News - Page 2337

PERKINS Technology - the consultancy arm of diesel engine experts Varity Perkins - has unveiled a prototype 3.0 V6 direct injection diesel aimed at executive and off-road vehicle manufacturers.

STOLEN vehicle recovery system provider Tracker Network has moved into profit in its third year of operation in the UK. The company has reported pre-tax profits for the year to December 31, 1996 of £210,000 compared with l995 losses of £1.613 million. The turnaround from loss to profit was achieved on a 22% increase in turnover up from £8.5 million to £10.4 million.

VAUXHALL is the first manufacturer to offer Phillips new CARiN 2 in-car navigation system as an integral part of the car. From next month, the GPS-based system will be available as a £1,500 option on Vectra and Omega.

FLEETLEASE has secured a deal to supply and manage the Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund's fleet of 90 vehicles. The London-based charity previously outright purchased its fleet, but decided leasing would be a more efficient option following a review of its vehicle operation.

BMW is aiming to improve its already excellent residual values by revamping its approved used car scheme to rival its new car marketing. The scheme is being extended to all BMW cars of any vintage - as long as they meet the strict qualifying criteria.

DAIHATSU'S rapidly expanding line-up will be joined in July by an all-new model - the Terios pocket 4x4. The newcomer will slot into the market currently dominated by the Toyota RAV 4 and Suzuki Vitara, but will have a significant price advantage over its rivals.

PARAMO Tools Group is turning its back on Peugeot after three of its eight diesel 405s developed cooling problems. The Sheffield-based company is now moving its 12-strong fleet over to Renault after one of its Peugeots needed the head gasket refitting five times and another needed a new engine - at a total cost to the company of more than £10,000.

LEASECONTRACTS' founding managing director Alex D'Adda leaves the fleet and motor industries at the end of the month after 40 years.

THE RAC and Fleet News are joining forces to challenge the fleet and motor industry to take part in a major five-a-side football tournament for charity. Hopes are high that 96 teams will sign up for the RAC-Fleet News Five-a-Side Charity Challenge with the aim of raising £4,000 for Motability.

A REVAMPED Fleet News Conference featuring nine leading economists, businessmen, politicians and industry experts will be held at Olympia in London on February 25, 1998, Emap Automotive has announced.

CAVERDALE, the motor retailing, industrial products and motorcycle accessories group, which also operates a small contract hire and daily rental business, has reported pre-tax profits up 28% to £5.4 million for 1996 (1995: £4.21 million).

PARAGON Group has doubled the size of its fleet with the acquisition of another leasing company a year after its purchase of RCR Contract Hire. The finance company, which was previously known as National Home Loans, has bought Airflow Streamlines' 2,000-vehicle contract hire fleet in a £4 million deal.

A LABOUR Party victory in the May 1 general election could signal a fuel price rise if a June mini-Budget is held, it was claimed this week. The latest monthly PHH AllStar fuel price report shows pump prices have remained static for the third month as the industry waits for the outcome of the election.

HONDA has appointed three new fleet executives in a bid to develop the most professional company car sales network in Britain. Ross MacKerron, Duncan Johnston and Andy Rowe have boosted the strength of the Honda (UK) regional sales team to 12 under moves aimed at fostering closer working relationships between the fast-expanding company and its 15 corporate sales centres.

GAS will be a driving force for candidates hitting the election trail. The three major parties have been provided with cars which run on LPG to help them take the 'green' route to political meetings. Three luxury Vauxhall Omega models have been converted to run on LPG in a novel bid to show prospective MPs that the alternative fuel is also practical to use.

POLICE fleets are being targeted to participate in an operational trial of gas-powered patrol cars. Half a dozen constabularies are already involved in the programme, which is part of the Energy Saving Trust's Powershift programme, and due to be further extended at next month's National Association of Police Fleet Managers' conference and exhibition.

Rover has signed a deal to supply Royal London Insurance with 2,000 cars worth £28.5 million at showroom prices. The cars will be delivered in July and August through a network of nine dealerships.

JAGUAR is recalling around 800 XK8s in the UK.

PRODUCTION of Ford's Probe is set to cease in June - but user-choosers itching for one needn't rush as current stock levels will last until the end of the year.

DIAL Contracts and Vauxhall Master Hire are among the first wave of fleet operators to hook up to the DVLA's award-winning electronic relicensing initiative. Developed over two years in conjunction with Cowie Interleasing, the scheme was rolled out to a wider audience at the beginning of the year and won the Special Award at last month's Fleet News Awards.

DAGENHAM Motors has announced record pre-tax profits of £5.12 million for 1996, up on last year's £5.11 million, following the reorganisation of its car sales division and the introduction of a range of cost-cutting measures in all areas.

PRE-tax losses at traffic information provider Trafficmaster increased last year to £3.41 million (1995: £2.48 million) on sales up 35% to £3.45 million.

SUBARU has beaten 32 other manufacturers to come out top of this year's annual UK Customer Satisfaction Study conducted by J.D. Power and BBC Top Gear from information provided by more than 16,400 owners and drivers of M-registered cars.

COMPANY cars with one-year warranties are costing fleets on average £143.35 more per vehicle in unreliability than those protected by three-year/60,000 mile guarantees. And with the three-year warranty battle hotting up as Ford this week followed Vauxhall and dipped its toe into the three-year warranty arena, new figures from Fleet Management Services reveal it would not cost manufacturers much to extend the increased warranty cover to fleets.

FORD has replicated Vauxhall's 'toe in the water' three-year warranty initiative amid increased speculation that Britain's leading fleet manufacturers will introduce the additional cover as standard on all new vehicles.

TRAFFIC congestion is a major problem for company car drivers causing late arrival for meetings, impaired job performance and increased cost to companies, according to a MORI's survey of 100 fleet managers for traffic information provider Trafficmaster.

FORD has restructured its light commercial vehicle sales department bringing together the previously separate sales and marketing functions under the direction of new commercial vehicles director Robin August. In addition five people have been recruited to boost the light commercial vehicle sales forces in pursuit of further sales.

FORD has restructured and simplified its Escort range incorporating a one price strategy which sees estate model prices cut by up to around £1,000 to give them price parity with four and five door models. In addition 1.6 16v 90 PS and 1.8-litre 16v 115 PS engined models are now available at the same price as are LX and Si models, CL models replace L models, a GTi Escort is to go on sale shortly and among specification changes LX - excluding the 1.4 - Si and Ghia models are now available with air conditioning as standard in lieu of a sunroof for an additional £250.