Thursday, December 06, 2007

November diesel market soars


New car sales rose 2.2 per cent year-on-year in November as diesel sales reached their highest ever market share.
Volumes reached 158,735 units, buoyed by sales of oil burners, which took 45.3 per cent of the monthly new car market.
On the up: The 2007 market is proving resilient
The SMMT said it expected year-to-date registrations to surpass 2.4 million units – a considerable improvement on its initial forecast of 2.315 million sales.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 1:22 pm

Daimler blasts Chinese copycats


Daimler has prevented a Chinese carmaker from unveiling a new minicar after the German carmaker claimed the model infringed on its design copyright for the Smart ForTwo.
The Noble, built by Shuanghuan Automobile, was due to feature at last week’s Bologna auto show but the car was pulled after Daimler won a temporary order from an Italian court which banned Shuanghuan showing the new model.

A similar order was obtained by the company in Germany to prevent Shuanghuan’s German distributor from showing the Noble at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 1:21 pm

Bank of England Rate Cut

The Bank of England today reduced interest rates to 5.5%, down 0.25%, the first drop in 2 years


DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: BoE

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 1:00 pm

HMRC published new Advisory Fuel Rates

NEW HM Revenue and Customs’ Advisory Fuel Rates have been published and they will become effective from January 1, 2008.Their publication on the HMRC’s website on Friday (November 30) follows the announcement of new HMRC rules on when and how advisory fuel rates for company car drivers are reviewed and published to ensure a fairer, more responsive system (Digest: November 22).Advisory fuel rates apply where employers reimburse employees for business travel in their company cars, or require employees to repay the cost of fuel used for private travel. They provide a range of rates based on engine size and fuel type.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:56 pm

Auditor puts brakes on £500,000 police luxury cars

NORTH Yorkshire Police force has been rebuked for spending £500,000 on a fleet of luxury cars for senior officers which they were not trained to drive.The force bought a fleet of 20 Land Rover Discoveries and Volvo V70s three years ago when Della Canning was chief constable.However, acquisition of the vehicles has now been criticised in an internal audit report, which also reveals that ‘officers are not trained to handle these vehicles, classed as ‘Advanced’ by the force and so it may be inadvisable for them to do so without such training’.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:55 pm

Vauxhall to replace Vectra with Insignia

VAUXHALL has revealed that its all-new upper medium sector car will be called the Insignia when it debuts at the 2008 British International Motor Show.The July unveiling of the car marks the end-of-the-road for the Vectra name with Vauxhall saying that ‘Insignia marks the dawn of a fresh era for the Griffin-badged marque’.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:55 pm

Volkswagen gears up for Tiguan launch

THE new Volkswagen Tiguan compact 4x4 is set to go on sale in February next year powered by a choice of new TSI petrol and common rail diesel engines. Just ahead of its arrival in the UK Volkswagen Individual has unveiled the Tiguan R-Line design study at the Essen Motor Show - a subtly aggressive styling exercise demonstrating the potential for a range-topping Tiguan.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:54 pm

LDV launches Maxus chassis cab range

LDV’s Maxus chassis cab is now available with a dropside, tipper or Luton body and a choice of two wheelbases and three engine variants up to 135 PS. The vehicles are ideal for a large variety of building and trade professionals, with a maximum payload of up to 1,850 kg.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:53 pm

Carmakers attack wrong target to stop discounts

CAR Manufacturers are targeting internet re-sellers in an attempt to halt dealer discounts on new cars, but Broadspeed.com says they should stop their own direct new car discount sales to ‘rental companies’ first.The organisation, which is a customer referral site, not a re-seller, was commenting after BMW GB managing director Jim O´Donnell’s recently threatened to disenfranchise dealers selling to online re-sellers when their contracts run out in 2008.Broadspeed.com claims it was singled out as a business with which BMW dealers have been instructed to stop doing business.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:53 pm

Europe scraps ban on miles

BRITAIN and Ireland can continue to use miles for road signs and speed indications as well as pints, for bottled milk and draught beer and cider, according to a European Parliament ruling.The move also makes it possible to continue to use indefinitely labels with supplementary or dual indications of both metric and imperial sizes.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:52 pm

Bright future for RMIF as record profits reported

THE Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has reported record profits of almost £26 million, and is now worth ten times more than in 2006, according to its annual report.The RMIF has experienced resurgence during the last year. A programme of transformation saw the restructure of the management team and a reorganisation of the framework for the business. The effect has resulted in a 2006 profit of £870,000 being transformed into one of £25.6m in 2007.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:52 pm

End of the road for cat’s eyes

IT’S the end of the road for cat’s eyes after 70 years with them set to be replaced by a safer, brighter alternative which has won Department for Transport approval.

The Astucia SolarLite stud stores solar energy throughout the day and are activated from dusk until dawn, visible up to a range of 900 metres. As a result, the SolarLite road stud is said to extend driver reaction times from 3.2 seconds to over 30 seconds when driving at 60 mph, according to the company.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:51 pm

Accident Exchange to raise £50m

ACCIDENT Exchange Group is raising £50 million to repay £5m of its existing secured facility and to provide additional working capital to the company and its subsidiaries.The cash, which will be raised via international institutional investors, is through five-year ‘Convertible Notes’ which can be redeemed in 2013 for shares. The offer is expected to close around January 4 next year.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: HC

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:48 pm

Ford dealers inspected by RAC

RAC is to carry out 6,000 audits per year throughout the 700-strong Ford dealer network in the UK to help the manufacturer increase its dealer network service quality levels. At typically 10 visits per dealer, up to 10,000 Ford vehicles in total will be inspected per year. Since the programme began in 2005, rigorous vehicle checking conducted by RAC Examining Engineers shows that Ford dealers have significantly improved repair and servicing quality levels throughout the UK network.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AW

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:47 pm

Mitsubishi coupe concept

Mitsubishi will premiere its new Concept-RA at the Detroit Motor Show next year.
The RA features the same twin clutch SST system used in the Lancer Evolution X but is linked to a high-output 2.2-litre four cylinder 16 valve turbo diesel engine.
Mitsubishi said the RA was likely to go on sale in Europe if sales perform well for its intended launch in the US.
The Japanese manufacturer has released one concept image of the car so far but will reveal more details closer to its unveiling in Detroit on January 16.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:46 pm

GM bids for stake in Lada

General Motors is bidding for a stake in AvtoVaz, the markers of Lada, as part of an effort to expand its presence in the rapidly growing Russian market.
A GM spokesman confirmed a bid had been recently submitted for AvtoVaz, which is Russia's largest car maker, but could not confirm how big the stake was.
Russia is developing into a major market for GM, which has a 6.6% share of the Russian market in 2006.
GM already has a joint venture with AvtoVaz at a production plant in Togliatti. GM also has a plaint in Kaliningrad and is building a third plant near St Petersburg.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:45 pm

Russian market has its appeal

For riches beyond the dreams of avarice a car retailer need turn his gaze no further than Moscow.
Ninety per cent of a dealer’s profit there derives from new cars. Average operating margins are between four and five per cent. The annual demand growth chart looks like the flight path of a Harrier jump jet.
Next year the car market in Russia will be bigger than the UK and will reach three million in 2010, double what it was in 2005.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:43 pm

Bipper van heads for the UK

Peugeot is set to launch a new small van called the Bipper in the UK.
The Bipper will feature two engine options, a 1.4-litre petrol and 1.4-litre HDi diesel from launch. The exterior design of the Bipper Beep Beep concept (pictured) takes its design cues from Peugeot’s Le Man’s winning 908 HDi FAP race car.
Peugeot says the Bipper will do 62.7mpg with CO2 emissions of 119g/km when it hits UK roads in May next year.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:42 pm

Caffyns ‘should be doing better’

Industry insiders are critical of the slow progress made by Caffyns, half way through its three-year recovery programme.
Turnover in the half-year to September 30 was £94.991 million, up from £85.484 million year-on-year, but profit before tax at 0.8% compared with 0.7%.
“Caffyns has good brands in good locations, and should be doing much better,” says one consultant. “The group has three Audi centres – at Brighton, Eastbourne and Hove – which alone should be contributing £1 million in profit.”
Two years ago, Caffyns reported tumbling profits, mainly as a result of failing to take action ahead of the collapse of MG Rover, unlike other groups which reduced their exposure.

DATED: 06.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:41 pm

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Ford workers get pay hike


Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover workers received above inflation wage hikes in November.
IDS, the independent research analyst on pay and conditions, reported an increase in UK wage inflation to 3.5 per cent in the three months to November due to big pay deals in the manufacturing sector.

This was 0.3 per cent higher than in the previous three-month period but still below levels likely to trigger interest rate concerns at the Bank of England.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 2:12 pm

Audi unveils A3 convertible


Audi has unveiled its new A3 Cabriolet, which is due to hit UK showrooms in spring next year.
The prestige brand’s first ever compact class soft top will line-up alongside convertibles in the A4 and TT ranges.
Available at launch in four engine options - two diesel and two petrol variants - the A3 will launch in two specifications, Standard and Sport.
Prices are expected to be announced by Audi later this year.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 2:11 pm

Vauxhall car dealers raise record Ben donation


The Vauxhall Retailer Association has raised £100,000 for motor industry charity Ben – the largest donation ever raised for the benevolent fund by a car dealer network.
Ben is now planning to target other car franchises and dealer councils in a bid to generate additional funds.

“Although the UK franchised dealer network has seen some rationalisation over the past few years there are still a significant number of retail outlets and this presents a major opportunity for Ben,” said Gerard Barclay, the charity’s chief executive.
“I am keen to work with other automotive franchises and would like to meet with other dealer councils or franchise boards in early 2008 to discuss potential initiatives.”

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 2:10 pm

Renault expands its UK car dealer footprint


Renault Retail Group has acquired two dealerships in south east London as part of its long-term plans to increase its number of UK sites to 30 by 2009.
The group has taken over the former Whitehouse dealerships in Orpington and Dartford, bringing the total number of London sites operated by the Renault-owned retailer to ten.

Following the acquisition of Renault Wirral last May, Renault Retail now has 23 Renault dealerships in the UK, plus the Autoworld used car site in Wolverhampton.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:58 am

Porsche boss gets £50m pay-out


Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking has become one of the best paid executives in Europe after being awarded a €70m (£50m) salary package.

The new salary has propelled Wiedeking well ahead of the former frontrunner on the earnings scale Josef Ackermann of Deutsche Bank.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:57 am

RAC relaunches its car dealer warranty service


The RAC has relaunched its dealer based used car warranty service in a deal which will see it being underwritten and administered by The Warranty Group.
The car services company has been without a warranty service since last December when Motorway Direct, its previous supplier, jumped ship to head up AA Warranty.

The new service will offer a number of dealer products including a three tier parts and labour facility and insurance covering Gap loan shortfalls, tyres and MoT failures.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:56 am

No future for hydrogen

Hydrogen and fuel cells have no future as replacements for petrol or diesel in the immediate future, said James Woolsey, the guest speaker at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' annual dinner last week.
Former CIA chief and now chairman of the US Advisory Board of the Clean Fuels Foundation, Woolsey is a key player in the environmental debate. "Hydrogen and fuel cells are not the way to go. The decision by the Bush administration and the State of California to follow the hydrogen highway is the single worst decision in the past few years." He said a hydrogen infrastructure will cost the US alone one trillion dollars. "In the meantime you have to bring down the cost of a fuel cell vehicle by a factor of about 40 or 50 to make it affordable." Woolsey sees a bright future for 'plug-in' hybrid electric vehicles - using both an electric motor and a conventional petrol or diesel engine, as 78% of cars in the US do less than 40 miles a day. This is well within the range of electric power, would cut the dependence on oil and keep the option to do longer journeys. And using off-peak, overnight, charging would avoid the need for a big increase in the output of America's electricity grid. "The important thing is that there should not be a single solution or decision by governments. There should be a portfolio of ideas," he concluded.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: AW

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:55 am

Mini production to expand abroad to meet demand

Production of the all-conquering Mini could start abroad - possibly in Austria - to meet demand. The manufacturer's Oxford factory is working flat-out with a capacity 260,000 vehicles set to be produced next year with the launch of a new cabriolet derivative. However, with a new 4x4 Mini due to be launched either next year or in 2009, owner BMW is making plans to build the Mini SUV on the continent. BMW is also considering a return for an iconic motor from the 1950s and 60s - the bubble car. But the 21st century version would have four wheels instead of three, would accommodate four people instead of two and be powered by a conventional engine.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: AW

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:54 am

Iveco appoints new Product Affairs Manager

Nick Santon has been appointed Product Affairs Manager at Iveco, with effect from 1 January 2008. Reporting directly to Nigel Emms, Director Brand & Communication, Nick Santon brings with him over 35 years experience in the commercial vehicle industry, including more than 30 years at Iveco, where he has held the position of Commercial Training Manager since 2001.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: AW

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:53 am

Prestigious prize for Corsavan

Corsavan named Small Van of the Year by What Van?
Judges praise economy and dynamics
Second award for Vauxhall's latest CV model Yet another trophy has been added to Vauxhall's cabinet after the Corsavan was crowned 'Small Van of the Year' by the prestigious magazine, What Van? The award is the second accolade for New Corsavan, which was named 'Best Car-Derived Van' by Professional Van and Light Truck magazine earlier in the year.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: AW

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:52 am

Jaguar scoops internet award


Jaguar’s website has been rated as more user friendly than those run by high street names like Magnet and Reebok by an internet survey.
Jaguar was judged to have produced the best consumer goods manufacturer website by Blast Radius UK, a web design and online marketing consultancy.

The Ford-owned carmaker's site was also seen comparable with those of Avon Cosmetics, Clarks shoes and the French Connection clothing.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:52 am

BMW under attack from intermediary website


A website claiming BMW has forbidden dealers to do business with it has spoken out against the carmaker, which it believes is breaking EC rules.

BMW has been cracking down on dealers selling cars to websites that the manufacturer claims are reselling the vehicles at heavily discounted rates.

Some of the websites concerned have denied any wrong-doing, however and said that BMW is breaking current block exemption rules by telling its dealers not to do business with them.

DATED: 04.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 9:50 am

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Renault Retail snaps up Whitehouse dealerships

Renault Retail Group has acquired two dealerships in south-east London from Whitehouse as part of a long-term strategy to increase its number of sites in the UK to 30.
The group took over dealerships in Orpington and Dartford on November 28 bringing the total number of London sites operated by the Renault-owned retailer to 10.
Following the acquisition of Renault Wirral in May, Renault Retail now has 23 Renault dealerships in the UK, plus its Autoworld used car site in Wolverhampton.
Ian Plummer, managing director, said further purchases are likely in Renault Retail’s four strategic market areas – the North West, Midlands, South Wales and London – as the group aims to reach 30 sites by the end of 2009.

DATED: 02.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:02 pm

RAC goes back to warranty market

The RAC has returned to the warranty market in a joint venture with The Warranty Group.
The move comes just over a year after RAC ended its previous service. That had been in partnership with Motorway Direct, which subsequently signed up with RAC’s rival, the AA.

Daniel Burgess, automotive director, told AM: “We have looked very closely at the warranty market in putting together this product range and believe that the solutions we are offering are the best available to dealers.”

DATED: 02.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:01 pm

Ford phases out Ghia

Ghia, the name given to Ford’s best-equipped, top end models is gradually being phased out in favour of Titanium.
There is no Ghia model in the line-up of the redesigned Ford Focus and the name has already been dropped from the S-Max.
From 1973, the Ghia name became Ford's top-line brand in its mainstream model range. The trend began in Europe with the Granada Ghia and Capri Ghia but soon spread through the model range and worldwide, particularly to the United States, South American and Australian markets.
Roelant de Waard, Ford of Britain managing director, said the Ghia name was being dropped as the company looks to reduce the number of model variants.
He said: “With Focus the number of variants will come down from 107 to 82. The LX specification is also being dropped as all models will be well-equipped.”

DATED: 02.12.07

FEED: AM

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 12:00 pm

Lexus in massive car recall


Almost 4,000 Lexus cars are being recalled in the UK due to concerns regarding faulty fuel pipes.
This action is part of a wider recall across the US, Japan, Germany and Canada, affecting 264,000 of the company’s vehicles.

An announcement in Japan said that the potentially faulty fuel pipe design could lead to fuel leaks on affected cars.

DATED: 02.12.07

FEED: MT

# posted by Profit Training Ltd : 11:59 am

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