NEWS

HERE’S the most interesting and talked about stories over the past five days, collated and summarised by us. Monday, December 5 CHINESE car maker Geely is to arrive in the UK in 2012 and is on the prowl for dealers. Read more MANHEIM Auctions has found 2.5 million motorists won’t be changing their driving style [...]

THE industry’s self-regulatory body Motor Codes has opted to suspend its Vehicle Warranty Products code of practice. Motor Codes took the decision to suspend while it investigates protection given to motorists in the event of a warranty product retailer entering administration. A recent case of retail business failure highlighted that the security of ring-fenced funds [...]

AMONG the high tech launches and downright insane concept cars, one motor show standard remained at Tokyo this year – the girls! Despite the fact we’re well into the 21st century it appears no car manufacturer stand is still complete until it has been adorned with some scantily clad women. Obviously, in the name of investigative [...]

USED car values end the year with smaller falls than usual for December, reports CAP Black Book. According to CAP, the average reduction in used car trade values of 1.8 per cent reported in the December edition of benchmark price guide Black Book was smaller than the historical ‘norm’. The unusual stability in used car prices [...]

JAPANESE firm Nissan has developed a new version of its GT-R for drivers who want an extra edge on the race track. As Car Dealer revealed in October, the new version will be called the ‘Track Pack’, and offers a more hardcore package for the keen driver. Externally the Track Pack is identified by lightweight [...]

MARSHALL Motor Group could be one step closer to entering space if they get enough votes in a unique, worldwide competition. Marshall’s Richard Fuller, who heads the dealer group’s digital team, has entered a competition to have a once-in-a-lifetime trip into space. Fuller is up against 14 people from countries including the USA and Canada, [...]

THE BMW Group has reported record sales in November with sales climbing to 138,978 vehicles. November 2011′s sales amounted to an increase of 7.7 per cent over the previous year. Global sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles rose to 1,510,862 units in the first eleven months of the year. That’s 14.5 per cent [...]

YEOMANS Toyota Eastbourne has been named the nation’s best Toyota Centre in the first Toyota Retailer Excellence Awards. The honour was announced at Toyota’s national conference at the NEC, Birmingham, on December 1, together with a series of other awards recognising high achievement in sales, after sales, and customer satisfaction. Martin Mortimer, centre principal, received [...]

THE problem with electric cars is they are just a little bit too boring, right? Well, they won’t be if Nissan’s head of R&D gets his wish. Mitsuhiko Yamashita, head of research and development for the Japanese manufacturer, wants the next GT-R to be electric powered. This year’s Tokyo Motor Show has been dominated by [...]

NEW car registrations fell 4.2 per cent in November, the latest figures from the SMMT reveal. 134,027  cars were registered in the month but was some 5,000 above forecast, and the market looks set to better full year forecast of 1.923m units. ‘While the November new car market saw a 4.2 per cent dip, the [...]

AVERAGE used car values improved by nearly four per cent in November compared to October, new data suggests. BCA’s latest pulse report showed the rise was due to ‘well balanced supply and demand’ in November. On average, values rose by £238 (3.9 per cent) to £6,201, the second highest value on record since the market [...]

CHINESE car firm Geely is heading for the UK new car market, with models arriving at the end of next year, it’s been announced. The firm, which also owns Volvo, will begin importing the Geely Emgrand EC7 – a Skoda Octavia-sized hatchback with a price tag of around £10k. The car recently scored four stars from [...]

A BRAND new website has just been launched by Carbase.biz with the help of web provider AutoExposure. Carbase.biz, the largest independent used car dealership in the south west, has created a new site to significantly enhance its customers experience and help drive enquires and sales. Any potential customer can now not only search for their [...]

SUNDERLAND Football Club is switching to green after taking delivery of a brand new Nissan Leaf. The Leaf joins the club’s existing fleet of vehicles and will be used by staff in and around Sunderland as they go about their daily business. Senior vice president of Nissan Europe, Trevor Mann, handed over the keys to [...]

TUCKED behind a huge red garage door on an unassuming industrial park in Japan is a mecca for Nissan fans. In neat rows, glistening under bright neon lights, 405 cars chart the Japanese manufacturer’s past in a home dubbed the Nissan DNA Garage. Le Mans race cars sit alongside rally stars, punctuated by many milestone [...]

TIMES are hard but sales are booming at on-line sites such as Amazon and eBay as savvy punters look to stretch their ever diminishing purses. So with a large purchase item such as a car, wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to simply cut out the middle man and get the car of your choice [...]

HERE’S the most interesting and talked about stories over the past five days, collated and summarised by us. Monday, November 28 TOYOTA has revealed its new two-seater, rear-wheel-drive sports car – the GT 86. It arrives at dealers in June. Read more LUXURY brand Maybach will be axed in 2013, says Daimler’s boss. Poor sales [...]

LAST day in Taiwan today. I’ve been in the Far East — along with press colleagues from Japan, Germany and Canada. We’ve been visiting and learning about companies taking part in next April’s EV show in the capital Taipei. Today we have two more factory visits lined up. So… after joining my colleagues in the [...]

NISSAN wants to roll out fast charging points for electric cars in motorway service stations across the UK. The firm’s UK managing director Jim Wright revealed the Japanese car maker was in ‘advanced talks’ with service station operators about introducing the points which can recharge EVs by up to 80 per cent in just 20 [...]

LEX Autolease and BCA will stage the UK’s first ever auction dedicated to environmentally friendly hybrid models. The sale will feature up to 50 popular hybrid models direct from Lex Autolease. Cars such as Toyota Auris and Prius, Honda Civic, CR-Z and Insight and Lexus RX will be on offer at BCA’s Blackbushe site on [...]