ALLEGIANCES to the 'traditional' fleet car manufacturers are becoming a thing of the past as competition for fleet business grows, according to a new report. A survey from Staffordshire-based The Reward Group - 'Sales and Marketing Rewards 1998/99' - has found that Ford has seen its sales share to the sales and marketing industry drop from 30% in 1990 to 18%. Vauxhall records 17%, down from 24% in 1990.

Japanese manufacturers grew from 2% in 1990 to 6% this year. while, taken as a whole, German manufacturers, such as BMW, Audi and VW, now top the chart with a tally of 21% (8%). Rover saw its share grow from 9% to 13%.

Italian manufacturers, not represented in the 1990 survey, held 1% of the market among the 6,000 staff from 1,000 companies interviewed. Manufacturers are having to fight to keep their share of a decreasing market, according to the survey, which found company car use had dropped among sales and marketing workers.

It showed that 71% of directors receive a company car, compared to 75% last year, 79% of senior managers (85%), 70% of senior/middle managers (73%), 58% of middle managers (68%) and 55% of middle/junior managers (57%). Vehicles are also being changed more often, according to the survey, with 21% of those interviewed changing cars every two years, compared to 16% in 1997.