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New Car Registrations Down 21.2%

New car registrations fell 21.2 per cent in September to 330,295 units. According to SMMT data, year-to-date volume is down 7.5 per cent to 1,794,419 units. Once again diesel market share increased (this time to 42.8 per cent of the market), but overall volume in this segment fell 15.4 per cent to 141,306 units in September.

There is also increased evidence that, based on rapid changes in registration profile, the tyre market of the years to come could be smaller than observers may have predicted last year. Smaller, that is, in terms of dimensions. For various reasons for the last couple of years drivers in the volume car market have been opting for smaller models, which drive on smaller tyres. Two years ago (in September 2006) was the first time the Ford Focus was knocked off the top slot in the SMMT’s registrations data by the smaller Fiesta model. By September 2008 the Focus had been relegated to fourth place in the monthly data, beaten by Vauxhall’s Corsa, the Ford Fiesta and the Vauxhall Astra.

7th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

August UK Van Registrations Down 20%

The latest Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data shows that UK new van registrations fell 20.7 per cent in August to 387,645 for the year so far. Truck registrations were down 3.2 per cent in August and up 20.5 per cent to 58,553 for the rolling year. Van registrations were down 24.7 per cent for the month and down 0.8 per cent to 329,092 for the rolling year. “In the short term van registrations will continue to struggle, though the truck sector is holding total CV figures close to the three-year average. In the longer term we expect an overall and marked downward trend,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.

15th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

August Car Registration Down 18 per cent in Europe

A day after the SMMT published the lowest UK new car registration figures for four decades, automotive industry analysts have revealed that most European countries are experiencing the same downturn.

According to Deutsche Bank car registrations across Europe were down -18 per cent in August, (down 6 per cent year-to-date). The analysts pointed out that the month of August usually represents the low point of the year for new car registrations, however France (the least affected) down 7 per cent; Germany down 10 per cent; Italy plummeting 26 per cent; and Spain missing the mark by 41 per cent, it is clear that registrations worsened. Deutsche Bank put the falls down to “eroding consumer sentiment and recessionary fears.”

5th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

UK Car Registrations Lowest Since 1966

New car registrations fell through the floor in August to their lowest level since 1966. The news prompted the SMMT to call on government to kick-start consumer confidence. “August is one of the quietest months for the new car market, but this year it was the lowest since 1966 with only 63,225 registrations,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.

4th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Britain Turns its Back on Big Cars

Rocketing fuel prices, emissions-based car tax and climate change are taking their toll on drivers who are turning their backs on gas guzzlers and choosing smaller cars as well as public transport, according to research by insurance retailer Swinton. Swinton has analysed its motor insurance quotations database over the last 12 months and reports a dramatic increase in the numbers of motor quotations for smaller-engined cars.

Motor insurance quotations for the very largest cars on the roads including Hummers and Range Rovers have fallen by 16 per cent compared to 06/07 quotes, with Swinton also seeing a decrease in drivers seeking insurance quotes on more everyday Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), down 11 per cent in the last year. Quotes for cars with engines below 1.5 litres (diesel and petrol) have risen by an astonishing 20 per cent, a statistic that Swinton’s analysts lay squarely at the door of higher fuel prices, car tax bands and driver concerns over climate change.

17th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Military Turns Back to Wheels

The military are turning back to wheels as opposed to tracks on defence vehicles. According to a Jane’ Defence Weekly report, there is an increasing trend back towards wheeled vehicles for logistics reasons. The thinking is that a wheel vehicle is better able to get itself to war than a tracked machine, which would need a transported of some kind.

According to the report, republished in the SMMT’s Transport News Brief, the trend was particularly visible the recent Defence Vehicle Dynamics show at Millbrook in Bedfordshire, which was dominated by 6×6 and 8×8 drive trains, with barely any tracked vehicles. At the same time, UK Ministry of Defence took the opportunity to announce orders for more fighting vehicles, all of them wheeled.

8th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Transport Secretary Says No to Mega Trucks

The SMMT is reporting that transport secretary Ruth Kelly has rejected proposals to run “significantly longer and heavier” truck on British roads.

The decision follows the publication of an independent report which suggests that their introduction in the UK would be impractical on either a permanent or trial basis. “This study shows that super-lorries are not compatible with British roads. Not only are there clear environmental drawbacks, but such vehicles would be unsuitable for many roads and junctions, while providing the infrastructure to accommodate them would require substantial investment.”

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

5500 Garages Intend to Join New Code of Practice

The new Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair was launched by Motor Codes Limited to the trade at the Office of Fair Trading in London on 29 May. Over 5,500 garages have reportedly signalled their intent to subscribe via a pre-launch commitment programme. Any UK garage can sign up to the voluntary code, which is currently progressing through the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS). To comply with the code, a business will need to commit to meet the requirements for completing service and repair work whilst engaging with their customers.

The announcement follows threats of a so-called “super complaint” from consumer agencies, due to variable and sometimes poor service in the garage trade. The code aims to promote and safeguard the interests of consumers by helping them identify subscribing garages, and by “providing an easily accessible and robust dispute resolution mechanism when required.”

30th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Gavin Masterton Retires, Nearly

Maywood Equipment Group has announced that Gavin Masterton has retired from day to day responsibilities for the group, but will continue in a consultative position. This means, while he leaves the sales side of the business in the capable hands of Sales Managers Carlo Aloroni and John Baron, he will continue in his role as the groups, publicity and advertising coordinator.

Gavin Masterton has worked in the Automotive industry all his working life, having started as an apprentice with Smiths Industries when they were famous for dashboard instruments, Bluecol, antifreeze and KLG spark plugs. He then spent 10 years with the Brown Brothers as a salesman, Branch Manager and Branch Sales Director before returning to Smiths Industries to become a director for the companies that Smiths had purchased including Affiliated Factors and Godfrey Holmes. During that period he also became managing director of Long Life Accessories, a chain of 100 retail motor accessory shops before that business was sold to Motorist Discount Centres in 1982.

20th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

UK New Car Registrations Up 2.5% in 2007

New car registrations in the UK were the sixth highest on record in 2007. During the year registrations rose 2.5 per cent to 2,404,007 units, surpassing the forecast figure by 90,000 units. Of this, diesel vehicles accounted for a record 40.2 per cent, at 967,436 units an increase of 7.66 per cent over 2006 figures. Also higher last year were registrations of supermini and small family cars, up 17,729 and 25,084 units respectively.

“Last year, demand for new cars was stronger than many had predicted,” said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) CEO Paul Everitt. “There is little sign that the US credit crisis or rising fuel prices have affected demand and we foresee only limited changes through 2008. The UK economy currently remains resilient and the new car market is ultra-competitive.”

9th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Paul Everitt To Be New SMMT Chief

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says that Paul Everitt will be its next chief executive. He will succeed Christopher Macgowan who leaves the society at the end of December, after a nine-year term.

Everitt is director of civil air transport and communications at the Society of British Aerospace Companies, where he is responsible for environmental and safety issues, as well as leading its media team and government relations programmes. Before this, Everitt was head of communications, economics and policy at SMMT. He played a big part in launching the SMMT’s motor industry sustainability report and its annual CO2 report, plus he also took a lead on a range of high-profile policy campaigns, including the End of Life Vehicle Directive, Block Exemption and the Climate Change Levy.

12th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Varta Introduces Three-Tier Battery Range

Varta Automotive Batteries is launching a new, three-tier product structure, aimed at making it easier for the trade to specify the correct battery for every age and complexity of car. The Blue Dynamic range, which provides 80 per cent replacement battery coverage of the UK car parc, is now joined by a Silver Dynamic product for the latest high specification models and a Black Dynamic battery targeted at cars over seven years old.

6th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Macgowan to Step Down as SMMT Chief at End of 2007

SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan will leave the Society at the end of the year. His decision to step down on 31 December was announced at an SMMT board of directors’ meeting. “It will be business as usual for the next seven months and I intend to leave at the top of my game,” commented Macgowan. “

“It has been a privilege working for the industry in this crucial role and I have enjoyed every moment of my nine years with the Society. However, the fact is I have reached a point in my life where I want to do a number of different things, not just one full-on job. Being chief executive of the SMMT is arguably the best job in the industry, but it is also all-consuming. So come 1 January 2008, I am going plural.”

SMMT president Graham Smith added: “Christopher is widely known and respected throughout the industry. On behalf of the SMMT I would like to thank him for his significant contribution, not only to the industry, but also to the effectiveness and strength of the Society. We will miss him and he will not be an easy act to follow.”

23rd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA Joins Right to Repair Strategy Group

Following on from the Right to Repair Seminar organised by the NTDA at Brityrex in Manchester earlier this month, the NTDA have been invited to join the powerful R2RC Strategy Group which will run the UK end of the Europe wide campaign. The Strategy Group is made up of representatives from the SMMT Aftermarket Section, the Automotive Distributive Federation and the Independent Garage section of the Retail Motor Industry Federation and other members of the Automotive Aftermarket Liaison Group

The main task of the group will be to manage the UK end of the campaign which will include lobbying of MPs in Westminster and MEP’ in Brussels.

Representing the NTDA will be the newly elected Vice Chairman of the NTDA David White of Kwik-fit who commented: “This issue is one of the most challenging for our sector and I look forward to representing the Tyre and Fast fit interests within this group which has a lot of work to do over the next few years”.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Retrofitted Accessories “Can Cause Premature Battery Death”

Varta Automotive Batteries says that recent evidence from both sides of the Atlantic of a growing trend in premature battery failure caused by the retrofitting of power-sapping accessories has again raised the issue of like-for-like battery fitment.

RAC patrols attending more than half the call-outs in 2006 believe the use of in-car accessories has resulted in an increase in flat batteries. In the USA, a leading car customiser has experienced an increase in reported battery failures from customers who have add-on electronics such as i-pods and Sat Nav systems.
This incidence of batteries “dying young” is likely to have an increased impact on the aftermarket; recent SMMT figures show that sales of retrofitted in-car entertainment and Sat Nav systems grew between 2001 and 2005 from 100,000 to almost 1.9 million units.

Varta’s technicians warn that unless owners fitting these accessories upgraded their batteries to the same specification that would have been used by the vehicle manufacturer had the accessories been factory fitted, it could lead to premature battery failure.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors