Car makers follow Ford into leasing

NEWS A string of personal leasing schemes to revive the retail car market and rival Ford’s Acumen programme are being launched by motor manufacturers.

NEWS

A string of personal leasing schemes to revive the retail car market and rival Ford’s Acumen programme are being launched by motor manufacturers.

The schemes, which will be available from August, will add to the already huge marketing spend by UK car manufacturers.

The schemes will follow the plan laid down by Ford which announced its Acumen programme four weeks ago (MW May 26).

It offers drivers, who cannot afford or do not want to buy a new car, two-year lease programmes. Acumen has been backed by an estimated 5m launch budget and an advertising campaign through Ogilvy & Mather.

The leasing schemes have been triggered by tax changes that remove VAT charges from lease agreements.

Rover is due to unveil its programme next month although the company has yet to decide on a name for the scheme.

Peugeot Talbot and Mercedes-Benz will also announce plans in the coming weeks.

“All manufacturers have looked at the tax changes,” says a Rover spokesman, “but Ford got its package together first.

“Our scheme will be virtually the same scheme as Acumen but this is not just a case of following Ford.”

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