Mums The Word For Mazda's New Microsite

Mazda has launched its first online microsite specifically aimed at mums, suitably named ‘Mazda Mums’. To mark the introduction of the New Mazda5, launched in October this year, the Mazda Mum’s site provides busy parents quick advice on a variety of topics and enables visitors to post their own tips.

Offering useful guidance on children’s safety while driving, entertainment for long journeys, meal suggestions and other helpful advice, Mazda Mums is already proving to be a popular site – see http://uk.specials.lifestyle.yahoo.com/mazda-mums/.

Mazda Mums is currently hosting an exclusive competition, giving visitors to the site the opportunity to win six nights accommodation for their family in one of seven European countries. To ensure they fully enjoy their stay, the winning family will also receive the use of a Mazda5 for the duration, provided by Waters Mazda.

The Mazda5, now available at Waters Mazda, is a family favourite. Its versatile interior can accommodate up to seven occupants over three rows of seats. Alternatively, with the rear seats folded flat the Mazda5 offers an exceptionally large cargo space, ideal for bulky pushchairs and shopping.

“We have received outstanding interest in the newly designed Mazda5. It is a great car for families of all sizes, providing plenty of space for parents, and children of all ages. Its new sleek design has proven even more popular than the previous model and the enhanced equipment levels are first rate,” commented Steve Bullimore, General Manager at Waters Mazda.

Priced from £17,695 on the road, the three equipment levels available on the Mazda5 – TS, TS² and Sport – each provide exceptional value for money. Mazda’s punchy yet economical petrol and diesel engines present outstanding performance, making the Mazda5 a fun family car demonstrating Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom spirit. For improved economy the Mazda5 is available with stop/start i-stop technology, which improves fuel economy and reduces CO₂ emissions.

Practical rear sliding doors ensure that transferring children to and from the rear seats of the Mazda5 is a simple and easy task. The top-of-the range Sport model features automatic powered sliding doors with a safety sensor to ensure hands are not caught.

To find out more about the Mazda5, the rest of the Mazda range, or to arrange a test drive, please call in to either of our Barnet or Chingford showrooms , or call us on 0845 871 5253 for Barnet or 0845 871 7101 for Chingford.

Visit Your Local Renault Dealer For Christmas Gift Ideas!

With snow falling and Christmas not far away, you can ditch the boring socks and perfume ideas as we have all kinds of gift ideas for your nearest and dearest, whether they are petrolheads or not!

For the younger Renault F1Team fans, there’s a Renault F1 cuddly toy in the shape and colours of the current R30 car, which is suitable for babies and children of eight months and older for just £14.99.

Older children will love the remote controlled Mégane 3 Trophy race car which is a scale model of the original and costs just £34.25, while budding technicians can try out their skills on the Renault mechanic set for £36.96.

There’s a Twingo Gordini pedal car which means that you can enjoy Renault’s sporting pedigree for just £69.95. Designed for those aged between three and seven, it could be the ideal way to get a little one on his or her way towards the podium!

Renault’s newest concept, the 100% electric DeZir sports car has recently hit the headlines for its beautiful lines and design. While you might have to wait a while to get your hands on the real thing, you can enjoy a 1/43 scale model for only £42.19.

Men can be notoriously difficult to buy for, but Renault has everything from Precisio Pens in brushed chrome, presented in a velvet lined gift box for £10, to the highly collectable TW Steel Renault F1 Team Pilot Collection watch with steel case and black leather strap from £157.22. It’s waterproof to 100m and is guaranteed for two years.

For fans of the high-performance Renaultsport range, there’s a range of replica items including a trolley case for £58 and a beanie hat to keep you warm at Clio Cup and Formula Renault race meetings for just £8.

All of these items are available either to order or directly from your local Waters or AutoPlanet Renault Dealer, but it’s not only Christmas presents that are available for the cold snap. With snow and ice in so many parts of the country, it’s essential that your car is in tip-top condition, so each Renault dealer gives you a free 25-point winter check to ensure that such things as tyres and batteries are able to cope with the strains placed on them by the cold weather.

David Scurry, General Manager, AutoPlanet Renault Southampton said: “This year’s range of Renault gifts and accessories make ideal presents for all sorts of budgets and will put a big smile on your loved one’s face on Christmas day!”.

To find out more contact Waters Renault Letchworth on 0845 871 5108,

AutoPlanet Renault Southampton on 0845 871 7045 or

Waters Renault St Albans on 0845 871 5109.

Peugeot's RCZ Wins Top Gear Award

Top Gear magazine today announced that the Peugeot RCZ is its 'Coupé of the Year' 2010.

The UK's best selling automotive magazine took its assessment of the RCZ to the extreme by road testing it in Northern China in the proximity of the Great Wall; the first time the Peugeot RCZ has been in the world's largest car market.

In appreciating the many virtues of the Peugeot RCZ, the magazine reports; "The Peugeot RCZ is a beautifully balanced car, easy to drive quickly. Low and wide, it always feels completely on your side, gripping hard, resorting to understeer only at the limit. The Peugeot RCZ is positioned as a small, sophisticated GT, and fills it perfectly."

The Peugeot RCZ was launched in June 2010 and has proved to be a great success with over 2,000 cars already sold in the UK. Priced from £20,450 it represents great value for money and is available with a choice of three engine options - a 200bhp or 156bhp THP turbo-charged petrol engine and a 163 bhp HDi diesel engine.

Other accolades bestowed on the RCZ include it being awarded 'The most Beautiful Car of the Year 2009' by over 100,000 online voters from 62 countries, at the 25th International Automobile Festival, Auto Express magazine's Best Coupé and readers' Design Award, and Diesel Car magazine's Best Sports Car of the Year 2010.

To find out more about RCZ or any of the Peugeot Range call us at either of our branches; Waters Peugeot Chingford on 0845 871 5107 or Waters Peugeot Hatfield on 0845 871 5104, or visit either of our showrooms.

Sporty SEAT Set For Chingford Debut

Sporty Spanish car maker SEAT is set to strengthen its presence in London with the opening of a new dealership in Chingford later this month.

The rapidly expanding Barcelona-based brand will further boost its profile in the capital when retail partner AutoPlanet opens its new outlet at its multi-franchise site on the Lea Valley Road.

And that’s great news for the region’s motorists who will now have easy access to many of the most exciting, environmentally-friendly and economical cars on the road today.

Looking ahead to the launch of the new outlet, AutoPlanet’s SEAT Brand Specialist Korel Hussein, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing the SEAT brand to Chingford and to be adding another SEAT franchise to our growing portfolio.

‘SEAT is without doubt one of the most exciting marques on the market and has a youthful and dynamic range of models which the motorists of this region have had to travel to find for far too long.

‘We aim to very quickly establish ourselves as one of the first destinations for anyone looking for a new or used SEAT or quality aftersales service by offering the very highest levels of customer care in all aspects of the business.’

Operated by Automotive Retail Group – one of the largest and fastest growing dealer groups in the south of England – the new dealership will centre on an attractive and well-appointed showroom where the latest SEAT models will be on display.

This includes the sensational new Leon Ecomotive – which can cover nearly 900 miles on a single tank of fuel and is exempt from road tax thanks to its class-leading CO₂ emissions of just 99 g/km – and the fire-breathing 155 mph Leon Cupra R, the most powerful SEAT production car to date.

Outside, meanwhile, the large forecourt has room for dozens of SEAT-approved used cars while retaining ample space for customer parking. Finally, a state-of-the-art service centre – staffed by SEAT-trained technicians – will offer top quality aftersales care for all makes and models.

For more information on the SEAT range or to book a test drive, call AutoPlanet SEAT Chingford on 0845 871 7109.

AutoPlanet SEAT Chingford joins our existing SEAT Dealership AutoPlanet SEAT Tunbridge Wells who can be contacted on 0845 871 5169.

SEAT Fine-tunes Its Engine Offerings

• Small capacity 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit added to Ibiza range
• Economy improved by up to 25 per cent versus previous 1.6
• Refined new 2.0-litre common-rail turbodiesel in Leon, Altea and Altea XL

SEAT is continuing its extensive programme of product renewal and improvement with the launch of a pair of impressive new engines in its best-selling models.

The Ibiza, in all three bodystyles – SC, 5dr and ST – is now available with an exciting new 105 PS 1.2 TSI unit, mated either to a five-speed manual gearbox or state-of-the-art seven-speed DSG with double clutch. The turbocharged petrol engine replaces SEAT's 1.6-litre 105 PS.

Meanwhile the Leon and Altea families now feature a 140 PS 2.0 TDI with common rail fuelling in place of the previous unit's pump injector system. This, too, is offered with a manual gearbox or DSG.

The new Ibiza 1.2 TSI combines trademark SEAT sporting intent with outstanding efficiency. Despite being considerably smaller in terms of cubic capacity than the 1.6 it replaces, this new TSI generates an identical 105 PS.

Performance and acceleration figures both improve versus the 1.6; in the case of 0-62 mph acceleration, the time drops by more than half a second to 9.8 seconds while the top speed is marginally better, too.

And proving that you can have your cake and eat it, the new turbocharged 1.2 also makes the Ibiza both more economical and more environmentally responsible. Compared to the 1.6, combined economy is improved by a massive 25 per cent from 44.8 mpg to 55.4 mpg (SC and 5dr), while CO2 emissions are slashed by 20 per cent from 149 g/km to just 119 g/km.

The engine is available to SE and Sport buyers across all three bodystyles, and all versions are fully compliant with the latest EUV emission control legislation. Manual versions are also badged ‘Ecomotive’ because they feature SEAT's new stop/start and brake energy recovery technologies. Prices start at £12,780 RRP for the Ibiza SC 1.2 TSI SE.

The other important engine introduction - which sees SEAT's family-sized Leon, Altea and Altea XL gain the option of a new 140 PS 2.0 TDI CR unit - also brings lower fuel consumption and emissions, along with significantly improved refinement.

Like the TSI, the 2.0 TDI CR is offered with a manual or DSG 'box but, regardless of transmission, offers nimble acceleration and a smooth, efficient drive. In the Leon, the new common rail turbodiesel sees CO2 drop from 147 g/km to just 125 g/km, while combined economy climbs from 50.4 mpg to 58.9 mpg, a welcome 15 per cent improvement. Similarly impressive improvements result from the new common-rail engine's introduction in the Altea and Altea XL, too. CO2 in both bodystyles drops to just 129 g/km, while combined fuel economy climbs to 57.6 mpg. However, the economy improvements do not come at the expense of driving enjoyment or pure performance. The Altea 2.0 TDI CR, for instance, races from rest to 62 mph in a spirited 9.7 seconds meaning that the new version is, in fact, quicker off the mark than the previous pump injector version. Prices for the Leon 2.0 TDI CR in SE spec start at £18,570 RRP, while a similarly engined Altea SE is available from £18,770 RRP.

SEAT UK's Ibiza, Leon and Altea Product Manager, Andy McGregor, said: “Our continuing programme to update and enhance our suite of engines now sees the arrival of these two great units.

“The extra refinement, economy and performance from the common rail turbodiesel are clearly impressive, while the arrival of the excellent new 1.2 TSI in the Ibiza shows that, when it comes to today's engines, smaller really can be better!”

For more information contact AutoPlanet SEAT Chingford on 0845 871 7109 or AutoPlanet SEAT Tunbridge Wells on 0845 871 5169.

Kia's Sportage & Venga Awarded Top Euro NCAP Honours

At Waters AutoPlanet we're pleased to announce that two of Kia's newest vehicles, Sportage and Venga, have both been awarded the top 5-star safety rating by leading independent European safety organisation, Euro NCAP, making them two of the safest cars on the market this winter.

The Kia Sportage crossover and Venga B-segment MPV were both given the maximum 5-star rating, placing them at the top of their respective classes and in the distinguished company of other Kia models such as the Soul, cee'd and Sorento.

Brett Kavanagh, Marketing Manager at Waters AutoPlanet said: "These awards prove that Kia's engineers strive to design vehicles that make it easier for drivers to avoid hazards, thanks to good visibility, powerful braking and excellent road holding. This is particularly important as the winter sets in and driving conditions are naturally riskier; Kia owners have peace of mind that they and their passengers are protected by the very best passive safety technology.”

Kia Sportage obtained scores of 93 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 86 per cent for Child Occupant protection, 49 per cent for Pedestrian Protection and 86 per cent for Safety Assist. Venga scored 89, 85, 64 and 71 respectively, in the same categories.

Sportage and Venga also received praise for having Electronic Stability Control (ESC) fitted as standard in most markets. "These latest results from Euro NCAP highlight Kia's commitment to ensuring exceptional levels of safety in its vehicles," commented Benny Oeyen, Vice-President, Marketing & Product Planning, Kia Motors Europe.

In the name of safety this winter, Waters AutoPlanet have five top driving tips for motorists:

· Keep an emergency kit in the car (torch, blanket, first aid kit, shovel, reflective warning sign)

· Fill up your tank before your journey and carry a fuel canister – stopping and starting on the roads uses up fuel

· Check weather reports before you set off anywhere – don’t risk it if you really don’t have to

· Be mindful of black ice – if you can’t see ice, it doesn’t mean it’s not there

· Drive slowly and keep your distance between you and the car in front to avoid bumps if you skid on ice

For more information Waters Kia can be contacted on 0845 871 7014 for Chingford or 0845 871 5085 for St Albans and AutoPlanet Kia can be contacted on 0845 871 7134 for Tunbridge Wells.

Are You Geared Up For Winter?

To make sure you stay safe on the roads during the inclement weather, follow our helpful motoring tips...

Winter motoring requires special care and a little preparation if you’re to avoid a breakdown or accident. We’ve put together a list of easy to follow advice for combating Wintery conditions. Just remember, use common sense, don’t risk your life or the lives of others.

Antifreeze

Antifreeze costs only a few pounds, but a cracked engine block will cost hundreds of pounds to repair.

A 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water in the cooling system is needed in winter. This gives maximum protection down to -34° centigrade, and without it, severe engine damage costing hundreds of pounds can occur.

Vision

Through the winter months dazzle from the low sun can be a particular problem. Improve vision significantly by making sure that the windscreen is clean – inside and out. Scratches, abrasion and chips on the outside can also worsen the dazzling effect of the sun.

Use air conditioning for faster demisting and to reduce condensation on cold windows. Keep the windscreen and other windows clear – if your vision is obscured through dirt or snow you could face a hefty fine. Check windscreen wipers and replace if necessary.

Windscreen washer fluid should be topped up and treated with a proprietary additive to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather. Don’t use ordinary engine antifreeze as it will damage paintwork. Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows. Snow piled up on the roof can fall onto the windscreen obscuring your view and can also be a hazard to other road users.

Visibility

Check that all bulbs are working and that headlights are clean and aimed correctly. You must use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced. You may also use front or rear fog lights but these must be switched off when visibility improves as they can dazzle other road users and obscure your brake lights.

Keep the number plates clean too, as you can be fined if they are dirty and illegible.

Tyres

Check all tyres for condition, pressure and tread depth. At least 3mm of tread is recommended for winter motoring, and certainly no less than 2mm.

Don’t reduce tyre pressures to get more grip – it doesn’t work, and reduces stability. Check you have a working jack and wheel brace, and that you know how to change a wheel if necessary.

Consider changing to winter or all season tyres – these have a higher silicone content in the tread which prevents it hardening at lower temperatures, and therefore gives better grip in cold wet conditions.

Preparing To Travel

Get up at least 10 minutes early to give you time to prepare the car. Don’t drive off with a tiny hole cleared in your windscreen. Clear all windows of snow and ice using a scraper and de-icer.

Besides an ice scraper and de-icer, it’s worth carrying a mobile phone with fully charged battery, torch, first-aid kit, tow rope, blankets, warm coat and boots, jump leads, snow shovel, warning triangle, an old sack or rug (to put under the wheels if you do get stuck) and water repellent spray.

Put safety first when the bad weather closes in, it's always a good idea to allow extra time in winter for your journey.

Driving In Snow And Ice

Stopping distances are 10 times longer in ice and snow.

Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving. Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin.

When climbing a hill it’s important to avoid having to stop on the hill by waiting until it is clear of other cars or by leaving plenty of room between you and the car in front. Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear well in advance to avoid having to change down on the hill.

When driving downhill, reduce your speed before the hill, use a low gear and try to avoid using the brakes. Leave as much room as possible between you and the car in front.

Always apply brakes gently. release them and de-clutch if the car skids. If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.

If it's been some time since you last had your car serviced a Winter Check would help to make sure that your car is fully prepared for the conditions. At Waters AutoPlanet we can offer a winter check at any of our branches:

AutoPlanet Chingford

AutoPlanet Maidstone

AutoPlanet Southampton

Fiat Southampton

Kia Chingford

Kia St Albans

Kia Tunbridge Wells

Mazda Barnet

Mazda Chingford

Peugeot Chingford

Peugeot Hatfield

Renault Letchworth

Renault Southampton

Renault St Albans

SEAT Chingford

SEAT Tunbridge Wells

For more information visit:

www.highways.gov, www.theaa.com, www.rac.com