The plate-change month of March saw new car registrations rise by 26.6% to 397,383 units and was yet again boosted by the scrappage scheme which accounted for 12.2% of the volume.
Mazda UK broke the 50,000 annual sales barrier for only the second time in its history for the fiscal year 2009 to 2010.
Daimler has taken a 3.1% stake in Renault and Nissan in return for a 3.1% stake in the German manufacturer in order to share technology and development costs.
Mitsubishi has told its 120 dealers that their profitability remains its number one priority and it will not pull the financial support it has been pumping into the network until it is happy with profit levels.
From January 2011 electric vehicles and ultra-low-carbon vehicles will qualify for a 25% subsidy (up to £5,000).
Aberdeen-based Town & County Group has bounced back from big losses in 2008 to turn in a profit last year.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation, is launching a campaign to reduce the first MoT test date for large vans from three years to a year following revelations that every other white van in this class tested over the age of three years is unroadworthy.
ACF Car Finance, the sub-prime used car dealer, has secured its future after its primary lender, The Funding Corporation (TFC), has announced that it has renewed its banking facilities, for a further two years.
Ford and Vauxhall have introduced major model and pricing changes.
BCA's Dealer Training Division has launched a new training course on how to buy profitably at auction.
The usual slowdown in used car sales from late spring will be compounded this year by the forthcoming general election.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed the election date while addressing the media outside 10 Downing Street today, describing it as the "least well kept secret of recent years".
Citroën will introduce a new range of van finance options for the second quarter.
Kia Motors has increased the prices of some of its range by between three and 4%.
Renault has released pricing and specification details for its Wind Coupé-Roadster, priced from £15,500.
Dealers are being given access to a new used car sales portal.
Chevrolet, which is now free from the shackles of operating under General Motors UK, is pushing ahead with a corporate sales strategy designed to boost fleet sales by two-thirds over the next three years.
In a move being replicated across the industry, Nissan has also extended its scrappage scheme.
Confidence in online remarketing channels is growing as dealers seem prepared to bid on older, higher mileage vehicles than ever before.
Demand from UK employers for new workers fell back overall in March, according to the Reed Job Index published today.
County Durham-based Aston Workshop has been appointed as a Aston Martin Approved Service Agent.
Close Motor Finance has opened a new branch, located in Kembrey Park.
Milton-Keynes based Wayside Group has taken over Cooks Audi in Peterborough.
Weeks after buying its first dealership in Scotland, Vertu Motors has bagged its second.
Kia Motors UK insists its price increases effective today have been kept to the minimum possible given pressures on production, shipping and currency costs.
Honda dealers should see an increase in fleet sales with the launch of the new sports-hybrid CR-Z, which is expected to make in-roads into fleets with CO2 caps.
CAP’s decision to only provide residual value data for electric vehicles which are sold with batteries included has caused disagreement among the car manufacturers bringing zero emission vehicles to the UK.
The calendar year 2009 was one of the quietest on record for pure motor retail deals, a reflection of the general state of the economy and the lack of credit available to fund acquisitions.
Historic British sports car firm AC is relaunching with a new model and is on the hunt for up to five UK dealers.
Renault’s new Wind coupe-roadster will go on sale in July and customers will be able to put orders in for the new two-seater before the end of April.
