News - Page 2035

Fleet News in conjunction with AA Business Services and Interleasing has organised two regional 'Fleet Healthchecks' to explain the new CO2 based system and to outline the likely effects for business customers.

Your essential guide to finding European fleet and automotive contacts is available now...

"Just when everything is getting back to normal, the trade are back in full swing, auctions are still reporting successful sales and new car registrations for January are up on 2001, the bomb drops." Martin Ward, CAP Network national research manager, warns of the damage of the latest media 'feeding frenzy' surrounding new car pricing.

THE Treasury is forcing more than 800,000 company car drivers to walk blind into a potential tax trap by postponing this year's Budget until after the start of the new financial year.

FLEETS face further residual value uncertainty after the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) renewed its battle to force down new car prices, despite a Government investigation last week clearing manufacturers of overcharging.

PEUGEOT has revealed the first pictures of its versatile new 307 variant called the SW.

VAUXHALL will make a bid for the lowest running costs in the upper-medium sector when the new Vectra goes on sale at the end of May.

THE need for a specialist fleet executive within organisations will be critical this year as employers brace themselves for massive changes, a new report suggests.

GE Capital has created a new division called GE European Equipment Management to encompass its transport businesses, including GE Capital Fleet Services and commercial vehicle hire specialist TLS.

UK fleets could be wasting millions of pounds each year by failing to ensure their contract hire rates are competitive.

NATIONWIDE Network Services has signed a deal with the Compass Group, the catering specialist, to provide accident management for its fleet of 3,000 vehicles.

THE Fleet Management Group has moved into a new £1.5 million building and changed its name to the FMG Group.

VAUXHALL is offering a new insurance scheme for individuals using vehicles as company cars and vans.

FLEETS could save as much as £20 per month on the contract hire bill of a typical upper medium car under the new company car tax system.

FORD has unveiled first pictures of the all new 'baby' Transit, to be called Transit Connect. It was revealed this week at the Amsterdam Commercial Vehicle Show.

GE Capital Fleet Services has launched an employee car ownership scheme that it claims can save clients up to 12% on their fleet costs, while enabling company car drivers to avoid benefit-in-kind tax.

NISSAN has revealed prices for its new Primera saloon and estate models which go on sale in March.

ARVAL PHH president John Cullum will retire at the end of March after five years as company president and 20 with the company.

THE head of contract hire firm Pendragon-i, Ken Trinder, has left the company to join automotive technology specialist Epyx.

GLOBAL professional services firm Andersen has launched a new staff car scheme for 7,500 employees as part of a major overhaul of its fleet policy.

THIS week, in the second of our survey of industry opinion, we asked our Fleet Panel whether congestion charging would have a positive impact on traffic conditions for drivers of company cars and vans in urban areas.

FORD has unveiled a new bid to increase its share of the small car market with the Fusion, revealed for the first time yesterday (Wednesday).

The European Commission has proposed revised competition rules for new car retailing which it claims will increase price competition, boost cross-border purchasing and provide fleets with more choice of aftersales servicing and maintenance suppliers.

INSURANCE groups for the new Volkswagen Polo have been confirmed by the ABI, showing significant improvements over the outgoing model.

CITROEN'S new look Relay was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show this week, with improved safety and comfort features.

If current industry rumour is accurate, LeasePlan has been put up for sale by parent company ABN AMRO Group.<br> Although no details of the likely purchasers have yet been confirmed, industry speculation focuses on two favourites to buy the business: Volkswagen, and US giant GE Capital.

SIX months after the acquisition of Deutsche Bank's car leasing and fleet management operations by Société Générale, an ambitious international strategy has emerged from the French banking giant.

AN online fleet future is beckoning and promises to offer real time and money savings. Jonathan Manning reports from the recent Fleet News IT&E conference.

COMPANY car drivers could soon be paying £5 per visit to drive to Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport.

MAZDA has begun production of a new series of four-cylinder petrol engines which are also being used within the Ford group.