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Automotive Industry Digest
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ŠKODA Felicia celebrates 25th anniversary
Production of the ŠKODA Felicia began 25 years ago on the 17 October 1994. It became the Czech carmaker’s first model to be developed under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group. The Felicia had a successful motorsport history and was well received by customers. By 2001, the Mladá Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabí plants had manufactured more than 1.4
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Why being able to read a number plate just isn’t good enough
ROAD SAFETY organisation GEM Motoring Assist says the current eyesight test for drivers is long out of date and not fit for purpose. GEM is calling for a detailed check of every driver’s visual acuity and field of view every 10 years.
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Honda teases image of next generation Jazz
Honda has released its first teaser image of the all-new Jazz which is set for its World premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show on 23rd October.
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Consumer car finance market falls by 2% in August
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that new business volumes in the point of sale (POS) consumer new car finance market fell by 2% in August, compared with the same month in 2018, while the value of new business grew by 2% over the same period.
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Don’t be fuel-ish: tips from IAM Roadsmart
This week’s tips from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, are all about how you can save fuel – meaning you can treat yourself with those extra savings.
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Only one in 10 feel safer on Smart Motorways when compared to traditional motorway – AA
Only one in 10 drivers (10%1) say they feel safer on All Lane Running Smart (ALR) Motorway schemes compared to a traditional motorway according to a study by the AA.
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Countdown to the new Golf: Golf I – the pioneer
The first series-production Golf rolls off the production line in Wolfsburg in March 1974 and is available at dealerships from May in the same year. Where the Beetle had dominated the scene with its rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive for many decades: the era of the front-mounted engine installed across the body and front-wheel drive had
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An icon returns: the all-new, all-electric Morris JE
Morris Commercial, a UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up, is delighted to announce that it will soon be unveiling its stunning new electric light commercial vehicle, the Morris JE.
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Prices announced for Sweden’s pioneering Uniti One, from £15,100
Designed in Sweden and engineered in the UK, the Uniti One has been created from the ground-up to be an urban electric vehicle: fully optimised for efficiency, sustainability and affordability, whilst maximising interior space for three adults. All of which has been achieved without sacrificing quality, comfort or real-world usability.
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Mercedes delivers a five-star used car performance in September reports Indicata
September reported the fastest-selling used car with the highest average price recorded so far in 2019 according to market insights from Indicata, part of Autorola.
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Electrified: Lunaz defines future of classic cars
“The Lunaz mission is to define the future of classics. We preserve the past by embracing the future, making the most beautiful cars in history a relevant proposition.” David Lorenz, Founder, Lunaz
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RMI calls on Government to provide clarity on future trade with EU for automotive retailers
“It is vital that the government agrees a Brexit deal with the EU. If it cannot, then prices will rise as a result of the import tariffs that will be paid on vehicles and parts. It is in everyone’s interests that a future trade deal between the UK and EU removes these tariffs,” said RMI Chairman Peter Johnson, speaking at this year’s 106th Retail
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Volkswagen unveils the new Atlas Cross Sport SUV Coupe
Only presented as a concept vehicle at the New York International Auto Show last year, the production version of the Atlas Cross Sport has now been unveiled in Chattanooga. The successful SUV for North America, Russia and the Middle East is now available as a coupe version. The dynamic version of the Atlas combines sporty properties with a high
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Vauxhall Combo Cargo is Small Van of the Year at Commercial Fleet Awards
Vauxhall’s Combo Cargo was named Small Van of the Year at last night’s 2019 Commercial Fleet Awards, fending off strong competition in its category. Scooping up yet another award win, the popular model continues to attract widespread praise across the industry.
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All new Nissan Juke goes into production
Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, the new Juke has been developed specifically for European markets, with Sunderland the only production location for this second-generation compact crossover.
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BCA Buyer app launches in-app bidding
BCA has released a major update to its Buyer app with the introduction of live bidding from mobile devices. The BCA Buyer app has been welcomed by customers, with over 50% of BCA buyers having now used the app.
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Hyundai Motor is pushing infrastructure-based autonomous driving
With the continuous development of autonomous driving technology, the concept of the vehicle is changing. Where cars were once simply a means of transportation, they will ultimately become personal living spaces, customised to meet the customer’s needs and individualised to fulfil our desires.
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UK Auto gives reality check on ‘no deal’ Brexit
With fewer than 20 days to go before the UK is due to leave the EU, the British automotive industry is today urging an end to dangerous talk of ‘no deal’ and for all sides to focus energies on an orderly withdrawal to safeguard jobs and the sector’s long-term survival. The call comes as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
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Vauxhall’s new Astra and all-new Corsa outshine the rest with efficient LED technology
As part of Vauxhall’s ongoing commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, the manufacturer has revealed information on the impressive, energy-saving LED headlight technology available in its new Astra and all-new Corsa models.
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Citroen Dispatch Van wins at the Commercial Fleet Awards
The Citroën Dispatch Van has scooped the ‘Medium LCV of the Year’ award at the highly coveted Commercial Fleet Awards, staged at the National Motorcycle Museum last night. This is the latest award for the Dispatch, which has bucked the U.K. market trend so far this year with sales up by around 16% compared with a K1 van sector that rose by 1.5%.
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Groupe Renault starts public trial of its on-demand car service
From the 14th October to the 8th November 2019, throughout the Paris-Saclay urban campus, a panel of some 100 people will use Groupe Renault’s on-demand car service as part of the ‘Paris-Saclay Autonomous Lab’ project.
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New £50m funding from government & industry accelerates automotive’s bid to reach zero carbon
The combined award of £25.4m, provided by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and delivered by Innovate UK, will support the development of three projects. The total value of the funding will be at least £50m given industry contributions for the following projects:
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Abundance of new technologies could impact used car dealer efficiencies, claims V12 Vehicle Finance
Used car dealers are being blitzed with new IT hardware and software to an extent that used car dealers’ efficiencies could be impacted when adopting new technology. That’s according to V12 Vehicle Finance.
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Three-in-10 drivers have witnessed another motorist being physically abused
Three in every 10 motorists (30%) say they have personally witnessed some form of physical abuse related to a driving incident in the past 12 months, research for the annual RAC Report on Motoring has found.*
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RAC responds to Transport Committee announcement on road pricing
Responding to the Transport Committee launching a national conversation on road pricing, RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said: "“There is no question that the existing fuel duty system is on borrowed time as we move towards electric and other zero emission forms of car travel. It’s therefore clear that business as usual isn’t an option moving
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Licence Bureau highlights startling speed limit ‘knowledge gap’ cost to businesses
A serious lack of road speed limit knowledge amongst UK business drivers could be costing businesses in excess of *£50 million annually in lost productivity, according to Licence Bureau.
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The BMW M4 ///M Heritage Edition
An exclusive new BMW M4 ///M Heritage Edition will make its world debut on the legendary racetrack in the Eifel on 13 September. Based on the BMW M4 DTM developed by BMW M Motorsport, the special edition BMW M4 Coupe is available to UK customers in three striking colour combinations: Laguna Seca Blue, Velvet Blue metallic and Imola Red, replicating
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17 minutes to spot a broken down vehicle in a live lane of All Lane Running motorway
The AA has discovered a report written by Highways England that highlights how long it takes to identify vehicle broken down in a live lane of an All Lane Running (ALR) motorway when Stationery Vehicle Detection (SVD) systems are not in place.
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Motorists say no to tracking devices in new cars reveals Motorpoint poll
Two thirds of motorists are opposed to tracking devices being installed in new cars according to a survey by Motorpoint.
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Cupra shows its vision of sportiness with all-electric CUPRA Tavascan Concept
As we shift away from the conventional and enter a world powered by electrification, CUPRA is redefining elements like performance. After unveiling the CUPRA Formentor Concept earlier this year, CUPRA is going one step further into its vision of electrified performance with the CUPRA Tavascan Concept.
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