All articles by Richard Irvine-Brown
Richard Irvine-Brown
Subaru launches 62-plate offers
Subaru UK has begun a range of one- and two-year finance options across most models ahead of the push for September plate-change sales. A spokesperson for the Japanese manufacturer said dealerships were grateful for the support ahead of the plate change and well know more in September regarding the success of the campaign
Fleet Friday: Renault, VW and driver testing
A report sponsored by the Licence Bureau has revealed nearly that six in 10 fleets do not test drivers for alcohol with 63% of fleets not testing for illegal drugs.
US and Eastern European boost to VW global sales
Despite sales falling 5% in the opening seven months of the year to 528,200 units in Western Europe (excluding Germany), registrations across the continent were up by 2.5% to 1.05m vehicles, thanks to a 40.4% rise in Central and Eastern European sales and a 69.2% increase in Russia.
Recovery enquiries, hits and value up in July
The total number of enquiries to the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) vehicle recovery scheme rose month-on-month in July, as did the total value of recovered cars on finance. Vehicles recovered in July had a total valueof£2.87m, an increase of 20.59% on June’s figure but short of the recent March peak of nearly £3m. Successful enquiries were up as a proportion of total enquiries from 8.53% in June to 9.03% in July, both a long way in excess of February’s low of 8.17%.
Advantage finance business up 23 percent in H1
Motor finance lending at Advantage was up 23% year-on-year, with the company writing approximately 3,000 contracts in the first half of the year, up from 2,500 in the first half of 2011
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Mac Tools and Porsche complete BEN challenge
Employees from Mac Tools and Porsche have both completed the UK Three Peaks Challenge, raising £2,500 for automotive charity BEN. The challenge involves trekking 40km, including 3,400m of ascent, up the highest mountains in England (Scafell Pike), Scotland (Ben Nevis) and Wales (Snowdon) in 24 hours, including 556 miles travel between them. Paul Clegg, recruitment manager at Mac Tools, part of the Stanley Black & Decker group, is the latest person to complete the challenge for BEN, following Dean Robinson, Gavin Bailey and driver, Stuart, of Porsche earlier this month.
Hybrid finance
Two of the top three best-selling cars in the first quarter of 2012 were the Toyota Prius and Corolla Auris, with either one in top spot, depending on which stats you’re reading. Each model sold more than a quarter of a million units in Q1 and accounted for 1.3% of the global car market. Richard Brown asked Doug Gillies, managing director, Toyota Financial Services, just how business has been.
Trans-Europe expression
With the eurozone in a continuing state of emergency, Richard Brown samples industry attitudes to how this might impact finance on the continent and UK car funding.
Fleet Friday, Volvo, Skoda and dealership fleet
The weekly round-up of all things fleet including Volvo business car, koda fleet manager moves and bump in fleet business for UK dealership Automotive manufacturer Volvo has launched specific business editions of its S60, V60 and V70 models which it says will reduce Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax and retain higher residual values than standard models.
Revenue up, aftersales ‘steady’ at Lookers
Lookers, the 120-franchise dealership group, has reported a 3.1% year-on-year rise in revenue to £1.03bn in its first-half report for 2012, with aftersales remaining steady. Aftersales turnover was consistent with 2011 according to a statement issued by the company Turnover in aftersales in the motor division continued on a like for like basis with a small erosion in the gross margin compared to last year.