Britain's new car market rose 1.2% in August, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The growth, albeit marginal, is the first seen since February with some 68,858 new vehicles joining the road during what is typically the second quietest month of the year as many buyers choose to wait for a ‘new’ numberplate in September. In Wales, new registrations declined the most in the UK … [Read more...]
Industry
Newslines 5 September
A Ford Escort RS Turbo driven by Diana, Princess of Wales, and seen in many photographs has sold for £650,000 at auction. The black Escort driven by the late royal from August 1985 to May 1988, went to a UK buyer at the Silverstone Auctions last week and including the auctioneers premium cost £730,000 in total. Five months ago on 1 April Honda broke with news of its Co-Pilot front … [Read more...]
Manual cars are dying out among learners
Practical driving tests will soon be conducted almost exclusively in automatic electric cars, according to one electromobility expert. Emma Loveday (below), EV Consultant at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, explained that young people learning to drive in automatic vehicles will ‘soon be the norm’ as consumers become more environmentally conscious and cost savings for green transport become more … [Read more...]
Range Rover is top of flops
Land Rover Range Rover is the most unreliable used car, according to Warrantywise’s annual Reliability Index. Warrantywise, the country’s leading extended car warranty provider, reveals that Land Rovers, BMWs, and Porsches take up seven out of ten of the least reliable models from the Reliability Index data range. The data, only including cars that are less than ten years old, outside of … [Read more...]
Newslines 2 September
The unique West Country-made 155mph Ariel Hipercar is going into production in two or four-wheel-drive at close to £1 Million with a 28 months waiting list. The High Performance Carbon Reduction two-seater electric supercar weighs 1,500 kilos and hits 100mph in 4.4secs with 880kW or 1,180bhp in standard form using a Cosworth battery pack good for 150 miles but it can also be recharged on the … [Read more...]
Are EVs green or greenwash?
Thousands of drivers who collect the keys to a brand new ‘72’ plate electric car tomorrow will have a nagging doubt at the back of their minds as they glide silently off the forecourt – are battery-powered cars truly better for the environment, or is zero-emission motoring just ‘greenwash’ hype? Sales of electric cars are soaring, up 49.9% year-on-year (January to July), as motorists take … [Read more...]
Dealers and makers’ reputations bashed by delays
Car manufacturers and dealers are suffering reputational damage as a result of unavoidable supply chain disruption, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. While two-thirds (66%) of consumers considering a new car say they understand the difficulties involved, nearly half (48%) say the delays negatively impact their perception of motor dealers. A similar proportion (46%) say long … [Read more...]
Britain unprepared for ev switch in eight years
Rising electric costs are blowing the fuse on plans for expanding ev sales in Britain. A comprehensive survey by Rivervale Leasing found that the escalating cost of energy is the most common concern, as 21% say that they think the potential of higher home charging tariffs could stop the UK from switching to electric. Vince Pemberton, Chief executive officer at Rivervale Leasing admits, “It’s … [Read more...]
Most JLR models on stop in September
Jaguar Land Rover is facing assembly problems at its plants in September. No Land Rover Discovery, Evoque and Velar models will be built through September due to parts shortages but some production continues with the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender. Jaguar XE, XF and F-Pace models are also on stop but F-Type will still be assembled. Ironically, its only full electric model, the … [Read more...]
Electricity rise new threat to fuel pump prices
The Petrol Retailers Association has warned that electricity rises will affect their costs and possibly lead to further increases in pump prices. It is extremely concerned about rising energy costs and their implication as costs associated with operating a forecourt will triple, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers Association, who has urged Government action to stem the … [Read more...]