Bernd Pischetsrieder, head of Seat, has been quoted in German newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, as saying Block Exemption will be withdrawn in 2002 and its demise will lead to a two-thirds reduction in the number of European dealerships.
The reputation of the London Motor Show has received a further blow today with Toyota announcing that neither it nor its premium brand, Lexus, will be appearing in 2001.
Mercedes-Benz UK is refusing to comment on reports in the national media that it is preparing to drastically reduce its dealerships, but is instead praising its retail network for its contribution to this year's record sales.
Mitsubishi Motors UK has announced further reductions on the price of most models, some by £3,500, while increasing dealer margins. A year ago Mitsubishi was the first major importer to reduce prices of its vehicles, ranging from 10-15%.
Audi is claiming pricing of the new A4, on sale in the UK from March 1, 2001, will make the car among the most price competitive in the premium sector.
Prestige motor retailer Sytner has increased its ties with Jaguar with the acquisition of Clive Sutton (Racing Green) Limited in North London and the opening of new Jaguar dealerships in Barnes, South-west London and Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Joint venture talks with another company are at an advanced stage, according to MG Rover chief executive Kevin Howe. The company has signed a confidentiality agreement.
Caffyns nearly doubled pre-tax profits in the six months to September 30 compared to the same period last year, from £1.1m to £2m, bolstered by the sale of two dealerships for close to £1.5m.
Hopes are pinned on buyers returning to the used car market in the New Year as dealers reconcile themselves to a miserable end to 2000, according to the Cap Used Car Confidence Index.
General Motors' decision to shut Vauxhall's Luton car plant in spring 2002 is a major setback for the motor industry in the UK. Ford will cease Fiesta production at Dagenham – and in Britain – at the same time.
General Motors announced this afternoon that car production at Vauxhall's Luton plant, home of the Vectra, is to cease.
Kia Cars UK, which has more than doubled its registrations compared to last year, is encouraging owners to drive less with a 'Think before you drive' campaign.
A member of the DaimlerChrysler management board has been quoted as saying the German/US company is preparing an outright takeover of Mitsubishi, leading to shared dealerships in the UK.
Ancaster has been confirmed as the fourth dealer group to take a slice of Fiat Auto UK's M25 territory, joining Glyn Hopkin, TFL Group and Desira Motor Company.
Peugeot Motor Company and managing director Tod Evans have been shortlisted for the Castrol/IMI gold award after being nominated by Automotive Management.
Land Rover could "in time" share some UK retail sites with other brands in the Ford Premier Automotive Group, according to Land Rover UK managing director Mike Wright.
Renault has announced prices for the Laguna and reduced prices and improved the specification of the Megane, Clio, Scenic and Kangoo car.
##SCC(2)--right## The Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) makes its world debut at the Detroit motor show in January. Innovative safety features include a see-through A-pillar, four-point seatbelts and remote control communication system which communicates with the driver when they are away from the vehicle.
Januarys' Detroit motor show will see four world premieres from BMW - plus the US debut of the Mini.
DaimlerChrysler is understood to be planning greater co-operation and product sharing with Mitsubishi, in which it holds a 34% stake.
Used car buyers concerned that their next car could be one of the 900,000 recalled for safety inspections annually can now check official lists free of charge on the AA's website.
The first few days of December brought the cuts to list prices which the industry had been waiting for. A flurry of announcements from VW, Peugeot and Fiat – all of which had held out against the tide of change – brought some order to the market.
'We've cut our rates again' boasts the latest leaflet from Tesco Personal Finance. It is the type of headline most likely to attract attention – but the rate cut is only for loans of £15,000 or over as the supermarket moves into line with Lombard and Alliance & Leicester.
New car sales to retail buyers accelerated by more than one-third last month, which SMMT viewed as a return of confidence to the marketplace. The November figure was the highest on record.
The latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association suggest dealers are losing yet more business to direct lenders and high street banks. This will come as no surprise to anyone on the front line of car sales.
There was an immediate answer when Ian McAllister was invited to identify the most demanding 12 months in his reign as boss of Ford in the UK. “This year, without doubt, has been the toughest," he said.
##Nissan badge--left## Nissan has said it will not wait for a European Commission decision on whether to sanction a £40 million UK government aid package for its Sunderland plant before deciding on where the new Micra will be built.
##Navtrak--right## Navtrak has cut the price of its telematics system and added services in a bid to attract more orders from dealer groups.
Dealers are recording huge increases in online sales through a combination of their own websites and stock locator sites, according to AutoLocate.
Some car buyers still hold doubts over the integrity of the internet but a new initiative launched by the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICA) could give those consumers the confidence to share information and make online transactions.
