Visit Business Car Manager’s SME Business Motoring stand at the London Motor Show

BUSINESS Car Manager is extending its brand further into the SME sector with an SME Business Motoring stand at the London Motor Show (17-20 May).

Taking place at London’s ExCeL, we’ll be on hand to help SMEs with their business motoring, as well as displaying our SME Company Car of the Year winning Jaguar XF.

Also on the stand will be BMW’s 5 Series iPerformance Saloon, MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, along with Nissan’s brand new all-electric Leaf model to showcase the latest in electrification technology. There will be SME business leasing specialists, Neva Consultants, on the stand too, to help with leasing enquiries.

I’m really excited about this opportunity for Business Car Manager – and looking forward to meeting everyone who comes along to the stand. Read more here.

Plug-in hybrids and EVs are future for company car drivers after WLTP

An interesting insight into what future considerations company car drivers need to take is provided by Marcus Puddy, who has recently joined the Leasing Broker Federation.

Marcus argues that, following the introduction of WLTP – the more realistic fuel economy measurement due this September – electrification is the way forward. He believes that WLTP is likely to reduce official fuel economy and raise CO2 emissions. But SMEs don’t know enough to be making the correct company car decisions. There’s more to read here.

Little wonder we’re displaying three electrified models on the SME Business Motoring stand at London Motor Show.

We’ve driven the market van leader

Ford dominates the van market. And the Transit Custom is the key panel van out there. Recently given a mid-life revision, we’ve got behind the wheel of the market leader. You can jump on board here.

On this day 70 years ago…

Today (Friday), precisely 70 years ago, a new brand was introduced to the automotive world with a showcase of three all-terrain vehicles that would be known as Land Rovers.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

A key component of that history, one of the three Land Rover prototype vehicles – L03 – will be shown at Land Rover Legends later this month. L03 was driven from London to Amsterdam by a young Ernie Bacon (son of Mr Bacon – the then manager of Rover Company’s London depot at Seagrave Road in Fulham).

L03 was ‘despatched out’ of Seagrave Road by Mr Bacon on Tuesday April 27, 1948, and driven to Amsterdam by a young Ernie to join the Rover Company showcase, launching what was to become among the most iconic automotive brands in the world.

After the motor show, L03 successfully made the journey home to London from the Netherlands, and soon after its return was fitted with a new gearbox – no. 11.

Later in May, L03 was registered to the Rover Company Ltd in Solihull as a demonstrator, and in June was despatched to Vallvidrera Hills in Barcelona for the global press launch of the Land Rover.

It also made an appearance at the 1948 Barcelona International Trade Fair, before returning to the UK, being converted to right hand drive and then used by Rover Company Director, R L Wilks – nephew of Maurice Wilks – Land Rover’s founding father.

L03 is clearly steeped in Land Rover history, and through the 1950s and 60s changed hands a couple of times before being bought in 1974 by the current owner. Lovingly maintained and restored, the vehicle has participated in every major Land Rover milestone since – with a number of television appearances under its belt over the decades. It will also be exhibited exclusively at Land Rover Legends.

One of the things I like about Land Rovers is the infinite possibility for modification. This is one I pass most days on my way to the office (pictured below). It’s a Karosser bodied Land Rover for someone who clearly takes their outdoor pursuits very seriously!

Happy birthday Land Rover.