Kwik-Fit founder Sir Tom Farmer has returned to the UK aftermarket by backing a new fast-fit venture close to his home in Scotland.
One of the two senior executives who led the £20m management buy-out of Edinburgh-based retail group Glenvarigill from drinks firm Drambuie has sold his shares to managing director Tim Bartlett.
Dutton-Forshaw has unveiled plans to more than double the size of its network almost 12 months after being acquired by Lloyds TSB.
Renault Retail Group has become the first major UK retailer to sign up to a new internet-based used car platform.
Kia, one the fastest growing car brands in Europe, is vowing not to let sales slip after raising retailers' targets on the back of another month of record growth.
Xpart, the components division of MG Rover, will be an all-makes operation in less than 12 months. The company is in talks with a number of other carmakers about winning “third party” business and managing director John Parkinson says the initiative will be launched to dealers and wholesalers at the end of the year before being rolled out in May 2004.
Brindley Garages Group, the AM100-listed retailer, has opened a new £3m multi-franchised site in the Midlands in a bid to hit the £100m turnover mark next year.
Yorkshire-based retailer Gilder Group has appointed its first female technician. Anne-Marie Ward (pictured) joins with 11 other apprentices on a three-year training programme.
New Jaguar and Land Rover president Joe Greenwell is telling executives that there will be no let-up in the drive to put higher quality into each new model. But he also stresses that every upgrade will have to be accompanied by lower costs and improved productivity.
The Dick Lovett Group has opened a new Ferrari and Maserati dealership in Swindon.
Businesses that scrap cars will have to issue drivers with a certificate of destruction from next month.
Camden Corporate Fleet Services has launched a fresh drive to increase the volume of used car business with franchised and independent retailers.
A new company has entered into the UK accident repair market. Motor Repair Management, a Surrey-based firm, has 11 shops spread across the UK.
Priory Motor Group is set to open a new £1.5m dealership on its existing Honda site in Cambridge.
Suzuki retailers will get a boost from the new high-performance Ignis Sport. The new 1.5-litre 107bhp engine reaches 62mph in 8.9s going on to 115mph.
Inchcape Retail has acquired Toyota in Aylesbury.
The new Nissan 350Z will retain 52 per cent of its original value after three years and 30,000 miles, according to CAP Monitor.
Pendragon, the UK's largest car dealer, has sold two Mercedes dealerships as part of a nationwide restructure.
Vauxhall's facelifted Corsa (re-styled front bumpers and new-look wheel arches) goes on sale this month with a range of new engines and variants.
Reg Vardy, the UK's second biggest automotive retailer, is planning to open a chain of multi-marque repair shops in major cities following the introduction of new European block exemption regulations.
London Eventco says it is confident it has the industry backing it needs to stage a standalone UK aftermarket show in the first quarter of 2005.
Webcon UK, the Middlesex-based supplier of Weber and Solex carburettors, has completed a management buyout from Standard Motor Products Europe.
Automated telephone systems – installed by many insurers to help streamline the claims handling process and now being adopted by several franchised dealer groups – are causing consumers lengthy and expensive delays, according to accident management firm Accident Exchange.
The option of carmaker branding has been built into ClaimWatch, the internet-based service that enables bodyshops, work providers and customers to track the status of individual vehicle repairs online.
An internet-based service to identify, source and order replacement glass for every car available in the UK since 1945 has been launched with backing from Autoglass.
Automotive logistics specialist Fell, Arthur & Bennett (FAB) has been appointed approved supplier of Gates belts to the Factoring Services Group (FSG).
Repairers could avoid prosecution under tough new health and safety guidelines by using dealer management systems, according to a leading industry figure.
European Motor Holdings plc, the dealer group and importer of the Malaysian Perodua budget car brand, has reported pre-tax profits for the six months to 31 August of £6.7m – up 9% year on year.
Following their acquisition of the Warwick BMW dealership in February 2001, former F1 driver Damon Hill and Nick Whale have acquired a second dealership in partnership.
Sussex Ford main dealer Otters Ford closed down on Friday 10 October with the loss of 65 jobs.
