News - Page 2190

PEUGEOT'S 607 saloon is poised to make the French company Europe's leading top-range volume manufacture by 2001, managing director Frederic Saint-Geours claimed at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

SPECULATION is mounting that Fiat could be the next vehicle manufacturer to be bought by one of its global rivals. Industry insiders believe the chief job of former General Electric Company executice Paulo Fresco, appointed Fiat chairman 14 months ago, is to prepare the company for sale or merger.

HIGH performance versions of Saab's 9-3 and 9-5 ranges were revealed at the show, with all models entering UK showrooms within the next month. The 9-5 Aero is powered by Saab's 2.3-litre 230bhp turbo ecopower engine and it has a sports chassis with powered suspension, while the 9-3 Aero is powered by a new 2.0-litre 205bhp full pressure turbo engine and benefits from the same chassis development.

HONDA UK's successful partnerships with contract hire companies and fleets will create a blueprint for development of divisions throughout Europe in a major overhaul of the manufacturer's sales and distribution operations. In the UK, Honda sells half its output to fleets, but has been unable to achieve the same success in Europe, particularly in Germany, a key fleet market.

THE best-selling Lexus in the USA is to go on sale in the UK next September, taking the Japanese manufacturer into the luxury 4x4 market. The RX was officially unveiled as a concept car at the show but Fleet NewsNet can reveal that the vehicle pictured will be little different to the model which goes on sale costing around £35,000.

A CLASSIC engine written off by Rolls-Royce has made an underbonnet comeback as part of dramatic changes to upgrade the Bentley Arnage. The revered 6.75-litre V8 unit - dropped by the former Vickers plc-owned car firm in favour of a smaller, more economical powerplant from the BMW 740 - lies at the heart of a remarkable makeover set in motion only weeks after the Crewe manufacturer became part of the Volkswagen Group.

CADILLAC is expected to have a range of four vehicles on sale in the UK by 2004 as it seeks to increase its share of the European market, the brand's general manager John Smith told Fleet NewsNet at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Following Cadillac's 1998 entry into the UK market with the launch of the Seville the General Motors luxury brand has struggled to make its mark with sales for the first eight months of the year totalling 126 units.

DAEWOO was insisting British fleets would see business as usual, despite the financial cloud which has gathered its parent company. The Korean-based firm is in the process of being dismantled because of debts which have mounted to more than £30 billion.

AN elegant low-slung coupe packed with high technology features has revealed Volkswagen's ambitions for a share in Europe's fast-expanding market for luxury cars. Described simply as Concept D, the four-door prototype, which could cost more than £40,000, is providing Frankfurt International Motor Show visitors with the first glimpse of how the people's car maker is aiming to win business in the executive sector dominated by Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

BIG improvements with no increase in pricing is set to pave the way to further success for Volks- wagen's Polo, it was claimed at the show. VW Group chairman Ferdinand Piech said the company had strived to make significant improvements to a range which had made a major contribution to the achievement of all-time record sales to earn the company a 12% share of the world passenger car market.

THE smallest car to be produced by the Volkswagen Group made big news when the doors opened on the show. First, it was revealed that despite its relatively high price, the unique Lupo three litres of fuel per 100 kilometres economy model had won more than 2,500 customers only nine weeks after going into the showrooms.

DAIMLERCHRYSLER has given full backing to the management board of its Smart car division after the sudden departure of chief executive Lars Brorsen. 'Lars did a lot of work for Smart and his team has done an excellent job under difficult conditions,' said passenger car board member Jurgen Hubbert at the subsidiary's stand at the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

IN January, Volvo will reveal its new luxury estate car which the Swedish manufacturer claims will be the safest and most versatile model it has ever produced. But company executives were giving few details away.

THE all-new SEAT Leon is the car the Spanish manufacturer has been waiting for to put it on the fleet map, according to UK boss John Abbott. When it goes on sale in the UK next April it will plug the lower medium sector hole in SEAT's armoury and will rival such well established fleet favourites as the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 306 and Volkswagen Golf.

A SHOW of support for diesel fuels came from Audi at the show, with a commitment to invest heavily in the fuel as the key to cutting vehicle emissions. Audi's chief executive officer Dr Franz-Joseph Paefgen hammered home the importance of diesel to Audi at the launch of the new A2, which include a new three-cylinder 1.4-litre diesel engine as part of the line-up.

A LOTUS-developed Proton Persona GTi is hoped to bring a halo effect to the rest of the range. The project with Lotus, in which Proton has an 80% stake, created a 1.8-litre, 135bhp sports car capable of 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds. Sales are expected to be about 500 a year in Britain, when it goes on sale at the end of November.

ROVER'S new 75 model has taken the brand a long way towards winning back customer confidence, claims BMW chairman Joachim Milberg. Demand for the Cowley-built executive saloon has been so strong that production had continued uninterrupted through the summer holiday period and Sunday working had even been started, Milberg told a Frankfurt International Motor Show press conference.

A DRAMATIC transformation of the company car from the UK's favourite perk to an essential business tool has made it a 'soft target' for the Treasury, according to new research. The 1999 Lex Vehicle Leasing Report on Company Motoring has revealed a 42% decline in non-essential company cars over the past five years, and a 19% rise in essential company car users.

FLEETS could face higher insurance premiums for alternative-fuelled vehicles because of bodyshops' inability to repair liquefied petroleum gas powered vehicles. Research by accident and claims management specialist Cendant Claims Plus has found that three quarters of UK repairers have no idea how to repair LPG models.

THE millennium Fleet Show will be held from April 4-6 next year at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre. Organised by Fleet News, Fleet Show 2000 will reflect the business-to-business success of this year's event, which attracted almost 8,000 fleet decision makers over three days.

TRADE and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers has decided not to refer the acquisition by Associates First Capital of Newcourt Automotive Services to the Competition Commission.

THE Government's ambition to introduce a Greener Fleet Certification Scheme took a major step forward this week with the appointment of experts to devise a workable programme. A joint tender by Fleet Audits - whose managing director is Fleet NewsNet columnist Stewart Whyte - and AEA Technology (parent of ETSU, the energy efficiency and sustainable energy specialist) has won the contract to devise the scheme, due for launch next year.

EMPLOYERS of company car drivers who are stopped by police in Sussex for speeding or any other offence where road users are put in danger are to be sent letters informing them of the crimes. The initiative, to be officially announced by Sussex Police next week, is a pilot scheme which could be taken up by police forces nationwide.

BRITAIN'S road deaths have fallen to the lowest rate among industrialised nations with the exception of Sweden and Iceland, according to new Government figures. In 1998 there were 3,421 fatalities on Britain's roads - the lowest tally since records began in 1926 - and 5% down on 1997's figures, according to 'Road Accidents Great Britain 1998 - The Casualty Report'.

THE UK's top traffic police officer has called for a policy of zero tolerance towards motorists who break the 30mph limit. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Manning says that with 70% of motorists speeding in urban areas, the risk of injury and death to pedestrians, particularly children, is too great.

THE Government could lose as many as 100 seats at the next election if it sticks to its unpopular fuel duty escalator, according to the RAC Foundation. The independent campaigning and research body has analysed voting patterns from the last election and found that a 5-6% swing in key constituencies, particularly in rural areas where car dependency is high, would lose the Labour Party 100 House of Commons seats.

ROVER has pledged to maintain the brand names of Rover, MG, Mini and Land Rover despite the decision by BMW to scrap the Rover Group name. The change comes as part of BMW's restructuring of its loss-making subsidiary and follows the slow demise of the Rover Group board which over the last few months has seen successive directors quit or be given alternative posts within BMW's worldwide operations.

JET, the fuel brand of Conoco, has launched its own-brand ultra-low sulphur diesel throughout its national network of 600 filling stations. The move co-incides with the roll-out of up to 12 more liquefied petroleum gas refuelling stations to add to its six-strong network.

VOLVO's latest price list, which came into effect on September 1, sees metallic paint increase by £100 to £500 for all models. And there are changes to the on-the-road prices of the V40 range, which all increase by £150.

MAZDA has launched a new special edition model of its MX-5 sportscar, only available in racing green with tan leather interior. It is powered by the 140bhp 1.8-litre engine capable of travelling from 0-62mph in 8 seconds and a top speed of 127mph.