The Honda Jazz will raise the tempo in the UK next year. It gets a new 130ps petrol engine and sporting looks together with a sharper automatic box for those who want it. Heavy truck sales are up 6.3% in Q2 this year with three-axle artics soaring nearly 12%, reports the SMMT. After a year of growth, double-deck bus sales fell nearly 37% and mini-buses declined nearly 19% while … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 August
JLR has reported a 14% drop in UK registrations. It has been a challenging market, the company said, but sales in China have grown and it’s still pushing ahead with massive R&D investment and adding 5,000 jobs, mostly in manufacturing. BMW is incentivising buyers and offering £2,000 trade in allowance against their latest models emitting under 130gkm. The deal is in addition to … [Read more...]
New car sales continue reversing
New car sales have gone into reverse for the fourth month in a row and were down over 9% in July with businesses taking a quarter less cars, said the SMMT. Diesel powered models fell 20% while alternatively fuelled vehicles soared nearly 65% and market leaders Ford and Vauxhall were very badly hit while PSA Group saw a steep decline as well and Volkswagen Group brands all improved. July … [Read more...]
Aston Martin Welsh plant shifts up a gear
The multi-million pound contract to create the new Aston Martin factory at St Athan, west of Cardiff, has been awarded to Ammanford-based TRJ, who completed the first stage reception area earlier this summer. Now the family owned construction company will convert the massive hangers on the former RAF base into a production centre. First Minister, Carwyn Jones has congratulated TRJ Ltd on its … [Read more...]
Used electric vehicle best buys named
Consumer interest in electric vehicles is soaring. The market for alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) saw a record market share of 4.4% in June with more than 10,700 hitting the roads, a rise of 29.0%. Over 60,000 new AFVs have joined Britain’s roads so far this year with a 7% rise in used models. Chris Plumb from hpi said, “Interestingly it appears to be the range extender models … [Read more...]
UK to ban conventional cars and vans by 2040
The Government has unveiled controversial plans to ban pure petrol and diesel engined vehicles from UK roads by 2040. It follows failure to meet European clean air legislation and a High Court decision that requires an environmental strategy to be put forward. The plan was discussed before the general election but publication was delayed because of fears it would affect voting by people in … [Read more...]
UK wins contract to build electric MINI
BMW will assemble the electric MINI in Oxford. The company announced production will begin in 2019 as a variant of the brand's core three-door model. Additional electrified models will be added when a next-generation vehicle architecture will steamline manufacturing. The Mini EV's electric drivetrain will be built at BMW's e-mobility facilities at plants Dingolfing and Landshut in Bavaria … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 July
Prospective owners of the McLaren 720S supercar need to look no further than DVLA Personalised Registrations’ three-day live summer auction for the ultimate accessory. The Agency has once again come up with the perfect personalised registration to adorn the latest McLaren dream machine with MCL 720S, which is listed with a £250 reserve, among the 1,250 personalised registrations being auctioned … [Read more...]
Ford Fiesta has nothing to fear from rivals
Britain’s most popular car has just improved. The Ford Fiesta has consistently been the top selling car in Britain and since 2008 over a million have been put on our roads, while over four decades about 4.5 Million have been registered. Those are impressive numbers, but the new seventh generation model now reaching showrooms is arguably the best since it was launched in 1976. It … [Read more...]
Tradelines 12 July
Production of the latest Nissan Qashqai is underway at its Sunderland plant. There is a new design, upgraded interior, better performance and added mobility technologies, with an advanced self-driving mode from spring 2018. A regional conference for members of the Freight Transport Association will be held at the Celtic Manor Resort on 4 October. It is one of ten nationwide which looks at … [Read more...]