FIAT : BSM AND FIAT IN LANDMARK DEAL
BSM AND Fiat IN LANDMARK DEAL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
28 July 2009
BSM AND FIAT IN LANDMARK DEAL
BSM and Italian car giant Fiat have today announced their partnership which will see Fiat as the new fleet provider for BSM (the British School of Motoring), the UKs most popular driving school.
Fiat will provide BSM with 14,000 cars over the next four years, most of them the award-winning Fiat 500 Car of the Year 2008 along with the popular Grande Punto model.
The fleet vehicle is the biggest depiction of the BSM brand, and the introduction of the stylish Fiat 500 design is intended to appeal to new learners by echoing the brands iconic feel. BSM will start to take delivery of the new fleet this summer and complete the exchange of all fleet by the end of the year.
BSM has a network of 94 UK driving centres from Inverness to Truro and teaches more than 130,000 learners a year. The agreement will make the Fiat 500 even more visible on Britains roads and help Fiat with its plan to target the 500 at the key young drivers market.
BSM is confident that the change of car will give new drivers a superior learning experience, with features including:
Manoeuvrability the Fiat 500, with a length of just 3.5 metres and a turning circle of 9.2 metres, is easy to drive and offers exceptional manoeuvrability; Safety the Fiat 500 has more safety features than any other small car and achieved five stars in the tough Euro NCAP crash test programme; Environment the Fiat 500 engine meets the toughest Euro 5 exhaust emissions standards and has improved fuel efficiency when compared with BSMs previous fleet. The 500s 1.2-litre 69 bhp engines returns 55.4 mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 119 g/km CO2. The model is also available with eco:Drive which analyses driving styles and helps drivers use less fuel; Visibility the Fiat 500 model also offers greater visibility than the previous fleet, with a smaller dashboard and larger wing mirrors.The new partnership will include a special offer for learner drivers wishing to purchase a Fiat once they have passed their test. The car manufacturer is offering an exclusive 500 discount on all new Fiat models to BSM learners, making the range even more accessible and economical for new drivers.
We believe very strongly that the car we use for our fleet is the strongest depiction of our brand so it was of the utmost importance for us to find a car that shares both the heritage of BSM and the brands modern outlook and appeal, says Abu Shafi, managing director, BSM.
We feel that the partnership of BSM with the Fiat 500 has a great synergy and we are looking forward to introducing such an iconic fleet with an improved learning experience.
This fantastic new agreement puts an award-winning car alongside the best-known driving school in the UK, and I am delighted we are involved in it, says Andrew Humberstone, managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK. This puts us right where we want to be in the High Streets of Britains towns and cities, demonstrating to new motorists the delights of driving a new Fiat.
BSM previously partnered with Vauxhall who provided over 3,500 of their Corsa and Astra models to the company. The new deal will include the Fiat 500 and Grande Punto model for disabled learners.
EndsFor information about BSM please contact:
Henrys House on 0207 291 3000 Liana Mellotte liana@henryshouse.com Vic Heiden victoria@henryshouse.com Adam Freedman adam@henryshouse.comForfurther information about Fiat please contact:
Peter Newton, Public Relations Director Tom Johnston, Press Relations Manager or Puneet Joshi, Press Relations Officer
Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd Tel: 01753 511431 Fax: 01753 516871 E-mail addresses: peter.newton@fiat.com / tom.johnston@fiat.com / puneet.joshi@fiat.com
This press release and images are available on www.fiat4media.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About BSMBSM is the UKs leading driving school, with around 3,000 driving instructors teaching more than 130,000 learners to drive each year. BSM is one of the most recognised British brands with nearly 100 years of history and a market share of approximately 10 per cent. BSM is also one of the largest providers of instructor training and carry out driver training for companies as well as the public and governmental sectors. BSM has been teaching people to drive since 1910 and is fully committed to helping people become better safer drivers, not just training them to pass their test. The company taught the Queen to drive and helped design and implement the modern driving test.www.bsm.co.uk
About FiatOne of the pioneer companies in the automobile industry, Fiat has produced around 90 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, including more than 400 models since 1899, when the company was founded in Turin, Italy. Some of Fiats vehicles have represented milestones in automotive history. The Automobiles business area of Fiat Group encompasses Fiat Group Automobiles (Fiat Automobiles SpA, Alfa Romeo Automobiles SpA, Lancia Automobiles SpA, Abarth SpA and Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles SpA), Ferrari SpA and Maserati SpA.www.fiat.co.uk
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