Automotive retailers are set to face increased demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles because of escalating petrol prices, new research suggests. Independent monitor CarPriceCheck says sales of liquefied petroleum gas vehicles have risen by 31 per cent since the beginning of March.
BCA is working on closely guarded plans to develop and expand its auction network. “BCA has on the drawing board plans for the development of a new supercentre at one of the most accessible and strategically important locations in the country,” says customer affairs director Tom Madden.
Motorhouse 2000, one of the UK's largest car supermarkets, is preparing for expansion driven by strong financial results for its second year of trading.<P>
Sunwin Motor Group has posted record profits of £1.9m, up 41.7 per cent, on turnover of £145.6m underlining the buoyancy of last year's new car market.<P>
Aston Martin's revival of links with Italian specialist coachbuilder, Zagato, to jointly build a lightweight, aluminium two-seater coupe demonstrates Dr Ulrich Bez's belief that there is a future in the past for 'super exclusive' limited production run models.<P>
Efforts to make the new car ownership experience more satisfactory for consumers have paid off, new research suggests.
Soaring sales of new cars over the past two years have forced Citroen to reassess its aftersales strategy in order to alleviate pressure on its dealer network. The carmaker has developed a three-pronged line of attack, incorporating workshops, bodyshops and service contracts, to help dealers satisfy growing customer demand for aftersales services.
The MVRA has been forced to drop the word 'association' from its name after a challenge from an anonymous organisation in the motor industry.
Exide Technologies, the world's leading producer of vehicle batteries, has applied for bankruptcy protection.
Universal Salvage has suffered a major blow with the loss of its lucrative Direct Line contract, causing its share price to plummet by more than 50 per cent. In a trading update, the car disposal specialist said its contract with Direct Line will end on June 30, 2002.
Prospect Group Europe, the Birmingham-based repairer resurrected from the remains of Burntwood Accident Repair Centre, has appointed receivers Poppleton & Appleby after work providers withdrew business.
A new one-stop shop has been launched by the Danish garage equipment supplier Stenhoj to provide a dedicated service operation to the UK's automotive workshop and equipment industry.<
The RMI has published the first in a series of guides for bodyshops to help them prepare accurate estimates on the Audatex system. The move, in consultation with Audatex, follows repairer discord over the lack of a pearlescents paints option.
US battery manufacturer Johnson Controls has appointed Julian Revington to spearhead its growth in the British aftermarket sector.In the newly created role of UK general manager he will be responsible for the company's home market operations, including the sale and distribution of OEM and aftermarket batteries.
An all new range of Rotary two-post lifts is to be launched through the Trade Garage Equipment group.<P>
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to become one of the most influential players in the UK retail motor industry after making a dramatic £110m bid for Dixon Motors.
French bank BNP Paribas has emerged as a leading candidate to buy Kwik-Fit from Ford. The bank's PAI subsidiary is understood to have made a £600m offer for Kwik-Fit, which was put up for sale by Ford in December 2001.
Guinness Peat Group and JO Hambro are poised to take a controlling interest in Nationwide Accident Repair Centres after raising their joint offer from 79p to 90p a share.
Bernd Pischetsrieder replaces Ferdinand Piech as chief executive of Volkswagen, determined to prove a point after his mishandling of Rover prompted an ignominious departure from BMW.
Porsche's 32 UK retailers will be making significant investment in their showrooms over the next 12 months to adopt the company's new corporate look. Around 12 are likely to move to larger premises.
Glenvarigill managing director Tim Bartlett is understood to be heading a management buy out team poised to take control of the Edinburgh-based dealer group from parent Drambuie.
Boots is to demerge its 402 Halfords car and cycle accessories retailing stores. Analysts say they are likely to be valued at about £400m.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has given a lukewarm reception to Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's Budget. It says some of the real issues were ignored.
The decision by Fiat Auto to launch Alfa Romeo as a solus franchise in the UK will be backed by an ambitious new model programme.
Fiat has been forced to rethink plans to develop the largest MPV range of any European manufacturer.
Mayflower Corporation, the British engineering group, has confirmed plans to buy a European auto body engineering specialist.
Ilkeston Consumer Co-op, the parent company of the Co-op Motor Group, is launching legal action against a former director following the disappearance of £5.3m from company accounts.
General Motors was this week expecting to sign a $400m (£277m) deal part-funded by one of its alliance partners to acquire a controlling 67 per cent stake in Daewoo Motor. Creditors will have 33 per cent ownership. The world's largest carmaker, which posted first-quarter turnover up nine per cent to £30.7bn, will use the South Korean company to tap into south-east Asia, a market with massive potential for foreign vehicle manufacturers.
Toyota and PSA Peugeot Citroen will begin joint production of their new small car at a new factory in the Czech Republic in 2005.
Ford Motor Company has posted its fourth consecutive quarterly loss, though the $800m (£553m) deficit for the Jan-March period was better than expected. Turnover fell six per cent to $39.86bn (£27.55bn). The vehicle manufacturer blames a sales slump in the crucial US market for the poor performance.
