Automotive industry in the United Kingdom to Britain from 1975, later launching a hatchback model (the Polonez) alongside it. However, by 1998, Skoda was the only Eastern European carmaker still importing cars to Britain, now competing with budget-priced Far Eastern cars from the likes of Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai and Proton. Nissan had axed the Datsun brand by 1984 and used its own name on all cars, and in 1986 opened a factory in Britain near Sunderland, which produced the mid-range Bluebird hatchbacks and saloons, although it was the Japanese-built Micra which was the company's best-selling car in Britain during the 1980s. The decade also saw the
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group from use of Chrysler Group vehicles with hope to better diversity their rental fleet. It was announced the fleet would now include Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, and other vehicles. This fleet expansion helped Dollar Thrifty shares on the New York Stock Exchange rise to a 52-week high of $27.50 before closing at $26.33 - up 0.57 percent. Gary L. Paxton was elected President and CEO of Dollar Thrifty Automotive in October 2003 in response to Joseph E. Cappy's retirement after ten years with the brand. Paxton's career with Dollar Thrifty Automotive began after working for