News - Page 2238

THE window for maximising residual values will narrow under the new twice-yearly registration plate change, so fleet operators will have to pre-plan and act swiftly to secure the best prices for ex-company cars. CAP Motor Research has advised fleet managers to buy cars early in the year so that in three years' time they sell those same cars between January and March which it predicts will the strongest resale months under the new system.

FLEETS are unlikely to buy cars from supermarkets and franchised dealers will not disappear even if Block Exemption is scrapped in the next decade, according to Vauxhall chairman and chief executive Nick Reilly. Vauxhall has 'no plans' to follow chief rival Ford and buy dealers amid suggestions that in the near future new cars could be bought at various retail outlets, particularly supermarkets.

HYUNDAI has revamped its Accent range for 1999 with rebadging of some models adding to further price cuts for some versions of between 3% and 6%.The 1.2-litre Accent Coupe Si becomes the Accent Bari Coupe and falls in price by £300 (down 3.4%) to £8,699.

VOLVO'S new diesel version of the S40/V40 will be available in UK showrooms in the next few weeks. The Renault-developed 1.9-litre direct injection turbodiesel used in the Megane, upgrades the existing Renault engine used in the S40/V40.

NISSAN is expanding its 4x4 Terrano II range with the launch of a five-door 2.7TD X-treme and a three-door 2.7TD SE with automatic transmission, both now available. The entry-level Terrano II X-treme has been available as a three-door since June 1997, and is on sale at £20,480 on-the-road as a five-door seven-seater powered by a 2.7-litre turbodiesel engine.

AUDI is recalling 9,000 A4 saloons because of a fault with the brake pedal.

NEWLY-formed Polar Motor Investments - a joint venture between Ford and Jardine Motors - is to buy Dagenham Motors for £28.3 million following agreement between the two companies. Dagenham Motors' shareholders were recommended to accept the 160p a share offer.

FORD is launching a new Ford Mondeo Zetec, available from next month with a series of engine improvements which will be extended to the whole of the model range. First previewed at the 1998 British International Motor Show in Birmingham, the Mondeo Zetec continues the sporting theme established by the Fiesta and Focus Zetecs.

TOWNS and cities could have a dramatic effect on inner-city congestion simply by making it easier to park. While congestion charging and workplace parking charges are being pushed forward by the Government as ways for councils to discourage traffic, Appian Traffic Technologies says providing better information on available spaces in car parks could be the solution.

FLEET drivers could face bills as high as £2,000 if they fail to get European breakdown cover while travelling abroad, AA Fleet Services is warning. It has launched a campaign to remind drivers and fleet managers that cars can be covered by a phone call to a single number, no matter what the size of the fleet.

SOUTH Kent Hospitals NHS Trust has selected British Car Contracts to supply its fleet of vehicles over the next three years. The change comes following the decision by the National Health Service Transport Managers' Association to set up its own car lease scheme in a deal for more than 10,000 cars.

PARKING Equipment and Services, supplier of parking barriers, ticket and payment machines and computer systems to airports and shopping centre car parks, has awarded a three-year solus contract to Nissan.

NISSAN'S Sunderland car plant is now the biggest in the UK following a record year of production in 1998 which saw the factory overtake Rover's troubled Longbridge plant to take top spot.

BUCKINGHAM-based Merlin Information Systems has awarded the contract to run its 28-strong vehicle fleet to Automotive Strategy.

VAUXHALL is increasing the number of Cadillac Sevilles on its fleet-specific demonstration fleet from two to 10 in the next few weeks to meet increasing requests from companies for the car.

ROVER Group is to open its own new parts operation in the UK following the expiring of the current 10-year contract with Unipart.

UNIPART has signed a new 10-year contract with Jaguar to supply virtually all parts to Jaguar markets worldwide.

TURNOVER at bodyshop network ABS is set to increase by 27% this year from £8 million to £21 million as a result of new business signed in 1998.

EUROPEAN medical supplier Coloplast has passed the management of its fleet to management company Alphabet, BMW's fleet and leasing subsidiary. Peterborough-based Coloplast runs a fleet of about 70 vehicles and chose Alphabet because of the quality of its customer care.

THE Government's £2 million Christmas anti-drink and drive campaign saw a 22% reduction in the number of positive breath tests and a 5% reduction in accidents, according to figures for the 43 police forces and England and Wales.

HIGH Wycombe-based software company Fleetway has gone into liquidation.

BRITISH businesses are losing £450 million a year because their fleet managers are failing to monitor fuel bills. A survey on behalf of the Department of Environment, Transport and Regions of 235 car and van fleets, involving some 18,000 vehicles, has found that only 10% of fleet chiefs knew their fleet's total fuel expenditure and even fewer knew how much their vehicles consumed.

FLEETS are waiting for Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's next Budget before reviewing their company car policies. A new survey of company attitudes on transport policy by Arthur Andersen's Human Capital Services practice has found that 84% of companies will review their fleet policies if company car tax changes.

BMW has sent engineering specialists from Germany to help Rover speed up the launch of its crucial new 75 executive model. A team of 70 experts is working to improve quality on the Cowley-built model, now in its critical pre-production stage.

DAEWOO has pledged its future commitment to the fleet market, despite the departure of its national fleet and sales manager Stewart Wright. He had been in the post for almost two years, but left suddenly last week following a 'fundamental difference of opinion' with the company over its future strategy in fleet.

FAST-fit operator Kwik-Fit saw 735p wiped off its share price on Monday after announcing that December's mild weather led to lower demand for replacement batteries, tyres and exhausts than previously expected. Shares slumped 14% to 462p after chairman Sir Tom Farmer said: 'Trading in December did not provide the seasonal uplift which we traditionally experience, perhaps due to weather conditions.'

FLEET decision-makers will get an early look at some of the most exciting cars to hit UK roads this year at the Fleet Show in April. Honda will be displaying its new budget-priced, four-wheel-drive HR-V (High Rider Vehicle) which is due for launch in March with a price tag starting about £13,000.

DAILY rental giant Hertz Europe is restructuring and merging some of its headquarters operations with those of Hertz UK. The efficiency drive will lead to job losses in back office departments, although neither sales and marketing nor fleet will be affected.

INTERNATIONAL property services company OCS Group has renewed its single badge deal with Vauxhall in a contract worth more than 1,000 vehicles during the next three years. OCS has 2,000 vehicles, three-quarters of which are Vauxhall product, and the Luton-based manufacturer has been an OCS supplier for the past 20 years.

THE residual values of upper medium cars are under severe pressure as used car buyers downsize into popular lower medium sector cars such as the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf. While company car drivers are still reluctant to downsize, despite the benefit-in-kind tax benefits of a cheaper car, buyers of second-hand vehicles are increasingly appreciating the value-for-money, specification and space provided by lower medium models.