May 2008

According to the Financial Times, private equity groups have been shut out from bidding in the first round of the £7bn auction of Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) insurance business, which includes Direct Line and Churchill.

Helphire Group has issued its Interim Management Statement for the period from the 1 January to 18 May 2008.

The Government has earned such a massive fuel tax windfall since the beginning of April that it can already afford to scrap its proposed 2p a litre fuel duty rise scheduled for October, it has been claimed.

Worrying new research has revealed that outstanding finance is the biggest risk facing used car buyers today, with an alarming 30 out of every 100 cars checked by HPI still subject to an outstanding finance agreement. Leading vehicle information organisation HPI is warning car buyers that if they unwittingly buy a car on outstanding finance, there is a very real chance that they will lose both the car and the money they paid for it.

ALD Automotive has called on fleet decision-makers to be on their guard after prompt actions by one alert customer may have foiled a company car theft scam.

Helphire hire cases have increased by 25% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to the same period last year.

Dealers can improve the service they receive from their manufacturer partners by anonymously giving their views on them through the latest Dealer Attitude Survey from Sewells Information and Research.

Giving young people the legal right to take an apprenticeship is a great idea, but a system to allocate places fairly will be needed to make sure that businesses are not overwhelmed by applicants, and that the applicants themselves get the training that is right for them,’ said Rob Foulston, Chief Executive of ReMIT, the training arm of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF).

New figures from Thatcham show popular ‘City Cars’ as the least effective in saving the occupant from debilitating whiplash injury in the event of low speed rear end collisions. The latest vehicle head restraint ratings, released by the insurers’ research centre this week, reveal that in an increasingly popular sector, consumers looking to reduce their environmental impact are being short changed when it comes to safety with no ‘City Cars’ achieving a ‘good’ rating.

Vehicle Damage Assessors’ requirements for ATA (Automotive Technician Accreditation) competency were given a boost today (9th April) as Sarah Sillars, Chief Executive of the IMI (Institute of the Motor Industry), officially opened the country’s first dedicated training facility for vehicle damage assessors.

The RHA announced yesterday that its board will consider organising a mass lobby of Parliament in favour of legislation for a fuel duty regulator, on a date yet to be announced at its meeting next week.

The 27 members of the EU Council of Ministers failed to agree at a meeting earlier this month on the outcome of a working group set up in March to establish sustainability criteria for the biofuels mandated by the EU Renewable Road Transport Fuels Obligation, the EUROPE paper reported last week

South Korean Prosecutors yesterday sought a six-year prison term for Chung Mong-koo, the chairman of Hyundai Motor, after the Supreme Court last month ordered a review of a lower court's ruling that gave him a suspended jail term for embezzlement.

Sponsors are continuing to back IBIS Australia with the latest being the widely recognized EstImage (By Stelvio) claims management system, which is used throughout Australia to improve the efficiency and accuracy of automotive claims handling.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) held a workshop May 15 titled "Cool Paints and Solar Reflective Glazing", which discussed approaches to reduce emissions from mobile air conditioners, including the use of solar reflective paints and window glazing. The main discussion focused on a planned regulatory approach for these reductions resulting from California Assembly Bill 32. Signed into law in 2006, this legislation directed CARB to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions from all sources.

It doesn't take a super hero to fight super warranties — at least not in Arizona. All it takes is dedication, devotion and the drive to organize and educate policy makers.

The inaugural National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides initiative was launched last Thanksgiving and generated a lot of enthusiasm throughout the collision industry and within the localities of the shops involved.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced its new board of directors, installed during the association's Annual Convention May 1-3 in Santa Clara, Calif. Installation of the board took place during ASA's Celebration of Excellence May 3.

Accidents caused by foreign lorries cost nearly £52m a year, according to research by Accident Exchange. The research also claims that the annual number of crashes on UK roads involving foreign lorries could be around 9,800.

Baseforce Metals and Demo Ltd have been ordered to pay more than £28,000 after admitting keeping and treating waste without the correct licence at their site in Leyton.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium show that high street spending fell in April for the second consecutive month.

Newcastle-based CircleRed, the property development consultant behind the Silverlink Vroom Retail Park, is due to roll out the concept at other locations in the UK.

Lookers is confident of delivering another year of growth despite its new car sales dropping by 5% on a like-for-like basis during the first quarter.

An FSA crackdown on payment protection insurance (PPI) sales practices across all retail sectors has seen a national retailer fined £210,000.

Ferrari has revealed the first official pictures of its new 4.3-litre V8 California.

A dramatic shift in buying trends in the UK's new and used car markets is predicted in the latest survey from Motorpoint, the UK's leading car supermarket group, with more than two thirds of car buyers saying they will be downsizing with their next purchase.