Gloucestershie police have unveiled a camera which can see what motorists are doing from 1,000 metres away.
Blog Post
Fuel costs finally fall, but retailers aren’t ‘playing fair’
Fuel prices are finally falling after a long period of overpriced fuel, according to data from the RAC.
(more…)Blog Post
British governing body MSA relaunches as motorsport UK
The Motor Sports Association, responsible for governing motorsport in the United Kingdom, has been renamed Motorsport UK and will look to promote the sport more as well as regulating.
(more…)Blog Post
BBC to broadcast Formula E’s 2018/19 season live
Formula E’s 2018-19 season will be broadcast live on the BBC’s digital platforms, the championship has announced.
(more…)Blog Post
Jeremy Vine calls for BBC to change name of ‘Drivetime’ radio show
Jeremy Vine has hit out at the use of the term ‘Drivetime’, saying that it celebrates “a form of transport that kills 1,700 people a year”.
(more…)Entertainment
Chris Harris crashes Porsche in Tintern
Top Gear presenter Chris Harris was involved in a collision today when his Porsche crashed into a pick-up truck on a country road.
(more…)Blog Post
PACE! Plan Works: Vauxhall to be Sustainably Profitable, Electric and Global
Vauxhall & Opel is back on course one year after presenting the PACE! strategic plan.
“PACE! works! Vauxhall & Opel will be sustainably profitable, electric and global. This is something every employee can be proud of. We have managed to reorganise ourselves in the last twelve months and changed our mind set. We posted a profit of €502 million in the first six months of 2018 and we are continuing to work hard on our success,” emphasised Vauxhall/Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller.
One important lever for the sustainable economic success is the improved competitiveness in all areas of the company. Vauxhall/Opel managed to cut its fixed costs by 28 per cent in the first half of the year. Extensive agreements on the improvement of competitiveness were signed with the social partners at all sites. This enabled a significant improvement of the labour costs-to-revenue ratio. The company also delivered on its promise to streamline its senior management: such management positions were cut by a quarter over the course of the last year. Vauxhall/Opel clearly stands by its goal of avoiding plant closures. Investments are being made in the various sites and multiple plants have already received new product allocations.
Vauxhall is also increasingly benefitting from the integration into the Groupe PSA. Vehicles based on the shared Multi Energy Platforms are up to 50 per cent more cost efficient in development while at the same time improving quality. Extensive synergies are also being achieved in numerous other areas of the company – such as by the creation of integrated sales structures in many European countries, as well as global functions.
In the meantime, in Germany, the Rüsselsheim Engineering Centre has strengthened its position at the core of the Groupe PSA R&D network: In addition to 15 centres of competence with global responsibility (including seats, fuel cells and advanced driver assistance systems) for the entire group, the Rüsselsheim-based engineers also have the lead for the development of light commercial vehicles and a new family of four-cylinder petrol engines. As per forecasted overcapacities going forward due to the decline in third-party assignments, Opel has also announced plans for a strategic partnership with Segula Technologies to safeguard qualified jobs in Rüsselsheim and Dudenhofen. Up to 2,000 Opel employees would join the engineering service provider. The agreed protection against dismissal until July 2023 would remain in place.
CO2 target will be met thanks to increasing level of electrification
Having access to the sophisticated Groupe PSA platforms and propulsion technologies is the foundation for the extensive electrification of the Vauxhall portfolio. Four vehicles will be electrified in 2020. This includes the new Corsa in a pure battery electric variant, along with the Grandland X PHEV – Vauxhall’s first plug-in hybrid. These vehicles are integral components of Vauxhall’s product offensive.
The company will bring a total of eight new models to market in the next two years. There will be an electric version of every Vauxhall model by 2024. “This offensive will strongly contribute to meeting the strict CO2 limits set by the EU,” said Lohscheller. Charging infrastructure is a key enabler for the development of electrification. Therefore, Opel will contribute to a charging infrastructure project at the company’s headquarters together with partners such as the city of Rüsselsheim.
A further key pillar of the PACE! strategic plan is a further strengthening of the brand as well as a clear focus on profitable segments, channel mix and markets. Vauxhall is already giving a preview of the brand image and the design philosophy of the future with the GT X Experimental. A British brand since 1903, Vauxhall’s brand values are ingenious, progressive and approachable. “Vauxhall will stay British, Opel will stay German. We will continue to clearly differentiate ourselves from our French sister brands,” added Lohscheller. First concrete results of the strengthened brand are already visible: Apart from a significantly improved sales channel mix, it was especially the enhanced pricing power that drove the good financial result in the first six months of 2018. Furthermore, customer loyalty has been improved considerably compared with 2016.
Focus on light commercial vehicles to secure increase of market share
Elsewhere, Vauxhall is attacking the profitable light commercial vehicle segment with more vigour than ever before. In the mid-term, the company wants to increase its market to the same level as that in the passenger car segment. This will be made possible by improvements to the dealer contracts and a completely renewed portfolio. The recently launched new Combo immediately managed to win the prestigious “International Van of the Year” award. Vauxhall/Opel has already taken 25,000 orders since the vehicle went on sale in mid-September. This means the company has already taken more orders for the new Combo than it had registrations for the predecessor from across Europe in the full year 2017. Furthermore, the all-new British-built Vivaro will be launched in 2019.
The offensive on non-European export markets is also gaining momentum. New contracts have been signed with strong importers to grow in many countries such as Morocco, Tunisia or South Africa. Already in the course of this month, Opel will start assembly of the Grandland X for the African market in a new plant in Namibia. For the first time, an extensive full service leasing offer – under the roof of the Groupe PSA mobility brand Free2Move – was also launched in the European markets in recent weeks. This will also add further important growth stimulus.
Michael Lohscheller continues to emphasise that the implementation of PACE! remains the highest priority for the entire organisation. “We will continue to put all our efforts into PACE! and we will be sustainably successful as British and German brands.”
Blog Post
New insurance rules could make motorsport illegal
Motorsport could be made illegal across Europe thanks to a new car insurance directive.
(more…)Blog Post
Make motorists pay for fuel up front to prevent theft, says police chief
Motoring organisations have warned of “unintended consequences” of making drivers pre-pay for fuel, after a top police officer suggested the idea would prevent theft.
(more…)Blog Post
Winter is coming – but are you ready for it?
As temperatures drop and ice appears on our roads, Vauxhall is encouraging its customers to book their car in for a comprehensive Check and Treat health check, which includes a complementary gift.
(more…)Blog Post
Wheeler Dealers to return in 2019
Wheeler Dealers is set to return to screens in 2019, with an array of iconic second-hand cars in need of a second chance.
(more…)Government
New diesels will HELP cities meet air pollution targets
New diesel cars will “play a strong role” in helping cities achieve their targets for air quality, a leading automotive industry executive has claimed.
(more…)Blog Post
Changing a car’s headlight bulb can cost more than £800
The cost of replacing a broken headlight can be so great that some second-hand cars with damaged lights risk being written off, according to new research.
(more…)Blog Post
Vauxhall Says VXR Sub-Brand Is Not Dead, Might Return On Electrified Models
With Vauxhall now owned by France’s PSA Group, a period of significant changes is underway.
(more…)Blog Post
Car insurance regulator launches pricing investigation
The UK’s financial regulator has confirmed that it will investigate the way in which firms charge their customers for home and motor insurance.
(more…)Blog Post
Our Inner Child Rejoices At Forza’s New Hot Wheels Pack
If you’re reading this you probably played with Hot Wheels when you were a kid.
(more…)Blog Post
Quarter of fatal crashes due to falling asleep at the wheel
One in eight drivers admit falling asleep at the wheel, according to new research by the AA Charitable Trust.
(more…)Blog Post
Petrol stations have ‘taken drivers for a ride’ during October
Fuel retailers have been criticised after petrol prices remained unchanged in October despite a drop in wholesale costs.
(more…)Blog Post
Explained: What is a turbocharger?
If you’ve ever discussed or looked into cars with any depth, you’ve probably come across the term ‘turbo’.
(more…)Deals
[DEAL] Nextbase 212 Car Dash Dashboard Camera SD Card & Case Bundle £49.95
Decent price drop on this when you consider the SD card and case are thrown in. Has everything you’d expect from a modern dashcam, with 1080p HD recording and a wide 140 degree view.
(more…)