The German store chain Quelle, which embarked on a series of discounted new car offers earlier this year, has advertised VW's new Golf at 10% off German list prices, to the disquiet of Volkswagen and its dealer network.
Renault UK has been awarded a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for its work in producing a record five cars with five EuroNCAP stars – and bringing the safety message to 15,000 primary schools across the UK with its Safety Matters programme.
While automotive industry consultants have regularly suggested that the car industry should emulate the commercial vehicle sector and move towards selling the use of cars rather than selling them outright, the trend in the US has moved away from personal leasing.
Consumer studies in the US, Britain, France and Germany carried out by Mercer Management Consulting indicate that motorists' loyalty to car brands has declined by 18 points from the index of 100 established by the firm's 1999 brand loyalty survey.
Tyne Tees Cars are opening a new purpose-built MG Rover dealership, Time Tees Cars Basildon.
VW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder hits out at French competitors on discounting, and Jean-Martin Folz hits back – media report
Patricia Richards has been appointed Chief Executive of Automotive Skills, the body responsible for developing the Sector Skills Council for the retail motor industry.
XPart Ltd, the parts subsidiary of Phoenix Venture Holdings and sister company to MG Rover Group has, in conjunction with its distribution partner Cat Logistics, announced a programme of financial aid to support BEN, the motor industry charity.
BMW Group Financial Services Great Britain, which provides finance, leasing and insurance facilities to BMW and MINI customers in the UK, reached a milestone on 10 September 2003 with the company's portfolio of active customers breaking through the 100,000 barrier for the first time.
Among them, Bruce Blythe is the company's first chief strategy officer – returning to the company he left in 1993 when he was vice-president, business strategy for Ford Europe. In his new role, he will report to Bill Ford, chairman and CEO.
According to Kwik-Fit, nearly one in three UK motorists (32%) – over 10 million in total - admitted that they would fail the new driving test that requires candidates to demonstrate a basic knowledge of car maintenance.
The Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA) and the RMI Bodyshop Services Division have begun talks to explore how they might join together to become one voice on behalf of their members.
The FNA, a French independent garage association, which speaks for the EASRA federation of associations in seven EU countries, has complained that manufacturers are not acting in the spirit of the new Block Exemption Regulation in respect of authorised repairer standards.
Some manufacturers are neglecting the opportunities presented for sales in a range of profitable, specialist UK fleet markets, believes Network Automotive Management.
September 10 saw the introduction of the first national accreditation scheme for individual body fitters, painters and panel repair technicians.
Customer expectations of manufacturer approved used car schemes are growing, says Network Automotive Management, which assists manufacturers with putting together the parameters and infrastructure for approved used car schemes.
The two in three dealers who use outdated prospecting techniques or fail to prospect at all are the same ones who have failed to see any growth in profitability during the last 12 months as a result, according to Pinewood Computer SolutionsThe two in three dealers who use outdated prospecting techniques or fail to prospect at all are the same ones who have failed to see any growth in profitability during the last 12 months as a result, according to Pinewood Computer Solutions.
Releasing data for July and August registrations today, 11 September, the ACEA reported July W. European registrations of 1,294,794 units and August registrations of 785,329. The July result was 1.2% up and the August figure 4.7% down year on year.
PSA Peugeot Citroën CEO Jean-Martin Folz has committed the group to produce vehicles with stop-and-start technology, beginning as soon as next year.
The BMW Group announced at Frankfurt that it is studying a technology “able to truly expand the real world”: Augmented Reality. Wearing data glasses, the user is able to perceive virtual objects and presentations superimposed on the "real" environment around him.
While launching the 2004 model year Freelander at Frankfurt, Land Rover MD Matthew Taylor gave journalists a brief glimpse of a design “that will inspire our future product line-up and also gives a strong hint of one of our future models”.
Hyundai unveiled a 'Santro' hatchback built by its Indian subsidiary at Frankfurt yesterday, which will join the Tata SUV, pick-up range and Indica-based MG Rover City supermini in vehicle exports from the sub-continent to Europe.
BMW's particle filter launched at Frankfurt this week will be entering the market in the course of next year, enabling even BMW's larger and more powerful models to fully maintain the EU4 emission standard. The BMW Group's smaller diesel models will fulfill EU4 legislation even without a particle filter.
Škoda Auto has made some changes within its Franchising Department with Martin Lucas appointed as Franchise Manager for the North. The importer has also signalled an interest in appointing new owner-driver dealers.
Kevin Griffin has been appointed to the position of director, fleet operations at Ford Motor Company Ltd., to succeed Mike Wear, who is retiring after 33 years with the company.
In a judgement that will be of particular interest to the British BRIC bodyshop industry campaign, the Irish Competition Authority has published a Decision Note outlining undertakings given by a consortium of four insurers concerning their joint implementation of the Glassmatix collision repair estimating system in the Irish Republic.
Currency movements were mainly responsible for a fall of 0.5% in average pre-tax car prices in Western Europe during the year to August 2003, according to the latest eurocarprice.com index report.
An increase in the number of cars with old tyres identified at recent police roadside tyre checks has prompted the Tyre Industry Council to issue a warning to motorists of the potential dangers of running a car or van on over-age tyres
Five cars with five stars is a claim only Renault can so far make, following the announcement of the New Scénic's results in the latest round of EuroNCAP's independent crash tests.
Figures from the City & Guilds organisation on its NVQ qualification awards in motor vehicle maintenance and repair show that the number of women gaining jobs as mechanics has been rising for the past three years and increased more than 300% last year.
