Renault is understood to be sponsoring Channel 4's drama series next year in a deal worth more than £3m. The sponsorship will comprise a wrap-around presentation to such series as <i>The West Wing</i>, <i>The Sopranos</i> and a new series of <i>Teachers.</i>
Negotiations are underway today to avert a strike at Peugeot's Ryton plant near Coventry. This follows an overwhelming workforce vote to reject the company's latest pay deal worth 7.3 per cent over two years.
The VBRA is urging bodyshops to renegotiate their contracts with the insurance companies so that the knock-on environmental costs of the repair process are not carried by the garage. The move follows the Chancellor Gordon Brown's announcement in his Pre-Budget Statement of an increase in the Landfill Tax.
GM is set to market two new cars in India next year to take advantage of a projected 9 per cent per year growth in the subcontinent's car market. Currently taking just 1.6 per cent of the Indian market, GM expects to sell around 9000 cars in 2002.
The RMI claims to have dissuaded the HM Customs and Excise from unnecessarily imposing an extra £70m VAT tax burden on the motor retail industry. VAT inspectors had argued that dealers should be charging VAT when supplying Vehicle Excise Duty with new vehicles – particularly as part of an 'on the road price'.
The RMI claims to have dissuaded the HM Customs and Excise from unnecessarily imposing an extra £70m VAT tax burden on the motor retail industry. VAT inspectors had argued that dealers should be charging VAT when supplying Vehicle Excise Duty with new vehicles – particularly as part of an 'on the road price'.<p>
Defence firm Northrop Grumman is still in talks with the US Justice Department over its proposed merger with its rival TRW – and hopes that a 'mutually acceptable consent decree can be reached within several days.' The sale of TRW's automotive division, the Lucas brand owner to New York Equity House Blackstone Group for £2.99 bn is dependent on a clearing of the log jam in the defence company merger.
New car sales in Britain have reached an annual selling rate of 2.63m in the third quarter of this year, according to DVLA licensing data analysed by R. L. Polk and Company. Although carmaker market shares were little changed from a year-earlier, market leader Ford's slice has dipped from 17.4 to 14.7 per cent in the 12 months to September.
President of the RMI Fred Macguire has been named Maxol Irish Motor Industry Person of the Month. Macguire won the award for his promotion of professionalism within the motor industry.
Volkswagen has announced that it is to launch two new lower-priced models onto the Chinese market – producing the 1.6 litre Golf and the Polo at its joint venture Shanghai plant next year. The Shanghai-Volkswagen Golfs and Polos will take VW into the sub-£7600 price category on the Chinese market for the first time.
The £2.99bn purchase of the Lucas brand owner TRW Automotive by New York equity house Blackstone Group is likely to be delayed after the main part of a purchase “chain” deal hit the regulatory buffers. US Department of Justice officials have put conditions on the proposed purchase of TRW's defence business by rival Northrop Grumman.
Fiat has now notified 5,600 workers that they are to be laid off for up to a year as part of the company's emergency restructuring in the face of its burgeoning debt. This followed the breakdown yesterday of the latest talks between government and trade union officials.
Vauxhall's new portfolio of vans is delivering the goods for the manufacturer's commercial vehicle division. A spokesman said a 30 per cent sales hike in November means that the company has already crossed its 30,000 sales target for the first time.
The SMMT and RMI are agreed that the UK motor industry is still on target to meet the forecast record 2.5m plus car sales for 2002. This is despite the release of <a href="http://www.smmt.co.uk/downloads/news/3982.xls"class="standardlink"target="blank">November</a> car registration figures today which show that total sales were down 6.8 per cent at 171,674 units.
Want to gain the industry's ultimate recognition for the excellence of your motor retailing, or aftersales operations? Or your innovative approach to your business? If you do, you only have until December 13 to apply for one of the <I>AM</I> Awards 2003.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has this morning announced a major structural overhaul – including the setting up of an entirely new division unifying representation of petrol retailer, independent garage, bodyshop, health and safety, MOT and quality standards interests.
Ford Europe has achieved net cost reductions of $1.2bn just two years into instituting its five-year renewal plan – which is serving as a blueprint for the overhaul of Ford's US operations.
The new Nissan Micra will enjoy lower insurance premiums than its predecessor when it goes on sale in January, says the carmaker. Lowest insurance premiums in its class. The entry grade 1.0-litre E rated at 2E and the range 1.4 SVE is rated at 4E.
The RMI has warned MOT stations to watch out for telecom providers trying to sell them unnecessary additional phone lines for MOT computerisation.
A glut of new vehicles in Europe and tumbling prices is likely to lead to a resurgence in UK consumers looking abroad for the best deals, according to Internet-based retailer BroomBroom.com.
British voter rejection of the euro could signal an end to Nissan investment in Britain, Nissan President Carlos Ghosn has warned in an interview in Japan.
Fiat is set to lay off 5,600 workers after the Italian Government failed to broker an alternative to the ailing carmaker's redundancy plan. The Government is now likely to approve the redundancy plan next week.
GM's president and chief executive Rick Wagoner will take over as chairman of the World's biggest carmaker next spring. Mr Wagoner becomes chairman on May 1 to succeed Jack Smith.
Renault chairman Louis Schweitzer has revealed that he will decide in the spring of next year whether the carmaker will build cars in Russia. The company already has a plant site earmarked.
A senior Ford executive has entered the exchange rate/Euro debate – complaining that Europe- and Japan-based carmakers have a major profit advantage on the US car market.
Analysts in the United States are already voicing fears that a substantial slump in car sales in November could herald the start of a long-predicted slump in car buying. Chief victim of the sales slump was Ford, with sales volumes 21 per cent down on the same month last year.
The public overwhelmingly backs the proposed government ban on use of hand-held mobile phones in cars, according to a new survey published by the RAC.
Dana Corporation has agreed to sell FTE, one of Europe's top brake and clutch systems manufacturers, to Hg Capital, a European private equity finance company.
The VBRA has warned repairers to watch out for the “rising turnover – reducing profit” trap as they enter the busiest time of the year. Taking on extra work could over-extend the business and even put it at risk of going into liquidation.
Ninety per cent of the UK's motor parts and accessories businesses are using formal debt to run their companies. And with an average margin of 1.1 per cent, few are going to be able to reduce their debt burden, according to the latest Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis.
