News - Page 2352

AUDATEX has clinched the UK's largest computer estimating system deal - worth more than £600,000 - with Renault.

THE RAC is test marketing a 'non use discount' scheme for members which is likely to be launched to its entire membership later this year - but fleets are set to be excluded.

THE Government has been warned not to damage residual values if it goes ahead with proposals to change the present August 1 registration plate system.

MAZDA is gearing up for what promises to be another record-breaking year for the importer as it attacks the UK fleet market - and particularly the user-chooser sector - on the strength of two new models.

PENCE per mile costs for the top three cars in each category are:

LEASECONTRACTS' new 1997 Company Car Cost Calculator underlines the importance for fleets of basing company car buying decisions on total operating costs.

LEADING accident management companies have launched an industry Code of Practice aimed at regulating their relationship with vehicle repairers. The Accident Repair Partnership's initiative aims to bring order to a bodyshop market rocked by the demise of accident management operators such as Fleet CARS and Drivemaster, which left a number of repairers out of pocket.

FORD has increased prices and announced specification enhancements on the Mondeo for 1997. The manufacturer has also confirmed it will in future publish on-the-road prices for all models by rolling the £470 delivery charge plus £25 for fuel and number plates into an all-in price, which will also include £145 road fund licence.

OVERALL cost control has overtaken rising fuel prices as the top priority for fleet managers according to the annual Fleet News survey of fleet managers conducted in conjunction with Lex Vehicle Leasing.

MOTORWAY is to double the size of its mobile fast-fit fleet less than six months after the service was launched. Announced at this year's Fleet Show, the mobile service was established in July with 50 vehicles, but the company has just ordered a further 50 Mercedes Sprinter 312 vans to meet growing demand from both private and business customers.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Constabulary has taken delivery of six new Rover 400 Series police cars - the first force to specify the vehicle. The Rover 416i saloon accelerates to 60mph in 10secs, has a top speed of 118mph and the police were particularly impressed by the driveability of the 400 which can accelerate in fourth gear between 30-50mph in 8.5secs.

FLEET driver training was at the top of the agenda at the Institute of Advanced Motorists' annual lunch as the organisation launched a new CD-ROM. The initiative received a ministerial seal of approval from transport minister and principal guest John Bowis OBE, who said company car drivers faced higher risks of an accident than private drivers.

NATIONAL Tyres and Autocare is offering free emissions tests in 85 of its outlets across the country. The initiative is part of a wider industry Clean Air Campaign launched by Fleet News on the Net's sister title AutoTrade which aims to address the issue of reducing vehicle emissions.

VAUXHALL and Renault have announced an agreement which will see two new vans enter the UK market and the Luton-based manufacturer compete fully in the light commercial sector for the first time for more than a decade. The agreement follows the signing of a letter of intent earlier this year by the two manufacturers. The terms of the agreement cover:

VEHICLE technology company Toad Group is to raise £7.1 million through a new share placing and open offer to fund the continued growth of the Cambridge-based company.

VIRGIN Atlantic Airways has signed a £37 million deal with the Rover Group and in the process has taken delivery of its 1,000th Land Rover vehicle as part of its upper class chauffeur-driven limousine fleet.

ROVER and Chrysler UK have both denied they are to co-operate to build cars in the UK and US. The denials follow press speculation that Rover parent company BMW is in negotiation with Chrysler in the United States over a possible joint venture.

THE Government is to launch a hi-tech crackdown on MoT test fraud and avoidance with a privately funded initiative to computerise the certification process.

JAGUAR is to move to quoting 'on the road' prices for all its model when price lists are next reprinted.

RECORD 1996 sales figures from Toyota are expected to be boosted next year with the manufacturer gearing up to launch four new models in the UK. Following six new launches in 1996 next year's four-strong line-up of new models will include a new Corolla and the electric RAV4 with five of the models destined for use in Jersey.

NEW Year price lists to be announced by Ford today will reveal the market leader has made its long-awaited switch to all-inclusive pricing. The move, following action by other makers earlier this year, confirms that the practice of quoting delivery charges as separate items is reaching the end of the road.

VAUXHALL Vectra residuals are proving the ice-calm glacier of the used car market according to CAP Black Book. The slow-moving easing of Vectra values is also helping residuals for the whole of the Vauxhall range stay firm.

KWIK-FIT has handled its 500,000th customer this year and will next year roll out a mobile vehicle servicing operation after acquiring a third of Hometune.

A BOLD new bid to capture a bigger share of the corporate market is to be launched by Seat. The revitalised Spanish company will set up a dealer-based fleet programme next month with the aim of doubling the number of vehicles it sells to British businesses over the next three years.

CAR Fleet Control has just signed up its 150th customer in the States three years after entering the market via US distributor Gaelic Fleet Systems. Gaelic sells a version of CFC's Fleetbase system which is intelligently modified to take account of the differences between running a fleet in the UK and US.

CAP analysts are reporting a 13.5% rise in used values year-on-year and an unusually buoyant last two months, but Glass's maintains the increase is much smaller and the seasonal decline in demand has been in line with expectations.

LIFT company Otis has awarded Rover the contract to supply 1,600 vehicles while retail giant Courts has placed an order for 300 vehicles.

FORD has built on its massive light commercial vehicle deal with British Telecom with a further contract to supply 11,000 vans worth around £112 million over two years.

THE Government has published its consultation document proposing changes to the August 1 registration plate system. The document was published early this week with the Department of Transport asking for comments by March 21, 1997.

FLEET operators face a massive increase in insurance costs if proposals paving the way for at-fault drivers paying the NHS for hospital treatment are adopted by the Government.