Most car adverts seem content to sell a lifestyle rather than a product. They’re not so much saying “buy this car” as “look how cool you’d look driving this car”.

Peugeot’s latest campaign, though, is a buck to this long-established trend. They are indeed saying “buy this car”, and they’re doing so through helpfully pointing out just how fun, exciting and joyful it is to buy a new car.

It’s called “Drive Away Happy”, and it’s a self-confessed reaction to a car market “awash with cut-price deals and overblown offers”. This campaign, though, is all about happiness. Peugeot want to make you happy.

And how? Well, have you heard of their “Just Add Fuel” scheme? It’s a way of streamlining the costs of running a car. It aggregates your insurance, servicing, warranty, road tax and assistance into one fixed monthly amount. All you need to worry about is fuel.

Both this and the Drive Away Happy campaign are being launched by way of a new 30 second TV advert.

It envisions a world made of paper and deploys stop-motion animation to demonstrate how a Peugeot avoids all the hassles associated with running a car.

A famous face in the form of Life on Mars/Dr. Who star John Simm is onboard to offer his priceless endorsement.

Says UK Marketing Director for Peugeot, Morgan Lecoupeur: “2012 is set to be a year of regeneration for the Peugeot brand with several exciting new product launches on the horizon including the world’s first diesel electric hybrid car and the hugely anticipated new 208.

“What better way to start than with an optimistic campaign that emphasises the positive emotions associated with driving a new car. In John Simm we have found a talented, credible and instantly recognisable personality and voice, and we look forward to working with him in 2012 as we move the Peugeot brand forward.”

With a January 23 premier, you may already have seen the advert by now. You may even already be sick of it.

If you need a car ASAP, you’ll love our latest Peugeot super stock savings with FREE metallic paint on selected models and prices starting from just £99.95 + VAT a month!

First up is a fantastic deal on the Peugeot 107 5 Door 1.0 Urban, in stock to lease from just £99.95 + VAT a month with FREE Metallic Paint in Zircon Grey or Electra Blue. Offering exceptional value for money without compromising on style or comfort, the Peugeot 107 is the ideal city car for buyers on a budget. Its nippy 1.0L 68bhp engine also averages a frugal 61.4 miles per gallon helping you save time and money at the fuel pumps!

The Peugeot 207 5 Door 1.4 Sportium is now in stock to lease from just £119.95 + VAT a month. With its sharp steering and impressive handling, the Peugeot 207 combines the style and charisma of a chic supermini with the driving dynamics of a hot hatchback. The Sportium model also comes well-equipped with DVD navigation system, Peugeot Connect USB/Bluetooth, rear parking aid, air conditioning and 15’’ alloy wheels as standard.

Finally the Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi Active is now available to lease from £154.95 + VAT a month with cars in stock for quick delivery. With its distinctive style, well-equipped interior and nippy engine range, the Peugeot 308is the ideal family hatchback for those who want to stand out amongst the crowd. Standard features on the 1.6 HDi Active model include Peugeot connect USB/Bluetooth, air conditioning, cruise control and 16’’ alloy wheels.

To take advantage of these Peugeot super stock savings, call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts 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.

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If you fancy yourself behind the wheel of a new car this Christmas but you’re on a strict budget, don’t miss these fantastic budget busting deals with cars in stock to lease from under £100 a month!

Until 30th November, we’ve got a great selection of stylish superminis and chic city cars, in stock to lease from as little as £79.95 + VAT a month.

First up is a great deal on the pre-registered 61 plate Hyundai i10 1.2 Active, in stock to lease from £99.95 + VAT a month. Arguably one of the most well-equipped city cars on the market, the Hyundai i10 now comes jam packed with body colour bumpers, air conditioning, electric front windows and USB connections as standard across the range.

Next up is the Citroen C1 3 Door 1.0i 68 VTR, in stock to lease from just £79.95 + VAT a month on a 2 year, 5000 mile contract. Offering a lot of car for not a lot of money, the new Citroën C1 is an affordable combination of style, practicality and fuel economy. Its nippy 1.0 engine also delivers a respectable 68bhp whilst achieving an unrivalled economy in its class with figures of 62.8MPG on average.

The all-new Chevrolet Spark 1.0i+ is now available to lease from just £99.95 + VAT a month with cars in stock for quick delivery. Compact on the outside but spacious on the inside, the new Chevrolet Spark is hard to beat when it comes to practicability, build-quality and clever design details. Capable of seating up to 5 adults comfortably, the Chevrolet Spark is also the ideal city car for trips out with friends or the family.

Next, is a great deal on the Kia Picanto 5 Door 1.0 1 available to lease from £99.95 + VAT a month. Boasting a new sporty look and generous specification including tinted glass, body coloured bumpers, electric front windows and Radio/CD with MP3 compatibility, the Kia Picanto offers exceptional value for money, making it the ideal city car for those watching the purse strings!

The new Nissan Micra 1.2 12V Visia 5 Door is now available to lease from just £99.95 + VAT a month with cars in stock for quick delivery. Boasting an all-new fun and quirky style, the latest generation Micra offers stress-free city driving thanks to its well-equipped interior and greener, more economical engine range.

Finally, the Peugeot 107 5 Door 1.0 Urban is now available to lease from just £99.95 + VAT a month with FREE Metallic Paint. With its nippy 1.0L 68bhp engine and frugal 61.4 miles per gallon, the Peugeot 107 is the ideal car for buyers on a budget, offering exceptional value for money without compromising on style. What’s more, cars are also in stock for quick delivery so you won’t have to wait to get behind the wheel of this fantastic city car!

To take advantage of one of these fantastic cheap car leasing deals, 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.

This is one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen.

Picture the scene – a young man in 1969 spellbound by the Apollo Mission to the moon and – perhaps secretly, perhaps overtly – subsequently harbouring a burning desire to go into space.

Then – more than 40 years later – his dream becomes a reality – he wins a Peugeot Spot 3008 competition to take a sub orbital space flight. Too good to be true – I’m pretty young, but I know for a fact that I’m now too old to go into space. Hywell Rigby of Surrey probably had to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming. That he was just one of over 14,000 entrants even suggests that he was somehow meant to go into space.

But then the dream was cruelly snatched away. By his wife, no less, who apparently has a policy of ensuring that her husband’s hopes and dreams never come to pass.

She has a fear of flying. So “out of respect for his wife”, who apparently “harboured doubts over him returning to terra firma in one piece”, he decided to “leave his dream as a dream”.

How utterly, utterly tragic, cruel and heartbreaking. Why should he give up his dreams? He’s not the one with the fear of flying, and his wife wouldn’t even have to go near the flying vessel. How inhumanly selfish of her to guilt-trip this poor man into foregoing his too-good-to-be-true prize.

“The opportunity to win a space flight immediately captured my imagination so it is with massive regret I pass up this opportunity,” said Hywell.

“My wife means the world to me and the last thing I would want is to cause her worry. The cash prize will enable us to re-decorate our home, have a nice holiday and even buy a new car. These are all things that benefit both of us, but I’m afraid it’s a triumph of pragmatism over dreams,” he added.

It’s not all bad news. In lieu of the space flight, he received a tasty £30,000.

If I were him I’d spend the lion’s share of that on a good divorce lawyer and endeavour to find somebody who understands my need to leave the planet.

But that’s just me.

Cabriolet fans will be pleased to hear that the all-new Peugeot 207 CC is now available to lease from Nationwide Vehicle Contracts with prices starting from just £220.95 + VAT a month.

Continuing Peugeot’s long heritage in coupe-cabriolet vehicles, the all-new Peugeot 207 CC promises to be even more stylish and exciting to drive than its predecessor.

Boasting a striking new style with redesigned front end, new LED rear light clusters and new body coloured protective trims, the all-new Peugeot 207 CC hopes to follow in trackmarks of the 207 hatchback by becoming a leader in its class with the introduction of two new model trims – Active & Allure.

The all-new Peugeot 207 CC is now available to lease from Nationwide Vehicle Contracts with prices starting from just £220.95 + VAT a month. Our best deal is on the Peugeot 207 CC 1.6 VTi Active. Standard features on this striking new model include:

• Sport Front Styling with Chrome Effect Grille
• Peugeot Connect USB with Bluetooth
• Radio/CD Player with Aux-Input
• Air Conditioning
• Front Fog Lights
• 16’’ Alloy Wheels

To find out more about the 2012 Peugeot 207 CC, 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.

Come Monday morning, Peugeot are going to be knackered: They’re taking part in both the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and the RAC Future Car Challenge.

And their entries are not just token “I’ll show my face, yeah?” affairs, either. No, they’re entering no less than 17 historic Peugeot vehicles into the Veteran Car Run; and three pairs of their latest “environmental” cars into the Future Car Challenge.

What cars? The all-electric iOn (pictured), the micro-hybrid 508 Saloon with e-HDi and the LHD 3008 Hybrid4 – the world’s first diesel electric hybrid!

See? They’re not just entering one event. All eyes are going to be on them! Theirs is a milestone in technological advancement.

With the RAC Future Car Challenge taking place on Saturday 5th and the Veteran Car Challenge taking place on the 6th, Peugeot are going to be exhausted come Monday morning.

Take it easy, guys, yeah?

You can now save up to £35 a month on selected Peugeot RCZ models when you lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts throughout November.

Originally designed as a concept car, the Peugeot RCZ has grown to become one of the most striking and popular compact sports coupes on the market, winning the Top Gear ‘Coupe of the Year’ award and the Auto Express ‘Special Design Award’ in 2010.

The latest generation model is also pretty impressive when it comes to power and performance with the 200 GT model packing out an impressive 156bhp, accelerating from 0-62mph in just 9 seconds, whilst still maintaining a respectable 38.6 MPG.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has reduced the monthly leasing rates across the Peugeot RCZ range with savings of up to £35 a month on selected models. One of our best deals is on the Peugeot RCZ 1.6 THP 156 GT, in stock to lease from just £249.95 + VAT. Standard features on this model include:

• Cruise Control + Speed Limiter
• Front & Rear Parking Aid
• Leather Upholstery
• Peugeot Connect with USB and Bluetooth
• Front Fog Lights
• Dual Climate Control
• 19″ Sortilege Alloy Wheels

To find out more about the Peugeot RCZ and to get an instant quotation on any model in the range, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and exclude VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

The Peugeot iON has won the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers inaugural “Electric Car of the Year” award.

The panel praised its “ease of use, realistic battery range and affordability”; some said that the iOn’s actual driving experience was not at all dissimilar to that of some petrol or diesel cars in its small car category. This was enough to give it a significant edge over its rivals.

John Murdoch, Chairman of the Association said: “The electric car category may be a new one for 2011, but there were no shortages of contenders for the coveted title.

“After many highly charged discussions, one car surged to the front of the national grid to impress us.

“The iOn’s ease of use, realistic battery range and affordability ensured it stood out, however it was its drive that stands comparison with any petrol or diesel-powered car in its class that flicked all our switches.”

Oh, John. Did you have to pepper your speech with so many puns?

Alan Nicolson, Peugeot Small Vehicles Product Manager, who collected the award, said: “It is positive news to hear that the Peugeot iOn is a deserving winner in Scotland. As a modern electric vehicle, we think it is an ideal choice for urban journeys.”

The iOn is available in the UK with an ‘all-inclusive’ mobility offer consisting of a four year contract.