Leading dealer group owners are becoming richer and richer according to the Sunday Times Rich List. Arnold Clark, Jack Tordoff, Sir Peter Vardy, and the McKee brothers - who run the Carcraft car supermarket - have all climbed up the chart of the UK's richest people.
Toyota has unveiled plans to boost its global market share to 15 per cent by 2010. Toyota president Fujio Cho announced the target as part of the company's “2010 Global Vision” strategy paper.
DaimlerChrysler will launch 11 new Chrysler vehicles over the next two years in a bid to return its struggling American operation to profitability.
Lex Autocentres has sacked one of its branch managers after a BBC TV investigation uncovered poor standards at a number of outlets. The BBC1 Rogue Traders programme, which also accused Ford-owned Kwik-Fit of devious practices, tested five Autocentres on the Lex 70-point inspection scheme. It found that each centre failed to detect simple faults.
Repairers are being short-changed by up to £55m a year because the Audatex estimating system does not include a pearlescent paints option, according to the Retail Motor Industry Federation. It says pearlescent paints, which are more expensive than solid colours, are used on 85 per cent of new vehicles and is gathering evidence from repairers to make a retrospective claim for lost profits. Audatex has dismissed the claim as “misleading and unhelpful”.
MG Rover is in talks with the Indian engineering conglomerate Tata to sell the Indica supermini in the UK. The move would plug a gap in MG Rover's model line up, giving it a car positioned below the Rover 25 and dealers a presence in the fast-growing supermini sector.
Partco Autoparts and Serck Intertruck, divisions of the Unipart Group of Companies, have secured a contract to supply automotive and commercial vehicle parts and consumables to Freedom Transport, the national fleet vehicle repair and maintenance company.
Makro, the international cash and carry wholesale chain, sold an undisclosed number of Jaguar X-types at five UK stores during February and March undercutting dealer list prices by £3500.
Dealers using AutoLocate, the internet-based stock inventory management system, will soon be able to update their stock live on the web.
Trade Sales, one of the UK's largest car supermarkets, is looking to move to larger premises and grow it prestige car sales following a dramatic upturn in business driven by internet sales.
MG Rover has secured an exclusive deal to supply Caterham with powertrain products for an “ongoing period” of years
Toyota has launched a new brand in the US aimed at what it calls “the net-generation”. Called Scion, its products will be aimed at buyers who are only just reaching driving age and entering the car market.
DaimlerChrysler has appointed Rolf Eckrodt as president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (MMC), cementing its hold over the Japanese manufacturer. The move comes despite repeated claims by outgoing CEO Takashi Sonobe he would retain operational control.
The RMI is predicting record new car sales this month after registrations rose 18% in February to 93,515 units - the 17th consecutive monthly increase.
Arriva's motor retailing division contributed £9.5m to the group's £110.3m operating profits last year, an increase of 36% on 2000.
Lookers plc has posted an impressive 55% increase in pre-tax profits to £10.1m for 2001 on turnover up 23% to £718m.
Owner-managers are uniquely placed to cut their tax bill. So as the tax year-end approaches, review your finances to catch the best cash-saving opportunities. Smith & Williamson reveals its top ten tips.
The Sewells Information & Research conference, to be held on March 21 at the ICC in Birmingham, will review in detail the block exemption proposals and the likely outcomes facing dealers and their business partners.
Sewells is holding a conference on March 21 at the ICC in Birmingham to brief the motor industry on the likely impact of the Block Exemption proposals.
MG Rover today unveiled its TCV – Tourer Concept Vehicle – at the Geneva motor show. The five-seater car is the company's centrepiece at this week's show.
Dixon Motors plc today posted record results for 2001, with pre-tax profit up 54.9% to £12.06m on turnover up 16.4% to £817m.
Inchcape plc's decision to dispose of non-core operations is paying dividends after the group posted underlying profits up 32.1% last year to £97.9m.
Ford's stand at this week's Geneva motor show reveals a range of new models and technologies which the company claims is hard evidence of the growing momentum of its product-led transformation.
Franz-Josef Paefgen has today taken up his position as chairman and chief executive, Bentley Motors.
Vauxhall has revamped its van dealer network to focus more on light commercial vehicles.
Luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin plans to cease production at its Newport Pagnell and Bloxham, Oxon, plants and switch assembly to a new facility at Gaydon in Warwickshire.
East Midlands dealer group Gordon Lamb has invested £2m in a new Toyota showroom at its three-acre, multi-franchised site in Sheffield.
Car Care Plan managing director Tim Heavisides has been promoted to chief executive.
HPI, the independent used vehicle information service, has been awarded a solus endorsement contract by Honda UK to provide online HPI and NMR checks/investigations to support the carmaker's approved used car programme.
The latest figures released today from the Alliance & Leicester Car Price Index, produced in association with What Car?, reveal more reductions in forecourt transaction prices this year.
