Chrysler Group dealers will require lots of capital in the coming years to improve operations. The company plans to help.

For a long time, new-car dealers spent most of their time trying to increase their market share or simply increase sales in their communities.

Chrysler will disappear completely from European car markets in 2011, company bosses have confirmed.

The recession has forced carmakers and franchised dealers to work more closely together with both sides expecting less in the way of financial commitment from each, according to Network Automotive, the independent consultancy.

The percentage of used-car buyers who use the Internet to find vehicles now equals the percentage who depend primarily on dealership visits to find a vehicle, a study says.

Paul Tunnicliffe, new managing director of Subaru UK, wants to take the brand from estimated sales of 4,000 units this year into double figures, but admits it will take up to three years.

The Dodge brand could be dropped from Europe and the UK as Chrysler restructures its ranges.

Manufacturers spend millions of dollars trying to figure out just the right places to put their franchises. Whether it's a Subway or a McDonald's or a car company, having the right dealer in the right place is important.

Dealers who survive the current downturn are well placed to survive future trading conditions although around 10 per cent of UK dealers could close by the end of the year, according to a report in Investors Chronicle.

A quiet mood of optimism seems to be returning to the German luxury car business. BMW reported a 0.7 per cent increase in September sales compared with the same month last year. And while sales at Mercedes-Benz and Audi were lower during the period, the decline was far less pronounced than it has been over recent months.