Maserati sales up 4-fold in UK & Europe this year

The Maserati Ghibli (pictured) helped Maserati to strong sales in UK & Europe Maserati are on a mission to revive sales for the marque after years of being just an afterthought for car buyers fancying something interesting and Italian. And it seems to be working. The new Maserati Ghibli (and the Quattroporte) are starting to appeal to car buyers in the UK and Europe so much that sales so far in 2014 are up by 420 per cent on 2013, and although the actual numbers aren’t massive, the progress certainly is.

Who's Where: Amko Leenarts appointed Ford's Director of Global Interiors Design Strategy

Amko Leenarts has been appointed Director of Global Interiors Design Strategy at Ford Motor Company, effective from 1 June 2012. Leenarts will be tasked with developing the future interior design strategy for both the Ford and Lincoln brands worldwide, working alongside the company's global leadership team and reporting directly to J Mays, Group Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company. He will be based in the company's Merkenich studio in Germany.

FCA issues warning on logbook loans

VULNERABLE people who use their car as security to take out a loan are finding themselves squeezed even harder financially and even threatened, the City regulator has found. The Financial Conduct Authority warned it will put firms offering logbook loans out of action if they do not "dramatically" improve their standards, after finding evidence of poor behaviour including little or no affordability checks being carried out and some applicants being encouraged to manipulate details of their income. It said lenders are failing to properly spell out exactly how expensive such debts will be, with the true cost often masked by an emphasis on "low" weekly repayments and key terms and conditions buried in small print.