British motorists are likely to be facing a new national tolled roads system. The scheme is being put forward again to offset losses from falling fuel duties and taxes, which accelerated during the lockdowns. They left a £40 Billion hole in Government finances and this week it's expected and reported by national media that the tolled roads system will be unveiled in a green industry paper on … [Read more...]
Retail News
Newslines 17 November
Nissan has denied it is considering selling a third of its stake in Mitsubishi Motors, as reported by Bloomberg News. It is most likely to sell the Mitsubishi Motors business to the larger Mitsubishi Group, which owns a fifth of the car business said the media agency, but this has been denied by Nissan. Honda’s first battery electric vehicle for Europe, the Honda e, has been named ‘German Car of … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 November
CUPRA continues to accelerate the transformation of its business and the electrification of its premium performance range, opening the order books for the new CUPRA Leon plug-in hybrid in the UK. Customers can purchase the CUPRA Leon e-HYBRID VZ2 245PS, with 1.4-litre TSI engine, 85PS electric motor and 13.1kWh battery pack, from £34,495, with order books for pure-petrol variants opening early … [Read more...]
Suzuki Swace heading for showrooms
The British-built Suzuki Swace estate is about to go on sale. A badge-engineered facelifted version of the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Estate made in Derby with 1.8 litre petrol engines from Deeside, the newcomer will be sold in SZ-T and SZ5 trim. The nominal boot space of 596 litres rises to 1,606 litres when the back seats are dropped and the boot floor is reversible to take wet or … [Read more...]
Car importance now greatest
More than half of UK drivers (57%) say having access to a car is more important than it was before the coronavirus pandemic, with reluctance to use public transport in the future at its highest level in 18 years, research for the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring has found. Two-thirds of drivers in three specific groups – young drivers, those with fewer than 10 years’ driving experience and people … [Read more...]
Drivers delay servicing but risk fines
Nearly half of UK drivers have put off servicing or essential car maintenance across 2020, according to a new study from money.co.uk. The study from the financial comparison service found that 48% of drivers had delayed repairs or services for their vehicle across the coronavirus pandemic, as average mileage has plummeted, and MOT’s have been deferred. The survey of motorists … [Read more...]
Logistics claim Government is failing businesses over Brexit
The Government has failed to provide the UK logistics industry with information it needs to meet obligations and ensure a smooth Brexit transition, said Elizabeth de Jong, policy director at Logistics UK, the business group which represents the sector. “Logistics UK has been working closely with government for some time to highlight the issues which could affect the smooth passage of goods … [Read more...]
Newslines 13 November
A Honda Legend brimming with sensors will be able to use busy motorways without driver assistance from April 2021, the company has told Reuters. The Level 3 autonomous car will be the world’s first with this new technology approved by Japan’s safety regulatory body. Renault is considering using the Alpine name to promote its high performance versions of mainstream cars. There has been … [Read more...]
Operating guides for dealers
NFDA is creating a new series of ‘hands-on’ guides to provide franchised dealer members with straightforward, operational guidance on the main issues affecting them, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association. After analysing our daily legal enquiry reports, NFDA has launched a new series of operational guides covering some of the key areas which have been … [Read more...]
Brake wear highlighted as common company car issue
Brake pads and discs are the most common reason UK fleet vehicles enter workshops according to an “authoritative” new UK service, maintenance and repair (SMR) Top 20 released by epyx. The table is based on information from the company’s 1link Service Network platform, used by fleets totalling four million cars, vans and trucks to buy and manage SMR from nearly 9,000 franchise dealers, independent … [Read more...]