F&I Management & Training

UK's biggest car dealer snaps up 19 sites from the struggling group
Pendragon has swooped to acquire 19 dealerships from Dixon Motors in a multi-million pound deal.


Dixons, which is currently in administration, has disposed of the businesses for approximately £17m.
The sites are predominantly in Yorkshire and will be rebranded as Evans Halshaw. All hold volume brand franchises.

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: MT

Mike O'Driscoll will replace Bibiana Boerio
Jaguar has announced that Mike O’Driscoll is to become the new managing director of the company.


O'Driscoll is currently president of Jaguar and Land Rover's North American operation and replaces Bibiana Boerio.
Boerio is set to retire at the end of the year after eight years with Jaguar and over 30 years with parent company Ford.


DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: MT

Pre-tax profit hits £120m in first six months of the year
Inchcape, the global car dealer, posted record results in the first half of the year as pre-tax profits rose 7.1 per cent to £120m.

Overall sales increased 28.5 per cent to £3.1bn, helped by strong performances in the UK, European and emerging markets.
In Britain sales soared by 92 per cent to just over £1,440m as the multi-million pound acquisitions of Lind Automotive and European Motor Holdings significantly boosted the bottom line.
Trading profit rose 54.3 per cent from £23.2m in the first half of 2006 to £35.8m in the same period this year.

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: MT

General Motors reversed a massive $3.4 billion net loss in the second quarter of 2006 into an $891 million profit for the three months to June 30, 2007, according to the company's preliminary results.
The transformation was marked by record automotive revenue ($764m) driven by strong sales in key growth markets, improved net income, and solid operating cash flow.
And, while chairman and chief executive Rick Wagoner said the company's 'heavy commitment to key growth markets around the world paid off in strong growth and earnings' he warned that further progress had to be made in the troublesome domestic market. The return to profitability, added the company, justified the focus on closing factories and cutting jobs, notably in North America but also in Europe.

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: AW

Substantial conquest sales seen by UK network as important profit centre
Research has revealed that the Audi UK franchise dealer network is the largest user of Autotrade-mail.com, the country's leading online real time used car-trading facility. A substantial 53%, or 62 of the 116 Audi franchised outlets in the country, are subscribers to the Internet-based system, which now counts more than 50 manufacturers using the service.

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: AW

Pre-tax profits at the BMW Group dropped 13.6% on revenues up 11.3% in the second quarter of 2007, but the company says that despite the adverse impact of on-going currency effects and market launch and production start-up costs for new models it is on schedule to achieve its full-year profit target.
Pre-tax profit tax fell by 13.6% to £1,065 million; net profit was £753m (second quarter 2006: £787m).
Revenues for the first half year rose by 7.3% to £26,634m. Pre-tax profit amounted to £1,917m (first half-year 2006: £2,528/-24.2%).

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: AW

Cars are more likely to retain a greater proportion of their value if they are small or lower-medium sized, a coupe or convertible, produced by a prestige-brand manufacturer or powered by a diesel or low-capacity petrol engine, according to EurotaxGlass's.
The publisher of Glass's Guide to Used Car Values assessed more than 6,000 different three-year-old models and found that the following factors contribute to strong residual values:
Coupe or convertible: The RVs of these cars will typically far outperform those of more practical saloons and hatchbacks.

Residual Value 'Top 10'

1 MINI Mini 1.4 diesel / 1.6 petrol - Hatchback and Convertible - 71%
2 Mercedes SLK200 Kompressor Convertible - 69.5%
3 Volkswagen Golf 3.2 R32 three and five-door - 65.5%
4 Nissan 350Z 3.5 Coupe - 64%
5 Porsche Carrera 2/4 (997) Coupe and Cabriolet - 63.5%
6 Audi 2.0TDI Sportback Sport - 63%
7 Seat Leon 1.9TDI Cupra and FR - 63%
8 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe - 62.5%
9 Audi A6 2.0TDI SE - 62.5%
10 Volkswagen Beetle 1.9TDi Cabriolet - 62.5%


DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: AW

BMW is considering developing a new car that is smaller than the Mini as part of a review of its market position and model portfolio.
If built, the vehicle would help BMW lower its mostly large-engined fleet average carbon dioxide emissions, as European Union legislators press ahead with moves to impose a 130 g/km average by 2012.
One company insider said: "BMW is considering a small car under the Mini. It's very serious." However, there was no official comment from the company.

DATED: 03.08.07

FEED: AW

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION provider, Ebbon- Dacs, has appointed Andy Wilson as sales director.
He joins from the Audi Academy.
"Having spent a number of years working at the highest levels in banking and retail, selling mission-critical software, it is surprising to find technology advantage being so low on the dealer agenda in the motor trade," he said.
"With the advent of Web 2.0 and the fact that technology adoption rates among customers are accelerating, all the evidence tells us that people will keep spending more time online.
"Yet many dealers are clinging grimly on for the next "version" of their current software, not realising, in many cases, that the software they are buying is as old as the hills. Ebbon-Dacs is working closely with Microsoft and I'm looking forward to getting the message out there about the benefits of 'modern' and changing that situation over the next few years."
Rob Pilkington, managing director of Ebbon-Dacs, claims that its DMS is well ahead in crucial areas of web interactivity, communications and business process functionality.
"We invented Leaselink some years ago and now this is the de facto solution for leasing companies and is used at hundreds of retail franchise locations. Today we have a fully-developed and integrated dealer management system that we truly believe is the most modern and flexible on the market bar none."

DATED: 02.08.07

FEED: AW

Green Volkswagen Polo tops new CO2 rankings list The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion 1.4 TDI has been billed as Britain's 'greenest' car beating environmentally-friendly favourites such as the hybrid Honda Civic and Toyota Prius. However, the Polo, which emits 99 g/km of CO2 compared to the 104 g/km of the Prius and 109 g/km of the Civic is not on sale in the UK until October, although it can be ordered now. The Polo diesel's 'green' credentials were unveiled with the launch of the Government's official 'Best in CO2' ranking, which has been compiled in conjunction with What Car? magazine. It lists vehicles in 14 categories from supermini to luxury cars according to their CO2 figure. By compiling the chart, which can be accessed at http://www.dft.gov.uk/actonCO2, the Government hopes that motorists will choose to drive low emission vehicles.

DATED: 02.08.07

FEED: AW

Audi profits continue to accelerate Net profits in the first half of 2007 at Audi increased 67% to ?679 million after revenue rose to record levels. Chief executive Rupert Stadler said that the company had a sound base for strong results in the second half of the year. Last year Audi sales rose to a record for the 11th year in a row, gaining 9.2% to 905,188.

DATED: 02.08.07

FEED: AW

The two Chinese carmakers that battled for control of MG Rover in 2005 have announced they are to enter into a joint venture.

Nanjing Automobile Corporation and the SAIC Group have signed a letter of intent that will see the two companies build the largest automotive group in China.
NAC denied that the alliance equated to an SAIC takeover, claiming that “the exact detail of the future relationship” had not been finalised and described it as a “joint co-operation”.

DATED: 30.07.07

FEED: MT

MINI HAS set the date of November 10 for the UK launch of its new version of the 1960s Clubman.
It will initially be available in three engine variants: Cooper D, Cooper and Cooper S.
The new Clubman is 24cm longer than the Hatch, signifying 8cm more legroom for rear passengers and spawning the claim that three people can be accommodated in the back, making it a 5-seater. An option is available to have only two seats in the rear.
Boot capacity has increased to 260-litres with the seats in place and up to 930 litres with the rear seats down. Access to this extra space has been made easier via the split rear doors and an innovative 'Clubdoor' on the right-hand side.

DATED: 30.07.07

FEED: AW

VOLKSWAGEN GROUP has for the first time revealed financial figures for its British luxury brand, Bentley.
Figures show that the Crewe, Cheshire company, has recorded increased global sales for the fourth year running.
The first half of 2007 saw an increase in sales of 18.8% over the same period in 2006, with over 5600 customers taking delivery of a car.
Turnover, at £497.9m (euro 739m), was 24% higher than the first half of 2006.

DATED: 30.07.07

FEED: AW

VOLKSWAGEN'S cost-cutting has paid dividends. The Germany Group saw earnings shoot-up 65% to euro 1.96bn in the first half, compared to the same period last year.
Pre-tax profits for the group in the first 6-months rose to euro 3.01bn ($4.13bn) from euro751m in the first six months of 2006.
Six-month sales rose 5.7% to euro54.8bn with the company reporting growing demand in Europe and Asia.
Audi, Seat, Skoda and Bentley all contributed, said the company.

DATED: 30.07.07

FEED: AW

TOYOTA LEADS the car-makers in today's 'Best Global Brands' ranking, published by Business Week magazine.
The Japanese car-maker is ranked number 6 behind names such as Coca Cola (No1), Microsoft (No2) and IBM (No 3).
Since last year, the value of the Toyota brand has risen 15% to $32m.
Toyota's growth performance, however, was overshadowed by that of Audi. The German car-maker saw its global brand value rise by 17% to $4.5m.
Ford, on the other hand, saw its brand value drop by 19%.

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW

STAFF at Dixon Motors are hoping to learn this afternoon if their jobs are safe. The company yesterday went into administration.
Most of the 44 outlets seem to have been closed to all intents and purposes as administrators, BDO Stoy Hayward, decide on the next move.
One employee in Scunthorpe, told AutoWired that administrators had issued orders for no cars to be sold or for service bookings to be accepted.
"We have been told to come into work today, but there is nothing for us to do.
"We were told we would be paid today, as normal but we have no idea what is going to happen."

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW

PRICES FOR the majority of mass market 3-year-old cars have been falling at an above average rate in recent months, according to EurotaxGlass's.
Prices fell by over 3% in both April and May. This drop was followed by a 2.5% decrease in June.
The SUV sector has continued to suffer to a greater extent, with 3- to 5-year-old mainstream models being under the greatest pressure.
"A downturn in used car sales activity during the summer months is normal," said Adrian Rushmore, managing editor at EurotaxGlass's, "but price movements over recent months have generally been slightly more severe than those of the same period in 2006.

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW

UNION CHIEFS from Jaguar and Land Rover, yesterday, held meetings with Lewis Booth, head of Ford Europe to discuss the possible sale of the two British car-makers.
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite described the meeting as highly charged and inconclusive.
"We are very clear that Ford has long established commitments in the UK to Jaguar Land Rover and Ford blue oval workers," said Woodley.
"That means they have long-term commitments to their UK operations," he said.

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW

DEALER GROUP, Arnold Clark, has found itself in the centre of a dispute about plans to demolish a B-listed building which it owns in Glasgow.
The historic property in Vinicombe Street, Hillhead, is one of the oldest surviving custom-built garages in Glasgow.
It was built in 1912 and bought by Arnold Clark in 1968.
The dealer group wants to knock it down and replace it with a modern four-storey building of 35 flats, four mews cottages, retail space and a restaurant. It says that to bring the building in line would cost £3.5m.
But campaigners claim its architecture, especially the façade, should be preserved.
Glasgow City Council said the proposals would not be considered until it returns from the summer recess.

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW

NATIONAL GRID has taken delivery of a fleet of 40 new Mitsubishi L200 pick-ups.
The pick-ups are currently being converted at Mitsubishi's in-house special vehicle operation workshops, before going into service during the next few weeks.
After establishing a five-year deal with Mitsubishi in April 2005, National Grid has so far purchased 102 vehicles comprising 22 SWB 4Work Shoguns and a total of 80 L200 Pick-ups.

DATED: 29.07.07

FEED: AW