Ford Ranger Now Even Smarter with award-winning Ford SYNC® with Bluetooth and Voice Control

PRETORIA, South Africa, February 2015 - Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has expanded the smart technologies offered in the Ranger with the addition of its award-winning Ford SYNC^® with Bluetooth and Voice Control.

Using the innovative hands-free technology of SYNC, customers are able to connect almost any mobile phone or digital media player to the vehicle’;s multimedia system via Bluetooth or USB connection.

By means of simple voice commands or the controls mounted on the steering wheel, drivers are able to manage the system’;s wide range of features, from selecting phone contacts and making calls to choosing an artist or track, and even listening to text messages.

“Ford SYNC has revolutionised the way drivers interact with their vehicles, providing intuitive and convenient control of the in-car communications and entertainment features,” says Tracey Delate, Ford Marketing Manager. “The system also makes an important contribution to driving safety by allowing the driver to focus on the road while using voice commands for a vast range of functions.”

SYNC has become an integral part of Ford’;s pioneering smart technologies that are developed to suit the modern, connected lifestyle. It is available across most of the current Ford line-up including the Fiesta, Focus, Kuga, Fusion, Transit and Tourneo.

“By introducing SYNC to the Ranger XLS, XLT and Wildtrak models at no additional cost to the customer, we are making the technology more accessible and ensuring that the Ranger stands out even further from the competition,” Delate says.

SYNC responds to and recognises up to 150 different voice commands, can store up to 12 phones and hold up to 1 000 contacts per paired phone – all of which can be dialled by voice once the phonebook is downloaded to the system, without the need to record voice tags for each contact as is the case with the current system. It can also read out incoming SMS text messages from compatible phones.

On the music front, the system fully integrates the user’;s portable media players or USB device. Using the Voice Control function now allows users to specifically select artist, album, individual tracks, genre or playlists by their actual titles, thereby providing much easier control of music choices.

FORD RANGER – Models with Ford SYNC®	INCL. VAT INCL. Enviro Tax
Single Cab	;
Ranger 2.2 (110kW) XLS Hi-Rider 6MT	R314 900
Ranger 2.2 (110kW) XLS 4×4 6MT	R369 900
Ranger 3.2 XLS Hi-Rider 6MT	R358 938
Ranger 3.2 XLS 4×4 6MT	R412 900
Super Cab	;
Ranger 3.2 XLS Hi-Rider 6MT	R386 900
Ranger 3.2 XLS 4×4 6MT	R435 900
Ranger 3.2 XLS 4×4 6AT	R449 900
Double Cab	;
Ranger 2.2 (110kW) XLS 6MT	R401 900
Ranger 2.2 (110kW) XLS 4×4 6MT	R454 900
Ranger 3.2 XLT Hi-Rider 6MT	R456 900
Ranger 3.2 XLT Hi-Rider 6AT	R469 900
Ranger 3.2 XLT 4×4 6MT	R504 900
Ranger 3.2 XLT 4×4 6AT	R515 900
Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak 4×2 6MT	R484 900
Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak 4×2 6AT	R494 900
Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak 4×4 6AT	R551 900

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Avoiding Distractions while Driving

Ford Ranger Now Even Smarter with award-winning Ford SYNC® with Bluetooth and Voice Control

Ought to fuel rates be even decrease?

As pump prices fall, the proportion we give to the government in fuel taxes is rising. Campaigners are calling for a reduce in duty – but is this realistic?

Drivers all more than the UK are celebrating as the value of fuel continues to fall.

At the time of writing, the average value of a litre of unleaded in Britain is just beneath 109p a litre, with some forecourts selling it at beneath £1.

Collapsing oil price

Diesel is 116p a litre at a common filling station but less than 110p in some components of the nation.

The collapse in the value of oil considering that last summer has clearly been a boon for motorists: a barrel of Brent crude is now trading at significantly less than $ 50 dollars, compared with $ 115 last summer time.

But should fuel costs be even lower than they are at present? Are we obtaining a fair deal from retailers and – offered that tax tends to make up the lion’s share of what we pay for fuel – the government?

It is a widespread complaint that when the cost of oil falls, petrol retailers as effectively as power suppliers are slow to pass on the savings to consumers.

Why have prices not fallen further?

On the other hand, critics say, when the value of oil is on the up, these companies are considerably quicker to enhance what they charge.

An investigation by the Workplace of Fair Trading 2 years ago located no sturdy evidence that there was something unfair about the way petrol retailers set prices.

But with the cost of oil down by nicely over half given that last summer’s peak, it is reasonable to ask why the expense of petrol and diesel has only fallen by around a fifth.

Component of the purpose is that the raw material that goes into a litre of fuel – the oil itself – only represents a portion of the general cost.

Tax is the huge situation

There is also the cost of processing, transportation and retailing to take into account: the worth of oil might have slumped but the same surely can not be mentioned of these variables.

The true situation, however, is tax. The UK government imposes duty of 57.95p on each litre of petrol and diesel, with VAT at 20% then added to both the product price tag and the duty.

Simply because this duty is fixed, the decrease the cost of petrol is the higher the proportion motorists pay in tax.

According to the RAC, this indicates that the tax on petrol final July – when unleaded was nearly 140p a litre – was just over 60%.

Greater tax take

This month, nonetheless, the proportion of fuel bills going to the treasury is almost 70%.

As you might expect, retailers now want the government to cut taxes so they can pass on more of the falls in the oil price to their customers and thereby increase sales.

But from the coalition’s point of view, it is not that basic: though the Treasury’s percentage take from each litre of fuel has risen, the government is in fact obtaining much less revenue per tank than last summer.

Tax at roughly 60% on a 140p litre of petrol operates out at 84p, compared with 70% of 110p right now – just 77p.

Lack of political stress

This doesn’t necessarily mean we are paying less in duty all round – the lower cost of fuel has boosted sales, and that could be adequate to make up the revenue shortfall.

But if the government cut duty, it would possibly need to raise tax revenues in other ways.

And with most drivers enjoying this unexpected fall in pump prices, it is challenging to see political pressure to reduce tax rising substantially in the subsequent couple of months.

Compare automobile insurance – you could uncover a wonderful deal in minutes Get a auto insurance coverage quote

Ought to fuel rates be even decrease?

Must fuel rates be even reduce?

As pump costs fall, the proportion we give to the government in fuel taxes is rising. Campaigners are calling for a cut in duty – but is this realistic?

Drivers all more than the UK are celebrating as the value of fuel continues to fall.

At the time of writing, the typical price tag of a litre of unleaded in Britain is just under 109p a litre, with some forecourts promoting it at below £1.

Collapsing oil cost

Diesel is 116p a litre at a typical filling station but less than 110p in some parts of the nation.

The collapse in the price of oil because final summer has clearly been a boon for motorists: a barrel of Brent crude is now trading at much less than $ 50 dollars, compared with $ 115 last summer.

But need to fuel rates be even reduced than they are at present? Are we acquiring a fair deal from retailers and – provided that tax tends to make up the lion’s share of what we spend for fuel – the government?

It is a frequent complaint that when the cost of oil falls, petrol retailers as effectively as power suppliers are slow to pass on the savings to customers.

Why have prices not fallen further?

On the other hand, critics say, when the value of oil is on the up, these firms are considerably faster to improve what they charge.

An investigation by the Office of Fair Trading 2 years ago identified no powerful proof that there was something unfair about the way petrol retailers set rates.

But with the cost of oil down by nicely more than half considering that final summer’s peak, it is reasonable to ask why the cost of petrol and diesel has only fallen by around a fifth.

Component of the reason is that the raw material that goes into a litre of fuel – the oil itself – only represents a component of the overall value.

Tax is the large issue

There is also the cost of processing, transportation and retailing to take into account: the value of oil could have slumped but the exact same undoubtedly cannot be stated of these aspects.

The real situation, nevertheless, is tax. The UK government imposes duty of 57.95p on every single litre of petrol and diesel, with VAT at 20% then added to both the product value and the duty.

Since this duty is fixed, the reduced the price of petrol is the greater the proportion motorists pay in tax.

According to the RAC, this means that the tax on petrol last July – when unleaded was virtually 140p a litre – was just more than 60%.

Greater tax take

This month, nonetheless, the proportion of fuel bills going to the treasury is virtually 70%.

As you may expect, retailers now want the government to reduce taxes so they can pass on much more of the falls in the oil cost to their clients and thereby increase sales.

But from the coalition’s perspective, it is not that straightforward: although the Treasury’s percentage take from every single litre of fuel has risen, the government is actually acquiring less income per tank than final summer season.

Tax at roughly 60% on a 140p litre of petrol operates out at 84p, compared with 70% of 110p nowadays – just 77p.

Lack of political stress

This doesn’t necessarily imply we are paying significantly less in duty general – the reduce cost of fuel has boosted sales, and that could be adequate to make up the income shortfall.

But if the government reduce duty, it would possibly want to raise tax revenues in other techniques.

And with most drivers enjoying this unexpected fall in pump prices, it is difficult to see political stress to reduce tax rising drastically in the subsequent few months.

Evaluate car insurance coverage – you could find a excellent deal in minutes Get a auto insurance quote

Must fuel rates be even reduce?

Need to fuel prices be even lower?

As pump costs fall, the proportion we give to the government in fuel taxes is rising. Campaigners are calling for a cut in duty – but is this realistic?

Drivers all over the UK are celebrating as the cost of fuel continues to fall.

At the time of writing, the average price of a litre of unleaded in Britain is just beneath 109p a litre, with some forecourts selling it at below £1.

Collapsing oil value

Diesel is 116p a litre at a typical filling station but less than 110p in some components of the country.

The collapse in the price tag of oil since last summer time has clearly been a boon for motorists: a barrel of Brent crude is now trading at less than $ 50 dollars, compared with $ 115 last summer season.

But must fuel prices be even lower than they are at present? Are we receiving a fair deal from retailers and – given that tax makes up the lion’s share of what we spend for fuel – the government?

It is a frequent complaint that when the price of oil falls, petrol retailers as properly as power suppliers are slow to pass on the savings to consumers.

Why have prices not fallen further?

On the other hand, critics say, when the value of oil is on the up, these companies are much faster to increase what they charge.

An investigation by the Office of Fair Trading 2 years ago located no powerful proof that there was something unfair about the way petrol retailers set costs.

But with the price tag of oil down by properly more than half given that final summer’s peak, it is reasonable to ask why the expense of petrol and diesel has only fallen by about a fifth.

Element of the purpose is that the raw material that goes into a litre of fuel – the oil itself – only represents a part of the all round price tag.

Tax is the large concern

There is also the price of processing, transportation and retailing to take into account: the value of oil may have slumped but the exact same certainly can not be said of these aspects.

The real situation, however, is tax. The UK government imposes duty of 57.95p on every single litre of petrol and diesel, with VAT at 20% then added to both the product value and the duty.

Simply because this duty is fixed, the lower the cost of petrol is the greater the proportion motorists spend in tax.

According to the RAC, this indicates that the tax on petrol final July – when unleaded was virtually 140p a litre – was just more than 60%.

Greater tax take

This month, however, the proportion of fuel bills going to the treasury is nearly 70%.

As you might expect, retailers now want the government to cut taxes so they can pass on a lot more of the falls in the oil price to their customers and thereby boost sales.

But from the coalition’s point of view, it is not that simple: although the Treasury’s percentage take from each litre of fuel has risen, the government is actually getting significantly less income per tank than last summer season.

Tax at roughly 60% on a 140p litre of petrol performs out at 84p, compared with 70% of 110p right now – just 77p.

Lack of political stress

This does not necessarily imply we are paying much less in duty overall – the decrease cost of fuel has boosted sales, and that could be enough to make up the revenue shortfall.

But if the government cut duty, it would most likely want to raise tax revenues in other approaches.

And with most drivers enjoying this unexpected fall in pump costs, it is hard to see political pressure to reduce tax increasing considerably in the subsequent few months.

Examine automobile insurance coverage – you could discover a fantastic deal in minutes Get a automobile insurance quote

Need to fuel prices be even lower?

2015 Volkswagen Golf TSI 1.8T Manual Tested: Even the Simple Model is a World-Beater

Instrumented Test

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Even the basic model is a planet-beater.

It’s odd for us to contact out the manual transmission as our primary problem with a car—we are the Save the Manuals individuals, after all—but that is the case right here. To be clear, our grumbling isn’t actually aimed at the gearbox or the clutch, which are light and precise and rewarding to use, but rather VW’s solution preparing for its American Golf lineup.

The gasoline-fired TSI version of the all-new Golf is obtainable with a stick shift only in its most standard guise. You can have a manual in any TDI diesel model, but if you want such a gearbox with a gas engine and, say, navigation, heated seats, wheels bigger than 15 inches, a backup camera, auto headlamps, or push-button starting, you are going to have to step up at least a single trim grade and probably 2—and that means you will be restricted to a 6-speed torque-converter automatic. Adding a paper-reduce to this hangnail, the manual transmission in the TSI employs only 5 forward ratios versus the TDI’s 6. But, hey, the sunroof comes common on the 5-door.

The dearth of convenience attributes, though, helped this Golf S TSI tip the scales at significantly less than 3000 pounds. Light and lithe, our Golf was as chuckable and tossable as any of its brethren, and it exhibited little to no understeer as it sliced up apexes and registered .85 g on the skidpad. (A respectable quantity, specifically contemplating the modest 195/65 Continentals.) It is also as easy to reside with each and every day as any Golf, creature comforts notwithstanding. Credit the extrastiff chassis, the light and lively steering, and the car’s enormous refinement, which is such that it wouldn’t be surprising to uncover 4 rings or a 3-pointed star on the snout. Yes, even in this trim.

There’s one more bonus to this stick-shift automobile: quickness. The manual TSI is .9-second quicker to 60 mph than the TSI automatic, a full second faster than the dual-clutch-auto TDI diesel, and 1.5-seconds quicker than the manual diesel. The availability of full torque low in the rev variety makes the auto really feel sprightlier still, even if the engine never feels as if it is specifically thrilled about its job when asked to rev challenging. Let’s contact that a Germanic demeanor.

Despite our floorboard-denting driving style, this manual TSI still returned 27 mpg more than 450 miles or so of mixed city and highway use. In the diesel, which costs at least $ 1000 far more, we accomplished 32 mpg with the stick and 34 with the DSG. An further mpg or 2 might be inside attain on gasoline, if only the 1.8 were capable to spin a sixth gear fitting a 5-speed in this day and age is not a mortal sin, but a automobile that feels so premium in almost each other way ought to have a completely modern day manual transmission. At least we get the bigger engine unless they go GTI or R, German buyers can’t order a gas powerplant burlier than a 150-hp, 1.4-liter turbo 4. (Wait, that engine can be had with a 6-speed stick? Re-commence grumbling.)

As pointed out, this Golf S was a basic vehicle. It sported black V-Tex vinyl upholstery—which looks and feels fine—and zero alternatives. In fact, there is just a single obtainable choice, a Lighting pack that brings bixenons with active swiveling, ambient LED interior lighting, footwell lighting, and LED daytime running lamps. Stated bundle expenses $ 995 and is far from needed, but it does guarantee that the car’s aesthetic is as polished and crisp at night as it is when the sun’s up.

And that is genuinely the factor. The most current Golf is a phenomenal car—full stop. We just wish this distinct drivetrain have been obtainable in much more totally equipped models.

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2015 Volkswagen Golf TSI 1.8T Manual Tested: Even the Simple Model is a World-Beater

Are you breaking even on your savings?

The days of double digit interest prices are lengthy gone. While this is wonderful for these paying off a property loan, it’s undesirable news for those attempting to discover a wholesome return on their savings. Sadly the low official cash price is at present paired with an inflation price at the higher finish of the Reserve Bank’s comfort level. It is a combination that makes it practically impossible for savers to remain ahead of the game appropriate now. In truth even savers on the most typical marginal tax rate of 34.5% (which includes Medicare levy) are struggling to improve their wealth after inflation and income tax are taken into account.

The table below shows the gross before-tax return that is needed from a savings account in order to break even, across the different income tax thresholds.

Marginal Tax Rate %	Inflation rate %	Gross prior to-tax return necessary to break even %
21.00%	3.00%	3.80%
34.50%	3.00%	4.58%
39.00%	3.00%	4.92%
49.00%	3.00%	5.88%

 Calculations include Medicare levy of 2% and temporary price range repair levy of 2% for taxable incomes more than $ 180,000

The combination of money rate and inflation tends to make it even a lot more critical than usual to select an account that gives outstanding worth for income across prices, fees and features. CANSTAR has crunched the numbers on 418 deposit accounts from 85 diverse institutions to decide which items provide outstanding value for funds. You can check the information here.

Are you breaking even on your savings?