News - Page 1492

MG Rover is selling off its replacement vehicle components arm to Caterpillar Logistics Services for more than £100m in order to free up cash for essential new model development

Eleven Ford dealers so far have signed up to be involved in a promotional tour of the UK linked to the Thunderbirds movie. Ford of Great Britain has based a roadshow campaign on the film to encourage the public into showrooms to test drive its products.

A new entrant to the used car sector will open later this year backed by an AIM-listed finance company.

Glenvarigill has slashed its debts by selling four prestige sector dealerships to Sytner Group, leaving it in a stronger position to expand its remaining businesses.

Mini-supermarket chain Spar is dipping its toe into the car retail industry at a handful of outlets. Its supplier is Solihull-based Drive Smart – the same firm involved in a recent unsuccessful scheme with Comet.

Automotive Skills, the sector skills council for the retail motor industry, has launched its ground-breaking management scheme amid concerns about a lack of Government funding for automotive training.

Pendragon says it is considering opening Cadillac outlets in London, Manchester and Birmingham, subject to negotiations with the GM-owned carmaker.

Toyota and Shell are trialling a new alternative fuel in a fleet of 10 Avensis cars equipped with D-CAT emissions reduction technology.

AM100 No3 retailer Reg Vardy plc is storming ahead on the acquisition trail after announcing record profits for the financial year ended April 30.

Ford Motor Company, the UK market sales leader (see page 19), is trying to achieve a national standard for aftersales work on its company car fleet and leasing vehicles. The company is supporting the objectives of AM’s Fair Fleet Campaign which is striving to improve understanding between its dealers and business car operators and users

The annual Sewells dealer conference will take place this year on Thursday, September 30 at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford. The theme of the conference is ‘knowing your customer’.

CVC Capital Partners and Permira have insisted that they have no plans to merge its AA and Kwik-Fit operations after the recent acquisition of the AA from Centrica for £1.75bn. Both parties say they intend to run the AA as an independent company.

Peugeot UK is “thinking long and hard” about the timing of next year’s market launches of its much-needed new small cars, the radical 1007 – with sliding door mini MPV format – and the more mainstream 107 replacement for the 106.

Used car buyers expect to be treated the same as someone buying a new car: eight in 10 buy a used car as their main means of transport. They consider the purchase to be their ‘new car’.

Of course the industry is interested in Centrica’s £1.75bn sale of the AA – it’s the biggest automotive news story of its kind since Ford sold Kwik-Fit.

Lexus has approved Tracker as its new built-in protection against vehicle theft> The device can be fitted by Lexus centres on new cars or for existing Lexus owners

The UK’s used car industry was worth a record £32 billion last year - mainly due to the popularity of ex-fleet and company cars.

Manufacturers are missing the opportunity to increase the effectiveness of demonstrator programmes. The claim was made by Network Automotive Management, motor consultancy and support services specialist.

Land Rover has announced the creation of the Land Rover Classic Parts (LRCP) business initiative. “Due to the high levels of vehicle retention and customer loyalty found within the Land Rover brand, it is acknowledged that older vehicles within the range require focused support,” says Tom Pallister, Land Rover’s director of customer service.

Aston Martin Racing has revealed further details of its all-new DBR9 that will spearhead the marque’s return to international motor racing in 2005

The takeover of leasing giant LeasePlan by a consortium led by the Volkswagen Group has been given the go-ahead by the European Commission.

The RAC Foundation has welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown’s budget increase for transport from £10.4bn this year to £12.8bn in 2008 - but warns that much more is needed to deliver an effective transport system.

German-US car giant DaimlerChrysler has warned it may cut 6,000 jobs and shift production of its new C-class models outside of Germany.

The Government has revealed that any plans for the introduction of a national congestion charging scheme are at least 10 years away.

This month the UK will get its first sight of the all-new BMW 1 Series thanks to a travelling showcase.

Daihatsu is celebrating the first birthday of its Charade city car with a summer offer that sees the car on sale at launch price.

For the second successive year, a young woman has beaten the opposite sex to the title of Outstanding Technical Student in Light Vehicle at the Institute of the Motor Industry’s national learning and skills awards for 2004.

Michelin has come out on top in a JD Power Asia Pacific study into customer satisfaction with winter tyres.

Jewsons of Oxford and Withams in Walton-on-Thames have become Skoda Business Sales Centres, bringing the number of BSCs in the UK to 20.

Britain is in danger of becoming a nation too afraid to put its feet up and go on holiday, according to a survey conducted by the Chartered Management Institute. More than 3,000 managers were questioned, and the Institute found that work overload has reduced the number of managers prepared to use their full holiday allowance each year.