Great British Car: Photo Credit: Land Rover MENA
It has been well documented that Britain has fallen behind the rest of the world in car manufacturing over recent years. However, 2013 could be seen as the year when the British car market turned a corner. The Daily Telegraph reports that ‘two of 2013’s outstanding cars not only emerged from British factories…but they carry historic British names.’
If you’re looking to drive a new car under a contract hire, car lease or hire purchase agreement, then British cars might suddenly be back on your shopping list. We look at the ‘outstanding’ cars of 2013, and why you might want to choose a British car next time…
Two stunning British models to consider when you choose your next car lease
In its review of the ‘outstanding’ cars of 2013, two British names feature highly on the Daily Telegraph’s list.
If you’re looking to drive a sleek, beautiful sports coupe under a car leasing or contract hire deal then you should look no further than Jaguar’s new convertible F-type. The newspaper calls the car ‘entirely and full-bloodedly contemporary’ and says that it is ‘rapturous to drive’.
Or, if you prefer something more rugged then you should consider the Range Rover Sport, also from the Midlands-based Jaguar Land-Rover company. The Telegraph says that the Range Rover Sport proves ‘along with the F-type, that British design, engineering and originality can more than equal the rest of the world.’
While the company may be under the financial wing of the Indian Tata corporation, the cars are designed and built in the UK where Tata ‘evidently values the uniquely British qualities of the company it is shepherding.’
The year of the family hatchback
2013’s most popular cars with car leasing and contract hire customers included a number of traditional family hatchbacks. The Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf have been amongst the biggest selling cars this year – and it is mainly because they are all terrific cars.
The Telegraph says that ‘anybody who doubts that mass-produced cars can embody the highest qualities of design, engineering and construction has obviously not driven a new Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus’. The Golf was described as ‘all the car that anybody could ever want’ but there were plenty of other brilliant cars to lease and buy in this category.
Peugeot’s new 308 has been shortlisted for the 2014 Car of the Year as has the ‘beautifully designed and superbly engineered’ Mazda3 which will be available to drive under a car leasing or contract hire agreement from January 2014.
The ‘mad joy of the year’ car to lease
The Ford Fiesta is 2013’s most popular car in the UK – cheap car leasing deals have helped to drive its popularity – but the Telegraph highlighted the award winning Fiesta ST for special praise.
The newspaper called the ST its ‘mad joy of the year’ saying that ‘with almost 200bhp from its 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, the £16,995 Fiesta ST is less than half the price of Porsche’s excellent new Cayman but — hilariously – hardly less fun