Ford, FCA Join 2015 U.K. Fleet Show Lineup

The annual U.K. Fleet Show attracts a record 24 automakers including market leader Ford, taking part at the event in Silverstone for the first time.

Another newcomer to this year’s show on May 12 is FCA with its four main brands: Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat.

They join repeat exhibitors from last year’s show: BMW, Citroen, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, MG, Mini, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Tesla, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volvo.

Other exhibitors include leasing companies, driver-training providers, fuel-card and fleet-software suppliers, vehicle-rental companies and recharging-system operators.

Jerry Ramsdale, publishing director of organizers Fleet World magazine, says the exhibitor turnout provides fleet decision-makers with a compelling reason to attend the event, 80 miles (108 km) northwest of London.

There will be a special emphasis on alternative powertrains, including electric and hybrid vehicles, which organizers expect to be a major attraction for fleet decision-makers.

Show visitors again will be able to take test drives on three circuits of the world-famous Silverstone Grand Prix venue, plus off-road driving on a 4x4 course.

But Ramsdale says the show isn’t just about test-driving the latest models, although many decision-makers visit for just that reason.

“As with last year, we have sought to strike a balance between interactive fleet education, test driving and a contemporary fleet exhibition which features some of the latest developments, products and services in the fleet arena,” he says.

Last year’s event attracted more than 670 senior fleet decision-makers. Organizers are repeating the fleet-training format from that show in a series of workshop-style sessions run by fleet managers for anyone wanting to learn more about fleet management.

The 30-minute informal training sessions will tackle four key topics: fundamentals of fleet management, risk management, environmental management and procurement.