News - Page 1488

A Forester Grant training centre providing courses for dealer aftersales activity has won accreditation from the Institute of the Motor Industry.

Activant, aftermarket business solutions provider, has appointed Anne Coleman as its new customer service manager.

Glass's has revealed that the automotive speculator market is thriving well and now covers a wider range of vehicle sectors than ever before.

Inchcape plc, the international automotive services group, has this morning announced positive financial results for the half year to June 30.

In the first six months of 2004 Mazda’s total sales are almost 40% up year-on-year at 25,833 units, (2003 total – 18,738), with fleet sales 43.7% up year-on-year at 6,976.

Nissan has sped up its way of developing cars with a 5.5 metre wide projector screen known as a power wall, installed into a specially designed room at Nissan’s design centre in London.

Ford’s first ‘sporty’ diesel is now available for order at dealerships across the UK.

Toyota has launched a special edition Celica Blue, featuring a new interior trim and extra equipment to go on sale on September 1.

Honda’s way of celebrating its 50th anniversary was to launch the Porsche Boxster-rivalling S2000. With sleek, but aggressive styling, an engine for enthusiasts and a packed standard equipment list, S2000 is aimed at the BMW Z3 and Mercedes-Benz SLK – as well as the Boxster.

The registration system change from an annual August phenomenon has eroded plate premiums.

Ford spin-off Visteon has set itself targets to become a leading supplier of OE and afterfit mobile electronics and to be a major player in the crash parts aftermarket.

Renault UK is ploughing ahead with multiple initiatives to address undercapacity of workshops and service bays in its dealer network and to recruit, train and retain skilled technicians.

The entire engineering team at WNS Assistance claims management specialists has been elected to membership of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in a display of competence in authorising vehicle repairs.

Sales in a service workshop or bodyshop are sold hours multiplied by the hourly labour rate. So if you want to increase sales, you either have to increase the labour rate, or sell more hours.

Wholesale parts distributor FPS has described its acquisition by the Lookers retail group as an important move in securing its future on a path to expansion that will see a 10% increase in turnover, currently £63m, by next March.

A £3.5m training facility has opened in the North-west to address the shortage of skilled workers in the automotive repair and maintenance industry.

Subaru and Isuzu importers IM Group are the latest to trial a daily rental scheme that also serve as an extended test drive.

Car prices are converging across the European Union, but there are still huge differences between countries, according to a new report by the European Commission.

General Motors is poised to rebrand Daewoo cars as Chevrolets with a European announcement due at the Paris Motor Show in September. This development follows flat denials to fleet operators and dealers from Luton-based importer GM Daewoo that the South Korean-built cars would abandon the badge after an 18-month brand-rebuilding campaign.

“All the gear, similar idea” could be the mantra, as Ford seeks to repeat the Focus Mk I's phenomenal sales record with its high-tech successor.

Reg Vardy plc is preparing to launch a personal leasing deal after two years of piloting that will provide retail motorists with a car under a 12-month rental-style scheme from £99 a month.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has appointed a new head of its UK automotive group.

At least one Japanese carmaker is thought to be facing action by the Inland Revenue (IR) over the amount of tax paid on UK profit.

Industrial action may be called by Amicus, one of the unions representing many of the 40,000 present and past Federal Mogul employees in the UK whose pension scheme is threatened with being wound up with a £875m shortfall.

Yes Car Credit is to expand its retail network to 30 outlets by the end of the year, securing its place among the top five used car retailers by volume – including franchised dealers – in the UK.

Vauxhall’s largest brand centre has officially opened in Birmingham following a £4.5m investment by the Lookers group.

Pendragon has cut the period of notice of termination it is required to give to its chief executive Trevor Finn from two years to one.<

A pioneering 3D graphics estimating package being developed by Thatcham to help body repairers save costs has been scrapped because of lack of support from the industry.

Citroen is launching a service reception programme across its retail network following disappointing CSI results on aftersales. The company has also unveiled details of an online training scheme, claimed to be a UK first, which will minimise the amount of time dealer staff spend away from the dealership.

Citroen’s new C4 range is due to enjoy its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in September, prior to its arrival in the UK at the end of the year. As these official pictures show, the model will be available in two forms: as a radical three-door coupe with a glass tailgate and as a more conservative five-door hatchback.