The dynamic Ford Tourneo Custom Concept promises a new level of energy and style and marks the beginning of a completely new range of people movers, with commercial vehicles to follow. The Tourneo Custom Concept showcases a dramatic new look that will appeal to customers seeking style, functionality and space according to the manufacturer.

“One look at the Tourneo Custom Concept is enough to tell you that it will inject an exciting new spirit into the personal use segment,” said Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe.  “Our forthcoming new range gives us the opportunity to appeal to new customers with a fresh new direction, and we have seized that opportunity with both hands.

“We are excited to present this significant new concept in Geneva. The Tourneo Custom’s car-like qualities will be appreciated by a broad range of business and leisure customers, and this is a fitting venue to present the vehicle for the first time.”

The Tourneo Custom Concept will preview a host of exciting new features, which give the vehicle strong car-like appeal.

These include an all-new interior design with driver-focused cockpit, and a luxurious, fully trimmed cabin which has the ambience and high-quality materials of a modern multi-seat saloon car. The Concept also showcases a number of smart innovations including multi-adjustable and removable rear seating, advanced SYNC voice-activated, in-car connectivity system and the latest Ford low-CO2 ECOnetic Technologies.

Royale Limo based in Haverhill, Massachusetts revealed its prototype of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid stretch to visitors at the LCT Show which was held on 13-15 February 2012. Large limousine operator, Dennis Adams from Celebrity Limousines (pictured) is the first lucky owner, following the signing of a deal for five MKZ’s when it goes into production.

The company also showed its version of the MKT Limousine which boasts an all-wheel-drive 300hp, V6 3.7 litre engine. The specially engineered heavy-duty limousine chassis can be stretched by up to 120 inches while retaining the standard all-wheel drive capability to ensure a new MKT limousine satisfies operators in all weathers.

Steve Edelmann from Royale Limos gives TheChauffeur.com a breakdown of the other exciting launches and vehicles on show during the event.

Steve Edelmann, Royale Limos.

It seems the resistance to the MKT is softening and it’s gaining acceptance within the industry. Visitors seem to love the technology including navigation, reverse camera, blind side sensors, bluetooth, SYNC, AWD and much more. The MKT is expected by coachbuilders in mid March 2012 and can be stretched 44”, 70″, 80″ and 120″ by QVM Builders.

The Cadillac XTS is beautiful with more space than expected in the boot, but somewhat lacking in the width and headroom. The XTS is expected at the end of August and can be stretched up to 70″ by Cadillac Master Coachbuilders.

Chrysler’s newly redesigned 300 had attendees flocking to their booth to admire it’s stylish grill and front end, along with great boot space, 30mpg and a $32,000. USD price tag. Chrysler is also offering a 3yr/150,000 warranty to the Livery Industry in the US.

BMW had attendees extremely excited with their 535i Gran Turismo loaded with options (including 4yr/50,000 maintenance) for $49,850 USD. The Mercedes Sprinter was also very popular due to its fuel economy, uni-body construction, computerised braking system and extremely desirable emblem.

Overall, it was a great event for the whole industry, and Royale enjoyed meeting our current customers as well as new ones.”

Steve Edelmann – Royale Limos.

Browns Chauffeur Hire, which has been operating in London’s West End since 1980, recently added to its 60 strong fleet with the arrival of six more Jaguar XJL’s, with the company claiming it’s the largest supplier of the new XJ in the country. The company has a strong history with the Jaguar brand as well as operating a number of Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series vehicles to service clients such as The Ritz, The Four Seasons and The Metropolitan Hotels in the city.

Christopher Panayiotou from the company told TheChauffeur.com; “We have chosen the Jaguar XJ for two reasons. The first being they are a popular British vehicle for people travelling to the UK and secondly, it’s a really good looking car and has everything you need from a luxury vehicle, style, comfort and class.”

He added; “The XJ is an excellent car but so is the S-Class which is still the most requested luxury vehicle we have. This deal means a lot to us as we are now able to offer our service to more hotels that require the Jaguar as their standard vehicle.’

Find out more about the Jaguar Chauffeur Programme here

Licensing officers from Milton Keynes Council has issued the warning with the aim of driving illegal firms out of business during the busy season.

A spokesperson told Milton Keynes News; “Many of the rogue companies will offer a huge reduction in costs and normally work cash only. But don’t put yourself in danger, please check that the stretch limo company is a genuine, professional licensed operation.”

The council is advising potential users of stretch limousines to check with the licensing team or VOSA to confirm whether the company, drivers and vehicles are legally licensed.

The main feature of the Volvo Chauffeur Programme is a three year 120,000 mile extended warranty which takes into account the significant mileages chauffeur companies cover each year. Vehicles which fall under the ‘chauffeur’ category are the S60, V60, V70, S80 and XC90 models.

Chauffeurs will benefit from free metallic paint on every vehicle and a range of purchasing and finance options. The S80 will be priced at £369 +VAT on a Business Contract Hire agreement.

Selwyn Cooper from Volvo Car UK commented; “Volvo is at the forefront of the chauffeur market with its ground breaking relationship with Tristar Worldwide who service the Virgin Airways’ Upper Class chauffeur contract.”

He added; “The Volvo S80 and V70 are the most utilised vehicles in the chauffeur market due to their generous rear legroom, high level of interior comfort and large boot space. We believe this package will help us grow our share of this market.”

Next on the list for chauffeur companies to look forward to is the introduction of Volvo’s new V60 Plug-In Hybrid. With a host of Volvo’s latest technology fitted as standard, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid offers 49g CO2 and a range of up to 621 miles when in Hybrid mode. Volvo will be adding this to its chauffeur programme later this year.

Firms said the security measures are not needed as they have a list of known clients.

A city council report said “lucrative contracts may be lost” and no complaints had been made over the city’s 37 chauffeur licences.

Nathan Thomas, who runs Headington’s Hilltop Chauffeurs, said: “I’m private hire but I’m not like your Saturday night taxi.

“One hundred per cent of our clients are account customers, it is all corporate.”

He said: “My clients say they wouldn’t get in my car if they have cameras in them.”

The rules would still affect 521 private-hire vehicles, which can only be pre-booked and 107 Hackney Carriages, which can be flagged down.

Nick Pickles, director of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “The message from Oxford council seems to be people with chauffeur-driven cars are entitled to privacy but ordinary folk using taxis are not.”

He said: “Forget tinkering around the edges, the whole policy should be scrapped.”

The council’s general purposes licensing committee is expected to approve the exemption on Wednesday, February 22.

Committee chairman Clark Brundin said of chauffeurs: “The passengers and drivers are known in advance so the kind of reasons that need the audio visual recording equipment for security purposes are not there.”

Source. Oxford Mail.

It confirmed the dedicated London Taxi and Private Hire Compliance Night Team will more than double in size to meet the increasing demands of dealing with the effects of the night time economy. A further nine dedicated night time compliance officers will be recruited, increasing the size of the team to 16 members of staff.

The teams focus on ensuring that taxi and private hire licensees work within conditions of their licence. This includes ensuring that private hire operators, particularly those licensed within a venue, are taking bookings correctly and keeping accurate records. The team also works closely with the police to tackle illegal touting.

They will be deployed across London every night of the week, with a particular focus on weekends, to compliment the activity undertaken by the regular compliance team. The night team work with an emphasis on intelligence-led activity in response to specific concerns from the taxi and private hire trades.

As well as ensuring operators are working legally, the compliance team conduct on-street vehicle and driver checks, taxi rank inspections and participate in multi-agency operations in support of TfL’s Safer Travel team.

Helen Chapman, Deputy Director of London Taxi and Private Hire, said: “I have recently assumed temporary responsibility for the compliance team and am delighted to have secured further resources to bolster this team. They do an excellent job and are out there every night to check that licensees, particularly operators within venues, are playing by the rules, working with other agencies to tackle touting and ensuring that drivers and vehicles are safe to carry passengers.”

John Mason, Director of London Taxi and Private Hire, said: “Introducing a permanent dedicated night team in May 2011 has proven very successful. However it quickly became clear that further resources were needed to carry out this important work. When we are ready to recruit a new Head of Compliance I feel satisfied that they will be able to join an already established team all working in the same direction and with the right tools to do the job”.

“We made a successful start to the new year, selling more BMW brand vehicles than ever before in the month of January. The BMW Group reported strong sales gains in the Asian and North American markets, among others,” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing.

The BMW Group made strong gains in a number of markets, including North America and virtually all of the Asian markets, in January. In Asia, deliveries climbed 25.6% to 36,422 (prev. yr. 29,006) vehicles.

The dynamic growth also continued in China, the BMW Group’s third-largest market last year: A total of 26,505 (prev. yr. 20,308) vehicles were sold there last month – an increase of 30.5%. Other Asian markets, such as Japan (2,731/+22.9%) and South Korea (2,100/+12.9%), also reported significant rates of growth.

The combined entity further enhances Tristar’s leadership position in the meetings and roadshow segments while providing an enhanced platform for the growth and diversification of Tristar’s business globally.

Mike Fogarty, CEO of Tristar U.S., said, “We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of M7, as Tristar continues to gain market share and expand its presence in North America.” He concluded, “M7 brings a commitment to excellence with service delivered by highly trained professionals that mirrors our own. We are honored to welcome the M7 team to the Tristar family, which now numbers more than 110 in the United States.”

Marc Shpilner, President and CEO of M7 Transportation, said: “We are excited to make this announcement with Tristar.” “By joining a true global transportation company, M7 has the expanded ability to provide our clients with exemplary localized service around the world and expanded career opportunities for our team members who helped make M7 what is today”.

Dean De Beer, Chief Executive Tristar Worldwide.

”This acquisition affords us excellent opportunities for growth,” said Dean De Beer, Tristar’s Chief Executive who is based in Tristar world headquarters in London. “In addition to the expanded presence in the U.S., it also provides us with a more balanced global business” He concluded, “We are delighted to welcome in M7 Transportation, as another important step in building the Tristar brand worldwide.”

Sooty Edwards from Haddenham, Buckinghamshire has apparently been operating ‘Skooters’ without a private hire licence and was fined £2,700 and ordered to pay £3,493 of costs recently. The company was caught following a successful operation involving officers from the local authority, Cambridgeshire Police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

Elizabeth Bailey, Principal Environmental Health Officer said: “The last thing anyone wants to do when they are arranging an event or a special day out is worry about the safety of the driver or vehicle. In our recent case against the company Skooters,  the vehicle, driver and company were all unlicensed, and despite repeated requests to become licensed, the owner failed to act on our advice, and carried on operating.”

Image: Cambridge News

She added; “We hope this recent case is a warning to any operator who thinks they can cut corners and not licence themselves and their vehicles, and reminds local residents to ask the right questions of their private hire company.”

Cambridge News has reported that in January 2010, Edwards and his son Kristian, who was 21 at the time, were handed suspended prison sentences after they set themselves up as cigarette smugglers.

The father-and-son duo had claimed they brought in 500,000 contraband cigarettes to raise funds to buy a bigger stake in Cambridge United FC for supporters, but they were convicted of evading £87,000 in duty.

Sooty was given a six-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work – the maximum amount that can be imposed. Kristian was given three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to do 150 hours of work in the community.