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SEASONAL PRESSURES SEE MARKET SLOW IN JULY

AUCTION house BCA’s latest Pulse report shows that demand for older, lower value dealer part-exchange cars improved in July, but the fleet and lease sector has experienced more price pressure. The headline average used car value declined in July, as would typically be expected at the onset of the summer holiday months. Values across the board fell to £5,633 down from the £5,662 recorded in June – a £29 decrease that was equivalent to 0.5% fall.

Ken Ma appointed VP Design at Chang'an

Former Shanghai Automotive Technical Center (SATC) design director Ken Ma joined Changan Automobile Group as vice president of the firm's Engineering Research Center late last year. Ma's new role puts him in charge of the Group's global design department, reporting directly to Changan group chairman LiuPin Xu on all design matters. But the move also effectively places him in the highest design position at any mainstream automotive company in China – a breakthrough for the country's automotive design industry.

Ford Fiesta ST3 is the new range-topping ST

The Ford Fiesta ST3 (pictured) launches The absence of an RS Ford at the moment means lovers of fast Fords have to settle for an ST, rather than a full-fat RS. But it seems that those who do opt for the ST versions of Ford’s cars are willing to pay more to get a bettered specced car, something Ford are happy to accommodate with the launch of a new Fiesta ST model – the Ford Fiesta ST3. Ford are already seeing the vast majority of Fiesta ST buyers opting for the ST2 version (9 out of ten choose the more expensive version) so they’re obviously hoping a big chunk of those buyers will instead now opt for the better equipped – and more expensive – Fiesta ST3.