Thank you to our personal car lease customer from Clitheroe (Lancashire) for sending a collage of pictures of their car – the Audi A5.
Interestingly, one of the most searched for leasing manufacturers online is Audi and many of the customers that come to us are often looking for the best Audi leasing deals. The last 12 months has definitely seen a stronger shift to the prestige German brands (Mercedes, BMW, VW and Audi) and this is largely fuelled by the younger generation driver.
Image, brand and design is everything and as one of the sharpest advertisers, Audi have managed to push their product to a worldwide audience. However, this year has seen a bigger decline in the volume of Audi contract hire sales, as procedural changes have left the manufacturer less competitive than Mercedes or BMW. With WLTP just around the corner, maybe we shall see an influx of competitive offers?
One of the significant growth areas in 2018 has been with the petrol engine. Surprisingly, demand (and residual values) have never been higher for this type of fuel, as diesel continues to be pushed to one side. Historically, the diesel engine was seen as the route forwards for all cars. Much of this came about because the UK company car tax regimes is based around emissions; plus companies want efficient vehicles on fleet.
In order to reduce CO2 emissions, many company car drivers moved into diesel vehicles, as they offer 20-30% better CO2 statistics than a petrol alternative (and with correspondingly greater MPG too).
The demand seemed to influence the personal market too and many customers were seemingly pushed into the diesel car in order to get the most “eco” vehicle. However, recent research suggested there were 2 main issues with a diesel vehicle:
1. The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) was causing issues for some drivers; and
2. They produce higher Nox levels.
With a diesel vehicle, a particulate filter is installed in order to remove harmful particulates which are produced by the engine (and which can cause breathing issues in large quantities). While the filter can hold a volume of the soot, it needs to regularly “regenerate” in order to remove this soot. The vehicle will often do this when it is being driven at 50mph or more for over 20 minutes. The high temperatures created will clear the DPF. However, for Urban/city drivers, the slower stop/start journeys means than the DPF may not become hot enough to be cleared. The result is a “blockage” which must be cleared manually and at the cost of the driver. This has caused some problems.
Additionally, the diesel vehicle will emit 10 times or more NOx than an equivalent petrol vehicle (Nox being a mix or Nitric Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide). According to the World Health Organisation, this can create lung cancer in humans and has therefore been classified as carcinogenic. Many diesel vehicles now have “AdBlue” installed (an aqueous solution of ammonia), in order to reduce these harmful products.
The details from the above has dramatically changed attitudes on diesel vehicles. To confirm, you can still buy/lease a diesel vehicle – you just need to consider the information above and your driving behaviours before you commit to the vehicle. For many high-mileage drivers, the diesel vehicle is still the preferred option. For low-mileage city drivers, consider a petrol or an electric vehicle.
In terms of the car shown here, the Audi A5 Sportback 1.4T FSi Sport 5 Door S Tronic (Petrol Auto), this is based on the following configuration:
· Manhattan Grey Metallic Paint
· Twin Leather – Rock Grey
· Aluminium Ellipse Silver Trim
· 17″ 5 Twin Spoke Alloy Wheels
As standard the car includes heated front seats, cruise control, xenon headlights, 17” alloys, electric front seats, leather upholstery, interior light pack, Audi sound system, dynamic sound system, heat insulated glass, rain and light sensors, hill hold function, smartphone interface, Audi drive select, Audi parking system plus with front/rear sensors, multi-collision braking, satellite navigation (SD card), auto dimming rear view mirror, body coloured mirrors, 7” colour MMI screen, chrome exhaust tailpipes, LED daytime lights, climate control, 3 spoke multifunction steering wheel, space saver spare wheel, keyless start, anti-theft system, sports seats, first aid kit, split folding rear seats and central locking. In terms of the additional options, consider – privacy glass, electric folding mirrors and the comfort/sound pack for the ultimate car.
On technical-side company car and business users can note the P11d at £34,270.00 and CO2 at 124g/km for standard vehicle. The 1395CC 7 speed auto engine delivers 52.3 combined MPG, 150ps and 0-62 times of 8.9 seconds.
So would you select the Audi A5 as your next car lease option? Or would the BMW 4 series Gran Coupe or Mercedes CLA or a VW Arteon get your vote?
Find the very best leasing deals online for the awesome Audi A5 sportback available now from @CarLease UK – you can also read more Audi reviews below…
