Honda Swindon will shutdown today. The car plant opened 36 years ago and helped Swindon build up its town and workers lives so the permanent closure announced in 2019 will be a blow to all concerned and their UK supply chain. About 3,400 worked in Honda but it supported 10,000 components makers in the UK after it began making engines in 1989 and the Accord (right) went into production three … [Read more...]
Pingdemic is punishing motor trade
Recruitment issues and the need for self-isolation are causing staffing issues across the remarketing sector, reports the Vehicle Remarketing Association. Chair Philip Nothard said that VRA members were experiencing issues finding staff to fill all kinds of long-term positions, and that the problem was being exacerbated by the ongoing short-term demands of self-isolation. “Obviously, we … [Read more...]
Fuelling pressure on the Government isolation plan
The government announcement to exclude essential workers from self-isolation requirements if they have been double vaccinated should be extended to forecourt workers, says the Petrol Retailers Association. Gordon Balmer, the Executive Director of the PRA has said, "We are well aware of supply issues in shops, primarily as a result of workers who are part of the supply chain including terminal … [Read more...]
New Jeep Wrangler gets latest petrol engine
For MY21, all Jeep Wrangler models will be fitted with the 2.0-litre 272hp Euro6D final petrol engine, combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This new engine results in C02 emission ranging between 243-251g/km, a reduction of 10g/km over the previous generation, when fitted to the Sahara, Overland and the new 80th Anniversary models, while the off-road focused Rubicon emits between … [Read more...]
Mazda driving joy comes in more models
The joy of driving is still very important to Mazda, says UK boss Jeremy Thomson. This week, Mazda UK commissioned 20 electric charging points at its Darford headquarters as more staff progressively returned to the office. However, the UK and Europe’s rush to turn on electric cars over the coming decade has not dimmed Mazda’s investment in the internal combustion engine. “Mazda has very … [Read more...]
Welsh company joins Ford project
Welsh specialist Ford Pro commercial vehicle converter MS-RT has joined the vehicle maker with a £4M centre at Dagenham from 2022. The Pontypool company’s styling business will continue and the expansion is purely to meet soaring demand for their models across the UK and Europe with up to 120 new jobs created in Essex when full production is reached after 2022. "We are delighted to be building … [Read more...]
Aston Martin plan 950ps hypercar
The first Aston Martin hybrid sports car will develop a combined 950ps from its 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine and twin electric motors driving front and rear wheels. The Valhalla has moved from concept to creation with its active aerodynamics and new eight-speed dual clutch transmission, racing tuned handling and suspension and will be the British company’s first mid-engined … [Read more...]
Government is threatening road safety – claim
Business group Logistics UK is dismayed by the announcement of the continued relaxation of drivers’ hours legislation until 8 August 2021. It governs the length of time which HGV drivers are legally expected to work and James Firth, the organisation’s Head of Road Freight Regulation Policy, explains the announcement will heap more pressure on drivers who are already stretched to the limit to … [Read more...]
Suzuki’s century of ideas & cleaner seas
They may be one of the smaller engineering companies, but Suzuki has consistently shown over a century that it’s the size of an idea which matters, not the business itself. Some 11 years before the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co was officially formed in 1920, founder Michio Suzuki pioneered a new type of textile loom design in 1909 after watching his mother using her labour intensive and … [Read more...]
Vauxhall cut price with new Grandland PHEV
Vauxhall has dramatically slashed prices with the introduction of the New Vauxhall Grandland. With new technologies, lower pricing, petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains, New Grandland comes in SE, SRi, Elite and Ultimate trims. The New Grandland is the latest model to feature Vauxhall’s new and bold design language with its distinctive Vizor front end. First deliveries of the New … [Read more...]