The Department for Transport has announced the appointment of Stephen Tetlow as the new chief executive of VOSA (the Vehicle Operator Services Agency).
Toyota Motor Corporation has posted a 32% jump in first-quarter operating profit as powerful sales abroad helped the carmaker offset losses from a weaker US dollar.
Mazda has a new special edition, the Mazda MX-5 Arctic, priced from £17,000 for the 1.6i and £17,500 OTR for the 1.8i model, from August 1, 2004. Air conditioning and new blue heated leather seats as standard.
Fiat Group has reached an agreement to sell its car service network Midas in Europe and South America to privately-owned French Norauto Group for €47.5m.
The AA and Manheim have joined together to launch a new inspection scheme offered to vendors selling vehicles at Manheim’s Auction sites throughout the UK. The aim is to remove some of the uncertainty from car buying at auctions.
A survey has revealed that more than 40% of motorists are ‘an accident waiting to happen’ as they drive too close to the car in front on motorways.
Daewoo is offering free leather and satellite navigation on its Nubira 1.8 CDX model up to September 30, 2004.
The average age of the dealer management system in use by a UK franchise dealer is more than 10 years – putting the motor industry ‘firmly in the dark ages in IT terms’.
A Forester Grant training centre providing courses for dealer aftersales activity has won accreditation from the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Glass's has revealed that the automotive speculator market is thriving well and now covers a wider range of vehicle sectors than ever before.
Activant, aftermarket business solutions provider, has appointed Anne Coleman as its new customer service manager.
Inchcape plc, the international automotive services group, has this morning announced positive financial results for the half year to June 30.
In the first six months of 2004 Mazda’s total sales are almost 40% up year-on-year at 25,833 units, (2003 total – 18,738), with fleet sales 43.7% up year-on-year at 6,976.
Nissan has sped up its way of developing cars with a 5.5 metre wide projector screen known as a power wall, installed into a specially designed room at Nissan’s design centre in London.
Ford’s first ‘sporty’ diesel is now available for order at dealerships across the UK.
Toyota has launched a special edition Celica Blue, featuring a new interior trim and extra equipment to go on sale on September 1.
Honda’s way of celebrating its 50th anniversary was to launch the Porsche Boxster-rivalling S2000. With sleek, but aggressive styling, an engine for enthusiasts and a packed standard equipment list, S2000 is aimed at the BMW Z3 and Mercedes-Benz SLK – as well as the Boxster.
The registration system change from an annual August phenomenon has eroded plate premiums.
Ford spin-off Visteon has set itself targets to become a leading supplier of OE and afterfit mobile electronics and to be a major player in the crash parts aftermarket.
Renault UK is ploughing ahead with multiple initiatives to address undercapacity of workshops and service bays in its dealer network and to recruit, train and retain skilled technicians.
The entire engineering team at WNS Assistance claims management specialists has been elected to membership of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in a display of competence in authorising vehicle repairs.
Sales in a service workshop or bodyshop are sold hours multiplied by the hourly labour rate. So if you want to increase sales, you either have to increase the labour rate, or sell more hours.
Wholesale parts distributor FPS has described its acquisition by the Lookers retail group as an important move in securing its future on a path to expansion that will see a 10% increase in turnover, currently £63m, by next March.
A £3.5m training facility has opened in the North-west to address the shortage of skilled workers in the automotive repair and maintenance industry.
Car prices are converging across the European Union, but there are still huge differences between countries, according to a new report by the European Commission.
Subaru and Isuzu importers IM Group are the latest to trial a daily rental scheme that also serve as an extended test drive.
General Motors is poised to rebrand Daewoo cars as Chevrolets with a European announcement due at the Paris Motor Show in September. This development follows flat denials to fleet operators and dealers from Luton-based importer GM Daewoo that the South Korean-built cars would abandon the badge after an 18-month brand-rebuilding campaign.
“All the gear, similar idea” could be the mantra, as Ford seeks to repeat the Focus Mk I's phenomenal sales record with its high-tech successor.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has appointed a new head of its UK automotive group.
Reg Vardy plc is preparing to launch a personal leasing deal after two years of piloting that will provide retail motorists with a car under a 12-month rental-style scheme from £99 a month.
