News - Page 2125

MANN Egerton Vehicle Contracts has won a solus-supplier contract to provide vehicles for Wrekin Housing Trust, following a four-way competitive evaluation. The Telford-based charitable housing trust has taken delivery of 53 Ford Transit and 22 Ford Escort vans as part of an anticipated 140-vehicle fleet.

DEMAND for company cars will increase over the next few years as staff find a company car becomes even more attractive under new tax legislation.

COMPANY cars remain the cornerstone to ensuring employees who need to travel on the country's roads use the newest, cleanest vehicles. Research in the Lex Fleet 2000 Report, in association with Fleet News, provides concrete evidence that employer-provided cars are younger and replaced more often, ensuring new, cleaner technology is used in significant volumes more quickly.

FLEET management is gaining acceptance as a board level responsibility, the Lex survey in association with Fleet News has revealed. Figures showing where responsibility for fleet policy rests revealed that in 35% of cases it was with the managing director or owner of the business, while a dedicated fleet manager was used in 16% of cases.

USING Government data for cars registered in company names, there are about 2.4 million company cars in the UK. This excludes many business expense cars which are registered in private names.

FLEET managers have shunned alternative fuels, despite their environmental and financial benefits, and have even refused to consider the alternatives in many cases. A review of fleet managers showed that 73% of fleets had not yet looked into the attractiveness of alternatives to petrol or diesel.

DESPITE a wealth of internet disposal and acquisition companies tempting fleets over the past few years, there has been little take-up by the industry.

FLEXIBLE production at Honda's Swindon factory coupled with a 'buy British' phenomenon, is boosting fleet business for the manufacturer. The Japanese company has seen total UK sales up 15% this year, from 34,604 units in the first six months of last year to 39,746 this year, but fleet business has soared by more than half to 15,946 giving Honda a 3% market share.

THE vast majority of car-makers have slashed new car prices - but company car drivers are unlikely to feel the benefits. Research by FNN shows many cars are now being offered with discounts to retail customers which are not reflected in the recommended retail price, which is often thousands more than the discounted price - and the basis of the current company car tax system.

LOWER new car recommended retail prices may not mean lower benefit-in-kind company car tax bills as the taxman examines his options for clawing back lost revenue triggered by reductions in new car prices.

A NEW parking mechanism, which aims to make reversing easier, has been given the seal of approval by the Ministry of Defence. ParkMaster, which is manufactured by Cobra, was chosen by the Government department to be fitted to 480 of its Royal Air Force vehicles as part of a six-month trial.

THE importer of Daihatsu has vowed to turn round the fortunes of the Japanese small-car marque in the UK, with new products leading the way. Daihatsu will be included in a fleet sales push under International Motors' custodianship.

HONDA has gained approval for public road testing of a new system which automatically controls the distance of the driver from the car in front. The Honda Intelligent Driver Support (HIDS) system can maintain a safe distance between two cars and also detect line markings to keep the car in its lane.

ONE of the top independent contract hire firms has pulled out of the corporate market, claiming it is impossible to compete against the new giants of the industry and sparking predictions of a revolution among the remaining players.

HOME improvements company Everest is set to become Britain's largest gas-powered fleet following its decision to replace its 600 vehicles with liquefied petroleum gas models. The Hertfordshire-based firm has already taken delivery of 125 gas-powered Ford Transits in a multi-million pound deal, part-funded by the Government-backed Energy Saving Trust's Powershift programme.

FURTHER acquisitions alongside significant organic growth will follow First National Vehicle Holdings' £170 million acquisition of Highway Vehicle Management. The Abbey National subsidiary has long-held ambitions to become a top-three player in the UK contract hire and leasing market by 2003 and that means increasing its now 65,000-strong vehicle fleet by at least a third.

UP-for-sale contract hire and leasing company ACL autolease and its Motorent subsidiary are expected to be sold within the next few weeks. The Standard Chartered-owned company announced almost three months ago that it wanted to sell its Chartered Trust subsidiary, which includes its vehicle leasing operations. A £700 million price tag was put on the company.

INCREASED mileage reimbursement rates for nurses have been published - seven years after National Health Service staff last saw fuel rates rise. The Department of Health said on Thursday - two days after the first 'Dump the Pumps' action day - that mileage rates set by the General Whitley Council were to increase by between 7 and 15%, backdated to July 1.

NEW car sales in 2000 are set to beat last year's sales figures with fleet business leading the way, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said this week.

FLEET diesel sales were fractionally down last month at 13,110 units from 13,252 in July last year, taking 2000 fleet diesel sales to 105,315 - 0.7% down on last year's 106,012 seven-month tally. The fleet diesel sales drop last month came despite total July diesel sales being up 2.8% at 22,581 and total diesel sales this year reaching 190,084.

ROVER is calling on fleets to 'buy British, buy quality' in a new drive to win back its place as one of the leading fleet suppliers in the country. New fleet sales director Angus Gray said his 'door is open' to any fleets which wants to talk to him and asked corporate car-buyers not to make assumptions about the manufacturer.

FLEETS are dumping the protest and keeping the pump - although some fleet managers admit to privately supporting the national call for fuel duty to be reduced. Organisers of the call to boycott the pumps -known as the 'Dump the Pumps' campaign - launched the campaign on August 1 and plan to continue it every Monday until Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown cuts UK fuel duties.

A VOLVO S60 compact sports saloon sitting between S40 and S80 models is to make its UK debut at the Birmingham International Motor Show on October 18. Aligned to compete with BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-class and Lexus IS200, prices will start from £20,650 for the entry level 180bhp 2.0T S and rise to £26,550 for the flagship 250bhp T5 SE.

BP has won a Green Apple Award 2000 for Environmental Best Practice in recognition of its work throughout its Clean Fuels Campaign this year.

PHASE II versions of Volvo's S40 and V40 models go on sale from September 1 featuring improvements to handling, comfort and the interior, subtle changes to the front and rear bumpers, and revisions to the 2.0-litre light-pressure turbo and T4 full turbo engines.

PRODUCTION versions of the Peugeot 206 coupe cabriolet will be unveiled at next month's Paris Motor Show ahead of UK sales starting at the end of the year.

BMW'S four-wheel drive X5 sports activity vehicle, which goes on sale in the UK in October powered by a 4.4-litre engine, will cost £46,300 on-the-road with Sports versions costing £47,465.

VAUXHALL'S new VX220 roadster will cost £22,995 on-the-road when it enters UK showrooms in November.

TWO cut-price versions of Mazda's Demio supermini have been launched. Demio Atlantis is based on the £9,000 on-the-road 1.3 LXi model but has blue metallic paintwork and an £8,500 price tag.

UP-FRONT fleet discounts could be reduced with companies receiving other benefits to make up the cash difference as manufacturers seek to keep in check dealer buying terms following publication of the Supply of New Cars Order 2000.