Latest retailing & distribution news and analysis articles 
Brand/vehicle advertising and marketing; vehicle distribution and sales
SWEDEN: Visser moves up at Volvo Cars
24 May 2013
Geely's Volvo Cars has named former GM marketing executive Alain Visser, who joined last year, as its new senior vice president marketing, sales and customer service, replacing Doug Speck who is leaving for a new job in the US.
SPAIN: Leon Mexico launch boosts SEAT’s rising share
24 May 2013
Volkswagen’s Spanish affiliate SEAT has launched the new Leon in Mexico, a move designed to strengthen the brand's strategy for international growth and profitability.
PRODUCT EYE: Lexus tries again with new IS
23 May 2013
A colleague who shall remain nameless asked, among fellow journalists, the rhetorical question during the European launch of the third generation IS: given the success of Audi, BMW and Mercedes on home European turf, why does Lexus bother?
AUSTRALIA: Ford to end local manufacture in 2016
23 May 2013
After announcing an after-tax operating loss of A$141m for the 2012 financial year, following a A$290m loss in 2011, Ford has finally thrown in the manufacturing towel in Australia and will close its factories in 2016.
INTERVIEW: Magma's Martin Leach
20 May 2013
It was a telephone call from then UK prime minister Tony Blair that prompted Martin Leach to form Magma, the multi-faceted automotive industry consultancy and service provider.
UK: BMW announces 'i' dealer network
20 May 2013
BMW UK has announced the network of dealers that will sell and service its new i sub-brand using electric drive systems and offer 'premium mobility services'.
ITALY: Jeep quick to change to keep customers happy
17 May 2013
Jeep global sales were a record 701,200 last year, a 100% increase in just two years and a long way from the dark days of 2008/09 when ailing Chrysler Jeep was rescued by Fiat.
Quote unquote from Automotive Supply Chain's Silverstone Congress 2013
17 May 2013
Automotive Supply Chain Magazine recently held its 2013 Congress at the home of British Formula 1 racing at Silverstone. Here's a round-up of some speakers' quotes.
US: Nissan passes 25,000 Leaf sales
15 May 2013
After its best sales month to date in March and a 423.5% year on year increase in April, Nissan's Leaf EV has passed the 25,000 sales mark in the US.
US: Jaguar unveils F-type global marketing campaign
15 May 2013
Jaguar has announced details of the global advertising and marketing campaign - tagline 'Your Turn' - to launch the F-Type.
UAE: Cadillac’s April Middle East sales rise 4%
15 May 2013
Sales of General Motors' Cadillac brand rose 4% year on year to 354 units in the Middle East last month as dealers booked their best sales for April since 2008.
RUSSIA: Rising home vehicle production signals shift from 'emerging' status: RTL
14 May 2013
Customs clearance specialist for cars and vehicles, Russian Transport Lines (RTL), says it no longer considers its home country as emerging, although it concedes some infrastructure issues still remain to be resolved.
UK: Western Europe's main dealer count declined in 2012 (but only by 3%)
14 May 2013
Research by the UK-based ICDP shows that the collapse to demand in Western Europe is leading to a decline in the number of main dealer sales networks across the region.
UK: Jaguar Land Rover hits new April sales peak
14 May 2013
Tata Group's UK luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover enjoyed its best-ever April selling 28,503 vehicles, up 12% year on year. Year to date sales rose 16% to 143,974.
UK: Jaguar Land Rover highlights quality recruits challenge
13 May 2013
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says potential recruits in the UK able to deal with its enormous supply challenges are "not readily available," although the automaker was in a more favourable position than component manufacturers.
UK: 'Genius' plan to boost BMW customer satisfaction
13 May 2013
BMW is rolling out its ‘Genius’ programme at UK dealerships following a successful pilot scheme in 2012.
GERMANY: Porsche announces regional management re-shuffle
10 May 2013
After leading the successful expansion of Porsche in China since 2007, Helmut Bröker is to take over as head of the region covering the Middle East, Africa, India, South-East Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Japan and Latin America from 1 July.
UK: Bentley to open dealership in Belarus
9 May 2013
Volkswagen Group luxury car unit Bentley is expanding in fast growing eastern Europe with its first dealership in Belarus.
SWITZERLAND: New regional director for Infiniti north Europe
9 May 2013
Nissan Motor's luxury brand Infiniti has appointed Steve Oliver as the new regional director for northern Europe covering the UK and Holland.
UK: SMMT hails resilience of British auto sector, urges 10-year plan
7 May 2013
SMMT interim chief executive, Mike Baunton, has hailed the robustness of the UK automotive market but is encouraging the British government to develop a 10-year strategy to build on its success.
UK: SMMT appoints new chief executive - identity unconfirmed for now
7 May 2013
Britain's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed it had appointed a new chief executive to lead the body but a six-month notice period was required before he could take up the post.
HONG KONG: Infiniti opens first HK showroom
2 May 2013
Infiniti has opened its first showroom in Hong Kong. It says the move is the next step in the premium brand’s quest to establish a strong presence In Hong Kong.
MYANMAR: Ford opens first dealership
1 May 2013
Ford has opened its first dealership in Myanmar [once Burma - ed], in the commercial capital of Yangon, following the recent lifting of economic sanctions by the EU and the US.
PRODUCT EYE: Audi A3 Sportback
29 April 2013
It seems hardly a month goes by when there isn’t one new form or another of the new Audi A3 being announced. Glenn Brooks, who attended the UK launch of the Sportback, looks at what's ahead for the local importer's best selling model.
SHANGHAI: GM plans four factories and Opel returns
23 April 2013
General Motors plans four new plants in the next three years in China to bring its production capacity there to 5m vehicles a year.
SHANGHAI: Dongfeng & Kia announce Horki brand
22 April 2013
DYK, China's Dongfeng Yueda Kia joint venture, has revealed the Horki Concept-1 at the media preview day of the Shanghai motor show. The first car for this new brand will be built in one of DYK's three Yancheng plants from 2015.
IRAN: IKCO cars to be exported to Tunisia
19 April 2013
IKCO said its cars will be exported to Tunisia after it signed a contract with a local company which plans to open a sales and after-sales service centre.
INDIA: Toyota Kirloskar Motor signs MoU with Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services
18 April 2013
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services to extend auto retail finance to its prospective customers.
JAPAN: Cornes to add Lamborghini
18 April 2013
Japan's leading vehicle importer, Cornes Motors, is to start selling Lamborghini sports cars from next month anticipating higher demand as consumer spending rebounds.
