Chauffeur News

The legacy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars continues as they unveil their new showroom in Paris opened by the firms CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös. The idea of a Rolls-Royce showroom in Paris once again shows the world how the prestigious marque are innovative, foreword thinking and traditional. The facility is of course in the centre of Paris in the upmarket and fashionable 17th arrondissement. The grand opening was attended by VIP guests, celebrities, customers as well as media. The impressive building created by architects will hold 3 Rolls-Royce’s and fits in perfectly with the Parisian air of fashion with it’s customer lounge hosting colour and trim samples and an expresso bar.

Alice Temperley MBE, one of British contemporary fashion’s diamonds, created a gown for Rolls-Royce that is described ‘as the embodiment of the graceful little goddess’ which was presented at the opening of the showroom all the way from London Fashion Weeks catwalk.

CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said, “Paris is a global capital of style and fine living. I am delighted to see the new French home of Rolls-Royce in the heart of Paris, which complements the unique mood of the city, as well as the core values of our company.”

Dealer Principal of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Paris, Eric Neubauer, said, “The investment in our new showroom underpins our successful business partnership with Rolls-Royce in France. Working with our architects we were keen to create an atmosphere befitting the Spirit of Ecstasy, as we celebrate the centenary of this famous figurine.”

Following record sales Rolls-Royce have expanded their awesome factory at Goodwood to the tone of £10 million, to keep up with customer demand. Global sales are up, despite our world economy, and the firm have had serious interest from India and general sales growth is higher across all regions than ever before.

Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept

Bentley showcased a beautiful new interior concept designed for those executives on the move at the Frankfurt Automobile Exhibition last month. The Bentley Mulsanne flagship received a 170 hour hand-crafted makeover which will offer top executives and business people a luxury mobile office with a yachting style veneer inside it’s cabin. The passengers in the rear will benefit from individual iPad workstations mounted onto retractable picnic style tables as well as a 15.6-inch high-definition drop down LED screen for presentations and movies from both the DVD changer and Mac mini as well as TV function. The gadgets can also be stowed away, if discretion is a factor, and attention to detail is highlighted by a Tibaldi fountain pen, from Bentleys specially commissioned collection, which is neatly kept in the centre armrest along with a privacy telephone handset.

Named the Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept the british skilled craftsmen have mounted a Mac Mini in the trunk to power the iPads which have bluetooth wireless keyboards and as well as this an iPod remote control for music and rear seat information and entertainment devices. The chauffeur 4-seat configuration has rear seat entertainment (RSE) and is fitted with twin individual armrests and two cupholders, a tissue box and a large storage area. The control keys on the rear console operate the picnic tables, reading lights, HD LED screen and select audio and visual options. There is a double-glazed frosted glass bottle cooler in the rear centre console and multi-directional reading lights for each passenger which can be operated with the Apple devices and all of this can be illuminated by sophisticated mood lighting using soft glowing LED’s.

Alasdair Stewart, Member of the Board for Sales & Marketing said: “Many customers use their time in the Mulsanne to keep on top of their business commitments or simply take a few moments to relax. This fully functioning concept highlights the Mulsanne’s potential to help busy executives to communicate effectively and quickly whilst travelling. As you would expect from Bentley, all these features work in harmony with the handcrafted cabin and can be displayed or hidden at the user’s discretion.

“Mobile is the future”, is the mantra that continues to fall on our ears as people all over the world are buying more products and services online from their mobile phones. It is said that there are now more computer devices on the planet than there are people. In China over 80% of web based purchases come from mobile devices. A top Citigroup executive noted that there are more mobile phones in some countries than personal bank accounts.

Desktop Replacement

Manufacturers are continuing to develop smarter and less power hungry systems with complete desktop functionality. This gives us more control in the palm of our hands and eventually replace the traditional desktop computer. The mobile is essentially becoming a part of us, our little helper. From waking us up in the morning, to checking train times and weather, and looking at our bank accounts the mobile is becoming our second brain. In the future our mobile will be able to re-programme our home, it will replace our credit card to pay for tickets and journeys and to buy items in shops, with a quick scan of our device. With location technology the mobile will also make us aware of friends and family in our vicinity and let us know directions and the availability of the person. It is already our entertainment centre when we are not at home, holding our music and videos, and soon it will intelligently work out our preferences for food, films that evening, or events locally that we may be interested in. In the future leaving home without your mobile device will be like leaving a part of you behind as it will become your wallet, your keys to your car and hold all your personal data. It will predict your needs.

How will the Mobile effect the Chauffeur and Taxi Industry?

So how will this massive change in the relationships we have with our mobiles affect the chauffeur and taxi industry? It will give the client, the company and the driver more awareness and control. Now we have wide cellular coverage all we will need is a signal on our mobile. The first major change will involve moving our chauffeur despatch software online. This technology will enable the client to book online easily and will hold all previous addresses, journeys, prices and payment details, so with a few clicks they can book their journey. The chauffeur will also have the same flexibility and functionality and once logged on they will be shown what jobs are in their vicinity and the price of the job, and if the chauffeur is self employed, this may give him variable choices and offers of jobs with many chauffeur companies. The chauffeur company will benefit by having less office staff and controllers as technology will do most of the work for them.

In the near future, your mobile phone will be so powerful it’ll guide you through your whole life ~ William Webb

A “Yacht on four wheels” is what Mercedes are calling the Vision Pearl Concept Luxury Viano. Having being inspired by modern sporting yachts the former head of AMG Volker Mornhinweg made the Vision Pearl Concept his brainchild based on a maritime theme. The Mercedes Viano Vision showcar will make it’s debut appearance at this years International Motor Show (IAA) and last week Mercedes released stunning photos ahead of the Frankfurt Auto show creating some more buzz. Mercedes must be listening hard to their customers as one thing that has always let the Viano down is it’s looks. When offering alternative chauffeur vehicles to clients, when the passenger number is more than four, a common response is “but it’s a van”. Frankly, despite the numerous changes, we are still left with a van but it does look sportier and internally the modernisation is vital to the Viano’s shelf life.

Design and Changes

They say that the journey is the destination and Mercedes are trying to tap into this and make travelling more experience-oriented. Travelling time can be enjoyable and need not be a means to an end. Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans said “The Viano Vision Pearl is not merely a functional van, but also a stylishly designed living space.” Although the Viano Vision can carry 5 passengers we really need a seven passenger version which would mean six passengers in the rear and two bench seats. Although this would take away some of the ‘open living space’ it is vital as most of the luxury van market will require this. The middle row of seats can be turned 180 degrees to face the rear in conference style, and allow for face to face conversations with passengers in the back. One thing that is very exiting for Chauffeurs is Mercedes latest creation SmartGlass technology – SPD. This will allow passengers and chauffeurs to alter the tint of the glass in the roof and windows all the way from clear to dark, something that Mercedes rivals will have to follow. This feature will also improve security when privacy is important and hinder the paps.

The interior design is stunning and bold, a little impractical having white leather especially in the chauffeur business, but we can only hope that a darker interior version will reach the market. Stitched leather flooring in the front and a hardwood floor in the back along with brushed aluminium accents in the center console makes the concept so inviting. Boasting a 1320 watt Bang & Olufsen “BeoSound Viano” high-end sound system with 18 speakers the Concept will also sound good. Onboard WiFi connectivity is also incorporated for the modern business traveller. The front end has integrated LED daytime running lamps and Mercedes have introduced a “magno pearl grey” paint finish for the first time into the MPV sector. Mercedes maybe looking to capitalise on the Nissan and Toyota market share with these interior changes which could be big in the oriental market.

Earlier this year we published an article ‘The best Chauffeur Car in the World’ and in our experienced but humble opinion, the S-class Mercedes came in at number 1, which is why the arrival of the next big Benz has our pulses racing. The new S, codename W222, will be arriving at a time where sales had been falling in Europe, where the Benz flagship was overtaken by the new Audi A8 and the BMW 7-series. It is a different story in the Middle East, North America and China, as we have realised here at iChauffeur, clients from these region’s simply will not have anything else.

It’s all About the Curves

The next generation S-class has done it’s utmost to disguise itself from the public eye with extensive cladding, so we are not entirely sure of the exact shape, but what we do know is that there will be more sexy curves. At the Detroit show in 2007 the F700 concept car was unveiled and Daimler are expected to adopt styling from this model. By default, what we do know is that the front grill and rear light clusters will be modernised as these areas have been kept secret by the firm.

When does the New Mercedes S-Class Arrive?

For the Chauffeur market 2013, and this time around with four different body styles. As usual you will have the standard wheelbase saloon arriving in 2012, the Long Wheel Base in 2013, a coupe (which will replace the CL) and a stunning looking convertible in 2014 which will take 4 passengers. Quite disappointing that the chauffeur version with the extra leg room is not coming first but Daimlers plan is to widen the S-class market across the board which is made quite obvious by offering a convertible.

What’s New For The 2012 S-Class?

The W222 rear-wheel drive Merc’s will adopt MRA, which is short for Mercedes Rear-wheel drive Architecture and a new four-link front suspension and in the rear a new multilink arrangement. It will also have Magic Body control MBC which compensates road irregularities promising an even better ride than before, with 2 cameras scanning the road ahead, the magical system will change the ride before you hit the bumps. MLC or Magic Light Control is another magic trick from the firms box which adapts its light patterns from the steering angle, weather and speed. One thing that is paramount to drivers that Daimler have advanced is an easy to use command system (probably a single controller) with more integration on the steering wheel. Mercedes Benz is looking to change the screen in the centre consul for a larger TFT multiple-imagert display in the drivers primary field of vision. In true Star Trek style, that is something I am looking foreword to seeing.

What about the Lumps?

Well it’s V6 and V8 petrol and the V6 has stop-start technology and revised direct injection which will apparently improve the fuel economy by 24 per cent. The V8 engine has 429bhp, and 32 per cent more torque, but improved fuel economy and CO2 emissions. The diesel version called the S250 CDI will have 204bhp and promises some dynamic savings in fuel and this version may be adapted into a hybrid version with a new battery from Litec. Sources say that Mercedes are working hard on hybrid technology but it’s unlikely to appear for quite a few years probably around 2014. It goes without saying that a stupidly quick AMG version will arrive and sources say 650bhp will be the mark.

Verdict

We are having some!

Any quality driven chauffeur company will understand and recognise the importance of the chaps on the road. The guys that perform well and gel with their customers. Those chauffeurs who seem to get requested more than others and who produce hot feedback like; “We must have Michael again, my boss loved him”. It is not enough to have an amazing website, a huge fleet of brand spanking new chauffeur vehicles and the latest iPhone app. If the customer does not warm to the person picking them up your time is limited within the chauffeur industry.

What Makes a Good Chauffeur?

There is absolutely no point being a chauffeur unless you enjoy driving. If traffic jams wind you up or you stress over travelling long distances, then forget it and move on. A chauffeur must enjoy being out and about and thrives in new scenarios each day. They must embrace change rather than fear it. It is these service based individuals who like a challenge and enjoy being part of a team that are successful. Being a top chauffeur is not about reflective glory and cruising around with A-list celebrities, Royalty and other famous faces. The industry is not often like that as many customers are private successful individuals who like to feel safe and comfortable with their chauffeur. Of course a good chauffeur must have topographical training and be familiar with the best sights to see. He must also be flexible and ensure someones special occasion goes smoothly and that may mean reading the customer well with good insight and instinct. The most important factor that makes a good chauffeur is simply that he or she enjoys what they do.

Retaining Customers

If we take a booking from a customer and they bond with the chauffeur then we will always do our very best to match them up again on the next journey. This way the customer feels that they have their own personal chauffeur, although they might only take a chauffeur journey several times a year. Sometimes the feedback from a journey comes from the chauffeur as well as the client. The chauffeur may mention that he enjoyed driving a particular client very much and that they got on well, and subsequently this feedback will be added to the clients profile. This enables us to build a solid and realistic database for each client. Each time they use our service something else can be added, like a particular way a client likes to travel, or the type of newspaper that they like to read.

The Fine Line

Sometimes after the chauffeur and client have built a solid relationship you may find that the client opens his private life to the chauffeur. The chauffeur may get invited to social events and family parties or may even be offered holidays abroad. It has been known that chauffeurs have been given expensive watches or even luxury cars as gifts. Quite frankly, this is where things can get tricky as the chauffeur, if he is not mindful, may get too close to the client and the air of professionalism can be lost. Once again these potential difficulties are down to the individual, and for me, this type of etiquette cannot be learned. It is instinctual and is something that the chauffeur is naturally able to interpret.

 12 and 16 Seater Luxury Minibuses

Within the corporate and business sector each organisation is continually looking for new ways to improve and streamline their businesses. Transportation is one of the areas where this can be achieved successfully, and here at iChauffeur, we have noticed a significant increase in the use of luxury Chauffeur driven 12 and 16 seater minibuses. Rather than using a number of MPV’s or executive cars, businesses are realising and taking advantage of the minibuses by transporting a larger amount of people in one vehicle. This is not only more advantageous financially but also environmentally which is also another determining factor companies are needing to pay attention to.

Our luxury chauffeur driven minibuses are a perfect solution for any Corporate event, Airport transfer or Roadshow as they enable the party, to sit together and share the experience, rather than being split up into different vehicles. The party are able to continue working whilst in transit, which is beneficial, or they can simply relax before the event. With leather seats, conference tables, video facilities and tea and coffee machines, the luxury minibuses are ideal for any type of event including transporting wedding guests, sports teams and school parties.

The Prince of Wales will travel to the wedding in this Royal Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Kate Middleton has chosen a very special wedding car for her last drive with her father, on the occasion of her marriage to Prince William, a Rolls-Royce.

A Rolls-Royce Phantom VI will drive her to the ceremony. The Rolls-Royce was given to the Queen as a present to celebrate her Silver Jubilee in 1977. This stunning Rolls-Royce was subject to much media attention in December last year when it was attacked by yobs during the student riots. The Royal Mews are confident that the damaged vehicle will be in tip top condition for the royal wedding on 29 April at Westminster Abbey, London.

Finished in claret and black, this unique wedding car has an extra high roof, making the bride to be and her father visible to the well wishers en route to the service.

The married couple will eschew petroleum power for horse power for their first journey. They will climb aboard the same horse drawn carriage which Prince William’s parents used on their wedding day 30 years ago in 1981.

The proud father of the groom, the Prince of Wales will travel to the ceremony in another Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Phantom IV as pictured above. Another very exclusive Royal Rolls-Royce, again finished in claret and black. This 1950 Rolls-Royce was commissioned by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1949 ending Daimlers royal “monopoly” when announced in 1950.

iChauffeur are delighted that the Royal Family have chosen Rolls-Royce Phantom limousines for the Royal Wedding transport and are pleased to offer chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce Phantom limousines and Rolls-Royce Phantom wedding cars for other special occasions.

Chauffeur Airport Transfers to and from London Heathrow Airport

Trying to get a cab or black taxi on arrival at Heathrow Airport (LHR) can be quite stressful especially if you are not familiar with London. Heathrow Airport handles 180,000 passengers daily, being one of the busiest Airports in the world, so the most efficient and hassle-free way to get to or from Heathrow Airport to Central London is in a pre-booked private Chauffeur Car. Chauffeur transfers allow you to avoid searching for transport and queuing. Your Chauffeur meets you in the Arrivals Hall, helps you with your luggage and escorts you to your Chauffeur driven vehicle straight to your hotel.

Black Taxis,  Minicabs and Buses

Black taxis for Airport Transfers can cost up to £80 from Heathrow Airport to Central London so why not take a Chauffeur Car instead as the price is approximately 20% more expensive. That way, you can relax knowing that your friendly Chauffeur will be waiting for you with a name-board of your choice. You should avoid mini-cab drivers who offer their services at airports or stations and only use a reputable mini-cabs and never use unauthorized drivers.

Trains and Coaches from Heathrow Airport

There are five Terminals at Heathrow Airport all with information desks, lost luggage facilities, currency exchange desks and shops. There are 3 tube stations at Heathrow Airport on the Piccadilly Line which service Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Terminal 4 and Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3. All stations will get you to central London in about an hour.

The quickest way for the most part from Heathrow Airport to Central London is the Heathrow Express which operates four trains per hour to and from Paddington station in London. There are 3 coaches per hour to and from Heathrow Airport to Victoria coach station and again the journey time is approximately 1 hour. There is also a night bus (N9) which runs between midnight and 05.30am every 30 minutes to Trafalgar Square.

There is an exchanting story from one of the worlds most famous Chauffeurs called Roosevelt Zanders who, in a rags to riches fashion, created a successful Chauffeur/Concierge company in New York City in 1958. Zanders, who was a Captain in the U.S Army, established his company, New York City Limousines in Harlem, and the elite from Fifth Avenue sought out his Chauffeur or Limousine services. His client list included Richard Nixon, Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Nat King Cole and Eleanor Roosevelt to name a few.

His fleet grew from a $3000 Cadillac to 16 Chauffeur Vehicles, including 3 Rolls-Royces. Zanders developed the concept of finding things for the wealthy that were not readily available and his concierge services flourished. Zanders would be able to get a client anything from Hotel Reservations, Theatre Tickets, Private Banking, and babysitters. He once sent two tiger cubs to The President of Panama, delivered $200,000 cash to Aristotle Onassis, and produced a pair of Elephants to a political rally.

Chauffeur and Concierge services work extremely well together, and although we do not publicise the fact, here at iChauffeur we have always provided our clients with much more than a Chauffeur Service. In the past we have purchased Super-cars, found appropriate schooling for children, and organised private jets as well as many other luxury items or services. We would never make public the famous faces that we have carried over the years. as confidentiality is crucial to our clients, but we can say we have carried the largest names in the acting world, Politicians, Heads of State and Royalty.