A new body to drive forward the development of fuel cell technology was launched at the Department of Trade and Industry last week.
BMW's first quarter 2003 operating profits fell by 18 per cent to £597m. The downturn stems from increased new product investment and a 7 per cent dip in sales volume in April.
Production of the MG TF, the UK's best selling sports car, is on the increase due to customer demand. Sales in March this year reached their highest level since the roadster's introduction and that of its predecessor the MGF. The increased build rate rises by 130 to 430 units per week.
Mazda's annual operating profit for 2002 jumped 77.4 per cent to £268.4m, mainly as a result of cost savings and enhanced European sales. And the company has forecast a record income for 2003/2004 of £43.1bn – up 28.3 per cent.
The SMMT has revised its 2003 UK car market forecast upwards to 2.45 million units, despite April registrations slowing 7 per cent year on year to 194,312 units.
European car demand dipped by a percentage point in April, according to the latest forecasts from JD Power-LMC.
DaimlerChrysler says it is to start manufacturing its new Viano and Vito Mercedes vans next month. The two new models will be presented to the public at Dusseldorf's international caravan trade fair.
South African-built vehicles could gain duty free access into the European Union (EU) under new proposals tabled in Brussels.
The Mini distribution business in the United States has sold 30,000 vehicles in its first year of sales ending March 22.
Fiat and Citroen are both reported to be planning to make affordable telematics systems available for their mass market vehicles. Fiat has developed a basic telematics system offering navigation, fleet management and safety functions.
BMW Group's first quarter profits fell 18 per cent from the same quarter the previous year, the company announced today.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s profits surged 53 per cent in the just ended fiscal year as Japan's biggest automaker boosted sales in the United States while dominating the market at home in Japan.
Japanese carmaker Nissan has warned it may freeze new investment at its Sunderland plant if the UK does not opt to join the European single currency.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp says cost cuts and robust sales helped its profits more than double last year. For the year to Match 31, Mitsubishi posted a preliminary group operating profit of 83 billion yen (£433.7m) up from 40.23 billion yen last year.
Volkswagen sold more cars in China than in Germany during the first quarter – the first time Europe's biggest automaker found more buyers abroad than in its home market.
Mazda Motor Corp) plans next month to merge two of its three dealership networks in Japan to enhance its cost efficiency in the face of slumping sales.
Mazda says it is set to enjoy its highest income in a decade this year - and this follows posting a 77 per cent surge in operating profit last year.
Honda Motor Company today reported a 7.8 percent rise in operating earnings last year. But the carmaker has predicted a fall in profits this year amid renewed concerns about U.S. car demand.
Up to 116 jobs are to go at Goodyear Dunlop's UK sales centre at TyreFort, Erdington, Birmingham. Another 100 jobs are also risk at other sites in a major restructuring.
Christian Géraud has taken over from Tod Evans as managing director of Peugeot Motor Company plc. He joins the UK company from Peugeot Automobiles Italia SpA, where he was also managing director.
Collision repair specialist CAR-O-LINER UK is to supply Churchill with a number of new bench racks and speed benches for its Accident Repair Centres during 2003 in a deal worth £350,000.
Toyota plans to evacuate virtually all its Japanese employees and their dependents from Beijing due to fear of a spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
Ford Motor Co. has named Jim Vella – currently its vice president of public relations – as its new chief of staff.
Kia Motor's Rio is being investigated by the U.S. federal safety authority after complaints about engine failures, according to a report in the <I>Korea Times.</I>
GM in the US has introduced a novel programme of giving evening shoppers test drives to boost car sales.
Honda's new president and chief executive is to be Takeo Fukui, the carmaker's managing and representative director. He will take over in June.
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Ford Motor Company has reported net income of $896 million for the first quarter of 2003.
Delphi Corp., the world's biggest automotive components manufacturer has reported Q1 2003 revenues of $7.2 billion, up 7.4% from $6.7 billion for the same period in 2002.
Ford has become the first vehicle manufacturer to have its technical training and assessment process formally aligned to a new national qualification awarded by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).
