One of the most hotly anticipated events in the automotive calendar, the Paris Motor Show, kicks off again this week providing the perfect showcase to gain a glimpse of what new cars will shortly be making their way to the UK.
And this year’s show looks set to be bigger than ever.
Here we’ve highlighted the key cars for the company car world that are set to be unveiled at the show and what we know so far.
Parkers will be there as the event unfolds, so make sure you keep checking back with us to keep up to date with all the news and new product unveilings through our live coverage here.
Jaguar XE
According to research from Sewells Research and Insight, the Jaguar XE is one of the most eagerly anticipated company cars of the year with almost half of drivers questioned saying they would ‘definitely consider’ the new XE with 1 in 10 already stating it is going to be their first choice of company car.
When combined with Jaguar’s most efficient all-new diesel engine, the XE saloon is capable of emitting just 99g/km of CO2 meaning a BIK tax band of 17 percent for the 2015/16 tax year.
The all-new premium saloon from Jaguar also features smart phone connectivity and a range of apps that drivers can download to their smartphone to use in their car including sat nav, parking information and news.
The Jaguar XE is expected to go on sale starting from £27,000 in 2015 but final specifications and trim levels are yet to be confirmed.
To find out more on the new Jaguar XE click here.
Lexus NX
This is Lexus’s new premium mid-size crossover and key rival to the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Range Rover Evoque. Available as a hybrid or with a newly developed 2.0-litre petrol turbo which will go on sale early 2015, Lexus believes the hybrid will be the most popular here in the UK, especially with company car drivers with CO2 emissions of 116g/km meaning a BIK tax band of 19 percent for the current tax year.
The new Lexus NX will launch with a whole host of optional new kit including a wireless charging system for your smartphone, an all-new touchpad multimedia system and safety systems like blind spot monitoring and head up display.
To find out more read our full review of the new Lexus NX here.
Skoda Fabia
The third-generation Skoda Fabia is not only longer and larger than the model it replaces it’s also more efficient than ever before with up to a 17 percent improvement on fuel efficiency across the range.
Set to go on sale in early in 2015, the most efficient Fabia will be capable of averaging more than 91mpg with CO2 emissions of less than 80g/km which will mean a 16 percent BIK tax band for the 2015/16 tax year.
The new Fabia boasts many of the practical features we have come to expect from Skoda including a smartphone holder, ice scraper in the filler cap, parking ticket holder, rubbish bin for the side door and storage nets on the inner edges of the front seats. The boot is bigger boot too and the new Fabia is also the first Skoda to feature MirrorLink technology which allows smartphone apps to be displayed on the screen of the infotainment system.
To find out more on the new Skoda Fabia click here.
Volvo XC90
The XC90 is new from the ground up this year and is longer, wider and lower than the model it replaces.
Available now with seven seats as standard, the new XC90 is set to go on sale shortly after the show and offers CO2 emissions as low as 60g/km.
Company car drivers can choose between all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or petrol-hybrid versions and all engines will be mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
There will be three trim levels to choose from, Momentum, R-Design and Inscription and among the big changes inside is a new centre console which features the latest connectivity technology including internet-access, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto systems
First deliveries of the XC90 will be in May next year with prices expected to be between £40-60,000.
To find out more on the new Volvo XC90 click here.
New Ford S-Max
Ford’s S-MAX people carrier is all-new for 2015 and boasts a range of new practical features and economical engines.
Crucially for company car drivers CO2 emissions for diesel engines have been reduced across the range by a predicted seven percent. Not only that but the latest design tweaks give the car a fresh and modern look too.
Among the new technology launched in the S-Max is SYNC 2, Ford’s latest generation multimedia system which enables drivers to operate phone, entertainment, climate and navigation systems through voice commands.
To find out more on the new S-Max click here.
Check out all the latest coverage of the show as it unfolds on Thursday (2nd of October) here.
