NEWS

KIA’S new UK managing director is the latest industry chief to call for an extension to the scrappage scheme.
As the £300m pot begins to run dry, Kia chief Michael Cole has told Car Dealer that he thinks the government must put more cash into the scheme.
‘I am genuinely worried about what happens after scrappage and [...]

LEXUS is to reconfigure its UK dealer network – and is ensuring every retailer is a part of the changes.

General manager Ewan Shepherd says the current retail network needs overhauling. That’s because it is geared up to sell far more cars than it actually does.
This is hitting retailer profitability.
‘Our network is built for sales volumes [...]

MERCEDES UK MD Dermot Kelly has added his name to the list calling for a scrap extension…
…But there’s a twist!
Not only would the Mercedes UK chief like to see the scrappage scheme continued but he’d also like to see it revised to be fairer on all manufacturers.
‘Our preference would be for it to be on [...]

TOYOTA has ‘no plans’ to offer a diesel-engined hybrid model, sales chief Andrea Formica told Car Dealer Magazine.
‘Diesel will continue to evolve hand in hand with hybrid,’ he said.
But the two will not be combined together; the cars would end up simply being too expensive!
‘Our approach is meant to make hybrid as broad an [...]

LEXUS’ new BMW 1 Series hybrid rival is expected to emit just 90g/km of CO2 when it hits markets in 2011!
General manager Ewan Shepherd revealed the LF-Ch’s headline-grabbing target figure to Car Dealer Magazine.
Under current legislation, this will make it eligible for FREE road tax.
He also expects it to be priced in the £21,000-£24,000 range.
The [...]

SEAT has signed a three-year deal to become the headline sponsor for football’s new Europa League.
It’s an arrangement that’s solely to raise brand awareness, said a spokesman.
The firm has conducted studies, showing that while SEAT is well recognised in Spain, brand awareness in the rest of Europe is not so good.
‘What’s the fastest way to [...]

TOYOTA bosses say their premium-priced IQ city car may not have reached volume goals, but it’s still a hit.
That’s because cars sold are going for a higher than expected transaction price.
Senior sales and marketing vice president Andrea Formica admitted the recent environment is ‘harder for the IQ.
‘We’re selling fewer than we thought, but the higher [...]

KIA UK managing director has told Car Dealer he wants to add 30 new dealers to his UK retail network.
He may only have been in the job just six weeks, but Michael Cole said there are some urgent open points that need filling as he moves to increase his 140 dealers to 170.
In a one-on-one [...]

VAUXHALL’S new Astra will debut a host of clever technology when its hits the road later this year.
The new car, unveiled officially at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday, will feature a clever ‘Opel Eye’ system that reads the road ahead.
The camera, mounted on the front of the dashboard, can tell drivers when they stray out [...]

PORSCHE is now able to review old customer prospects – and be rewarded with the sale of a brand-new car.
This is because, said the firm’s man here at Frankfurt, its product line now includes the cars they want to buy.
‘Previously, car buyers may have been interested, but they were excluded because we, say, didn’t [...]