In a bid to stimulate demand for low carbon vehicles, transport secretary Philip Hammond today confirmed that, from January 2011, motorists will be entitled to a “Plug-In Car Grant” of up to £5000 when buying an electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell car on the proviso that the vehicle meets safety, reliability, performance and warranty standards as set by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles (OLEV).

This £5000 grant, however, will not be a “grant” as such. Rather, it will come in the form of a 25% discount from the list price of all eligible vehicles up to the value of £5000. To coincide, a “Plugged-In Places” initiative will be put into place which will allow for cities to bid for funding for the installation of appropriate infrastructures. So far, over 11,000 charging posts are to be installed in London, Milton Keynes and the North East with such areas as the West Midlands, Cornwall, Sheffield, Greater Manchester and Northern Ireland already confirmed as intending to bid.

Car manufacturers have been quick to voice their support for the scheme. Renault UK’s new Managing Director  Thierry Sybord says: “We’re convinced that our range of 100% electric cars and vans are going to appeal to a wide cross-section of private individual and business customers in their own right, with an exciting combination of innovation, style and technology. Now, with this financial incentive in place, their affordability and lower running costs make the financial argument for electric vehicles, compared to conventional fossil-fuelled vehicles, as compelling as their environmental one.

“As a result of this morning’s news, we are even more excited about encouraging as many people as possible to consider using electric vehicles to drive down vehicle emissions, or as we say here at Renault, ‘Drive the Change’.”

Meanwhile, Nissan have issued a gentle reminder that their zero emission Leaf model will go on sale in the UK in March 2011 and, taking into consideration the new government incentive, will be priced at around £23,990 (plus VAT). No tailpipe, they stress, means no emissions.

Nissan has chosen Bonita Norris – the youngest woman ever to climb Everest – to help them launch the new Nissan Juke compact crossover.

The 22-year-old was selected by Nissan due to her incredible personal achievements and natural sense of adventure. Nissan believe Everest adventurer Bonita perfectly demonstrates the quirky, outgoing nature that typifies the new innovative Juke crossover.

“I’m delighted to back the launch of Nissan Juke because I believe in backing British, and anything that creates jobs and pride for this country has my support.” comments Bonita Norris.

“Juke defies the stereotypes and breaks the mould, I can relate to that. I’m unconventional and I’ve got a spirit of adventure that drives me to do different things and this is what Juke represents”.

The new Nissan Juke officially goes on sale from 24th September but already more than 15,000 orders have been taken across Europe with 2,000 of them in the UK alone.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has some fantastic car leasing deals available on the new Nissan Juke with prices starting from just £154.95 + VAT per month.

The Nissan LEAF will have its world-exclusive preview from June 11-19, when nearly 500 people will experience the world’s first affordable, mass-produced, 100% zero-emissions electric car on their test-track in Oppama, Japan.

Nissan believe that their revolutionary new vehicle will usher in the beginnings of a whole new approach to motoring worldwide. With no tailpipe emissions, absolutely no CO2 or other harmful gasses are released during transit. However, given that electric and hybrid vehicles are also remarkably quieter than their internal-combustion counterparts, Nissan have also pointed out that the days of noise pollution may also be numbered.

Be that as it may, we are all now accustomed to the engine sounds of cars to the point that we have come to depend on them in the interests of personal safety. To “listen” is very much part of the green-cross code we’re all told as children. So, if we can’t hear the approach of electrical cars (or, if we’re listening out for a different noise) surely a very real practical problem is created?

To counter this, the new Nissan LEAF will come fitted with an “Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians” system; which is also set for inclusion in the Nissan Fuga hybrid as slated for release in autumn 2010. The system utilises a set of distinctive sounds which, whilst not distracting drivers and passengers within, will alert those outside to the vehicle’s approach.

Nissan studied the behaviour of the visually-impaired and worked with cognitive and acoustic psychologists in order to develop a sound which would ensure a positive experience for drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike. In operation, the Nissan LEAF is described as making a series of “sweeping, high-low sounds” depending upon the speed and status of the vehicle. The sounds have been specifically designed to be clearly audible across age groups; sweeping as it does from 2.5kHz at the high end to a low of 600Hz. However, Nissan have worked to avoid a sound range which will add unnecessary noise to the environment (circa 1,000Hz).

Nissan plans for the LEAF model to go on sale in the UK and Ireland in February 2011 with plans to begin mass-marketing in 2012.

For a limited time only Nationwide can offer the Nissan 350Z Coupe 3.5 V6 from just £329.95 plus vat per month on a 3 year contract or £349.95 plus vat over 2 years. Please note this is a limited stock offer so act quickly to secure this unbeatable deal. For further details click on the link below:

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Nissan will seek to build on the success of its X-Trail compact SUV when an all-new version is launched this summer, offering improved engines, more load space and enhanced off-roading capabilities.

The new model is built on the same platform as the Qashqai hatchback, the car which now adopts the role of Nissan’s “soft-roader”, allowing the X-Trail to become an altogether more purposeful vehicle, with a All-Mode active 4×4 drive system and hill-start and descent control functions. The new car islonger, with most of the extra psace investd in the load space, which adopts a new double-deck design.

The 2.5-itre four-cylinder petrol engine will be carried over from the current range, but re-engineered for more refined performance. It will be joined by a new lightweight 140hp two-litre petrol and new-to-the-range 150 and 173hp versions of Renault’s 2.0-litre turbodiesel. The X-Trail will offer a diesel automatic option for the first time, with a six-speed system available with the 110hp diesel engine. Elsewhere six-speed manual gearboxes are standard, with a CVT system option with the petrol units.

Specifications and prices are yet to be revealed, but all versions will be fitted with air conditioning, electric windows and Bluetooth connectivity.

Nissan Qashqai contract hire rates are now available for the full range. This is Nissan’s replacement for the old almera. Rather than a traditional family hatchback it looks more like a small 4×4. There is a choice of two and four-wheel drive and four engines – two diesel and two petrol. The engine range starts with a 1.6 litre 115bhp petrol and 1.5 dCi diesel developing 106bhp. A pair of petrol and diesel 2.0-litre engines develop 140bhp and 150bhp respectively. Five and six-speed manual transmissions, six-speed automatic and an advanced CVT gearbox are available.

Nissan is bridging the gap between conventional C segment hatchbacks, such as the Astra and Focus, and compact 4x4s with its new Qashqai. Described as a crossover model, it is larger than comparable hatches, but more compact than SUVs such as Nissan’s own X-Trail and the Toyota RAV4.

Qashqai is designed, engineered and built in Britain, from where it will be exported across Europe and also to the Middle East and Japan. Sales will start in February next year.

Four engines will be offered at launch: 115hp 1.6-litre and 140hp 2.0-litre petrol and 106hp 1.5 and 240hp 2.0-litre diesels. Both 2.0-litre engines will be offered with the option of a four-wheel drive system. Across the range five and six-speed manual, six-speed automatic and a CVT gearbox will be available.