News - Page 2115

INTERLEASING Netherlands has launched a new internet-based ordering system, Interleasing Online, that allows fleet managers and drivers to search, configure and specify their next company car online, <I>reports FNN sister title Fleet News Europe</I>.

FUEL price increases will add billions of Euros to European fleet running costs, as new figures show that the price per litre of diesel has risen by 10% in most European countries during the past two months, <I>writes FNN sister title Fleet News Europe.</I>

THE organisers of Motorvate, the greener fleet certification scheme, are fighting a lack of knowledge among fleet managers that could hamper its growth. Since launch, the scheme has reached seven fully paid-up members, but even among those who have signed up, there are problems with meeting the scheme's demands for details of total mileage and total fuel use.

CREATING an environmentally-friendly fleet should go hand-in-hand with establishing a safe fleet, the event heard, according to Allen Bewley, head of risk management at the RAC.

DRIVERS travelling on their own in an average fleet car are using the equivalent amount of fuel per person as a full Boeing 747. Such comparisons dispel the myth that air travel wastes fuel, yet also highlight the scale of fuel consumption by the UK's three million company cars.

TODAY Fleet NewsNet's sister title Fleet News launches its annual survey of the state of the leasing and contract hire industry in Britain – the Fleet News 50.

FLEETS choosing the new Ford Mondeo can expect vastly improved residual values over the current model according to CAP Monitor. Although many models are currently listed at around £1,000 less than the current car, they could be worth up to £1,000 more than the existing model after three years.

A PILOT course to introduce newcomers to the fleet industry to the basics of fleet management has been given the thumbs-up by delegates.

THE INLAND Revenue has dismissed fleet industry fears that list price falls of up to 20% will trigger company car tax increases as the Government seeks to plug a £200 million hole in its company car tax account in the wake of tumbling new car prices.

EVERY volume car manufacturer in the UK now offers at least a three-year/60,000-mile warranty after Ford sparked a scramble among European rivals to match its deal. When Ford announced three-year warranties on October 2, Vauxhall, Renault, Citroen and Fiat still offered a 12-month warranty.

MANUFACTURERS could be forced to provide customers with a league table showing their cars' environmental performance against rivals in a ground-breaking bid to encourage drivers into 'greener' vehicles.

THE first 200 buyers of the Toyota Prius hybrid car will obtain £1,000 'cashback' under the Government-funded Powershift programme but other buyers could lose out. Earlier this year Powershift announced a £1,000 'cashback' deal on the Honda Insight hybrid, which has a list price of £17,000, but the manufacturer only expects to sell 200 of the cars a year.

VAUXHALL is expected to announce cuts in Vectra prices tomorrow to ensure it remains competitive against Ford's new Mondeo, whose prices were announced at the British International Motor Show last.

A FLEET battle royal is building between Ford and Volkswagen as the two manufacturers attempt to woo fleet chiefs with their new Mondeo and Passat models. Both manufacturers invited hundreds of fleet managers to the British International Motor Show - many to view the two new cars for the first time - and Ford produced three-year/60,000-pence per mile figures which show operating savings of more than £2,000 on some Mondeo models compared with the Passat.

PEUGEOT is planning to launch a benefit-in-kind tax-beating personal contract purchase-style scheme aimed at high mileage company car drivers before the end of the year. Known internally as the 'Fleet PCP', it is being drawn up to enable 18,000-plus business mile company car drivers to have 'all the benefits of a company car without the pain of company car tax'.

NEW car list prices have shown their most dramatic fall yet, according to the latest figures, while used car prices are demonstrating their best performance for five months. The CAP Index, which monitors new and used car prices, showed a year-on-year reduction of 1.7% for new cars in October.

FORD has followed Vauxhall's lead into the internet-based car sales market with the launch of Ford Journey, offering a 10-day 'delivery to dealer' service from this month, which the firm claims promises a revolution in car sales.

THE European Commission should act to harmonise taxes across the Eurozone instead of wasting time defining what shape a banana should be, Mitsubishi Motors' managing director Jim Tyrrell told a press dinner.

THE Ministry of Defence has taken on its first alternative fuel vehicles by replacing 17 staff cars with liquefied petrol gas/petrol DualFuel Vauxhall Vectras. As part of the 'greening' exercise - organised by Lex Transfleet - BP is installing an Autogas refuelling site at the Aldershot Garrison, the home of the British Army.

A SMALL firm's 340-vehicle in-house contract hire operation is being expanded nationally to cater for more than 1,200 vehicles under the direct control of new fleet manager. EG Tucker, the Bristol-based fleet operation of regional newspaper group Bristol United Press, is to take on the fleet requirements of its new parent company, Northcliffe Newspapers, the owner of the Daily Mail and several regional newspaper titles.

GLASS'S Information Services, is to merge with Eurotax, a pan-European provider of automotive information - subject to formal clearance by the European regulatory authorities.

CAR and van fleet operators are being urged to follow the Metropolitan police lead and fit data recorders to their vehicles now rather than wait for manufacturers to offer them as options.

FUNDAMENTAL changes in the fleet industry are taking place relating to technology, health and safety and taxation as well as manufacturer consolidation, vehicle pricing and the future of dealers - and all issues will be under the spotlight at the Fleet News UK Congress 2000.

RALLY-inspired high performance cars are to return to the entire Ford range with the resurrection of the RS and Cosworth logos. Making its world debut at the show was a pre-production version of the Ford Focus RS which is scheduled to appear in UK showrooms next spring.

A NEW fuel card giving fleet managers more up-to-date information on their vehicles and access to cheaper fuel prices has been introduced by Shell. The euroShell card will gradually replace the existing Shell Gold and includes improvements in management information through euroShell Online, and the facility to e-mail management information reports.

CAR manufacturers have come under fire for the second time this year for failing to display carbon dioxide emissions data on their show vehicles.

THE first three TH!NK City electric cars are operating on the streets of London and Southampton following their handover to two UK fleets at the British International Motor Show.

THE Peugeot 206 Coupe Cabriolet will cost £15,995 on-the-road when it goes on sale in January next year, it was announced at the show. The 2.0 16v SE 2+2 with an electrically operated retractable rigid roof which opens and closes with all four side windows at the press of a button, will be joined next spring by a 1.6 16v S version.

PEUGEOT has urged the Government to put a 'new spin' on diesel and not to 'put the boot in' to the fuel of the future. And, at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham, other manufacturers were queuing up to back Peugeot managing director Tod Evans's bid to persuade the Government to change its anti-diesel stance.

VAUXHALL has doubled service intervals for most of its engine range from 10,000 miles to 20,000 miles or one year. The move is intended to help fleets cut running costs and follows a move to synthetic oils and the addition of a brake pad wear indicator to all models that have been upgraded.