The impact of the coronavirus crisis and potential effects of Brexit are making planning beyond the short term almost impossible in the remarketing sector. So reports the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA), which points out that the currently booming market is arguably obscuring the potential dangers that lie ahead. Chair Sam Watkins said, “As has been widely reported, the sector is very, … [Read more...]
News
Newslines 1 October
Audi is rolling out a plug-in hybrid version of its A3 Sportback from £33,060 and it’s comes to Britain before 2021. The compact 204ps Sport and S line models will cover 41 miles on traction battery alone and it joins the PHEV versions of the brand’s bigger models. Hyundai Ultimate Mobility Vehicles will be developed by a pioneering unit of the Korean car-maker, its New Horizons Studio. Based … [Read more...]
Businesses stretch to survive
New data compiled by epyx has shown the increased level of contract extensions made on company cars and vans during the coronavirus crisis. Looking at transactions through its 1link Service Network service, maintenance and repair (SMR) platform, used by fleets operating four million vehicles, it has produced a comparison for April-August 2020 – the height of the pandemic so far – with the same … [Read more...]
£1 Billion plan to support auto supply chain
The Automotive Transformation Fund is a programme that aims to establish a competitive and sustainable UK Supply Chain. It offers a share of up to £1 billion of funding for industrial research and capital projects to support the industrialisation of a high-value, electrified automotive supply at scale. This is an expression of interest (EoI) competition and companies have until 14th October to … [Read more...]
Key workers and unemployed hit by insurance costs
People unemployed and some ‘key worker’ professions face significantly higher car insurance premiums because of their job or employment status, according to new analysis by comparethemarket. A policy for someone who is unemployed was 40% higher than a comparative policy for an employed person, or 54% higher than an HGV driver which is the cheapest profession for car insurance. The new research … [Read more...]
Tradelines 30 September
The pure electric Mazda MX-30 will begin at £25,545 for the SE-L Lux when it reaches showrooms next spring. Top model in the five-car series will be the GT Sport Tech at £32,845, after the PIVG allowance. Average car insurance premiums fell by £53 since the start of the lockdown, as many drivers were forced off the road and insurers reduced prices, according to the … [Read more...]
Wedding rings and sun-creams, the future of your car
What happens to your scrapped car may surprise you. Scrap Car Comparison, the recycling comparison site, celebrates Recycle Week 2020 by showcasing just how many different products can be made from a scrap car. Highlighting the leading standard of recycling innovation within the automotive industry, Scrap Car Comparison has delved into the array of products that a scrap car can be transformed … [Read more...]
Handrakes are slipping says survey
Traditional mechanical parking brakes are slackening their appeal and dying out as car manufacturers ditch them in favour of electronic parking brakes, according to CarGurus. It found that just 24% of new cars on sale in the UK today come with a manually operated handbrake, falling even further from 30% recorded last year. Some popular models, including the BMW 1 series and 3 … [Read more...]
Newslines 28 September
Built to celebrate Mazda’s centenary, the 100th Anniversary Special Edition series is a range of special versions of all the key passenger cars in the firm’s global line-up and they’ve now arrived in the UK. Designed to celebrate the company’s centenary, the 100th Anniversary models adopt a white-and-burgundy two-tone exterior/interior combination, inspired by high-grade versions of Mazda’s first … [Read more...]
Thieves out to burst your holiday bubble
Wales-based comparison site GoCompare warns that fraudsters are targeting the boom in motorhomes and caravans. There’s been a dramatic rise in the number of insurance quotes for motorhomes and campervans as frustrated holidaymakers scramble to get away safely and independently. After months in lockdown at home people are eager for a change of scenery, but, with restrictions on travel and social … [Read more...]