The National Motor Museum has appointed a new chair of its board of trustees to help drive ambitious plans for the future after celebrating its landmark half century. International lawyer Robert MacGregor, Senior Partner EMEA at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), will begin his new voluntary role at Beaulieu on October 15. His passion for cars was fuelled by his father Ian MacGregor, a … [Read more...]
Hiring
Holiday risks in driving abroad
Around eight million Brits drive abroad each year and 63% don’t checking the local driving laws. And now, motoring experts are warning drivers to be vigilant, or they could face hefty fines this summer. Research from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office found over two-thirds of Brits who have driven abroad have faced problems. And with over two in five (42%) Brits travelling overseas this … [Read more...]
Beware holiday hire car insurance rip-offs
Avoid getting burned on a foreign holiday with a hire car, says Chris Adams, Operations Director at the Brindley Group. “Feeling burned – and not because of the sun – isn’t exactly the ideal start to your summer holiday. On the road to hiring a holiday car, there can be rip offs aplenty, so you should know what to watch out for," he said. Going with a name brand like Hertz or Europcar can seem … [Read more...]
Rental-car hire costs up this summer
If planning a holiday this summer, beware of rising car hire costs. A 12-country study of car hire costs worldwide reveals that the average weekly price to hire a compact family car (e.g., a VW Golf) this summer has rocketed to £520 a week, compared to just £310 in 2019, an increase of £210 – a 68% rise. However, this is around £100 cheaper than last year’s highs when the average weekly hire … [Read more...]
EV discounts arriving to lift sales
Discounts are starting to appear on new electric vehicles for really the first time since they entered the mass market, delegates were told at the Association of Fleet Professionals 2023 Conference. Recent price cutting by Tesla and the arrival of new manufacturers from China were both helping to create a more competitive environment, alongside a gradual ramping up of production volumes … [Read more...]
Car sales slowly rising again
The momentum in new vehicle sales has continued with strong growth across electric vehicles, hybrids and petrol vehicles and is expected to continue through the summer months, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association. In May, a total of 145,204 new cars were registered, an increase of 16.7% from the same period last year, according to the Society of Motor … [Read more...]
Banks must finance more EV deals
Almost six out of 10 dealers (58%) believe that more support is needed from their motor finance providers to retail electric vehicles, shows new research. May’s Startline Used Car Tracker reports that 41% say their lenders are less keen to finance EVs, 10% want higher deposits from buyers and 5% charge higher interest rates. A further 5% say their lenders simply won’t touch EVs at all. Just … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 May
Here are the first views of the next generation MINI family, with Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design. Each new MINI model gains its own strong individual character that is expressed in distinctive design features, while exuding individuality with a clear brand affiliation and sustainable materials are another essential part of the new design language. Another Chinese manufacturer will be … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 May
Supercar club Auto Vivendi has added 12 new models to its collection in a week. Among the newcomers are Ferrari SF90, McLaren Artura (above), Lamborghini Urus Performante and Morgan Super 3, with more Ferraris and a Maserati MC20 Cielo coming soon. Over 27 million British drivers experience road rage at least once a month, mostly on the morning commute, reports iCompario business comparison … [Read more...]
Tradelines 10 May
Responding to feedback from members, the Independent Garage Association (IGA) has added a new EV Practical Fault-Finding course to its suite of high-quality, cost-effective skills training. The one-day course will focus on real-world faults that have been identified by IGA members as frequently affecting their customers’ vehicles and will be delivered at various RMI training locations, with the … [Read more...]