News - Page 2038

Already a popular choice with German and Italian companies, DaimlerChrysler aims to increase sales of its Smart vehicles across Europe. It recently launched right-hand drive models in the United Kingdom. Mike Roberts reports.

Dutch car dealer, leasing and rental group Athlon has revealed plans to expand across Europe.

MAJOR European motor manufacturers have expressed their support for the current select and exclusive car block exemption in Europe, despite new e-commerce innovations.

LEADING European telematics providers have formed an alliance called ITDA (International Traffic Data Alliance).

GERMAN chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has officially opened Volkswagen's new 'theme park' where company car drivers can collect their new cars.

PORSCHE'S upcoming sport utility vehicle will be called Cayenne.

PSA Peugeot Citroen has signed a 10-year strategic partnership with Pechiney.

MERCEDES-BENZ has confirmed that it will make a replacement for the A-class, despite speculation that the creation of a four-door smart would make a new A-class redundant.

DAIMLERCHRYSLER is buying a 10% stake in Hyundai Motor Company in a deal worth $428 million (€457 million) and will join with the Korean manufacturer to bid for Daewoo.

THE Opel/Vauxhall Omega will feature General Motors' OnStar telematics system that includes satellite navigation and GPS location systems to deliver a variety of in-car services.

THE worldwide trading power of the internet has been demonstrated by e-business site eWanted.com, where a San Francisco-based company posted a request for a late model Volkswagen Passat.

FORD has opened what is believed to be the world's first purpose-built 'green' dealership promising it could reduce showroom energy consumption by 60-70%.

EUROPEAN Commission research commissioner Philippe Busquin has called on European policy-makers and the motor industry to view fuel cell vehicles as a 'viable and sustainable new way of transport'.

BRITISH Car Auctions has significantly expanded its mainland European motor auction network through a joint venture with Renault Credit International.

<b>July 2000:</b> THE focus will be firmly on the future at the Automotive Congress Europe (ACE) in November.

GE Capital Fleet Services has unveiled a suite of three new internet-based fleet services that it will start to roll out across Europe.

FORD is launching a major pan-European initiative to improve the residual values of its model range and thereby reduce the wholelife cost of its cars.

CAP Motor Research's Martin Ward, international research manager, and economist Ramesh Notra review the used car market across Europe.

<b>May 2000:</b> FLEET responsibilities in the fast-moving worlds of IT and telecommunications are among the most challenging faced by any fleet manager.

HAMBURG-based leasing and fleet management company ALD (AutoLeasing D) has announced major expansion plans in a bid to increase its share of the European fleet market.

Internationalisation is happening at breakneck pace in the world's fleet market, raising customer expectations and presenting new opportunities for suppliers, says Vahid Daemi, member of the board of managing directors of ABN AMRO Lease Holding with responsibility for Lease Plan.

OVER the last three years when Spain's new car market has been booming, manufacturers have reduced their sales to daily rental car hire firms.

<b>May 2000:</b> IRELAND'S new car market is still leaping ahead. The first quarter shows registrations up 44%, to 104,354 units.

AT the end of March every year multi-marque leasing company CW Lease, part of the ING Group, elects its lease car of the year.

<b>May 2000:</b> BMW's sale of Rover has given rise to widespread confusion within the Dutch dealer organisations of both brands.

<b>May 2000:</b> As in most car-producing countries, domestic manufacturers dominate the Swedish company car market.

<b>May 2000:</b> BRITISH fleets have spent the past month analysing the most significant changes to company car tax for 10 years.

<b>May 2000:</b> AT last, a conclusion to the Europcar Lease saga now that Europcar International has signed a memorandum of understanding with the financial services division of BNP/Parisbas.

<b>May 2000:</b> How BMW will continue with the Rover marque is uncertain at the moment.

<b>May 2000:</b> Portugal is a country that seems to like swimming against the tide.