CAP has warned that new rules on registration documents could cause significant disruption in the used car market when they are introduced next February.
Ford claims that its three to five year old models cost the least to repair. Citing new data from warranty specialists Warranty Direct, the blue oval says that against an industry average warranty repair bill of £308.71 for cars in that age category, Ford models average £223.74.
The RMI has warmly welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown's announcement of the setting up of a Modern Apprentice Taskforce – targeted at leading an expansion of the scheme to a nearly a third of young people.
The typical premium of £500 for a good metallic colour on a new car, can one year later be worth £1000 over a less popular metallic shade, or £2000 over the corresponding flat colour, according to new research published by Glass's Information Services.
Growing electronic sophistication in modern cars is threatening a service and repair crisis that could cost car owners dear, CAP has warned.
Up to five million European motorists with an undiagnosed illness are at increased risk from falling asleep at the wheels of their cars, according to research by the European Respiratory Society (ERS).
The Hyundai Motor Company has announced that it is to develop what it claims will be the “broadest and most advanced “ suite of interactive communications services for cars.
Results of a survey released today reveal that drivers are ignoring safety advice over car-jacking. Despite high profile attacks and advice from police and motoring organisations, motorists are still not protecting themselves, according to the RAC report.
Independent garage take-up of “authorised repairer” status under the new block exemption is likely to be low because of the high level of investment required, a team of aftersales experts concluded at a special “Think Tank” meeting in Redditch this week.
Pre-1995 cars with relatively poor security systems are three times more likely to be stolen than new ones, according to statistics published by the Home Office today.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp shareholders this week voted overwhelmingly to spin-off the company's truck operations. Mitsubishi chairman Takashi Sonobe says Mitsubishi will benefit financially from what he called a "demerger" of the profitable truck operation.
Italy's industry minister Antonio Marzano told Fiat executives that Fiat Auto needed deep and definitive restructuring if it is to meet its aim of slashing net debt to $3.6bn by 2003. Marzano's comments were made in this week's preliminary meeting to discuss approval of Fiat's restructuring plan to lay off more than 8,000 workers for at least a year.
For the first time a small family car, the Renault's Megane II, has achieved five stars in the Euro NCAP tests. Three other cars, the Saab 9-3, the Renault Vel Satis and the Mercedes E-class also achieved five stars.
Used car values rose year on year in November - the first rise for six months, according to figures released by CAP today. It means the average trade value for a used car is a marginal 0.1 per cent higher than for the equivalent vehicle in November 2001.
New officials – dubbed “Traffic Tsars” are to be at the centre of Government plans to reduce congestion on the UK's roads, a Government minister has revealed.
Loss-making Swedish carmaker Saab is to axe 1300 jobs as part of the implementation of an “efficiency plan” next year aimed at putting the company back into the black.
The motor industry has been given an important green light to set up the Automotive Skills Council – the industry's own body to develop sector-specific solutions to the industry's skills, recruitment and training problems.
The latest figures from the motor lending sector point to a continuing slow down in demand for point-of-sale finance. The Finance and Leasing Association's Early Indicator figures for October show that consumer demand for motor finance dipped by 2 per cent.
David Thursfield, head of Ford Europe is to assume control of Ford's Premier Automotive Group (PAG), the Ford Motor Company has announced. Thursfield is a noted cost-cutter and, along with, Nick Scheele – whose PAG function he now takes - is credited with successfully turning round Ford's European operations.
Lookers Group says it is to earmark between £4m and £5m for investment in its Vauxhall businesses in Birmingham over the next two to three years. Lookers Selly Oak - bought from Rystar in February – is already getting a £300,000 refurbishment.
The threat of industrial action looms at Jaguar today after unions called a mass meeting of workers. Staff at the luxury car maker's Halewood, Whitley, Browns Lane and Castle Bromwich sites have already rejected the carmaker's 2002 pay offer and unions will tomorrow hold mass meetings to inform workers that it intends to launch industrial action.
<b>United in grief for the UK's bodyshop sector, its lobby groups are far from united in action says Mark Catterall.</b>
<b>United in grief for the UK's bodyshop sector, its lobby groups are far from united in action says MARK CATTERALL</b>
<b>Motorcycles present car dealers with new profit opportunities. But very different sales skills are needed, writes</b><it> Stephen Briers.</it>
BMW chief executive Helmut Panke has scotched rumours that the prestige carmaker is to build new Mini derivatives on a joint platform with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen. Rumours began when the opportunities for BMW to benefit from Peugeot's low cost small car production expertise were put forward on Monday by Goldman Sachs.
Fiat has agreed to delay laying off 8,000 workers pending new crisis talks with the Italian Government and the unions. The meetings will culminate in a meeting with PM Silvio Berlusconi on December 5 and will centre on government financial help with temporary restructuring measures.
Ballooning restructuring costs have pushed troubled Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer Izuzu deeper into the red in the six months to September. Group net loss for the period was $684.5m – more than three times the loss during the same period last year.
Toyota opens its new £3m dealer training centre at the Nottingham Trent University today. The purpose-built centre on a 1.2-acre site at the university's Clifton Campus will be used to deliver Toyota and Lexus dealers with management, operational, and technical training.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has warned that the MOT system is on the verge of a breakdown as a result of the mounting recruitment and training crisis. And it has called for an end to “cut price” tests.
Prices for three-year-old cars in the UK fell by 7.1 per cent over the 12 months to October 2002, according to the latest EurotaxGlass's European Fleet Index of residual values. The residual value trend in the UK in the most recent three months of the period was for prices to fall by 3.5 per cent.
