Fiat has announced it has signed a new deal with the Football Association (FA) to provide fleet services for the organisation.

The agreement, which will run through to 2014, comes in what will be a major year for the FA, with the World Cup in South Africa just months away.

As well as becoming an official supplier to the England team as it gears up to target glory under Fabio Capello, the deal will also include links to the national team’s home at Wembley Stadium.

Drawing on the classic football saying, Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Fiat Group Automobiles UK and Ireland, said the company was "over the moon" with the deal, saying it would help highlight the Fiat name across the country.

"Our objective has been to increase brand awareness of our cars and clearly, with such a huge following of football in this country, the agreement will do that," he commented.

The deal is the latest in a series of high-profile partnerships penned by Fiat, following agreements with British Cycling and the BSM driving school.

Compact executive-style vehicles and 4×4s are said to be the vehicles most at risk of being stolen according to HPI, which provides a check system for organisations to monitor the validity of cars they sell on.

Revealing new analysis from its network of checks, HPI says the two classes account for a quarter of all vehicles stolen.

Daniel Burgess, HPI’s director of automotive, added: "Roadsters and small family cars follow close behind, both at eight per cent, suggesting it’s not just the prestige fast cars, but the everyday smaller vehicles that are bringing criminals financial gain.

"The age of a vehicle appears to be a big factor in the type of cars stolen, with criminals most commonly targeting vehicles between four and eight years of age."

The organisation is urging retailers to perform preliminary checks to protect themselves but also a means of boosting their reliability in the eyes of consumers and providing a potential marketing angle for promoting the models they sell.

One danger which has emerged in recent years is cloning, whereby stolen vehicles are disguised using legitimate identities – something which can be guarded against through a check of the VIN/chassis number, V5 and service documentation.

Growth of small, low-CO2 cars has led to lower carbon emissions being produced across Europe, according to JATO Dynamics.

More than 50 per cent of cars in the European car market emit less than 140g/km, with low-carbon cars , producing less than 120g/km, taking an 8.9 per cent increased market share.

Average volume-weighted CO2 emissions across all models and segments fell by 7.9g/km last year, compared to in 2008 when the reduction was only 5.4g/km.

The majority of this decrease is due to a change in buying habits, with people downsizing to smaller, more economical cars, according to JATO, which is the automotive industry’s leading provider of data.

This change in consumer behaviour is also related to the scrappage schemes, which were implemented in various countries across Europe from last year.

Small, low-CO2 emitting cars were the most popular sold during the scrappage schemes, which strongly influences new car sales across Europe in 2009.

Fiat remains the leading brand in the car market for its low carbon emission cars with an average volume of just 127.8g/km, according to data compiled by JATO Dynamics.

It has topped the volume-weighted CO2 emissions table for a second year running, already being ahead of the European Union target emissions levels, which is hoped to be achieved by 2012.

The most improved brands for emissions over the past year were, in fact, the supercar ones.

Ferrari reduced its volume of carbon emissions by 53.6g/km and the second biggest improvement came from Porsche with a 27.5g/km reduction.

These brands still did not do enough to make it into the top ten of the table, with Audi the only brand not in the rankings from the previous year.

Audi has been working hard to reduce the CO2 emissions across its range, with a special emphasis on the high-volume A4 two litre TDI.

The lowest CO2 model of 2009 was the Toyota Prius, which produces an average output of 95.6g/km.

Toyota came second in the top ten table for CO2 volume, moving up from fifth place last year.

The first fully hybrid car to be launched in the premium compact sector car market will be unveiled by Lexus at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

It has been tailored to a European market and the CT 200h model is more environmentally-friendly than previous Lexus models.

Lexus hope the new low-emission car will attract new and younger customers to the brand.

The model has a 1.8 litre petrol engine coupled with a powerful electric motor, and a choice of four different driving modes.

ECO and NORMAL driving modes place emphasis upon comfort and efficiency, while the SPORT mode has a focus on dynamic performance.

There is an EV mode on the car too, which allows drivers to travel carbon emission-free for up to 1.2 miles at speeds of up to 28mph, powered by the electric motor alone.

CT 200h models will be going to production in the latter part of 2010 and are going to go on worldwide sale.

BMW has been named the most desirable car by used car website, motor.co.uk, in its Buyer’s Choice Awards.

The website, which is now the second biggest used car network site behind Auto Trader, designed the awards to help consumers pick the best used cars.

With the 10 number plate released next month, the website suggested more new and used cars would be going on the market, and it wanted a way to advise buyers of which cars were best.

The cars have been selected based upon searches conducted over the past three years, since the website’s inception.

BMW 3 Series cars took the Most Desirable award, despite being produced for the first time more than 30 years ago, it accounted for the highest number of searches on the site.

Top Hatch went to the second most searched for car on the website, the Ford Focus.

More than 150,000 used cars are up for sale on motor.co.uk, with the site also offering its customers advice, which is why is started its Buyer’s Choice Awards.

A limited edition version of the Jeep Wrangler will go on sale in the UK from the beginning of March.

Just 200 of the Wrangler Ultimate models will be in showrooms across the country from March 1st and they will only be available in the colour black.

The two-door Ultimate and four-door SUV, called the Wrangler Unlimited, will both feature the Wrangler Freedom Top, which makes the model so popular.

It boasts being the only 4×4 vehicle available will multiple open-air options. The Freedom Top allows drivers to experience a total open-air drive by completely removing the hard top.

The Ultimate can reach speeds of up to 107mph with its 2.8 litre engine, which has been designed based on the CRD Sahara model.

The Wrangler is not the only special edition to be announced recently, with Jeep releasing limited edition models across the Cherokee range from March 1st too.

Motorists are ready to go green, according to research for automotive communications consultancy firm, Automotive PR.

Some 62 per cent of motorists can see themselves owning or driving an electric or hybrid car in the future and they are keen to be more environmentally-friendly in relation to transport.

More than half of all motorists (54 per cent) are concerned or very concerned about global warming, market research agency fast.MAP found when it surveyed more than 1,000 UK drivers.

The new strategy that the government has proposed, and will be implementing from January 2011, will come as good news for eco-conscious drivers.

As part of a programme to support the ultra-low carbon car industry, the government will be investing £450 million.

Customers choosing to buy cars in this sector will benefit from a £230 million incentive programme, meaning each buyer will receive £5,000 off the purchase of a new ultra-low carbon car.

Jaguar Land Rover has received funding of £340 million for research into initiative to lower carbon emissions in the premium car sector.

The brand has been funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which wanted to make a lasting contribution to the automotive research that would mean more environmentally-friendly cars being produced.

It is an eight-year loan, which will allow the brand to conduct research into the development of micro and full hybrid drive train motors and more energy-efficient car bodies in the premium car segment of the market.

The loan was granted under the European Clean Transport Facility, which supports investments that target research, development and innovation in the fields of emissions reduction and energy efficiency in European transport.

Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile company, acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008 and has sought funding to development the brand from various sources since then.

The EIB’s investment is the last major element of funding for the brand, which is important to Tata Motors as it attempts to strengthen its group in the current economic climate.

Buyer confidence in Ford Retail Group can be boosted by the company receiving SAF Approved status.

The group is one of the biggest motor dealers in the UK and the recognition from the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) means car buyers can be more confident when taking up motor finance with the group.

Coming just before the busiest month for car retailers, as March 1st is when the new 10 number plate is released, the certification raises dealer staff knowledge on motor finance.

The recognition ensures staff at the dealerships have studied and passed a finance competence test and improves staff knowledge, which is all positive for buyers.

FLA, the leading trade association for the motor finance sector, started the SAF awarding system in 2007 as it recognised the need for kite-mark to be set for motor finance.

Ford Retail’s addition brings the number of SAF Approved dealer groups to seven out of the top 20 in the UK.