than a similarly equipped 5.7-liter HEMI-powered Ram Heavy Duty pickup and is the first gas engine available in the dual rear wheel 3500.

Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks also add new innovation, including an all-new, 5-link coil suspension with optional air suspension on Ram 2500 and a supplemental air bag suspension option on Ram 3500.

ENGINEERING
Heavy-duty trucks generally have suspension equipped for constant, heavy payloads. This can result in a harsher ride when unloaded. Ram innovation leads again for 2014. The new Ram 2500 takes lessons learned from the Ram 1500 and adds an all-new, segment exclusive five-link coil rear suspension system for best-in-class ride and handling and new air suspension system.

The exclusive five-link coil design provides better articulation over obstacles than a leaf spring system and the robust coil springs are more than up to the task of handling the loads required of a Heavy Duty Ram 2500 — up to 17,940 pounds for towing.

The 2014 Ram 2500 also will offer a segment exclusive rear air suspension system. An air bag replaces the coil spring much like the Ram 1500. Load capacity is not sacrificed and the 2014 Ram 2500’s best-in-class ride and handling gets even better, crushing the competition with two doses of engineering innovation (five-link coil standard and air suspension option). Another benefit to the new air suspension design is the load-leveling capability, which automatically detects load on the rear suspension from a trailer or payload. The air pressure increases until the vehicle reaches normal ride height, leveling the truck, improving stability and loaded ride.

The Ram 3500 will continue to feature the rear Hotchkiss leaf spring system on the Ram 3500 but will now offer a supplemental air suspension system on SRW and DRW applications. By adding supplemental air bags to the rear suspension, Ram engineers were able to soften the leaf springs, allowing for more unladed suspension movement. When a high-load capacity condition exists, the air suspension automatically fills the rear air bags to level the truck to improve stability and ride quality — even pulling a best-in-class 30,000-lb. load.

In the front, the Ram Heavy Duty line features an advanced three-link front suspension to ensure roll stiffness. Greater roll stiffness, also known as body roll, is an important characteristic in taller vehicles and especially trucks with heavy payloads. Roll stiffness is measured by the amount the truck’s body tips side-to-side, independently of the wheels, during cornering.

For 2014 Ram 2500 offers gooseneck (center-positioned ball in the bed) or fifth wheel capability. Ram is unmatched in terms of offering the most complete ‘hitch ‘n go’ towing prep package found anywhere in the heavy-duty category. Additionally, Ram features an in-box connection junction, and a standard Class 4 and 5 receiver hitch with a four or seven pin connector on the bumper.

Ram offers two different dual alternator systems on the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty providing additional power for higher electrical loads from commercial vehicle upfits and accessories. New for 2014, Ram Heavy Duty models equipped with the Cummins 6.7-liter diesel engine will offer dual 220-amp alternators (best-in-class 440 amps). Both the Ram 2500 and 3500 equipped with the new 6.4-liter HEMI® V-8 gas engine also will offer a dual-alternator system – the first gas-driven application of its kind in either class – that combines 220- and 160-amp units for 380-amps of total best-in-class output.

Although the Ram Power Wagon benefits from the new five-link rear suspension, it also receives a unique front suspension system to maintain its leadership in off-road capability. The modified front three-link system incorporates high-movement links, allowing for additional flexibility and axle articulation. The 2014 Power Wagon also is powered by the all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine, contributing to Ram Power Wagon’s title: the most capable production off-road truck in the industry.

POWERTRAIN
With Chrysler Group’s all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8, the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty will deliver to best-in-class horsepower and best-in-class torque among pickups with gasoline engines.

Engineered to deliver capability, durability and bang for the buck, the largest displacement V-8 in its class provides a worthy gas-powered option to the segment’s overall standard-bearer – the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel.

Compelling numbers tell the story of the new 16-valve engine with 410 horsepower (306 kW) at 5,600 rpm and a peak torque rating of 429 lb.-ft. (582 N•m), at 4,000 rpm.

One of the enablers for such performance is an active dual-runner-length intake manifold optimized specifically for the Ram Heavy Duty lineup. The result is improved low-end torque without sacrificing high-end power.

The legendary HEMI architecture provides the foundation of the 90-degree V-8. But its advanced technology is decidedly forward-looking. Cooled exhaust-gas recirculation (CEGR), variable-valve timing (VVT) and Chrysler Group’s trademark Fuel Saver cylinder-deactivation technology all contribute to efficiency and help to capitalize on every cubic inch.

The new 6.4-liter HEMI is standard on the 66RFE six-speed automatic transmission.

Other engine options include the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, standard equipment for the Ram 2500 and 3500 (SRW). The engine produces 383 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and generates peak torque of 400 lb.-ft. at 4,000 rpm. The 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 is mated to a 66RFE six-speed automatic transmission.

Dominating the torque charts, the renowned 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel I-6 is available in three versions. The first version is paired with Ram’s segment exclusive six-speed manual transmission, which features a wear-compensating clutch for lifetime like-new performance and a dual-trunion shift tower to accommodate a compact shift pattern. This combination delivers 350 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 660 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,400 rpm. The second option matches the Cummins to the 68RFE six-speed automatic transmission. The diesel engine cranks out 370 horsepower at 2,800 rpm with an unsurpassed in ¾-ton trucks 800 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,600 rpm.
 
Finally, the 6.7-liter Cummins High-Output Turbo Diesel I-6 for Ram 3500 is paired with the Aisin six-speed automatic transmission (AS69RC), leaving no doubt to Ram Heavy Duty’s capability. In addition to 385 horsepower at 2,800 rpm, the most powerful Cummins, generates best-in-class torque of 850 lb.-ft. at 1,700 rpm. The AS69RC transmission features wide gear ratios that contribute to impressive shift performance, efficiency and drivability.

The Ram Heavy Duty also features another innovation, the industry-exclusive Ram Active Air intake system. When the intake system senses extreme heat, it draws cooler air from the front of the vehicle – a function that also engages at high altitudes for superior throttle response in low oxygen environments. When conditions are wet from snow, ice or water-fording, the system pulls air from an under-hood inlet, clear from snow packing and water. The 2014 Ram 3500 boasts a best-in-class GCWR. A contributor is the 11.8-inch rear axle matched with the high-output diesel engine boasting a 300-mm hypoid gear set, a 4-pinion helical differential and a cooling-fin equipped aluminum differential cover for optimal thermal management.

Two Borg-Warner part-time transfer cases are available on the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty. The BW 44-46 is an electric shifting part-time transfer case with 2WD, 4WD High, 4WD Low and Neutral. BW 44-47 is a manual shifting transfer case with 2WD, 4WD High, 4WD Low and Neutral. Both options feature a low-range ratio of 2.64 and locking differential from front to rear.

Low total cost of ownership and unsurpassed powertrain warranty – five years / 100,000 miles
Operating costs are of great consideration for owners who use their trucks for work. The 2014 Ram Heavy Duty holds class-leading features in:

Fuel economy

• Extended maintenance cycle (oil change, fuel filter life)
• Brake life with advanced engine exhaust brake and largest brakes in the segment

The 2014 Ram Heavy Duty is backed with an unsurpassed five-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. The powertrain-limited warranty covers the cost of all parts and labor needed to repair a covered powertrain component – engine, transmission and drive system. Coverage also includes free towing to the nearest Ram Truck dealer, if necessary. The warranty also is transferable allowing customers who sell their truck during the warranty period to pass the coverage to the new owner. The standard three-year/36,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty provides bumper-to-bumper coverage for the Ram Heavy Duty, from the body to the electrical system.
 
DESIGN
The new 2014 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty models uphold a bold presence while retaining comfort and styling. The new Ram Heavy Duty features segment-leading technology – every model offers specific content.

Beginning in the 2014 model year, the Ram 2500 will offer a range of new 18- and 20-inch wheels, including forged aluminum, polished with painted, white gold painted pockets and cast aluminum with silver inserts. A cargo-view camera, mounted in the center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) provides a view of the bed for easier fifth wheel or gooseneck trailers as well as monitoring bed loads. Also, a flat-load floor option is now available on Crew Cab models, featuring fold-out panels that create a flat surface across the floor of the rear seating area.

For 2014, the Ram Heavy Duty offers 12 different colors, including two new shades: Blue Streak and Granite Crystal; available in a monotone and/or two-tone depending on the model.

MANUFACTURING
Start of production of the 2014 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty is scheduled for the third quarter of 2013 at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Coahuila, Mexico.