News - Page 2374

KWIK-FIT Fleet has become the first fast-fit operation to join the OASIS smart card-based electronic trading community. Managing director Ron Bambra - who was instrumental in floating the concept of a smart card with fleet applications - announced that the first Kwik-Fit outlets would go on-line as OASIS service providers within the next two months.

THE 1997 Fleet Show will be held on April 29 and 30 and May 1 and 2 at Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire. Organised by EMAP Automotive and sponsored by Fleet News in conjunction with the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association next year's event will be the 15th Fleet Show.

FLEETS are to be further restricted by HM Customs & Excise in their bid to recover VAT on company cars back to 1973.

THE contract hire industry has nothing to fear from new accounting proposals which - if adopted - would make leasing less attractive to companies looking to keep their fleets off-balance sheet.

A TEAM from Sussex-based Automotive Leasing has completed the Three Peaks Challenge and raised £5,500 for Feed the Children in the process.

FLEETNET, the fleet industry's electronic data interchange organisation, will be holding its annual open day meeting on September 26. The meeting, to be held at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, will be 'An Introduction to EDI - EDI the Business Tool'.

PROTON has announced significant specification and model badging changes to its Compact range of three-door hatchback models.

A MOTORCYCLE distributor is planning to break into the fleet market with a novel, fold-up moped. The idea is that rental cars could be delivered to the fleet operators' doors and then the delivery driver would assemble the moped and ride back to base.

GAS and chemicals manufacturer Air Products has switched its fleet to City Diesel in a move designed to reduce its impact on the environment. The Surrey-based company's 400-vehicle company car fleet is 90% diesel and the move follows a similar policy change on its transport and distribution fleet.

DIAL subsidiary, Network Vehicles, has clinched a deal to supply cars to rugby stars at London Welsh in anticipation of the start of the new season.

NEW chief executive at Lex Service is Andrew Harrison, who takes over from September 2.

NORTH Wales based Clwyd Wirral Purchasing Consortium has taken delivery of its 1,000th lease car from Lookers Planned Motoring.

NISSAN has announced a series of changes and a price rise on its four-strong Serena MPV range. The model line-up has been changed to be consistent with other Nissan models and sees 1.6 litre petrol and 2.3 litre diesel GX models replace LX versions and the range-topping 2.0 litre Excursion replace the SLX. The 2.3 litre diesel SLX grade remains unchanged.

GODFREY Davis (Contract Hire) has revealed a new corporate image, following an expansion in the scope of its business. The new look features a modern logo, and the strapline 'Managing Your Fleet'.

FLEETS operating minibuses with seatbelts fitted retrospectively have been advised to have safety checks carried out on them by franchised dealers.

THE Finance and Leasing Association is backing another attempt to crack down on vehicle clocking with an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons. A coalition of MPs from all parties have sponsored the early day motion proposing the establishment of a national register of vehicle ownership.

By sales sites 1. Evans Halshaw - 74 2. Lex - 711 3. Inchcape - 59 4. Appleyard - 53 4=Lookers - 53 6. Hartwell - 51 7. Pendragon - 47 8. Caledonia - 40 9. European Motor - 36 10. Reg Vardy - 34 By franchises 1. Appleyard - 93 2. Evans Halshaw - 91 3. Lex - 82 4. Pendragon - 73 5. Lookers - 69 6. Inchcape - 67 7. Hartwell - 61 8. European Motor - 50 9. Caledonia - 48 10. Reg Vardy - 47

By sales sites 1. Evans Halshaw - 74 2. Lex - 711 3. Inchcape - 59 4. Appleyard - 53 4=Lookers - 53 6. Hartwell - 51 7. Pendragon - 47 8. Caledonia - 40 9. European Motor - 36 10. Reg Vardy - 34 By franchises 1. Appleyard - 93 2. Evans Halshaw - 91 3. Lex - 82 4. Pendragon - 73 5. Lookers - 69 6. Inchcape - 67 7. Hartwell - 61 8. European Motor - 50 9. Caledonia - 48 10. Reg Vardy - 47

FOLLOWING moves towards all-inclusive pricing by Saab, SEAT, Volkswagen and Rover earlier this year, the rest of the industry is expected to follow suit and ditch delivery charges in the near future.

CONTRACT hire companies could be overestimating the P-plate premium they are placing on August contracts if Government plans to scrap the annual registration plate change go ahead.

GE Capital Fleet Services in the UK has appointed Jonathan Burr as managing director in succession to Dan Farrar, who has returned to the US. Burr, who takes control of all GE's fleet businesses in the UK - Avis Fleet Services, Leasecontracts and Cochranes Fleet Services - was previously GE's managing director for Avis Fleet Services, Benelux.

HONDA is the latest manufacturer to switch to the new EC fuel consumption criteria when publishing mpg figures for its vehicles.

CITROEN has announced special contract hire offers for its C15 Champ and Relay vans and chassis cabs, starting from as little as £28 + VAT per week. The contract hire deals are available until September 30, 1996.

LEX Corporate Sales has appointed Paul Roberts as director of its key fleet sales division. Roberts, who has acted as caretaker in the role for the last two months, fills the vacancy created by the departure of Gary Spellins, who left to join GE Capital in May.

REG Vardy has appointed former Arnold Clark Contract Hire general manager Denis Keenan to spearhead its foray into dealer-based contract hire. Keenan is aiming to have the new operation - Vardy Contract Motoring - up and running throughout the dealer group's 41 outlets within nine months.

MITSUBISHI has launched a saloon version of the Carisma in time for the August sales boom. The Netherlands-built car is expected to take 25% of Carisma sales in the UK in a full year and will share both specification and prices with the existing five door model.

DEMAND for air conditioning in cars is rising, with 55% of motorists saying they would like the feature fitted in their next car, according to a Vauxhall survey. Air conditioning is already offered as standard on an increasing number of vehicles and Vauxhall believes that demand will result in its cost falling, with the bonus of lower company car tax bills.

VOLKSWAGEN is gearing up for its biggest UK launch - the arrival in November of the new Passat in the ultra-competitive upper medium sector, including Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra, Citroen Xantia, Peugeot 406, Renault Laguna, and the new Nissan Primera.

MOTABILITY was established in 1977 to provide disabled people with cars using their DSS disability allowances to meet all or part of monthly contract hire charges.

THE National Audit Office has given disabled mobility organisation Motability a clean bill of health - but highlights several areas where there is room for improvement following a lengthy investigation into its operations.