Which make of car would you think covers the most distance on UK roads every year? And what car the least?

It will probably not surprise you that the winner of mileage, on average totaling 15,000 miles a year, is the Ford Mondeo – a favourite of company car drivers.

And that 15,000 is nearly 600 miles a year more than its nearest challenger: the Volvo S80

The average rule of thumb is 12,000 miles a year, as readers of this will undoubtedly know, but cars like the Volkswagens Passat and the Audi A6 also surpass 14,000 a year.

And all four of these cars are large cars, demonstrating that, wherever we as a nation go, we like to do it in comfort and luxury.

These figures come from an analysis of live policies by Warranty Direct and looked only at cars over 3 years old to extract some interesting information, including warranty statistics that show that the Mondeo is top in that too, with only 15% needing a warranty claim as opposed to the Passats’s 44%.

Other cars in the Top 10 of Annual mileage include the BMW 5 Series, Chrysler 300C, Nissan Pathfinder and Ford S-Max.

Conversely, small cars cover significantly less miles, with the Nissan Micra taking the title of Britain’s least-used car, racking up just 5,580 miles per year on average. In fact,  the so-called ‘superminis’ sector constitute nine of the 10 least-used cars in Britain.

And it will come as no surprise that this set of cars, because tey are driven the least require less maintenance, with a collective average breakdown rate of 21% in contrast to the most-used cars, 34% of which need fixing by Warranty Direct each year – The overall average including all cars is 39%.

Least used cars Top 5 are:

1. Nissan Micra  2. Fiat Seicento  3. Suzuki Wagon R+  4. Ford Ka  5. Suzui Alto

Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “The Mondeo’s always been a favourite with company car drivers, and it appears they rarely stay idle for long. Despite this, they are reliable too.

“It goes to show that when buying used, the rule-of-thumb average mileage of 12,000 isn’t really applicable: for example a four-year old Micra’s average mileage will be little over 20k miles whereas a Mondeo’s will be more like 60k miles.”

And he finishes with this gob-stopping statistic: “The average 10 year old Mondeo will have travelled equivalent to nearly six times around the globe.”

Confusion reigns in the press over who has the best company car, and it’s not helped by two completely different magazines having awards coming out at the same time. But the only winners can be the drivers, because they get two different opinions from two reliable sources – and the only arguments are between the award winners. Maybe hey sort it out after school behind the bike sheds?

FLEET NEWS awards are voted by a panel made up of fleet industry experts as well as senior members of the Fleet News editorial team, chaired by former SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan and audited by Deloitte with the New Company Car of the Year and Fleet Manufacturer of the Year voted on by fleet operator readers of Fleet News.

BUSINESS CAR MANAGER (the online car magazine for company cars) had its winners chosen by an editorial panel headed by editor Ralph Morton and road test editor Sam Hardy, with the Awards identifying winners in 9 different categories ranging from the environmentally and financially responsible – Best Sub-100g/km Business Car – to the more frivolous – It’s My Business and I’ll Buy What I Want To.

So, who won?

In Fleet News, they voted the Volkswagen Passat as the best new company car of 2011 using criteria based on operating costs (depreciation, fuel, servicing, maintenance and repair, lease rates, tax liability), suitability for their use as business cars and the level of support from the manufacturers and their corporate sales teams.

But Business Car Manager had the new BMW 3 Series in 320d form as its overall winner; with the judges commenting that is was a car “offering an unbeatable combination of competitive running costs, strong performance, low driver taxation, impressive environmental credentials – and good, old fashioned driving fun.”

Admittedly BMW was crowned as the Fleet Manufacturer of the Year voted for by readers of the Fleet News so at least there is some sort of synergy there and other awards between the two publications went to Ford, Kia, Skoda, SEAT, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Range-Rover, Mini, Audi, Hyundai, Toyota and BMW in the car categories.

But of course it all depends what you are looking for and the wording of the awards. Some of the wording is decidedly “we want to give an award to someone but can’t think of a name so let’s make one up!”

FLEET NEWS AWARDS:

Ford Fiesta won Best Small Car, with its very close relative, the Ford, Focus, picking up the award for Lower-Medium car.

Best Upper-medium Car went to The VW Passat (which, as you know, also won best in breed!) and Best People Carrier went to the SEAT Alhambra.

Best Estate Car was awarded to the Skoda Superb estate and best all-round 4×4 to the Toyota Land Cruiser. (How do you to get to be all-round?)

In the big boys classes, Best Premium Car went to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and, up there at the pinnacle of the “look at me; I’ve made it” tree, sits the BMW 5 series with its Best Boardroom Car award.

Oooh! Even more awards with indescribable titles. Best Crossover (what does that mean?) went to the Nissan Qashqai, Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer of the Year and went to Skoda, and Green Fleet Manufacturer of the Year went to Toyota/Lexus; who were described as “environmental beacons not just for the motor industry, but for every industry” by the judges

BUSINESS CAR MANAGER aims to help small businesses and SME firms to run their cars efficiently and cost- effectively. And their WINNERS were.

Best Sub-100g/km Business Car was the Kia Rio 1.1 EcoDynamics and Best Business Car for First Year Allowances (sub 110g/km), the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics.

Obviously by Company Cars here, they mean business cars, especially as the winner of the Best Company Car is the Ford Focus 1.0T EcoBoost 125PS.

Best Estate Car was the Hyundai i40 Estate (with Fleet News’ winner the Skodia Superb nowhere!) and the Best Executive Car, the New BMW 3 Series.

Other award winners were the Audi A6 Avant, MINI Countryman Cooper D (Best Micro Business Owner’s Car – how appropriate!), and the BMW 520d EfficientDynamics as best SME Director’s Car.

They even had an award called the “It’s My Business and I’ll Buy What I Want To” award, won by the Range Rover Evoque SD4 with commendations for the Audi Q5 3.0TDI,  BMW 640d and the Porsche Panamera Diesel. I presume they mean the “Car I WOULD get if they let me” award.

And comments from the winners backstage as seen on ITV2 hosted by some 5th rate celebrity who used to be a reality star before the scandal with their ex-partner’s dog?

SEAT UK Managing Director Peter Wyhinny was at the Fleet News Awards dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel to celebrate the Alhambra’s latest success. He said: “To receive this trophy from Fleet News means a great deal to us at SEAT. We know the Alhambra is a very impressive MPV and the near-constant stream of important awards such as this reinforces that belief.”

And Martin Burke, ŠKODA UK’s Head of Fleet Sales, was also delighted. “To be receiving [an award] for our work in the corporate sector, so crucial to our future plans, makes these awards all the more satisfying.”

So, the fuel tax won’t be changing, and will be going up in August. It’s not a great shock really – we were just hoping.

So maybe it’s time to have a look at a car with a large ‘miles per gallon’ performance?

And perhaps Ford have done it with the latest Ford Fiesta ECOnetic model.

For a start it’s a Ford Fiesta, the top-selling star of a Ford range that has reduced its average fleet CO2 to 134g/km today from 154.5g/km in 2006 according to independent analysis by Clean Green Cars.

So it’s green! Not as green as Kermit the Frog, but green.

It’s a diesel and it does over 85mpg. With petrol prices at an all-time high, that’s got to be a bonus.

And, in the words of Jimmy Cricket (He’s still alive! – I checked) “And There’s More.”

Because it emits just 87g CO2/km, this means that it’s free from road tax as well as the London Congestion charge.

Am I green enough?

And, did I mention that it’s a Ford Fiesta?

So that means, using my power of deductions, that it’s got the might of Ford behind it.

Ford sell more cars and vans than any other manufacturer and their low-CO2 technology has the greatest impact when it comes to helping households cope with rising fuel prices; all worked on right here in the UK, in Essex (The Only Way according to the TV) with a team of more than 2,000 Essex based engineers leading the development of the company’s latest fuel-sipping petrol and diesel engines.

Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain’s managing director, said: “We cannot influence how the cost of motoring changes as a result of [the] Budget, but we will continue to design, develop and market innovative vehicles that minimise the cost of motoring for today’s families. Our cars are fun to drive, stylish and packed with technology, while returning up to 20mpg more than just a few years ago.”

And, alongside the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic , there is also a 65.6mpg (114g) Ford Mondeo available as both a five-door and estate. Both are diesel, featuring Ford’s acclaimed 1.6-litre TDCi engine assembled at Dagenham at the site’s high-tech wind-powered plant. (Alright; I get it. It’s a Green car!)

Up for saving some money then? Could be the one for you.

Quite how cars can win a Car Of The Year award in March still confuses me, but it happens, so I’ll have to get over it. After all, the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt won the Car of the Year 2012 on the Car of the Year website this year – when there was still 10 months of the year left!

So, stand by for more Cars of the Year.

Firstly, winners in the 2012 CarBuyer Car of the Year awards were the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Mondeo. All voted for by the expert testers on www.carbuyer.co.uk

What did they look at? A whole list of things including running costs, safety, performance, owner satisfaction, reliability and comfort.

And the Fiesta was the overall Car of the Year.

The website stated: “The Ford Fiesta’s blend of driving fun, family-friendly practicality and great value makes it hard to beat. It’s the way the Fiesta drives that really stands out. Agile handling and sporty responses make it fun to drive on a twisting back road, while the comfortable suspension and low noise levels help take the strain out of long motorway journeys. Factor in a five-star Euro NCAP score, value-for-money prices and a huge dealer network, and it’s not hard to see why the Fiesta takes a well-deserved second straight victory in this category.”

In the 5-door category, up to the stage strode the hatchback Mondeo which “… delivers all the space and practicality a growing family will ever need, while a wide range of engines and trim levels means there’s a model for every taste and budget.”

One down then for this year and let’s have the first quote of the year from Ford of Britain’s managing director, Mark Ovenden:  “The 2012 Fiesta and Mondeo models showcase the style, technology dynamics and value for which Ford is renowned. It is fantastic too that independent motoring advisers CarBuyer agree.”

And then there is Diesel Car magazine’s Used Car of the Year  which also went to the Ford as best small car and crowned the overall winner 2012. “Sublime handling, great build quality and exceedingly economical TDCi engines make it both a heart and head decision.”

First chance for Kevin Griffin, Ford Britain’s fleet director, to make one of those ‘completely unprepared’ acceptance speeches: “We are delighted that Fiesta has been crowned Used Car of the Year 2012 by Diesel Car magazine.  Fiesta’s appeal is the combination of striking exterior styling, great driving dynamics and technology and equipment that have typically only been available on larger vehicles.  Coupled with a choice of economical powertrains, Fiesta delivers the perfect overall package for new and used, fleet and retail customers alike.”

At least he didn’t thank his mum, the dog, his goldfish and then start crying!

And it wasn’t just the Ford Fiesta that graced the stage. The Ford Mondeo and S-MAX were also recognised with overall category wins.

All-in-all a good start to the year for Ford, especially as sales are also keeping pace with expectations – and sometimes even exceeding them.

Maybe they should prepare some speeches for next year?

With the budget on the horizon, all eyes will be on the Chancellor and petrol duty charges, but he will be no doubt looking to ‘get Britain back on track’ (© Every single Chancellor since the year dot) and showing that the Coalition’s policies are working.

Maybe he will point out that some recent announcements from car manufacturers with regards to UK Car sales seem to show that the medicine is working.

Firstly, Ford announced that they have increased its UK car sales and share in both January and February this year, enhancing their oft-quoted reputation as the UK market leader.

Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain managing director, said:  “Ford’s car range has started 2012 with a terrific performance that extends our UK lead in total car sales, and provides a good indicator for March, when sales are boosted significantly by the registration plate change.

“Our best-ever range of vehicles will grow even further thanks to a series of new launches this year, flagged up by a glittering display on the Ford stand at the Geneva Motor Show. The list of upcoming models includes the new Ford B-MAX, the new Ford Kuga, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost Ford Focus, and the new Fiesta and Focus ST models.”

So what prompted this optimism and bragging rights from Ford?

The Ford Focus was February’s best UK seller with 6% of the market, and over Jan and Feb, the Fiesta No 1 for the year to date (10,723 sold so far); Ford Commercial vehicles were top of the tree in both LCV and MCV markets; and their overall car sales and share of UK car sales were up in comparison to the same period (13.1% vs 11.2%)

(Admittedly, overall UK commercial vehicle sales were down 16.6 per cent, in comparison to February 2011 but Ford held their share of it).

Then, Mercedes-Benz UK announced that, in February 2012, it maintained its record 4.8 per cent market share in February and year to date.

New car registrations showed an 11.0 per cent increase with a year-to-date figure of 9182 vehicles a rise of 17.2% against Jan/Feb 2011. The overall new car market was down 0.7%.

This success was split between private and fleet registrations, and the van division has also increased sales, both in the light and large markets.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd, explained: “Our fast start to 2012 continues throughout the range, and it’s great to see more private customers choosing to buy a new Mercedes-Benz. Medium van and heavy truck registrations are also showing significant growth, and success in the commercial vehicle sector means that business is once again moving in the right direction.”

And finally, Volvo Car UK announced that it is currently enjoying a great start to 2012 with increasing sales and new cars with world firsts ready to enter the marketplace.

In 2011, Volvo was the fastest growing luxury car brand and latest figures show that year-on-year, Volvo has increased its sales performance by 13.4%, with the Volvo XC60 one of its top selling models, followed by its siblings, the S60 and V60.

Volvo unveiled its all-new V40 at the Geneva Motor Show, a five-door, five-seat hatchback that will launch in July, with the world’s first pedestrian air-bag amongst the many new safety and technology features

So, maybe Mr Osborne will point at these figures as he justifies austerity measures and their hoped-for results.

One small point though.

The official figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that total car sales last month were down 2.5 per cent to 61,868 units, compared with February 2011.

Maybe not then!

Following popular demand, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has extended our special FREE Metallic Paint deal on the Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec & Titanium Econetic, with cars in stock to lease from just £159.95 + VAT a month!

Stylish, cheap to run and packed full of character, the new Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is one of the most fuel-efficient superminis on the market, with its 1.6 –litre turbodiesel emitting just 98g/km of carbon dioxide  and its recalibrated engine management system offering optimum efficiency.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is pleased to announce we’ve extended our popular FREE Metallic Paint deal on the Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec & Titanium Econetic until 31st March with cars in stock for quick delivery.

Our cheapest deal is on the Ford Fiesta 3 Door 1.6 TDCi Zetec Econetic, in stock to lease from just £159.95 + VAT a month with FREE Metallic Paint in Black or Silver.

The high-spec Titanium trim is also in stock with the Ford Fiesta 3 Door 1.6 TDCi Titanium Econetic now from just £174.95 + VAT a month with FREE Metallic Paint in Midnight Sky.

The above offers are strictly whilst stocks last so to take advantage of this super Ford Fiesta car leasing deal, call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts today on 0844 482 9595 or follow the above links.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

Like this deal? Join our mailing list to receive weekly emails with our latest car leasing offers straight to your inbox!

If you’re in the market for a stylish 7-seat vehicle, you’ll love our latest offer on the Ford S-MAX, in stock to lease from £269.95 + VAT a month with FREE Curtis 7″ Dual Screen Portable DVD Player.

Boasting a premium sports style, roomy cabin and impressive handling, the stylish Ford S-MAX puts the fun back into driving, knocking other 7-seat vehicles out of the water with its striking design & innovative technology.

For a strictly limited time, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has the Ford S MAX 1.6 TDCi Zetec Start/Stop and Ford S MAX 1.6 TDCi Titanium Start/Stop, in stock for quick delivery.  Prices start from £269.95 + VAT a month and £284.95 + VAT a month respectively.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is also offering a FREE Curtis 7″ Dual Screen Portable DVD Player with all orders placed by 17th March.  This handy portable DVD player features two 7’’ LCD display screen and a USB port, making it ideal for long car journeys or short business trips.

Features include:

• Slim Design: Easy & Secure Head-Rest Mount
• USB port: Play movies, Pictures & Music Using USB Flash Drive
• Speakers: Stereo Speakers On Both Screens
• Headphone Jack: 3.5mm Headphone Jack On Both Screens
• Accessories: Remote Control, AC Adaptor, Car Adaptor & Carry Bag

To take advantage of this special Ford S MAX offer before stock runs out, simply follow the above links or call  Nationwide Vehicle Contracts today on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

Like this deal? Join our mailing list to receive weekly emails with our latest car leasing offers straight to your inbox!

If there was a prize for most-hyped car in 2012, no doubt the Ford B-Max would be right up here. You’ve read on here a lot of good things about Ford’s little baby that makes its’ debut officially at the Geneva Motor Show that is currently gearing up for its first day tomorrow (8th March), what’s another bit of publicity amongst friends?

So what’s it got now than?

Something called Ford’s Emergency Assistance, which is an all-new Ford technological advancement that helps drivers and other car occupants to make a 999 call in the event of a crash.

And not only does it do that, but it does it in the correct local language based on GPS coordinates from the vehicle, after an accident. The most advanced system of its type, it forms a key part of Ford’s voice-activated in-car connectivity system SYNC, which makes its European debut in the all-new B-MAX.

And it’s already a winner! Emergency Assistance won the “Best Mobile Innovation for Automotive, Transport or Utilities” category at the 2012 Global Mobile Awards, Barcelona. The B-MAX had just became the first car ever to debut at the show and Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company executive chairman, became the first automotive industry leader to deliver a keynote speech.

All good so far, but a quick question before we hear from someone closely connected to the technology itself. By local accent what do they mean? If near Liverpool, does it phone 999 and say “Hey la. We’ve ‘ad a crash like.” And if in the North-East, does it call the operator “pet”, and down South “treacle”?

More seriously, it looks to be an impressive safety feature.

“Ford is delighted to see the potentially life-saving benefits of SYNC with Emergency Assistance recognised by international communications technology experts,” said Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “Emergency Assistance makes full use of mobile communications technology to deliver an extremely valuable service to Ford customers, free-of charge for the lifetime of their vehicle.”

So, how does this work then?

It’s all linked to the airbag and the vehicle’s emergency fuel pump shut-off. When they are activated after a collision, it sets in motion technology that prompts the vehicle to make an emergency phone call, using an introductory message, through the occupant’s Bluetooth connected mobile phone. It goes straight through to the emergency service operators (rather than a third party) and, by using GPS, can also provide information about where the accident location is.

Whether or not it adds in the phrase “But the accident wasn’t my fault” is not clarified

The technology for the call to the emergency services was developed with the help and input of the European Emergency Number Association (EENA), which aims to ensure a consistently high level of response to 999 emergency number calls across Europe.

“We are pleased that Ford has consulted with the EENA and European emergency call centres in the development of the Emergency Assistance feature,” said Gary Machado, EENA executive director. “We are confident that solutions enabling vehicles to be connected to emergency call centres will contribute to saving lives in Europe.”

And this is all free as part of the customer-upgradeable SYNC platform, making its first European appearance in the Ford B-MAX after appearing on over 4 million cars in the US.

SYNC reads out text messages from compatible mobile phones (Not advisable if you’re having a relationship with someone who is not your partner and in the car when an explicit text comes through!), updates phonebook entries and can be used with iPods and USB flash drives.

The Ford B-MAX is on sale in September and I, for one, am looking forward to that!

Ford unveiled an all-new Ford Kuga at the 2012 Geneva motor show, introducing new technologies and a more streamlined and spacious design to this established, popular brand.

A big kerfuffle was made over the new hands-free automatic tailgate, which can be opened and closed with a simple kick directed underneath the rear bumper.

Then there’s the advanced voice control, device integration and SYNC in-car connectivity – all available from launch.

Other innovations include the sort of systems which, though you’ll be very glad they exist, ideally will never be witnessed.

Emergency Assistance detects airbag deployment or the activation of the emergency fuel shut off before using the on-board GPS locator and Bluetooth-paired device to establish an emergency call – providing GPS co-ordinates in whatever language is spoken where you break down.

Wow. A car that cries for help should you yourself be unable.

A fine example indeed of man and machine working together in beautiful harmony.

Stuff like parallel parking aid and a system which displays a warning light in the door mirror should a potential hazard find its way into the driver’s blind spot will also be available.

Then there’s the boot space – quite a lot of it, too. 442 litres, no less – an improvement to the tune of 82 litres over the previous model. This can be expanded further through, as usual, folding down the rear seats – though in the all-new Ford Kuga, this often strenuous task is achieved at the mere touch of a button.

But what’s under the hood? Well, from the early 2013 UK launch, engines available will include 140PS and 163PS versions of Ford’s popular 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine, with Ford Powershift automatic gearbox an option. The all-new Kuga will also offer the 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, already available in Ford Focus and C-MAX and impressing with its strong torque delivery and high fuel efficiency.

Yes, that one. Please.

It’s looking good, isn’t it?

And when, by launch, such technologies are inevitably commonplace, I’m sure that Ford will have you remember that they were here first.

This week sees the Geneva Motor Show open up on Thursday (8th March) and go on until Sunday 18th (Mother’s Day – so don’t forget!) With 260 cars on show, some of the finest will be mixing with concepts that may not even have a chance of making it past this show, but which will be the stars that will shine brightest to the 700,000 visitors that are due there?

FERRARI

The Italian car maker will be showing off the fastest ever road car, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, which was officially launched in February, but why let a little fact like that get in the way of a good rummage around its chassis and luxury?

A snip at £250,000 each

BUGATTI

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the Bugati Grand Sport Vitesse is No 1 in the FHM charts. More Italian craftsmanship, it looks fantastic and is “the most powerful roadster of all time”, with 1,200 horsepower emanating from the 16-cylinder engine boosted by four turbochargers and intercoolers.

An upgrade from the imperious £1.2million 16.4 Grand Sport, no news yet on how much this will set any buyer back, but whatever it is, it’s worth it..

JAGUAR

The new XF Sportbrake will be making its debut. It’s based on the XF platform  and powering it will be a range of efficient yet powerful diesel engines in 2.2-litre four cylinder and 3.0-litre six-cylinder form.

More of a practical whistle than an open-mouthed WOW!

VOLKSWAGEN

They’ll be unveiling he most powerful production Golf Cabriolet ever at the Show, with the expected classic GTI design and an electrically powered fabric roof which can be folded away in just 9.5 seconds, even while travelling at speeds of up to 18 mph.

Personally, I can never resist a Cabriolet, so this is pretty damn exciting for me!

And then there are the versions of the new VW city car – the up! There’s the swiss up!, the winter up!, the x up! And the cargo up! Each have different uses, and colours, although VW is always there in design.

CITREON

They’ve been busy. Not only will the New Citroën C4 Aircross make its world debut alongside the newly restyled C1 and Berlingo Multispace, but there will also be a concept version of C3 Red Block

They’ll also be showing off the complete DS line, along with a new DS4 Racing concept and new special editions – DS4 and DS5 Paris Rendez-Vous and DS3 Racing S. Loeb.

VOLVO

I know; not the most exciting reputation. But they’ll be revealing the all-new Volvo V40, a Premium Hatchback with Volvo features that is apparently “ready to overtake the opposition.”

Look out for the world’s first pedestrian airbag on this one too!

BENTLEY

A new version of Bentley’s flagship, the Mulsanne Mulliner is to be displayed in Geneva, with 21-inch wheels and various other refinements making it a ‘sporting’ version.

To quote Bentley: “It is a luxury car that makes the joy of driving its central focus. In an era of mass production, it stands at the pinnacle of British luxury motoring.

LAND ROVER

Last year the Range Rover Evoque: this year the Range Rover Evoque Convertible Concept.

Building on the success of ‘the world’s first premium convertible SUV’, a fully retractable premium roof system with a Roll Over Protection System [ROPS] has been added purely to gauge reaction and assess potential

FORD

Ford are looking at introducing a new range of people movers, starting with the dynamic new Ford Tourneo Custom Concept, with an 8-seat concept, low-CO2 ECOnetic Technology and SYNC voice-activated, in-car connectivity system. Commercial vehicles to follow!

RINSPEED DOCK+GO

Basically a trailer that attached to the sides of small cars such as a SmartCar, it’s designed to be what the makers call a ‘backpack on wheels.’ Aimed towards compact electric cars that give very little boot space, among a number of designs in it is a dock that includes a heated box for pizza delivery boys and another for workmen that has an integrated toolbox.

Look at it as an add-on!

Obviously these are just some of the cars and concepts there, but it’s already looking like the aftershow parties from the Oscars!

Now, anyone got a spare ticket, and flight, and spending money…?