Alistair Darling, the new trade and industry secretary has outlined the responsibilities of his new ministerial team.
Peugeot has given its seven-seater 807 a 10bhp boost with an upgraded turbo-diesel engine.
The Saab 9-3’s appeal lies in its image. It’s less flash than a BMW and less brash than a Mercedes-Benz.
Just as it seems it can’t get anymore expensive, petrol shows every sign of bursting through the £1 per litre mark and hanging horribly close to it for some time.
Most of the media is unanimous: UK car buyers are responding to rising fuel prices by buying smaller, more economical cars.
Born, bred and proud to be British: that’s the attitude that Triumph has built its reputation on and it is an ethos that has been exported around the world.
A year ago, Wicliffe’s future looked decidedly shaky. An MG Rover specialist with dealerships in Gloucester and Stroud, like many of its peers the company was stunned when the carmaker collapsed.
Over the past few years, Black Horse has introduced a number of products and initiatives to help raise the profile of finance in dealers’ showrooms, to compete with direct lenders and protect dealers’ F&I profit centres.
Smaller, nimble and more flexible independent motor finance companies, plus overseas finance houses, are likely to fill the vacuum left by larger lenders currently tightening their lending criteria after sustained rises in bad debts.
The BMW Group (BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce) increased its sales by 11% to 447,819 units in the first four months of this year.
Vik Hill and Graham Prestedge, managing director and marketing director respectively of Santander Consumer, are seasoned campaigners in the volatile motor finance sector. With their focus on “innovative and customer friendly new products”, they are planning a series of product launches this year.
Valuable retailer profits generated by payment protection insurance schemes could be eroded if an Office of Fair Trading study into payment protection insurance (PPI) finds that consumers are not getting value for money.
The S-spec, 1.6-litre S40 is on offer with three-year PCP. On the basis of 5.9% APR, this means a £3,691 deposit, 35 months at £199 and a final £5,397 payment.
Mercedes-Benz is offering a 36-month PCP on the E220 CDi Classic saloon.
Volkswagen’s three-year PCP offer on its Golf Plus promises a 75hp, 1.4-litre model for £199 per month instalment deal with a £2,061 deposit, £5,700 final payment and 7.1% APR.
Saab is offering a Cerulean 9-3 Special Edition convertible.
Honda’s Business to First Class upgrade approach continues with CR-V Sports for SE prices and an EX costing the same as a Sport.
Two-litre Coupé models qualify for a competitive 4.9% APR PCP, kicking off with a £5,454 deposit, 35 months at £199 after an initial identical instalment and ownership, clinched with a final £5,859 fee.
GMAC veteran Peter Tatlock has taken over as managing director of Masterlease with the aim of “listening, learning and questioning”.
Black Horse Motor Finance has appointed Paul Brotherton as the company’s new national operations director.
Asda has established a dedicated insurance premium monitoring service, which it claims helps Britain’s van drivers secure more cost effective cover.
The issue of training and competence is probably the part of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) requirements that coincides most obviously with motor retailer’s commercial interests.
A new event for business leaders involved in crash repair and motor claims industries is being held later this month.
Swindon-based fleet and fuel management company Arval says its decision to restructure its accident management services is not a direct result of losing its Liverpool Victoria contract to WNS Assistance.
Mercedes-Benz has launched a special edition A-class priced from £14,490 on-the-road.
Northridge Finance, Bank of Ireland’s motor finance division, has extended its product portfolio with a personal leasing product, which it claims provides retailers with an antidote to direct lenders’ schemes.
TVR says its dealers and service centres will be unaffected by the decision to close its Blackpool factory and that the company remains “financially stable”.
Thatcham is hosting its second Triple Focus event on June 7 and 8 at its Berkshire research centre.
GE Commercial Finance Fleet Services has agreed to buy Custom Fleet, the fleet services business of the National Australia Bank, for £235 million. The deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders: it’s a name that requires some clarification.
