The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently exploring the feasibility of forcing car manufacturers to install safety black boxes to all vehicles, in order to help cut the death toll on Britain’s roads.

At present the DfT is consulting with international bodies in order to formalise a set of standards that can be applied to all vehicles for recording key data.

At present the main concerns are keeping a record of vehicle speed, and steering angle, before the car crashes. In additional, it is expected that the boxes would be able to determine when a car has crashed and automatically alert emergency vehicles if detected, using on board satellite navigation systems to help direct police and ambulance services to the scene of an accident.

Similar devices are already fitted as standard to most vehicles supplied to the American motor vehicle market. Known as Motor Vehicle Event Data Recorders (MVEDR), they were originally developed to help improve the response of air bags, but have since been advanced to record a range of data useful for accident investigators.

Although the government has acknowledged that civil liberties groups may raise concerns, the final say may lay with manufacturers. With each black box projected to add as much as £500 to the price of a new vehicle, consumers may be more primarily concerned with the extra cost involved.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the steady fall in car production since October 2006 finally came to a halt in March 2007.

UK motor vehicle production in the three months to March was unchanged from the previous three months.

Vehicle production for the home market fell 0.8 pct, while output allocated for the export market grew 0.3 pct.

Compared with same period in 2006, production fell 6.9 pct in the three months to March 2007. Production for the domestic sector was 8.8 pct lower while production for exports fell by 6.3 pct.

Commercial vehicle production in the three months to March fell 3.8 pct from the previous three months, but were 0.7 pct higher year-on-year.

On average, approximately 126,000 cars a month were produced in the three months to March. Around 93,000 cars were for the export market and around 32,000 were for the home market.

Nanjing Automobile Group Corp., the Chinese manufacturer of MG cars, has announced that it plans to begin producing MG-TF Roadsters in Longbridge, the former home of MG Rover, in May.

The company revealed its plans at the Shanghai auto show. Nanjing Auto brought the MG brand in 2005, three months after British car-manufacturer MG Rover went into receivership.

Nanjing Auto plans to capitalise on the fame of the MG brand in Europe and the US and use it as a platform for global expansion. The company plans to invest $2 billion in the brand.

As well as starting production in Longbridge, the company also plans to double the capacity of its plant in Nanjing, eastern China to 500,000 cars a year by 2010.

Talks on opening a plant in Oklahoma, USA, are still on-going.

According to the latest insolvency figures from Experian, business failures amongst motor traders in Britain fell by 27.5% during the first quarter of 2007, compared with the first quarter of 2006.

Sixty-six motor traders became insolvent during January, February and March 2007, compared with 91 during the same period in 2006.

The improvement echoed better figures across all UK business sectors, where business failures dropped by 8.8% during the quarter, representing the biggest fall in four years.

The number of automotive business failures began to slow down towards the end of 2006, with the improvement carrying through into 2007 helped by increased sales of new cars during the first quarter.

The second highest number of registrations since the bi-annual plate change was introduced was recorded in March.

The used car market also benefited from strong demand during the first quarter of 2007.

However, an expected increase in interest rates in May could work to depress sales.

According to the UK car leasing website, my-CarLeasing.com, cars on leasing deals could increases from 1% of the number of cars on the road, to 25% in the next few years - the same level as in the USA.

my-CarLeasing.com is recording substantial growth in interest in leasing deals, especially for premium cars such as Porsche, Range Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin.

The my-CarLeasing.com website was set up by Mark Attwood, to help people find the best leasing deal quickly. Individuals considering vehicle leasing simply submit some basic details to the site. These are then sent to three trustworthy car leasing experts and quotes are obtained for the customer.

Mr Attwood also launched a car leasing blog, to provide advise on car leasing deals, which come in a number of forms such as PCP and PCH (”Personal Contract Purchase” and “Personal Contract Hire”), Hire Purchase and Lease Purchase.

Car leasing has a number of advantages over car ownership, most significantly the driver of a lease car does not have to worry about the vehicle depreciating in value as soon as it is driven off the forecourt.

Depreciation becomes the leasing company’s problem when a car is leased. Lease deals also usually include maintenance agreements.

247spares, the UK’s largest used and reconditioned car parts, has officially announced the completion of it’s new website, offering a huge range of car parts for UK motorists.

Formed in 1999, 247spares is the largest parts network in the UK and is still the fastest growing, with over 90,000 salvaged vehicles in its inventory. All parts are guaranteed, and parts are available for almost every model of car from 1985.

The new website comes complete with an endorsement from former Top Gear and now Fifth Gear presenter, Quentin Wilson.

He points out that not only can 247spares deliver big cost savings when ordering new and used car parts for repairs, but also that 247spares plays a vital role in the recycling industry, taking quality parts and spares that would otherwise go to waste.

The relaunched website focuses on improving the user experience, and now uses a series of short help videos and answers to frequently asked questions, presented by Deal TV star Andrianna Christofi.

By simply entering in their car registration number and selecting the desired part or parts, visitors can quickly and easily find what they require.

It’s free to use the site and you have the option of being contacted when your required part has been found, either by phone call, SMS, or email.

247spares has also launched a news section for providing news and information on the latest developments in the motoring industry.

DaimlerChrysler AG is negotiating the sale of its Chrysler division to Magna International Inc. Daimler is expected to sell its Chrysler business for around 8 billion USD.

Magna is believed to have submitted a first-round bid, which is currently being evaluated by DaimlerChrysler.

Chrysler is one of Magna’s major customers, generating around 15% of Magna’s annual sales of over 20 billion USD.

It is likely that Magna will propose an investment in Chrysler in return for an increase in the amount of vehicle assembly it does for the company.

Blackstone and Cerberus are also believed to be preparing bids, and Mitsubishi Motors and Hyundai could also be interested in acquiring the company.

The Chrysler sale will undo the 1998 merger of Daimler-Benz AG and Chrysler Corp.

Industry sources believe that DaimerChrysler AG’s CEO, Dieter Zetsche, will choose a buyer for the Chrysler unit by the end of April.

Connaught, a famous British marque from the 1950’s, is establishing a global manufacturing and R&D headquarters at Llanelli Gate in South Wales.

Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies announced the investment at a Press conference in Cardiff.

Connaught expects to create around 200 skilled jobs, over a three-year period, with the £12 million investment. It secured regional selective assistance from the Welsh Assembly Government, and ‘SMARTCymru’ funding for research and development of advanced hybrid technology.

The company plans to start production of the Connaught Type-D in Wales in 2007. The limited edition 4 seater Connaught Type D GT Syracuse with a Connaught-designed V10 2-litre supercharged 300bhp engine will be the first car built by Connaught in Wales.

This will be followed by the hybrid version – the Connaught Type-D V10 sports coupe, which provides a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions when compared to other vehicles in its class. It is capable of 42mpg, 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds, and a top speed of 150mph and will be the world’s first high performance hybrid sports coupe.

The £3.5m Connaught Technical Centre, which will include R&D facilities, design workshops and office accommodation, will be completed in 2009. Meanwhile the company plans to lease temporary accommodation, including manufacturing space, in the area.

The Trade and Industry Committee of the House of Commons has published a new report into Britain’s car industry which urges companies and government to increase research and development to help protect jobs.

UK car production fell 10% in 2006 / 07, with a number of high-profile companies closing UK plants, including MG Rover and Ford’s Jaguar unit.

There is a trend for manufacturers to move production to countries where costs are lower. TVR Engineering Ltd., General Motors Corp.’s Vauxhall Motors Ltd. and PSA Peugeot Citroen are all scaling down UK production.

Part of the problem is overregulation, with European Union rules adding 5,000 euros to the average cost of a car made in Britain.

The report advises the industry that it will not be able to compete on the basis of low-cost and advise it to focus on high added-value processes and products which make the most of the UK’s strength in automotive design and innovation and its supply of skilled labour.

It suggests that the industry should adopt lean manufacturing techniques using modern equipment where it is feasible to upgrade facilities, and to strengthen the local supply chain.

Aston Martin has announced that it has been sold by Ford Motor Co to a UK-led consortium for £470m.

The luxury car manufacturer was founded in the UK in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, but passed into US hands in 1975. Ford Motor Co took a 75% stake in the company in 1987 and took full control in 1994. It put the company up for sale six months ago in order to raise funds. In 2006 Ford recorded a loss of $12.7bn.

Aston Martin has now been sold to a consortium headed by Dave Richards of Prodrive, the motor sport and engineering group that runs Aston Martin’s racing team. Mr Richards made his investment in a personal capacity.

The consortium also includes John Sinders, a banker in finance and shipping who collects Aston Martins and two Kuwaiti investment companies - Investment Dar and Adeem Investment. Ford is retaining a £40m stake in the company.

Aston Martin will remain at its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where 1,800 people are employed and the acquisition is expected to provide additional capital to help with the firm’s growth.

The sale is expected to close during the second quarter of this year.