If it’s an improvement on last year, we’re in for a real treat September 2, 2010 LAST season was a fantastic year for Premiership rugby, culminating in one of the best finals I have ever seen. Leicester and Saracens went hammer and tongs at each other in a high-quality game, which swung from one end to another right to the very last passage of play. On reflection, it was a season [...]
The rise of the “he-vage” September 2, 2010 IT’s one thing for Jude Law to do it. But when bankers at Goldman Sachs in New York (and Russell Brand) start flaunting their “man cleavage” or “he-vage”, it truly is time to become concerned. Throughout the month of August, some Goldman staff were permitted to pay $25 to a designated charity in return for [...]
Worst August in 28 years for GM and Ford September 1, 2010 AUTO sales in the US slumped last month to their worst August in 28 years, reflecting the end of government sales subsidies and underscoring uncertainty about the strength of the US economic recovery. The monthly auto sales figures are one of the first and broadest-based snapshots of consumer demand. Most major automakers posted double-digit sales [...]
Visteon to exit bankruptcy August 31, 2010 Former Ford unit Visteon yesterday received court approval for its bankruptcy reorganisation, ending a 15-month fight among hedge funds, lenders and an industry giant for a piece of the revived auto parts maker. Visteon overcame objections about the treatment of retiree benefits and the way big-money shareholders, but not individual shareholders, were given the right [...]
Geely warns of tough outlook August 25, 2010 CHINA’S Geely, whose parent bought Ford’s Volvo unit this month, warned of tougher competition and slower sales after its record first-half earnings beat forecasts yesterday. China overtook the United States last year to become the world’s biggest car market, as Beijing rolled out incentives to boost spending during the global downturn. But that growth is [...]
Feisty, fun, and a little confused August 24, 2010 THE Mazda3 MPS was once the most powerful front-wheel-drive hot hatch you could buy, an accolade that now belongs to Ford’s Focus RS. Even so, it’s quite possible you may not even be aware of its existence because the model before this one was so understated there was literally nothing about the way it looked [...]
New Five boss wanted Airey August 11, 2010 NEW Channel Five owner Richard Desmond was desperate to maintain the services of outgoing chief executive Dawn Airey before her shock resignation yesterday, according to industry sources. Airey has enacted a clause in her contract that guaranteed her a senior role at former Five parent company RTL in the event of the broadcaster being bought. [...]
CAR TALK August 10, 2010 NISSAN’S BRAVE NEW WORLD UK order books for Nissan’s LEAF car open on 1 Sep. The LEAF – which stands for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car – has a top speed of 87mph and a range of 100 miles and should cost £23,990. The price includes VAT at 20 per cent, as well as [...]
Jaguar drives on Tata profit August 10, 2010 INDIA’S Tata Motors swept past forecasts with a fourth straight quarterly profit yesterday, driven by demand for its luxury Jaguar and Land Rover brands. The company’s Jaguar and Land Rover unit, which Tata bought from Ford in 2008, is expected to fuel growth in coming quarters as demand for luxury brands increases, particularly in emerging [...]
Luxury car sales fuel Pendragon rise August 10, 2010 LUXURY cars are leading a recovery in forecourt sales, according to Pendragon, owner of the Jaguar, Maserati and Mercedes-Benz specialist Stratstone chain. Pendragon saw a 48 per cent rise in first-half profit to £15.7m. Stratstone outperformed the market with a 20 per cent rise in new car sales, while total revenues jumped 24.1 per cent [...]