Jaguar has confirmed that none of its 8,000 manufacturing staff will lose their jobs, but hours would be cut with a Friday shut-down at the Brown’s Lane, Allesley and Halewood plants, affecting the S- and X-Type, the XJ and XK models.
The introduction of the new 54 number plate identifier is expected to generate around £5.7 billion worth of business in September.
Car buyers opting to cash in on the property boom could be paying up to twice the market value for their new car, warns motor price guide and market commentator, WiseBuyer’s.
An international investigation by the AIRC Research Centre into inaccurate repair times quoted by estimating systems is hoped to rectify more than 200 reported anomalies within 12 months.
A dedicated service advice centre is part of £1.5m aftersales facilities unveiled this month at the Ringways Leeds Ford dealership.
The Automotive Aftermarket Division of Robert Bosch UK has announced the appointment of Ken Ford to the position of divisional director at the company’s headquarters in Denham, Buckinghamshire.
The number of fatal accidents in the vehicle repair trade rose from five in 2002/03 to eight in 2003/04 – and a further six people were killed in the industry within the first four months of the current year, according to The Health and Safety Executive.
Vauxhall has announced changes for its 2005 range.
One of Sewells’ specialities is attitudinal surveys – researching what people think and feel.
More than 800 UK bodyshops will close over the next five years if the current rate of decline in the body repair sector continues unabated.
Disgruntled bodyshops are working together to fight for more openness from insurers initiating labour-only contracts with repairers.
London-based Euro Car Parts has launched a new support programme to help repairers satisfy demand for air conditioning servicing and repair.
Worldwide consolidation of body repair markets is the trigger for North American network operators to spread their wings to independent UK bodyshops.
Bowker BMW and Mini dealership in Accrington has been running a highly successful night shift in its workshop in order to make servicing more convenient for clients.
Land Rover has backed down on a warranty dispute centring on the use of non-OE parts following intervention by the Automotive Distribution Federation and the Office of Fair Training.
Dealers could be in line for a second tax windfall from Customs & Excise this year, according to financial experts. The payouts would follow refunds made over the past 12 months by Customs on VAT paid by dealers on demonstrator vehicles dating back more than 30 years.
Chrysler Group plans to mix it with Europe's power brokers, using its growing SRT performance range. Both the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300C are getting the Street and Racing Technology treatment, following on from the supercharged 347bhp Crossfire SRT-6 shown at Geneva.
MG Rover has denied rumours that it may soon be under the ownership of China’s largest automotive group, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.
An online human resources training package under trial by the Jaguar Land Rover Training Academy has been shortlisted for a ‘Personnel Today’ award.
Hartwell is about to close its Citroen outlet in Cardiff because it cannot make money out of the franchise. Other dealers in the network are also expressing concern.
Sir Tom Farmer has taken a 17% stake in ScootElectric, the eco-friendly scooter business which launched this year.
Mitsubishi importer Colt Cars has released the first pictures of its new-look dealer showroom designs, which will be rolled out across the network by the second quarter of 2005 (AM June 4).
A major European high street brand will definitely enter the automotive sector within five years completely revolutionising the way consumers buy new cars, according to management consultancy AT Kearney.
The opening near Manchester this week of a £6m second outlet for The Car People signals the beginning of a steady expansion plan for the company, which could see its number of locations across the North increased to eight by the end of the decade.
Shankar Ramanathan has been appointed managing director of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s car division, which includes Dixon Motors, Lombard Vehicle Management and the Jamjar cars internet operation.
Lookers says its links with Nissan will continue despite struggling sales forcing the group to close two of the manufacturer’s outlets in the North of England.
The Financial Services Auth-ority is planning a series of workshops in November and December to help dealers prepare for the new rules on the sale of insurance-related products from January 14, 2005.
Sewells Information & Research has just published its latest edition of ‘Who Owns Who in the motor industry’.
The sale by Phoenix Venture Holdings of the MG Rover parts business has been completed.
The Renault Modus – which goes on sale next week - is the first supermini to secure the maximum 5-star rating in crash tests carried out by Euro NCAP, it was announced today.
