News - Page 1416

Scottish multi-franchise group Macrae & Dick has posted profits and turnover figures for 2004 well up on the previous year.

Chrysler Group UK is pinning high hopes on the new Jeep Grand Cherokee stealing customers from the BMW X5, Volvo XC90 and VW Touareg.

Following research by car retailer Dixon Motors to find out exactly what online buyers really want, its website at www.dixonmotors.co.uk has been re-engineered.

BMW is aiming to increase sales of its ‘M’ models with a host of new launches, led by the M3 CS Coupe. The UK is the largest market in the world for these performance versions.

More than 1,400 Ford dealership delegates have completed an intensive three-week sales training course.

Pentagon Group has officially purchased Whitehead Rochdale, the dealership formerly known as Motorama.

Citroen has re-introduced its ‘no VAT’ offer across its model range as it looks to halt declining sales, which are 16% down year to date.

General Motors has filed a lawsuit against Chery Automobile Company - formally owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation - for copying its Daewoo Matiz/Chevrolet Spark model.

Roger Penske, the chairman and CEO of United Auto Group, is to speak at autoretailing 05, the new dealer convention of AM magazine and the Retail Motor Industry Federation.

Paul Philpott on combining the best of American and Japanese business cultures.

The 70mph speed limit should be raised to 80mph at certain times on some stretches of motorway, the AA has said today.

The number of Ford vehicles directed by Norwich Union Insurance to the carmaker’s network of 160 authorised repair centres is set to double over the next year.

Inchcape has acquired Robert Smith Group’s bodyshop in Chester as part of the £18.1m deal which included Mercedes-Benz car showrooms in Liverpool, Warrington, Chester, Southport, West Kirby and Llandudno, plus a Smart dealership in Liverpool

Body repair estimating system house Audatex has been accused of attempts to “bully” developers of the Common Automotive Platform Standard (CAPS) into giving it an exclusive access to repair data.

Reg Vardy has stepped into the highly competitive fast-fit market with the introduction of tyre fitting services at its franchised dealers.

CVC is looking to sell Kwik-Fit after dropping plans for an initial public offering (IPO).

Renault UK is launching a series of aftersales promotions as it looks to target cars that are three years and older.

Fiat Auto UK is poised to launch a genuine parts club aimed at providing independent service and repair workshops with a better deal on its OE aftermarket components.

Honda (UK) has this week launched a nationwide pricing initiative aimed at attracting owners of older cars into its franchised workshops.

Ontime Automotive has launched Rescueplus, a new rescue and recovery service that works on a pay-as-you-use basis.

A total of 360 workshops have so far been included in the roll-out of MoT computerisation, since its launch on April 18.

Mazda Motors UK is looking to increase its focus on fleet by encouraging more of its 150-strong network of dealers to secure corporate sales.

An invitation has been extended to those working in the motor trade to take part in a new Big Brother-style reality TV programme.

Iran’s carmakers are no longer interested in running MG Rover.

Car-buyers are being advised that buying a car of the wrong colour could damage residual values by as much as £2,500 off the trade value after one year/12,000 miles.

Toyota unveiled its new Hilux at the Barcelona Motor Show last week.

Mazda’s RX-8 sales have exceeded 12,700 units since its launch with 170 sold last month.

Tim Rose and Andrew Baxter look at the effects of the carmaker’s collapse

Toyota GB, which puts the Aygo into showrooms from July 1, is urging dealers to learn from the success of BMW’s Mini by going for conquest sales and pushing extra equipment.