News - Page 2209

ASHLEY Martin, editor of sister title Fleet News, was one of five journalists from the motor industry media to give evidence to the Competition Commission inquiry into new car pricing and the motor industry in the UK.

FLEET managers face a confusing picture over car reliability, with two new surveys offering differing pictures of how cars perform long-term. A JD Power and Associates UK Car Quality Study and a Consumers' Association survey published in Which? Car both rate Japanese models as the most reliable.

JOBS are in jeopardy as a shake-up gets under way within the corporate sales department of the Colt Car Company, official importer of Mitsubishi vehicles to the UK.

FORD's 130 Dealer Business Centres have signed up to a Business Customer Charter that guarantees their level of service and commitment to fleet customers. The charter aims to ensure consistency of service throughout the Business Centre network. Each centre will have at least four specialists trained to deliver a package of services and support.

ROVER has slashed the price and increased the specification of the 200 and 400 ranges for the second time this year in an attempt to make the range competitive in the fleet market. Today, most of the prices of both the 200 and 400 models are below the level they were at launch in the mid-1990s and with a higher specification, but Rover corporate sales director Steve Harris denies that these are the prices the two line-ups should have been at when launched.

A BID to make up lost ground on market share has prompted Ford to unveil a raft of special-offer deals on most of its passenger car range.

FLEET sales, not unexpectedly following the launch of the T-plate in March, dropped 6.7% year-on-year last month with only Vauxhall, Renault and Volkswagen of the major manufacturers increasing sector business.

A MASSIVE expansion in pan-European contract hire and fleet management business will be ordered at Cendant Business Answers (Europe) following its acquisition by Avis Rent a Car Inc.

FLEET buyers could be making trips to Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic next year as part of a drive to establish Skoda in the UK business car market. The visits are being planned after Skoda Auto vice-chairman Detlef Wittig said that the VW Group company was poised to spend £3million on a new visitor centre which will show potential customers how its cars are built.

FLEET buyers are being urged to give second looks to Kia cars as the company re-launches itself on the British market. Though it will be another three months before Kia Cars (UK) has formulated a structured programme for fleet sales, the Tunbridge Wells-based importer is inviting potential customers to ask for demonstration drives. 'This offer is open to every operator - we are not dictating a minimum fleet size in order to qualify,' said managing director Mark Quinn.

FORD is to spearhead the first demonstration programme in the world to place hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars on the road for long-term testing. A fleet of 45 cars and buses will take to the roads of California between 2000 and 2003 in a project whose other members include Ballard Power Systems and DaimlerChrysler - Ford's partners in a fuel cell alliance along with ARCO, Shell, Texaco, California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission.

FLEETS, fleet management companies, contract hire firms and the insurance industry are being warned that they could be shooting themselves in the foot in the constant drive to hammer down repair costs to 'suicidal' levels.

BOOMING credit hire and credit repair group Helphire is circling breakdown company Green Flag as a potential acquisition as it consolidates on a year of massive growth. It sees the breakdown recovery market as an ideal enhancement to its corporate strategy as recovery is often needed at the scene of accidents where non-fault drivers might also need credit hire and credit repair.

DIESEL car fleet sales continue to drop, with April's 2.7% year-on-year decline being followed by a 15.4% decline last month to 13,645 (May 1998: 16,126). Diesel car sales now account for a 17% share of the UK fleet market with registrations of 77,665 - 13.5% down on last year's five-month total of 89,748 which accounted for a 19% fleet sector share. Total diesel car sales last month were down 7.7% at 23,848 (May 1998: 25,851) with diesel car sales this year now totalling 137,579 - 10.1% down on 1998's five-month total of 153,040.

THE Government remains committed to introducing a carbon dioxide emission-based Vehicle Excise Duty regime in autumn 2000 despite reports that the plans are falling apart at the seams. As the £100 VED charge for vehicles with an engine of 1,100cc or less was introduced on June 1 - a £55 cut in the VED rate - the Government emphasised that it was still on track to introduce a completely overhauled system.

VOLVO has increased the price and specification of much of its range and introduced new engines to some models. Improvements include a whiplash protection system as standard on front seats throughout the range. The changes are revealed in its new price list, which has been published in both Sterling and Euros to make international price comparisons more transparent.

FLEET decision-makers continue to take a mixed view on the benefits of driver training, with some saying it's a waste of money while others claim to have saved thousands of pounds following a dramatic reduction in accidents.

FINAL registrations are called for as competition hots up for the 40 team places in the 1999 Five-A-Side Charity Challenge in aid of Motability, sponsored by sister title Fleet News, RAC and Royal & SunAlliance. Thirty-two teams from the fleet and motor manufacturing industry have so far formally registered for the tournament - to be held on July 3 at Villa Park - and seven more are trying to confirm their teams in time to secure a place.

A HIGH-PERFORMANCE version of the Octavia will soon be spearheading Skoda's campaign for fleet acceptance. Examples of the 1.8-litre turbocharged saloon are expected to be in the showrooms before the end of the year. Skoda UK director Rob Tracey said: 'This will be a flagship model which should speak volumes for the brand. With 150bhp on tap, it will offer a superb blend of quality, performance and practicality. We are aiming to offer it at about £18,500.'

FLEET managers' apathy towards effective road safety practices has caused the cancellation of a Brake Road Risk Forum seminar to promote the issue.

THE first new car from Kia following the acquisition of the company by Hyundai could be on sale in Britain next year, it was said at the Barcelona Motor Show. The Carens, the South Korean firm's competitor in the segment dominated by the Renault Megane, will be in Spanish showrooms later this year and is also destined for the UK market, according to Kia Motors Espana spokesman Javier Gutierrez.

SUSSEX Police is trialling 22 Toyota Avensis 1.6S four-door saloons with a view to potentially adding more of the vehicles to its 720-strong fleet, most of which is made up of Peugeot cars. The force is carrying out a six-month evaluation and ,if this proves successful, fleet manager Jeff Fox says more Toyotas could join the fleet.

PERRYS Contract Hire has completed an order to help renew the 300-strong fleet of information technology company Compel. The contract hire firm was one of three suppliers involved in the deal - the others were Alexanders Contract Hire and Lex Vehicle Leasing - and vehicles are run on a three- year/75,000-mile replacement schedule.

THE Driving Standards Agency has taken a further step towards revolutionising the way companies view the safety of their drivers. Two working groups have been formed from driver training organisations, associated bodies and the police which, during the next few months, will help the agency achieve its main goals of establishing a common training syllabus, providing instructor accreditation and creating a fleet safety benchmarking system, under which companies could make like-for-like comparisons of accident records.

THE future for battery-powered electric vehicles is bleak with cell-powered cars set to be on the road in five years, says a new report by The Economist Intelligence Unit. It says that Mercedes-Benz plans to launch a fuel cell powered electric vehicle by 2004 are at least five years earlier than previously predicted.

TOYOTA and General Motors have signed a deal to work together on the development of low emission vehicles including electric, hybrid petrol/electric and fuel cell cars. The manufacturers said the partnership would combine research and development efforts to focus on the advanced environmental technologies. Both said they would 'aggressively pursue' the development of a fuel cell vehicle.

NIGEL Fletcher has quit his position as head of fleet services at Swan National after more than 20 years with the company. A leaving date has not yet been confirmed and the Birmingham-based contract hire company is not saying where he is going.

THE number of drivers prosecuted after being caught on cameras speeding or running red lights has risen by 25% to nearly 400,000 in the last year - and more roadside cameras are expected to be installed.

ISUZU Truck has hit out at the 'macho' attitude of commercial vehicle drivers who are refusing driver training, even when it is offered for free. Since January, Isuzu has been offering every fleet and operator buying a vehicle a driver training package with Drive and Survive but so far the take up has been under 10%.

THE 'Well Driven? Good Van Code' has received a major endorsement following a contract with the combined fleet of Northumbrian Water and Northern Electric for the scheme to be rolled out to more than 1,000 vans. Run by the FTA and backed by Ford, the code commits operators and drivers to high safety and environmental standards. Code co-ordinator John Hix said: 'It is great news to have such a major utility taking up the scheme.'