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Scrappage scheme boosts German car sales

2009-04-14T10:46:00.001+01:00

Figures from Germany have confirmed that scrappage schemes can significantly boost new car sales.

The German scrappage scheme has helped their national car industry record its highest levels of domestic sales since 1992.

The plan allows would-be buyers to trade-in their car if it's more than nine years old for €2,500 (around £2250) towards the purchase of new, more environmentally friendly vehicle.

Germany's new car sales increased by 40% in March compared with the same period in 2008.

Both Volkswagen and Audi have reported a better first quarter than last year, which they attribute to the scheme.

However, BMW has not followed in the footsteps of its counterparts, reporting a decrease in sales of 13%.

The scrappage scheme is likely to boost sales of smaller, greener cars from countries such as France, Italy and Japan rather than larger German cars.

Germany's car industry is also heavily dependent on export markets, which account for 80% of total sales - and amid worldwide recession, global sales are down.

The results from Germany will put increased pressure on Chancellor Alistair Darling to announce a similar scheme in the Budget on April 22.

Brown predicts 'green' Budget

2009-04-14T10:45:00.000+01:00

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged to help the UK's ailing economy by placing electric and hybrid petrol-electric hybrid vehicles at the forefront of a 'greener Britain'.

The Prime Minister has hinted that trials of electric cars, using a network of roadside charging points, and incentives for manufacturers building environmentally friendly vehicles will be announced in the budget on April 22.

Mr Brown also confirmed that the Government is considering plans to introduce a scrappage scheme, which many car industry leaders believe to be essential if the UK's car makers are to survive the economic downturn.

However, the Premier also warned that there would be little room for other financial stimulus, which could pave the way for increased fuel duty and road tax charges.

The trials of electric vehicles are likely to start in 2010, taking place in up to three cities throughout the UK.

The Independent newspaper reports than councils will be invited to submit proposals to become the first of Britain's "green cities".

The Prime Minister also said he would consider buying a fleet of electric cars for cabinet ministers, allowing the Government to lead from the front.

Mr Brown also told the paper that creating a low-carbon economy in the UK would create up to 400,000 jobs by 2017.

Saab deal expected by the summer

2009-04-14T10:44:00.001+01:00

Saab has around 20 potential buyers interested in buying the company and expects it to be sold by the end of June, according to reports.

The interested parties have not been identified, but China's Dongfeng Motor Corporation is thought to be among them.

The information was released yesterday at a court hearing in Vaenersborg, Sweden, where Saab put its reorganisation and business plans to its creditors.

The news comes six weeks after the firm sought bankruptcy protection from creditors following General Motors' announcement that it would cut links with the unprofitable Saab within a year.

Saab is also applying for a total of $1 billion (around £700 million) worth of support from the European Investment Bank and General Motors in an attempt to become profitable by 2011.

The manufacturer is also preparing to release three new models in the next 18 months. This is an important shift in strategy after the company's chief executive, Jann-Aake Jonsson, described Saab's thin product base as its 'Achilles heel' in Monday's court hearing.

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Car buyers learn to haggle

2009-04-14T10:43:00.001+01:00

More of the UK's car buyers are prepared to haggle on the price of a new car as the recession bites, according to new research.

The survey, carried out for Sainsbury's Finance, has revealed that the percentage of would-be buyers who are prepared to haggle has increased from 79% in August 2008 to a current figure of 90%.

However, the UK's car buyers still need to improve their bartering skills, as the report has also exposed that a third of them are prepared to haggle only slightly.

The unwillingness to haggle hard could mean car purchasers are paying up to £200 million a year too much for cars, according to the research.

The report says buyers should be aiming for an average discount of around £1780, a figure that's double what could have been expected in 2001.

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2009-04-06T20:09:00.002+01:00

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Jaguar Land Rover to receive loan

2009-04-06T14:58:00.001+01:00

Jaguar Land Rover will tomorrow get the go ahead for a loan of £270 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Government sources have told the BBC that Jaguar Land Rover has met the EIB's loan criteria. A loan of £364 million will also be shared between Nissan's factories in Sunderland and Spain.

There is a strict criteria for any loan to be approved by the EIB, which requires car makers to invest in green technology to help lower emissions caused by manufacture and use of its vehicles.

Jaguar has already cut 450 staff this year and is expected to make a further 300 workers redundant from its 14,500-strong workforce.

Scrappage calls as sales slump further

2009-04-05T14:59:00.000+01:00

Car sales have fallen by 30% during March, resulting in increased demands for a scrappage scheme to be introduced.

The number of new UK registrations in March was 313,912, down from 451,642 the previous year.

The drop in sales has been described as '"disappointing" by Paul Everitt of the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

He also renewed the SMMT's call for a scrappage scheme to be introduced by Chancellor Alistair Darling.

'The scheme will provide the incentive needed and the evidence is clear that schemes already implemented across Europe do work to increase demand,' Everitt said.

Despite numerous meetings with the Government, Everitt says that no such commitment has been made.

Calls for the scheme to be introduced in the UK come as many European countries have experienced increased car sales after introducing scrappage schemes of their own.

Germany's year-on-year car sales were up by 40% in March, a figure that was boosted by the success of their own domestic scrappage scheme.

Orders for new cars in Italy have also increased by more than 30% with the introduction of their scrappage scheme. French and Spanish car sales have also increased over recent months.

Paul Williams, chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Foundation, said: 'Measures to help to revive new-car sales in the UK, including the introduction of a vehicle scrappage scheme, must be enacted as soon as possible.'

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Car makers offer free payment protection

2009-04-03T10:34:00.001+01:00

A host of manufacturers are revealing free payment protection plans, hoping to entice potential car buyers into showrooms.

New car sales are down and car makers believe that the threat of redundancy is discouraging car buyers from making major purchases.

In response, Honda has announced a range of offers including free payment protection against redundancy.

It is available on a range of Civics and CR-Vs purchased through Honda Finance. It means that Honda will cover monthly repayments for up to a year should customers be made redundant for a period of more than three months.

Payment Protection Insurance is also free with all new C30, S40 and V50 models bought through Volvo Car Finance.

Should customers become unemployed during the first 18 months of owning the car, Volvo will pay all monthly payments for up to a year. In addition, the insurance provides life, accident and sickness cover, too.

Renault is offering free payment protection insurance for all new cars bought in April through Renault Finance, and it will cover the customer's payments for the first 12 months should they be unable to work through accident, sickness or redundancy.

As will all insurance, terms and conditions apply, so check with your dealer for full details.

These offers should not prevent you from haggling with a dealer to get the lowest price on your new car.

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Toyota plans more cuts in the UK

2009-03-11T15:49:00.002+01:00

Toyota is planning further cutbacks in production at its factories in the UK.

A shorter working week or a temporary shutdown is expected to be announced on Wednesday, as Toyota seeks to slash its costs in the face of sharp falls in new car sales.

A spokesman said: 'We have to reduce our costs further. Our employees recognise that and we are seeking agreement with the unions.'

The manufacturer employs more than 4000 workers at its factories in Burnaston, near Derby, and Deeside in North Wales.

The plant in Burnaston builds the Avensis and Auris models, with 85% of the cars exported. Toyota's European sales fell by 10% last year.

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National speed limit maybe cut

2009-03-10T16:48:00.000+01:00

The speed limit on rural roads in the UK may be cut from 60mph to 50mph.

Government ministers are considering a plan to change limits on "non-built-up single-carriageway roads" that make up more than 50% of the national network.

Research has shown that such a change could save up to 250 lives a year. The move is also favoured because it would save fuel and cut CO2 emissions.

The lower speed limit would automatically apply to rural roads unless the local authority could demonstrate that it was safe for the 60mph speed limit to remain.

Motoring groups have expressed concerns that cutting the limit could actually result in more casualties on rural roads.

AA president Edmund King said: 'There are many single-carriageway roads where 60mph is appropriate, but local authorities may not bother to make the case for keeping the existing limit. This will lead to frustration and could raise the risk of dangerous overtaking of law-abiding drivers doing 50mph.

'Many crashes on rural roads happen not because the speed limit is too high, but because reckless young drivers lose control.'

Peugeot aims to please

2009-03-09T15:47:00.000+01:00

Peugeot is aiming to be one of the top three car companies for customer satisfaction within a year.

It is all part of a company-wide quality drive that includes everything from the craftsmanship and reliability of its cars to their whole-life running costs and the way customers are treated.

'The quality of our products is at its best level ever, but we need to go further,' said head of Peugeot Jean-Philippe Collin at the company's first dealer service awards in Paris.

Peugeot dealers in the UK are already on course to hit the company's customer satisfaction target. However, Collin acknowledges that, overall, the company's worldwide network is no better than 'among the upper part of average'.

He added: 'We are not yet at the right level and our target is to be among the top three in each country.'

Geoff Hoon reveals road widening plans

2009-01-15T23:36:00.001+01:00

Up to £6 billion will be spent on improving road capacity, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced.

The money will be spent on providing an extra 520 miles of motorway lanes. The increased capacity will be achieved through road widening and opening up sections of the hard shoulder.

Roads that will feature hard-shoulder-running trials include the M1, M3, M4, M6, M25, M62 and .

Hoon also announced plans to spend an additional £250 million to get more ultra-low-carbon vehicles on Britain's roads.

Electric car maker rescued

2009-01-15T23:35:00.003+01:00

Electric vehicle manufacturer Aixam Mega has bought the rival Nice Car Company, which went into administration in November.

The Nice Car Company previously marketed Aixam Mega's range of electric cars.

Following the sale, Aixam Mega will operate the Nice Car Company's sales and service facilities in London, where it will sell its Mega City all-electric car and the Mega Multitrucks range of ultra-light commercial vehicles.

Aixam Mega’s UK general manager Lawrence Holland said: 'We have retained the key sales and service facilities, as well as some personnel, to make the transfer of business as seamless as possible.

'Mega drivers should be reassured that it is now business as normal.'

Holland also predicted that sales of electric cars would pick up, despite a recent drop-off as fuel prices fell and cars from mainstream manufacturers became greener.

He said: 'Sales of electric vehicles have slowed during the recent economic downturn, but over the longer term sales have been growing steadily.

'We believe that this growth will continue and that electric cars will buck the trends affecting the wider automotive sector.'

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Government loans for car buyers

2009-01-15T23:35:00.001+01:00

People buying new cars could get loans financed by the taxpayer.

Under a proposed scheme, lenders who provide finance for car purchases would get access to cash from the Bank of England's special liquidity scheme.

With finance accounting for £20 billion a year and funding around half of all new car purchases, the current recession has ensured this supply of cash has all but dried up.

Plummeting sales figures for new cars have prompted Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson to urge the Bank of England to extend access of its special liquidity scheme to the car industry's finance arms.

News of the plan comes just a day after 450 job losses were announced at Jaguar Land Rover.

Aldi offers an Audi

2009-01-15T23:34:00.004+01:00

Job-seeking graduates will get an extra incentive to join discount chain Aldi – a new Audi.

Despite figures revealing that overall graduate work placements have declined by more than 17%, Aldi is offering university leavers £40,000 a year, plus a new Audi A4.

The £40,000 wage packet significantly exceeds the £25,000 offered by upmarket rival Marks & Spencer.

While the economic downturn has hit graduate placements at many firms, cost-cutting shoppers are flocking to cut-price supermarket Aldi – leading to a 50% increase in graduate placements.

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450 jobs go at Jaguar Land Rover

2009-01-15T23:34:00.003+01:00

Jaguar Land Rover has announced it is cutting 450 jobs.

The redundancies, made up of 300 managers and 150 agency staff, were in response to a 'severe reduction in demand', said the company.

Chief executive David Smith said he did not expect sales to return to normal levels 'for some time.'

'It is only right and proper that our response to the unavoidable impact of the credit crunch and the severe reduction in demand includes actions across all grades and functions of the company.

'It is critical that Jaguar Land Rover becomes a more efficient and dynamic organisation to face up to the challenges that we will meet in the years ahead.'

Jaguar Land Rover has begun consulting with unions on the proposed redundancy programme.

Vauxhall workers return

2009-01-15T23:33:00.001+01:00

Around 2000 workers are returning to the production line at Vauxhall's factory in Cheshire after a month-long shutdown over the Christmas period.

The traditional two-week break at the Ellesmere Port site was extended to a month because of the sharp decline in sales of new vehicles.

Workers at the plant have also been offered the option of taking a sabbatical until September, when production of the new Astra is scheduled to begin. Staff taking the sabbatical would receive 30% of their salary.

The number of new cars sold in the UK in 2008 dropped 11.3% from 2007.

Gemini drivers most likely to crash

2008-10-01T19:37:00.001+01:00

Gemini drivers are more likely to be involved in a car accident than any other star sign, according to new research.

The study by accident management company Accident Exchange analysed 115,000 accidents.

Gemini drivers, born between May 22 and June 21 and known for their impatience, made up nearly 9% of all claims handled by the company.

Taureans, commonly thought to have stubborn temperaments, were ranked second, making up 8.84% of all drivers, with adventurous Arians third, accounting for 8.66% of the total.

The three most accident-prone star signs are from consecutive months of the year, suggesting drivers born between March and June are most at risk in their vehicles.

In contrast, quick-minded Scorpions and curious Sagittarians were the least likely to be involved in a vehicle collision, making up only 7.7% each of drivers involved in accidents.

Several celebrity drivers involved in recent motoring accidents back up the research. These include Courtney Cox (Gemini), Morgan Freeman (Gemini), Shia LeBeouf (Gemini), George Clooney (Taurus) and Jerry Seinfeld (Taurus).

Work parking space charges under attack

2008-10-01T19:36:00.004+01:00

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is backing a campaign to stop local councils charging employers for providing parking spaces.

Nottingham City Council is currently awaiting approval from the Department for Transport to impose a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). Under the scheme, any employer that provides more than 10 workplace parking spaces would be charged £185 per space per year, rising to £350 in four years.

The CBI has backed the STOP the Workplace Parking Levy campaign amid fears that if the Nottingham scheme gets the go-ahead it will be spread nationwide.

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce has also attacked the plan. Chief executive George Cowcher said: 'It’s clear that a precedent might be set and, if it is, businesses across the country will have to dig deep in their pockets to pay the levy.

'Nottingham’s so-called blueprint for future transport income generation will cost jobs and it will force businesses to rethink their situations. It’s a tax on jobs and competitiveness.'

Motorist on 'trumped-up' charge

2008-10-01T19:36:00.002+01:00

A motorist has been charged with assaulting a police officer by breaking wind and then fanning it at police patrolman.

Jose Cruz, was taken to a police station in West Virginia for a breathalyser test.

Police claim Cruz moved towards the officer 'lifted his leg and passed gas loudly. The gas was very odorous and created contact of an insulting or provoking nature.'

In his defence Cruz said: 'I couldn't hold it no more.'

Cruz was accused of battery on a police officer although prosecutors have since asked for the charge against Cruz to be dropped. He still faces charges on four traffic offences.

Lose your licence if you speed twice

2008-10-01T19:35:00.001+01:00

Drivers will be banned after two convictions if they exceed the speed limit by 15mph in urban areas or 25mph on motorways, under a shake-up of road safety laws anticipated next month.

Currently drivers caught speeding receive three penalty points on their licence. However, the new rules will see penalties gradually increase the greater the speed the driver is clocked at.

It means, for example, that drivers will get six points on their licence if they are caught travelling at 45mph in a 30 mph zone, 55mph in a 40 mph zone or 95mph on motorways.

Simultaneously, the Department for Transport will also announce proposals for tougher drink-driving rules and the implementation of a £60 on-the-spot fine for careless drivers. Legislation will also be tightened on drug-driving.

All of the proposals will have to be ratified before becoming law.

Honda and Toyota's reputation greenest

2008-10-01T19:34:00.001+01:00

Honda and Toyota have the best reputation as green car makers, according to a new survey.

Both scored almost three times as many positive mentions as their closest rivals, Lexus and Ford.

The poll of 2665 people by the Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) also found that two in three would happily change their car to reduce their emissions, while 51% were prepared to pay more for low-emission technology.

More than four out of five (83%) agreed that fuel economy was more important than high performance.

However, many remain confused by the jargon of greener living. More than a quarter of respondents had only a vague, or no, idea of what a carbon footprint was.

Around 20% did not understand the term 'greenhouse gases', and a similar number were confused by 'fuel efficiency' and 'CO2 emissions'.

MG production resumes

2008-08-06T13:12:00.000+01:00

Full-scale production at MG's iconic Longbridge plant has resumed today.

Just 500 LE500 cars, based on a refreshed version of the old MG TF that was first produced in 1995, will be built. They are priced from £16,399.

The LE500 is powered by a 133bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine. It averages 35.8mpg and emits 185g/km of CO2.

It has rear parking sensors, air-con, an MP3-compatible CD, a body-coloured hardtop and leather sports seats.

MG's Chinese owners, SAIC, claims to have already sold 70 per cent of the 500 cars being built, and say that other variants will follow later in the year.

The first LE500s will be delivered to customers in September.

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Bangers more likely to get nicked

2008-08-06T13:10:00.001+01:00

Older cars between 15-17 years old are almost twice as likely to be stolen as newer vehicles, according to research by insurer Norwich Union.

Company officials say the majority of claims it deals with are for cars worth less than £5000, and the bias towards older vehicles is because opportunist thieves are far more likely to target a car without an immobilizer or modern security system.

They also say that many car thieves don't steal to resell the cars, but merely because they need short-term transport, often to get home after a night out. As a result, they will target older cars which are easy to get into and start.

Data also showed that thefts are 25% more likely in December and January - probably due to the long hours of darkness - and diesel cars are 16% more likely to be stolen.

Cars parked on-street are 17% more likely to be stolen than a car on a driveway.

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Porsche Power

2008-08-06T13:09:00.000+01:00

Porsche has launched a more powerful version of its Cayman coupe.

Called the S Sport, the new range-topper's 3.4-litre engine puts out 303bhp. That's 8bhp more than the Cayman S, and 58bhp more than the standard Cayman.

The new model should be able to handle the power, with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard. Bi-xenon headlamps, sports seats in leather and a sports exhaust are also included in the price.

The S Sport is available in different colours to the standard car, including the striking orange and green colour schemes seen on the 911 GT3 RS. The black painted alloy wheels, door mirrors and air intakes also differentiate the S Sport from the other Cayman models.

On the inside, the steering wheel, gearshift and handbrake lever are finished in Alcantara, and there’s a numbered plaque on the glovebox.

Just 700 Cayman S Sports will be built, with UK sales starting on September 13. Prices start from £49,890