VAUXHALL'S fleet chief has slammed cut-throat discounting by motor manufacturers desperate to win a share of the fleet market. Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall's fleet operations director, described the level of discount available today within the fleet industry as the highest and worst he had encountered in a 30-year career in the motor industry.

'Currently the industry is very competitive and massive discounts are around,' he said at the Fleet Motor Show. 'And I cannot see anything that would ease the situation in the short term because the supply issues are still there and manufacturers are chasing market share.'

Importers are taking the most aggressive pricing approach, according to Parfitt, who added that marques involved in discounted deals on short-term contracts could damage their residual values come the autumn when the cars hit the used market.