The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has this morning announced a major structural overhaul – including the setting up of an entirely new division unifying representation of petrol retailer, independent garage, bodyshop, health and safety, MOT and quality standards interests.
Ford Europe has achieved net cost reductions of $1.2bn just two years into instituting its five-year renewal plan – which is serving as a blueprint for the overhaul of Ford's US operations.
The new Nissan Micra will enjoy lower insurance premiums than its predecessor when it goes on sale in January, says the carmaker. Lowest insurance premiums in its class. The entry grade 1.0-litre E rated at 2E and the range 1.4 SVE is rated at 4E.
The RMI has warned MOT stations to watch out for telecom providers trying to sell them unnecessary additional phone lines for MOT computerisation.
A glut of new vehicles in Europe and tumbling prices is likely to lead to a resurgence in UK consumers looking abroad for the best deals, according to Internet-based retailer BroomBroom.com.
British voter rejection of the euro could signal an end to Nissan investment in Britain, Nissan President Carlos Ghosn has warned in an interview in Japan.
Fiat is set to lay off 5,600 workers after the Italian Government failed to broker an alternative to the ailing carmaker's redundancy plan. The Government is now likely to approve the redundancy plan next week.
GM's president and chief executive Rick Wagoner will take over as chairman of the World's biggest carmaker next spring. Mr Wagoner becomes chairman on May 1 to succeed Jack Smith.
Renault chairman Louis Schweitzer has revealed that he will decide in the spring of next year whether the carmaker will build cars in Russia. The company already has a plant site earmarked.
A senior Ford executive has entered the exchange rate/Euro debate – complaining that Europe- and Japan-based carmakers have a major profit advantage on the US car market.
Analysts in the United States are already voicing fears that a substantial slump in car sales in November could herald the start of a long-predicted slump in car buying. Chief victim of the sales slump was Ford, with sales volumes 21 per cent down on the same month last year.
The public overwhelmingly backs the proposed government ban on use of hand-held mobile phones in cars, according to a new survey published by the RAC.
Dana Corporation has agreed to sell FTE, one of Europe's top brake and clutch systems manufacturers, to Hg Capital, a European private equity finance company.
The VBRA has warned repairers to watch out for the “rising turnover – reducing profit” trap as they enter the busiest time of the year. Taking on extra work could over-extend the business and even put it at risk of going into liquidation.
Ninety per cent of the UK's motor parts and accessories businesses are using formal debt to run their companies. And with an average margin of 1.1 per cent, few are going to be able to reduce their debt burden, according to the latest Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis.
Automobile Association owner Centrica has now given the go-ahead for the disposal of the 28 workshops formerly used for servicing/repair of AA vehicles and fleet customers.
New car supermarket Motorpoint has opened a new dedicated telesales department to field the increased number of customer telephone calls delivered by its revamped website. The company claims it is now handling up to 1,200 customer calls per day.
Amid warnings of used car market disruption and the development of a two-tier used car market with the introduction in February of new V5 document rules, BCA has produced a new registration document tracking service for customers.
British Car Auctions is to build a new remarketing supercentre on a 24-acre site near junction 13/14 of the M1 south of Bedford. The development, which will be operational within the next 18 months, will be the biggest motor auction development of the decade, claims the company.
CAP has warned that new rules on registration documents could cause significant disruption in the used car market when they are introduced next February.
Ford claims that its three to five year old models cost the least to repair. Citing new data from warranty specialists Warranty Direct, the blue oval says that against an industry average warranty repair bill of £308.71 for cars in that age category, Ford models average £223.74.
The RMI has warmly welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown's announcement of the setting up of a Modern Apprentice Taskforce – targeted at leading an expansion of the scheme to a nearly a third of young people.
The typical premium of £500 for a good metallic colour on a new car, can one year later be worth £1000 over a less popular metallic shade, or £2000 over the corresponding flat colour, according to new research published by Glass's Information Services.
Growing electronic sophistication in modern cars is threatening a service and repair crisis that could cost car owners dear, CAP has warned.
Up to five million European motorists with an undiagnosed illness are at increased risk from falling asleep at the wheels of their cars, according to research by the European Respiratory Society (ERS).
The Hyundai Motor Company has announced that it is to develop what it claims will be the “broadest and most advanced “ suite of interactive communications services for cars.
Results of a survey released today reveal that drivers are ignoring safety advice over car-jacking. Despite high profile attacks and advice from police and motoring organisations, motorists are still not protecting themselves, according to the RAC report.
Independent garage take-up of “authorised repairer” status under the new block exemption is likely to be low because of the high level of investment required, a team of aftersales experts concluded at a special “Think Tank” meeting in Redditch this week.
Pre-1995 cars with relatively poor security systems are three times more likely to be stolen than new ones, according to statistics published by the Home Office today.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp shareholders this week voted overwhelmingly to spin-off the company's truck operations. Mitsubishi chairman Takashi Sonobe says Mitsubishi will benefit financially from what he called a "demerger" of the profitable truck operation.
