1. Just before Christmas, Town and
County Motor Centre very kindly
handed us the keys of our new
company car, the Nissan Pulsar.
Having never purchased a new car
before, I was surprised how easy the
process was. Mick Wheeler, of Town and
Country, seamlessly sorted everything
and the car arrived within one month
with no faff in between. We chose the
Pulsar because on paper it fitted our
demands well: practical, economical,
‘dynamic’, reliable and, ermm, friendly.
We decided on ‘Flame Red’ to reflect
our brand and in actual fact this is the first
branded car Business Cornwall has had.
Deciding on whether or not to brand
company vehicles really depends on the
nature of your business. It would be
counterproductive to brand an earth
warming gas-guzzler if you’re a renew-
able energy company.
However, if you’re an investment ser-
vice provider this may work well, show-
casing your wealth and evidencing your
expertise. It’s also pretty wise that you
wouldn’t want to brand a banger and it
also obligates you to keep the car clean
(very difficult in Cornwall!) and make sure
there are no empty fast food wrappers
and coffee cups visible.
The overriding factor is that your
vehicle must reflect the values of your
brand. The Pulsar suited us because it is
essentially a vehicle with a clear purpose
and is in no way ostentatious or OTT.
For us having a physical presence in the
business community is important and so
a branded vehicle contributes towards
raising our profile.
Like any advert, each time someone
from the business community sets eyes
on the car our visual impression counter
clocks up and a stamp has been made
on someone’s sub-conscious and there’s
always the chance
it may trigger a call
to action, too.
The medium
sized hatchback
market is a satu-
rated and competi-
tive one and Nis-
san has not directly
competed in this
area of the market
since production of
the Almera ceased
in 2006.
So really the
release of the Pulsar last year was a big
moment for Nissan. Entering this market
with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf
and Ford Focus amongst many oth-
ers is like getting in a boxing ring with
Mike Tyson and Muhammed Ali etc (in
their heyday).
Basically all the greats and I’m pleased
to say that the Pulsar hasn’t been
knocked out. I wouldn’t say it’s going in
for the knock-out hits, but it’s tactical
and has weighed up the competition and
its footwork is pretty good.
The Pulsar is a very decent car. Most
things you look for in a hatchback, it
does very well.
It’s spacious, economical, stylish,
well-equipped and well-priced. What
I was hoping for is a bit of character,
something which the Almera was entirely
devoid of. This Pulsar isn’t quite as excit-
ing as its cousin in astronomy nor is it as
exciting as the last Pulsar car. The 90’s
Nissan Sunny Pulsar was a homologation
car which turned an ordinary hatchback
into a mad, granny on speed racer, fitted
with a 220bhp 2L turbo charged engine
and 4WD, built for rallying.
However, that is an extreme and I’m
glad to say that this pulsar is a friendly
character! It is possible to extract a little
fun out of its nimble chassis and the 1.5l
diesel packs enough of a punch should
you need it. In terms of being friendly,
I just find it welcoming, it grins and the
cockpit is a pleasant place to be. Hurray!
What this means is the Pulsar now
appeals to a wider market, not just OAPs.
This has been assisted more generally by
a shift in the overall Nissan brand, thanks
to models like the quirky Nissan Juke and
the blisteringly fast and game-changing
Nissan GTR (I will own one of these).
A big thank you to Town and Country
Motor Centre from all at Business Corn-
wall and we look forward to our time
with the Pulsar.
Driving the brand
“Each time someone
from the business
community sets eyes
on the car our visual
impression counter
clocks up”
If you would like your motoring news to
feature on this page, email morveth@
businesscornwall.co.uk
How does your choice of company car reflect your reputation and values?
Morveth Ward investigates
Branded car: the Nissan Pulsar
Motoring32 www.businesscornwall.co.uk Business Cornwall Magazine - February 2015
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