New Electric Citroen Berlingo

Electrifying

We have seen a lot of change in the electric car scene recently; electric cars have slowly become acceptable and maybe even quite cool. Looking after the planet is an issue we all have to worry about, but it is only in the last few years when we have seen the effects of climate change, that we have started to act. Citroen are doing their part to save our planet by launching the electric Berlingo in 2013.

Although Citroen are not switching to 100% electric power for now, this is still a step in the right direction. Now is a better time than any to jump into the electric car market with available grants of up to £8,000 to buy an electric van.

Citroen have been a part of the electric vehicle market before with the Citroen Electrique. But with not enough government support of electric powered engines back then, there were not enough benefits of buying electric. So the Electrique was taken off the market back in 2005. Now there is a lot more support of electric powered vehicles both by the government and the public, so benefits of buying electric power are better than ever.

Although electric powered vehicles are still kind of a niche market, it is getting increasingly more popular, so we think that Citroen are making a good move with the electric Berlingo.

BMW M5 vs Mercedes E63 - Which One is Better?

As super-saloons go, the Mercedes-Benz E63 and the BMW M5 are pretty much

secured as the top dogs within the £70,000-£80,000 price range.

Both of these cars evoke a sense of prestige, power and desirability, but which

one is better? That's a question that has been asked over and over, even TopGear

took it on.

Battle Of the Super Saloons

We're going to look at some of the key facts and figures about the two cars, and

hopefully help you decide which one is better for you.

PERFORMANCE:

The M5 houses a BMW's new fifth-generation engine - hitting 62mph in just 4.4

seconds, thanks to a 4.4litre twin-turbo V8, it certainly goes at some pace.

Pumping out 552bhp and a roaring 502lb ft of torque, you just need to tap

the throttle to send this car lunging forward, no matter what gear you're in.

Much like the M5, the E63 uses a similar twin-turbo V8, but it's a 5.5litre that

gives you 518bhp as standard. To push  up to 550bhp, you'll need to pay AMG an

extra £5,000 and over that to increase the turbo. Both of the cars are limited

to 155mph, electronically.

RIDE & HANDLING:

The BMW comes with a beefed-up super-suspension to cope with the power it produces,

E63 Inside

bespoke adaptive shock absorbers, a chassis-stiffening cross-brace and it's

clever M differential - so basically the M5 isn't like any other 5-series

at all. However, you have to drop into the mix that it's not exactly

the smallest car, so ideally drive it round some safer places first!

The E63 is again, nothing like a standard E-Class. It has wider axles,

bespoke steering rack and three settings for it's adaptive suspension.

Easy and agile to drive, almost predictable - but not quite.

REFINEMENT:

The M5 has fat, sporty tyres that can, at times, generate some road noise.

There's also the deep exhaust boom beyond 4,000rpm...however, you never get near

those revs when cruising in the UK. The M5 is also fantastic at shutting out any

and all road noise.

While the M5's engine is turbine-smooth, the E63 produces a feeling more of a

muscle car. Letting out a deep and languid V8 exhaust rumble, even if you're just

pottering about town. Road noise is loud and intrusive over coarse surfaces.

BUYING & OWNING

I'll probably never be lucky enough to own one of these, but lets say you do have

a spare £70,000-£80,000 to chuck into a motor, which one of these do you want?

The M5 comes in at around £73,000. Running costs are high for machine, despite

BMW's attempt at tackling efficiency. This model should return you 28.5mpg if

driven carefully.

The E63 comes in at around £75,000 - making it a touch more exspensive. The fuel

economy comes in at 28.8mpg - so basically identical to the M5.

M5 Inside

BEHIND THE WHEEL & EQUIPMENT:

The M5 comes fitted with bespoke sports seats and a cluster of buttons at an arms

reach gives you instant access to different gearshifts, suspension and steering

weight settings - you know you're sitting in something quite special here.

You also have BMW's iDrive system working in harmony with the entire vehicle to

ensure you're getting the best drive on whatever surface...although I wouldn't

suggest off-roading...

Welcome to the Mercedes E63 cabin. You'll find yourself sitting in rather nice

AMG Sports seats adorned in Alcantara Leather. One little problem we've found is that the steering is slightly offset to the left, meaning us larger people may find ourselves banging our elbows against the door...the Mercedes Command Infotainment isn't quite as user-friendly as the iDrive either, still cracking though!

Equipment for the M5 comes with Heated and Electric seats, front & rear parking sensors, cruise control, Bluetooth, Satnav, DAB Radio, Four-Zone Climate Control...many more but those are the big highlights for me.

The 63 comes with a bit more, with Mercedes being luxury and all. You're going to have Luxury Auto Climate Control, Fully Electric 'memory seats' (some seats would rather not remember certain things I expect...) Sat Nav and a blind-spot monitoring system, how’s that for safety?

VERDICT:

Both of these cars are quite simply fantastic. Which one would I chose? I've been thinking it through and I've decided should I have find myself with that sort of money, I'd take the M5. It just seems more fun, more sporty, bigger and chunkier on the road. If I was a bit older however, I may chose the Mercedes - but as a man in my 20's...well...bring on the M5.

Mini Announces First Commercial Vehicle

BMW have just announced the new Mini Clubvan. The Mini Clubvan should get quite a bit of attention with its quirky style and the fact that it is the first commercial vehicle ever produced by Mini. There are a lot of similarities between the Clubvan and the Mini Clubman. The Clubman already had a much larger back than all the other Mini models, but the Clubvan looks like an even more extended version of this. They have blacked out the back windows so that anything inside the back of the van cannot be seen.

The Clubvan is a very interesting take on a commercial van, although it is smaller than a lot of commercial vans; it still has 860 litres of space and a flat load area that measures 115cm long by 102cm wide, which is impressive for any Mini. The Clubvan prices start at around £11,175, and for this you get electric windows, a DAB digital radio, air conditioning, 15” alloy wheels and black cloth trim all as standard.

There are to be three different models of the Mini Clubvan, One, Cooper and Cooper D. The One has a 97bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, the Cooper has a 120bhp 1.6-litre engine and the Cooper D has a 110bhp 1.6 diesel engine.

The Mini Clubvan is a unique style which some people will love and some will hate, but personally I really like the Mini Clubvan. It is something different, stylish and yet very practical. The only issue with the Clubvan is that it would not suit some businesses that need to carry larger loads in their vans, because after all, it is still a Mini! But smaller businesses could really benefit from the Clubvan.

Pay-as-you-go car charging

We all know that electric cars are becoming more and more popular, which means that soon more charging points will have to be provided in order to provide enough charge for the increasing amount of electric car users. The company Elektromotive are aiming to create the largest amount of pay as you go network charging stations in the UK. 

Elektromotive are working with Charge your Car to create a much larger network than the existing one, which is mainly based in the north east of the country. They wish to incorporate other networks and units already existing to create a much larger provider.  The company wish to create around 10,000 public access charge points around the country to meet the now higher demand of charging stations for electric vehicles.

Elektromotive have created around 3,000 charge points so far which makes them the biggest provider so far. To speed the production up they have made their network open source, this means that any manufacturer can produce the access points and they will be included on the same network.

With the ability to locate access points on your smart phone and to have a pay as you go service instead of monthly, with many more access points, this could make the future of electric cars a lot brighter and make the world a much greener place.

BMW i8 Coming Soon...

We're moving into a new age of vehicles. Slowly but surely, more and more manufacturers are producing the sort of vehicles Marty Mcfly would be drooling over, and even though most are just concepts for the time being – some are already being pushed and are expected to be on the roads in the next ten years.

BMW i8 - Roaring into the Future

Design wise, Kia has been a bit of a leader in this new-age look. Just look at the Optima, it has the sort of wheels that evoke a sense of futurism and the front grill, with it's strange arches and bends, compliments that ideology too. However, inside the car isn't much different, you still have your standard looking seats and a wheel, nothing to fancy – okay a few cool technical bits and bobs, but nothing you'd think was really pushing the boundaries of modern technology.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please make way for BMW and their series of i-vehicles. BMW have had a vision – and they're pushing for it to go all the way. So what's making this car cause such a stir in the petrolhead community?

After successful testing of the vehicle back in 2009, the decision to put this vehicle into a series production was quickly made and agreed on. The i8 (and now subsequently the i3 too!) is the next, big step by BMW to introduce a new member to its Vision EfficentDynamics Concept.

Inside The Beast

The result? Most likely the most progressing, forward-thinking sports car of our time. Its innovative plug-in hybrid concept flawless combines a modified electric drive system from the i3, fitted directly over the front axle, with a high performance 3-cylinder combustion engine, generously producing  164 KW/220HP and 300Nm (221 ib-ft) at the rear. Fusing together, they give you a two-drive system which displays there talents to the full. The performance of a sports car, and the efficiency of a small, eco-car.

Specification for the i8 are a little guess-worky right now, but BMW claims that it can do 0-60mph in just under five seconds, with a fuel consumption of 2.7 litres per 100 kilometres, meaning an MPG of 104 – Wow. This is achieved by BMW's unique eDrive technology, which in essence is just a rather large lithium-ion battery, which, by the way, can be charged from your mains. With the ability to travel up to 20 miles on electric power alone, and with enough space for four people – I think we can all agree this is a very exciting project that BMW are planning to make real.

The Future is coming

The i8 also utilizes a 'LifeDrive' architecture, this has been carefully produced and tweaked by the company to deliver unbeatable performance and superb sports-car character. The motor in the front axle module and the combustion engine in the rear and intricately inter-connected by what BMW are calling an 'Energy Tunnel' – which is home to a high-voltage battery. This gives the car a low centre of gravity, and the dynamics to match. The engine positioning has been so carefully thought out to deliver an optimum 50/50 split of weight distribution.

No one knows when this car will come to life, or when you'll see one in your local BMW dealership, but I think it's safe to say – it's coming...and everyone is getting rather excited.

Need A Free Taxi Ride?

Are you going to be in London this weekend? Well if you are then you are in for a pleasant surprise. London Taxi drivers will be leaving their cabs behind and instead taking out a Nissan Leaf electric car. London will get a breath of fresh air this weekend with these eco taxis driving around the city; but this is not the best part, you can get a free ride! If you Tweet ‘#6XCHEAPER’ and your destination then you can catch one of these free rides. Sounds like a very good deal to me.

You may be thinking that this is great, but what do Nissan get out of this? Well they are using the lifts and Tweets to gain feedback from the consumers and they would like to clear up any myths people have heard about electric cars as they have had a bit of a bad name in the past amongst some motorists. Nissan want to show people the benefits of electric car driving, one of which is very low running costs!

Nissan are offering the free rides because as they say the running costs of the Leaf are so cheap they do not actually need to charge the customers for their ride around the city. The Nissan Leaf fleet will be sent out from the Liverpool St Station area and will travel to most destinations in London, including as far as the O2 arena! We have a feeling this is going to be helpful to a lot of people. The service is running from 10:00am to 06:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

So if you are in London this weekend remember to take advantage of this great opportunity and let us at Alternative Route know how the ride went and what you think of the new Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf could really be the start of a greener, cleaner planet for all of us!

Top 5 Family Cars Of 2012

Here we have another one of our helpful top car lists, top 5 family cars of 2012. These days family’s need more than just lots of room for push chairs and toys. Family’s have a lot of focus on comfort, entertainment, cost and most importantly safety. The one thing care about more than anything is our family’s safety. Having a comfortable and safe environment for the family is important, but with all this considered we also need to focus on price as most family’s need low running costs. So we have put together a list of the best all round family cars.

First on our list is the Honda Civic. It is smaller than the average family car but there is still more than enough room for a family and everything that comes with them. One benefit of the Civic being slightly smaller than other family cars is that it is more affordable, which is important for all families. It is comfortable, reliable and has good grip to the road. The civic is well equipped for a family but it still might be worth upgrading to the ES model which comes with lots of extra nice features.

Next on the list is the Chrysler 300c. The 300c is very large for the money you pay for it. The 300c has a very good ride, very comfortable for all of the family; it is also very refined which is very nice to see in a family car. A very good spacious all-rounder.

The Kia Sorento makes it into our top 5. The Sorento definitely has safety in mind; it scored 5 stars in Euro NCAP's crash tests, making it very suitable for a family. The Sorento is a huge car which gives your family plenty of room and gives you lots of storage room for all of the children’s things. A really nice large family car which can be enjoyed by everyone.

The Volkswagen Passat makes a great family car. The Passat has a very good ride, it is stylish which is always an extra bonus to a family car focused on practicality; it is very well equipped and has a lot of space. What more could you ask for in a family car?

The final car to make it onto our list is the Skoda Superb. This is a big car, well suited to a family, and considering its size it is very refined and has very good handling. The dash is very simple and easy to navigate which is perfect for a busy family; it has a lot of room and provides a good level of comfort. The price is good for the size of the car that you receive, so considering all of these points, the Superb is a very good contender for top family car of 2012.

Top 10 British Cars

With all of the different events going on in Brittan 2012, like the recent Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics, there is more reason than ever to be proud of being British! So in celebration of all things British we have created a list of the top 10 British built cars. The uk’s production levels for cars is at an all time high and we are sending out some of the most popular cars on sale, well done Brittan!

The first British built car on our list is the Nissan Qashqai; the Qashqai has big chunky tyres and a cool 4x4 look. The Qashqai has very good suspension and comfortable seats making it a pleasure to drive. This is definitely something for us to be proud of.

Next car is the Toyota Avensis; this car is a very easy car to live with. It takes no time at all to get yourself comfortable behind the wheel and you get lots of equipment to keep you happy and safe. It is a practical car with lots of leg room and a large boot. The engine is refined and the ride is impressive.

The Mini Coupe has made it on to the list, the Mini Coupe is a lot of fun to drive and it is oozing with style. It also happens to be very affordable, so you have no excuse not to make this your great British summer car for 2012.

Jaguar produces 10 models in the UK, and we have chosen the Jaguar XF to be on our list. The Jaguar XF has an excellent ride and handling as well as a generous amount of equipment. But the most important thing of all… it looks amazing! Celebrate Brittan in luxury and style.

Next on our list is the Land Rover Discovery, a great mix of practicality and a tough 4x4. The Land Rover Discovery is not only good off road, but on road as well, you realty get the best of everything with this car. A good vehicle for the sporty British summer we have this year!

We have included the Aston Martin Vantage on to the list; this car really has the wow factor! It looks amazing and it handles even better. It has really good grip on the road; it is agile and has firm controls. What more could you ask for?

For a bit of luxury we have chosen the Bentley Continental GT, the Bentley has a very prestigious image, it stands out in the crowd for all the right reasons. It has the perfect balance between comfort and great control. You get plenty of space inside and comes with more equipment you could ever dream of. An amazing car but be warned it does not come cheap!

Next on our list is the Rolls Royce Phantom, it is very comfortable, refined and very speedy too! It looks great, it is agile and it has a very generous amount of space. It is a very classy car and would fit in very well with all the Royal events that have been going on in Brittan this year.

Another to make it on to the top 10 list is the Nissan Juke. The Juke is a very popular car and with good reason. It has it’s own unique style which looks fantastic and it drives very well. It is very practical, very well equipped and the price is not too bad!

Last but definitely not least we have the Toyota Auris. The Auris is very comfortable and has lots of space making it very practical. While being practical it also looks good and drives nicely. It has great handling and is very affordable, a good all-rounder.

Leasing a Vehicle - The Quick Guide

It is a hard choice for anyone to make, Lease or buy? Which is better? Well this article gives you a guide on leasing and helps you to gain all the facts you need to decide if leasing a vehicle is the right option for you. Over 20% of cars on the road are leased cars, as this proves car leasing is more popular than you might think. Leasing is not always the right option for everyone but it is definitely an attractive alternative to buying.

Leasing a vehicle gives you the opportunity to have a new car every 2-3 years, where as if you wanted to buy a car outright then you are likely to have to stick with that car for much longer. Not only are you driving a brand new car every 2 or 3 years but you can also have peace of mind about any repair bills, maintenance, tyres and servicing (should you choose to take out a maintenance package, which is a very good idea!). Another advantage of leasing a vehicle is the much lower up-front payment. When you buy a car the up-front payment is huge compared to leasing, and if you do not have thousands and thousands to spare then this is a good option for you!

With leasing there are mileage limitations which can be seen as a disadvantage, but if you feel you are likely to be doing higher millage than the limit then you are able to agree on a higher millage deal with the leasing company. As with most leasing companies you have the option to purchase the vehicle after the lease has ended, you would not want to buy any car with a huge amount of millage unless it could not be helped. So keeping a limit on the mileage is better for the end value of the car.

Leasing works well for both personal and business users depending on their particular circumstances, but with business leasing, in most cases you are able to claim back at least some of the vat charged. For more information on claiming back vat on a vehicle visit Cars and Motoring Expenses.

And for more information on vehicle leasing and the latest deals visit Alternative Route Finance.

Top 10 Most Economical Cars

Being economical and caring for the environment is fast becoming one of the most talked about discussions…everywhere. More and more people are concerned for the planet and rightly so, we need to take care of it and respect our home.

Vehicles are one of the biggest producers of pollutants, thus buying a fuel-effiecient car with low C02 emissions has been increasingly important to buyers. Manufactures are taking note of this and more and more vehicles meeting these requirements are being built to greener standards.

Historically, these eco-cars were never very attractive to look at, nor did they really have any sense of va-va-voom about them, but things are changing, and changing fast.

Benefits of greener-cars are big too for fleet owners; all those that fall under the 100g/km limit receive company car tax benefits, not to mention that they avoid the London congestion charge – not bad right?

Produced below is a list of the top 10 most economical friendly cars out there right now and, I have to say, they’re pretty good.

1) Chevrolet Volt – 27 g/km

The Volt is currently occupying the rather nice title of ‘European Car of the Year’ – not a bad title for the company. Combining both electric drive and petrol power electrics, they give EV motoring without running out of juice, with a combined economy figure of 235.5mpg – how’s that for distance?

2) Toyota Prius Plug-in – 49 g/km

The Prius has been around for a long time, we all know that. The Plug-in part is just as you thought it would be, quite literally a plug-in. This gives you additional batteries which can be charged by the mains, meaning you have an all-electrical range of 15-miles until the petrol kicks in, bringing you a very respectable 134.5mpg.

3) Toyota Yaris Hybrid – 84 g/km

Combining a 1.5lite engine and an electrical motor (drivetrain being that of the Prius and the Auris HSD, just lighter) and a compact, lightweight body-style, the Yaris is one of the most efficient vehicles in its class - averaging at 81mpg and emitting 79 g/km – making this Toyotas lowest ever figure.

4) Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue – 84g/km

Hyundai have recently reviewed the i20 supermini and from this they have released a new super-efficient diesel model with a 1.1-litre three-cylinder engine. This new model emits 84g/km and averages 88.3mpg. The prices are also very good value for money making the deal even sweeter! A big step forward for green cars.

5) Kia Rio 1.1 Ecodynamics – 85g/km
The Kia Rio was the most economical regular engine car on the market when it was launched and this has only recently changed with the launch of Hyundai’s i20. With 88.3mpg and 85g/km CO2 it is very efficient and it also looks good too.

6) Smart Fortwo cdi – 86g/km

Former champion of most economical car on sale in Brittan is The Smart Fortwo cdi, although it is a former champion it averages 85.6mpg which is still something to brag about.
Although it is very efficient it does only seat two people and it is not the fastest thing on the market, but if you are out to save the planet then look no further.

7) Peugeot 208 1.4 e-HDI 70 EGC – 87g/km

The Peugeot 208 is a very good looking car, which is a very good thing to hear with an eco car. But as we all know looks are not everything and luckily for the Peugeot 208 it has the best of both worlds. With 83.1mpg and emitting only 87g/km, could this be the new champion of eco cars?

8) Citroen C3 1.4 e-HDI 70 Airdream EGS – 87h/km

Citroen did not want to be left behind by parent firm Peugeot, so they fought back with the Citroen C3 1.4 e-HDI 70 Airdream. It emits only 87g/km and does 83.1 mpg. These impressive stats make it a very good contender in our list of best eco cars.

9) Toyota Prius T3 – 89g/km

Eco cars took a while to appeal to real motor lovers, but the Prius was to change this. It has taken off and has now sold millions. This is because it looks great but it also only emits 89g/km and averages 72.4 mpg.

10) Skoda Fabia Greenline – 89g/km

The Skoda Fabia Greenline is a practical option as well as being a good green option. It averages 83.1 mpg and it emits 89g/km, put this with it’s practicality and you are on to a winner.