Priority for proper road repairs should precede building new highways, said Welsh Assembly members. It comes after the Welsh Assembly's economy, infrastructure and skills committee launched a photo competition to highlight the state of the roads and a resident from Wrexham submitted the worst example along the A525. Jaguar Land Rover and unions have agreed to delay pay negotiations in … [Read more...]
Auto-industry on brink of disaster without deal
Ahead of this evening’s Brexit summit, Europe’s auto manufacturers and suppliers have come together to issue a stark warning on the potentially far-reaching impacts of a no-deal scenario on their sector, which would threaten their very business model. Automobile production plants – be they in the EU27 or the UK – receive and fit millions of parts into vehicles every day. All manufacturers rely … [Read more...]
Vauxhall rolls out new model for dealers
Following a successful pilot phase in the first half of 2018, Vauxhall has launched its new Retailer Recruitment Service. The brand has offered the service to its entire UK Retail Network via long-standing partner, GMD People. RRS is a tailored recruitment service that makes use of social media to attract applicants to vacancies. With average staff turnover rates in the retail automotive … [Read more...]
Tradelines 17 October
Following on from the first silhouette images, ŠKODA reveals the name of its new model – the ŠKODA Scala. The name derives from the Latin word ‘scala’ which means ‘stairs’ and is a step forward for the Czech car manufacturer in the compact hatch segment when it launches before 2019 and replaces the Rapid. Audi has been fined the equivalent of £702.54M by German prosecutors for violations … [Read more...]
European car sales crash after emissions cuts’ splurge
Western European car sales dropped 23 percent in September, according to LMC Automotive data, in the wake of a summer discounting splurge. Registrations fell to 1.05 million cars last month from 1.36 million a year earlier, the consulting firm said on Thursday. Its numbers are based on national sales data and estimates for some of the smallest markets. The new Worldwide Harmonised Light … [Read more...]
Congestion is threat to business growth
Congestion is increasingly becoming a critical business issue according to the latest research from the Mercedes-Benz Vans Business Barometer. Delivery drivers say that, on average, 16% of their working day is lost due to congestion, which means, based on a (very conservative) 8 hour working day this equates to 1 hour 17 minutes a day, or more than 6 hours across a typical working week, adding … [Read more...]
Car makers poorly prepared for new law
The European car market saw spectacular growth in August, recording the highest August result in the last twenty years. But this strong growth was artificial as registrations were boosted by stock clearances ahead of the introduction of tougher new emissions tests under the World Light Car Test Programme, or WLTP, on the 1 September. This is evidenced by unusual results in typically slow … [Read more...]
Tradelines 26 September
The FitCar PPV ‘prototype #2’ is based on a standard Audi A4 Avant 2.0L petrol TFSI auto, with the throttle replaced by a bicycle pedal mechanism and mated to a flywheel, which generates an electronic pulse to engage the accelerator. The car is powered as normal, delivering manufacturer specification performance and economy, governed by an active pedalling motion instead of the conventional … [Read more...]
Carmakers clamour for Brexit deal
A ‘no-deal’ Brexit must be ruled out now to avoid damaging one of the EU’s most valuable economic assets, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is warning. Time is running out, and negotiators on both sides of the Channel must prioritise the agreement of terms for a managed withdrawal and ‘status quo’ transition as soon as possible. ‘No-deal’ would undermine the industry’s ability to … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 September
JLR will go down to a three-day week from October. It has been hit by falling demand, particularly of the diesel engines it has heavily invested in and comprise nearly all UK sales, and hopes to avoid job cuts but is concerned about implications of tariffs and stock holding when the UK leaves the EU next spring. Motorists in north Wales face five weeks of disruption with the westbound A55 … [Read more...]