Cars for Stars News

Study finds coalition government reluctant to give up chauffeur driven cars

A study has found that Prime Minister David Cameron’s talk of scrapping luxurious chauffeur driven cars for ministers may be empty after it was revealed that nine cabinet ministers are still using their official chauffeur driven cars which are funded by taxpayers.

The cost of maintaining the fleet of quality cars which are used to transport the government officials is reported to stand at £6 million a year. The fleet of ministerial cars includes models from brands such as Jaguar, Toyota and Honda.

An enquiry was made into the use of these official chauffeur driven cars. The investigation uncovered that many minsters are still using their cars regularly, while others are reluctant to give up their right to the chauffeured car for use on official business.

The report, which was instigated by a Labour MP, found that David Cameron, George Osborne, Theresa May and William Hague were still making use of their chauffeur driven car for security reasons.

In a recent speech made by the Prime Minister, Cameron reiterated his hard stance on the use of official cars by ministers saying that during a time of economic crisis, the practice of using taxpayer’s money to fund cars and drivers for MPs “cannot be justified.” However the evidence from the recent study seems to suggest that many cabinet members are still clinging onto their taxpayer funded cars.

by Anita KumarAugust 9, 2010no comment

£1 million bill for chauffeur driven limos for Scottish Government

It’s been revealed that the Scottish Government spent £1 million on chauffeur driven limos for ministerial officials over the last 12 months.

Breaking down the figure, £929,899 was the total amount spent on chauffeur cars in the last year, with a further £65,759 being spent on private hire vehicles.

A fleet of 25 official cars are used to chauffeur around Scottish government ministers while on official business. However the cost of maintaining this fleet of chauffeur cars has risen dramatically in the last few years which may be contributing to the large bill. In the last 12 months the running costs and staff bill needed to maintain the fleet has risen by £21,000.

A Labour MP has called the figure “astonishing” and is asking why during a time of severe cut backs to government spending, Scottish officials are not forsaking the luxury of chauffeur driven car to help save money.

However the Scottish Government have released a statement to defend the £1 million bill for chauffeur cars saying the amount spent on ministerial travel has actually decreased by a £1 million with the figure coming down from £5.9 million to £4.9 million between 2009-2010. It was also added that spending on private hire vehicles, which is only used as “last resort” has also been significantly reduced.

by Susan TaylorAugust 9, 2010no comment

‘Chauffeur Car of the Year’ to be revealed in September

Leading industry magazine online, the chauffeur is set to reveal its Chauffeur Car of the Year in September, it has been announced.

The prestigious line-up of chauffeur cars have been categorised into four separate sections according to price, with six different vehicles battling it out to be the best in the under £50,000 category, seven contenders in the £50,000 – £100,000 group, and just three in contention for the over £100,000 category, plus there are four cars being judged under the MPV section.

The award has been running since 2007 with Lexus, Jaguar and Bentley all triumphing in the past. The cars are put through a series of rigorous tests by a panel of expert judges as they seek to discover the best overall performer.

Each chauffeur car is taken on a 300-mile test drive so as to allow the judges the opportunity to thoroughly test each facet of the vehicle. The judges will assess the car’s performance, its comfort on long journeys, boot and luggage space, and running costs during their test drive.

More than half of the shortlisted vehicles have already undergone testing at the hands of the judging panel, with just a handful awaiting review before the winner can be revealed.

Cars being considered for The Chauffeur Car of the Year:

£50,000 and Under:

Skoda Superb – Not Yet Tested
Chrysler 300 – Not Yet Tested
Mercedes-Benz E220 Cdi – Test Completed
BMW 530d Gran Turismo – Test Completed
BMW 530d Saloon – Test Completed
Jaguar XF S – Test Completed

£50,000 to £100,000:

Mercedes-Benz S350 CDi – Not Yet Tested
Lexus LS600hL – Test Completed
BMW 730Ld – Test Completed
Volkswagen Phaeton – Pending
Jaguar XJ – Not Yet Tested
Audi A8 3.0 L – Not Yet Tested
Porsche Panamera – Test Completed

£100,000 and Above:

Rolls-Royce Ghost – Not Yet Tested
Bentley Flying Spur – Test Completed
Maybach 62 – Not Yet Tested

MPV Category:

Volkswagen Caravelle – Test Completed
Hyundai i800 – Pending
Mercedes-Benz Viano – Not Yet Tested
Chrysler Grand Voyager – Not Yet Tested

Judges:

Paul Gibson
Paul Rowlands
John Wilce
Andrew Thomson

by Susan TaylorAugust 6, 20101 comment

Councillor under fire for chauffeur driven ride to awards ceremony

A Tory councillor from Glasgow has come under fire from opposition politicians who have branded him a “hypocrite” for his use of a chauffeur driven car, a day after he criticised Labour officials for the exact same practice.

David Meikle arranged for an official car and chauffeur to collect him from his Glasgow home, to pick up a female companion en route, to take the pair to a multicultural awards event at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.

The 4-mile trip return trip in the chauffeur driven car cost £400. One local newspaper is reporting that the same trip in a private hire taxi would have cost approximately £10.

Labour politicians have been quick to criticise the 26-year-old’s use of the chauffeur car after Meikle publically slammed the opposition recently for improper use of official cars.

In his defence, the councillor says he felt the use of the chauffeur and the car was necessary as he had concerns over “security” after leaving the awards bash late at night. Cllr Meikle also added,

“Since I was elected in 2007 I have only used the car three times and on each occasion I was on official business and have never used it for personal purposes. My expenses are among the lowest of any councillor.”

However this has not been accepted by Labour politicians who are calling for the Cllr to repay the £400 spent on the use of the chauffeur driven vehicle.

by Anita KumarAugust 4, 2010no comment

Jerry Hall starts dating her chauffeur

Former supermodel and wife of a Rolling Stone, Jerry Hall, has shocked the world media by sparking up a new relationship with a man who chauffeured her to a book festival.

The Texas-born 54-year-old counts cricketer Shane Warne, singer Bryan Ferry and Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger, with whom she has four children, amongst her previous partners, so the news that she’s now dating a chartered surveyor is quite unexpected.

Phillip Ferguson and Jerry first met when he chauffeured her from her home in London to the Hay-on-Wye book festival. Ferguson, who is reportedly in his mid-50’s, lives near the Arts and Literature event and often offers his services to chauffeur guests to the festival.

The pair were said to have hit it off as Phillip played chauffeur on the 4 ½ road journey when he transported Hall from her home in London to the small market town in Powys, Wales.

In a recent interview, the 6ft actress opened up about her new mysterious man, describing him as “the one” although she refused to reveal this identity. However photographs have now emerged of the model and Phillip Ferguson, enjoying a sunny break in the south of France where Jerry has a holiday home.

Neighbour of Ferguson living in the quiet village of Cusop are surprised at the news that he’s now dating Jerry Hall.

by Andrew LloydAugust 3, 20101 comment

Rolls Royce Ghost fast becoming the most sought after wedding car in the UK

The Rolls Royce Ghost was launched last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show to great fanfare, and promised to offer a luxury vehicle featuring the latest technology and cutting edge design.

A selected number of Rolls Royce Ghost models are available for wedding car hire in the UK through leading luxury transport provider Cars for Stars. According to reports from Cars for Stars, demand for the Rolls Royce Ghost for wedding day hire far outstrips supply, which is testament to the growing popularity of the latest addition to the Rolls Royce portfolio.

For the most important day of your lives, only the very best will do. As the epitome of glamour, opulence, and luxury, the Rolls Royce Ghost more than fits the bill for wedding day transport. The extra quiet engine means passengers won’t be interrupted by the sound of the car accelerating, and the soft full grain leather upholstery makes for a sumptuous ride.

The Rolls Royce Ghost also boasts rear coach doors which open to a 38 degree angle, plus the low sill height enables passengers to step into the vehicle gracefully, which is good news for brides boarding the exquisite limo in their princess wedding gowns.

The sleek uncluttered design of the Ghost means it makes the perfect addition to any wedding snaps and will ensure brides and grooms make an impressive entrance on their special day. However with Cars for Stars reporting a huge number of enquiries for wedding car hire bookings for the Rolls Royce Ghost for dates as far in advance as 2012, you’ll need to act fast to make the Ghost yours for your wedding day.

The demand for Rolls Royce Phantom wedding cars is currently the most popular in UK but the new Rolls Royce Ghost may take over soon.

For more information on how to hire the Rolls Royce Ghost for your wedding day, please see the following link http://www.carsforstars.net/

by Andrew LloydAugust 2, 2010no comment

Cars for Stars recruiting new operators across UK and Northern Ireland

Luxury chauffeur driven car and limo hire provider Cars For Stars, is currently scouring the country as it prepares to recruit a new team of chauffeurs across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Cars for Stars was recently taken over by new owners who have set a series of changes into action to give the company a revamp as it prepares to expand its range of services. One of the biggest changes the firm has undergone since its takeover is the scrapping of its franchise system. This has been replaced with a reservation system whereby customers can book car or limo hire quickly and efficiently online or over the phone.

As part of the new hire system set up by the new owners at Cars for Stars, the company is looking to invite new operators to work with the luxury chauffeur hire provider to form the new team. If you are interested in getting onboard with Cars for Stars and learning more about the business opportunities available with this burgeoning company, please get in touch via the website at the following links www.carsforstars.co.uk or at www.carsforstars.net

Since coming under the guidance of the new management, Cars for Stars has improved its online presence immensely. Two of the company’s main websites have had a complete makeover with brand new content and images added to the sites, along with a number of extra features such as the ability to connect with Cars for Stars via Facebook and Twitter.

With the introduction of the new and improved websites, Cars for Stars is now ranking extremely highly on all major search engines including Yahoo! Microsoft’s Bing and Google on which it ranks second for the search term “Chauffeur Cars.”

If you run your own chauffeur driven car or limo hire company anywhere in the UK, or if you are a self-employed chauffeur, why not expand your business potential by joining the team of operators at the country’s fastest growing luxury transport provider, Cars for Stars.

For more details about joining Cars for Stars, please contact Alex or Gavin on 0845 500 3030.

by Andrew LloydAugust 2, 2010no comment

Mercedes Benz to launch new models to attract customers in India

German car maker Mercedes Benz is attempting to overtake other luxury car maker rivals in India by launching a number of new products including several new models.

The luxury car industry is estimated to grow by 50% in the next year and Mercedes Benz want to capitalise on this new area of growth by offering their customers in India the widest range of products. Mercedes have plans in the pipeline for a new sports utility vehicle (SUV) plus a new SLS and an AMG.

Last year BMW stole Mercedes Benz’s crown to become the biggest selling luxury car manufacturer in India. However Mercedes should be able to claw back into pole position within the next 12 months as their most popular vehicle, the E Class, was unavailable in 2009 which may have contributed to the car maker’s fall to second place. The Mercedes Benz E-Class has previously been responsible for 40% of the German car maker’s sales in India.

Other new products which Mercedes Benz are planning to launch in the coming months in an attempt to become the largest luxury car manufacturer in India include a finance department for domestic sales, and also a second hand branch of car dealers.

by Andrew LloydAugust 2, 2010no comment

Electric car hire to be launched in the US by Enterprise from 2011

Car hire giant Enterprise is set to launch electric car hire at a selected number of outlets in the US from the beginning of next year.

The electric powered eco-friendly Nissan Leaf will be offered to car rental customers from eight different locations across the US from 2011.

The Nissan Leaf has a charge range of 100 miles and Enterprise is in the process of installing charge stations at a number of its hire centres in preparation for the launch of their electric hire cars in the New Year.

Eight different locations across the US have been singled out to offer the electric hire car service. To begin with Enterprise will offer the Nissan Leaf from the following locations, Phoenix, Nashville, Tucson, Knoxville, and San Diego and Los Angeles.

Locations in Portland and Seattle will be able to offer customers the use of the 5-door hatchback version of the electric car.

Enterprise has chosen to roll out the service in a small number of its centres to start with as it wants to ensure its staff are fully trained in the use of the electric cars so they can advise customers competently.

As more electric cars are launched by different car makers, Enterprise plans to add different models to its fleet, at more locations across the country.

by Andrew LloydJuly 29, 2010no comment

Northern Irish parliament to review spending on chauffeur driven cars

It has been announced that the Northern Irish Government will commence a review of its spending on chauffeur driven cars for its ministers in an attempt to make savings on public spending.

Finance minister Sammy Wilson will head the review of the chauffeured transport of government ministers. The announcement has been made ahead of the lease expiring in October on 15 chauffeur driven cars currently in use by Stormont officials.

Mr Wilson said the government must not be seen to be ducking out of spending cuts, as the country attempts to make radical public spending cutbacks. He added that “nothing is sacred” and that includes reining in spending on chauffeur driven cars for Stormont ministers.

Although some ministers believe that the situation in Northern Ireland and London is different, and that the security of Stormont ministers is something which needs to be considered in the review of spending on official cars.

One suggestion which is being made to help reduce the cost of transport for Northern Irish ministers is for a pool of government cars to be introduced, or for an account to be set up with a taxi firm, this way the ministers will have easy access to a vehicle for use on official business.

by Andrew LloydJuly 28, 2010no comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts