It was when I found myself driving through central London listen to a popular BBC radio station, listeners debated if modern day 4×4 vehicles were really a requirement in city life.

I suddenly became very self-conscious as I rumbled through traffic in a shiny Volvo XC90, which is exactly the type of vehicle being targeted in this debate. So, in the first of a series of reviews of four-wheel drive vehicles, we find out the benefits of using these vehicles within the chauffeur industry.

There’s no doubt, the most popular 4×4 vehicle in the industry is the Range Rover Vogue, mainly for its British status and ability to pretty much go anyway it wants. Saying that, I am one of very few people who have managed to get a Vogue stuck in the middle of nowhere!

Vehicles such as the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and BMW X5 are becoming more common place since the bout of bad weather over recent years. Chauffeurs soon discovered that keeping the wheels turning when the white stuff falls is paramount – having a £60,000 car stuck in on the driveway could be crippling for a small chauffeur firm.

The Volvo XC90 is one of the vehicles which is on the list of 4×4 buyers (or All Wheel Drive as Volvo prefer to say). Not only is it the cheapest option, but it offers acres of room, flexibility and even a seven seats. Although the two rear seats which are located in the boot area are not really suitable for client space, but it may give the chauffeur some peace of mind if an extra passenger arrives on the job.

It was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2002,  And soon become Volvo’s top-selling vehicle in the United States. The XC90 was also Volvo’s best selling model worldwide in 2005 with 85,994 cars sold. To the eye very little has changed over those ten years – Volvo has made have made regular improvements to the car as a whole over that ten years rather than launching an ‘all-new’ model after just five years like many other manufacturers.

The engine certainly won’t win any drag races and isn’t as smooth and quiet as some of its competitors, but it returns a reasonable 35mpg with a CO2 of 219 g/km. The cabin offers a spacious environment with good quality leather, especially on the ‘R Design’ range of XC90′s. However, I do feel it is time for a little facelift, maybe to match is younger brother the XC60 which is a little more modern inside and out.

So, should chauffeurs feel guilty driving around town in a 4×4 vehicle which is never likely to see more than a dirty puddle? No, because there are more reasons to owning a 4×4 than the obvious like the driving position for example. The higher ride gives the chauffeur a better view of the road ahead which is ideal for giving Mr Client a smoother ride – this is also ideal for the security side of the business. If an escape is ever needed, then the extra ride height gives more flexibility to make it happen effectively.

The Volvo is a great option for a company on a smaller budget than the Range Rover guys, also it benefits from smaller running costs compared to the others. 4×4 luxury is never going to rival that of a 7-Series or Bentley, but at least the Volvo offers sliding and reclining middle seats and a few gizmo’s in the back to make it a relatively nice place to be for clients.

The Volvo XC90 range starts from £35,175 however an R-Design version with a sharper design comes with a price tag of slightly over £40,000.

Editor: Paul Gibson

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Luxury car manufacturer, Rolls Royce has revealed its latest addition to the chauffeur market has helped the company to reach record sales – with it’s Ghost Extended wheelbase model topping customers wishlists.

Based in West Sussex, Rolls-Royce today announced 3,538 cars were sold globally in 2010, the largest number ever sold during its 107 year history. The previous record was set in 1978 during the Silver Shadow II era.

Strong sales growth was reported across the globe, with notable results seen in Asia Pacific (up 47%), North America (up 17%) and the Middle East (up 23%). China and the United States were the most significant individual markets for Rolls-Royce. The United Kingdom performed well, reporting 30 per cent growth in the year. In Continental Europe, Germany and Russia were the largest growth markets, each more than doubling sales compared to 2010.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commented; “We had an outstanding year in 2011 and we should take a moment to reflect on this Great British success story. Our business is in excellent shape. We are developing our dealer network, moving into new markets like South America, expanding our manufacturing operation in West Sussex to meet global demand and have plans to develop our product range. At the core of this extraordinary success is a dedicated, committed and, above all, passionate workforce.”

The company’s portfolio includes the pinnacle Phantom family products – Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé – and the more recently-launched Ghost range. Demand for all variants was strong. Interest in Ghost – including Ghost Extended Wheelbase, launched to wide acclaim in April – accounted for the lion’s share of 2011 growth.

2011 also marked a record for the Rolls-Royce Bespoke personalisation programme, a service with Rolls-Royce’s legendary hand-craftsmanship and attention to detail at its core. Nearly every Phantom family model leaving the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood came with some element of bespoke personalisation, from unique paint colours, interior detailing and embroidery, to exquisite whole vehicle designs including champagne sets, humidors and picnic sets.

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We all know the USA is a completely different world when it comes to choosing a chauffeur vehicle – but we thought we would take a look at the gas guzzling cars on offer at the recent LA Auto Show. Read More

BMW has recently shown pictures of its new 6 Series Gran Coupé, revealing a refined rear seat layout – could this be yet another option for chauffeurs? Read More

Lexus has revealed a further extension of its all-new GS luxury saloon range with the unveiling of the GS 250 at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition.

The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine with D-4S direct port injection and Dual VVT-i intelligent valve timing. Maximum output is 206bhp at 6,400rpm and peak torque of 253Nm is delivered at 4,800rpm, giving the car 0-62mph acceleration in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 142mph. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 31.7mpg and CO2 emissions are 207g/km.

The engine is matched to Lexus’s Super ECT-i close-ratio intelligent six-speed automatic transmission, with a sequential manual shift function. The system has been engineered to deliver faster shift speeds, earlier torque converter lock-up and downshift throttle blips, complimenting a range of different drive modes available through the GS 250’s Drive Mode Select System.

Compared the current GS, the new model has a more spacious interior, with notably more head and legroom for rear seat passengers. It will be offered with a range of new technology features, including a 12.3-inch multimedia screen – the largest on the market. It will be available with a new S-flow air conditioning system with nanoe air purifying technology, and a new Mark Levinson audio system with up to 17 speakers.

The new GS delivers improved driving dynamics thanks to a bodyshell that has been rendered 14 per cent more rigid; front and rear suspension revisions; and an optimised seating position for the driver. The driver can also adjust vehicle behaviour to suit road conditions and driving preferences using the Drive Mode Select. This gives the option of Eco, Normal and Sport S modes, while versions equipped with Adaptive Variable Suspension offer a further Sport S+ mode for even more dynamic performance.

Safety provisions will include Lexus’s advanced Pre-Crash Safety system, combined with Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, and a series of other systems designed to reduce the risk of an accident, including Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Lexus Night View.

The new GS 250 will be launched in the UK at the same time as the full hybrid GS 450h in June 2012; the range will include a performance-themed F Sport version. Further details will be announced nearer the time of launch.

When the chauffeur industry saw the first pictures of the BMW 5GT in the motoring media – it would be fair to say the business was somewhat sceptical about its success.

Who would have thought that just two years after its launch it would win its category in The Chauffeur Car of the Year Awards? So, what makes it so great and what made chauffeurs doubt it?

The clue lies in the letters ‘GT’, meaning Gran Turismo, the name often given to high performance cars with two doors which are capable of driving across a number of countries with ease. But in BMW’s case, it’s a 7-Series on steroids with an ‘estate’ type boot lid – so it’s no wonder chauffeurs didn’t think it would work.

Excuse me for making it sound rather drab, but the 5GT is far from that. Imagine driving a BMW 7-Series but with a slightly higher driving position and… well, that’s about it!

The cockpit features the same sleek dashboard and controls as the Seven with suspension settings which gives the 5GT an identically smooth silky ride as its bigger brother. Offering the same headroom as an X5, the GT is certainly as well built as any other car in the BMW range.

In the rear cabin, clients have the same body hugging, deep seats, with an option to slide the bench seat back and forth for more legroom. Unfortunately, there is a dead space behind the rear seats which stops them protruding into the boot space when pushed back. This could be used more wisely which would allow add a few more inches to the length in the boot.

The 5GT is offered with a range of engines, the smallest being the 3.0 V6 diesel ranging up to a whopping 4.4 V8. Luckily, the 3.0d returns a very friendly 43.5mpg on a combined cycle and a CO2 of 173g/km – although that’s 17 more than the equivalent Audi A6 and 11 more than a E350 CDi.

These figures are understandable when you compare its dimensions to the Seven – almost like a game of Top Trumps. The GT is taller than the Seven, the same width, almost as long and the same weight. It suffers from 60 litres less boot space but according to the book it can achieve 2mpg more than the 730d.

BMW’s Chauffeur Programme is one of the most comprehensive and the 5GT is blessed with almost the same benefits as the 7-Series and the 5-Series Saloon range, making it an extremely affordable vehicle for a chauffeur business.

A chauffeur can easily forgive slightly higher emissions when it comes to the Chauffeur Programme pricing. A 530GT SE is being offered for £525 per month for a 60,000 mile contract, or only £599 on a 120,000 mile basis over a three year period.

So, it seems as if the 5GT could be a real winner for a chauffeur business looking for an alternative to a 7-Series, however, when researching this vehicle it seems as if BMW has kept something very quiet indeed.

It’s now advertising a 730Ld SE on its chauffeur programme for £579 a month on a 60,000, three year contract – you do the math!

Paul Gibson
Source: The Argus

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In everyday driving it can be difficult to reach the MPG figures stated by the manufacturer – so you can imagine our surprise when we improved the brochure statistics by 18% on a popular chauffeur car.

During our recent competition to find The Chauffeur Car of the Year, the Audi A8 long-wheelbase was taken on a 95 mile trip from the south-coast to the busy roads of Heathrow airport.

The light body shell of the A8 came into its own and returned an incredible 50.4 miles to the gallon at the end of the journey, according to the vehicle’s trip computer – the A8 houses a 3.0 V6 diesel engine!

A flick through the technical pages in the A8 brochure suggests the Combined Miles Per Gallon should be 42.8, with an Extra Urban figure of 48.7 – the Extra Urban figure isn’t normally achieved in normal driving as it’s based on purely motorway driving.

New British car company Eterniti Motors has released full images of the prototype of its first model, which will be shown at this week’s Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA).

Japanese car manufacturer Infiniti is apparently working on an exclusive programme to get chauffeurs into its stunning ‘M’ range of vehicles.

Sources close to thechauffeur.com have revealed a scheme could be on the way which will offer special discounts and benefits exclusive to the UK’s chauffeur and private hire industries.

The news comes as the Infiniti M35 Hybrid model is being showcased at an industry event on 16th, 17th and 18th August. Chauffeurs are being invited to experience the most powerful and most economical model in the new Infiniti M range at the event which is being hosted by the Infiniti Centre in Reading.

Over an equivalently specified M30d, the hybrid costs just £1200 more, and in addition the Infiniti M35h is equipped with innovative new hybrid electric power steering and regenerative braking, a hybrid dashboard display showing energy flows and a low-speed audible warning system (VSP) to help ensure the safety of pedestrians and other road users.

The 364 PS (359bhp) petrol/electric four-door’s combination of power and low emissions is unmatched in the sector by any petrol, diesel or hybrid rival. The M35h delivers 0-62mph acceleration in just 5.5 seconds with an official EUDC fuel consumption on the combined cycle of 40.4mpg. CO2 emissions are 162g/km.

The Infiniti M35h joins the V6 petrol M37 and V6 diesel M30d to form a unique three-pronged attack on the European executive car segment. The manufacturer highlights the entire Infiniti M range represent impressive value compared to equivalently powerful rivals when equipped to a comparable level.

To book your test drive in the Infiniti M35h, simply contact Simon Dyer on 0118 907 1333 or email simon.dyer@infiniti-reading.co.uk

A UK car review magazine has reported Porsche is to reveal a stretched version of the stunning Panamera model.

CAR Magazine told its readers that a Panamera with an extended wheelbase of 150mm could be hitting the market in early 2012. The news comes soon after both diesel and hybrid Panamera’s were announced by the manufacturer.

In 2010, the vehicle scored a massive 73 points in The Chauffeur Car of the Year Awards – judged for its limo like qualities offering a luxurious ride to clients, the ‘XXL’ Panamera is likely to make the vehicle even more attractive to the industry.

Currenty starting at a shade under £60,000, it is unknown at what premium the LWB Panamera will be.