Shoestring Superminis

By Leo Kimitri

Thanks to the rapidly increasing cost of insurance (and of course petrol, road tax, servicing etc.), car ownership levels among young people are plummeting. In a bid to soften the blow, Peugeot is extending its “Just Add Fuel” scheme which rolls all major motoring costs into one fixed monthly payment, so that it now covers drivers as young as 21. While this still leaves under 21s out in the cold, at least those residing in the hinterland between 21 and 25 now have another option when they come to buy a car. But just how tempting is Peugeot’s three year long package?

Well, a 21 year old can expect to pay £215 per month for a 107 Active, which includes comprehensive insurance, road tax (which Peugeot neglects to mention is free on this model anyway), servicing and roadside assistance. Overall, three factors affect the total cost – the car chosen, the owner’s postcode and the age of the youngest named driver. This all means that if you live in a postcode with high car crime for instance you’ll no doubt have to shell out much more than that, but whatever the price you pay, you’ll know exactly how much your car will cost to run every month for three years.

However, as with all finance deals, Peugeot’s “Just Add Fuel” scheme is not that straightforward – it really should have been called “Just Add Fuel and Deposit”. That’s because a 21 year old paying £215 per month would need to stump up the princely sum of £1,633 for a deposit too. And if you have to find £1,633 to pay upfront why not just spend that on a whole car? Sure you won’t have the convenience of a nice round-numbered bill every month and you won’t get a new car, but you’ll be spending much, much less in the first place.

So what can you get for £1,633? How about a 2004 Daihatsu Charade? No it’s not exciting, but it’s no less interesting than the Peugeot 107. Plus it has lots of space, will return nearly 60mpg and cost just £30 per year in road tax. You can even get several hundred pounds change from the £1633 budget if you shop around. Or, if you don’t like the Charade’s gawky looks, there are dozens of cheap, sturdy Ford Fiestas and Renault Clios available for the same price that should prove reliable and inexpensive to run.

Therefore, unless you truly value convenience above cost, Peugeot’s “Just Add Fuel” is of limited value. Despite the manufacturer’s bold claims that their scheme will tackle the drop in young driver car ownership, lumping all motoring costs into one big bill instead of several smaller ones does not suddenly make motoring affordable.

CLICK HERE to read the Verdict on the Peugeot 107

CLICK HERE to learn more about Just Add Fuel

2012 MINI Coupe JCW ROAD TEST (Leo Kimitri)

Long gone are the days when a Mini was actually small. Long gone too are the days when you had to put up with glacial performance to own a Mini.

And the fastest of the breed is the new Mini Coupe John Cooper Works (JCW), armed with a hefty dose of power and a lightweight, petite body.

The first thing you notice about the Mini Coupe JCW however, is not the performance but the unorthodox styling. Seemingly styled by a blind person, this Mini features very controversial looks and odd proportions. And for some unknown reason it has been designed to look like it’s wearing a back to front baseball cap…

Less divisive however, is how this machine drives. With its big power, light weight and compact size, the Mini Coupe JCW accelerates with real ferocity and devours corners with vigour. What it struggles with though, is doing both at the same time.

Mash the throttle into the carpet around a bend and the rabid power from the little turbocharged engine will send the wheels spinning wildly (should you switch off the traction control, that is), leaving expensive trails of rubber down the road.

Of course, you can keep the traction control on and reduce your tyre bills in the process, but this Mini forever feels like it has more power than the chassis can truly cope with. This isn’t a bad thing, but it does mean you have to temper how enthusiastically you accelerate.

Flat out the Mini Coupe JCW will oh so nearly hit 150mph and sprint to 62mph in 6.4 seconds. Suffice it to say, you won’t be wanting for speed in this Mini. The turbocharged 1.6 litre engine also pulls well at low engine speeds so you don’t have to rev it hard to make good progress.

A welcome side effect of the engine’s low down power is decent fuel economy and emissions. Combined fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of 165g/km (with correspondingly reasonable road tax of £170 per year) mean that the JCW Coupe shouldn’t be hugely expensive to run.

However, a starting price of £23,800 is much less wallet friendly and is a hefty £1,345 more than the Mini JCW hatchback which shares the same lusty engine and chassis and offers several more seats too.

Despite its substantial price tag and slightly unruly handling though, the Mini Coupe JCW has such an immense sense of occasion, hunger for corners and enough power to consume long straights that it could just be worth that price. If you have around £25,000 to spend on a car and sheer fun is at the top of your wishlist, you could be looking at your next car.

And best of all, when you’re cocooned in the snug interior, with the chunky alcantara covered wheel in your hands and the big rev counter in front of you, you can forget about the questionable styling and savour the road ahead.

Words and Photos by Leo Kimitri (www.carliament.com)

Technical Data

Price as tested: £23,800
Engine: 1.6 16v 211bhp - 0-62mph: 6.4 secs - Maximum Speed: 149mph -
Economy: 30.1mpg (urban) –48.7mpg (extra-urban), 39.8mpg (combined) - Emissions: 165g/km (Band G) - VED (12 months): £170
Dimensions: Length 3758mm - Width: 1683mm - Height: 1384mm - Wheelbase: 2467mm

*data from MINI UK