South Wales' FRF business has won the Toyota Best Retailer in Town Group award. Their Swansea dealership also collected the award for new vehicle sales in 2023. This is the 10th year of the Toyota BRIT awards which recognise the top-performing Toyota centres in the UK. FRF Group, winner of the Best Toyota Group award, is a family business that has operated in South Wales for more than 20 … [Read more...]
Agency dealers are giving poorer service
Adoption of the dealer agency model appears to be leading to poorer quality vehicle deliveries in at least some instances, says the Association of Fleet Professionals. Members of the organisation have complained of a fall in standards, with electric vehicles (EVs) being delivered with little charge and internal combustion cars with only a small amount of fuel. Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, … [Read more...]
Newcomers from VW, Audi and Skoda
The latest version of the Volkswagen Golf is available to order in the UK on 11 April – 50 years after the original model began what is now one of the biggest automotive success stories. This latest chapter in the story of the Golf features Volkswagen’s newest infotainment system – complete with ChatGPT integration and an intuitive operating concept – plus a sharper design that incorporates, … [Read more...]
Call for end to hybrid vehicles
Hybrid vehicles are an expensive farce rather than a stepping stone to electrified transportation, says the director of a charging point company. "Hybrid vehicles are undermining the important environment work to electrify the UK transport network," says Jack Parsler, Development Director of nationwide electric vehicle charge point installer Crystal EV. "Hybrid vehicles were heralded … [Read more...]
EV comparison tool to fix lower costs
UK drivers can now calculate the savings of going electric by using New AutoMotive’s new electric vehicle (EV) Dealer Comparison Tool. It’s the first EV only dealer comparison tool on the market, and the platform allows users to shop from hundreds of offers from the top EV dealers from around the country, helping them find the best deal possible on new electric vehicles. When drivers enter … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia EV9 GT-Line S AWD
Kia is riding the crest of a new wave with its range-topping luxury EV9 SUV this spring. The Kia EV9 achieved a remarkable dual victory at the 2024 World Car Awards at the New York International Auto Show in March, being voted World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle., taking KIA to five titles in the prestigious awards. Kia has given a strong incentive to buy an EV 9 which is now … [Read more...]
Welsh car registrations soar in Spring drive
Nearly 11,000 new 24-plate cars were registered in Wales last month. That's more than the combined sales for January and February months through dealerships, according to SMMT data. They were nearly 9% up on March 2023, and the same in the first quarter of the sales' year. Nationally, sales were up 10% across the country with 317,443 registrations and took the Q1 total to 544,777. The Ford … [Read more...]
Gone but not forgotten classics we still hanker for
Cars are discontinued as they become less profitable, powerful and able to compete within the market. It has already been announced that models such as the Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz C Class and Jeep Cherokee will be discontinued in 2024 and ATS Euromaster has used on-line search data over the last 12 months to determine which discontinued cars are missed the most: 1. Lamborghini Aventador – … [Read more...]
Grenadier marches into service at Badminton Horse Trials
INEOS Automotive is partnering with the Mars Badminton Horse Trials as its Official Vehicle Supplier until 2026. The three-year partnership will see a fleet of Grenadier 4X4s provide support for the event, which has been held at the world-famous Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire for 75 years. Visitors to the 2024 event, being held from Wednesday 8 until Sunday 12 May, will have the opportunity … [Read more...]
Plate change boosted by fleet registrations
The 24-plate change boosted new-car registrations in March, according to SMMT figures. But private buyers have put the brakes on pure electric purchases and the car makers want Government incentives to be increased to meet emissions targets.. March signals a twentieth month of consecutive growth for the automotive sector, a remarkable milestone for the industry, said Sue Robinson, Chief … [Read more...]