News - Page 1884

THE European Commission (EC) has announced a major crackdown on the biggest causes of accidents across Europe - including speeding and drink-driving - which could save 14,000 lives a year.

MITSUBISHI Motors Europe (MME) is to take full control of its French operations.

VOLKSWAGEN has launched a van version of its Touareg off-roader for the Netherlands market to take advantage of the nation's vehicle taxation system.

JAPAN'S largest motor show saw a raft of new vehicles and ideas revealed, including new technology due to reach fleets soon.

NISSAN'S UK executives want to pitch a new executive car against BMW and Lexus in the premium sector.

SOME of the top names in the fleet industry lined up to speak at the Fleet News Industry Conference 2003, held at the Hilton London Metropole.

FLEETS with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cars should not be nervous that Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown will hike duty in the forthcoming Budget, following a review of tax on the fuel, Transport Minister David Jamieson said.

A NEW fleet management guide produced by the Government was unveiled by David Jamieson at the Industry Conference.

DELEGATES at the Industry Conference have given their overwhelming support to the prospect of Britain joining the European single currency.

CHANGES to the car distribution Block Exemption could mean leasing companies achieving better residual values for their end-of-contract cars.

FLEETS outsourcing maintenance contracts to third party groups must be extra vigilant when writing health and safety policies, according to David Young, a partner at international law firm Eversheds.

DETAILS of a four-stage customer service plan at software giant Microsoft were given at the Industry Conference, and the group's head of customer satisfaction believes it could be adapted to fleets.

FLEETS place a high level of service above price and technology when it comes to choosing their suppliers, the Industry Conference heard.

FLEETPRO won the Best Online Solution title at this year's Fleet News Awards for its DriveSmart website which provides a wealth of fleet information.

RENAULT created the compact MPV market with its ground-breaking Scenic back in 1997 and now there is a new model to battle against the growing number of rivals.

The latest appointments in the fleet industry.

WITH one of the most flexible and application-friendly ranges of light commercials on the market it is hardly surprising that fleet operators are turning to Iveco.

Drinks reception and dinner picture gallery

Picture gallery two

THE first FN50 company to reach 200,000 vehicles could be just around the corner as companies look to acquisitions as their main source of growth.

HUNDREDS of company car drivers are being fined every day for entering London's congestion charging zone without paying because they do not understand the new system, exclusive new research has revealed.

THE average price for an upper-medium car has increased by £711 year-on-year, according to new research from Glass's Information Services.

CARMASTERS has celebrated the first auction at its newly-opened Carnaby refurbishment centre, with a sale of vans averaging 99.3% of CAP clean.

MANHEIM Auctions has laid down a challenge to dealer used car managers in a bid to show them how they could be making money on their new and used car trade-ins by making a regular trip to their local auction.

CONVERSION rates in the corporate sales sector remain at exceptionally high levels, according to BCA, which says demand remains strong for retail quality cars from a 'good home'.

'I CADGED a lift in a friend's Ford Mondeo the other day and could not help but notice how strongly the car smelled of stale cigarette smoke. Too polite to comment, I decided it was his right to do as he pleased in his own car.'

BRITAIN'S fleets are paying out an estimated £114 million a year in unnecessary end-of-contract recharges to their leasing providers every year, exclusive research carried out by Fleet News for this year's FN50 has revealed.

JAPANESE manufacturers have hammered home their reputation for reliability in an exclusive survey of Britain's fleet cars.

A CYCLIST left paralysed from the neck down and on a life support machine is expected to receive damages of about £9 million after being hit by a company car driver while he was using a hands-free mobile phone.

NATIONAL bakery firm Warburtons has awarded a slice of its fleet action to Arval PHH.