Latest news with #Ichiban
South Wales Argus
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
FRF Group named Best Toyota Group for second year in a row
With a 20-year history, FRF won the Best Toyota Group award for its focus on engaging and developing its teams to provide service that exceeds customer expectations. The centre consistently reviews and enhances its processes to deliver consistently strong performance across its six centres in South Wales. Mark Radcliffe, MD of FRF Group, commented: 'Once again, this result has been made possible by the hard work of the teams across our centres. We would also like to thank all our customers for their support.' Helping Steven Eagell Toyota Peterborough earn the Best Toyota Retailer Award, Darren Wheatley, General Manager, is dedicated to ensuring the team focuses on a customer-first attitude, leading to the business delivering strong performances across all areas. He said: 'It was such an honour to receive the award, which was a result of the team committing to being 'brilliant at the basics' and 'doing the right thing when no one is watching'. Their focus on putting the customer at the centre of everything is what makes them a winning team who put customers at the heart of all we do every day. A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone in the business for their contribution, but most of all for dedication to ensuring every customer is respected and receives the best service possible.' Two Toyota Retailers in the RRG Group, based in North West England and Yorkshire, won Ichiban awards for excellence in customer service: RRG Rochdale won the Large Retailer award, and RRG Bury the Medium Retailer category. Both were rewarded for delivering an exceptional performance across all aspects of customer service. The Ichiban Award Small Retailer category was won by Helensburgh Toyota, which was credited with having big ideas and a big heart. When the former owners retired, the business was converted to an Employee-Owned Trust giving every team member a stake in their future. The Centre also won Rural Retailer of the Year 'for taking pride in being the best retailer in town, with every staff member treating customers the right way, consistently going the extra mile'. The retailer also recently earned Best Employer in Town (BEiT) Gold Accreditation that recognises businesses that support their employees. Tim Roome, Managing Director for Helensburgh Toyota, commented: 'We're absolutely thrilled to have ended the year winning both an Ichiban Award and Rural Retailer of the Year. This is special for us as it's our first year of being employee-owned. It rewards the hard work of every member of our team in making Helensburgh Toyota a success.' Toyota UK BRIT award winners Award Centre Best Toyota CDA Vantage (North Yorkshire CDA) Best Toyota Group FRF Group Business Vertu Toyota (Glasgow) Customer RRG Rochdale Ichiban Large RRG Rochdale Ichiban Medium RRG Bury Ichiban Small Helensburgh Toyota Insurance Jemca (Sidcup) Marketing (Group) Vantage New Vehicle Sales Listers Toyota (Bristol South) New Vehicle Sales (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota People Snows Toyota (Southampton) People (Rural) Jim's Garage (Shetland) TFS Steven Eagell Toyota (Rayleigh) Toyota Retailer of the Year Steven Eagell Toyota (Peterborough) Toyota Retailer of the Year (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota Trade Parts (CDA) Vantage (Leeds CDA) Used Vehicle Sales Ron Brooks (Mansfield) Used Vehicle Sales (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota Value Chain Group 1 Toyota (Maidstone) Value Chain (Rural) Jim's Garage
Western Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Western Telegraph
FRF Group named Best Toyota Group for second year in a row
With a 20-year history, FRF won the Best Toyota Group award for its focus on engaging and developing its teams to provide service that exceeds customer expectations. The centre consistently reviews and enhances its processes to deliver consistently strong performance across its six centres in South Wales. Mark Radcliffe, MD of FRF Group, commented: 'Once again, this result has been made possible by the hard work of the teams across our centres. We would also like to thank all our customers for their support.' Helping Steven Eagell Toyota Peterborough earn the Best Toyota Retailer Award, Darren Wheatley, General Manager, is dedicated to ensuring the team focuses on a customer-first attitude, leading to the business delivering strong performances across all areas. He said: 'It was such an honour to receive the award, which was a result of the team committing to being 'brilliant at the basics' and 'doing the right thing when no one is watching'. Their focus on putting the customer at the centre of everything is what makes them a winning team who put customers at the heart of all we do every day. A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone in the business for their contribution, but most of all for dedication to ensuring every customer is respected and receives the best service possible.' Two Toyota Retailers in the RRG Group, based in North West England and Yorkshire, won Ichiban awards for excellence in customer service: RRG Rochdale won the Large Retailer award, and RRG Bury the Medium Retailer category. Both were rewarded for delivering an exceptional performance across all aspects of customer service. The Ichiban Award Small Retailer category was won by Helensburgh Toyota, which was credited with having big ideas and a big heart. When the former owners retired, the business was converted to an Employee-Owned Trust giving every team member a stake in their future. The Centre also won Rural Retailer of the Year 'for taking pride in being the best retailer in town, with every staff member treating customers the right way, consistently going the extra mile'. The retailer also recently earned Best Employer in Town (BEiT) Gold Accreditation that recognises businesses that support their employees. Tim Roome, Managing Director for Helensburgh Toyota, commented: 'We're absolutely thrilled to have ended the year winning both an Ichiban Award and Rural Retailer of the Year. This is special for us as it's our first year of being employee-owned. It rewards the hard work of every member of our team in making Helensburgh Toyota a success.' Toyota UK BRIT award winners Award Centre Best Toyota CDA Vantage (North Yorkshire CDA) Best Toyota Group FRF Group Business Vertu Toyota (Glasgow) Customer RRG Rochdale Ichiban Large RRG Rochdale Ichiban Medium RRG Bury Ichiban Small Helensburgh Toyota Insurance Jemca (Sidcup) Marketing (Group) Vantage New Vehicle Sales Listers Toyota (Bristol South) New Vehicle Sales (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota People Snows Toyota (Southampton) People (Rural) Jim's Garage (Shetland) TFS Steven Eagell Toyota (Rayleigh) Toyota Retailer of the Year Steven Eagell Toyota (Peterborough) Toyota Retailer of the Year (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota Trade Parts (CDA) Vantage (Leeds CDA) Used Vehicle Sales Ron Brooks (Mansfield) Used Vehicle Sales (Rural) Helensburgh Toyota Value Chain Group 1 Toyota (Maidstone) Value Chain (Rural) Jim's Garage
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Bonkers Electric Motorcycle Is a Lightning Quick Ode to ‘Akira'
Ichiban wants to help you recreate one of the most famous moments in anime history. The company has just unveiled a new electric motorcycle inspired by Shotaro Kaneda's bike from Akira. And unlike most of the head-turning designs Ichiban has shared on its Instagram account, this two-wheeler is actually going into production. More from Robb Report Onyx's Retro Electric Moped Is Back for a Limited Run Ford Just Unveiled E-Bikes Inspired by the Bronco and the Mustang McLaren Just Unveiled the World's Most Powerful Street-Legal E-Bikes It's important to note that Akira is not just some cartoon. The big-screen adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga of the same name is one of the most influential pieces of science fiction media ever produced. Except for Blade Runner—which hit theaters the same year that Otomo's comic debuted—it is hard to think of anything that has influenced the cyberpunk aesthetic more. But anime has done more than just influence design and fashion. Its iconic shot, in which main character Kaneda brings his futuristic motorcycle to a sliding halt, is one of the most frequently referenced moments in the last 40 years of cinema. Because of this, it's easy to see why Ichiban designer, Ivan Zhurba, looked to the film for inspiration while designing the electric two-wheeler. The company's battery-powered bike isn't a complete rip-off of the cinematic bike, though, but you can see its influence most clearly in its shape, the design of its swingarm, and, most notably of all, its red and white paint job. Zhurba was also inspired by the Japanese aesthetic concept, Kanso, which translates to simplicity of purity, and made sure to excise all but the most necessary of elements. The result is one of the most streamlined motorcycles, electric or otherwise, around. Ichiban seems to be well aware that its first model e needs to do more than just look good. The company says the motorcycle will be powered by a 45-kW dual-motor system that is potent enough to rocket the bike from zero to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds when 'Godzilla Mode' is enabled. The company hasn't said how big the bike's battery will be but promises a range of 155 miles. When juice does run out, the pack can supposedly be charged to 70 percent capacity in just a half hour. The vehicle will also have an anti-lock braking system and traction control. We don't know when, but Ichiban is determined to make this bike, which seems not to have a name at this point, its first production model. There's no timetable for when this will happen, but you can sign up for updates on the company's website now. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
