KWIK-FIT Fleet is looking forward to worldwide expansion following Ford's £1 billion bid for the fast-fit specialist's parent company. The deal has stunned the motor industry, and still requires shareholder approval, but it has the backing of Kwik-Fit's board of directors.

Ron Bambra, managing director of Kwik-Fit Fleet, said: 'A wonderful opportunity now exists for Kwik-Fit and Kwik-Fit Fleet in particular to expand the fleet operation worldwide with the weight of Ford behind us. We have worked hard to understand and fulfil the requirements of fleet customers, and I am determined that this same market-leading quality of service will continue as our development takes us through Europe in Holland, Belgium, France, Spain and Germany, and then on throughout the world.'

Sir Tom Farmer, chairman and chief executive of Kwik-Fit, said the automotive industry was undergoing great change, and that the tie-up with Ford would help Kwik-Fit fulfil its long stated goal of providing motorists with services from 'showroom to scrapyard'. He will keep his current responsibilities and join the board of directors of FCSD, Ford's global parts and services operation.

The £1 billion deal buys Ford access to a much wider aftersales market than its 300-plus UK Rapid Fit centres reach, in terms of both brand and age of vehicle, at a time of uncertainty for the future role of franchised dealers because of the imminent renegotiation of the European block exemption. More importantly, it also gives the manufacturer access to a database of an estimated five million private motorists, all of them potential customers for car-related services and packages, including personal contract motoring schemes, but implies Ford will continue with its dealer-based Rapid Fit centres.