News - Page 2021

'WITH so many cars now at auctions and within the trade, those disposing of ex-fleet vehicles must again find ways of making their offerings more desirable than those from competitors.' Martin Ward, national research manager, CAP Network.

SALES of new cars to fleets have hit record levels in the first quarter of this year, dispelling fears that the new company car tax system would have a negative impact on the fleet sector.

A LATE flood of interest in vehicle carbon dioxide emissions has fuelled fears that thousands of company car drivers could be underpaying or overpaying benefit-in-kind tax in the 2002/03 financial year.

THE Inland Revenue has issued a statement to correct a national newspaper's attack on increases in fuel scale charges as 'stealth taxes'.

THE motor industry has called on Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown to maintain the freeze on fuel duty at the upcoming Budget, as the crisis in the Middle East puts more pressure on the already high cost of fuel in the UK.

THE UK's largest corporately-owned bodyshop network is fighting off a hostile take-over bid from two of its major shareholders.

MORRISON Construction, the development, construction and asset management firm, has awarded the contract to provide fast-fit services to its 2,500 vehicle fleet to ATS Euromaster.

BODYSHOP network ABS has launched a fleet accident management division, claiming its web of nationwide repairers will be able to fix cars cheaper and quicker than its competitors.

Grounds maintenance firm Lyndhurst Services has ordered 23 LPG-powered Daihatsu Hijet Microvans to add to its fleet.

ENTERPRISE Rent-A-Car has secured two major contracts with leading leasing companies Interleasing and ING Car Lease.

RADICAL proposals for a rethink of penalties for dangerous driving are set to have a major effect on companies and their drivers.

COMPANY car drivers may grumble about changes to company car tax, but their complaints would be better directed towards the vertiginous increase in tax on free fuel for private motoring.

A NEW text message scheme will allow drivers to contact the drivers of vehicles nearby simply by entering the neighbouring cars' registration numbers in their mobile phones.

BMW has pledged to hold 3-series prices for fleets that ordered cars before April 3 and will be delivered before the end of August, despite raising on-the-road prices for its 3-series saloon, coupe, Touring and convertible cars by an average of 1%.

TRAINING and support staff updating the computer systems of Lloyds Pharmacy branches in an urgent nationwide project will be driving rented 206 HDis following a deal with Peugeot.

MINI has revealed plans to launch a diesel version of its car next year.

VODAFONE is offering its 9,000 staff a new personal leasing service through a deal with vehicle management specialist Fleetlease.

COMPASS Group, the world's largest catering company, has named National Car Rental as its preferred rental supplier for one of the largest rental contracts in the country.

The growth in true pan-European leasing deals is still fairly modest, but a new technological breakthrough suggests that future growth may be hastened by a 'virtual' leasing system, says Professor Peter Cooke.

As soon as ABN Amro revealed it was putting LeasePlan on the market earlier this year, it was presumed that there would be no shortage of interested buyers.<br> Although many names were suggested as likely bidders over the past few months, it was GE Capital, and then Volkswagen that became favourites to acquire the huge LeasePlan operation.

LAMBORGHINI to Land Rover dealership group HR Owen pushed profits above £2 million following a bumper year for new car sales.

MG Rover Group announced today that it has signed a business and marketing partnership with Caterham Cars, the specialist British sportscar manufacturer.

Fleet News Budget Briefing April 23, 2002<br> Oxford<p> Budget 2002 comes in a year of immense change for fleet decision-makers and will make a crucial difference to the way they operate in future.

The European Commission will open a formal state aid investigation into a grant proposed by the German authorities to BMW for a new car plant in Leipzig

The French government has sold part of its stake in Renault.

The European Commission will open a formal state aid investigation into a grant proposed by the German authorities to BMW for a new car plant in Leipzig.

CHANGES to block exemption could hamper major leasing company initiatives to improve fleet service levels - and put driver safety at risk.

THE Association of Car Fleet Operators has selected the Volkswagen Passat as its Fleet Car of the Year, with the Citroen Berlingo taking the light van title and Ford Transit winning the panel van category.

MORE than 50 teams from across the fleet industry are battling it out to become the 2002 Fleet Karting Champions with the launch of the Kwik-Fit Fleet National Karting Challenge, in association with Fleet News.

HYUNDAI has launched a corporate demonstration fleet as part of a move towards targeting more business users.