Four months after the death of its founder Hugo Erb, the Swiss Ford and GM importer of the same name has ceased trading. Hugo Erb was also the official importer of Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Suzuki to Switzerland.
Renault CEO and ACEA president Louis Schweitzer has cast doubt on the industry's ability to meet tougher EU CO2 targets.
ALD Automotive, the Société Générale vehicle leasing subsidiary whose British operations are based in Bristol, has acquired the Hungarian and Polish lessors EcoFleet and MultifFleet. The acquisitions add to ALD's purchase of Hertz Lease from Ford Motor Co. in March of this year, and mark the firm's expansion into Central European markets.
Lexus has set itself a target of achieving 60,000 European sales by the end of the decade – an ambitious target compared to current targeted sales of 20,000, half of which are accounted for by the UK market.
The Automotive Distribution Federation welcomed a new president, Russell Curtis, at its AGM on Friday 4 December, while the factors' organisation also announced a series of 2003 awards to members at its annual dinner the night before.
Founded in 1997 by Mike and Alison Porritt, theNewcastle-based four-outlet discount car supermarket Carshock has since grown sales by over 97% per annum to reach turnover of £6.4 million in 2002.
November car sales in Western Europe were down by 2.3% at 1.05 million units, according to J.D. Power-LMC.
Land Rover will complete the roll out of its Global Technical Reference (GTR) website, www.landrovertechinfo.com, this month, designed to provide users with 24-hour access to detailed vehicle maintenance information.
The PSA Peugeot Citroen-owned all-makes parts supplier has launched 'Motomail', an e-mail system that allows factors to place orders direct from their computer systems.
Mike J. Jackson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation, Inc. has been named the Automotive Hall of Fame's Industry Leader of the Year for 2003.
The European Court of First Instance says "TDI" designates one of the characteristics of the cars and repair services and therefore cannot be registered as a Community trade mark.
GM has indicated its interest in bidding for control of Ssangong, the Korean SUV manufacturer, over 55% of the equity having been put up for sale by its Korean creditors.
Peugeot is hoping to build 300,000 units a year of its forthcoming Peugeot 407 due in the Uk in late spring of next year. The primarily fleet contender will be available initially as a saloon and later in SW form reminiscent of the shape of Vauxhall's Signum.
November new car registrations were 1.5% down but private buyers were undeterred by last month's interest rate rise and bought 2.1% more cars than a year ago.
At the invitation of Phoenix Venture Holdings, unions TGWU and Amicus have jointly apponted Peter Regnier, a former finance director of Rover Group in the pre-BMW 1980s, to inspect Phoenix Venture Holdings and MG Rover accounts on their behalf.
The European Court of First Instance has annulled a €30.96 million EC fine on VW for requiring its German dealers to adhere to recommended sale prices on the Passat in 1996 and '97.
Industry Minister Jacqui Smith has announced £3.26 million in grant aid for production of the new Micra coupe-cabriolet at Nissan's Sunderland plant.
Dana Corporation's Board of Directors have announced that Dana intends to divest the company's Automotive Aftermarket Group, which includes several major UK aftermarket brands and claims to be the biggest business in the field.
ATC announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to sell its UK Engine business for $32 million in cash.
Lex Vehicle Leasing recently delivered its 100,000th vehicle, and gave every employee a customised bottle of champagne with a personal message from MD Jon Walden to remind them that growth had been purely organic without a single acquisition.
Silver's position as the dominant metallic shade of choice looks set to continue, with 285 different varieties available in today's new car market, reports CAP New Vehicle Data. The proportion of silver cars built around Europe has reached around 40%.
Business drivers whose companies obtain their Lexus cars on lease will in future be able to participate in the same customer loyalty programmes as retail customers – if the lessor, like Leasedrive Ltd., joins the new Lexus Leasing Charter programme.
Prince Michael of Kent said today: “Customers now demand better crash protection and the NCAP star rating system is widely understood – it is used by car companies to market their products and is undoubtedly an important factor in customer's choice of new cars."
Automotive refinish distributor the Morelli Group has announced its acquisition of Car Paints Group Ltd and Chiltern Car Paints Ltd., with effect from 5th January 2004.
The 2004 Pay Guide survey shows the median age of technicians is now just 33 years. That suggests they are leaving the profession faster than the trade has so far been able to recruit new blood. Sixty-one per cent of franchised dealers and 69% of independent garages say they are experiencing difficulties in recruiting staff.
Of 1,834 diesel cars held in the CAP NVD database, less than 200 so far comply with the so-called Euro IV emissions standards which govern levels of certain pollutants.
Larger family cars depreciated more slowly this year than during 2002 as stability returned to the used car market, reports CAP Black Book.
Actors Lynda Bellingham and Kevin Whateley were on hand to help GM Daewoo officially hand over 100 Tacuma MPVs to National Children's Homes at an event at the Millbrook test track marking the start of 'Driving change for children'.
South Korean media suggest that shareholders in 4x4 manufacturer Ssangyong, which recently established a UK dealer network for its Rexton model, are keen to sell a 55% controlling share in the firm.
The French new car market was down 9.4% year on year in November with 149,285 registrations recorded by the French manufacturers' association CCFA.
