Automotive people and companies who did well as the industry battled through another challenging year – and those who have things to prove in 2002 – are reviewed by Tony Willard.
BMW has donated £300,000 to Ben to mark the launch of Mini and work starting on a Rolls-Royce plant at Chichester.
Hyundai is poised to expand the Direct 2 You initiative in a bid to fill open points in its UK dealer network. Direct 2 You, launched a year ago in a joint venture with Platts Hyundai of High Wycombe, is a 'virtual showroom' concept that minimises dealer investment.
David Zabawa, a senior Capital Bank Motor executive and one of the best known characters in the motor finance industry, has died in a road accident in Cheshire. Mr Zabawa, who was 34, was riding an Aprilla motorcycle which was in a collision with a car.
Ford of Britain marketing director John Mendel has been promoted to head customer, service and parts, sales and marketing for Mazda in the US. Mazda plans 11 car launches in America by 2005.
Renault UK has named Philippe Talou-Derible as managing director, fuelling speculation that the company is to move closer to its Nissan alliance partner.
Nick Reilly will become Daewoo president and chief executive officer once the General Motors acquisition is completed. He moves to South Korea next month as GM looks to speed up the protracted transition process.
Camden Motors hopes to boost business from large fleets by promising end of contract vehicle disposal to reduce depreciation costs. The move is expected to produce a regular supply of cars to allow its Car Shop used car operation to expand.
Nexus Business Solutions has launched two online vehicle disposal programmes that it claims will cut costs and help improve residuals by bypassing the traditional physical auction route to market.
Four sites operated by Scuffs (Cosmetic Repairs) have been sold by the receivers Baker Tilly brought in by the firm on November 29.
Paul Dunkley never harboured ambitions to join the cut and thrust of the motor retail industry – he grew up planning to become an airline pilot and was due to attend British Airways' training college.
Zurich is to offer compensation to repairers changing their estimating system from Motex to Glassmatix, according to a bulletin report.
Franchised dealers are losing service and repair work on cars still under the manufacturer's warranty to independent rivals, according to a survey by Bethell Fleet Services.
The use of non-original equipment (non-OE) parts and panels in the accident repair industry has increased over the past 10 years, as insurers look to cut repair costs on older cars.
Mitsubishi is improving its customer offering for the third year in succession with price reductions or added specification to its range of cars and LCVs with an average value of 5.3%.
By any measure this has been a hectic year for the motor retail business – new car sales at record levels, used car values stabilising and customer confidence in the industry returning. Each week seems to bring another bullish prediction of record growth and turnover.
Direct lenders have held firm despite the latest cut in bank base rates and there are no signs of personal loans getting any cheaper, despite the reductions in mortgage rates. There is a growing feeling that rates have dropped as low as they can in the short term and some signs that rates will rise in the medium term.
Carmakers are keeping their powder dry during December and there has been little change in the retail finance promotions available. Indeed, some schemes have been cut back while others due to end in November are rolled over.
Dixon Motors is due to ask its shareholders tomorrow for permission to sell 17 of its best retail sites for £34m. The deal is necessary because in the last set of accounts Dixon's debt was shown at more than 100% of assets.
Reg Vardy has become embroiled in a legal dispute with a disgruntled customer who acquired the reg-vardy.com domain name in order to air his grievances.
One-third of Mazda's 115 UK dealers are under threat in a "root and branch" review of the brand's franchise strategy.
The next issue of Automotive Management, cover dated January 18, will include the updated AM100, the latest turnover figures for the UK's biggest motor retail groups.
Toyota GB has revealed an ambition to double its annual sales volume to more than 200,000 a year in the UK by 2010. The total includes Lexus and Toyota light commercials.
Record sales in November have confirmed 2001 as the best-ever year for registrations, passing the 1989 figure with one month to go. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders now believes the year's total could exceed 2.4m.
Very up and down week so far with some sales being quite tough and others simply 'flying'. There appears to have been no real pattern to the week with some of our vendors enjoying excellent results whilst others have been frustrated," says Andrew Shepherd, senior group auctioneer, Manheim
Record car sales this year of more than 2.4m vehicles have sparked fears that chronic oversupply in the market will force down residual values.
Results from the latest auctions by BCA, Manheim and Motorauctions Leeds.
The national expansion of the sales network for Smart continues with the appointment of five new sales centres.
Bentley has confirmed it will be competing in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 2002.
Inchcape Motors Retail is set to expand its fleet business with the appointment of Alan Waldie as corporate sales director.
