News - Page 1926

COMPANIES are continuing to ignore mobile phone usage in fleet policies, with latest statistics from the RAC indicating that only 20% of policies cover the issue.

VAUXHALL will build its new Astra at its Ellesmere Port plant in Merseyside as part of an £80 million investment.

MERCEDES-Benz has unveiled pictures of its new MPV Viano, which will replace the V-class and make its debut at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show.

CFC SOLUTIONS has launched a software package designed to reduce administration and improve efficiency for fleets.

THE Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) is urging independent garages to get online before block exemption rules are introduced.

COMPANY car drivers who cause death by dangerous driving could be jailed for up to 14 years, under proposals presented to Parliament earlier this week.

BLACK cab registrations dipped last month with Manganese Bronze, the cab manufacturer, recording a fall in sales as a result of the war in Iraq, according to the group.

FLEETS using contract hire and leasing group Pendragon will soon be able to access its services online, following the launch of a new web service.

INSURANCE hikes could hit fleets this year as a result of motor industry legislation and increasing costs, according to Arval PHH.

CITROEN has revealed pictures of the new C2, which will replace the Saxo towards the end of this year.

FLEET drivers suffering from hayfever are only a sneeze away from an accident, AA Business Services is warning.

THE Metropolitan Police is slowly replacing its standard fleet of Fiestas with larger Vauxhall Astra diesels.

INTERNET-based leasing firm Tuskerdirect is to a launch a major update of its service this year, backed by senior management changes.

A TELEMATICS company is offering a low-cost location and tracking service that uses drivers' mobile phones.

FIAT has launched a special edition Punto to mark the 5,000,000th car to roll off the production line.

SYUK Cars is looking for dealers to sell its new Rexton sport utility vehicle when it goes on sale in the UK in June.

THE UK's most powerful 1.3 litre car – the Daihatsu YRV Turbo 130 – will reach showrooms before the end of the month priced at £10,995 on-the-road.

PETROL company TotalFinaElf has begun a major rebranding programme for its 1,050 service stations in the UK after changing its name to TOTAL.

DEMAND for company cars is growing among small businesses this year while sales to larger fleets and private buyers have tailed off.

A TWO-year boom in diesel sales is showing signs of slowing down, latest figures show.

BOOKING rental vehicles online is a way of saving time for busy fleet managers. This has led broker Satellite Vehicle Rentals to launch its own program in order to maximise business use of the internet.

NATIONAL Car Rental is claiming a rental industry first with the introduction of a new corporate-specific scheme that waives the bill for damage costing under £250 to repair.

RENTAL companies are launching a string of flexible products to cater for employers who do not wish to commit to long-term vehicle supply contracts.

EASYCAR'S Car Club has grown from a mere six vehicles to 27 during the past two months, with the group predicting that half its fleet could eventually be part of the scheme.

MINDFUL of tightening rules on the use of mobile phones and employers' duty of care responsibilities, Sixt rent a car has launched a chauffeur service aimed at the corporate market.

PAUL Sturgeon has been appointed operations director with Pro-Drive, the fleet risk management and driver training company.

ANNUAL production of a new, low-cost Renault Group car for central European markets should be topping the half-million mark by the end of the decade.

ANC Rental Corporation has appointed a new franchisee in Austria.

A WEBSITE for the European Road Assessment Programme has received an award for its work on providing safety ratings for roads across Europe.

DESPITE its low-key launch, the British manufacturer's new contender in the commercial vehicle market is a stylish, economical and practical performer.