Ninety per cent of the UK's motor parts and accessories businesses are using formal debt to run their companies. And with an average margin of 1.1 per cent, few are going to be able to reduce their debt burden, according to the latest Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis.
Automobile Association owner Centrica has now given the go-ahead for the disposal of the 28 workshops formerly used for servicing/repair of AA vehicles and fleet customers.
New car supermarket Motorpoint has opened a new dedicated telesales department to field the increased number of customer telephone calls delivered by its revamped website. The company claims it is now handling up to 1,200 customer calls per day.
Amid warnings of used car market disruption and the development of a two-tier used car market with the introduction in February of new V5 document rules, BCA has produced a new registration document tracking service for customers.
British Car Auctions is to build a new remarketing supercentre on a 24-acre site near junction 13/14 of the M1 south of Bedford. The development, which will be operational within the next 18 months, will be the biggest motor auction development of the decade, claims the company.
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.
