News - Page 2181

MITSUBISHI gave a UK debut to its new Shogun Pinin and 2000 model year Challenger at the London Motor Show. The Pinin is the first 4x4 Mitsubishi to be designed in Europe, and was styled by Italian designer Pininfarina.

SHADOW secretary of state for transport, environment and the regions John Redwood seized the opportunity of the London Motor Show to attack the Government's transport policy. He described the event as 'stunning' and praised manufacturers' efforts to make their cars as economical and environmentally-friendly as possible

ONLINE new and used car buying service Autobytel is planning a major assault on the fleet market to persuade the industry about the benefits of electronic commerce. The move comes as the firm prepares to announce the launch of a trial project with a major daily rental company to help it dispose of vehicles.

VOLKSWAGEN revealed the £48,800 on-the-road mobile office at the London Motor Show and, depending on demand, the Business Caravelle could go into right-hand-drive production. The Caravelle has previously been seen as more a commercial vehicle with seats, with the Sharan being the marque's people-carrier.

JAGUAR has confirmed reports that it is investigating the introduction of diesel engines into its range for the first time. The manufacturer is looking into diesel options for its smaller cars, such as the S-type and forthcoming X400.

THE Institute of Car Fleet Management will hold its annual conference on Tuesday, November 2 at The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. The conference will focus firmly on the future and address the environmental, fuel, taxation and cost control challenges that face fleet managers in the next millennium.

USED car service, maintenance and warranty firm Motoreasy is strengthening its service provider network through alliances with Apples Car Clinics, part of the Kwik-Fit group, and HMC Fleet maintenance centres.

FOUR times Fleet News Award winner Simon Boggis, group fleet procurement manager for TNT UK and Eire, was due to be featured in an expose on the company car on this week's Top Gear. Boggis is interviewed in a 10-minute slot.

MITSUBISHI confirmed this week that all vehicles of European specification sold officially through its authorised UK dealers are year 2000 compliant. Non-EC specification vehicles may not be 2000 compliant because only European models use computer chips which do not need date, month or year data.

AVERAGE UK fuel prices are increasing and there is a growing disparity between the most expensive and cheapest places to refuel, according to the latest PHH Vehicle Management AllStar fuel report. Highest, lowest and national average fuel prices are recorded in 41 towns and cities across the UK.

COPIES of this year's Fleet News FN50 guide to the top 50 contract hire firms in the UK are on sale for £25. The publication includes analysis of the contract hire industry.

EXHIBITORS have heaped praise on the location, format and content of this year's Fleet Show, reinforcing the importance of next year's show as the biggest event in fleet. These are the findings of an independent survey of 140 companies exhibiting at the show by Key Business Communications Solution.

THE Allen Group of 26 companies, including Speedy Hire Centres, Allen Homes and Allen Build, has installed Car Fleet Control's Eurofleet software system to manage its 1,450-vehicle fleet.

BRISTOL-based telecommunications supplier Call Centre Technology has awarded a solus fleet contract to BVMS, Dial Contract's division for Barclays corporate customers. The company has taken delivery of 20 identical metallic silver BMW 3- and 5-series models on a three-year contract.

INSURANCE company ACE-INA has appointed Fleetlease in a £2.5 million sale and leaseback deal for its 250-strong prestige car fleet. Fleetlease has been working with ACE-INA since the company decided to review its entire fleet requirements in a bid to introduce clearer management controls and reduce costs.

FORD earned a record $1.1 billion (£660 million) in the third quarter of this year - the manufacturer's 14th consecutive quarter of improved earnings - after sparkling figures in the North American market offset European losses. The manufacturer recorded a loss of $171 million in Europe between July and September, compared with a loss of $273 million in the same period of 1998.

A CONCERTED effort to improve margins, build personal leasing business and ensure accurate residual value forecasting has seen gross profits at Fleetlease increase by 3% to £4.2 million. Its parent company Hitachi Credit (UK)'s interim results until September 30 reveal that Fleetlease's volume of business reduced by 6% compared to the same period of 1998.

LEASE Plan has won a contract to supply the Pernod Ricard Group in the UK. The leasing and fleet management company has a well-established relationship with Pernod in France for the supply of 900 vehicles, and has just won a 145-vehicle leasing contract for the UK fleet of Pernod subsidiary, Campbell Distillers.

PEUGEOT UK managing director Tod Evans renewed his attack on the Government's anti-diesel policy in the London Motor Show's most political speech. Once again arguing that diesel was 'the real technology of the future' because of its environmental qualities, he said: 'The uniquely British view that diesel cars are inherently noisy, dirty and smelly, and might even harm public health results from the unpleasant experience of old technology diesel in old buses, lorries and taxis, and a steady stream of misinformation.'

THE Government's tax-raising agenda at the expense of the motorist has been attacked by Peugeot managing director Tod Evans, who made renewed calls for a scrappage tax to be introduced to remove old, polluting cars from the UK's roads. Describing the Government's position on escalating levels of indirect taxation to penalise car ownership as 'wrong', Evans said: 'If the Government truly wishes to accelerate the greening of the environment, it could move to make the car parc younger and, therefore, less polluting, by seriously evaluating the introduction of a scrappage tax.'

THE AA and RAC were setting out their battle plans for the future now they have put the uncertainty caused by changes of ownership behind them. Both companies were focusing on how new technology will help them to provide a more efficient service to customers and allow them to develop new products in future.

LIQUEFIED petroleum gas will be the most affordable, environmentally-friendly fuel for at least the next seven years, according to the head of Vauxhall. Nick Reilly, chairman and managing director of Vauxhall, said LPG offers the UK vehicle parc an immediate solution to reduce emissions. His comments coincided with Vauxhall's winning of the world's biggest yet LPG fleet deal - a £50 million contract for 3,200 dual-fuel Astras, Vectras and Omegas with Drive Assist.

BMW is poised to launch two new compact executive diesel models which it believes will 'bury the popular perception of diesels as noisy, smelly and dirty once and for all'. The four-cylinder 320d Saloon which made its debut at the London Motor Show and is on sale now, while the second is the larger six-cylinder common rail 3.0-litre 184bhp 330d SE which will reach showrooms early in 2000.

CHRYSLER is entering a new phase in its UK history and the corporate market is set to play an increasingly vital role in its long-term strategy. On January 1, 2000 Chrysler Jeep Imports UK officially ceases to exist and a new company, DaimlerChrysler UK, will be launched following the global merger of the two companies announced last year.

NISSAN will change every one of its UK models in the next 30 months and launch into a new sector of the market. The programme of model renewal and development will be funded by massive savings in the debt-ridden business from Nissan's collaboration with Renault.

MAZDA has realigned its 323 range to avoid cross-over with the new, facelifted 626 which enjoyed its world debut at the London Motor Show. The initiative sees average savings of £350 across the 323 range to prevent overlap with the 626, although the top-selling 323, the 1.5 GXi, now costs £700 less at £13,750 on-the-road.

THE revolutionary Chrysler PT Cruiser will enter UK showrooms in summer 2000 after right-hand drive production models roll off DaimlerChrysler's Mexican production line. The five-door PT Cruiser, with its design cues taken from classic American cars, features both contemporary and nostalgic design ideas.

SEAT has admitted it has so far failed to market its cars, particularly its new Toledo, to fleets and its only-satisfactory sales performance in the last year is to be tackled by a renewed sales push. The focus for the VW-owned manufacturer at the London Motor Show was to launch what it called the 'missing link' in its range, the four-wheel drive, six-speed transmission Leon.

MERCEDES-BENZ has enjoyed its most successful year yet in the UK, selling more cars in the first nine months than it achieved during the whole of 1998. The German manufacturer capped its appearance at the London Motor Show with the unveiling of the stunning CL coupe, which goes on sale in early 2000 powered by a 5.8-litre V12 367bhp engine or a 5.0-litre 306bhp V8 engine.

THE international success of the Peugeot 206 car has resulted in delays to the 206 van reaching showrooms. Peugeot initially announced that the 206 van would make its show debut following its world launch at this year's Fleet Show at the NEC, Birmingham, in May.