When the entire furore over the new registrations last year died down, just before the second wave hits this year, and the “look-at-me-I’ve-got-a-new-reg” -ers have had their moment in the spotlight, reality sets in for the UK car industry.

In 2011, new car sales in the UK fell to 1.94m (4.4% down on 2010), the lowest total since 1994′s 1.91m.

But these figures don’t truly reflect the manufacturing state of the industry. 80% of cars built in the UK are exported, and these figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) are therefore more of a reflection of the British buying economy.

Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT, commented: “This [fall]  is what you would expect to see. Consumer demand is weaker, but at the same time we are seeing a strong performance in some key segments of the manufacturing economy.”

By that, I guess he means exports and fleet sales, boosted by hire cars and company cars. Consumer sales, in fact, actually fell by a whopping 14% fuelled by a lack of confidence in the economy, the VAT increase to 20%, the scrapping of the scrappage scheme and petrol prices.

Strong demand from China, the USA and India helped keep sales of Nissan, Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover afloat. and this is expected to continue throughout 2012. In fact, the SMMT expects the UK Industry to manufacture around 1.5m cars this year (up 5%) and 1.6m in 2013.

But Deloitte, the consultancy firm, expects a further decline in actual car sales in the UK to an actual figure around 1.84m as the economic crisis continues to bite around Europe.

So who do you believe? My money’s on the latter, but then my glass has always been half empty.

There were winners last year. No real surprise that the Ford Fiesta. a perennial favourite, was the best seller, but the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagon Golf and Vauxhall Astra also sold well.

And worldwide, VW sold a record 5.1m, with Europe and China contributing 3.4m  of that. In fact, China’s overall ‘car consumption’ grew by 13.8%, especially in the luxury car market, with Daimler having a great year in the Far East market. Just think what the figures would have been without that! And surprisingly, considering the state of the US economy, VW sales there grew by over 26% (a possible head in the sand syndrome?) as well as more than expected in India.

So not all good news, and not all bad news. But there is no escaping from the fact that 2012 is going to be a tough year for the car industry as a whole.

Fasten those seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is pleased to offer reduced rentals on the stunning Jaguar XF with savings of up to £30 a month on selected models.

Contemporary, individual and expertly crafted, the new Jaguar XF effortlessly fuses sports car styling with the refinement and luxury of an executive saloon.

Under the bonnet, the Jaguar XF also doesn’t disappoint when it comes to power and performance, with the top-of-the-range 5.0 Litre V8 supercharged engine delivering 510PS, accelerating from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds.

You can now save up to a further £30 a month when you lease selected Jaguar XF models with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts throughout January.

One of our best deals is on the Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel SE Auto, in stock to lease from just £339.95 + VAT a month. This superb model comes well-equipped with the following features as standard:

• Bluetooth Telephone Connectivity

• Rear Parking Sensor

• Auxiliary Input Socket

• Dual Zone Climate Control

• Bi-Xenon Headlights with LED Day Running Lights

• Bond Grain Leather/Suede Cloth Upholstery

• Cruise Control + Speed Limiter

• 17″ Libra Alloy Wheels

To view our latest Jaguar promotions and to get an instant quotation on any model in the XF range, 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!

People always go on about how depressing January is, but I’ve always felt February to be much worse. Gone is the optimism of the new year; only to be replaced by potential heartbreak two weeks in.

Trust Beaulieu, though, to offer salvation in the form of Things To Do.

It’s called February Fun; and if you’re anything like me, you’ve been sold on the name alone. God, I love alliteration.

So what’s going on? How about James Bond? That do anything for you?

Bond in Motion showcases 50 original vehicles from the James Bond franchise. It’s the largest exhibition of its kind ever to be staged anywhere in the world, featuring some of the best-loved and most iconic vehicles from the films.

What vehicles? Only the Lotus Esprit S1, affectionately nicknamed ‘Wet Nellie’ from The Spy Who Loved Me; and the Rolls-Royce Phantom III used in Goldfinger.

And you can follow a special trail around the exhibition and “exercise your code-cracking skills” (yes please!) for the chance to win a Bond goody bag! Then you can have your picture taken in a genuine Bond vehicle – GOD I wish I lived closer.

There’s also an Army Commando course care of the Marchwood based 17 Port & Maritime Regiment. There you can kit yourself out in army camouflage before joining real soldiers on a patrol exercise, have fun on an inflatable assault course and – dear lord! – test your aim on a Laser Shotgun Range!

Not forgetting the National Motor Museum, which boasts over 250 vehicles and the World of Top Gear!

And the “On Screen Cars” exhibition! New for 2012, it showcases a number of TV and film favourites such as Del Boy’s iconic Reliant Regal from Only Fools and Horses, Mr Bean’s Lime green Mini and – ho yes – Chitty. Chitty. Bang Bang.

Why not? It sounds incredible, doesn’t it?

Jaguar has been in the car making business for quite some time. Crafting exquisite luxury vehicles, they make some of the greatest models on the planet. Of these the Jaguar XF shines the brightest, providing its driver with incredible power and class.

Divided between the XF SE, XF Luxury, XF Premium Luxury, XF Portfolio, XFR, XF Diesel S as well as the XF 2.2 Diesel, each vehicle comes with the very finest of exteriors. The newest models come with strong aerodynamic packs that have enhanced front, rear as well as side panels. Coming with intelligent front lighting as well as Jaguar’s signature blade formation design, the vehicle is made to be the perfect-driving machine.

Moving to the inside, all of the Jaguar XF models have very user-friendly dashboard. Offering style and substance, everything from the versatile steering wheel to the seating options are made with comfort in mind. Made to be visually intuitive, the driver will have full control of their vehicle using a 7” colour-screen display. Coming with Jaguarvoice option, the vehicles system integrates perfectly with Bluetooth technology, hard disk navigation, and even television. Not to be underestimated, each XF model also comes with a very large luggage compartment that has semi-rigged rubber liner as well as a stainless steel finisher.

The Jaguar XF’s engine specifications are made to impress. Offering a range from 2.2-litre Diesel to 5.0-litre V8 Petrol supercharged engines, each is made for a specific kind of driver. Not surprisingly, such a selection produce between 190 bhp to a whopping 510 bhp, offering unprecedented control of your speed and power. Furthermore, the fuel consumption in the V6 models is around 44 mpg while the upper end modes use up to 22.5 mpg.

Of course a Jaguar wouldn’t be a Jaguar if it didn’t drive well. Optimized with the latest technology to offer you a smooth ride, the XF comes with Jaguar sequential shift technology. Those that select the vehicle will be treated to intelligent stop/start technology as well as a Dynamic stability control system that is second to none.

You can now take advantage of some fantastic offers on the Jaguar XF when you lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts. Prices start from just £349.95 + VAT a month for the Jaguar XF 2.2D SE Auto.

To view the full Jaguar XF range and to get an instant quotation on any model, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts 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.

If you’ve always fancied yourself behind the wheel of a Jaguar, don’t miss out on this fantastic deal one-off stock deal on the stunning Jaguar XF.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has managed to get hold of ONE Jaguar XF 2.2D Luxury Auto in Polaris White, available to lease from just £379.95 + VAT a month on a 4 year contract.

With its striking new style, revised front lights, fascia and reshaped bumper, the Jaguar XF is hard to beat when it comes to luxury, style and performance.

The recently revised 2.2D engine offers impressive fuel efficiency without compromising on performance.

The Jaguar XF 2.2D Luxury Auto model is also one of the most well-equipped luxury saloon’s on the market, Just take a look at what’s offered as standard on the above model:

• Bluetooth telephone connectivity
• Navigation system with HDD mapping
• Rear parking sensor
• Bi-Xenon headlights with LED day running lights
• Bond Grain leather upholstery
• Dual zone climate control

We expect this superb model to be snapped up quickly so if you’re interested you’d best be quick!

To find out more about this fantastic Jaguar car leasing offer, 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.

Well, if you built a car which would go on to travel 2,884 miles across 11 states and three time zones whilst achieving an average economy figure of 62.9mpg, you’d want to tell people about it, wouldn’t you? And what’s the best way to tell such a story? Why, through the medium of film, surely!

Jaguar have made a short film about their XF 2.2 model which achieved precisely the above journey – attracting hundreds of comments and followers as it went – for the entire journey was covered by Senior Press Officer Faye Goldstraw. She provided live updates on the progress of the trip from the support vehicle following the XF.

The film is ultimately inspirational, as what you see is – quite literally – what you get. The XF  driven in the film is the entirely standard, UK-registered right-hand model – exactly the type you can buy yourself! Yes, you!

You too can drive that car which performed so faultlessly or – perhaps a little more possible at this juncture – you can watch the film in question by clicking here.

Enjoy!

If there was a car manufacturer that embodied comfort and class it would most certainly be Jaguar. Quintessentially British and a luxury car brand at the peak of its European engineering, Jaguar offers a products like no other…  and the Jaguar XF is no exception, dominating the market with its powerful looks and performance.

Replacing the S type in 2007, the Jaguar XF has turned more than a few heads since its launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show. While the original was called the C-XF and differed in design, one can clearly see how the concept turned into the modern creation. It’s design was originally created by the famous Jaguar design direction Ian Callum who made tremendous changes to the design, crafting a vehicle that has never been seen before or since.

The Jaguar XF is available in a range of different trim models depending on what you’re interested in. The most notable are the Luxury, Premium Luxury, Portfolio, SV8 (Supercharged) as well as the XFR. There has even been an Executive Edition created for the UK market, meant to be used as a company car.

Each of these vehicles ranges in engine size, from V6 2.7 in the Luxury to the V8 6L supercharged XFR. Depending on what you want you want, the engine power can range from 235 bhp to a whopping 625 bph engine in the supercharged version. Of all these, however, the more modest Luxury model with its V6 engine has been the most popular, offering the best bang for your buck.

In terms of design, the front and nose incorporate an oval mesh grill that makes this car stand out form the herd. It is a variation on a theme created in the XJ 1968, the blood is toped off with a leaping Jaguar logo that make the chromed blade shine. The cars body has also been developed around the Computational Fluid Dynamic system in order to give it the optimum aerodynamic efficiency.

The audio equipment in the car makes it comparable with the best out there. The standard system comes with a 140 watt eight-speaker set and can even have a few added features including a subwoofer. This can also be upgraded to a 320 Alphine stereo system or even have the famed British amp design Bower and Wilkins implement their 14-speaker system within it.

James May from Top Gear has commented that it is the ‘best value for money’ when compared to the famed BMW 5-series. Jeremy Clarkson has remarked that the XFR version of the vehicle is even as good as the M5 BMW!

Throughout November, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has some fantastic offers available across the Jaguar XF range with prices starting from just £359.95 + VAT  a month for the Jaguar XF 2.2D SE Auto. Standard features on this model include cruise control, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, bi-xenon headlights and 17” alloy wheels.

To find out more about the Jaguar XF, 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.

Jaguar was forced to recall over 18,000 cars recently due to a potentially dangerous fault with the cruise control settings on the car putting drivers at risk. The fear is that the cars’ cruise controls cannot be switched off once they have been turned on, meaning that the speed is essentially locked with obvious dangers following such a malfunction.

Jaguar’s official statement says that the cruise control in some of the vehicles “may not respond to normal inputs” and the problem, which only affects some not all of the vehicles, has been seen in diesel engined X – type models which were produced between 2006 and 2010.

Jaguar has sent letters to the customers who could be affected explaining the situation and also explaining that if the cruise control does lock it can be cancelled by switching off the ignition. Essentially it’s the failsafe ‘switch it off, then switch it back on again’ approach you apply to your computer or TV but with the added element that it might not be so easy to achieve when shooting down the motorway. Although its strangely comforting the think that even with something as mechanically advanced as a modern day car when problems arrive such a simple resolution is the answer.

A Jaguar spokesperson pointed out that the problem was noticed by one of their employees and although a total of 17,678 Jaguar X – types have been recalled to analyse and resolve the problem no customer has been affected by the problem and there have been absolutely no accident or injuries.