Eighty of Mitsubishi's 130 Red Zebra used car dealers can now use the internet to access HPI vehicle information.
Lynx Group's £40m turnover Automotive Systems division has been purchased in a management buy-out, led by managing director David Hayward. The move followed pressure from City analysts that perceived Lynx Group to be too diversified.
In February, we examined the type of vehicle online car buyers searched for and compared this with the overall car market. We demonstrated that online buyers were more interested in sports cars than the market as a whole.
Research by valeting and preparation firm Autoclenz has revealed that dealers who valet vehicles themselves pay up to 55% more than companies which outsource the service to a specialist. It suggests large dealerships could save £100,000 a year by outsourcing.
Paint protection systems, which guarantee to maintain paintwork at showroom conditions with minimum fuss, offer dealers a chance to exploit the British public's love affair with their cars.
UK paint refinish companies are gearing up to meet proposed legislation in 2005 that could mean every paint product must meet a 420 grams per litre VOC emission target.
Inchcape Retail's new development director Guy Ainsley will be responsible for developing the group's growth strategy in the UK.
First National Motor Finance, which last month signed a three-year agreement to provide financial service products for MG Rover, intends to raise finance penetration for the carmaker by appointing a dedicated sales team.
BMW GB has already sold this year's allocation of the all-new M3, on sale from this month.
Honda has added a Sport derivative and new engines for the Type V models in its Accord range as part of a mid-term facelift.
Manufacturers have rounded on the Government, accusing it of stifling sales of diesel cars through unnecessary legislation and fuel taxation.
Suzuki Motor Corporation is to supply around 3,000 all-new mini-vehicles a month to Nissan Motor Company from 2002.
Citroen's 93 corporate specialist dealers will have an opportunity to boost sales with the launch of the C5 this month.
New Mitsubishis, intended for disposal through brokers to daily rental companies and bodyshops, have been sold on the open market.
Carmakers' parts pricing policies could be subject to action under competition law, according to senior Office of Fair Trading official Stephan Pukas.
Dealers will be prevented from selling insurance products unless they sign up to the General Insurance Standards Council by September 1.
Mazda Motor Corp is negotiating to take control of UK sales from MCL Group, as part of plans to own 70% of its European distribution network by the end of the year.
Dixon Motors' new operations board has 10 members headed by group managing director Simon Dixon.
Sunwin motor retail group, owned by Yorkshire Co-operatives, bucked the trend last year for lost profits, posting a 45.8% increase in turnover to £129.2m and a 6.6% rise in profits to £11.7m.
Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd has announced that it is making Audatex estimating a standard requirement for all repairers within its approved bodyshop programme, using either AudaWorkstation or the web-based Audatex Estimating On-Line.
Daewoo is putting up a candidate to fight Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in his Hull East constituency in the June General Election.
Peugeot has begun introducing a new corporate identity across its 360-plus dealer network after a successful pilot scheme in Derby.
Ford Motor Company has suffered a 41% fall in first-quarter earnings to $1.13 billion, down from $1.93 billion.
Manufacturers could reduce new car prices by as much as 10% if they sourced materials online, according to electronic procurement and services provider Portum.
Honda's Swindon factory has been chosen to build a new three-door Civic for the North American market.
Wakefield-based Harratts Group, which has five franchises and 11 sites, including Nissan, Volvo, Renault, Peugeot and Mitsubishi has been awarded three more franchises in the Yorkshire area. They are Volvo in Bradford and Sheffield and Peugeot in Barnsley.
Daewoo Cars is shutting 32 of its 74 sales and service centres located in Halfords stores.
Higher insurance costs and resale values undermined by a depressed used-car market have wiped out running cost savings from a five-pence-a-litre drop in fuel prices over the previous year and competitively-priced oil, tyre, servicing and other maintenance costs.
Honda (UK) is to open its first 'brand centre' in the autumn, selling cars, motorcycles and power equipment products.
Covisint, the global, independent e-business exchange, developed by five of the world's leading automotive manufacturers, has appointed Kevin English as president and chief executive.
