F&I Management & Training

It's official. The UK average price for a gallon of diesel has hit £6, according to the AA. At 131.9p a litre, the average price of a gallon of diesel as recorded by the motoring organisation has reached the £6 mark. Meanwhile, petrol prices also continue to rise and currently average 118.6p a litre (£5.39 a gallon), according to the motoring organisation. Overall, pump prices are about 40% higher than 12 months ago. The fact that a gallon of diesel has now reached £6 is likely to heap pressure on the Government to abandon its proposed 2p a litre fuel duty increase in October, according to the Daily Mail. More than half of the country's forecourts are said to be selling diesel at £6 a gallon or higher, with Scottish motorists facing the highest average price of 132.8p a litre (£6.04 a gallon). Meanwhile, Petrol-Prices.com, the website that tracks pump prices, claims that some drivers could be paying £1.50 a litre for diesel within six weeks and the same for unleaded petrol by September.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AW

A car dealer from County Londonderry is to hand over property worth £500,000 in a settlement with the Serious Organised Crime Agency. It follows a two-year action against Mark McGill and his wife, Jacqueline, both 39, of Newbridge Road, Coleraine. Recoverable assets included the proceeds of the sale of domestic properties and land in the Ballymoney and Coleraine areas. The couple have already had property worth £2m frozen in 2006.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AW

Where would the discerning investigative journalist be likely to go for facts and figures about the motor industry? The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders of course! As the voice of the motor industry, SMMT provides comment about environmental and other key issues and the latest edition of Motor Industry Facts will give you sector information at your fingertips. Taking key facts from leading SMMT publications, this gives an overview of the environmental performance of the automotive sector. It is also packed with car and commercial vehicle registration and production data, as well as highlighting key safety issues. The core data provided is from SMMT's Data Services team. They're the people who process the numbers every month to provide accurate and timely data for the monthly releases on car and commercial vehicle registrations. "For more than three decades, the dedicated data department has supplied a range of authoritative reports and publications acknowledged as the most comprehensive, reliable and accurate source of automotive information in the industry," said Paul Everitt SMMT chief executive. "The society is not only a source for people to find vehicle data though as each department has a wealth of knowledge about industry issues. We're ready and willing to provide comment on a variety of topics."

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AW

Bank of Scotland Dealer Finance believes a survey identifying rising retail buyer enthusiasm for personal contract plans (PCPs) underlines an opportunity for dealers to increase F&I business in a tough economic climate.
Peter Cottle, head of strategic accounts, said dealers could assist both themselves and buyers attracted by PCPs’ guarantee of a three-year value on a car.
“Now cars are so much more reliable, PCPs can be used to sell used as well as new ones,” he said. “PCPs should go to the top of dealers’ lists of ways to boost F&I revenue.
“People want to run a car on a tighter budget these days and are looking for a lower rate than hire purchase.
By operating their own PCPs, dealers can do better financially than selling cars off manufacturers’ schemes.”
BOSDF provides guaranteed three-year values in PCPs written for dealers who like to operate outside the programmes provided by car manufacturers.
Many dealers say they welcome the power of carmakers’ PCP schemes to drive customers into showrooms.
But because they are often subsidised by manufactures, there is little margin for retailers.
The potential of PCPs for dealers has been underlined by car supermarkets, which report a 16% increase in the turn-over of their respective PCP scheme.
A spokesman said: “Customers are often shocked by how much their car has depreciated in two or three years, and haven’t budgeted for it.
“They are then forced to either keep their car longer than they intended, downgrade to a lower specification, or part with more cash.”

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AM

Point of sale (POS) car finance has jumped by 6% from £11.3 billion to £12bn from April 2007 to April 2008 according to new figures from the Finance and Leasing Association.
The FLA’s figures show that POS finance now funds 49% of all new private car sales, compared to 47% in 2007.
Paul Harrison, head of motor finance at the FLA, said: "FLA statistics show that point-of-sale motor finance has remained attractive to customers during current tight credit conditions.
"It has grown in popularity in 2008, as consumers are finding it more difficult to get credit elsewhere. FLA members have equipped motor dealers with a wide range of products, available only in showrooms, to help consumers cope with current conditions. Point-of-sale products will prove invaluable for individuals and businesses in the months ahead."

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AM

Point of sale (POS) car finance has jumped by 6% from £11.3 billion to £12bn from April 2007 to April 2008 according to new figures from the Finance and Leasing Association.
The FLA’s figures show that POS finance now funds 49% of all new private car sales, compared to 47% in 2007.
Paul Harrison, head of motor finance at the FLA, said: "FLA statistics show that point-of-sale motor finance has remained attractive to customers during current tight credit conditions.
"It has grown in popularity in 2008, as consumers are finding it more difficult to get credit elsewhere. FLA members have equipped motor dealers with a wide range of products, available only in showrooms, to help consumers cope with current conditions. Point-of-sale products will prove invaluable for individuals and businesses in the months ahead."

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AM

Kia UK has moved Thomas Tollett from his role as area manager south to area manager for the north.
Tollett takes over from Andrew Sellars who became head of corporate sales and remarketing.
Tollett will be responsible for co-ordinating the field team who liaise with dealers in the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Daniel Gregorius will take on the southern territory. He was previously one of Kia's regional business managers. He will now take charge of the field team looking after dealers in the southern half of England, Wales and the Channel islands.
Andrew Squires, also one of Kia’s regional business manager team, is taking on a new role as planning and analysis manager based at Kia's head office in Weybridge.
Yaser Shabsogh, Kia UK sales director, said: "The business focus for everyone at Kia has been to strengthen our retail performance at the same time as re-focusing and re-vitalising our fleet activity.
“With these changes I am confident that we have the right people in the right places to support our dealer network.”

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AM

Marks & Spencer is the latest high-profile lender to withdraw from offering payment protection insurance (PPI), which the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) says has attracted a sharp rise in complaints. Nationwide Building Society has also ended PPI offers.
The whole finance sector is under fire, with the FOS reporting a 30% rise in formal complaints to 123,089 in the ’07-’08 financial year, reversing a fall in the previous 12 months.
PPI complaints shot up to 10,652 from 1,832 the previous year.
The FOS said the overall rise was mainly due mainly to PPI and bank overdraft charges.
Marks & Spencer Financial Services, which pulled PPI in April, is part of HSBC, and the decision was in line with group policy.
HSBC is rethinking its strategy following criticism of the cost of PPI policies by the Financial Services Authority and consumer groups.
Lenders have been attacked for giving consumers quotations with PPI included.
Which? has said comprehensive cover is available more cheaply from independent providers.
An M&S spokeswoman said: “We are looking at alternative customers cover for a range of credit commitments.
In the meantime, we believe it is appropriate to stop offering PPI while we get feedback. Research shows that people want flexible cover for multiple credit responsibilities, and to protect their income.”
On its website, M&S advises customers to “consider your ability to maintain monthly repayments” and provides an internet address for more information.
The FOS says in its report that most complaints related to bank charges (nearly 32,000 in the first four months of the financial year) and credit cards.
A surge of PPI complaints followed internet and print media campaigns.
Which? says up to two million people may have been mis-sold PPI policies in the past five years.
“We were amazed to discover the scale of it,” said a spokesman. “Now is the time to fight back for people who think they might have been mis-sold PPIs.”
There were nearly ten times as many complaints relating to bank charges as in the whole previous year, reflecting a sharp rise in consumer discontent.
Last July the FOS stopped dealing with cases as part of a deal between the banks and the Office of Fair Trading.
Around 14,000 complaints about bank charges were frozen in the banking and legal system, as part of a plan to ask the High Court to resolve the legal issues involved.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AM

Dealer group makes solid progess over year-to-date
Inchcape has reported solid progress in the first five months of the year despite a slowdown in the UK market in May and a downturn in its European operations, which also cover Belgium and Greece, in the year-to-date.
“The UK and European markets experienced a slower May after a buoyant April,” a spokesman said.

The international group posted a 9 per cent hike in headline pre-tax profit in sterling terms for the year to 31 May.
Total sales in sterling terms rose 6.3 per cent. In constant currency, which shows performance unaffected by exchange rate fluctuations, profit and sales were in line with the same period last year.
Including acquisitions, sales from the group’s continuing operations increased 6.2 per cent in constant currency, driven by growth in the emerging markets, such as eastern Europe, Russia and China, where it is concentrating its expansion.
Like-for-like sales in constant currency grew 1.4 per cent year-on-year.
Inchcape said it had outperformed the overall UK market, which was down 3.5 per cent in May and unlikely to recover in June.
“Our UK retail business achieved like-for-like sales growth of 3 per cent for the first five months, outperforming the UK market by over 3 percentage points,” the spokesman claimed.
The breadth of Inchcape’s global operations means it is less vulnerable than its UK rivals to the downturn in western European economies.
This was highlighted by its constant currency sales in emerging markets soaring 50 per cent in the first five months of the year due to “market growth and our recent acquisitions”.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: MT

Nottingham site will train 600 youngsters each year
Toyota has today opened the doors to a new £14m training centre in Nottingham.
The multi-million pound Castle College development will provide a range of training programmes for 14-16 year olds as well as post-16 apprenticeships.

It is anticipated that up to 600 students and apprentices will use the centre each year.
The centre has nine workshops, a bodyshop, car showroom and training rooms.
It has been funded by a collaboration with the East Midlands Development Agency, the Learning and Skills Council, Nottingham City Council and involvement from Castle college.
The centre has been launched to help fill a sector skills gap that exists in the region’s automotive retail, manufacturing and engineering sectors.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: MT

ASA upholds objections against Grande campaign
Fiat has been told to pull two of its press adverts after they were deemed to be misleading.
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld two objections against the adverts.

Two readers said the ads were misleading because the cars shown actually cost more than the prices displayed above them.
Another complainant objected that the ad was misleading because the “CO2” in green print and explanatory copy implied the advert was for low CO2 emission cars but three of the four prices given above the vehicles were for models with considerably higher emissions levels.
While the headline prices were preceded by the word “from” and the actual prices of the models shown were given in small-print at the bottom of the ad, the ASA upheld both objections.
Fiat has said it will not show the advert again in its current form.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: MT

Republican presidential nominee wants to to cut US oil dependency
John McCain, the Republican presidential hopeful, has proposed a $300m (£153m) prize to encourage the development of fuel-efficient cars.

McCain is offering the money to whoever can develop a car battery that is 30 per cent more efficient than current hybrids and helps reduce the US’s dependency on foreign oil.
The bounty equates to roughly $1 for every US citizen.
The Arizona senator has also proposed harsher fines for carmakers that skirt current fuel-efficiency standards and is pushing incentives to increase the use of alcohol-based fuels such as ethanol.
McCain has said another way to drop fuel prices – which have reached a record $4 per gallon in the States – would be to follow though with President Bush’s proposal to lift federal bans on off-shore oil drilling.
Democratic nominee Barack Obama has spoken out against this plan, stating it would not reduce America’s immediate concerns regarding fuel costs.
Lifting the ban could be risky, according to a recent study by the US government.
According to its findings, there is a 33-51 per cent chance of a major spill in the lifetime of an offshore oil and gas lease in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska.

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: MT

'Improved standards of service and consumer care are best achieved through industry self regulation,' said Ray Holloway, director of the RMI's Independent Garage Association (IGA), speaking at the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) Consumer Affairs & Trading Standards Conference & Exhibition 2008, starting today (Tuesday 24 June 2008) in Bournemouth. Holloway was commenting on the recent launch of the Motor Industry Code of Practice. He continues: 'The Motor Industry Code of Practice aims to promote and safeguard the interests of consumers by helping them identify subscribing garages and providing an easily accessible and robust dispute resolution mechanism, should it be necessary.' Over 5,500 garages had already signaled their intent to subscribe when the code was launched to the trade at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in May and now that the web-based system is live, garages up and down the country are signing up in readiness for the launch to consumers in August. Holloway will take part in an afternoon panel discussion on standards regulation today, along with representatives from the OFT, The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), TSI, and others. The session will be chaired by BBC presenter John Humphries. Holloway adds: 'The Code will be the route to success for the motor industry.'

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AW

James Dyson, the man who invented the bagless vacuum cleaner, is developing a solar-powered car. Engineers at Mr Dyson's Wiltshire headquarters are developing a lightweight electric motor that would power a family saloon for hundreds of miles. The battery would be charged by solar panels mounted on the vehicle's roof or on the roof of a garage where the car is kept. Mr Dyson said: "Electric cars are seen as city cars and to go 30 mph is quite enough, but in the future that will change. An electric motor can go to very high speeds."

DATED: 26.06.08

FEED: AW

Mercedes is planning to end the need for motorists to fill their cars with either petrol or diesel within seven years. By 2015 the vehicle manufacturers says its entire model range will run on alternative fuels - to improve costs, become more eco-friendly and because oil supplies will eventually be exhausted. Mercedes is convinced that technology such as hybrids, emission-free electric cars, clean-fuel gas engines and the further development of battery and hydrogen-powered vehicles will mean no need for petrol or diesel. The manufacturer says it will drip-feed different forms of more eco-friendly vehicles into showrooms as and when the technology has been developed over the next decade.

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: AW

Fiat to recruit 22 dealers to sell prestige brand in June
Lancia is set to return to the UK, after a 15 year absence, when a select number of Alfa Romeo dealers start selling the upmarket Italian brand in June 2009.
The brand confirmed the recruitment process will kick off in the autumn.

“Serious discussions will commence at the Paris Motor Show in September when we will give potential dealers the opportunity to experience the brand and the Lancia Delta,” said a UK spokesman.
Talking to Motor Trader, Lancia brand chief Olivier Francois said it would be sold through 22 Alfa sites in the UK with sales starting here after the network has settled down after its current revamp.
The brand's UK office, however, hinted that sales may not be restricted to Fiat Group sites.
“We expect the majority of the dealers to be from the Alfa Romeo network - the remainder are not necessarily Fiat dealers,” said the spokesman.
The brand was previously scheduled to re-enter the UK this summer but was delayed, according to Francois, because “we want the comeback to be perfect”.
It is believed that negotiations with prospective dealers have begun. Francois said Lancia should ideally have separate showrooms “even if they share the same entrance as Alfa Romeo”.
Lancia withdrew from the UK in 1994 after years of poor sales; it sold 750 cars in its last year. More recently it largely retreated to its domestic market and was nearly closed in 2004. The brand, however, now plans to increase continental sales with the imminent launch of a new Delta.
Fiat Group boss Sergio Marchionne has set Lancia a sales target of 300,000 cars a year by the end of the decade. Last year it sold 124,000 and it expects to reach 150,000 this year.
UK dealers will only sell new generation Lancia models with the Delta spearheading the brand's return in June. Hot on its heels will be the new Ypsilon hatchback which should reach dealers here by the end of 2009.
“The UK will get all new Lancia models in right hand drive as and when they come on board,” said the spokesman.

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: MT

Prices fall for second successive year as demand drops
Used convertible values have plummeted for the second year in a row, according to EurotaxGlass’s.
Values failed to climb as usual during spring and reached a peak well ahead of seasonal norm, the publisher has said.

Record-high supplies of convertibles to the UK have affected values and the credit crunch has lessened demand of these items that are considered luxury.
Jeff Paterson, chief car editor at EurotaxGlass’s, said that up until 2007, used convertible values would normally rise by around 10 per cent between March and early June, holding steady through to early August.
“This year and last the pattern has become very different,” he said.
“Lacklustre trade and retail demand has meant prices have been rising by half their normal level during spring and, despite the onset of warmer weather, they are now starting to slide.”
Paterson continued that the increased supply of convertibles within the used car market was due to the record numbers registered in recent years.
He said sales of new convertibles had consistently exceeded 100,000 each year since 2003, reaching an all-time record tally in 2004.

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: MT

Volumes fall 6.1 per cent year-on-year
Vehicle production in the UK slowed in May to record a 6.1 per cent year-on-year decline.
Despite the fall, volumes over the year-to-date remain 10.5 per cent ahead of 2007 figures at 793,103 units.

According to the latest SMMT figures, car production fell by 7.5 per cent to 118,866 units but commercial vehicle output remained robust, rising by 4.4 per cent to 17,702.
“May saw a slow down in UK car production, reflecting a cautious approach to demand across Western Europe,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.
“Year-to-date volumes remain positive and are up 66,332 units over the same period in 2007.
“The outlook for UK automotive manufacturing remains optimistic with strong demand in many emerging markets.”

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: MT

Volumes fall 6.1 per cent year-on-year
Vehicle production in the UK slowed in May to record a 6.1 per cent year-on-year decline.
Despite the fall, volumes over the year-to-date remain 10.5 per cent ahead of 2007 figures at 793,103 units.

According to the latest SMMT figures, car production fell by 7.5 per cent to 118,866 units but commercial vehicle output remained robust, rising by 4.4 per cent to 17,702.
“May saw a slow down in UK car production, reflecting a cautious approach to demand across Western Europe,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.
“Year-to-date volumes remain positive and are up 66,332 units over the same period in 2007.
“The outlook for UK automotive manufacturing remains optimistic with strong demand in many emerging markets.”

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: MT

Rupert Stadler, chief executive of Audi, has warned that it may need to increase its vehicle prices above inflation in response to soaring material and technological costs.
Stadler told the Financial Times Audi "would be prepared" to raise its prices next year if current cost trends continued, and depending on what its competitors did.
Stadler said: "If prices remain on this high level, the pressure is increasing for everybody.
"The real burden is not to be seen in 2008. The big question is what is coming in 2009."
Stadler said it would be "premature" to talk about the scale of price rises that Audi and other carmakers might need to make.
As part of adjusting to rising costs in materials and pressures on consumers, Stadler revealed Audi is now considering launching a plug-in version of its planned A1 supermini, A4, A5 coupe and Q5 small SUV.

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: AM

Alfa Romeo is reintroducing its Cloverleaf badge in the UK with a special series Alfa GT which goes on sale on July 1.
The Cloverleaf first featured on Alfa Romeo’s racing models from the 1920s and denoted enhanced sports handling and styling additions.
Topping the four-version Alfa GT Cloverleaf range is the 1.9JTDM 16V Cloverleaf Q2 170bhp, featuring a Q2 limited slip differential to deliver outstanding cornering ability, along with a sport button that varies the mapping of the throttle to give a normal or sporty accelerator response.
All Alfa GT Cloverleaf models come with 18-inch double spoke alloy wheels, red brake callipers, satin-effect front grille and door mirrors. Three versions sport a Cloverleaf badge on the boot lid, while the 170bhp version features the Cloverleaf inside a white triangle above the front wheel arch. Customers will be able to choose from three individual exterior colours – carbonio black, Alfa red and atlantico blue.
Inside the cabin, Alfa Romeo has added leather sports seats, aluminium sports pedals and sports dials with a red background. A Bose RDS radio with CD and MP3 reader sound system is also standard.

DATED: 23.06.08

FEED: AM

New rules have been introduced to protect business owners from misleading advertising.
The regulations, which took effect at the end of May, create a criminal offence for promoters of misleading advertising.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which is responsible for policing the rules, says it will prosecute any business or trade body responsible for misleading advertising.
Charlie Eve, a partner in Spofforths Chartered Accountants, says: ‘Advertising is misleading where it deceives or is likely to deceive businesses, and potentially affect their economic behaviour.
Advertisers should ensure than they comply with the new rules.’
Comparative advertising, directly or indirectly, identifies a competitor or a competitor's product.
If a business uses comparative advertising, it has to meet certain conditions.
For example, it must not:
compare products or materials not designed for the same purpose
confuse traders as to the advertiser and the competitor
present imitations or replicas of products bearing a protected trade mark or trade name
take unfair advantage of the reputation of competitors' trade marks, trade names, other distinguishing marks, or country of origin information
mislead traders or consumers.
Businesses or trade bodies are called code owners in the new arrangement.
Code owners will not be permitted to promote misleading advertising or comparative advertising that does not meet the prescribed conditions.
Companies and their employees should therefore take all reasonable steps and carry out due diligence to make sure that the advertisements used to promote goods or services will not - in any way - mislead customers or potential customers.
From the same date, new rules will forbid certain unfair business practices.
Businesses will breach the rules for unfair commercial practice if:
an activity goes against the requirements of professional diligence - ie honest marketing practices or good faith - and is likely to alter the economic behaviour of the average consumer with regard to the product;
consumers are misled - eg by providing false or deceptive information;
consumers are misled by failing to give them relevant information or by giving information in an unclear way in order to encourage them to buy;
aggressive sales tactics are used to harass, coerce or unduly influence a consumer to make a decision they would not otherwise have made.
Thirty-one practices listed in the regulations will be banned.
This means, for example, that a business must not:
make false claims about being a signatory to a code of conduct
display an unauthorised trust mark, quality mark or equivalent
claim endorsements or approvals from a public or private body when this is untrue or before complying with its terms
use bait advertising - ie offer goods for sale at a price which a business knows it will not be able to honour
use bait and switch tactics - ie offer goods for sale at a specified price with a view to selling a different product at a higher price
ignore a consumer's request to leave their home or not return
create the false impression of a prize or benefit that the consumer has already won, will win, or will win on taking some action, where none exist, or where they would have to pay money.

DATED: 24.06.08

FEED: AM

Lookers non-executive director Tony Bramall has acquired a further 400,000 shares in the business.
This takes Bramall and his family interests up to 20.69% of the share capital of Lookers, representing 37.59 million shares.
The dealer group also announced that finance director David Dyson purchased 10,000 shares in the company lifting his holding to 267,952 shares or 0.15%.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: AM

Japanese brands are the most reliable carmakers, taking the top seven spots in a Which? car reliability survey.
Honda topped the chart with a rating of 85 per cent, followed by Toyota, Daihatsu, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki.
However, Swindon-made Honda Civic did not mirror the brand’s success, it came joint bottom in the medium car category, along with the Citroen C4.
The car still scored 82 per cent, but looks a poor comparison to the Japan-built Civic Hybrid which topped the large car chart with a score of 95 per cent.
Land Rover was bottom of the table with Chrysler/Dodge, on 67 per cent, Vauxhall scored 75 per cent, and Jaguar and Mini both 78 per cent.
Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all have average reliability scores, while Volkswagen is rated poorly.
VW Passat has the joint-lowest reliability score with Citroen C5, at 80 per cent, in the large cars category.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: AM

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation will begin manufacturing of the MG Rover at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham in August or September. The company says it has established a 40-strong UK dealer network in readiness for sales to start. SAIC says that initial production will be 'modest', but will step it up with a view to sell MG Rovers in markets outside of the UK. (Daily Mail/Daily Telegraph)

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: AW

Budget brand launch is confirmed for next year
Dacia, Renault’s budget brand of cars made in Romania, is poised for a UK launch.
Sales here are planned to start during the first quarter of next year.

But potential customers will see the brand’s new Sandero when it makes its public debut in this country at next month’s British International Motor Show in London.
Renault decided that the only Dacia for the UK, at least initially, will be the Sandero five-door hatchback. The car’s tailgate badge will read ‘Dacia by Renault’.
This is a more stylish car than the Logan, which is sold in other markets, but similarly spacious and should sell for less than £7,500, undercutting the similarly-sized Skoda Fabia and the cars from Korea including the Chevrolet Aveo.
Renault’s UK dealers will see the car next month and the company expects to recruit 90-100 of them to form a network for the Dacia sub-brand.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

Hendy Group boss to feature in new ITV show
South coast dealer group Hendy Group is going to feature in a new series on ITV.
Managing director Paul Hendy is going to be featured on The Secret of My Success, a show that examines leading business success stories.

“It was fascinating to take part in the show - and to really look at the reasons the group has been successful over such a long time period,” said Hendy.
The show follows Hendy around some of the group’s key locations, looking at the reasons behind its continuing good business.
The group operates new car sales dealerships for Ford, Mazda, Honda and Kia as well as a network of car supermarkets.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

Carmakers launch recruitment drive after new £700m investment
Jaguar and Land Rover are to create nearly 600 jobs following the launch of a new recruitment campaign.
The recruitment drive is part of a £700m investment to improve the environmental performance of future vehicles by new owner Tata Motors.

The focus of the campaign is to recruit new engineers but the brands are also looking to recruit for key positions in purchasing, finance and human resources.
Jaguar and Land Rover are also launching a new graduate recruitment programme for over 80 new graduates.
The jobs will be based at the Gaydon plant in Warwickshire.
"This recruitment drive demonstrates Jaguar Land Rover's confidence in our future,” said newly appointed Jaguar Land Rover CEO David Smith.
“With our new owners, we have entered an exciting era with new models and ambitious technologies.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

Finance directors forsee impending job losses
More than one in three financial directors expect redundancies within their companies if fuel prices hit £2 a litre, according to a new survey.
Diesel prices have rocketed over the last month and are now almost 14 pence per litre more expensive than petrol, while crude oil prices have hit record levels.

The Lex/YouGov survey, comprising of over 200 respondents from medium and large sized firms, found the government’s emissions based taxation changes have proved unpopular with financial directors, with only 32 per cent feeling they received adequate notice to implement the necessary changes to their business vehicles.Over half of respondents said implementing changes to legislation such as the corporate manslaughter act, corporation tax/capital allowances and CO2 based vehicle taxation had placed a strain on their business.Additionally, 42 per cent of firms with company cars said they had no plans to make their fleets more environmentally friendly over the next six months, and 57 per cent did not think making their fleet greener would attract new business.
Jon Walden, Lex managing director, said: “The Lex/YouGov survey firmly illustrates the pressure that UK businesses are feeling as a result of rising fuel costs, and in particular the price of diesel.”

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

Over half over UK dealers believe they have seen no effect on point of sale finance from the credit crunch.
The findings come from Sewells’ New Car Finance House Survey 2008 which focuses on franchised dealer satisfaction with the finance companies servicing the market for new car POS finance.
So far with over 250 responses to the survey, 30% believe the credit crunch is working in their favour and bringing more POS enquiries. However 58% say there is no change compared to six months ago and only 12% think the credit crunch is working against them.
On the other hand, 37% of respondents say their new car finance companies are turning down more proposals than last year, but 7% say that acceptances are up and the majority (57%) say there is no change.
Berta Collins, commercial manager at Sewells, said: "While it’s early days yet for the research programme, there is reason to believe that the credit crunch could be working in favour of POS dealer finance.
"Selling POS finance could become an important profit centre to dealers in the difficult months ahead especially as those responding so far have indicated a slowdown in footfall and enquiries for new cars."

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: AM

Traditional company car schemes could boost local business
Car dealers have been urged to capitalise on increased demand for company cars as fleet and business sales continue to dominate the new car market.
The rise in fleet sales has been widely attributed to employers moving away from cash for car packages – which have grown in popularity since the beginning of the decade – and reintroducing more traditional company car schemes to comply with recent duty of care legislation and cover their environmental responsibilities.

“Many employers are meeting current fleet operational concerns by pushing anyone who needs a vehicle for their job back towards a traditional company car,” said Colin Bruder, managing director of Network Automotive, the automotive consultancy.
Bruder pointed out that employers are also restricting company car choice to favour lower emission vehicles and this could benefit dealers, especially those who can offer local businesses a range of vehicles suitable for different job levels.
“Employers are limiting the choice of car offered and taking more control over how the vehicle is used. We are seeing the partial return of the company car schemes of the 70s and 80s,” said Bruder.
“This is a shift that dealers should aim to capitalise upon. New car sales teams may find that employers who previously offered a wide choice of vehicles may now be more open to the idea of solus manufacturer schemes covering a relatively limited range of vehicles.”
Bruder also said dealers would need to prove to businesses that they can help them construct risk management audit trails to prove to legal standards that vehicles are being properly maintained.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

New saloon starts at £15,490 on-the-road
Skoda has confirmed the UK pricing for its new Superb model.
Starting at £15,490 for the entry-level model, the saloon will be available at launch in three trim levels.

Trim levels include the S, SE and Elegance, which marks a shift away from the badging of other Skoda model ranges.
The top-priced model in the range is the Elegance 2.0 TDI CR 4x4 at £23,835.
“In today's economic climate where value is king, the Superb offers a mainstream car that delivers value,” said Robert Hazelwood, Skoda UK brand director.
“When I look at the pricing and equipment compared to Superb's competition, I am especially pleased.”

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

Bentley has recalled 33,155 cars because of a fire risk.
The problem with four of the manufacturer’s Continental models, made between March 2003 and March 2008, is due to road salt corroding the fuel filter and potentially leading to petrol leaks. “No fires have occurred,” said a Bentley spokesman. “It’s purely a precautionary measure.”

The spokesman said the fault was discovered by some of Bentley’s UK dealer technicians who noticed the corrosion on some models brought in for servicing.
The recall affects 7,538 cars in the UK and 13,420 in the US.
This is the second time that the Continental GT has been recalled due to fire risk – over 500 were recalled in August 2006 when it was discovered that the brake pipe was in danger of leaking inflammable brake fluid into the engine compartment.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

First FCX Clarity rolls off the production line in Japan
Honda has begun the first commercial production of a zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell car.
The first FCX Clarity model, which runs on hydrogen and electricity and produces only water vapour, rolled off the production line in Japan today.

The Japanese carmaker claims the vehicle offers three times better fuel efficiency than a traditional, gasoline-powered car.
It plans to produce 200 FCX Clarity’s, which are initially only available to lease, over the next three years.
The cars have been in development for 19 years and will first go on sale in the US and Japan this autumn.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: MT

A record number of motorists are converting their cars to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as petrol prices continue to rise. The LPG Association says that the number of people using the fuel has increased from 3,500 in 1998 to 150,000 this year. And, since the start of the year, the organisation claims that the number of drivers making the switch has doubled with garages struggling to keep up with demand. LPG sells for about 49p a litre compared with 117.28p a litre for petrol and 130.69p per litre for diesel. Conversions cost about £2,000 and involve installing an additional tank, extra fuel lines and injectors into vehicles. Some tanks allow a car to travel up to 300 miles before refuelling. Association director Mike Chapman said conversion centres across the UK were reporting a doubling of their workload in the past six months. Demand, he said, was particularly high in London because vehicles running on LPG were exempt from the congestion charge.

DATED: 22.06.08

FEED: AW