‘L’ school ditches Corsa for 500

04th August 2009

The nation’s favourite learner car has been axed. After a 17-year relationship, the British School of Motoring has dumped the Vauxhall Corsa – in favour of the Fiat 500.

It could be a huge blow for Vauxhall, as BSM claims that 70 per cent of first-time buyers choose the car they passed their test in.

Bosses at the driving school say the move is an attempt to modernise their image, so they can appeal to more drivers. And the 500 was selected from 17 contenders because it was considered more fashionable.

The clincher, though, will have been the retro Fiat’s clean engine. As the 1.2-litre engine in most of the 500s set to join the BSM fleet puts out less CO2 than the equivalent Corsa, it will reduce the firm’s annual road tax bill by an eye-watering £250,000!

In addition, the little Fiat promises 55.4mpg fuel economy to the Corsa’s 48.7mpg. The first 500 joins the fleet next month, and the Italian brand will supply 14,000 over the next four years to meet the demand of BSM’s 130,000 members. Plus, those who learn with the firm can get a £500 discount on all new Fiats.

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