Category: Auto News

The winning formula of the BMW 5 Series

The BMW 5 Series is one of the German brand’s strongest and longest running sales successes, with numerous models sold over several decades to both the private and the fleet markets. At the top of the 5 Series tree sits the mighty M5, but there is plenty to enjoy in the 5 Series range all the way up to their fast and furious M5 halo car, with particular focus these days on powerful yet efficient turbo diesel powered models designed to attract company car users. And attract they do, like these 5 Series cars from Listers.

In the more recent years of BMW sales, the firm has rightly concentrated to a large part on designing, developing and building 5 Series models that they can proactively sell to the fleet market. The fleet market for cars is critical to any mass market manufacturer as when economic times are tough and private consumers are keeping their cash tucked away in the banks, it’s fleet sales that can help keep a company nice and buoyant. Sure, even fleet sales will suffer when the economy is struggling, but much less so than private sales. So, the big manufacturers need a good range of fleet satisfying models and BMW’s 5 Series is one model that has seriously satisfied fleet drivers and fleet managers over the years.

The fleet manager’s budget and the CO2 emissions of their potential fleet cars – the higher the emissions the higher that tax demand will be – will determine which cars the staff end up driving, but thanks to BMW’s engineering prowess, budgets can now stretch further. Even a relatively big car like the 5 Series can be enjoyed by more fleet drivers because the manufacturer has worked very hard in recent years on driving down the emissions of their cars; big and small.

The 5 Series model, the 520d, is a good example – it’s a big car, with a small appetite for fuel. Up until just a few years ago, a big car like the 5 Series would’ve needed a fairly large and fairly thirsty engine to haul it along, and that would make it a high tax polluter. But, with BMW’s recent work on smaller, high output engines, like their now famous 2-litre turbo diesel motors, big cars can now be successfully and enjoyably powered by these smaller, lower emitting engines. And that’s great for fleet drivers who can now enjoy a large and comfortable car like the 5 Series, without having to part with a similarly large, but far less comfortable, company car tax payment every month.

This is one of the main reasons for the strength and success of BMW 5 Series sales; frugal yet powerful diesel engines with lower emissions taxation, but still fast enough for fun when the working day is done. Couple these modern, tax-friendly engines to a sublime rear-wheel drive chassis, fast and direct steering and comfortable yet sporty feeling steering, and you’re starting to get a pretty impressive recipe for sales success. All the 5 Series needs now is a brand badge to be proud of, a large and comfortable and well specified interior space, and some of the most understatedly stunning styling of any executive cruiser on the market today. With all of this, it’s soon pretty obvious as to why the BMW 5 Series continues to sell and sell, year after year.

Adventure biking is huge right now. From a scene that didn’t really exist a few years ago – by name, at least – to one of the fastest growing segments of the new motorcycle market, adventure biking is bringing the fun, and err, adventure back into motorcycling. Yamaha make some great adventure bikes, and here are three of them.

Yamaha XT660R
At the more affordable end of the Yamaha range of adventure motorcycles is the XT660R; a rough, tough trail bike that’ll chew up the dirt trails on Sunday, as well as the traffic-packed commute on Monday.

Yamaha have long been making their XT range of bikes, and to a very simple and effective recipe – tall, tough and torquey – perfect for flinging the mud and filing through the city streets.

The XT660R features long travel suspension that’ll make mincemeat of potholes and dirt trails, and a 660cc single cylinder, fuel injected engine that’s all about hard-hitting torque from right at the bottom of the rev range. This big-single-piston torque means instant throttle response; perfect for pulling through a deep mud bog, or for firing off the traffic lights leaving the rest of the world far behind.

If you’re looking for a hard-working, fun-loving motorcycle that’s a little bit scary to small children, the XT660R is one of the best around, especially if most of your time is spent threading through packed city traffic. However, if you do hanker after some filthy fun on the muddy trail, the 660R is well up for that too. Start your adventure journey at P&H Motorcycles.

Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré

The Yamaha XT range became fully involved with the recent launch of the XT660Z Ténéré; a stunning looking dirt bike with a difference. From the same stable as the XT660R, the Ténéré takes the tough and utilitarian 660R and adds top quality, high performance components for a truly go anywhere motorbike with attitude.

Whilst the Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré is a motorcycle built for function over form, only a rider with too much mud in their eyes would complain that this is not a ruggedly handsome motorcycle. And while adventure is all about discovering new places and enjoying new experiences, there’s nothing wrong with looking good while you do it, right?

Again we see a thumping 660cc single cylinder engine, this time wrapped up in more adventure-focused bodywork and accessories, including a well-padded duel seat, long-travel suspension, crash protectors and large, 23-litre fuel tank for big distances between fuel stops. Useful if you’re in the middle of nowhere!

Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Time for the big daddy for Yamaha adventure bikes now; the magnificent XT1200Z Super Ténéré, and as the name suggests, this bike has got the real deal skills to cross continents, rocky rivers and roaming ravines.

The Super Ténéré begins with a mighty 1200cc, parallel twin-cylinder engine, that’s built for bottomless torque and terrific throttle response. Should you come across a house on your travels, simply crack the throttle, hoist the front end and ride over it!

Massive adjustable front forks and a long-travel high performance rear shock take care of the suspension business, while the latest in rider aiding electronics helps with keeping fatigue from huge daily distances to a minimum. So does a deep and comfy saddle. The rest of the Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré is made of the tough stuff to keep it running in the most extreme of conditions, even if you are up to your knees in icy cold river water, somewhere in Africa.

The Nissan Qashqai crossover has been a great sales success for the Japanese manufacturer, with frugal families and company car drivers alike searching out the quirkily-styled mini SUV in large numbers. So, what’s the Qashqai’s trick behind its sales success? Here’s a guide to the Qashqai’s highlights.

Family friendly
The Nissan Qashqai is a crossover-style car – one that’s based on a regular-size hatchback chassis, but with a taller body for greater interior space – and with the Qashqai, Nissan pretty much cornered this part of the car market.

Families were looking for something with a bit more size and a touch more road presence, but without trading up to a full-size SUV with all the extra price and fuel costs that these much larger, usually four-wheel drive vehicles can attract. So, with the Qashqai, you get near to the size of an SUV, but with front-wheel drive fuel consumption that is as good, or nearly as good, as your average family hatchback. But with that welcome extra space for a travelling family’s luggage.

Fuel friendly
Nissan quickly saw that they were onto a winner with the Qashqai, so they have been focusing every revision of the car’s specification to suit the core buyers. So, with every new Qashqai model, we see an improvement on the already impressive fuel economy, as well as options like two extra occasional seats in the boot area, for when there are extra kids to pick up from school, for example. These occasional seats can be quickly and easily stowed into the boot floor when not in use, to return the Qashqai’s good-size boot to its original volume.

Road friendly
The Nissan Qashqai is one of those cars that’s just so easy to drive, and that appeals to families and company car drivers who cover a lot of road miles every year. It’s relatively small – about as big as hatchback – but thanks to its taller roof and slightly raised suspension, Qashqai drivers get a better view of the road ahead, thanks to this raised driving position. This extra view of what’s going on ahead can take some of the stress and hard work out of longer journeys, especially if there are traffic jams and incidents to deal with.

Pocket friendly
Not only does the Qashqai come with Nissan’s latest range of fuel efficient petrol and diesel engines – including stop and start functions to cut the engine when it’s not needed; at traffic lights, for example, it’s also holding its value quite well on the used car market. However, buying a nearly new used Qashqai is a great idea for families on a budget as they won’t suffer the depreciation of a brand new car, and the general servicing costs are at the more affordable end of the pricing scale too. Why not take a look at used Nissan Qashqai prices to see if they fit your buying budget?

Environmentally friendly
Good fuel consumption not only has a positive effect on the pocket, it also helps the environment by polluting less, and the Qashqai’s more fuel efficiency focused engines are in there with the very best in terms of carbon dioxide output. Why not measure up the Qashqai’s emissions with those of a similar-sized hatchback? You could be surprised to see that the Nissan does very well for a bigger car.