BRONCO BUCKS SALES TREND

TEXAS-based hypercar manufacturer and high-performance vehicle creator Hennessy h as brought forward production of its new VelociRaptor 400 Bronco to satisfy high customer demand.

The new model is available in an eye-catching new livery with output upgraded to 411bhp @ 4,400 rpm and a hefty 603 lb-ft of torque.

The Hennessey team accelerated the car's production timings with engineers working hard to finalise research and development to deliver a top notch product to customers worldwide.

Company founder John Hennessy said: "Since we announced our plans for the Bronco mid-last year, we've been inundated with customer requests to take our upgraded version.

"For so many of our customers, the Bronco is a special car they've always loved - now we can give them a VelociRaptor 400 Bronco with the power and style to make it a truly special vehicle."

KIA EV6 LANDS TOP CAR TITLE

THE Kia EV6 electric car has been crowned What Car? Car of the Year 2022.

It is the second time Kia has won the overall award and the second time it has won with a new electric car, having taken its maiden victory in 2019 with the e-Niro.

Underlining the breakthrough progress enjoyed by Kia in the electric era, it is only the third non-European manufacturer to win the top prize at the awards, which began in 1978.

The Kia EV6 stood out for setting new benchmarks for electric cars, offering an official range of 328 miles, and managing 224 miles on a charge when What Car?'s testers ran it in near worst-case low temperature conditions.

It is also capable of super-fast, 800V charging, with its battery capable of going from 10-80 per cent in as little as 18 minutes.

In addition, the EV6 earned praise from the judges for being spacious, very refined even by electric car standards and for being sold with the reassurance of a seven-year warranty.

GETTING LOADS OFF YOUR MIND

UNSAFE loads on vehicles injure more than 1,200 people a year and cost UK businesses millions of pounds in damaged goods.

While most HGV fleet operators know the tight regulations and penalties for cutting corners, it is not widely known that the same rules on load safety apply to allvehicles.

This month, Driving for Better Business is calling on trade groups to follow the lead of the British Aggregates Association in raising awareness of safe loading - especially of tippers and cement mixers - among its hundreds of members and associate members.

It is an offence to use a vehicle or trailer on a road if it involves a danger of injury to any person, including any situations where the weight, position, or distribution of a load, or how it is secured, involves this danger.

And the offence can be committed not only by the driver but by anyone who causes or permits this - which may be the business. The penalty now is an unlimited fine.

Tippers and open-topped trucks are the vehicles most likely to have insecure loads.

BENTLEY NAMES TOP EMPLOYER

BENTLEY Motors is celebrating a milestone achievement, having been recognised for the eleventh consecutive year as a UK Top Employer by the internationally-acclaimed Top Employers Institute.

In another year that has proven challenging for so many organisations, Bentley's approach to employee wellbeing, values, ethics and integrity was commended by the Institute, alongside the company's focus on sustainability, digitalisation and diversity and inclusion.

The award is based upon a comprehensive review of the business which highlighted the brand's approach to its employees' own "Extraordinary Journeys", as well as Bentley's own progressive strategic ambitions for the future.

Dr Karen Lange, board member for Human Resources, said: "Our people have been at the heart of our business for over 100 years - so we are incredibly proud to once again secure the Top Employer Award.

"To guide our next one hundred years, we have set out ambitious goals to become the leader in sustainable luxury mobility, so it is essential that we develop, retain and attract the very best talent to help us on this journey.

"For 2022, our focus as we begin to emerge from COVID-19, is on collaboration and developing our extraordinary skills together, to drive change and get the very best out of how we work as a team.

"Starting the year by being recognised as a Top Employer of choice, shows that we are definitely on the right track."