You can’t really go wrong with leasing a Honda, with all the recent kafuffle with the countries economic state we found a rise in people looking to lease a Honda.  We can only put it down to the fantastic range they have, from the amazingly economical Insight Hybrid to the low insurance Jazz which makes a brilliant first car for anyone.  Throw all this in with the great reliability, you have the perfect mix for an ideal make to lease.

Having a Honda lease is actually good for us too, as 98% of the people who end up leasing and choosing a Honda always renew with another Honda!  So whether its 1 year, 2 years or even 3 we know we will have a happy customer at the end of the term, ready to jump straight back into another one. 

So if you are undecided about leasing, and our blog hasn’t convinced you why leasing is better than buying then try out a short term lease on a Honda – You just can’t go wrong.

Volkswagen have just uncovered their latest piece of engineering genius at the Frankfurt motor show! The new Golf R, it’s actually powered by the  266bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine that's in the Audi S3. It'll propel the four-wheel-drive Golf to 62mph in 5.5 seconds if you spec the DSG transmission, or 0.2 seconds slower if you'd prefer a manual ’box.

It seems VW are realising even though the industry is in recession, there is still a big demand for high powered sports models.  I’m sure we’ll see the R’ theme move into all the models with the Golf and Sirocco both having the super quick R models now in the the ranges.

If you are interested in founding out how much it would cost to lease a new Golf R – Then get in touch

Channel 4 have a great review of the new Mercedes .... on their site - Here is some of their findings, but you can read the full review on the link below

Overview

Facelift is too strong a word for the revised Mercedes M-Class. The big 4x4 is making do with the mildest of aesthetic revisions and a minor tweak for the V6 diesel models.

The biggest change is that the Sport trim has been set further apart from the SE trim, with more aggressive styling and huge 20" wheels, plenty of shiny metal work and a razor-effect front grille.

Four engines carry over, a 187bhp and 221bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a 302bhp twin turbo V8 diesel and two petrol's, a 5.5-litre and 6.2-litre V8. The old 3.5-litre V6 has been dropped.

Equipment increase across the range, but so does the price. The SE is now £250 more expensive while the Sport trim rockets by £2,500, but Mercedes says this more than covers the cost of the new kit.

The big ML news comes next year with the arrival of Mercedes' all-new hybrid power train, but for now is this 'facelift' enough in a struggling segment to take the battle to the BMW X5? More...

BMW is back with another rendition of its ActiveHybrid system—this time in its flagship 7-series—with the world debut of the BMW Concept 7-series ActiveHybrid in October at the 2008 Paris auto show.

The automaker pairs the car’s twin-turbo, direction-injection, 4.4-liter V-8 engine with an electric drive for what is known as a mild hybrid—meaning the car cannot operate on electricity alone. Rather, the electric motors reduce fuel consumption and emissions—BMW claims by 15 percent—through such means as an automatic start-stop function that turns the vehicle off when it otherwise would be idling.

The idea is to make the car more efficient without compromising performance. The conventional version of the new 2009 7-series with the V-8 offers 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque and BMW says that is not diminished—in fact, the 20-hp electric motor will boost acceleration. Combining the two powertrains should produce about 415 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque, we are told. Channeling the power is an eight-speed automatic transmission. More...

Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its iconic 911 range for the current model’s midlife facelift, but at the same time engineers have introduced a wide range of new technologies to keep the car up to date and competitive as the world's favourite luxury sports car.

Highlights of the update include all-new flat-six power units displacing 3.6 and 3.8-litres featuring direct-injection, and the option of the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission, both of which inprove performance and fuel economy.

At the moment the only models in the 911 range to receive the updates are the Carrera and Carrera S, both available in either coupe or cabriolet body styles. Updates for the other models, including the 911 Turbo, 911 GT3, and 911 GT3 RS , as well as the respective 911 Targa models, will come in the near future. More...

While it may be a little late to the dual-clutch party, in BMW's situation this may be a case of better-late-then-never. Before the year is out, BMW will be offering drivers of the 335i Coupé and 335i Convertible the option of a new seven-speed double-clutch sports automatic transmission,replacing the previous optional 6-speed Steptronic gearbox. The six-speed manual will remain as standard.

The new seven-speed transmission delivers faster acceleration than the six-speed manual, reduces fuel consumption and emissions and can be controlled via the gear selector or steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. As with other dual-clutch setups, the seven-speed double clutch transmission shifts without interrupting the drive from the engine to the rear axle, enhancing acceleration and shifting comfort.More...

At a time when fuel prices are on every one minds as well as the cost of road tax and all the other inflationary price rises, talk of pay as you go road usage has been met with guarded opinion.

The Government has reopened discussions on this subject with the view trialling black box technology in 100 vehicles in Leeds, Milton Keynes, Essex and South West London.

In principle, this would mean that drivers would pay on a weekly or monthly basis dependent on their movements which would be tracked by satellite. This concept alone has also been cause for concern.

Want to beat the rising costs of owning a car - consider leasing? Click Here.

Afla has announced the arrival of it's new small car the MiTo which aims to compete with other small cars like the Mini. It is a great looking car with looks inspired by the 8C Competitizione supercar withf eatures like a pronounced grille and oval headlights. At the rear, there are bold circular LED taillights that are circled with chrome.Based on the Fiat Grande Punto Platform which is  front wheel drive, so a Fiat influenced platform but very distinctly Alfa on top with the chic bodylines.

Alfa engineers have also equipped the car with a special electronic control system called DNA - Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather. This adjusts the responsiveness of the throttle, steering, brakes and gearbox for sporty, town and slippery conditions. This type of equipment has never been used on such a small car before.

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The MiTo also has the same four turbocharged units shared with Grande Punto and Bravo  which will include a 1.4 T-Jet petrol engine and the stunning 1.9 litre mutlijet diesel, with a more than modest 90-155bhp this should be sporty as well as good looking.

Mito will come in 3 and 5 door versions and there is even talk about a convertible and estate versions.  Making its first public debut at the end of June, the car will be seen officially at the Paris Motor Show in September, and arrive in UK dealers in January priced at around £12,000 which means we should see some of the first leasing deals come late September/Early October

Alfa Romeo Leasing Deals

Would it surprise anyone if a mid engine car won the Cannonball Run across Europe, not really. But it would if you said it was a 74bhp Smart Car.

The Union Jack liveried Smart Fortwo Brabus was driven by Essex duo Adrian Hull and David Ward. They actually beat a vast array of 6 figure value super cars and despite being overtaken by all and sundry they gained advantage by not having to stop for fuel as often as the rest.

The Smart Cars excellent fuel economy will be put to the test again later in the year at the Lands End to John O Grotes Challenge and of course automatic qualification into next years Cannonball Run.

Why not own you own Cannon Ball Run winning Smart Car?

1. Keep your car well serviced and check the oil level regularly.
Correctly maintained cars can operate more efficiently and help reduce Co2 emissions.
2. Check your tyre pressure every month.
Under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption by up to 4%.
3. Remove unnecessary weight from your boot or back seats.
The heavier the car, the harder the engine has to work and the more fuel it consumes.
4. Close your windows, especially at higher speeds, and remove empty roof racks. This will reduce wind resistance and can lower your fuel consumption and Co2 emissions by up to 10%.
5. Use air conditioning only when necessary.
Unnecessary use increases fuel consumption and Co2 emissions by up to 5%.
6. Start driving soon after starting the engine and turn off the engine when stationary for more than a few minutes.
Modern engines enable you to just get in and go, thus reducing fuel consumption.
7. Drive at reasonable speeds and above all, drive smoothly.
Every time you accelerate or brake suddenly, your engine uses more fuel and produces more Co2. Driving at 70 mph on the motorway can help improve mpg by up to 10%.
8. When accelerating, change up gears as early as possible.
Higher gears are more economical in terms of fuel consumption.
9. Try to anticipate traffic flow. Look at the traffic as far ahead as possible in order to avoid unnecessary stopping and starting within the flow of traffic.
10. Consider car sharing for work or leisure.