MINI is seen as a vital growth area, according to corporate operations manager Steve Chater. Currently accounting for around 20 of the Group’s UK fleet sales, a new corporate development manager, James Morrison, has been appointed to develop new and existing accounts and work with local business managers to help grow sales and support new model launches.

But BMW’s own model line is also expanding. New technology includes the Business Navigation package rolled out across the range, depending on trim, which features a lifetime emergency call and teleservices subscription and is priced at £990 where optional. The most advanced package will include a touchpad on the iDrive controller, which allows the driver to input names and numbers by writing characters with a fingertip.

Sales of the 4 Series, which replaces the 3 Series Coupe, begin in October introducing a 121g/km 420d automatic. The 1 Series, 3 Series and X1 will all gain Business Edition models, based on the EfficientDynamics versions but adding heated leather seats and satellite navigation, this summer.

At the large end of the model range, the X5 SUV will gain a four-cylinder 25d version with two or four wheel drive and CO2 emissions of 149 or 155g/km respectively. But it’s the 30d, which accounts for 60% of sales, that is expected to continue to be the most popular, now emitting 162g/km CO2.

The refreshed 5 Series begins production at the start of July, introducing the 119g/km 518d entry-level diesel in the saloon and Touring, and the familiar Modern, Luxury and M Sport model lines for the re-styled GT.

Saloon versions of the 520d now emit 119g/km and return 62.8mpg with manual or automatic transmission, matching the outgoing 520d EfficientDyanmics which will now be discontinued, and this is expected to continue to dominate UK sales despite an additional £1,700 cost compared to the new 518d. On-costs for the M Sport versions which make up around half of UK sales, have been reduced by £500.