A huge rally is to be held as part of a union campaign to save production of Jaguar cars in Coventry.
More than 30,000 repair outlets will be forced into closure by 2008 across Europe.
A VW dealer will soon acquire the Audi franchise for the first time, and in the same area, which Volkswagen UK hopes will end speculation among its retailers that dual VW/Audi representation is barred.
The John Martin Group has opened its first Mazda dealerships, as forecast earlier this year.
Mitsubishi Motors UK has created two new dealer development positions as it looks to improve its level of service to the 142-strong UK dealer network.
Vauxhall’s production plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton will face another round of job cuts as parent General Motors looks to drastically cut costs by shedding one-fifth of its workforce in Europe.
Vauxhall, Saab and Mazda did not raise any objections to Nidd Vale’s new open-plan multi-franchised dealership in Harrogate, Yorkshire. The expanded showroom now has the capacity for 110 cars.
In January Robert Bosch will launch ESPerience, a training programme for UK car dealership sales staff, to try to raise awareness of its Electronic Stability Program (ESP).
A new online marketing initiative that, since mid-September, has offered Toyota centres a ‘risk free solution to managing used stock’ will be rolled out to other franchised dealer networks early in 2005.
Customers buying a used car from the MG Rover Direct supersite at Longbridge might get an unexpected bonus – a car that has been driven by a celebrity.
A complaint concerning Citroen placing a minimum standard on showroom space for its franchisees has been thrown out by the Office of Fair Trading, to the dismay of the RMI.
Dealership sales staff could be missing out on one in 10 deals because they are not persistent enough in following up potential sales leads.
More than 4,000 dealerships were visited during a six-day charity drive this month which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for motor industry charity BEN.
Helphire Group expects to turn its newly acquired claims management specialist Albany Group – which last year posted operating losses of £4m – into profit within 18 months.
Caterham has launched an all-new version of the Seven, the CSR, which is powered by a Cosworth developed 2.3-litre Ford Duratec engine.
Sam Burton, the managing director of Subaru and Isuzu UK, is set to leave the company at the end of November.
A complaint against the Colt Car Company over an “irresponsible” advertisement for its Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII has been partly upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Dealers are being warned away from used dual-fuel liquefied petroleum gas/petrol cars because of poor residuals and limited opportunity to sell to private purchasers.
A limited offer of a 60% discount for buyers is one marketing initiative being pursued by Kia Motors as it fights to increase its 2% share of the UK market.
A consortium of British engineers is developing an advanced rapid manufacturing machine for dealerships that will enable customers to design parts for their own cars.
Skoda has given its Fabia supermini a facelift for 2005. A new front grille, spoiler and fog lamps, as well as new rear light clusters in the style of the new Octavia’s lights, complete the exterior changes, while inside there are new upholstery fabrics and a more modern dash.
Ford says it will take no action against a franchised dealer which was featured without the carmakers’ knowledge in a TV programme about poor business practices.
Parker’s Price Guide has launched a text message retail valuation service which will allow car-buyers to obtain an on-the-spot indication of what they should be paying.
Chrysler’s UK dealer network will have only 15 units of the Dodge SRT-10 supercar to sell during 2005, as the manufacturer wishes to bolster the car’s popularity by keeping it exclusive.
Honda gave its workforce a chance to brush up their client satisfaction skills last week, as part of National Customer Service Week.
Cosworth Technology, the specialist engine builder, has been put up for sale by its owner Audi.
BMW or Chevrolet – which would you choose? According to GM Daewoo dealer development manager David Moran, that’s not as daft a question as it first seems.
Production of Vauxhall cars in the UK was halted yesterday because of a shortage of parts caused by a strike in Germany over job cuts.
More than 155,000 cars were produced in the UK in September, of which over 107,000 were for the export market and 48,000 for the home market.
Automotive supplier United Polymers was put into administration yesterday.
