Camberley Auto Factors has begun a trial scheme offering training and equipment to a small group of its independent garage customers in the south, in preparation for rolling out the programme to its remaining client base next year.
A franchised parts dealership agreement, believed to be the first of its kind, has been signed between Citroen and Euro Car Parts, an independent parts distributor.
Tetrosyl group chief executive Peter Schofield has become the sole owner of the company following a private purchasing arrangement reached with other members of the Schofield family.
The spare parts business has always been a bit of an automotive Cinderella. But the current block exemption could shake up parts wholesaling, even though parts were mentioned in the regulation only in the context of the rights of OE suppliers distributing in the aftermarket, and when ‘equivalent quality’ parts could be fitted.
Changing the timing belt of a modern engine is leaving technicians at risk of costly repair bills should premature failure occur.
Welsh Labour MP Chris Ruane’s Vehicle Servicing Industry (Regulation) Bill calling for the manda-tory regulation and licensing of the motor vehicle servicing industry has had a parliamentary setback.
Royal & SunAlliance has sent shockwaves across the body repair and insurance industries after appointing two bodyshop networks as Dedicated Repair Centres (DRCs).
Mercedes’ 25-year-old Defender rival, the G-class, will finally be pensioned off in around a year.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Finance & Leasing Association have made their views known in the DTI’s consultation on voluntary termination rights in respect of hire purchase agreements.
Rolls-Royce has announced its third chairman in two years. Ian Robertson, currently managing director of BMW South Africa, will take up the role in February 2005.
Independent finance provider Haydock Finance claims to have lost vehicles worth thousands of pounds following last week’s collapse of Lake District used retailer Westmorland Car Sales.
A £6.5m flagship outlet for Ferrari and Maserati has been established in Nottingham by the Graypaul group, part of Penske’s United Auto Group and which also has an outlet in Edinburgh.
PSA is planning to build a new 15-acre headquarters complex for Peugeot in Coventry.
Inchcape Automotive Remarketing Management (IARM) is rolling out its electronic auction service to all 4,000 of its franchised and independent dealer customers from January.
UK sales of new Smarts topped 10,000 for the year last month, but setting a new record was possible only through pre-registering, say dealers. In 2003, Smart sold 9,744.
Subaru’s offer of a free 24 to 48- hour test drive for any potential buyer has backfired for some of its retailers, which have been inundated with requests for outings in the brand’s performance cars.
Mini Park Lane will reopen its doors on 9 December following a £1.75 million investment to create the largest new Mini showroom in the world.
A new school initiative has been established aimed at addressing the estimated shortage of 15,000 apprentice technicians in the automotive industry.
Detailed profiles on the owners of all 35 million private, company and commercial vehicles are now available with the launch of Experian’s Mosaic Automotive, the first profiling service to comprehensively analyse all vehicles registered by the DVLA on Britain’s roads.
Citroën has launched its new Stop & Start in the UK at no extra cost in the C3 line-up.
Dealers experienced a slowdown in used car retail sales in October.
The rate of closure of dealerships will accelerate unless vehicle manufacturers ease the financial pressures they are placing on their franchises.
London’s Earls’ Court and Excel exhibition centres are submitting bids to hold the 2006 British International Motor Show.
The Ford Focus has achieved the highest ever Euro NCAP score, scoring almost 100% for occupant protection.
The motor retail industry still does not treat women car buyers equally to men, warns Lena Ekelund, deputy technical manager of the team behind the Volvo YCC concept car – a vehicle designed entirely by women for women.
AM100 retail group Caffyns will this month open a dual Vauxhall and MG Rover outlet in Tunbridge Wells, the latest stage in a steady expansion plan which has seen the group acquire the Skoda franchise for Tunbridge Wells and add a Volkswagen outlet in Brighton and Hove.
Trade figures for October pre-registrations in the UK car market show Ford pre-registered more cars than any other manufacturer with Peugeot a close second.
MG Rover's proposed deal with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation is causing disquiet at another corporation with which the UK firm has a long-standing deal with.
New car sales last month have kept alive hopes that 2004 will break the annual sales record set last year.
The Prime Minister's special adviser will be meeting the Retail Motor Industry Federation later this week as the motor industry trade body visits 10 Downing Street for talks on Thursday.
