WITH fuel prices expected to escalate, MG Rover has come up with a marketing coupe by giving it away with every new car sold before April.
In a pioneering deal which is worth over £500 - £800 per vehicle, the company is issuing fuel cards with new models.
Customers can then refuel for free until the card expires, which is in about a year's time based on average fuel consumption.
The actual amount on the card varies with the engine size and whether it is petrol or diesel, but it adds up to a considerable incentive. Rival companies have given away small amounts of fuel before, but it is thought to be the first time a year's supply has been given.
The value provisioned on the customer's card is calculated on an average annual mileage of 10,000 or 833 miles per month, up to and including December 2003. The calculation is based on the fuel consumption figure (combined cycle) for the manual variant of the model purchased. Diesels and bigger engined models get 5,000 miles or 416 a month.
John Sanders, sales and marketing director of MG Rover Group said: "This is another example of MG Rover's innovative marketing programmes offering customers genuine benefit. Fuel costs are a significant issue to many retail buyers and this offer will give MG and Rover customers substantial savings until 2004."
Alternatives to the free fuel promotion are available if preferred and include - dependent upon circumstances or model chosen - two-years' free servicing, cashback alternatives, finance deposit contributions or insurance contributions.
The incentive will not affect list prices and then hit residual values when part-exchanging, which is common with some competitors' new car discounts.