FLEETS are being urged to keep a closer eye on their vehicles after new research revealed that 92% of two-year-old vehicles and 78% of one-year-old vehicles have damage outside the accepted fair wear and tear standards. The British Vehicle Rental Leasing Association/RAC fair wear and tear guidelines take into account slight damage to the vehicle in relation to age and mileage.
FLEET managers will get their first glimpse of the new Nissan Primera at the Fleet Show and have an input into its final UK specifications. The sneak preview at Alexandra Palace, London, will be the first time the car will be seen in public outside Japan, but only invited guests will be allowed through to the inner sanctum of Nissan's stand at the show, which runs from May 1-3.
IN the shadow of the Tyne Bridge, National Car Rental area manager Steve Greenham is making history as the first recipient of a ground-breaking Fleet News Scholarship. The scholarship offers a paid-for one-year place - worth about £3,000 - to take a Certificate in Management (Automotive Industries) qualification on the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association's Professional Development Programme.
CONFUSED thinking in Government over its environmental aims were exposed in the Budget as several key initiatives could actually increase pollution. Cuts in fuel duty in particular will lead to up to 500,000 more tonnes of carbon being pushed into the atmosphere every year, according to Tony Grayling, senior research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
FLEET sales remained stable last year while retail sales increased 3% as Ford dealership to Burger King restaurant group Gowrings reported a fall in pre-tax profits following several years of record results. Although the company sold more cars last year than in 1999, it blamed low manufacturer incentives and pressure on new vehicle prices for the downturn.
THE Comet Driver of the Year is John Christopher from the high street retailer's Chester division. The event, now in its 10th year, presented drivers with a series of challenges, which led to individual and group awards.
MAJOR fleet orders have contributed to dealership group Lookers reporting a 26% year-on-year rise in new car sales in a national market up 1.1% last year. The company says its strategy of investing in people to win 'customers for life' enabled the business to make headway in a challenging market.
DEALERSHIP to contract hire group CD Bramall has seen profits dented in what the company describes as a 'difficult' year for the motor industry. The company's results for the year to December 31, 2000 show pre-tax profits fell to £16.03 million (1999: £17.3m), and group turnover dropped to £839.3m (1999: £843.5m).
NISSAN has introduced the Navara double cab hoping to convince fleets it can be an attractive alternative to the traditional company car. Launched at this week's Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, the Navara has a payload of 1,004kg, and is classed as a commercial vehicle with a benefit-in-kind liability of £500 regardless of mileage.
BARLOW Handling has chosen LeasePlan to handle its fleet of 1,000 vehicles. The Maidenhead-based supplier of lift trucks and materials handling operation has a fleet of 700 company vans, mainly Ford, and 300 multi-badge cars.
KEVIN James has been appointed the new director of SEAT UK. James has worked in the Volkswagen Group for 14 years, and brings experience gained in group service, franchise development and finance.
POWER company Scottish and Southern Energy has bought 60 Land Rover Defenders and five Freelanders for its fleet. The vehicles were distributed through Tay Land Rover.
NISSAN has clinched two major deals - a £2.5 million contract for 300 cars with rental company Practical Car & Van Rental and a two-year agreement with Cambridgeshire-based contract hire firm Powermarque, to supply amore than 200 vehicles. The Practical package will see the company take delivery of more than 100 vehicles, mainly Micras, over the next month.
GATESHEAD-based Springfield Citroen has supplied Sheffield County Council's Direct Services operation with 35 Berlingo 600D X vans, 20 Relay 1000 short wheelbase vans and one Citroen Synergie 2.0 HDi Exclusive people carrier.
ELECTRONICS giant Siemens will have accident management for 3,300 of its 5,500-vehicle fleet provided by motor claims administrator Town and Country.
AUTOGLASS is offering its partners in the fleet industry the chance to win a trip to a Formula 1 motor racing World Championship race next year by taking part in its fantasy F1 competition. It is the only exclusive online league for the fleet industry.
OFFICIALS at the Inland Revenue have promised a redesign of a key form used by fleet managers following complaints that it could lead to major errors in company car tax calculations. The P46(car) form is a vital indicator of the company car tax that an employee will need to pay from having a company vehicle available for private use.
THOUSANDS of company car drivers are not aware of radical changes in benefit-in-kind tax taking place in April 2002, a new survey claims. The findings come in this year's 'Company Car UK' report from the Monks Partnership which questioned 198 companies running about 130,000 company cars.
THE value of cash alternative payments to employees who opt out of the company car have been stagnant for up to three years. Figures from the 2001 Company Car UK report from Monks Partnership suggest that, 'apart from at the most senior levels, the value of cash alternatives do not appear to have increased significantly over the past two or three years'.
MERCEDES-BENZ dealers will lobby the Department of Trade and Industry for support in their battle against the decision by DaimlerChrysler UK to terminate their franchises. The dealers claim the manufacturer's decision is just the latest measure in a string of anti-competitive, anti-consumer initiatives taken by DaimlerChrysler UK.
VAUXHALL has launched a strategic courtesy car fleet programme with bodyshops in an effort to protect residual values. Vauxhall hopes to win around 20% of the courtesy car market, with a structured two-year replacement cycle programme largely involving Agila and Corsa models, although some Astra and Zafiras will also be on the programme.
A SKILLS crisis is facing the fleet industry as it gears up for some of the most challenging changes in its history, leading employment experts are warning. Along with carbon dioxide-based company car tax in 2002, decision-makers have to grapple with major changes to Inland Revenue Authorised Mileage Rates and changes to fuel scale charges that are attempting to wipe out the perk of free fuel for private mileage.
CONTRACT hire is the number one method of company car acquisition in the UK as the slump in outright purchase continues. The latest Monks Partnership survey reveals that 42% of companies contract hire or contract purchase their company cars compared to 34% five years ago.
TRAINING took a back seat at leasing and rental companies last year as they battled with upheaval in the fleet market caused by major changes to the new and used car industry. A ground-breaking training programme from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association failed to attract members last year as the industry fought through one of the worst periods in its history.
A FAST-TRACK programme to provide in-depth training for fleet managers has exceeded its targets for attracting future fleet decision-makers over the past year and prompted the launch of a new programme, planned for this year's Fleet Show. Run by the Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM), it offers a fast entry into the basics of fleet management in a year compared to 18 months on a distance learning course.
VAUXHALL will complete its new Corsa model line-up when it launches SRi versions of its supermini in May. They will be available in 1.4 16v 90PS offering 39.2mpg on the combined cycle and 1.8 16v 125PS offering 35.8mpg in both three- and five-door guises.
A MORE powerful diesel Peugeot 406 hit showrooms this month using the 2.2-litre HDi engine from the 607. The new 406 produces 136bhp and is fitted with a particle filter to improve CO2 emissions, 168g/km for the saloon and 170 for the estate.
PROTON will be recruiting up to 60 new dealers to meet demand for its new Impian saloon in July. The new upper-medium sector car will be the first Proton entirely designed and developed by the company.
