Friday, October 12, 2007
Ford snaps up Toyota boss
Lexus has lost the head of its US division to Ford.
James D. Farley, who was with Toyota and Lexus for nearly two decades, will become global head of marketing and communications at the American manufacturer.
The new appointment may prove vital for Ford, which continues to struggle with sales - the company suffered a loss of $12.6bn (£6.2bn) in 2006 and has reported a 14 per cent decrease in sales this year.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Car industry boosts its envrionmental credentials
The UK motor industry has improved its performance on a range of environmental indicators, according to the SMMT’s eighth annual Sustainability Report.
Energy consumption and CO2 emissions have fallen 36.5 per cent at vehicle manufacturing sites, from 2.14m to 1.36m tonnes in four years.
The energy used to make each vehicle has fallen as well, from 4.3 MWh per unit in 2001 to 2.5 MWh per unit in 2006.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Car dealers survive despite tough trading conditions
Business failures among car dealers fell by 18.8 per cent during quarter three compared the same period in 2006.
The motor trade sector saw the eighth highest fall in business failures, according to the latest insolvency figures from Experian, going from 69 motor traders failing in 2006 to 56 in 2007.
So far this year, the number of businesses going bust in the motor trade has dropped by 27.2 per cent – the fourth biggest improvement compared to other business sectors.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Jaguar unveils first pictures of new X-TYPE
Jaguar has unveiled the first pictures of the next generation X-TYPE.
The new model, which goes on sale in March next year, has been revamped and features several new additions, including almost 500 new components.
For the first time the X-TYPE model range offers an automatic diesel version, which Jaguar said would attract new customers to the brand.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Chrysler strike is called off
Chrysler workers returned to work yesterday after the United Auto Workers union called off strike action on the same day it began.
Chrysler and UAW officials successfully negotiated a tentative new labour contract that covers 45,000 workers, bringing about an end to the strike.
An independent retiree health care trust has been established within the new terms and protection of wages and pensions for workers and retirees was also established.
DATED: 12.10.07
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RMIF prepares for expansion
The RMIF is positioning itself for expansion following two years of uncertainty which saw it controversially stop its free legal service, sell off its lucrative training division and slim down its headcount.
The announcement was made last night at the trade body’s annual dinner and comes on the first anniversary of the departure of chief executive Matthew Carrington - the mastermind of the federation’s £25.5m disposal of its Remit training company to Carter & Carter in a move which cleared its £5.6m pension deficit.
“The RMIF has been through a tumultuous period of change over the last two years,” said RMIF chairman Alec Murray.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Pentagon Group opens second car supermarket
Pentagon Group has launched an all-brand used car supermarket at its Chadderton site in Manchester.
The site previously housed a Vauxhall dealership and will stock over 150 cars as well as a six-bay servicing facility.
The opening is the group’s second supermarket and follows on from the Pentagon Barnsley Car Shop.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Daimler and Fiat to produce small cars?
Daimler and Fiat are in talks over the possible future development of new models.
Discussions include a new partnership arrangement for the next generation A and B class Mercedes Benz cars.
According to press reports, the companies have also discussed the possibility of sharing engines and production platforms for other vehicle sectors.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Saab ad campaign avoids getting its wings clipped
A Saab advertising campaign went awry when a woman was hit in the face by a mechanical butterfly released by one of the company’s booklets.
Yet despite a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority, the carmaker will not have to pull the promotion.
The booklet, headlined 'Why constrain the power of nature?', featured an image of a butterfly on the front cover.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Ford extends bids deadline for Jaguar and Land Rover
Ford Motor Company's deadline for offers for its up-for-sale Jaguar and Land Rover divisions has slipped again, fuelling concern among potential buyers that they are spending millions on preparing bids despite getting no guarantee that the car giant is determined to sell.
Indicative offers for the two British marques were expected to be delivered by next week, but Ford has now given the private equity and trade buyers which have registered an interest until early next month to begin tabling bids.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
Indicative offers for the two British marques were expected to be delivered by next week, but Ford has now given the private equity and trade buyers which have registered an interest until early next month to begin tabling bids.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
Eurotax Glass Intl. Presidency
Gaskell steps up to President as MacLeod takes the wheel at EurotaxGlass's International EurotaxGlass's International, Europe's leading provider of data, solutions and business intelligence to the automotive industry, today announces the appointment of Alastair MacLeod as Chief Executive Officer of the Group. Current CEO Kevin Gaskell steps up into the non-executive role of President of the Group after a six year tenure which delivered more than 130 per cent growth in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
No let-up for 2008 says RMIF Chairman
No let-up for 2008 says RMIF Chairman.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has been through a tumultuous period of change over the last two years. Now, our strong financial position is allowing our members to plan expansion of the Federation, and determine what they want it to do for them,' RMIF Chairman Alec Murray, said. Murray was speaking at the RMIF's Annual Dinner, held at the Dorchester, Park Lane, London.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has been through a tumultuous period of change over the last two years. Now, our strong financial position is allowing our members to plan expansion of the Federation, and determine what they want it to do for them,' RMIF Chairman Alec Murray, said. Murray was speaking at the RMIF's Annual Dinner, held at the Dorchester, Park Lane, London.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
Lexus LF-Xh concept
Lexus LF-Xh concept makes global debut at Tokyo Show Lexus says that it plans a global unveiling of the LF-Xh concept at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show. Also on the Lexus stand will be the LF-A concept, along with six production vehicles at the International Convention Complex (Makuhari Messe) in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture. On the basis of its "pursuit of perfection" philosophy, Lexus strives to provide the highest-quality products and to fill every moment with exhilaration and comfort for its customers through continued, uncompromising efforts in all aspects of development, production and sales. At the Tokyo Motor Show, as a new global premium brand for the 21st century, Lexus plans to exhibit a concept SUV and a premium two-seater sports car.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: AW
Pendragon Contracts announces raft of changes
Pendragon Contracts, the fleet arm of the UK’s largest dealer group, has announced a new five-point growth plan.
The first aspect of the plan will see the business and its sister companies Vardy Contract Motoring and Bramall Contracts merge as one brand under the Pendragon Contracts name.
In addition, four directors have been appointed to oversee the business expansion.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Rybrook expands with Jaguar and Land Rover
Rybrook Holdings, the privately-owned dealer group, has acquired Conwy Land Rover and Jaguar for an undisclosed sum.
The deal expands the group’s presence into North Wales and marks its first partnership with Land Rover.
Henry Whale, managing director of Rybrook Holdings, said he was confident about the two PAG brands regardless of their potential sale.
DATED: 12.10.07
FEED: MT
Motorists ignore speed cameras
Three quarters of UK drivers admit to speeding, despite an increase in speed camera numbers.
Nearly half of the motorists polled said they only slowed down when they were actually in sight of a camera.
Putting on the brakes.
The study, carried out by vehicle management company LeasePlan, also revealed that 2 per cent of drivers admit to ignoring speed cameras altogether with the hope of not getting caught – a further 2 per cent admitted to avoiding driving on roads with cameras.
“These figures draw attention to the significant number of drivers failing to take road safety issues seriously,” said David Brennan, managing director of LeasePlan UK.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Car of the Year 2008 shortlist unveiled
The shortlist has been announced for motoring’s Booker Prize, the Car of the Year 2008.
The winner, to be announced on 19 November, will be one of the following:
Fiat 500, Ford Mondeo, Kia cee'd Mazda 2, Mercedes-Benz C-class, Nissan Qashqai, Peugeot 308, Ford S-Max.
The Car of the Year is elected by a jury of 58 motoring writers from 22 European countries.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Car dealers lose customer loyalty
Consumer loyalty to UK car dealers has fallen dramatically in the last two years.
According to Capgemini’s Cars Online 07/08 study, customers’ loyalty to their dealerships plunged from 46 per cent to 32 per cent between 2005 and 2007.
Consumers also became increasingly demanding of dealers, with 19 per cent expecting a response to web enquiries within four hours and half expecting a reply within 24 hours.
The study found UK motorists were behind other markets in online vehicle purchasing with only 15 per cent of drivers surveyed likely to purchase a vehicle online, compared to the European average of 18 per cent.
Thirty per cent of UK motorists said they were highly unlikely to buy a car on the internet, while the European average was 22 per cent.
DATED: 12.10.07
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Monday, October 08, 2007
Lookers deal sees banks exit the motor trade
The £60m Dutton Forshaw sale leaves no banking stake among top 30 groups
The £60m sale of Dutton Forshaw by Lloyds TSB signifies the end of the banking sector’s stake in the major dealer groups.
The decision by the bank to dispose of the company it bought in 2002 for £48.7m means there are now no banks with a stake in any top 30 car retailer.
Lookers' acquisition of Dutton Forshaw follows on from the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned Dixons group last month – the only other bank with a significant interest in the industry.
DATED: 08.10.07
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Daimler ditches Chrysler
New brand name is confirmed as Daimler AG
DaimlerChrysler has expunged the memory of its ill-fated merger with the American carmaker Chrysler after finally agreeing on a name change.
Following months of debate, shareholders approved changing the manufacturer's name to Daimler AG.
Despite chief executive Dieter Zetsche's insistence that the company take the name, shareholders, who had wanted to include Benz in the company's masthead, were satisfied by a compromise.
DATED: 08.10.07
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Land Rover aims to slash emissions
Land Rover aims to slash its vehicles’ average carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2012.
According to the Financial Times, green driving and eco-friendly European lawmakers appear to have influenced the SUV brand.
Managing director Phil Popham disclosed that the carmaker was investing £700m in CO2 improvements in its five-year business plan for both Land Rover and sister company Jaguar.
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: MT
Logo change as Daimler goes solo
The DaimlerChrysler logo will be removed from buildings and literature across the world from Thursday, October 4 after shareholders approved a return to the Daimler name. The move, agreed at a shareholders' meeting today, follows the sale of the Chrysler division earlier this year to private equity group Cerberus. The new corporate Daimler logo will see letterheads, websites and other corporate material revamped in a move that will take until next year to finish at a cost of more than 50 million euros.
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
MINI UK hits another record
MINI UK has achieved a record sales month; the highest since MINI went on sale in July 2001. 150 UK dealers sold 8,764 models in September 2007*. Year-to-date figures are running higher than the previous record year of 2005, at 36,969 models, making the outlook for a new record sales year certainly look more likely than snow on Christmas day. As announced at Frankfurt Motor Show last month, global sales figures are heading for the 220,000 mark in 2007. The record sales show the continuing success of the MINI brand and the public appreciation of the second-generation MINI hatch and MINI Convertible models. Soon to join the line-up is the new MINI Clubman: on sale from 10 November.
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
The future is electric for Nissan
- Pivo 2 concept turns heads and itself in Tokyo, Nissan unveiled the Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car that will debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Pivo 2 builds on the popularity of the first Pivo, shown at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. Powered by advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and featuring a unique rotating cabin - meaning no reverse gear required - the first Pivo became a cult hit at shows from Beijing to Geneva. Where the first Pivo, with its fully rotating cabin design, made reversing obsolete, the Pivo 2 takes that easy mobility concept to a new level. Each of the four wheels are powered by Nissan's advanced electric In-wheel 3D Motor and can turn through 90 degrees to allow Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward.
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
DATED: 08.10.07
FEED: AW
