Leading European car makers have called on the European Union to make a U-turn on the maze of regulations they claim leaves them at a disadvantage against international rivals.
Audi has officially unveiled its new face by taking the wraps off its new A6. Making its world debut at the Geneva motor show, the new luxury saloon will arrive here in May.
The Volkswagen Group is rolling out a new electronic sales lead management system to its UK franchised dealer network. The system, called e-GoodManners, is an electronic version of the GoodManners sales diary dealers have been using for the last 15 years.
The number of cars with clocked mileages could be reduced if traders placed a higher value on good condition high-mileage used cars, according to the Retail Motor Industry Federation.
Ford will mark its return to the ultra competitive hot-hatch sector when it unveils a high performance version of the Fiesta next month.
The RMI is pressing ahead with plans to launch the CarWise scheme this spring – and will use the Automotive Trade Show at the end of March as a forum for dealers and garage owners to discuss the changes.
Seat is asking its European dealers to spend thousands of pounds upgrading their showrooms to help revamp its corporate image and boost sales. All 125 UK dealers will have to make the investment by the end of August 2005.
Ford's dealer operations director Steve Hood has been named director of marketing in a major reshuffle at the carmaker's UK head offices. In his new role Hood succeeds Peter Fleet, while Morten Hannesbo becomes director sales, replacing Paul Van der Burgh.
Four years after rumours linked MG Rover with Proton, the manufacturers have confirmed they are talking to each other about future collaborations.
Dealers could face fines of up to £5,000 if they fail to comply with tough new financial regulations to stop money laundering, which come into effect on March 1.
Lloyds TSB has sent shockwaves through the used car sector after opening a supersite in the Birmingham region.
Car manufacturers could force Pendragon to jettison some of the CD Bramall franchises due to a grey area under the new block exemption regulations, according to industry sources.
Several Mercedes-Benz retailers have started adding Chrysler franchises to their market territories as they move to larger showpiece dealerships.
PSA Peugeot-Citroen will launch 26 new models by 2006 in a bid to raise annual global vehicle sales from 3.3m to 4m.
Multi-franchises dealers could slash their IT costs in half because of changes to block exemption regulations, according to dealer management system provider Pinewood.
Land Rover workers have accepted a pay offer, ending the threat of further strike action and dealers' fears of stock shortages.
HR Owen is to open a second Lamborghini dealership. It will be built on HR Owen's former Jaguar dealership site in Stockport.
Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. has announced the appointment of Bill Bosley as its Managing Director to replace Brian Carolin, who is moving to Nissan Europe in Paris after eight years in the UK to become vice president of sales operations.
RAC plc's provisional profit for 2003 before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and tax was up 24% to £86.7 million. Total revenues increased by just 1% to £1,526 million, a figure reduced by disposals.
"Our research suggests that most buyers simply accept the first offer of finance they get, which means they could be wasting as much as £1,000 by not looking for the best finance deal," says Lloyd East, general manager of the AA's Personal Finance division.
UK vehicle production figures released today by the SMMT show car output in January rose 3.8% to 141,320 units, in the fifth consecutive month of increased production. Production for export surged 12.4% to 96,389 units.
Audi's net profit in 2003 was up 5% year on year at €816m, but pre-tax profit was hit by exchange costs and dropped 11.6% to €1.1bn.
The Citigroup Private Bank has taken title sponsorship of Top Marques Monaco, the luxury motoring event taking place in Monte Carlo, April 22-25.
The SMMT is anticipating that March registrations could hit a record 450,000, in view of still buoyant demand and a progressive narrowing of the gap between the two peak new car registrations months of September and March since the two-plate system's introduction in 1999. <p>
Tight stock control, together with careful monitoring of forecourt prices, are key to maximising used car dealers' profitability, says CAP Black Book.
Automotive Lease Guide and consumer automotive advice web site Edmunds.com have launched a new rating system to tell car buyers what their potential purchase might be worth in three years.
The average easily-obtainable discount on UK cars has reached £1,337, according to What Car? magazine and Sainsbury's Bank.
Tools distributor Sealey has just launched its 'biggest ever' vehicle service tool promotion featuring nearly 300 of its newest and fastest-moving specialised service tools
Longer service intervals - two year/20,000 miles (petrol) or two year/30,000 miles (diesel) - on GM's new 5th-generation Astra will be determined by a warning system that takes the individual's style of driving into account when indicating when maintenance is due.
MG Rover's Monogram Bespoke Build programme launched in 2002 has attracted almost 3,000 customers.
