Leading car manufacturers are planning to buy hundreds of dealership freeholds in a move that will redraw Britain's automotive retail landscape. AM has learned that Volkswagen alone wants to purchase 100 freehold contracts from its dealers - mainly in urban locations. Vauxhall, Honda and Toyota are understood to be among other carmakers on the hunt for freeholds.
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.
Honda is aiming for total global car sales of three million units in the next financial year, says company president Hiroyuki Yoshino.
The Honda Civic Coupe is one of the most tax-efficient small coupes on the market.
Renault came up with the Scenic, Vauxhall the seven-seater Zafira. Now Honda's moved the do-it-all game up with its seven-seater compact MPV, the Stream.
The Honda Civic has been named Britain's most comfortable car for the second year running in a survey by What Car? It tops a field of 40 contenders ranging in price from £7,295 to £53,950.
Honda believes the Jazz supermini and second-generation CRV 4x4 – making UK debuts – will help lift it from a 4.5% market share in Scotland to 6%. The carmaker expects 15,000 UK sales next year, with 2,000 of them in Scotland.
A closed sale for Honda dealers at BCA Measham of 270 vehicles saw the auction debut of the Stream sports activity vehicle and offered a rare opportunity to purchase used examples of the S2000 roadster.
Honda has launched a 'cash or company car' calculator which will be available on its website or in dealerships. The calculator aims to give drivers a clear indication whether they would be better or worse off by funding their own car under the forthcoming benefit-in-kind tax rules.
Honda UK has opened an £8m flagship dealership in Chiswick, London, which, for the first time, features all its products, from cars to lawnmowers, under the same roof.
A survey by Automotive Management's sister-title Fleet News analysing the reliability of 620,000 vehicles reveals that the Honda Accord and Toyota Avensis are the most reliable company cars on the road.
Honda has revealed that its first in-house turbodiesel passenger car unit to enter production will go into the new-generation Accord in 2003.
Franchise Dealer Survey: In the first of a series of features for AM-online, assessing the standards of customer service at dealerships across the UK, our mystery shopper visits six dealerships in Coventry, Allen Ford, Nick Whale Toyota, Gerard Mann Mercedes Benz, Tollbar Coventry Volvo, Coventry Mazda and Tachbrook Honda. Our man of mystery wonders whether he would have had more success buying a car if he'd turned up 'naked on horseback'.
Honda has launched an aftersales direct marketing campaign aimed at boosting its dealers' aftersales' business.
Honda's all new CR-V – the only British built car making its world debut at this month's Tokyo Motor Show – is new from-the-ground-up. It features a freshly designed powertrain and major new features and equipment.
Honda dealers are using the internet to advise customers whether they should opt for a company car or take a cash payment.
The first shipment of British-built Honda Civics destined for Japan, is due to set sail from Southampton today, three weeks after the company's second UK plant opened in Swindon.
Honda admits it faces a struggle to stop sales of its new Jazz supermini (on UK sale arch) from hitting profit-making 3dr/5dr Civic.
User-choosers with a £16,000 budget could well be going faster in the future if Honda has its way. Its new Civic Type-R makes an impressive hot-hatch case for itself and the firm believes that company money will be paying for a third of all cars sold.
Honda is to offer driving lessons to every buyer of its new Civic Type-R.