News - Page 2039

PEOPLE AVIS Fleet Services, a subsidiary company of General Electric Company (GE), has appointed <b>Wolfgang König</b> as regional general manager for central Europe.

THE recent GM-Fiat agreement has been hailed in Italy as the end of an era. The Agnelli automotive empire started in 1899 when Fiat was founded by Giovanni, grandfather of the enigmatic Gianni Agnelli, president of the Fiat group from 1963 until 1996 and still one of its major shareholders.

<b>May 2000:</b> WITH a strong environmental reputation, Norway provides a ready market for zero-emission electric vehicles, with fleets the principal buyers.

As the euro becomes more established across Europe, there is little doubt that values of used cars will level out as borders break down.

Europe's leading car makers have come out fighting in defence of the car distribution block exemption that governs the relationship between manufacturers and their franchised dealers.

German-based Volkswagen Group, ranked the best-seller in central Europe since 1996, is enjoying the strongest sales among any manufacturer in the region since the end of communism.

THE managing director of Citroen Belgium, <b>Alain Favey</b>, has left his post to become managing director of Citroen UK. He brings 11 years' experience to the role, having also been managing director of Citroen Denmark.

As tyre costs rise across Europe, pan-European fleets are turning their attention to international tyre supply arrangements, says Peter Philpott, Michelin's European car fleets manager.

GLOBAL document processing company Xerox has adopted an internet-based business-to-business travel booking system for 20,000 employees in the United States.

DAILY rental companies in Norway have developed an innovative, co-operative approach to serving Oslo's new airport.

<b>May 2000:</b> Hertz Portugal has signed a new agreement with the Order of Architects that will allow the association's 6,000 members to benefit from the Hertz Advantage Programme each time they rent a car.

<b>May 2000:</b> ORGANISED crime is posing a growing problem for European fleets, particularly short-term rental companies.

It has been at least three years since VW chairman Ferdinand Piech began to tell journalists of plans for a Skoda that would rival cars like the Opel/Vauxhall Omega and Renault Safrane in Europe's executive class.

October 2001:MINI has unveiled new internal combustion technology to provide hydrogen-powered zero emission motoring.

DANISH daily rental company Vestergaards Autoudlejning has enjoyed spectacular success in reducing its exposure to crime through the use of global positioning satellite technology.

October 2001: Alfa Romeo is resurrecting the GTA name for 156 and Sportwagon models.

<b>May 2000:</b> MOSCOW, London and New York are the most expensive cities in the world for the business traveller, according to the Runzheimer Guide to Daily Travel Prices.

<b>October 2001:</b> Fiat's chief executive officer Roberto Testore expects the new Stilo - launched to the public at Frankfurt - to significantly boost Fiat fleet sales across Europe.

<b>May 2000:</b> VOLVO, Ericsson and Telia have created the WirelessCar Corporation to develop and market mobile e-services to vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators.

<b>October 2001:</b> Cars from South Korea are to become dramatically more European in both design and engineering, it was revealed in Frankfurt.

<b>May 2000:</b> EUROPACOM.NET has ordered 50 Rover vehicles for its fleet, with half going to sales staff in Germany and France.

<b>May 2000:</b> DAIMLERCHRYSLER engineers in Germany have developed computer software that monitors and analyses a driver's actions.

<b>May 2000:</b> BUDGET Group has raised about $70 million from the sale of its Licensee Leasing Program.

<b>May 2000:</b> SWEDISH telecoms company Ericsson Mobile Communications has teamed up with Delphi Automotive Systems to create telematics products that will take the internet into cars.

<b>May 2000:</b> THE Albanian police has ordered six Land Rover Defender 110 tdi station wagons for use in transporting forensic equipment and evidence.

October 2001: Nissan's global chiefs have called its new Primera 'the cornerstone of the company in Europe'.

<b>May 2000:</b> GLOBAL transport and fleet management company Ryder System has launched a major expansion drive in Europe that will include acquisitions and joint ventures.

<b>May 2000:</b> HERTZ Lease claims that major structural changes at the company will unlock the potential of the Hertz brand and see the international leasing firm become a top-three player in Europe.

<b>October 2001:</b> Style, safety and wholelife costs will feature at the heart of Renault's bid to attract company car drivers out of executive German cars and into its new Vel Satis.

<b>May 2000:</b> DRIVER safety and car security will be the main focus of a campaign aimed at European fleet managers by the manufacturers of a laminated glass product.