AM -Automotive Management October 2015 preview

www.am-online.com October 2015 £8.00

P O R S C H E R E TA I L G R O U P / P 3 4

AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT

Ade Smith on being ‘inclusively exclusive’

THE GR A E GREAT

EG EG P RE-R PRE-REG -R RE LE E GA G GAMBLE A B BL L Will chasing the volume bonus jackpot cost dealers their shirts? P23

N E W C A R S / P 10 0

C H O O S E Y O U R S U P P L I E R / P 47

British brands shine at the Frankfurt Motor Show

The latest deals and the best advice from UK automotive suppliers

Call FOr EnTrIEs

Entry deadline

11 February 2016

The International Convention Centre

Sponsors

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October 2015

WELCOME

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Shining a spotlight on the hard-working innovators that support your business s motor retailers begin their budgeting and planning for 2016’s trading, we’re bringing you a special section in AM this month – Choose Your Supplier.

We’ve identified 12 sectors that play a vital role in supporting motor retailers, from F&I and call management to warranties and digital marketing. In each, we’ve examined the key developments in the past 12 to 18 months that have led the major players to broaden their client bases and build new relationships with franchised dealers.

These suppliers recognise the future of their business is secured by innovating and working hard to support their dealer clientele. Such support was crucial during the economic crisis, but even now is fundamental as dealer networks face the pressure of regulation and manufacturers’ volume targets.

As we consider on page 23, those targets are leading to widespread preregistrations and the gamble that the volume bonus will outweigh any margin lost on the metal when the car can be sold as used stock three months later.

Pushing pre-registrations and pack deals isn’t a worry for Porsche Retail Group, the subject of our Face To Face dealer profile on page 34. The opposite is the case, in fact. Director Ade Smith would love his “inclusively exclusive” dealerships to have more used cars to offer the wealthy customers on their doorsteps. With Porsche making new cars that suit a broader range of buyers, he feels there’s a real opportunity to grow.

A

The editorial team Email: am@bauermedia.co.uk Website: www.am-online.com Twitter: @amchatter LinkedIn: am-online.com/linkedin

Stephen Briers Editor-in-chief

Tim Rose Managing editor

Jeremy Bennett Associate editor

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OUR EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS Rupert Pontin is head of valuations at Glass’s.

With more than 29 years’ experience in the motor trade, he has worked for companies such as BCA and Car Shop, as well as running his own successful independent used car business.

In this issue (p28), he looks at the impact of the year’s second plate-change month on volumes, pre-registrations and used car values.

Prof Jim Saker As director of the Centre of Automotive Management at Loughborough University’s Business School, Saker is a key figure behind the drive for management recognition and skills in the motor retail sector.

This month (p43), he says market changes, new legislation and training have left the Arthur Daley image of the car dealer firmly in the realm of fiction.

Alongside this issue of AM you should find a special standalone supplement – The AM Franchise Guide 2015. As many franchised dealer groups are positioned to expand after several years of record profits, we’ve designed The AM Franchise Guide to help.

The supplement covers each of the major car brands in detail, with key performance trends identified from our AMi database and insight into future prospects.

am-online.com October 2015 3

In this issue October 2015 23 PRE-REG WILL DEALERS LOSE THEIR SHIRTS?

34 Your news

7

News digest The high volumes of new cars being pushed into the UK threaten profits, says Audi UK; Lookers acquires Benfield Motor Group; and experts warn that dealers are not ready for the Consumer Rights Act.

Market intelligence

13 14 15

19

FACE TO FACE PORSCHE RETAIL GROUP

Used cars BCA reported that values for dealer part-exchanges fell 0.6% in August, but at Manheim’s auction rooms the average was up 1.7%.

AM Awards 2016

20

The judges This year’s panel is announced and we take a look at past winners.

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Future demands for car brands

33

AM poll

34

“Whoever the customer is, we treat them with complete equality”

Insight

New car registrations

23

Are pre-registrations a threat or an opportunity?

28

The impact of the 65 plate change

In August, the UK new car market grew 9.6% year-on-year, its 42nd consecutive month of growth.

Dealer profitability The average dealer made a profit of just under £4,000 in July, matching their result for July 2014, according to ASE data.

4 October 2015 am-online.com

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How to be an effective captain

43

Jim Saker’s view from the business school

Some in the industry are starting to worry about the level of artificial inflation in the market.

Pre-reg will rise, but consumer confidence will dictate values, says Glass’s.

Only one in five franchised dealers is turning its used car stock 12 times a year, according to the latest AM Poll.

Porsche Retail Group director Ade Smith explains his group’s “inclusively exclusive” ethos.

Dealers dissatisfied 17 out of 28 networks give lower satisfaction score to manufacturers in the latest NFDA poll.

Are motor retailers ready for big data, ‘intelligent mobility’ and the driverless car?

Former England cricket captain Graham Gooch shares his leadership advice with the AM Executive Breakfast Club.

In the age of the PCP, there is no room for Arthur Daley clichés, writes Jim Saker.

For the latest motor retail industry news, visit am-online.com Sign up to get AM news daily by email: am-online.com/newsletter

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FORTUNE-TELLING WHAT’S IN STORE FOR CAR BRANDS?

47 CHOOSE YOUR SUPPLIER 12 MONTHS IN 12 SECTORS

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FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW BRITISH BRANDS SHINE

AM Awards winner: Manufacturer of the Year (Ford UK) Ford MD Andy Barratt says a broad range and innovation help its dealers, but customer loyalty is key.

Choose your supplier

47

The latest deals and products from 12 sectors that supply services to automotive retailers.

Showroom

100 Frankfurt Motor Show

The new models, refreshes and concept cars to excite UK dealers from Europe’s biggest motor show.

104

Mazda MX-5

AM’s first drive finds the iconic sports car retains the level of fun that Mazda expects to help move more than 5,000 units a year.

107

Volkswagen Polo

Strong RVs and good reliability helped to boost registrations of Volkswagen’s B-segment star by almost 30% in the year to July.

108 Škoda Octavia

An offer of an Octavia for £149 per month is Škoda’s last push for Q3.

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Mazda3

In its last test, AM’s Mazda 3 goes out on a high note with an uncompromising service by our local dealership.

Coming soon

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In November’s issue – published October 23 Face to face with the Obee family’s Motorline group; how dealerships are bringing a sense of theatre to the showroom; the latest in-car technology; and the Mitsubishi L200 reviewed.

DEALERS AND SUPPLIERS IN THIS ISSUE: 21st Century Internet ..........................................85 AA Cars.....................................................................61 AA Garage Guide ..................................................93 Allianz Global Assistance ..................................49 Alphera Financial Services...............................53 AMS Group..............................................................80 Armchair Answering...........................................72 ASE .....................................................................15, 24 Audi........................................................................7, 23 Auto Trader.............................................................60 Autoclenz.................................................................56 AutoProtect.............................................................49 Autotorq ...................................................................84 Autoweb Design....................................................84 AXA Group ..............................................................10 BCA...............................................................................9 BDM Voice ...............................................................72 Benfield.......................................................................7 Black Horse.....................................................14, 52 Bluesky Interactive ..............................................84 CAP............................................................................24 Car Care Plan .............................................9, 48, 81 Castrol......................................................................89 CDK............................................................................64 Close Brothers Motor Finance ........................53 Cooper Solutions ..................................................65 Dealerweb........................................................10, 64 Denison Automotive ............................................85 DMS Navigator ......................................................64 Edynamix.................................................................68 Emac .........................................................................69 ExxonMobil .............................................................89 Falcon Car Care ....................................................57 Fiat ................................................................................9 Financial Ombudsman Service ..........................7 FLA .............................................................................13 Ford ...........................................................................96 GardX .........................................................................76 Gforces .....................................................................84 Glass’s................................................................24, 28 Glyn Hopkin ............................................................10 Gtechniq....................................................................76 Inchcape...................................................................10 Jewelultra ...............................................................77 KPMG........................................................................26 Lookers ................................................................7, 26 Lotus .........................................................................10 Manheim Retail Services...................................85 Mapfre Abraxas ....................................................80 Mapfre Warranty..................................................48 Marketing Delivery...............................................85 MB&G..................................................................49, 81 Mercedes-Benz.....................................................10 Moneypenny ...........................................................72 Motonovo .................................................................53 Motorclean..............................................................56 Motors ..................................................................9, 61 MyMotoring.............................................................93 NFDA...................................................................10, 13 Nissan.......................................................................10 Permashine ............................................................77 Peter Vardy................................................................9 Pinewood.................................................................64 Porsche Retail Group..........................................34 PwC ...........................................................................26 Q8 Oils ......................................................................89 RAC Cars.................................................................60 RAC Garage Compare........................................92 Razoom ....................................................................65 Robinsons...................................................................9 Shell...........................................................................89 SMMT........................................................................ 14 Spidersnet...............................................................85 Supagard ..................................................................76 Swansway Garages .............................................24 The Warranty Group .....................................49, 68 Total Lubricants ....................................................88 Tribos Coatings.......................................................76 UHY Hacker Young..................................................9 Warrantywise ........................................................48 Wessex Garages...................................................10 Whocanfixmycar...................................................92 WMS Group ............................................................48 WR Davies...............................................................10

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NEWS DIGEST

T H E N E W S YO U C A N ’ T A F F O R D T O H AV E M I S SE D

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‘Early right to reject’ law

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Motor retailers are underprepared for the new Consumer Rights Act, a legal expert has warned.

Clocking warning Motor retail organisations have called on the Government to crack down on vehicle clocking.

AUDI

‘Forced’ market will hurt profits The new car market has reached a level where it is being damaged by the high volumes being pushed into the UK, warned Audi UK director André Konsbruck.

Konsbruck said profits are being put at risk when the UK is required to absorb so much.

“The market is more challenging than in previous years – it’s unnatural growth,” he said. “There seems to be a push to go for a 2.6 million level, for whatever reason. It’s reached a level now where it’s really damaging.

“We’re already starting to see an impact on residual values of used cars. The new car offers are so attractive that used cars are suffering, and in order to hit these ambitious targets we’re seeing a lot of self-registration in the marketplace, which is damaging margins on both sides.”

Konsbruck believes the market is suffering around 150,000 forced registrations of new cars that have no

LOOKERS

Top five AM100 group Lookers has acquired Benfield Motor group and its 30 dealerships for £87.5 million in cash.

The acquisition boosts Lookers’ presence in the North East, is expected to immediately enhance earnings for the group and may push Lookers into the top three largest dealer groups in the UK, ahead of Arnold Clark Automobiles.

Andy Bruce, Lookers’ chief executive, said: “A key attraction for us is the cultural fit. Both Lookers and Benfield share an approach which puts employees and customers at the heart of our business and this acquisition will ensure that continues.”

Lookers has history with Benfield, as its current motor division managing director, Nigel McMinn, was

end customer. He talked of seeing one manufacturer recording 43% of one month’s registration on the last day of the month.

He is also concerned about low interest rates and strong, unsustainable residual values.

“All these customers who bought a couple of years ago are coming to parity at an early stage now, but all this will change when values drop, which is inevitable, or interest rates go up. Then we will have to see how people behave if they’re not offered a change after 18 months when they’ve started to get used to it, and how manufacturers will behave when there’s some volume pressure, and how dealers will behave when they’re asked to sign up to unrealistic targets.

“I want a sustainable business, but I can’t have that if my dealers are not profitable,” he added. The Audi network’s average return on sales has already dropped from 2.3% to 2.0% this year. The brand and its dealers can do everything right, yet factors outside Audi’s influence could damage the business, he said.

André Konsbruck, director, Audi UK

PCP previously chief executive at the North East Group, before heading to Lookers.

Benfield was founded in Newcastle in 1957 and was one of the UK’s largest private motor retailing companies, headed by managing director Mark Squires and chairman John Squires.

It has 1,600 employees working in dealership locations across the north of England and Scotland.

Benfield’s franchises include Audi, Volkswagen, VW Commercial Vehicles, Škoda, Ford, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Dacia, Nissan and Honda.

The acquisition is being funded using new banking facilities made available to Lookers by Bank of Ireland, Barclays Bank, HSBC Bank, Lloyds Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Yorkshire Bank.

Accounts for Benfield for the year ended December 31, 2014 reported revenue of £699.7m and profit before tax of £7m. The company had gross assets of £154.6m and net assets of £55m. The acquired centres will be rebranded as Lookers.

Analysts at Zeus Capital said: “We believe this is a good transaction as it provides more scale to the group with many of its brand partners, management know this business extremely well and we can see how Lookers can generate a ROCE of 15% over time.”

Goodwill paid on the deal was £33m, Zeus said.

■ Lookers also acquired Amersham Jaguar from Jardine Motors group this month, taking it to five Jaguar dealerships.

Car dealers were warned to be sensitive to customer needs when selling PCP products, as figures from the Financial Ombudsman Service revealed an 18% rise in hire purchase complaints (including PCP deals) in 2014.

In total, 1,784 complaints were handled and the majority of these related to the purchase of a vehicle.

Of these, 37% were found in the consumer’s favour.

“It’s worth remembering that people are often more focused on the thrill of buying a new car and can lose sight of the small print,” said Caroline Wells, head of outreach at the ombudsman.

“When making a sale we’d urge dealers to ensure customers know what they are signing up to and to keep records of discussions.”

Paul Harrison, head of motor finance at Auto Trader and formerly head of motor finance at the Finance and Leasing Association, said: “It is encouraging to see that the ombudsman often rules in favour of the industry.”

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T O R E A D A M ’ S D A I L Y N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: a m - o n l i n e . c o m / n e w s l e t t e r

CONSUMER RIgHTS ACT

Legislation labelled as the biggest change in consumer rules to affect the motor trade for decades, is about to come into force – and experts warn the industry is underprepared.

Motor lawyer Mark Reeves says the new Consumer Rights Act is going to force dealerships to look closely at their selling practices.

Reeves has teamed up with motor sector learning and development agency RTS Group to design and deliver courses to help dealerships get to grips with the legislation, which comes into force on October 1.

The RMI and various car manufacturers have also been holding seminars to inform franchised dealers of the changes.

“I have been working in motor trade law for 27 years, and I know the industry is simply not ready for this,” said Reeves. “The new Act means that, when it comes to problems with the product, the ball is firmly in the consumer’s court.”

Though not specifically aimed at the motor industry, it is here the Act will have one of the biggest impacts.

According to Trading Standards, Citizens Advice helped with more than 84,000 problems relating to used cars in 2013/14. Most complaints were about consumer service.

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires that

anyone buying goods (such as a car), which are found to be faulty within 30 days of delivery can demand a full refund. Known as the ‘early right to reject’, this replaces earlier rules that said a vendor could merely replace or repair a faulty item or part.

Any defect found after 30 days (but within six months), entitles the customer to a repair or replacement – and dealers will have only one chance at repair or replacement. If they fail, the customer is, again, entitled to a full or partial refund.

Reeves said these changes mean dealerships will have to use due diligence in all sales, paying close attention to pre-sale vehicle checks. If they miss or overlook faults, and the customer then decides they want a refund, they could be facing forecourts full of returned cars.

“The Consumer Rights Act is the most important piece of legislation in this area for 40 years, and will prove a huge shock to the franchised dealers. I think it means that motor dealers will have to be much more focused on ensuring that vehicles are free of faults at delivery; greater emphasis on predelivery inspections, vehicle health checks, approved used car checks and service schedules.”

Malcolm Miller, managing director at RTS group, said dealerships were gradually waking up to the new legislation, and his team were taking more and more calls from dealer principals who want training in the new rules.

ROBINSONS

Robinsons Motor group has redeveloped Norwich Audi to enhance the showroom and customer experience.

P E T E R VA R DY

Peter Vardy has published halfyear trading figures showing a return on sales of 3.9%.

Year-on-year profits rose 64% in the first six months of 2015, with EBITDA of £8.7 million, average profit of £791,000 per dealership.

Turnover was up more than 10% to £224m.

The company said the increase in profitability in relation to turnover arose from improved staff retention, a strengthened senior team and more efficient trading.

The group operates the largest Jaguar Land Rover retailer outlet in the UK, has top quartile performance with Porsche, leads Vauxhall network profitability and remains highly profitable with BMW and Mini, it said.

Its CarStore used car supermarket in Glasgow will exceed 4,000 sales in 2015.

Group website visits in 2015 are expected to exceed 3m, a 65% increase on 2014.

The showroom can now display 16 new cars, up from 12, while new hard-standing areas provide further display space outside.

The redevelopment, which took four months, included extending the upper floor to create a new working area for the 10 sales executives so the showroom is free of desks and can display more cars.

There is a new six-desk service reception area beneath the new upper floor, an Audi Sport Centre (the only one in the area) for S and RS models, with its own customer seating area and car configurator, and a new reception area. It has workstations with power and Wi-Fi. A hi-tech private lounge, behind the customer waiting area, allows customers to configure cars electronically and display them on a large screen.

RECORD USED CAR MARKET

The value of used car sales in 2014 reached £45.1 billion, up £2.4bn (5.6%) on the year before and an all-time high, according to the 25th edition of the BCA Used Car Market Report.

Car ownership is also on the rise, from a five-year low of 69% of households in 2014, to 75% in 2015.

Spencer Lock, BCA group managing director, said: “A total of 7.2 million used cars were sold last year as the market maintained a strong performance and, alongside the 2.5 million new car sales figures reported by the SMMT, this resulted in a ratio of 2.9 used cars sold to every one new car.

“Only 2003 recorded a higher volume in recent years.”

wP E O P L E N E W S SEBASTIANO FEDRIgO Sebastiano Fedrigo has been appointed Fiat and Abarth country manager for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK. Reporting to deputy managing director Karl Howkins, Fedrigo (pictured) takes on market responsibility for both brands.

He was previously director of Fiat Professional in the UK.

BEN RUSSELL Car Care Plan Group has appointed Ben Russell as its sales director, responsible for overseeing the group’s sales activities in Europe, China and Brazil.

PHILL JONES Motors.co.uk has promoted its commercial director Phill Jones to the role of managing director, following Andy Coulthurst’s exit. Coulthurst left the company to become chief executive of car supermarket group The Trade Centre Wales, and plans to expand the business.

RICHARD HIgHAM UHY Hacker Young has announced the addition of Richard Higham to its automotive sector team in Manchester. He will take the role of director of corporate finance.

CR AIg MOR AN Car leasing advertising portal ContractHireandLeasing.com has appointed Craig Moran as manufacturer and dealer relationship manager to boost its network of dealership and manufacturer partners. Moran joins ContractHireandLeasing. com from AMT Contract Hire & Leasing, where he was general manager.

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NEWS DIGEST IN BRIEF NISSAN Three UK Nissan dealerships have celebrated winning the carmaker’s highest global retail honour. Wellington Nissan in Somerset, Glyn Hopkin Nissan in Chelmsford and West Way Nissan Birmingham were among just 100 worldwide to receive the Nissan Global Award for 2015.

LOTUS EVORA The first Evora 400 sports cars destined for customers and dealers have driven off the assembly line and are soon to arrive at Lotus dealerships across the UK and mainland Europe. The occasion was marked by a small celebration with members of the engineering and manufacturing team at Lotus, who are responsible for hand-building Lotus’ fastest production car, which is priced from £72,000.

MERCEDES-BENz Mercedes-Benz Retail Group dealers from Macclesfield, Manchester Central, Stockport, Whitefield and Manchester, have teamed up to open a ‘popup’ store in the Intu Trafford Centre, Manchester. The shop will be open to visitors until October 11 and follows the success of similar activities in Birmingham and London.

A X A gROUP Axa Group has acquired Global Insurance Management, the insurance solutions provider.

NISSAN Nissan has introduced a fiveyear, or 100,000-mile, manufacturer warranty to all petrol and diesel vans and trucks. The warranty covers component and chassis elements, from powertrain and battery through to paintwork. The warranty extends to Nissan genuine accessories.

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T O R E A D A M ’ S D A I L Y N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: a m - o n l i n e . c o m / n e w s l e t t e r

CLOCKINg APPEAL

The government needs to crack down on vehicle clocking, say the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) and the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA).

The organisations, both part of the RMI, lobbied Conservative MP Heather Wheeler, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General and member of the AllParty Parliamentary Motor Group, to spread the message that the alteration of vehicle odometers poses a danger to consumers and needs to be outlawed.

Wheeler, also vice-chairman of

the All Party Parliamentary Group for Insurance and Financial Services, agreed to look further into the issue of clocking, which is promoted online by more than 70 UK mileage correction firms.

She said while the Government aims to reduce regulation, it will not stand for fraud.

The NFDA’s Louise Wallis said members were concerned that clocking is on the rise. She said this was driven by the availability of such services online, and growth in PCPs based on a maximum annual mileage, which may lead some consumers who exceed their limit to seek mileage adjustment in order to avoid fees.

WESSEX gAR AgES

Car dealer Wessex garages has opened its first Renault and Dacia dealership, a 3,831 sq-ft showroom at the Newport Retail Park, representing an investment of £500,000.

The Newport dealership, including its nine-car showroom, sits on a three-acre site. The new site has created 12 jobs.

Wessex Garages is the 14th retail partner to be added to the Renault and Dacia network in the past 12 months. The growth in the network is another step towards meeting the goals set out in Renault Group UK’s GO5+ strategy – a plan that includes a drive to increase market share to 5% by 2017 and to make the brand a market leader in customer satisfaction and brand opinion.

Wessex group managing director Keith Brock said: “We feel it is the right time to introduce and give Renault and Dacia a home with Wessex. It is an exciting time not only for Renault and Dacia, but for us too, as we have seen sales across all of our dealerships increase over the past 12 months.”

INCHCAPE

Inchcape Retail group UK has bought the Armstrong Massey Land Rover dealership in York.

The acquisition takes Inchcape’s portfolio of Land Rover dealerships, which trade under the Hunter brand, to eight sites.

Inchcape already represents Jaguar in York, so the acquisition is an ideal fit given that Jaguar Land Rover’s new retail concept is for both brands to operate side by side where possible.

Inchcape also represents Land Rover at Chester, Derby, Guildford, King’s Lynn, Norwich, Preston and Southampton, and Jaguar at Cheltenham, Doncaster, Guildford, Leeds, Norwich, Nottingham, Preston and Southampton.

“Clocking shows no sign of going away,” she said.

“The law definitely needs to be changed.”

Mileage adjustment itself is not illegal currently. The illegality arises only when a vehicle with an adjusted mileage is sold without telling the buyer that it should be higher. Prosecutions are pursued under consumer protection laws.

The NFDA would like the practice of mileage adjustment banned outright, as it already has been in the United States and the Republic of Ireland.

“Trading Standards and the police need to take a harder line on this,” said Wallis.

g LY N H O P K I N

glyn Hopkin has announced a record 58% increase in profits before tax, to £3,536,793. This is from a turnover that rose 25.47% to £219,250,216 over the same period.

Between January 1 and June 30 this year, Glyn Hopkin dealerships sold more than 8,300 new cars, representing an uplift of 19.81% compared with the same period last year. Aftersales turnover is up 23.03% to £19,983,575, and profits up 18.72% to £8,589,335.

Fraser Cohen (pictured), managing director of glyn Hopkin, said: “We have exceeded our previous record from 2014 thanks to a sound business growth plan and consistent hard work from a creative team that constantly challenges itself to do even better.”

R E g I S T R AT I O N S

Registrations in the September plate-change month were expected to rise despite a minimal uplift in dealer enquiries, research has shown.

Dealerweb, a provider of showroom management systems, examined new car enquiry and sales data during July and August 2015 across 12 car brands.

It found a 9% year-on-year rise in orders taken for new cars during July and August 2015, but the volume of sales enquiries had remained static.

The average number of test drives recorded by dealers rose an average 2% for the period.

W R D AV I E S

Welsh dealer WR Davies has secured £4.5 million in funding from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking for an expansion and refurbishment programme.

The dealer group operates eight garages in North Wales and Staffordshire, with new car franchises for Ford, Renault, Citroën, Toyota and Nissan, as well as offering commercial van sales and service and repair facilities.

The business, founded in 1924, has an annual turnover of £94m and employs 249 staff.

It has started a programme of works across its dealerships and said it was looking for opportunities to expand in its core geographical areas.

market intelligence 14

new cars

Despite its reputation as a quiet month, august’s registrations were up 9.6% year-on-year.

15

19

profitability

the average dealer made a profit of just under £4,000 in July, matching their result for July 2014.

the news in depth

Used cars

sponsored by

Bca and manheim split on dealer partexchange values in august.

Many dealers dissatisfied on profitability and targets 17 out of 28 networks give lower satisfaction score to manufacturers in latest nFDa poll he national Franchised dealers Association (nFdA) has suggested the relationship between its members and their car manufacturers is deteriorating. the nFdA’s summer 2015 dealer Attitude survey has shown 17 of the 28 franchised networks involved gave a lower score for their overall franchise satisfaction than in the prior survey. the average response of 6.2 out of 10 was the lowest score over the past three years. Škoda, which had told AM it had rectified issues after being rated the poorest franchise in the winter survey with 4.1 out of 10 for overall value, actually fell back further, with a result of 3.9. “the score suggests the Škoda network has significant issues which are not being addressed quickly,” said the nFdA report.

Volkswagen, already in decline since winter 2014 and another brand that told AM it is listening to its dealers, plunged from 6.7 to 4.9 and ranked third from bottom, just above Alfa Romeo. some 75% of its franchised network took part in the survey, so this has to be seen as a clear message to its senior management.

t

n F d A d e A L e R At t i t U d e s U R V e Y s U M M e R 2 015

Source: NFDA

how would you rate your manufacturer overall? (Winter 2015 score in brackets) mercedes BmW lexus kia Suzuki mini audi

9.7 8.6 8.5 8.4 8.1 7.7 7.5

(9.0) (7.5) (7.8) (8.5) (8.4) (7.3) (8.3)

toyota Subaru land rover mazda nissan Honda mitsubishi

topping the chart for overall franchise value was MercedesBenz, winner of the 2015 AM Award for Franchise of the Year, with a rating of 9.7 out of 10, an improvement of 0.7 points since the winter survey.

BMw was ranked second from top, its 8.6 point score a 1.1 point rise since the winter. Close behind was Lexus, on 8.5. the survey shows toyota achieved the most improvement, rising from 5.7 in the winter survey to 7.3 this time. nissan also improved strongly, up one point to 6.6 out of 10, and honda rose to 6.3 points from 5.5 in the winter and 4.6 last summer.

Sue robinson, nFDa director, said the overall survey responses gave particular concern in the areas

7.3 7.1 6.9 6.8 6.6 6.3 6.3

(5.7) (6.6) (7.9) (7.8) (5.6) (5.5) (6.5)

involving profitability, targets and pressure to register vehicles.

“Answers to these questions showed that even in a strong market, some manufacturers are still pushing registration growth at the expense of dealer margin,” she said. dealers returned an average score of 4.7 out of 10 when asked how satisfied they were with their new car targeting process, indicating that dealers in general were dissatisfied. only three franchises returned a score of 8.0 and above, indicating a significant satisfaction level in these brands. Mercedes was the top-scoring franchise with a score of 8.6 and both Land Rover and Lexus with scores of 8.0. with a score of 2.7, both Volk-

J U LY M o t o R F i n A n C e M A R k e t: n e w C A R s new cars bought on finance by consumers through dealerships July 2015 Change on 3 months to previous year July 2015 Value of advances (£m) 1,160 +17% 3,775 number of cars 70,444 +13% 228,629 new cars bought on finance by businesses through dealerships number of cars 46,150 -5% 138,773

Hyundai Fiat Jeep Ford renault Volvo Vauxhall

Source: FLA

Change on previous year +16% +11%

12 months to July 2015 15,151 939,696

Change on previous year +14% +10%

+11%

512,371

+13%

6.1 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.3

(7.0) (7.7) (7.0) (5.8) (7.0) (6.2) (6.7)

Seat Peugeot citroën Jaguar Volkswagen alfa romeo Škoda

5.2 5.1 5.0 5.0 4.9 4.1 3.9

(4.8) (4.9) (5.1) (6.2) (6.7) (5.0) (4.1)

swagen and Škoda had the lowest scores for this question. profit and profitability ratings also saw a decline. when rating the profit return by representing their franchise, the average score was 5.6. this score is down 0.4 points since the winter survey, and 0.5 points lower than last summer.

F i n A n C e s tAt s the number of new cars bought by consumers on finance provided through dealerships rose 13% year-on-year, according to the FLA. the percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through dealerships in the year to July hit 78.7%, up from 78.1% in the 12 months to June. the point-of-sale consumer used car finance market also continued to grow, with new business volumes up 9% compared with July 2014.

Geraldine kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: “the point-of-sale consumer car finance market has continued to grow in line with expectations. we expect new car finance volumes to continue to grow over the coming months.”

am-online.com October 2015 13

Am AwArds 2016

Categories sponsored by

AwArds timeline Today Enter your application now

ntries are now being invited for the AM Awards 2016. Certain categories are highlighted, right, but the full list of 26 categories is available at awards.am-online.com/award-categories and entry forms can be requested from amawards@bauermedia.co.uk. the event, at Birmingham’s international Convention Centre on February 11, 2016, promises to be a highlight of the motor retail calendar. entries must be submitted

by October 30, 2015. take action now, and you could be joining the past winners in our league of glory.

e

“Winning the AM award was a fantastic achievement for our staff and we thank them and our customers for the loyalty and commitment they have shown over the years. We are very proud to have been recognised by an independent panel of judges for the results that we achieved in 2014” Russell Day, sales director of the 2015 Best Retail Group (more than 10 sites), Day’s Motor Group

October 30 Entry deadline

PreViOUs winners Best Fleet Operation

2013 winner – luscombe suzuki leeds 2012 winner – luscombe suzuki leeds 2011 winner – sinclair Group Best Retail Group (up to and including 10 sites)

2015 winner – Jardine motors Group (above) 2014 winner – Holdcroft Group Fleet Best Dealership

2015 winner – Crewe seat (swansway Garages) (above) 2014 winner – Barnetts Volkswagen 2013 winner – Peter Vardy motherwell Vauxhall 2012 winner – Cross roads Garage 2011 winner – strathmore motors Volvo

2015 winner – day’s motor Group (above) 2014 winner – Peter Vardy 2013 winner – lifestyle europe 2012 winner – spire Automotive 2011 winner – essex Auto Group Best Retail Group (more than 10 sites)

Most Improved Company

2015 winner – John Clark motor Group (above)

2015 winner – Humphries and Parks (above) 2014 winner – livery dole

2014 winner – swansway Garages 2013 winner – swansway Garages 2012 winner – day’s motor Group 2011 winner – lifestyle europe

eMail aMawards@bauerMedia.cO.uk fOr YOur entrY fOrMs 20 October 2015 am-online.com

Car Care Plan An AmTrust Financial Company

Early February Shortlist announced

February 11 AM Awards takes place in Birmingham

k t ll a O.u fu ils s.c ta rd de wa -a aM

November 6 to January 8 Auditing by BDO

Meet the judging panel Chairman of the judges – Christopher Macgowan OBE macgowan has enjoyed a long career in the motor industry. He served as chief executive of the retail motor industry Federation from 1994 to 1998, when he became chief executive of the society for motor manufacturers and traders, a role he occupied until 2007. He is a trustee of Ben, the motor industry charity, and the national motor museum, and is a committee member of the rAC Foundation and the Caravan Club.

Stephen Briers, editor-in-chief, AM editor of AM from 1998 to 2009, and now editor-in chief of AM, Fleet News and Commercial Fleet, Briers is well known to the motor retail industry.

Jeremy Bennett, associate editor, AM editor of Am from 2009 to 2015, Bennett is now B2B head of digital at Bauer media, AM’s publisher, but retains a role as an associate editor of AM. Piers TrenearThomas, managing director, TT Consulting trenear-thomas has advised and worked alongside major dealer groups for decades and is a lean coach.

Steve Young, managing director, International Car Distribution Programme A former leader of the At Kearney global automotive practice and former chief executive of ldV Group, Young has worked with the iCdP, a research and consultancy business, since 1994 and headed it since 2010.

Steve Nash, chairman, IMI nash has played a leading non-executive role on the board of the institute of the motor industry since the mid-2000s. After 15 years as a board director at Bmw UK, he left the carmaker at the end of 2012 to become the imi’s chief executive.

Professor Jim Saker, director, Centre of Automotive Management, Loughborough University saker has been involved with the automotive industry for more than 20 years, and at loughborough founded the UK’s first bachelor’s and master’s degrees for motor retail senior managers.

Ray Sommerville, industry veteran sommerville has spent 40 years in the industry, the last 14 of them heading AM100 dealer group Perrys until his recent retirement. He joined the Perrys board after the management buy-out in march 2001 and became managing director soon afterwards.

Additional support provided by Hugh Dickerson, senior automotive industry head, Google After 15 years with PsA Peugeot Citroën, and three years with Al-Futtaim motors in the UAe, dickerson has been at Google since 2011, advising automotive companies on their digital strategies.

“To be recognised as Best Dealership 2014 in the AM Awards was the absolute pinnacle of the many achievements that Barnetts Volkswagen has enjoyed over the past few years. It’s the award that everyone wants, and following on from our success in 2013 when we were crowned Sales Team of the Year, everyone in the dealership pulled together to focus on improving our performance and the customer experience” James Brown, managing director of the 2014 best dealership, Barnetts Motor Group

deadline fOr award entries: OctOber 30, 2015 am-online.com October 2015 21

Headline sponsor:

Tuesday, October 20 Hilton St Georges Park, Burton Upon Trent DE13 9PD

Gain the insight, market analysis, new ideas and best practice to boost your used car operation’s profitability.

Our industry experts will provide scrutiny, insight and solutions as well as focusing on 10 specific areas from CRM to finance and from stock management to mobile marketing which can boost profitability.

Delegates will find this fast-paced conference packed full of the information they need to make the most astute business decisions.

Commented managing editor Tim Rose: "There are most certainly more than 10 ways to boost your used car profits, but after undertaking research among some of our dealer readership, we’ve identified the common most recurring themes."

Who should attend

Why attend?

Designed by dealers for dealers this event is squarely aimed at those with responsibility for used car sales in both the franchised and independent sector.

Ask questions, find answers, understand challenges, tackle threats, obtain insider knowledge, gain insights, pinpoint best practice and boost profits, our conference will help both franchised and independent dealers capitalise on the remaining months in 2015 and create a solid foundation for trading in 2016.

Directors, dealer principals, general managers and sales managers keen to glean as accurate a picture of the used car market as possible as well as discover ways to maximise profits will find this fast-paced conference packed full of information.

Those who will gain the most from attending this event include: – Chairmen and CEOs – General Managers – Dealer Principals – Managing Directors – Sales Directors – Sales Managers – Operational Managers – Aftersales Directors and Managers – Independent Retailers – Business Owners – Manufacturers:- Dealer Development Directors/Managers & Franchised Operational Executives

Some of the challenges we will be exploring: A progressively older vehicle parc Sourcing high quality stock which matches demand Returning vehicles from previous PCP incentives A new era of austerity could give rise to more cautious consumers Our conference will help improve your business in many different aspects, including: – Create a customer-centric culture – Identify retail strategies that can help your business succeed – Acquire new skills and best practice – Increase profitability in key business areas – Understand current and future trends and how to exploit them – Prepare your business in light of likely future market forces – Learn about consumer buying behaviours and attitudes – Transform the way you manage your customer relationships – Understand current regulation and how it can be used to your advantage – Integrate all strands of your business for a cohesive approach

Book now

Conference Programme 09:30

Chairman’s introduction

09.40

Be prepared for 2016 Derren Martin, senior car editor, CAP Sets the scene by looking at market influences including the past months of growth, profits and stability and highlights future influential forces and issues as we head into 2016.

10.10

An integrated business approach will boost future used car performance

to take advantage of early bird rates 12.20 12.30 13.30

10.35

The impact of auction trends and best practice on used car profits Paul Hill, chairman, National Association of Motor Auctions

14.00

11.30

Is it time to create a new customer service model?

14.25 14.35 14.55

11.55

The finance customer's journey Andrew Brameld, sales director, Barclays Partner Finance Our headline sponsor explores the customer’s journey from a funding perspective and the increasingly important role played by technology.

Q&A Refreshments

The website as the foundation of a successful used car strategy Leo Nelson, marketing director, Carshop As the virtual forecourt, dealers’ websites need to stand out from the crowd, attract and convert visitors, AM Best Dealer Website award winner, takes us through the company’s digital journey.

15.25

Is your website’s mobile experience fit for purpose?

Hugh Dickerson, head of industry for automotive, Google

Professor Jim Saker, director of the Centre of Automotive Management at Loughborough University Long-time advocate for a new sales culture incorporating a revised approach to customer service, Saker compares the sector's customer care with that of other industries.

Interlinking customer reviews, customer service, retention and profit

The opinions of customers are fast becoming the key differentiator whilst linking reviews with retention and the well-being of a dealer's used car operation is essential.

Q&A Refreshments

Using video to increase sales

Neil Addley, managing director, Trusted Dealers

Provides advice on how dealers can maximise returns at the auctions and will highlight used car performance based on its auction data.

11.00 11.10

Lunch

The medium is taking a central role in all aspects of the business including the used car operation (speaker TBC).

Rupert Pontin, head of valuations at Glass's Guide Dealers need an integrated sales strategy to succeed, particularly, for new and used and considering the PCP impact.

Pontin explores several aspects of today's multi-faceted dealership.

Q&A

Failing to optimise websites for mobile will result in lost business unbeknownst to dealers. Dickerson demonstrates how website access on smartphones has become a deciding factor for car buyers.

15.55 16.05

Q&A Chairman close

The organisers reserve the right to change the speakers and/or timings

Visit www.usedcarconference.co.uk

or contact Emma-Louise Kinnaird on 01733 395133 or email: emma-louise.kinnaird@bauermedia.co.uk

showroom 104

Mazda MX-5

AM’s first drive finds the iconic sports car retains the level of fun that mazda expects to help move more than 5,000 units a year.

the cars driving your business

107

vW Polo

strong rVs and good reliability helped to boost registrations of Volkswagen’s B-segment star by almost 30% in the year to July.

108

Škoda octavia

An offer of an octavia for £149 per month, plus a prize draw for shopping vouchers, is Škoda’s last push for Q3.

110

Mazda3

In its last test, AM’s mazda 3 goes out on a high note with an uncompromising service by our local dealership.

fr ankfurt Motor shoW

Big British names steal the show at Frankfurt From Europe’s biggest motor show, tim rose takes a look at some of the new models, refreshes and concept cars that will excite UK dealers Jag ua r f- Pace Jaguar has finally taken the covers off the finished version of its F-Pace sUV, ready for its arrival in the UK next spring, priced from £34,170.

It is the first sUV in Jaguar’s 70-year history and will be crucial, along with the XE saloon, in driving the brand’s UK sales towards its 2018 goal of 50,000.

Based on the same modular aluminium platform as the XE and new XF saloon, the five-seater F-Pace will go up against the Bmw X3, Audi Q5, Porsche macan and range rover sport in the premium midsize sUV segment.

From launch, the F-Pace will offer one petrol and two diesel engines, rear and all-wheel drive and five trim levels. The entry-level 178bhp turbodiesel is the 2.0-litre unit already seen in the XE and XF, coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels. Jaguar claims this F-Pace is the most frugal car in its class, with 57.7mpg combined fuel

100 October 2015 am-online.com

efficiency and Co2 emissions of 129g/km, yet capable of 0-62mph in under nine seconds. This engine can also be paired with all-wheel drive, at which point an eight-speed automatic gearbox becomes optional.

All-wheel drive and automatic transmission is the only option with V6-powered F-Pace variants, in 395bhp petrol or 296bhp diesel guise. The latter achieves 47.1mph official economy and 159g/km Co2.

An adaptive surface response system, derived from Land rover’s terrain response system, is designed to allow the F-Pace to perform on mud, gravel, snow and other low-grip surfaces.

As standard, an 8.0in touchscreen and infotainment system are offered, and in front of the driver a 12in hD screen displays speed and trip computer functions, plus 3D navigation graphics. A laser

head-up display projects such things as navigation instructions and speed limits onto the windscreen. other standard equipment with the entry-level Prestige trim includes heated leather seats, 18in alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, sat-nav, a wi-Fi hotspot and hill launch assist with descent control. other trims include the sporty r-sport (from £36,670), the plush Portfolio (from £39,170) and the range-topping s (from £51,450). From launch, Jaguar is also offering a fully loaded First Edition model powered by the V6 diesel engine.

b e n t l e y b e n tay g a Bentley describes its £160,200 model as “the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive sUV in the world”. It also has “the world’s finest automotive cabin” that offers “unparalleled luxury” in its sector, according to the Crewe-based luxury carmaker.

Despite its size and high price, the 6-litre Bentayga is not being positioned as Bentley’s flagship: that will continue to be the £225,000 mulsanne limousine. Bentley wants to emphasise the practicality, strength and durability of its new sUV, as well as the luxury. Even though it acknowledges few buyers will ever venture off-road, it says the car is fully capable of tackling tough terrain.

Bentayga prices will start about £30,000 above the most luxurious range rover and are likely to be driven much higher by the bespoke equipment that customers can specify. Deposits have already been taken for the first year of production, with the first deliveries in early 2016.

The w12 model, which can cover 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and is flat out at 185mph, does 22.1mpg and emits 292g/km Co2. For buyers with an eco-conscience, it will be joined in the near future by diesel and plug-in hybrid alternatives, plus a seven-seat derivative to serve as the ultra-rich’s family runabout.

“Even though it acknowledges few buyers will ever venture off-road, Bentley says the car is fully capable of tackling tough terrain”

a l fa roMeo g iu l i a The dearth of interesting products is coming to an end for Alfa romeo dealers. A rival to the likes of the Bmw 3 series and mercedes C-Class, the Giulia is the first of eight new Alfas planned to launch over the next three years as part of a £3.6 billion investment in the brand.

The Giulia, which could be with the first customers by the end of the year, was revealed in range-topping Quadrifoglio Verde guise at a special event at Alfa’s refurbished Arese headquarters on the outskirts of milan before heading to the Frankfurt motor show. A Ferrari-developed new aluminium bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine with 503bhp powers this flagship model, which should secure good profits for the network.

Alfa plans to sell the new models on their driving purity, character, charm, and style under a strapline ‘‘la meccanica delle emozioni’ (the mechanics of emotion). Each will be built to meet five criteria: innovative engines, 50/50 weight distribution, advanced technical solutions, best-in-class power-to-weight ratios, and distinctive Italian design.

r e n a u lt M é g a n e The next-generation renault mégane will go on sale next summer with a renaultsport-tuned GT model at the head of its launch line-up. renault hopes launching with a higher-value, sports-focused model in the line-up will drive early sales and tempt buyers from established mainstream competition, such as the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf.

The mégane’s more grown-up looks are notably different in character from those of the Clio, Captur and Kadjar. Instead, it has been designed to appeal to more mature buyers at the heart of the brand.

The carmaker says it has improved fit and finish and that the technology standard on all but the rental-spec base model will include a 7in digital tablet controller for the multimedia and a colour head-up display for navigation and speed information.

The mégane will be available with a choice of five diesel and four petrol engines, ranging in power from 89bhp to 202bhp, although renault hasn’t yet decided which powertrains will go on sale in the UK. A diesel hybrid model will be launched in 2017, with combined fuel efficiency of 94mpg and Co2 emissions of 76g/km.

The 202bhp mégane GT will be followed by a 163bhp diesel at the end of 2016, both linked to dual-clutch automatic gearboxes with steering wheel shift paddles.

am-online.com October 2015 101

SHOWrOOM Frankfurt Motor Show Vol k S wagen t Igua n Volkswagen is claiming much-improved interior space and fuel efficiency gains of up to 25% with its latest Tiguan SUV, which has been unveiled at the Frankfurt show.

The new model is 60mm longer, 30mm wider and 33mm lower than its predecessor, and its wheelbase is up by 77mm, to 2681mm. VW claims rear-seat knee room is up by 29mm, thanks to a redesigned split-fold rear seat that offers up 180mm of longitudinal adjustment. The boot capacity is up, too - by 145 litres to 615 litres with the rear seats in place or 1,655 litres with them folded down.

The core of the Tiguan’s engine line-up will be EU6-compliant diesel engines. There’s a 114bhp 1.6 and a trio of 2.0-litre units, offering 148bhp, 178bhp and 217bhp.

Certain markets will get a variety of 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged petrols too, but the UK is unlikely to see more than a couple of these at most.

The lower-powered engines get frontwheel drive, while the more potent units have a four-wheel-drive system offering four driving modes. Gearbox choices include a standard six-speed manual and an optional six- or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

All four-wheel drive variants now have

200mm of ground clearance – an additional 11mm over the front-drive models. There’s also an optional off-road package that brings a reworked front bumper to increase the approach angle from 18.3 degrees to 25.6 degrees.

Depending on the engine, the towing capacity extends to 2500kg.

SuzukI Baleno Suzuki’s new Baleno will reach UK showrooms in spring 2016, with a brief to win valueseeking consumers away from superminis and small MPVs. To be positioned slightly above the Swift, the Baleno will offer more space and practicality and sits on a new platform that may also underpin a new small SUV in the future.

The engine line-up for the Baleno comprises Suzuki’s 1.2-litre Dualjet motor with 89bhp and a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged unit, dubbed Boosterjet, which produces 110bhp.

The standard transmission is a five-speed manual, although the Dualjet is also offered with a CVT gearbox and the Boosterjet is available with a conventional six-speed automatic.

A Dualjet SHVS hybrid version will be the cleanest model in the line-up at launch, with CO2 emissions of 93g/km. The regular manual Dualjet emits 101g/km, while the more powerful Boosterjet manual emits 103g/km.

InfInItI Q30 The final production version of the Infiniti Q30 hatchback will come with three trim levels – SE, Sport and Premium – and a choice of five engines, both petrol and diesel, when it goes on sale in the UK in January. It’s destined to compete with the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Lexus CT and Mercedes A-Class.

The Premium model features several styling features over the SE, including LED front foglights, body-coloured and heated door mirrors and chrome-coloured exhausts. It comes with 18in-alloy wheels.

The Sport model, meanwhile, gets a bespoke front bumper and a gloss-black front grille, along with body-coloured sills and dark chrome exhausts.

102 October 2015 am-online.com

Rol l S Royce Daw n

The Sport also rides on 19in alloy wheels and gets stiffer suspension that’s 15mm lower than the rest of the range.

The engines include a 1.6-litre petrol with either 120bhp or 154bhp, a 107bhp 1.5-litre diesel and a 2.2-litre diesel with 168bhp. A 208bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol is also offered on the Sport and Premium versions.

This four-seater luxury convertible shares much of its underpinnings with the Wraith, including the twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 engine, but 80% of the body panels are new. rolls-royce claims it is the quietest soft-top ever made. Orders are already being received, even though the asking price is yet to be announced.

concept caRS poRSche MISSIon e Is this an electric mini-Panamera of the future? Expect a production version by 2020.

nISSan gRIpz It’s a 2+2 seater crossover concept inspired by Nissan’s sporty Z cars, which hints at a model that could sit above the Juke.

k I a S p o R ta g e The current Sportage has been a big win for the UK Kia dealer network, so this fourth-generation model has much to live up to when it arrives in early 2016. A range of diesel and petrol engines will be on offer, including a 1.7-litre 113bhp TDI for optimum economy, plus 2WD and 4WD transmission.

Carrying over the three trim levels from the current model, the new Sportage will also offer a fourth grade, badged GT-Line. This top-grade car gets 19in alloys, ‘ice-cube’ style foglamps, dual exhausts and navigation

with connected services, and could mean a £30,000+ invoice for the Sportage buyer who wants the best.

a u D I Q 6 e -t R o n Q u at t R o

n I S S a n n p 3 0 0 n aVa R a The new double-cab pick-up has been adapted for European markets, with multi-link suspension at the rear for the first time, to provide an SUV-like drive and improved safety. It’ll be sold in four grades, starting with Visia, as per Nissan’s car range, and first-in-class equipment options will include an around-view monitor and NissanConnect with Google search.

It will still deliver the practicality and toughness

its business and trade customers will expect, Nissan insists. This includes the ability to haul a 3.5-tonne braked trailer – more than half of current Navara owners use it for towing.

It’ll have a five-year/100,000-mile warranty, official fuel efficiency of 44mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 169g/km, depending on the version. Prices will be announced in October, ahead of its January launch.

This concept is a foretaste of a production electric SUV that Audi says it will launch in 2018.

MeRceDeS-Benz Iaa This study shows efficiency thinking at Mercedes – ultra sleek aerodynamics, a retractable front splitter and side ‘gills’ that adjust to improve airflow and reduce drag.

am-online.com October 2015 103

IN NOVEMBER’S ISSUE

C O N TA C T U S

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 23

AM, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email: AM@bauermedia.co.uk If you or someone you know are aged 16-24 and are interested in work experience opportunities at Bauer Media, go to www.gothinkbig.co.uk Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers 01733 468024 Managing editor Tim Rose 01733 468266 Associate editor Jeremy Bennett 01733 468261 AM production Head of publishing Luke Neal 01733 468262 Production editor Finbarr O’Reilly 01733 468267 Designer Erika Small 01733 468312 Contributors Danielle Bagnall, David Francis, Ian Halstead, Steve Johnson, Debbie Kirlew, Chris Lowndes, Sam Mace, Chris Philips, Rupert Pontin, David Porteous, Prof Jim Saker, Tom Seymour, Tom Sharpe, Richard Yarrow

Face to Face: Motorline Group

AM advertising Commercial director Sarah Crown 01733 366466 Group advertisement manager Sheryl Graham 01733 366467 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Kerry Unwin 01733 468327 Angela Price 01733 468338 Lucy Peacock 01733 468338 Account managers Sara Donald 01733 366474 Richard Kerr 01733 366473 Kelly Crown 01733 366364 Recruitment enquiries Richard Kerr 01733 366473

A love of motor retail is a key attribute of the Obee family, and has driven the South of England group to more than treble in size in less than a decade.

The theatre of the showroom

First drive: Mitsubishi L200

We look at how dealerships are bringing more sense of theatre to the showroom experience, and how dealers can guarantee a return on their investment from such devices.

The market-leading pick-up truck gets better and could bring 9,000 extra sales annually to Mitsubishi UK.

Subscriptions 01635 588494. Annual UK subscription £99, two years £168, three years £238.

Overseas one year/12 issues £149, two years £253, three years £358.

In-car technology Efficiency, connectivity and safety are three of the key developments for next-generation cars. We examine the new technologies coming through and find out what these may mean for the franchised dealer’s future sales and aftersales.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

AM publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Chief executive officer Paul Keenan

Edynamix Global ..................................70-71

Moneypenny...........................................74-75

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Motoriety.................................................94-95

Infomedia....................................................116

Motors.co.uk ...............................................46

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