THE Consumers' Association welcomed the release of the Competition Commission's New Cars Inquiry report, declaring it a 'victory for consumers'. Sheila McKechnie, director of the CA, which is running the Great British Rip-Off campaign against high new car prices, said the Government had rejected the car industry's 'lame excuses'.

She said: 'The match will be won when Block Exemption is finally removed. It is time for car manufacturers to cut prices.' The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association hailed the Competition Commission's report a 'victory for common sense'. Norman Donkin, director general, said a move that would prevent manufacturers from discriminating in their dealings with contract hire companies by giving less attractive terms if the end-user of a vehicle was a private customer would benefit the industry.

However, Alan Pulham, director of the Retail Motor Industry Federation, warned the move could create a 'two-tier' system of dealers, because smaller dealerships would be uncompetitive as they did not qualify for volume bonuses.