Volvo Car UK has experienced a growth of over 40 per cent in corporate sales in the first half of 2010 as companies start to return to the market to replace vehicles on extended company car contracts.
Company car drivers can now benefit from lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel consumption which results in reduced Benefit in Kind. In 2006, the lowest CO2 variant of the V50 was the 2.0D, which offered fuel consumption of 48.7 mpg and emitted 154 g/km of CO2. Today's low emission V50 1.6D DRIVe Start/Stop model, emits only 104 g/km of CO2 emissions and is capable of up to 72.4mpg, demonstrates how far engine technology has developed over the last four years and shows the clear benefit of getting drivers into a new car.
A 40 per cent tax payer driving a 2011 model Volvo V50 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop will save around £27 per month in lower Benefit in Kind tax bills and benefit from a 23.7mpg improvement in fuel consumption.
"Engine technology has been developed dramatically since a typical lease car was registered in 2006. For instance, a 2011 V50 1.6D DRIVe with Start/Stop provides a 50g/km reduction in CO2 emissions compared with the lowest CO2-emitting 2006 model - the 2.0D. That is equivalent to a five tier drop in company car tax bands," said Selwyn Cooper, Volvo Car UK's National Corporate Operations Manager.
"We've seen a significant increase in orders during the last 6 months, with many fleets enquiring about getting their drivers into new cars with lower CO2 emissions and better fuel consumption," he added.
Fleets are recognising, with DRIVe in particular, that their drivers don't have to compromise on comfort by driving a low emission car. All Volvo models, regardless of engine size, are available with the high level of specification company motorists have come to expect.
On the back of this strong start to the year, and with the launch of the dynamic all-new Volvo S60 and V60, Volvo has announced it is to expand its Business Centre network, from 23 to 25 sites by the end of 2010.
Volvo Business Centre dealers are resourced to sell more than 200 corporate vehicles annually, although a number of them achieve over 500 units. Cooper is also keen to support the non business centre dealers to handle local corporate business in a professional and knowledgeable fashion.
"We are talking to all our dealers about them developing sales people with business specialist skills in a bid to make the most of the launch of the all-new Volvo S60 and our range of DRIVe cars," said Selwyn. "We must build on our current corporate sales success as it is becoming an increasingly important part of Volvo's future growth ambition," he added.
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2006 Volvo V50 2.0D SE manual 2011 Volvo V50 1.6DRIVe SE Start/Stop manual
CO2: 154g/km CO2: 104g/km
P11D price: £19122 P11D price: £23165
20% of P11D price 13% % of P11D price
Combined cycle fuel consumption: 48.7mpg Combined fuel consumption: 72.4mpg
22% tax payer: £63.73 per month 20% tax payer: £50.17 per month
40% £127.47 per month 40%: £100.42 per month
