Fujio Cho, president of Toyota, has warned that the world's third largest carmaker will soon be in trouble unless it reinvents itself.
Isuzu has now made its Rodeo pick-up available in three style-orientated special editions called ‘Max’.
MotorSportVision is set to refresh Britains stale motorsport with the launch of the T1 series, which could see Ford Mondeos, Jaguar X-Types, Alfa 156s, Honda Accords, Mercedes C-Class and even Kia Carens, lining up alongside each other.
Auto Network UK, one the UK’s FSA compliance organisation for the motor retail sector, is warning that the small number of applications received by the FSA for direct authorisation could leave thousands of motor dealers without insurance sales revenues in 2005.
Vauxhall has announced its summer offers on its Corsa, Zafira, Meriva, Astra and Vectra models.
Honda has begun a search for the driver who has clocked up the most miles in its petrol electric IMA vehicles. And the company is prepared to offer a free replacement Civic IMA to the owner of the best presented original model with a recorded mileage of 100,000 or more.
Japan's only unprofitable auto firm unveiled first-quarter operating losses of 31.71bn yen (£156.5m) in the three months to June. Mitsubishi said the figure represented a quarter of its full-year loss forecast of 120bn yen (£59m).
Pendragon, the UK’s largest dealership group (No 1, AM100), today reports interim results for the six months to June 30, 2004.
Ford Premier Automotive Group sportscar maker Aston Martin has announced it is to increase its global dealer network by 20% over the next six months. Currently, Aston Martin has 105 dealers, but that number will increase to 125 worldwide by the end of this year and includes the appointment of new retailers in North America, Japan and in other emerging Asian markets.
The Department for Transport has announced the appointment of Stephen Tetlow as the new chief executive of VOSA (the Vehicle Operator Services Agency).
Toyota Motor Corporation has posted a 32% jump in first-quarter operating profit as powerful sales abroad helped the carmaker offset losses from a weaker US dollar.
Mazda has a new special edition, the Mazda MX-5 Arctic, priced from £17,000 for the 1.6i and £17,500 OTR for the 1.8i model, from August 1, 2004. Air conditioning and new blue heated leather seats as standard.
Fiat Group has reached an agreement to sell its car service network Midas in Europe and South America to privately-owned French Norauto Group for €47.5m.
The AA and Manheim have joined together to launch a new inspection scheme offered to vendors selling vehicles at Manheim’s Auction sites throughout the UK. The aim is to remove some of the uncertainty from car buying at auctions.
A survey has revealed that more than 40% of motorists are ‘an accident waiting to happen’ as they drive too close to the car in front on motorways.
Daewoo is offering free leather and satellite navigation on its Nubira 1.8 CDX model up to September 30, 2004.
The average age of the dealer management system in use by a UK franchise dealer is more than 10 years – putting the motor industry ‘firmly in the dark ages in IT terms’.
A Forester Grant training centre providing courses for dealer aftersales activity has won accreditation from the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Activant, aftermarket business solutions provider, has appointed Anne Coleman as its new customer service manager.
Glass's has revealed that the automotive speculator market is thriving well and now covers a wider range of vehicle sectors than ever before.
Inchcape plc, the international automotive services group, has this morning announced positive financial results for the half year to June 30.
In the first six months of 2004 Mazda’s total sales are almost 40% up year-on-year at 25,833 units, (2003 total – 18,738), with fleet sales 43.7% up year-on-year at 6,976.
Nissan has sped up its way of developing cars with a 5.5 metre wide projector screen known as a power wall, installed into a specially designed room at Nissan’s design centre in London.
Ford’s first ‘sporty’ diesel is now available for order at dealerships across the UK.
Toyota has launched a special edition Celica Blue, featuring a new interior trim and extra equipment to go on sale on September 1.
Honda’s way of celebrating its 50th anniversary was to launch the Porsche Boxster-rivalling S2000. With sleek, but aggressive styling, an engine for enthusiasts and a packed standard equipment list, S2000 is aimed at the BMW Z3 and Mercedes-Benz SLK – as well as the Boxster.
The registration system change from an annual August phenomenon has eroded plate premiums.
Ford spin-off Visteon has set itself targets to become a leading supplier of OE and afterfit mobile electronics and to be a major player in the crash parts aftermarket.
Renault UK is ploughing ahead with multiple initiatives to address undercapacity of workshops and service bays in its dealer network and to recruit, train and retain skilled technicians.
The entire engineering team at WNS Assistance claims management specialists has been elected to membership of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in a display of competence in authorising vehicle repairs.
