Newcastle upon Tyne dealer Benfield Nissan has found a solution to the current shortage of quality used cars by importing 30 Micras from Northern Ireland.
Audi is the latest manufacturer to put Glass's Part Exchange Values on its www.audi.co.uk website as it bids to give potential customers a complete virtual showroom experience.
Vauxhall has armed its Network Q retailers with a powerful sales tool to help customers in the fight against car crime. It has teamed up with SmartWater to mark Network Q cars with a 'DNA-type' code for a £94 fee.
##Times logo--left## The Sunday Times has launched a business-to-consumer used car stock locator website in conjunction with internet service provider Motortrak.
##Land Rover logo--left## Land Rover is launching a revised used vehicle programme in January to meet rising customer expectations and tie more aftersales business to its 130-strong dealer network.
Finance specialist Singer & Friedlander Finance is urging dealers to promote the benefits of Gap insurance to improve bottom line profits and protect the car buyer.
An online data provider targeting used car retailers is challenging Cap and Glass's Guide's position as the leading suppliers of car values information.
Last year, the most popular new car in the UK was from the lower medium sector, the Ford Focus (according to SMMT new car registrations statistics). This reflects the importance of the lower medium sector to both the new and used car markets.
The job for most dealers seems to be difficult at the moment, with retail interest for both new and used cars extremely quiet. Something we have mentioned in the past and which is now becoming increasingly evident is cherry picking by the trade.
Chancellor Gordon Brown has frozen duties on fuel until 2002 in a move to placate fuel protestors and prevent the blockade of pumping stations and oil refineries which almost brought the UK to a standstill in September.
Citroen has become the latest manufacturer to introduce a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, following similar moves by Ford, Renault and Vauxhall.
Jonathan Heap has returned from an 18-month secondment in Latin America to head Car Care Plan's European operations.
At Automotive Management's black-tie night at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a capacity attendance in the Grand Ballroom honoured the finest in UK motor retailing.
Internet automotive car seller OneSwoop wants a partnership with one of its rivals, believing the strongest new entrants must unite following UK price cuts.
Edward McCabe is stepping down as Hartwell plc's group managing director to head up its parent company, the Jameel Group's software and e-business operation, Ebbon-Dacs.
UK retail buyers seeking bargains may have unwittingly bought grey imports missed during the Mitsubishi recall in Japan.
Subaru UK has gone against the trend in the motor industry by telling its dealers not to handle grey imports.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has cut its forecast for new car registrations this year by 40,000 units after October figures revealed the continuing downward trend in the market.
Since the furore over new car prices really blew up, the market has almost ground to a halt. As if the market isn't already in enough turmoil it's against this background that concern is growing over the tide of grey and parallel imports.
Peugeot is leading carmaker pressure on the Government to drop planned penalties on diesel cars. Rupert Saunders reports on the battle over particulate emissions.
Dealer anger at the decision to allow internet-based retailers to exhibit at the Birmingham motor show continued last week despite SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan's plea for unity.
Chrysler Jeep, notching a record UK market share this year, wants to boost dealer profitability by adopting a market area concept.
Carmakers have had a difficult few weeks as they put together their finance marketing plans for the final quarter.
A period of relative stability in bank base rates has allowed the high street and direct lenders a short breathing space in the fight for market share.
Ford of Britain is to slash the number of new cars in its distribution pipeline and reward its best dealers at the expense of poor performers.
DaimlerChrysler expects to sell a large proportion of Smart City coupes over the internet in the UK, using the experience as a test-bed for a full blown online sales strategy.
Major motor retail group Hartwell has teamed up with online motoring channel 4car.co.uk to provide the latest automotive news direct to its dealer network.
Jim Tyrrell, after six months as managing director of Mitsubishi Motors UK, is forthright about one issue: “People will not buy that many cars over the internet. Dotcoms will never be able to replace traditional dealers.”
Reliant - most famous for the recently dropped Robin three-wheeler - is switching its attention to the light commercial market.
Mark Bignell, business manager at Hooleys of Worksop, Notts, and Andy Shuter, business manager at Renault Leeds, are the latest Award for Financial Excellence 2000 entrants to make the final.
