Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 131

SALES FIGURES: THE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THE 2018 NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS

Issue 131 | February 2019 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £5

A1 DRIVEN: IS ALL-NEW AUDI THE KING OF SUPERMINIS?

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A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF ROLLS-ROYCE’S TOP UK DEALER

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Editorial HEAD OF EDITORIAL Rebecca Chaplin

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @believebecca

HEAD OF DESIGN Graeme Windell

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PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

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FEATURES EDITOR Jack Evans

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STAFF WRITER Tom Wiltshire

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Welcome.

WE’VE started 2019 off the back of another disappointing year of new car registrations but hey, who didn’t see that coming after months of sliding sales?

Every issue it feels like we’re bringing worse and worse news about the state of the market, there are problems on all fronts it seems, but hopefully this month – as we sign off our first magazine of 2019 – we can try to bring you some renewed hope.

For starters, we’re taking you inside the best Rolls-Royce dealership in the world – as awarded by the brand it represents. Its attention to detail and top-notch customer service should spark some inspiration to take your own business to the next level in 2019.

On pages 46 to 47, we’ve also got the cars to watch out for in the next 12 months. Excitingly, there are a lot of new ones making their way to UK forecourts soon that we can’t wait to get our hands on – and I’m sure you feel the same!

In this issue we highlight the Top Suppliers for 2019 as well. This is the feature where we speak to the best businesses around that you should be talking to this new year. With so many new and useful products coming to market, there are plenty to consider, and hopefully we can help point you in the right direction.

We’re not skipping over the gloomier topics though.

On pages 10 to 13, we’ve got all the stats of the new car registrations during 2018 and our analysis of them – looking at where it went wrong and what’s predicted.

But if you thought that was the worst news of January, unfortunately there was still more to come. The hard times have continued for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn – who spent Christmas as well as the new year in Tokyo Detention Centre – and we’ve got the latest news on this in the Dashboard on page 15, where we also bring you the whole

story about the triple whammy delivered by Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Honda.

After months of discussing the turmoil caused by Brexit and our imminent split from the European Union, everything we’ve been warned about seems to be accelerating. Hopefully in the coming months we’re going to have some answers rather than more questions – but right now it feels as if things are going to get considerably worse before we see any light at the end of the tunnel.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has tried to reassure us on the new car registrations level at least. Looking at the past 10 years, the drop-off doesn’t look too drastic. We know the industry has historically been resistant in hard times, but the bounce back can take time.

As I mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of new product coming this year. That suggests to me that the industry knows this bump in the road is little more than that, and if we can ride out the hard times the strong businesses will come out the other side.

In our Forecourt section, we’ve got lots of new and exciting car tests for you to read about – again showing the resilience of the industry and the innovation that continues. This month we’ve got the glorious-looking new Audi A1, which stars on the cover. We’ve also been behind the wheels of the Lexus ES, Citroen C5 Aircross and BMW Z4.

That’s enough from me! There’s plenty to get your teeth into in this month’s magazine and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did putting it together. Here’s to 2019!

Rebecca Chaplin Head of Editorial CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

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04 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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On test: Lexus ES Japanese executive saloon is finally making its way to the UK

CES takes a look into the future

ISSUE 131 I FEBRUARY 2019

Dashboard.

The Big Story Dealer Auction launched SMMT analysis JLR/Ford/Honda blow Around the UK Rebecca Chaplin Big Mike Feedback Around the World Finance

6 8 10 15 16 23 25 26 28 30

Features.

On a Roll-er!

Top 10 cars for 2019 Top Suppliers

Data File.

Fully Loaded Aftermarket Sean Speaks Market Insight Auctions Taking Stock

Forecourt.

Audi A1 Citroen C5 Aircross

34 38

Suppliers Guide Long-termers James Baggott

42 46 49 68 72 75 77 80 81 82 87 90

New BMW Z4 put through its paces in Portugal

Inside the world’s top Rolls-Royce dealership

Our events...

As voted for by dealers, Car Dealer Power is unique. Details of our 2018 winners are online at bit.ly/CDP-18. Watch this space for news of the 2019 event !

The Car Dealer Used Car Awards, sponsored by Black Horse, celebrate the used car industry. Go online to bit.ly/UCA18winners to find out who won what last year.

The UK’s biggest automotive trade expo features the Live Stage, breakout sessions, workshops and much more.

It’s at Farnborough International on June 12 this year – don’t miss it!

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

Dashboard.

THE BIG PICTURE

The shape of automotive things to come The Consumer Electronics Show demonstrated how the stuff of science fiction is poised to become science fact.

C

hinese electric car start-up Byton is preparing to begin production of its smart intuitive vehicle, with a 48-inch digital dashboard, a touchscreen embedded in the steering wheel and support for 5G and Amazon Alexa among its futuristic features.

The Tesla competitor provided an update on its plans at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 – the main tech event of the year held in Las Vegas – with a fresh glimpse inside its latest interior designs for the M-Byte, an electric SUV, following its debut at CES last year.

Its 48-inch dashboard display can be controlled using the tablet on the steering wheel, a touchpad in the centre console or hand gestures 06 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

to carry out a variety of tasks, from mapping out a route to in-car entertainment.

Co-founder Carsten Breitfeld said: ‘The Byton M-Byte could become the most important device in your digital life and we are very much convinced that it will.

‘It reinvents and transforms your journey through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.’

Fellow co-founder Daniel Kirchert added: ‘We are on track to start production by the end of this year. The fully operational capacity will be 300,000 cars a year.’

Two models of the M-Byte will be available, starting at $45,000 (around £35,300) with a range

The Byton’s large digital dashboard of 249 miles on a single charge, while the bigger battery version offers up to 320 miles.

There will be an option to add some autonomous features as well.

Byton also showed off its K-Byte concept sedan at CES, featuring a digital grille, which it plans to release sometime in 2021. A third model is expected in 2023, the company said.

A look at luxury coupes in this month’s Deal Finder.

Finance, p32

HYUNDAI

Making great strides with legs on wheels Getting up close and personal with the Byton K-Byte

HYUNDAI showcased something very different from its usual cars – a vehicle that could save lives during natural disasters by walking over tricky terrain to reach those in need.

The South Korean automotive giant is calling its Elevate concept the first ultimate mobility vehicle, featuring four extendable legs each with wheels, which give it the ability to change the way it moves depending on the situation, offering both mammal- and reptile-like gaits.

It has been working on the idea with industrial design consultancy firm SundbergFerar for almost three years and says the electric concept would be able to climb a fivefoot vertical wall and step over five-foot gaps.

John Suh, Hyundai’s vice-president and head of its Cradle division, said: ‘When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by

foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete.’

The company says the technology could be used in non-emergency situations as well, particularly helping those with disabilities.

The legs can also be folded away, allowing the vehicle to be driven like any other on the road.

David Byron, design manager at SundbergFerar, said: ‘By combining the power of robotics with Hyundai’s latest EV technology, Elevate has the ability to take people where no car has been before and redefine our perception of vehicular freedom.

‘Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 10 feet off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain back to the road, potentially saving its injured passengers – this is the future of vehicular mobility.’

As with any concept, though, it’s unclear whether Hyundai intends to make the car a reality anytime soon.

No, not something from Star Wars – this is Elevate

TOYOTA

Guardian driver assistance revealed

NISSAN Those half-cars can be a real menace...

TOYOTA showcased its Guardian assistance system for the first time at the show.

It has been designed to help drivers avoid potential collisions. However, Toyota has highlighted that the system has been ‘developed to amplify the human control of the vehicle, not replace it’.

Guardian incorporates what Toyota is calling ‘blended envelope control’, which combines both the human and the machine’s driving skills.

It means that rather than the car being controlled by either driver or system, the pair work in collaboration, with the Guardian technology assisting whoever is behind the wheel.

Invisible is made visible to warn of hazards NISSAN has developed safety technology that it says will help drivers see hidden or obscured obstacles.

Designed to combine the digital universe with the physical one, ‘Invisible-to-Visible’ – or I2V – merges data from 360-degree sensors with data from the cloud, enabling the car to show the driver their surroundings, pointing out hazards and even predicting what’s coming next, showing what might be behind a building or around a bend.

Other data can be presented to the driver via various methods. Nissan’s examples include a floating avatar that acts as navigator, as well as superimposed road instructions and voice

I2V undergoes laboratory research warnings. The system can even display animated local guides to show drivers around unfamiliar cities and call on cloud data to figure out when and where a parking space might become available.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

Dashboard.

2018’s new car sales in depth.

SMMT figures and analysis, p10-13

TRANSFERS

Joint venture over Dealer Auction gets green light T he joint venture between Auto Trader and Cox Automotive UK has now been completed following clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority.

The new business – Dealer Auction – launched on January 1 and will provide a leading digital marketplace for wholesale vehicles in the UK. Cox Automotive UK has transferred both Dealer-Auction.com, which is an online auction for trade-in vehicles from UK franchise dealers, and Manheim Online, its online remarketing services division, to the joint venture. Meanwhile, Auto Trader has transferred its retailer-to-retailer platform Smart Buying, formerly known as Autotrade-mail.

The three businesses have now been moved across into the new

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @believebecca

Dealer Auction, which will enable prospective buyers and sellers to visit one platform to view and buy a large selection of vehicles across the wholesale marketplace.

While a new platform to combine the inventory is being built, customers will continue to buy and sell stock through the existing Dealer-Auction. com, Manheim Online and Smart Buying websites.

The three businesses will be combined into a single integrated platform to be launched during the second half of 2019.

The strength of the data and insight that Auto Trader and Cox Automotive have is expected to benefit buyers and sellers alike.

Auto Trader has more than 13,000 dealers who interact with its current platform and added to this will be the Manheim Online and Dealer-Auction. com buyer bases. This, coupled with Cox Automotive’s extensive physical remarketing services, will ensure that Dealer Auction has a new and compelling proposition for retailers, manufacturers and fleet companies.

The Dealer Auction platform will provide an end-to-end service that improves the speed of sale and profitability for vendors, and gives buyers access to a single, data-driven wholesale marketplace with easy access to additional services such as logistics and wholesale funding.

Newly appointed managing director Le Etta Pearce, pictured, who previously worked for both Cox Automotive and Auto Trader, said: ‘We’re really excited to now be able to form the company and get started.

We believe we can fundamentally improve and make changes to the industry that will benefit wholesale sellers and retailers alike.

‘Our aim with Dealer Auction is to enable retailers to easily research and compare vehicles online in one place. We’re building an intuitive digital platform which will house good-quality stock available for the right buyer and at a price that drives profitability for both buyer and seller.

‘The new platform will support the needs of all types of buyers and sellers from franchised and independent dealers through to fleets and manufacturers, and we can also provide any additional physical services to support their needs.’

‘Our aim with Dealer Auction is to enable retailers to easily research and compare vehicles online in one place.’

Le Etta Pearce

Sytner launches forum for more diverse workplace THE Sytner Group has launched an initiative to encourage and promote equal career opportunities.

The Diversity Forum will see representatives from across the group meet six times a year, with plans to attract a more diverse range of candidates. Chaired by Sytner chief executive Darren Edwards, it includes representatives from across the group’s divisions.

He said: ‘We want to attract a rich 08 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

mix of the best possible candidates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or age. The Diversity Forum will help us formalise ways of doing this consistently for every vacancy across the group.’

Its inaugural meeting was tasked with identifying barriers to recruitment and career progression.

As a result, the group is already assessing ways of providing more flexible working practices and

centralising recruitment to ensure a more consistent approach.

HR director Melvin Rogers said: ‘Our ambition is to have a more diverse workforce across all roles, including management and senior management. To achieve this aim we need to provide a more family-friendly approach to working.’

RETIREMENT

Pendragon chief to step down

TREVOR Finn is to retire as chief executive of Pendragon after 30 years at the company.

He will step down no later than March 31, and said of the company, which owns the Evans Halshaw and Stratstone dealer groups: ‘Pendragon is, and remains, a great company full of talented people, and I feel privileged to have led the business during its formative period and to have ignited the transformative period of development currently under way.

‘The time is now right to hand over to a successor to see the company through the next phase of its development.’

Chris Chambers, nonexecutive chairman, said: ‘I would like to thank Trevor for all his efforts.

The board wishes him well for the future.’

HYUNDAI

Ashley takes over as UK MD HYUNDAI Motor has appointed Ashley Andrew as its new managing director in the UK. He replaces Tony Whitehorn, who quit as president and chief executive in December.

Andrew joined a year ago as sales director and said: ‘I’m really excited to be taking the reins of one of the top 10 car manufacturers in the UK.’

Ashley Andrew

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

Dashboard.

SMMT 2018 FIGURES

Second year of drop in sales ‘is a major concern’ U

K CAR sales have fallen by 6.8 per cent

by REBECCA CHAPLIN in 2018 compared with the previous 12 @believebecca months – the fastest drop since the global financial crisis 10 years ago.

Industry trade body the Society of Motor preceding 15-year average and the market still the Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) announced second biggest in the EU, behind Germany. It is also that a total of 2.37 million cars had been registered one of the most diverse, with buyers able to choose in 2018 – the second consecutive year of decline. from some 350 different models available in fuel New car sales were hit by the falling demand types and body styles to suit all driving needs. for diesel vehicles – with registrations for this ‘Meanwhile, more than 80 exciting newfuel type down 30 per cent – as well as stricter generation models – 31 of them plug-in electrics – emissions testing, which held up deliveries, and are set to make their showroom debuts in 2019, Brexit worries. Petrol car registrations were up nine and with some compelling deals on offer the per cent, however, and alternatively fuelled vehicles industry is continuing to invest to grow the (AFVs) rose by 21 per cent. market despite the headwinds.’

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described Sean Kemple, director of sales at Close Brothers 2018 as ‘highly turbulent’ but insisted Motor Finance, said: ‘New car sales continue sales were ‘on a par’ with the average to come under fire as the industry is hit by a over the past 10 to 15 years. He warned global slowdown, confusion over fuel types that a drop in consumer confidence and uncertainty about the effects of Brexit. linked to Brexit, concern about diesels ‘Brexit is absolutely having an impact on and the impact of a new testing regime consumer confidence, and we can see that were all having a negative impact. in these car sales. The priority for now is ‘A second year of substantial decline to hope that the government’s withdrawal Sue Robinson is a major concern, as falling consumer agreement delivers some clarity upon which confidence, confusing fiscal and policy messages we can start to move forward. However, we still have and shortages due to regulatory changes have confusion in the marketplace from fuel types to combined to create a highly turbulent market. finance options, which will continue to exist once ‘The industry is facing ever-tougher Brexit is out of the way. environmental targets against a backdrop of ‘During this extended period of uncertainty, political and economic uncertainty that is dealers are best placed to be a source of expertise weakening demand, so these figures should act as a and reassurance to customers.’ wake-up call for policy-makers,’ he said.

Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised ‘Supportive, not punitive, measures are needed Dealers Association, added: ‘The substantial growth to grow sales, because replacing older cars with of the plug-in electric vehicles sector is encouraging, new technologies, whether diesel, petrol, hybrid and the improving supply dynamics of the EV or plug-in, is good for the market are likely to drive innovation and growth environment, the consumer, the in the sector. 2018 was a very positive year for the industry and the exchequer.’ used car market and we expect it to remain strong Hawes added: ‘Despite in 2019, continuing to provide franchised retailers the overall decline in 2018, with a key opportunity to boost profitability. We demand for new cars in look forward to seeing what 2019 has in store as the the UK remains effects of WLTP ease, stock supply improves and the solid, with volumes political environment becomes more stable.’ on a par with the James Baggott, p90

‘New car sales continue to come under fire as the industry is hit by a global slowdown.’

Sean Kemple 10 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

SMMT sales data Top

10

BEST-SELLING MANUFACTURERS OF 2018

Ford Volkswagen Vauxhall Mercedes-Benz BMW Audi Nissan Toyota Kia Hyundai

254,082 203,133 177,298 172,238 172,048 143,739 102,637 101,922 95,764 89,925

10

Bottom

WORST-SELLING MANUFACTURERS OF 2018

Chevrolet Alpine Lotus McLaren Infiniti Maserati Aston Martin Bentley SsangYong Subaru

41 142 247 626 750 1,297 1,455 1,542 2,754 3,141

Full-year figures for 2018 Marque

December 2018

December 2017

2018

2017

% market share

Whole of 2018 against the whole of 2017

% market share

% change

2018

% market share

2017

% market share

% change

Abarth

445

0.31

272

0.18

63.60

5,631

0.24

4,441

0.17

26.80

Alfa Romeo

258

0.18

304

0.20

-15.13

4,161

0.18

4,997

0.20

-16.73

5

0.00

0

0.00

0.00

142

0.01

0

0.00

0.00

77

0.05

78

0.05

-1.28

1,455

0.06

1,471

0.06

-1.09

6,310

4.38

10,671

7.00

-40.87

143,739

6.07

174,982

6.89

-17.85 -12.04

Alpine Aston Martin Audi

81

0.06

122

0.08

-33.61

1,542

0.07

1,753

0.07

11,600

8.05

13,471

8.84

-13.89

172,048

7.27

175,101

6.89

-1.74

3

0.00

4

0.00

-25.00

41

0.00

70

0.00

-41.43

Citroen

2,010

1.39

2,180

1.43

-7.80

49,618

2.10

51,455

2.03

-3.57

Dacia

1,890

1.31

983

0.64

92.27

24,169

1.02

25,149

0.99

-3.90

Bentley BMW Chevrolet

DS Fiat Ford

185

0.13

277

0.18

-33.21

5,074

0.21

9,082

0.36

-44.13

1,977

1.37

1,645

1.08

20.18

35,652

1.51

44,475

1.75

-19.84

16,493

11.45

15,541

10.19

6.13

254,082

10.73

287,396

11.31

-11.59 -2.47

Honda

2,653

1.84

2,632

1.73

0.80

52,570

2.22

53,901

2.12

Hyundai

4,009

2.78

5,026

3.30

-20.23

89,925

3.80

93,403

3.68

-3.72

Infiniti

25

0.02

59

0.04

-57.63

750

0.03

3,515

0.14

-78.66

Jaguar

2,304

1.60

2,009

1.32

14.68

37,019

1.56

35,544

1.40

4.15

372

0.26

261

0.17

42.53

6,114

0.26

6,380

0.25

-4.17

Jeep Kia

3,810

2.64

3,773

2.47

0.98

95,764

4.05

93,222

3.67

2.73

Land Rover

4,321

3.00

4,186

2.75

3.23

77,906

3.29

82,653

3.25

-5.74

Lexus

420

0.29

772

0.51

-45.60

12,405

0.52

12,670

0.50

-2.09

Lotus

6

0.00

11

0.01

-45.45

247

0.01

279

0.01

-11.47 -23.75

Maserati Mazda McLaren

103

0.07

125

0.08

-17.60

1,297

0.05

1,701

0.07

2,018

1.40

1,569

1.03

28.62

39,602

1.67

39,092

1.54

1.30

26

0.02

23

0.02

13.04

626

0.03

567

0.02

10.41

11,365

7.89

10,427

6.84

9.00

172,238

7.28

180,970

7.12

-4.83

MG

650

0.45

454

0.30

43.17

9,049

0.38

4,441

0.17

103.76

Mini

7,211

5.00

7,127

4.67

1.18

67,021

2.83

68,166

2.68

-1.68

Mercedes-Benz

1,722

1.20

1,227

0.80

40.34

21,156

0.89

16,092

0.63

31.47

Nissan

5,294

3.67

7,759

5.09

-31.77

102,637

4.34

151,156

5.95

-32.10

Peugeot

4,763

3.31

4,134

2.71

15.22

81,043

3.42

82,226

3.24

-1.44

Porsche

1,211

0.84

1,036

0.68

16.89

12,437

0.53

14,051

0.55

-11.49

Renault

3,540

2.46

3,194

2.09

10.83

62,168

2.63

69,110

2.72

-10.04

Seat

2,805

1.95

3,848

2.52

-27.10

62,863

2.66

56,130

2.21

12.00

Skoda

5,328

3.70

6,433

4.22

-17.18

74,724

3.16

79,758

3.14

-6.31

Smart

384

0.27

456

0.30

-15.79

7,631

0.32

10,323

0.41

-26.08 -23.29

Mitsubishi

111

0.08

141

0.09

-21.28

2,754

0.12

3,590

0.14

Subaru

193

0.13

246

0.16

-21.54

3,141

0.13

2,679

0.11

17.25

Suzuki

2,154

1.49

2,329

1.53

-7.51

38,519

1.63

40,343

1.59

-4.52 -0.06

SsangYong

2,936

2.04

5,188

3.40

-43.41

101,922

4.31

101,985

4.01

Vauxhall

12,645

8.78

13,303

8.72

-4.95

177,298

7.49

195,137

7.68

-9.14

Volkswagen

16,010

11.11

15,345

10.06

4.33

203,133

8.58

208,462

8.21

-2.56

Volvo

3,840

2.67

3,195

2.10

20.19

50,319

2.13

46,139

1.82

9.06

61

0.04

45

0.03

35.56

723

0.03

700

0.03

3.29

465

0.32

592

0.39

-21.45

4,792

0.20

5,860

0.23

-18.23

-5.50

2,367,147

Toyota

Other British Other imports Total

144,089

Ups& downs COMPARING 2018 FIGURES WITH 2017

152,473

DS

-44.1%

2,540,617

-6.83

Abarth

+26.8% CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

Dashboard.

D

espite an overall gloomy picture of new car sales in the latest figures, we’re not over the worst of it yet.

UK trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has predicted a further two per cent drop in demand this year.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described 2018 as ‘highly turbulent’ but insisted that sales were ‘on a par’ with the average over the past 10 to 15 years.

He warned that a drop in consumer confidence linked to Brexit, concern about diesels and the impact of a new testing regime were all having a negative effect on the market.

‘The challenges before us are something of a perfect storm,’ Hawes, pictured right, said.

‘It’s causing considerable worry and agitation across boardrooms both in the UK and abroad.’

He said it would be unfair to attribute the entire drop in demand to fears over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, but explained that falling consumer confidence had reduced people’s inclination to make a big-ticket purchase.

A no-deal Brexit would be a ‘catastrophe for the industry’, said Hawes, who stated that Theresa May’s agreement with the EU was ‘not a perfect deal’ but would provide the transition period the automotive sector needed.

He added that the ‘lingering sense of uncertainty’ around how diesel cars will be taxed and treated was also affecting the total number of cars being sold.

The SMMT has been keen to point out that the falling market share of diesel cars – which produce less CO2 than petrol models – is making it harder for manufacturers to meet EU targets on cutting CO2 by 2021. We’ve already seen the average amount emitted by new cars in the UK in 2018 rise by around three per cent year-on-year.

It appears that some diesel car owners are switching to petrol (up nine per cent) and alternatively fuelled vehicles such as plug-in hybrids or pure electrics (up 21 per cent), are choosing to hold on to their existing car, or are buying used instead.

Hawes claimed the government’s decision to slash grants for new low-emission cars in October ‘doesn’t really send the sign to the consumer that these are the right vehicles to be bought’.

The implementation of a new emissions testing procedure in the European Union, known as WLTP, came into force in September and had led to a supply shortage that had also had an impact on sales, he said.

‘It’s causing considerable worry and agitation.’

Mike Hawes 12 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Views from the top...

Auto Trader

Carwow

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader director

James Hind, CEO of Carwow

‘Due to March’s highly desirable plate change, the first three months of the year represent almost a third of the industry’s total annual sales and are therefore key to a successful year for any brand or retailer.

‘However, with Brexit looming, brands will be facing even greater pressure to hit the ground running in 2019 to offset any potential shortfall following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. ‘We’ve seen some trends emerge which are set to accelerate in 2019, not least the growing consumer appetite for alternatively fuelled vehicles, largely at the expense of diesels. Mirroring their actual sales growth in the new car market, we saw AFVs reach a record seven per cent of all fuel-related searches on our marketplace in December.

Similarly, the average price of a used AFV climbed to £20,828 in November – the highest rate recorded.’

‘Brexit paralysed the motoring market in 2018 as manufacturers, dealers and consumers tried to prepare for what comes next. This has left the industry very vulnerable as we enter 2019.

‘Brexit is just the latest challenge for an industry already trying to recover from changes to emissions rules and dieselgate.

‘However, for consumers, the first quarter of 2019 is going to be a great time to buy a brand-new car because of Brexit.

‘Our research among car buyers has shown a distinct lack of certainty, in particular around the future of traditionally fuelled cars. This is increasingly evident in the behaviour we are seeing on our website. Searches for diesel cars have fallen by eight per cent, while interest in alternatively fuelled cars is up – hybrids increased by nine per cent and electrics are up by 44 per cent year-on-year.’

How AI could be of real benefit.

Rebecca Chaplin, p23

SMMT FIGURES ANALYSIS

‘The challenges before us are something of a perfect storm’ Leading figures from the car industry give their views on the year just gone and how the future is looking.

AA Cars

Barclays

James Fairclough, CEO of AA Cars

Ian Gilmartin, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays Corporate Banking

‘The number of new vehicle registrations remains high, and Britain’s new car market is still one of the largest in Europe, with more than 2.3 million people purchasing a new car in 2018.

‘Seen in that context, December’s low figures are consistent with a seasonal slowdown and there are grounds for a cautious optimism about what 2019 will bring for the market.

‘Perhaps the most positive take from today’s data is that demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles accelerated throughout 2018, reaching a new record of 6.2 per cent share of the market as consumers become more environmentally conscious.

‘A record number of plugin hybrid, hybrid, batteryelectric and hydrogen fuel cell cars were registered, making Britain a key market for AFVs.’

‘A multitude of factors contributed to the disappointing year, with general economic weakness and Brexit uncertainty putting the brakes on big-ticket purchases for many consumers. This was compounded by more specific concerns, most notably the continuing confusion around the future of diesel models and other regulatory developments that affected production, pricing and availability of suitable stock.

‘It’s not time to panic, and it’s worth remembering that in absolute terms sales are still way ahead of the nadir we hit at the start of the decade. Manufacturers and retailers are making positive steps to try to innovate and adapt to the changing landscape. But they can’t do it all on their own – they need support from the government to encourage more new vehicle purchases and allow the industry to thrive this year.’

TOP MODELS

Crossovers on the up but Fiesta stays tops THE Ford Fiesta might have shown no signs of waning support at the top of the chart but staples such as Vauxhall’s Astra have felt the heat and been overtaken by crossovers.

The Fiesta topped the year-end data once again, selling 95,892 units. This is an increase of just over 1,300 units on the previous year, making it one of only two models to outsell itself compared with 2017 – the other being the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which ranked eighth with 43,527 sales.

With more than 30,000 fewer units sold, the Volkswagen Golf sits in second place.

The Vauxhall Corsa – this year, the sole representative of the PSA-owned firm in the top 10 – is third, ahead of the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Focus. The top five cars are the only ones to break the 50,000-unit barrier.

Volkswagen’s Polo is sixth on the list with 45,149 sales, followed by the Mini, which shifted 44,904 units. Two more crossovers round out the top 10 after the aforementioned A-Class: the Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage.

For Kia, the positioning of the Sportage marks the South Korean brand’s first time that it has reached the year-end top 10 list in the 2010s.

10

Top

BEST-SELLING CARS OF 2018 Ford Fiesta Volkswagen Golf Vauxhall Corsa Nissan Qashqai Ford Focus Volkswagen Polo Mini Mercedes-Benz A-Class Ford Kuga Kia Sportage

95,892 64,829 52,915 50,546 50,492 45,149 44,904 43,527 40,398 35,567

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

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Dashboard.

COURT

Ghosn protests his innocence FORMER Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn has appeared in a Japanese court to assert his innocence.

Prosecutors in Tokyo have charged him with falsifying financial reports in under-reporting his income. Appearing in a dark suit without a tie and wearing plastic slippers, the former chief looked thinner than he had before his arrest in November, which was when he was last seen in public.

Presiding judge Yuichi Tada said Ghosn was to be detained further as he was considered a flight risk and may hide evidence.

‘Your honour, I am innocent of the accusations against me,’ Ghosn, pictured, said.

Greg Kelly, another Nissan executive and board member, was also arrested and charged with collaborating with Ghosn. He was released on bail on December 25 and has said he is innocent. n Ghosn was further charged with breach of trust as Car Dealer was going to press.

What’s been getting dealers worked up?

Feedback, p26-27

INDUSTRY

Triple whammy delivered

by JLR, Ford and Honda over jobs and production Peter Byrne/PA Wire

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @believebecca

T

he car industry has suffered a triple blow as three of the UK’s biggest manufacturers announced job and production cuts.

Car giant Jaguar Land Rover is to reduce its 44,000 workforce by 4,500 under plans to make £2.5 billion of cost savings. Most of the cuts will be in the UK, with a voluntary programme being launched, and are in addition to 1,500 workers who left the company last year.

Ford has also signalled ‘significant’ cuts among its 50,000-strong European workforce under plans to make it more competitive and make its business more sustainable.

Honda later announced it would instigate six non-production days in April under contingency plans to mitigate the risk of disruption to production at its Swindon factory after the UK leaves the EU. Ralf Speth, chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said: ‘We are taking decisive action to help deliver long-term growth in the face of multiple geopolitical and regulatory disruptions as well as technology challenges facing the

Staff gather outside the Jaguar Land Rover site at Halewood, Merseyside automotive industry.’ The company also announced further investment in electrification, with electric drive units to be built at its factory in Wolverhampton and a new battery assembly centre at Hams Hall in Birmingham.

Ford started consultations with unions, with details of job cuts not expected until later in the year, although staff based at Warley in Essex will move to Dunton.

Steven Armstrong, Ford’s European group vice-president, said the company was taking ‘decisive action’ to transform its European business.

He said: ‘We will invest in the vehicles, services, segments and markets that best support a longterm sustainably profitable business, creating value for all our stakeholders

and delivering emotive vehicles to our customers.’

New all-electric vehicles will be offered for all Ford models, while there will also be a more ‘targeted’ line-up of models in the future.

Honda said: ‘Honda has been assessing how best to prepare for any disruption caused by logistics and border issues following the UK leaving the EU on March 29.

‘To ensure Honda is well placed to adjust to all possible outcomes, we are planning six non-production days in April. This is to facilitate production recovery activity following any delays at borders on parts.

‘These contingency provisions have been put in place to best mitigate the risk of disruption to production operations at the Swindon factory.’

VW Golf knocks BMW 3 Series off top spot in searches ONLINE car marketplace Auto Trader has revealed that the Volkswagen Golf was the most searched-for car of 2018, knocking the BMW 3 Series off the top spot where it has stood for the past eight years.

Since 2010, the BMW 3 Series has reigned supreme as the UK’s most searched-for car, but as of December 2018, searches for the Volkswagen Golf have surpassed it – totalling more than 42m searches between January and November 2018.

During the same period, the BMW 3 Series was searched for almost 40m

times on Auto Trader, and data from the website for December shows that the Volkswagen Golf continues to lead from the front.

Both popular cars have a great history, with the Volkswagen Golf launched in 1974 and the BMW 3 Series a year later. Each model is now on its seventh generation, appealing to a broad range of car buyers with a breadth of requirements.

But the tight contest between the two German models highlights a bigger trend seen within Auto Trader’s most searched-for cars, which is an

increasing dominance of German premium cars that now make up eight out of Auto Trader’s top 10 most searched-for cars of the year.

Mercedes-Benz, which features three models in the top 10, held on to third place for the second year running with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The Audi A3 also held on to the same spot at number eight for the second year running, but the small family executive car remains the only model from the Audi brand to feature in the top 10.

Auto Trader’s most searched-for cars (2018) 1 Volkswagen Golf 2 BMW 3 Series 3 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4 Ford Focus 5 BMW 1 Series 6 Ford Fiesta 7 BMW 5 Series 8 Audi A3 9 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 10 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

Dashboard.

News from around the UK

What’s been hitting the headlines on the home front? Here’s a round-up of stories SOUTHAMPTON

From Mariah Carey to Mariah Car-ey...

ONE dealership really got into the Christmas spirit with an extremely festive video.

Imperial Cars’ Southampton branch filmed its own rendition of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. The video has been viewed nearly 13,000 times and shared by 113 people since being published on the group’s Facebook page on December 10.

The sales team even managed to film the entire video in one take, apart from the finale at the end.

An artist’s impression of what the JLR showroom will look like

PORTSMOUTH

Jobs boost as JLR showroom gets the go-ahead GUY Salmon has won permission to build a Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Portsmouth.

Planning committee members on the city council unanimously gave the go-ahead for the Sytner Group subsidiary’s two-storey building on a 1.62-hectare site south of the main entrance to Lakeside Business Park at North Harbour.

ABERDEEN

NORTH-WEST ENGLAND

Supermarket site to be Volvo dealership

Pentagon Ford goes live after sites buyout

WORK has finally started on turning a former Lidl supermarket into an Arnold Clark Volvo showroom.

Planning permission for the site in Wellington Road, Aberdeen, was granted in 2017.

A workshop will also feature, alongside 105 parking spaces, with the work representing a near-£1m investment by the dealer group.

The development is expected to be finished by the middle of this year.

Picture: Google Street View

THE Pentagon Motor Group has completed its acquisition of three Ford dealership sites from TrustFord.

The sites – at Warrington, St Helens and Runcorn – have been rebranded as Pentagon Ford and became fully operational at the start of the year in the deal, which was for an undisclosed sum.

David Lewis, pictured, managing director of Pentagon Motor Group, said: ‘We are all very positive about this acquisition.’

16 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The development will replace the current Guy Salmon dealership in Compass Road and bring 120 skilled jobs with it. Boasting a 5,432 sq m showroom with space for 18 vehicles, it will also have a two-bay MOT test centre as well as a 26-bay workshop and valet services. Work needs to begin with three years of the conditional permission being granted.

Top-selling cars of December December 2018

Source: SMMT

Ford Fiesta 5,719 Volkswagen Polo 4,928 Mini 4,650 Mercedes-Benz A-Class 4,284 Vauxhall Corsa 4,264 Volkswagen Golf 4,224 Ford Focus 3,919 Vauxhall Astra 3,677 Ford Kuga 2,646 Nissan Qashqai 2,609

EAST LONDON

New MG dealership opens for business

THE Glyn Hopkin Group has been appointed to represent MG in east London. The dealership in Romford Road, Manor Park, was officially opened by William Wang, MG Motor UK managing director, and Fraser Cohen, Glyn Hopkin Group managing director.

Cohen said: ‘We are encouraged by the vision and success of the MG brand in the UK.’ The group has franchises for more than 12 marques and celebrated its 25th year in business in 2018.

A global snapshot of dealership news

Around the World, p28

LYNDHURST

ENGLAND

Meridien Modena is top Ferrari dealer

Inchcape teams raise cash for Alzheimer’s

MERIDIEN Modena in Lyndhurst has been named Ferrari Dealer of the Year – the highest accolade a Ferrari dealership can receive.

It follows awards from Ferrari for Showroom of the Year in 2014 and Aftersales Dealer of the Year in 2017, making the Hampshire-based business the only one in the world to have received all three titles.

In recognition of the dealership’s efforts, Ferrari presented it with a Scuderia Ferrari F1 car driven by Michael Schumacher.

TOYOTA retail centre showrooms were transformed into winter wonderlands to raise funds for charity partner Alzheimer’s Society.

The teams at Inchcape Toyota Oxford and Burton held Christmas fairs, with staff at Basingstoke, pictured, running activities through December. Both Burton’s and Oxford’s events raised more than £800, while In Basingstoke the team’s efforts raised £563.

The group has raised £19,600 so far towards its £50,000 target.

TONBRIDGE

‘I sat on my air-sprung seat while my family indulged in a morning of petty squabbling and cleaning up various bodily fluids.’

Big Mike, p25

Jardine merges sites into £12m showroom

JARDINE Motors Group has opened a state-of-the-art £12m Jaguar Land Rover dealership in Tonbridge.

The Woodgate Way site merges the existing dealerships in Tonbridge and Sevenoaks into a bespoke location that boasts the new dual Arch style of modern Jaguar Land Rover showrooms.

It has an 18-car showroom and space for a further 100 used cars to be displayed, as well as a rooftop car park for extra parking plus a service drive-through lane.

HAMPSHIRE

Hendy ends year with purchase of Seward

AUTOMOTIVE retailer Hendy rounded off 2018 by taking over the Hampshire-based Seward Group.

Chief executive Paul Hendy, pictured, said the purchase of the group, which has dealerships in Portsmouth and Havant, was a strategic move for the company and consolidated Hendy’s strong position in the area.

The company would not disclose how much the acquisition cost or if staff numbers at the Seward branches would be affected.

Kay Bowen, left, Snows marketing manager Leanne Hobley and Snows director Alex Domone

HAMPSHIRE

School gets smarter thanks to £2,000 Christmas gift A PRIMARY school in Hampshire can now be even more tech-interactive in class – thanks to a £2,000 donation from family-run motor dealership Snows.

The Christmas gift from Snows Toyota Hedge End helped to buy a smartboard for St John the Baptist Church of England School in Waltham Chase.

Another smartboard is in place after a similar

donation last year by the dealership. Headteacher Kay Bowen said: ‘Smartboard technology makes a huge difference to teaching and learning.

‘These ones represent a massive improvement, making it far quicker and easier to display information. A huge thanks to Snows and Toyota for making more interactive learning possible.’

First drive: C5 Aircross

Rebecca Chaplin gives her verdict on Citroen’s all-new model for Europe.

Forecourt, p38 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 17

Dashboard.

INDUSTRY SHOCK

Ex-MD Paul Williams dies P aul Williams – the former MD of SsangYong, Kia and Daihatsu in the UK – has died following a short and sudden illness.

In a statement released on December 10, his family said: ‘Paul fell ill suddenly and died on Sunday in a hospice where he had been for just a few days.’

Williams, who was 57, is believed to have contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, more commonly known as CJD – an extremely rare condition that affects the brain and causes irreversible damage to nerve cells.

A former colleague told Car Dealer Magazine: ‘It’s a one-in-a-million chance to get CJD – it’s so sad.

Paul was taken ill a few weeks ago, doctors ran tests, and within days he deteriorated.

‘We can’t believe how quickly he became so ill. He’ll be sorely missed.’

The family statement added: ‘Paul had been involved in the motor

industry since 1982 and worked for a number of brands.

‘Most recently responsible for the return of SsangYong to the UK in 2007, he also played key management roles with Daihatsu, Mitsubishi and Kia.’ Williams quit his job at SsangYong in September 2017 after six years

with the brand. From 2007 to 2011, he was the MD at Koelliker UK, which imported SsangYong vehicles.

He was managing director at Kia between 2002 and 2006, previously worked at Mitsubishi as director of sales and marketing between 1999 and 2002, and before that was MD of Daihatsu from 1995 to 1999.

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18 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

ROCKINGHAM

£1m investment is completed CITY Auction Group has launched an all-new dual lane at Rockingham as well as redeveloped inspection, valeting and presentation bays, following a £1m investment in the auction site over the past three months.

It predicts its annual volume capacity in 2019 will be 100,000 passenger cars and 50,000 LCVs. Managing director Michael Tomalin said: ‘With 12 locations perfectly situated across the UK and Ireland, we now have the scope to manage all defleet and remarketing requirements to the highest possible standard, supported by a great team of experienced personnel and cutting-edge technologies.’

Its launch dual-lane sale event was due to be held on January 15.

More auction news, p80

4 REASONS WHY your automotive CV is being ignored You saw a job, you were interested. So naturally, you applied. Didn’t hear back? Here are four reasons why your automotive CV might not be shifting gears…

Your cover letter doesn’t stand out

It can help to create clear sections for your CV, making sure to

Many people spend hours on their CV but neglect, or don’t even

include a profile, your key skills and achievements as well as

offer a cover letter. A cover letter is your chance to sell yourself

your most relevant experience. Remember to focus on your

and ensure your CV gets the attention it deserves.

automotive expertise. If this is the first automotive role you are

A cover letter can demonstrate your personality, so it’s

applying for, make sure to demonstrate how your transferable

important to be personable without being informal. While your

skills make you ideal for the role.

cover letter should demonstrate skills and experience, as well as passion and enthusiasm for the role and the organisation,

You don’t prove your worth

remember to keep it brief.

Your word is not enough to prove you are a skilled candidate.

Numbers, statistics and achievements are the proof that your

Your CV has no personality

CV needs to give you the best chance possible. Instead of

A personal profile is a short introductory paragraph at the

saying that you are a killer mechanic, prove that through the

beginning of your CV that gives the recruiter the edited

100 5-star reviews your customers provide, or the fact you

highlights of your CV. As recruiters don’t spend much time

have won the ‘mechanic of the month’ award eight times in

looking at your CV, it needs to make an impact, so it has to be

the past year.

hard-hitting to grab and retain their attention.

Use the numbers and facts you have to demonstrate that what you’re saying on your CV is true and why you are a cut above

Your CV is a mess

the rest.

You may only think what you say on your CV is important, but

Remember, that on average, recruiters may see 39 applications

actually the design, structure and format are essential. As

per job. You have to make sure your CV will get noticed and be

recruiters see hundreds of CVs every week, they need to be able

memorable. Make sure to tackle these four reasons, and you’ll

to skim it to find for the relevant information first. So a logical

have a CV that works harder for you and, hopefully, lands you

and clear format is essential for the readability of your CV.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

Dashboard.

BEN BOOST

Charity ball raises £102,000

H

undreds of people from the automotive world raised £102,000 for the charity Ben at its annual Christmas ball.

The event took place at the Grosvenor House hotel in London, where around 700 guests were hosted by Ben’s chief executive, Zara Ross, and president, Peter Johnson, for an evening of entertainment that included tribute act Björn Again performing the greatest hits of Abba to the packed ballroom.

Ross said: ‘The Ben Ball is our most important event of the year.

This is not only because it allows us to raise vital funds so we can continue to provide life-changing support for our automotive colleagues, but also because it gives us an opportunity to further develop relationships with the industry.

‘It also demonstrates how we work with businesses to support their people – the lifeblood of

by JOHN BOWMAN john@blackballmedia.co.uk

our industry. Thank you to everyone who has made this year’s Ben Ball so successful. We greatly appreciate your generous donations and support.’

During the evening, it was announced that Ben’s 2018 Industry Leader Challenge raised £215,755. The Lookers Electric Charge involved chief executive Andy Bruce and his team driving across the UK and Ireland in electric vehicles, visiting every one of the company’s dealerships.

Bruce passed the challenge baton on to three senior industry leaders: Volvo Car UK managing director Jon Wakefield, Allianz Partners UK and Ireland chief executive Tim Tozer and Group 1 Automotive managing director Darren Guiver. The trio

will be cycling 166 miles down the Thames from source to sea on a selfpropelled water bike.

Speaking about this year’s challenge, Bruce said: ‘We had so much fun taking part alongside so many Lookers colleagues, and at the same time managed to raise a significant sum of money that will help change the lives of people in our industry.

‘Now that I have passed on the baton, I hope our successors enjoy it as much as we did and raise even more funds for a worthwhile cause.’

The total raised at the ball was aided by an auction that included prizes donated by companies in the industry. The highest earner was a Volvo XC40 T4 SUV, which achieved a winning bid of £44,000, followed by a Monte Carlo road rally prize, which raised £22,000, and a Cowes Week Regatta race trip courtesy of Sunsail, which fetched £3,800.

HONOUR

Murray ‘humbled’ by award of CBE AUTOMOTIVE designer and engineer Gordon Murray has been made a CBE in the New Year Honours for 2019.

The accolade – which sees him created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire – has been given in recognition of his services to motoring, after a lifetime of devising and delivering creative and ground-breaking projects in the motorsport and automotive sectors.

Murray, 72, said: ‘It is extremely humbling to receive a CBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours. I’ve spent more than 50 years doing what I love, working with a wealth of highly talented and creative people around the world, but primarily in the UK. ‘I’d like to dedicate this honour to all those I’ve worked with.’

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20 | CarDealerMag.co.uk Gumtree - Car Dealer - 200x138-AW - DPS.indd_v2.indd 1

23/11/2018 09:4

SUZUKI

Leslies named top UK dealer

A

Suzuki dealership on the Isle of Wight has been named the manufacturer’s top UK showroom of 2018.

The 157-strong UK-wide network was evaluated using the same criteria, including the percentage of target sales achieved, finance penetration percentage, sales customer satisfaction index (CSI), service CSI, number of parts sold, and the quantity of accessories sold and returned on sales percentage.

The figures were then added together on a balanced scorecard to reveal the top dealer in each of the categories, with Leslies Suzuki in Newport being named the overall winner after scoring the highest total across a number of them.

Trophies were handed out by Suzuki GB director of automobile Dale Wyatt and aftersales director Denis Houston at a ceremony during the brand’s annual dealer conference

Pictured from left are Dale Wyatt, Leslies Motor Group general manager Louis Vanassche and Denis Houston in Budapest. The Outstanding Achievement Award for customer retention was given to Eastbourne Suzuki in East Sussex, while the accolade for customer experience was awarded to Philip Petersen in Bangor, Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Surrey’s TW White & Sons and the Chapel House Motor Group in St Helens, Merseyside, collected the top prizes for parts

and retail sales respectively. Hilton Suzuki, based in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, received the Outstanding Achievement Award for its strong Suzuki finance performance. Twenty dealerships were also recognised for their longstanding commitment to Suzuki, with one of them celebrating three decades with the brand and 13 commemorating 20 and 25 years of holding the franchise.

Wyatt said: ‘We would like to congratulate our Dealers of the Year on their achievements, and for their hard work and dedication that they have shown during the past 12 months.

‘Their service and commitment has been crucial to Suzuki’s success this year, and we are equally proud to have so many long-serving franchises within our network. This is a solid foundation on which to build as we go into 2019.’

LONG-SERVICE AWARDS 10 years: Glyn Hopkin Watford (Hertfordshire); J & J Motors Bridgend (South Wales); Monty’s of Sheffield (South Yorkshire); Ponthir Road Suzuki (South Wales); Sparshatts of Fareham (Hampshire) 15 years: Threeways Garage (Conwy) 20 years: Border Cars, Carlisle (Cumbria); Builth Wells Garages (Powys); Cropleys Suzuki (Lincolnshire); Hodgson Suzuki (Tyne and Wear); Pearsons of Largs (North Ayrshire); Pearsons of Wemyss Bay (Renfrewshire); Stoneacre Suzuki, Ackworth (Yorkshire) 25 years: Autosales, Bilston (West Midlands); Blackshaws Garages (Northumberland); Fawdingtons Garage (Northumberland); Motor Mall (Guernsey); Motor Mall (Jersey); Pentraeth Automotive (Renfrewshire) 30 years: Brenwood Motor Company (Fife)

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21 Gumtree - Car Dealer - 200x138-AW - DPS.indd_v2.indd 2

23/11/2018 09:41

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22 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Behind the scenes REBECCA CHAPLIN

Blackball Media’s head of editorial is never afraid to tell it like it is

AI could mean an end to dealing with the inane – and help keep you sane

Y

ou’ve possibly noticed that the upsurge in accessible technology may well have benefited many parts of the sales process and business world but it’s also made it easier than ever before to complain.

I’m not talking about customers – although plenty of people are – I’m talking about everyone who has to deal with them.

Speaking with a car dealer recently, I retold some of the stories from other dealers I’d been reading online, thinking they would agree with some of the sentiments and find them as funny as I did.

Some of those sharing their experiences of selling cars online have missed a calling as a writer, and they do have some hilarious and gritty tales from the front line.

I’ve got to start with a disclaimer that I don’t envy anyone who has to deal with the general public on a daily basis. I did it before, it drove me mad and I wouldn’t want to do it again.

Speaking with customers over text or Facebook Messenger seems to take them to a whole new level of rude or stupid, which I can’t stand either. I once sold a set of bedside tables online and couldn’t believe the rude responses, as if I were the problem by offering something for less than £10 and not being available at the drop of a hat for a stranger to come to my house.

Another time, I tried to sell some used high heels and got some rather different and slightly scary responses – after that, I swore it was either the car boot sale or charity shop for my unwanted belongings.

Let’s face it, there’s something about the purchasing experience that just sends some people loopy – but without them there would literally be no purchasing process.

As we sat sipping coffee and chatting about the industry, I proudly showed off the collection of tales on various websites, but the idea that people could talk about the customers that literally pay their wages was completely cringeworthy to this particular dealer.

It seems to be one of those things that dealers either agree with or are completely opposed to – never somewhere in between.

Buyers and dealers are spending more time on Facebook, talking to each other, regularly winding each other up but also selling cars, and it seems the robots are learning from us. Well, maybe they’re not learning from

some of the choice conversations I was reading online, but some of them are stepping up in chatbot form to tell customers which cars they should be buying, how much they can afford and even completing the sale in some cases.

Should dealers be worried? There’s been enough written about robots, artificial intelligence (AI) and all those things that feel scary enough in movies let alone real life replacing ‘human jobs’.

That ranges from factory workers to taxi or bus drivers – even we journalists aren’t safe, as apparently a machine could write something like this but in a lot less time (it wouldn’t really have to try very hard).

Already, we’re seeing AI adopted in certain places in the purchasing funnel, but some – mainly online – retailers are using this more, and some are allowing it to replace a salesperson completely. It’s much cheaper, takes no commission and can talk to several people at once, supposedly without any issues. Back to that question then: ‘Should dealers worry?’

There will always be a place for the physical dealership, there will always be a need for real human interaction and proper face-to-face customer service – that’s what we keep being told, anyway. However, it’s pretty certain that as much of the process that can be taken on by our computer-brained companions will be.

We know that robots are going to replace a lot of jobs then – but do we really want these tasks anyway? Be it cars, steam engines or printing presses, there’s been plenty of innovation over the years that has changed jobs – arguably for the better for a lot of people.

The thing is, we’ve changed the jobs we do as the things we don’t really enjoy doing anyway are taken on by something else. Now when I scroll through the pages of these groups of dealers on social media or on our own forum, I think: ‘What good news it is that soon salespeople won’t have to deal with any of this – the machines will do it for them!’

The system could work seamlessly, and dealerships could choose their preferences on ignoring messages from ‘serious buyers’ starting with ‘what’s your lowest price?’

Maybe the artificial intelligence will learn the tells of timewasters – not that it’d matter at all, because the AI could speak to as many people as possible all at once.

The theory is, there is more time for dealers to focus on the final sale, the buying and the bits that actually make them money. Then, maybe, there won’t be any reason to moan online about what a customer said or sent you either.

‘Speaking with customers over text or Facebook Messenger seems to take them to a whole new level of rude or stupid.’

Rebecca Chaplin is head of editorial at Blackball Media and the editor of Car Dealer Magazine.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

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24 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Big Mike Our man on the inside shares his thoughts on the car business

Black cab cut me off from my family – and that meant Boxing Day bliss!

A

pologies in advance if it seems like this month’s column has been brought to you by Les Dawson, but it’s impossible to talk about mothers-in-law without sounding that way.

I have mine to thank for stumbling across what I believe to be the world’s best family car, as I had need of a bigger vehicle than normal over the recent Christmas break.

The ‘hippo’ and I have never got on especially well, and now that she’s in her dotage she’s even more of an insufferable old bat, so when I found out that the present good lady wife/’er indoors had invited the grizzly old boiler over to ours for a fortnight, I wasn’t impressed – not least because we had my son, his girlfriend and my six-month-old granddaughter staying over as well. That made six of us in total – two of them in nappies and largely incontinent.

Quite apart from the fact it meant that I wasn’t going to be spending my Christmas break trying to perfect the ratios of port and brandy to decide how many parts of each make the perfect port and brandy (clearly…), and that the answer to my annual quest of discovery (roughly two parts port, one part brandy, I reckon, but I wouldn’t mind trying again just to make sure) would have to remain unanswered until next Christmas (oh well...), it also meant that we’d need at least a six-seater for our annual Boxing Day walk around Cannock Chase: a family tradition that goes back to the days when we weren’t pushing a babbling, dribbling small person around – or, indeed, taking a baby out with us.

All I had in stock at the time was a 10-year-old Vauxhall Zafira, and while the idea of it bursting into flames with my mother-in-law inside it had some merit, it really wasn’t big enough for the pushchair or wheelchair. My suggestion that my better half drive her mum around in a separate vehicle for the duration was met with a suggestion that she’d drink her own body weight in gin to stop that from happening, so I was back to square one.

Ironically, it was on my way back from my works Christmas do (just me, a £50 note and my local Wetherspoons, but it’s still going through the books) that I had a moment of inspiration.

Owing to the non-functioning nature of my legs after at least

nine pints, a port and a brandy (the barman insisted I mix my own), I summoned a local cab firm for a lift back and got chatting to the driver on the way home. With the inimitable mean spirit that only spending your entire life driving around Birmingham’s Queensways can bring, my cheery ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting was met by an utterly polarised ‘Is it?’, followed by a 20-minute rant about how the cabbie was soon having to give up his perfectly good 17-year-old black cab because of ‘all that emissions b*ll*cks, innit?’

The following morning, once my legs and forehead had rejoined the party, I did my research, only to find out that a load of black cabs are about to be decommissioned because they fail to meet Euro 4 emissions legislation, meaning that in many local authorities no pre-2003 taxi can be used as a licensed cab any longer.

I then realised that not only did a black cab have six seats but that five of them were in the back, separated from the driver by a soundproof plastic screen. And because they were designed to be driven day in day out, the hard-wearing wipe-clean seats in the back were offset by a nice and bouncy air-sprung driver’s seat, an automatic gearbox and a separate set of speakers in the front.

As a result, my Boxing Day was one of the best I’ve ever had. Cannock-bound on the M6 Toll in a recently decommissioned T-registered LTI TX1 with just 728,000 miles on the clock that I picked up from a taxi spares company in Walsall for five hundred quid, I sat on my air-sprung cushioned seat, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band turned up to 11, while my family indulged in a morning of panic, petty squabbling and cleaning up various bodily fluids from my wipe-clean back end, so to speak.

I missed the lot, and thanks to the lethargic performance of the TX1’s Nissan Marine boat engine, we spent longer in the cab than we did trudging around the woods.

If you’ve got noisy kids, or bossy and incontinent in-laws, then now’s the time to buy the perfect family car before everyone else catches on.

Indeed, buying one was responsible for me having one of the most relaxing Christmases I’ve had in recent years, even if the hippo-in-law did guzzle up all my brandy. I’ve still got half a bottle of port left, though, so things could be worse…

‘I then realised that not only did a black cab have six seats but that five of them were in the back.’

Who is Big Mike? Well, that would be telling. What we can say is he’s had more than 40 years in the car trade so has probably forgotten more about it than we’re likely to know.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

Feedback.

Your comments via email to dave@blackballmedia.co.uk

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

Payment was taken out I HAVE been in the trade for a number of years working in sales for various manufacturers. About 18 months ago I started for myself selling from home. I sold a car yesterday and received the funds by Faster Payment as usual.

Today, though, the transaction was reversed and the funds taken back out of my account. This is a business account at HSBC and the bank didn’t contact me about this.

The bank is being cagey about why, but reading between the lines the customer has said the payment was made by mistake.

I have spoken to the customer (who is at least answering the phone at present), and he is denying asking for the payment back – but is now trying to renegotiate the price.

I will call him back again shortly, when I’ve calmed down a little bit.

Firstly – I’m shocked the payment can be recalled 24 hours later (or at all).

Secondly – What would your advice be at this point please?

Dracon800

Get hold of an email address for the bank, send a copy of the signed invoice/receipt as proof the customer agreed to pay the contract price.

EPV

Picture of the month

but a CHAPS can be recalled the same day.

Otherwise, they have to get the bank to recall it and it takes seven to 10 days UNLESS they’ve said it’s a fraudulent transaction – which is what she thinks they’ve probably done.

NOACROSS

Has the customer taken possession of the car?

David Ayers

Thought you had problems wrapping some of the Christmas gifts that you bought? Count yourself lucky you weren’t our multimedia manager Jon or events manager Amanda, who were tasked with enclosing a Fiat 500 in brown paper for a festive PR promotion. At least they didn’t have to get it down a chimney...

Was the payment sent from a business account?

My wife, who was a business bank adviser for Lloyds, thinks normally this would only be done if the issuing bank thought the transaction was fraudulent. Normally a bank transfer cannot be recalled UNLESS it was sent from a business account, in which case it can be recalled quite easily. This all might depend on the actual banks and their policies, though.

MrV

of us receive large amounts via bank transfer on a regular basis.

It sounds as though there is a mistake somewhere! However, the customer has noticed it and is taking advantage.

Personally, I would phone the bank again and not put the phone down until you get an answer.

Once you have an answer, I’d be going round the bloke’s house and having it out with him on his doorstep without prior warning. This is bang out of order and makes my blood boil just thinking about it.

Del Boy

This is the first time I’ve heard of this happening.

I didn’t know it was possible to reverse a bank transfer. It’s extremely worrying, as the majority

Are you sure it’s not a CHAPS [Clearing House Automated Payment System] payment? My wife works for a bank and she says it’s not possible

Thanks all. The customer has made the payment again and I have received the funds again. This was after making it clear to the customer I wasn’t renegotiating the price and they needed to make payment again or I was coming to get the car.

To answer some of the questions above, the payment appears to have come from a personal account, as the credit narrative contains their name (rather than any sort of business name, but of course it could be a sole trader account). The transaction type is ‘BP’ – which I understand is bill payment/faster payment in HSBC parlance.

He made the payment to me, as people do, on his phone while buying the car (and using his security token thing) – so I don’t think it would be a BACS/CHAPS payment.

I will make a formal complaint to HSBC and see what they say (if anything).

How did he get it recalled? Saying it’s a fraudulent transaction is my suspicion but I have nothing to base it on, and given he used his security token and his phone app how he gets the bank to agree it’s fraud I don’t know.

Another possibility is the bank recalled it themselves (after all, the guy answered my calls and has paid the money again) if they thought it was suspicious. However, normally they don’t let the payment go through in the first place and you have to hang around while the customer calls their bank and gets the payment ‘released’. Just reversing it 24 hours later seems unacceptable.

Dracon800

Top tweets We have a winner! One of our lovely customers, Mrs Broderick, won a Christmas hamper in our prize draw but has donated it to #Poole Food Bank instead! Here we have one of the volunteers taking delivery. Now that’s what you call Christmas spirit!

Snows Suzuki @SnowsSuzuki It was – to put it mildly – ‘slightly chilly’ the day we left the French Alps.

The heated steering wheel in the

26 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

@SYMotorUK Rexton Ultimate is, quite simply, a complete game-changer. A heated steering wheel. Toasty warm fingers. Bliss!

Andrew Ditton @andrewjditton #TeamHendy would like to wish you a very #HappyNewYear! We hope you all have an amazing start to 2019!

Hendy Group @hendygroup In 2018, our record year of sales has

translated into the creation of 200 new jobs at Goodwood, the Home of Rolls-Royce. Our total Goodwood workforce has now exceeded 2,000 for the first time.

Rolls-RoyceMotorCars @rollsroycecars Top Tip | SEO One of the best ways to improve your website ranking is to start blogging.

Click Dealer @ClickDealerLTD

More and more of our readers are joining the debate – and it couldn’t be

On Twitter: Follow @CarDealerMag

Forum: CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

but bank didn’t tell me MISSED CALLS, NO MESSAGES, LIES...

Pet hates – what really bugs you?

It really bugs me when I get missed calls with no message – sometimes multiple calls in a short period of time. What is wrong with these people? It’s so rude.

Arfur Dealy People turning up to ‘appointment only’ unannounced.

Del Boy People not turning up to ‘appointment only’, then switching their phone off.

Nick M.K. The psychopath calling six times on the bounce without leaving a message when the reason for the call is about as urgent as mowing the grass is the winner. ‘Well, they didn’t answer me instantly, I’ll ring several times in the next 30 seconds until they hear me and answer.’ I’m actually outright rude to people who do this and couldn’t care less if it loses me a sale. It’s bordering on harassment!

EPV Off the top of my head... When browsing the

classifieds, people advertising their cars as ‘trip-tronic’ instead of ‘tip-tronic’. I don’t know why but that one just really gets my goat.

D&M When the customer’s first question is ‘What’s the least you will take?’

NickGCS The vast majority of punters are nice people.

However, the odd one who lies about a warranty claim does get me annoyed. For instance, I remember being well down the M1 and an Astra we had sold went past doing about 100mph. Sometime later the guy calls in (he was actually wearing a Ferrari baseball cap) and asked if we could repair his exhaust under warranty. I said yes and asked him a few things like has he been far, etc. He said no and always drove carefully, etc. You can imagine the rest. trade vet ‘I’m going to look at another but I’ll definitely call you back.’ Still waiting for those calls.

Maybe their battery died.

Mistermuttley

I thought that I’d wasted money on a new log book after finding the old one I bought a light-blue Jaguar XF with no log book present so spent £25 for a new one. Got the log book and found the keeper as my company name. That means one more keeper added to the records. The interesting thing is that I found the previous log book in the car today covered by the user manual. I called DVLA and they said they can delete the new log book record if I post them the previous one and with a letter to declare the situation. What a surprise! A happy day.

Lucas Rule 1: Every time you buy a car always give it a good rummage around. I have found spare keys and separate fobs as well as service history.

ExCouncilJobsworth Schoolboy error Lucas, rookie mistake. Anyway, it all ended well.

Blenheim Car Sales Lost count of the items we have found over the years. Done great on some, not so great on others. Had a Fiesta last week with a receipt for timing belt and water pump change.

Result! Had a Clio three weeks ago with two dirty nappies in the driver’s seat back pocket... justina3

I’m giving son a stock Ceed but unsure of paperwork My son’s Corsa has started to have a nasty rattle on the top-end. As it’s old and miley I have decided to give him a car from stock.

It’s a Kia Ceed worth around £3,600 but I want to make no profit on it as it’s a gift. It stands me around £3,150 all in.

What would be the best way to sort the paperwork for this? It might be obvious but I’m not sure how to play it. Any suggestions appreciated.

Mistermuttley Are you a limited company?

Stalker You are thinking ... ‘connected party transaction’, Stalker. Has to be at market value and disclosed in the annual accounts. trade vet If you are a company, invoice yourself/him the hammer price plus indemnity. You then won’t pay

VAT. If you are self-employed it doesn’t matter, it’s your money. If I’m wrong, apologies upfront.

Arfur Dealy

A Corsa to a Kia would not be my choice as your son sounds young. boring dave

Invoice your son for £3,150. Might be a good idea to ask him to pay that money in your business account.

Nick M.K.

I know but it was his choice. I had a Kia, a Fiesta and a 207. After driving all three he preferred the Kia. Thought he would pick the Fiesta but I think he likes the idea of the Ceed as it’s lowmileage, diesel and full service history. He is at uni studying to be a maths teacher, so he has probably done the figures in his head!

Mistermuttley

Thanks for all the replies. I’m not limited and I’m under the VAT threshold as it’s a part-time job for me. Doorstepper but all taxes duly done. I’ll invoice him the full amount of £3,150 and the wife can pay it into my account and I’ll then just withdraw it from the business and pay her back.

Got to keep the paper trail!

Mistermuttley Technically, you could also sell it at a loss, as we all will have done at some stage. However, that would raise an eyebrow at an inspection.

MattR

easier to get involved! Sign up to our forum at CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

The publisher reserves the right to edit submissions.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 27

Dashboard.

Around the world Dealer news from somewhere other than here

SPAIN

THE Seat factory in Martorell, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018, reached another milestone last year after manufacturing its 10 millionth vehicle – an Arona FR 1.5 TSI. In the past quarter-century, 39 different models have rolled off the production lines, ranging from the second-generation Ibiza and first Cordoba to the Arona and Audi A1. Christian Vollmer, vice-president for production and logistics, said the factory had been at the forefront of innovation since its 1993 inauguration.

USA

AN Indiana dealership is to pay $62,495.27 (circa £49,630) to five customers after the state filed a lawsuit against it accusing it of unfair and deceptive sales practices. Clos Autos, of Crawfordsville, was said to have not paid off loans on vehicles that had been traded in or delivered certificates of title to customers, proving ownership.

The company has also had its licence to trade suspended.

SOUTH AFRICA

Seventeen vehicles were destroyed when a blaze broke out at a used car dealership in Cape Town early on New Year’s Day. An explosion was also heard at the scene. The cause of the fire at McGee’s Auto isn’t known but it is believed vagrants may have been to blame. The cost of the damage was put at about 3.5 million rand – equivalent to about £197,000.

KAZAKHSTAN

DEALERS in the republic sold 25.8 per cent more cars last year, shifting 52,467 vehicles together worth about £1 billion.

Of that total, 48.2 per cent were made in the country – the world’s largest landlocked nation, which straddles Europe and Asia. The most popular was the Lada with 12,061 sales, said The Astana Times.

The rest of the top five brands were Toyota (11,215), Hyundai (7,626), Kia (2,593) and GAZ (2,463). Meanwhile, Nissan sold 2,188 cars, Renault 1,824, Ravon 1,727, Volkswagen 1,382 and UAZ 1,348. The target for this year is 75,000 vehicles, with 50 per cent Kazakh-made.

AUSTRALIA

LUXURY brand Genesis is planning to shake up the car sales game Down Under this year – by selling through ‘stores’ in shopping malls rather than traditional dealerships. Genesis, part of the Hyundai Motor Company, is planning to have its first studio up and running in Sydney by the end of March. It’s likely that two more will be opened during 2019, according to reports.

The only viable key management solution for automotive dealerships Traka Automotive creates hundreds of opportunities every day to: • Reduce costs • Be more productive • Sell more cars • Improve customer satisfaction • Know more about how your business is performing

Email automotive@traka.com or call 0845 225 2910 traka-automotive.com 28 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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15/12/2016 10:04

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

Finance.

APPEAL

Close Brothers collects 170 toys for Mission Christmas C lose Brothers Motor Finance employees in Northern Ireland collected 170 toys and presents as well as £290 in donations for Mission Christmas in December.

Dealers across Northern Ireland took part in the collection, with one dealer – Moy Auto Services in Dungannon – bringing in 46 presents after using a scanner-vision sign outside the dealership to alert customers to the good cause, which helps orphaned and disadvantaged children globally.

Close Brothers’ head office also matched the cheque donations of £290, meaning the charity will receive £580.

The toys included pop-up tents, remote-control cars, building blocks, Lego, Barbie caravans, Mr Potato Heads, Nerf guns and jigsaw puzzles, and is one of the biggest collections that Mission Christmas received in Northern Ireland this year. The estimated value of the toys and donations is £2,000.

Mission Christmas is the Cash for Kids charity initiative that gathers gift

Close Brothers Northern Ireland account manager Aaron McKee, left, and operations manager Gary McAdam with the toy collection donations in December. It meant that lots of children woke up on Christmas morning with toys to play with that they might not otherwise have had.

Gary McAdam, operations manager at the Northern Ireland branch of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: ‘We’re overwhelmed by the hard work and generosity of our dealer partners and employees in gathering such

a big collection of donations for a wonderful cause. A particular thankyou needs to be said to Stuart McNeice and Maurice Hughes from Moy Auto Services and Marty Smith, one of the Northern Ireland account managers, for co-ordinating the charity initiative.

‘Mission Christmas was extremely grateful for the donation, and this was a great note to end the year on.’

IVENDI

Year ends on a high with second quality accreditation IVENDI ended 2018 by being awarded its second international quality accreditation of the year – the ISO 9001 standard.

ISO 9001 specifies rigorous requirements for a quality management system and is used by businesses to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. It follows the award of the ISO 27001 information security C

M

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CM

MY

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CMY

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30 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

standard to the finance specialist earlier in the year, which specifies and audits processes intended to bring information security under clear and unambiguous management control.

Chief executive James Tew said: ‘We are increasingly working with larger, more international businesses, and being able to demonstrate that we meet the standards they expect when it comes to issues such as quality systems and security is essential.

‘Achieving ISO 9001 and ISO

27001 provides a strong baseline and, alongside other measures, means that our client base can rest assured that we are working to very high levels of process, control, audit and security.’

He added that all iVendi staff received suitable ISO training in 2018 alongside similar programmes covering FCA and GDPR regulation.

‘Ensuring that staff have the right skills as well as buy-in and understanding right across the organisation is essential.’

PENETRATION

Used finance surges in December

DEALERS saw finance penetration increase by 54 per cent in December as used sales rose by 8.1 per cent, according to Dealerweb.

Finance penetration leapt 10 per cent against December 2017 and GAP sales rose 1.5 per cent on used vehicles while paint sales rose 0.5 per cent over the same period, said the lead management experts.

Martin Hill, pictured, managing director of Dealerweb, said: ‘It is clear that used cars continue to perform strongly for dealers around the UK. A strong finance offer will bring buyers to the forecourt and drive inquiries from the website and wider digital channels.

‘As 2019 gets under way we expect the focus on used vehicles to continue, with strong demand supported by increasingly sophisticated digital marketing from dealers.’

The data showed that while used car inquiries surged by 12.2 per cent in December, conversion rates dropped from 36 per cent in December 2017 to 18.7 per cent in December 2018.

Dealerweb plans to recruit 20 new staff in 2019 and move to new headquarters in Exeter.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Time is money BEN GARSIDE

A monthly look at the world of automotive finance and marketing

I was a dream customer but certain dealers really need to wake up

I

f you read my article last month you’ll remember I was discussing that it was never too late to learn and that I was talking about me ‘sharpening my saw’ – in particular, within marketing. I had also said that I was investing in another new skill.

For those of you connected to me on LinkedIn, you will have seen that the new skill was passing my driving test. Yes, all these years I have been talking about the motor trade and I couldn’t legally drive a car.

However, please don’t judge me on this.

I have always loved cars and motorbikes, and I’ve spent a hell of a lot of time around motor sports and the motor industry.

As a kid, my dad was a biker and my uncle raced karts, so I spent weekends up early loading the van to travel the country to different race meets, getting oily and needing tubs of Swarfega to get me clean, or I spent them on the back of my dad’s Triumph Bonneville going to bike rallies.

As a teen, a lot of my time was spent pipedreaming, reading Max Power and other comparable magazines. I also loved getting in karts myself and chucking them around corners. However, a couple of incidents in karts and in my driving lessons a long time ago put me off driving a car, and instead I chose my Vespa, as in my head I had less chance of hurting someone else.

In August, I decided enough was enough and I needed to stop worrying and procrastinating as I love cars and I couldn’t stand seeing everyone with cars while I was missing out.

So now that I’d passed I set out to get a car – and learnt even more about the trade that I’ve been in for the past 14 years.

I visited a number of local franchise and large independent dealers and some a bit further afield. I did so with an open mind into what I wanted and what I was willing to buy.

Yes, the car did need to be small to medium-sized. I had been taught in a Toyota Auris so that was my benchmark and I didn’t really want anything much bigger than that. I had a lot of makes/ models in mind from the off obviously, but I wanted to sit in them, test-drive them and also purchase something I would love.

I should have been a dream customer.

I wanted to be sold to, I had savings and credit available, I was open to options and I love cars. A salesman could have talked my ear off and led me down any path. But what was I met with? Well, it was December, and I think most of the sales staff at the dealerships that I visited had decided that Christmas had come early. I won’t pinpoint any in particular as that would be wrong. However, I visited a lot of dealers and had to significantly go out of my way to get any service. I was ignored by most of them as they sat and watched me walk around. Some even looked the other way when I tried to get eye contact. Needless to say, the first dealer to show me any sort of service quality actually got my business.

There are a few points to this story but the main one is that I noticed numerous consumers getting a similar lacklustre service, so if you don’t already invest in mystery shopping then you should, as people may be walking on and off your pitch constantly.

‘A couple of incidents a long time ago put me off driving a car, and instead I chose my Vespa.’

Ben Garside is marketing manager for First Response. Call him on 07817 518739 or email ben.garside@frfl.co.uk

Turn over the page for more finance stories

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

Dealfinder.

Finance.

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LUXURY COUPES

BMW 8 Series

Lexus LC LEXUS’S LC sports car was unveiled in 2016, with its hugely striking looks and powerful engines. In typical Lexus fashion, it was offered as a hybrid as well as the full-fat 457bhp V8 version picked here, which can accelerate to 60mph in 4.2 seconds.

A ‘Limited Edition’ model was unveiled at last year’s Paris Motor Show and comes in a vibrant shade of Naples Yellow, yellow interior elements and gloss black detailing.

After the customer’s deposit of £13,500, they then make 35 monthly payments of £1,280.39, which brings the total at the end of the contract to £58,313.65. If they then choose to own their LC, a final payment of £40,500 can be made – bringing the total to £98,813.65. Because of the 5.9 per cent APR rate and lack of deposit contribution, this works out at more than £10,000 above the £88,770 cash price.

BMW unveiled its striking new luxury coupe and convertible – the 8 Series – last year. The luxury model is offered with a six-cylinder diesel engine (640d) but to keep the coupe in line with the rest of the cars here, we’ve chosen the current range-topper – a 523bhp 4.4-litre V8, which is known as the M850i xDrive.

There’s no deposit contribution. Instead, the customer puts down £14,000, following it with 35 £1,538.83 monthly instalments.

Over a three-year contract, the customer will spend £67,859.05, at which point they can hand the car back or make a final payment of £42,809.93 to own it. The lack of deposit contribution plus the 5.9 per cent APR rate make this the most expensive car of the three to finance, with the total coming to £110,668.98.

The deal works out at £11,143.98 more expensive than if the car had been bought with cash.

WELLHOUSE LEISURE

Range of funding options launched for campervans C ampervan converter Wellhouse Leisure is launching a new business to offer business and private users a choice of funding options for its latest models.

Wellhouse Leasing is being managed by contract hire, finance and leasing specialist Drivespeed Leasing, which also has experience of vehicle conversions.

The first model to be offered through Wellhouse Leasing is the Wellhouse Ford Custom Le-Tour Van, pictured.

It’s ideal for business users as it’s based on a Ford Transit Custom van and can operate as a standard van during the working week then be used for leisure activities at the weekend. It retails from £29,995 ex-VAT and is available from C

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by JOHN BOWMAN john@blackballmedia.co.uk

Wellhouse Leasing on a business finance lease scheme from £449 ex-VAT per month. Terms and conditions apply.

Based on the Transit Custom in the Limited trim specification, the Le-Tour Van’s many features include twin side-loading doors with opening windows and a campervan conversion that has an elevating roof with roof bed.

Wellhouse Leisure is a Ford-accredited qualified vehicle modifier and offers a range of other campervans based on the Ford Transit Custom or the Ford Tourneo Custom. These will also be available through Wellhouse Leasing.

Phil Elms, managing director of Drivespeed Leasing, said: ‘As a leasing company we have seen a huge upsurge in demand for competitive finance packages on converted vehicles.

‘We wanted to ensure that acquiring a fantastic Wellhouse Leisure campervan was more affordable than ever for customers, so we used our unique understanding in this area to develop a great range of ‘‘ownership’’ and ‘‘usership’’ finance agreements to achieve this.’

David Elliot, chief executive of Wellhouse Leisure, said: ‘Having experienced the growth in the campervan market in recent years, it was obvious to me that the finance offerings available to them were lagging behind other sectors, such as cars. The opportunity to work in partnership with a trusted brand like Drivespeed was the ideal chance to bring something new and beneficial to offer to the campervan market.’

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Mercedes S-Class Coupe FEW cars are as synonymous with the world of luxury vehicles as the Mercedes S-Class, which is available as a saloon, convertible and a coupe as seen here.

It was updated in 2017 and our choice is the entry-level S560, which uses a 362bhp 3.0-litre V6 capable of 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds.

There are generous contributions towards the model, with £6,480 and £6,780 coming from the dealer and manufacturer respectively, which totals £13,260. The customer then adds £15,000 to this. Over a three-year deal, 36 monthly payments of £1,352.64 are required.

The customer will have spent £63,695.04 and can then decide whether to give the car back or make a final payment of £39,950 to own it. This payment, plus a £10 purchase activation fee, brings the total to £103,655.04. Because of the generous finance contributions, this is actually more than £2,000 cheaper than the £105,875 cash price.

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JIGSAW

Alphera launches new online portal for car finance customers

Free remote service ‘can help dealers tap into sector’

BMW Group’s multi-award-winning independent motor finance division Alphera Financial Services has launched a new online portal for its car finance customers.

The mobile-friendly My Alphera Finance platform is quick and easy to join, and gives customers a transparent way to access information about their finance agreement and manage their account.

It also allows for two-way communication, meaning customers can keep Alphera updated if their needs and circumstances change.

Spencer Halil, director at Alphera Financial Services, said: ‘We know dealers must combat potential misunderstanding when it comes to car finance and insurance products. It is our hope that this new online portal will go some way to tackling this. My Alphera Finance empowers customers.’

K A FREE remote business manager service has been launched to help dealers tap into the finance sector.

Broker Jigsaw Finance says its Finance Assist has no company ties, is suitable for all dealers and helps right across the credit curve.

Mel White, Jigsaw’s business development director, said ease and discretion were critical aspects. ‘Finance Assist meets an undoubted need for an easy-touse, personal and confidential financing service that helps dealers and car buyers.

‘The shift to online finance does not meet the needs of every car buyer, especially those who may need an extra level of assistance, and not every dealer is comfortable talking about finance.

‘There is a gap in the market and we have filled it. Now dealers can advertise access to Finance Assist as the personal way to help their potential car buyers.’

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

Forecourt.

FIRST DRIVE

Audi A1 The new Audi A1 has had a mean-looking facelift plus an upgrade to the brilliant MQB platform.

Tom Wiltshire went to Spain to try it out.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Audi A1 30 TFSI Sport Price (as tested): £23,010 Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol Power (bhp): 115 Torque (Nm): 200 Max speed (mph): 126 0-60mph: 9.3 seconds MPG: 57.6 Emissions (g/km): 111 TARGET BUYERS: VW Polo buyers who want more prestige.

THE RIVALS: Mini Cooper, VW Polo, DS 3.

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Sharp design.

2. Strong engines.

3. Well equipped.

Range

The engine line-up consists of 1.0-litre, 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrols.

Power

The rangetopping 2.0-litre produces 197bhp.

DEAL CLINCHER: Superb levels of personalisation on offer.

What is it?

What’s under the bonnet?

What’s it like to drive?

Using the same MQB chassis and engine architecture enjoyed by the latest VW Polo and Seat Ibiza, it’s a really premium product that bears only a passing resemblance to its siblings – and every resemblance to its bigger brothers within the Audi range.

There are three petrol engines on offer. The entrylevel is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit with 115bhp – expected to be a big seller in the UK. Next up there’s a 1.5-litre four-cylinder with 148bhp or a top-spec 2.0-litre with 197bhp – lifted from the VW Polo GTI, but not badged as one of Audi’s hot ‘S’ models. The lowlier pair of engines can be had with six-speed manual gearboxes or optional seven-speed dual-clutch autos, while the 2.0-litre is automatic-only.

The 1.0-litre is a really sweet engine, with a welcome slug of torque between 2,000 and 3,000rpm making relaxed progress very easy. It’s very refined at a cruise and pairs well with the six-speed manual, too, which has a reassuring solidity to its action. The 1.0-litre isn’t especially fast, but neither is the 1.5-litre – and that’s noisier, thirstier and less pleasant. Topping the range is the 2.0-litre, which turns the A1 into something of a hot hatchback but is likely to be very pricey.

The A1 handles much like its siblings from within the VW Group – the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza. That’s definitely not a bad thing – there’s an expensive feel to the way it rides and handles, and a pleasing weight to the steering.

There’s not a lot of excitement to be had, though. The A1 doesn’t handle anywhere near as sweetly as a Mini or a Ford Fiesta, as it doesn’t feel as light on its feet.

What’s new?

As mentioned, the A1 now rides on a selection of chassis components that underpin most of the VW Group’s small cars. That endows it with various engines, from which Audi has chosen just three – all petrol.

The interior’s also been given a makeover, with a newly spacious feel courtesy of the MQB platform and its long wheelbase – plus bags of technology. Best of all is the personalisation. The new A1 comes with a wide choice of exterior colours, contrasting colour packs, alloy wheels and interior ambiences.

34 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

How does it look?

The new A1 is a really smart-looking little thing, and it’s blessed with the ability to wear lower-spec trims without looking like a poor relation.

Our ‘Sport’ model had 17-inch alloy wheels as well as a flat paint colour and didn’t suffer for it – mainly thanks to sharp LED running lights front and rear that lend a high-tech look to the car.

There are divisive elements – there’s a rather

Interior

There’s a really large and clear infotainment display inside.

Lights

LED headlights with scrolling indicators are fitted as standard.

‘The A1 handles much like its siblings from within the VW Group.’ wide C-pillar, and the triple slots between the bonnet and the grille lend it an aggressive edge.

But it’s possible to customise it to within an inch of its life, so you need never see two the same.

What’s it like inside?

There’s far greater room in here for passengers and luggage, and the A1’s 335-litre boot is on a par with anything else in this segment. The seats are also very comfortable and well adjustable even on more basic models.

There’s great technology on offer, too. The driver has digital dials as standard, with a full 12-inch Virtual Cockpit as an option, while the top-spec touchscreen infotainment system is superb. Controls are also simply laid out and easy to follow.

The big disappointment is with the quality of the materials. Areas such as the top of the dashboard are crafted from squidgy soft-touch plastic, but the centre

console and especially the doors feel downright cheap.

What’s the spec like?

Our mid-range ‘Sport’ model came with all the essentials. The LED headlights and tail lights really enhance the exterior look as do the smart 17-inch alloy wheels, but the latter are optional.

What you do get as standard are 16-inch alloys, sports seats, rear parking sensors, cruise control and Audi’s MMI plus infotainment system.

Step up to S line and you’ll gain 17-inch

wheels as standard, LED interior lighting, even firmer sports suspension and leather-trimmed upholstery. Options include heated seats and a top-end Bang and Olufsen 3D sound system.

What do the press think?

WhatCar? called the A1 ‘a darned fine car’, while Evo said: ‘It exhibits all the usual Audi traits, but lacks any real fun factor.’

What do we think?

Audi gave us almost everything we expected with the A1 – impeccable driving manners, sharp styling and a range of high-end equipment, plus the personalisation touches that will make it so popular with the crowds of buyers who might otherwise buy a Mini. Some of the interior quality is disappointing, but otherwise this is an excellent supermini – albeit for a high price.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

Forecourt.

FIRST DRIVE

Lexus ES Is this executive saloon enough for the manufacturer to succeed in a segment traditionally dominated by the Germans? Ryan Hirons finds out.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Lexus ES300h F Sport Price (as tested): £38,150 Engine: 2.5-litre hybrid Power (bhp): 215 Torque (Nm): 221/202 Max speed (mph): 112 0-60mph: 8.7 seconds MPG (combined): 53.0 Emissions (g/km): 106 TARGET BUYERS: Those looking for an efficient and high-quality alternative to typical German saloons.

THE RIVALS: BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6.

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Typical Lexus luxury.

2. High build quality.

3. Strong residual values.

New/old name

ES is new to the UK — but has been used globally for Lexus since the brand’s 1989 inception.

DEAL CLINCHER: Offers a luxurious and refined alternative in the executive saloon market.

What is it?

With the launch of the Lexus brand globally in 1989, the ES was one of two cars tasked with allowing the new Japanese firm to take on traditional premium rivals. Its success has seen it now enter its seventh generation but this is the first iteration of the executive saloon coming to the UK, replacing the slow-selling GS.

What’s new?

The ES is both new to the UK and totally new in this form. It’s set upon the GA-K (Global Architecture-K) platform, which will also see action as the host of the latest Toyota Camry.

There are some brand firsts for Lexus here too, with a new 2.5-litre petrol engine featuring as part of an overhauled hybrid system and new safety assistance technologies.

What’s under the bonnet?

The UK will only see the ES in 300h form – 36 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

meaning it’s powered by a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain capable of a combined 215bhp, while torque is rated at 221Nm for the internal combustion engine and 202Nm for the electric motor. The system is paired with a CVT gearbox.

As a result, 0-60mph comes in 8.7 seconds with a top speed of 112mph possible. Lexus claims the ES300h can achieve 53mpg on the combined cycle, while emitting 106g/km of CO2.

What’s it like to drive?

Buyers will likely do most of their driving on a motorway and it excels here. Lexus has worked hard to ensure it’s a quiet and comfortable thing at speed – 93 per cent of the hidden metal is said to be covered in soundproofing material and it’s paid off. It rides exceptionally well but don’t expect the excitement to ramp up when things get twisty, though.

The trick adaptive suspension aims to bring a more involved drive when pressing on while

Engine

The Lexus ES debuts a new 2.5-litre engine for the brand as part of a revised hybrid powertrain.

creating a more comfortable environment at a cruise. It does the latter well, but there’s little sense of involvement under harder loads.

How does it look?

‘Unmistakably Lexus’ is the best way to describe the ES. It manages to be reserved yet bold at the same time, largely thanks to the gargantuan spindle grille at the front. F Sport variants get a model-specific take on that grille, boasting a honeycomb pattern in favour of the lined unit found on other trims. It also boasts 19-inch alloy wheels, jet black exterior highlights, tweaked bumper designs and a subtle boot lid spoiler.

What’s it like inside?

Cabin quality is of a seriously high standard.

Plush materials are present on every visible and touchable surface, while an abundance of leather ensures the seats and steering wheel match the impression of quality.

Suspension

F Sport models get trim-specific adaptive suspension technology.

Noise

With bags of soundproofing material hidden away, you could hear a pin drop inside the ES.

That said, the driving position almost feels like an afterthought – it’s slightly offset from a natural position to the pedals and pushed almost into the door. Lexus claims best-in-class distance between the back of the rear seats to that of the front passenger. That’s an elaborate way of saying it’s pretty spacious for those in the back. As for boot space, the ES offers 454 litres.

What’s the spec like?

Pricing begins at £35,150, with standard equipment including adaptive cruise control, automatic LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, heated electric seats, a reversing camera, rear privacy glass plus the Lexus Navigation infotainment system displayed on an eight-inch touchscreen (sadly still linked to a dodgy trackpad).

Upgrading to F Sport – from £38,150 – brings styling tweaks and suspension upgrades plus

‘Lexus claims best-in-class distance between the back of the rear seats to that of the front passenger. ’

unique seats and power folding mirrors. Those wanting a little more luxury over the standard car can opt for the £45,650 Takumi trim, with 18-inch alloy wheels, blind spot monitoring, automatic boot, 10-inch head-up display and 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

What do the press think?

Autocar said: ‘Powertrain aside, the ES is probably the most competitive mainstream Lexus on sale.’ Auto Express stated: ‘With impressively low running costs, a luxurious cabin and superb

refinement, the ES embarrasses the established competition in other, less obvious ways.’

What do we think?

The Lexus ES300h isn’t going to be knocking the established German rivals off the perch – but the Japanese firm will be the first to tell you it isn’t aiming to do that.

Rather, this is an alternative for those who want hybrid efficiency and strong quality yet have residual values and low running costs strong in the back of their minds. It helps that the car itself is pretty good too, offering bags of luxury and tech in a comfortable package.

Alternatively fuelled cars remain the niche choice, but it’s fair to say the Lexus ES is incredibly well positioned to be a seriously strong executive contender when the majority become plugged into the electric revolution.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

Forecourt.

FIRST DRIVE

Citroen C5 Aircross

THE KNOWLEDGE Citroen C5 BlueTech 180 S&S EAT8 Flair Price (as tested): £28,325 Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol Power (bhp): 178 Torque (Nm): 250 Max speed (mph): 134 0-60mph: 8.2 seconds Economy (mpg): 49.6 Emissions (g/km): 131 Model:

Rebecca Chaplin roughed it in Morocco to see how this new large crossover fared – in particular, how did its much-lauded suspension system perform?

What is it?

What’s it like to drive?

The C5 Aircross is a completely new model for Citroen in Europe, although a slightly different version went on sale in China last year, and it combines the great features of the C3 Aircross and C4 Cactus into a larger, more premium package.

Citroen has put the emphasis on comfort at every stage, but that does mean if you’re looking for precise and direct handling you won’t find an exceptional example here.

That’s not to say the Citroen can’t handle itself on both twisty country lanes and out on the motorway – the steering is quick to respond. However, the C5 Aircross offers relaxed and serene driving as it cruises effortlessly over potholes that would make you brace in another car.

Despite looking like a large SUV, on the road it doesn’t feel too big for the track and is easy to manoeuvre through a tight spot, too.

job here – particularly with the seats. The soft materials, stylish and modern design and memory-foam centre give both the look and feel of a truly comfy car seat.

The interior will look familiar if you’ve spent any time in Citroen’s most recent car and it works really well. Good-sized door pockets, glovebox and another storage bin under the armrest will keep your belongings tucked away well too.

The C5 Aircross also benefits from three independently adjustable rear seats and two Isofix points. Boot space goes from 580 to 720 litres depending on how these seats are adjusted, and with them flattened this increases to 1,630 litres.

How does it look?

What’s the spec like?

The C5 Aircross builds on the striking design that Citroen has been developing over the past few years. It’s still got the airbump panels but more discreetly across the lower panels and doors than you would have seen on the C4 Cactus.

The quirky style of the C3 Aircross has been pushed even further, with bold lines carried across the car and to the front light signatures.

The airbump design is also used throughout the exterior, with the bubbly shapes featuring on the grille, wheels and lights.

There are three specification levels: Feel, Flair and Flair Plus.

As standard on the entry-level Feel, the C5 gets the safety pack with active safety braking, blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning. Citroen’s Connect Nav with TomTom updates is available as standard on Flair and Flair Plus, and it gives clear and easy-tounderstand directions.

This is also available with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. Top-spec Flair Plus cars get added benefits such as wireless smartphone charging, panoramic glass roof, cruise control and driver attention alert too.

What’s new?

This large crossover is a first for the brand. It’s a five-seater but it boasts a more usable, higher-capacity boot than the C4 Spacetourer MPV. Its party piece is the progressive hydraulic cushion suspension, which we put to the test on rough terrain in Morocco – a surface slightly more aggressive than local UK high streets.

What’s under the bonnet?

We tested the C5 Aircross with the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol 178bhp engine. However, it’s also available with a diesel of equivalent power in the UK and the option of a 128bhp powertrain in either petrol or diesel guise. All options are available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic.

The 1.6-litre petrol can hit 60mph in a very respectable 8.2 seconds, while the 2.0-litre diesel with the same power output will hit that only 0.4 seconds slower. For the best economy the diesel will return 60mpg on a combined cycle, while the petrol claims 49.6.

38 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

What’s it like inside?

The designers have done a brilliant

TARGET BUYERS: Active families who want a car that will stand out.

THE RIVALS: Peugeot 5008, Seat Ateca, Kia Sportage.

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Funky design.

2. Excellent suspension.

3. Easy and comfortable to drive.

DEAL CLINCHER: Suspension will smooth out even the biggest potholes.

What do the press think?

Sunday Times Driving said: ‘Overall, it’s a very capable SUV.’ Autocar said: ‘A typical family buyer would find enough to like about the C5 Aircross’s easy-going nature.’

What do we think?

The C5 Aircross sets a new standard for Citroen’s SUV and crossover range. With a striking presence, a more grown-up look and range of safety and tech features, it’s a great package for a family buyer. Its tough exterior paired with the super-soft hydraulic suspension makes for an easy life on the road, but the styling might not be to everybody’s taste.

PAINT YOUR FUTURE WITH CHIPSAWAY

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FIRST DRIVE

BMW Z4

THE KNOWLEDGE

BMW has a long history of making great roadsters. Tom Wiltshire headed to Portugal to see if the latest Z4 still delivers the goods.

What is it?

The convertible market usually takes one of three directions. First there’s the half-baked chopped-up hatchback or saloon, then there’s the super-sporty soft-top, and finally there’s the comfortable and glitzy cruiser. It’s these latter two that BMW needs to blend together in this – the latest Z4. But with a new platform, upgraded interior and divisive new styling, can the latest Z4 take the fight to rivals such as the Porsche Boxster and Jaguar F-Type?

What’s new?

In short, nearly everything. The new Z4 shares only a few of its oily bits – a differential and the front firewall – with its predecessor. Everything else is new or inherited from elsewhere in the BMW stable.

The styling and proportions have been given an overhaul, with a new cab-forward silhouette that puts the driver closer to the centre of the action. There’s a choice of three engines initially – two four-cylinders and a straight-six – while the only roof option is a quick-folding electrically operated soft-top.

What’s under the bonnet?

Basic Z4s feature a four-cylinder petrol engine in either 20i or 30i guises, packing 197bhp and 258bhp respectively. We drove the next rung on the ladder, though – the straight40 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

six M40i, which puts out 335bhp.

That’s good for a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph. All Z4s are rear-wheel drive and feature the same eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

It’s a lovely combination – the engine has bags of power without ever feeling frantic or scary, and the gearbox can instantly switch between slurring gears together or rifling through them at high speed.

It also sounds lovely.

What’s it like to drive?

First, we’ll cover the ‘boulevard cruiser’ side of the Z4. The incredibly stiff body – roof up or down – means that ride comfort can be achieved without compromising handling.

It’s not as soft as something like a Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet, but it’s not trying to be – you still feel the bumps but they’re perfectly damped out, and combined with the excellent seats you’ll be able to cover long stretches with no issue.

Turn up the wick, though, and the Z4 doesn’t become unstuck. We hounded it around the former F1 circuit of Estoril and found it to be genuinely impressive in the bends.

How does it look?

The Z4’s looks are divisive to say the least. The cabin has moved forward, and although it still retains the long-

bonnet silhouette, the driver is now positioned more centrally.

The high-set headlights flank a new, wider kidney grille inspired by the iconic 507, while the rear deck is raised to give a real ‘wedge’ shape. The proportions, then, are wonderful – but it’s the cuts and slashes across the flanks and rear that divide opinion.

What’s it like inside?

The new Z4 is far less divisive inside with a typically BMW cabin, including a driver-focused layout and the latest iteration of the firm’s iDrive infotainment system, which really is a great set-up.

We can’t say we like BMW’s new digital dials as much, though.

Previous BMWs have used twin circular gauges, but the half-octagon of the new cluster isn’t as easy to read on the go.

What’s the spec like?

As standard, there’s a decent level of kit – including that iDrive infotainment system, leather upholstery, 18-inch alloys, climate and cruise control plus all-round parking sensors. Our M40i was rather more plush, though, with M Sport tweaks, 19-inch alloy wheels, aluminium interior trim, electric and heated seats, upgraded brakes, an M differential, adaptive cruise control and upgraded infotainment.

Model: BMW Z4 M40i Price (as tested): £49,050 Engine: 3.0-litre straight-six petrol Power (bhp): 335 Torque (Nm): 500 Max speed (mph): 1 55 (limited) 0-60mph: 4.4 seconds MPG: 38.2 Emissions (g/km): 168 TARGET BUYERS: Those after both a comfortable cruiser and a sporty soft-top.

THE RIVALS: Porsche Boxster, Jaguar F-Type, Ford Mustang.

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Prestige.

2. Comfort.

3. Agility.

DEAL CLINCHER: Brilliant powertrain, great handling and handsome proportions.

What do the press think?

Top Gear said: ‘The new chassis is properly athletic, able to cover ground in a serious manner. We’d like to feel a bit more engaged with the steering though.’ Pistonheads said: ‘The Z4’s considerable advances over its predecessor shouldn’t be ignored.’

What do we think?

Provided you like the looks, this is an excellent, comfortable and dynamic roadster that shows BMW still has serious form in this class.

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Feature.

THE

DEALERSHIP ON A ROLL-ER!

Rolls-Royce might not have customers queuing at its doors like volume manufacturers do, but Ted Welford found out from its current Global Dealer of the Year – Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London – how the marque continues to stand out from the crowd

W

hat’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words ‘Rolls-Royce’?

Unreachable luxury, ostentatiousness, or a manufacturer linked to the image of an elderly man with more money than most of us could ever comprehend, perhaps?

These are all common stereotypes associated with the West Sussex-based brand, and ones it’s fighting hard to shrug off.

At the forefront of this is Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London, which is described by those who work there as the ‘window to the world’.

Once a place where the front doors were constantly locked as customers were only welcomed in on an appointment basis, where the lights were switched off at 5.01pm at the 42 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

latest, and where the cars were positioned at right angles to the walls – meaning people outside barely got a look in – the dealership is now all about change.

Claus Andersen, brand director at the H.R. Owen showroom, has been instrumental in this turnaround, although he’s far too modest to admit it.

He has previously worked with Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Bentley, so knows high-end brands like the back of his hand, and was brought in to a ‘business which had some difficulties’.

He’s only been at the Rolls-Royce franchise for a little over three years but its fortunes have been reversed significantly in that time – so much so that it was named Rolls-Royce’s Global Dealer of the Year in 2018.

Think of Andersen as a male Mary Portas,

only with less hair and a far more pleasant persona. We met him, along with the dealer’s marketing manager, Sadie Stone, at the Berkeley Square-based dealership to see what’s going on.

The firm operates from two sites, with its Mayfair-based showroom directly next to the Bentley showroom, which is also part of the H.R. Owen group.

It has a huge servicing facility as well, looking after Rollers, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Bugattis, which is based seven miles away in north London, and because this is central London it takes more than half an hour to get there.

‘When you’ve got a split site, your sales and servicing teams are talking apart from each other, whereas I can join them both with my role,

PICTURES: ALEX HENDERSON

‘London is the priciest place in the world to run a business per square foot.’

Claus Andersen

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

Feature. which is very important. This communication didn’t happen before.’

Twenty-two people work for Rolls-Royce across the two sites, although some of these are shared roles with other manufacturers.

‘You have to be very careful of cost as London is the priciest place in the world to run a business per square foot – it’s so expensive. But everything is controlled as tightly as we can.’

The dealer’s 3,000 sq ft showroom houses four cars – tricky when a fifth model has just joined the line-up. But more on the Cullinan SUV later...

Andersen and his team openly admit that Rolls-Royce isn’t an easy brand to work with, and one of the biggest struggles is attracting customers in the first place.

While most people would probably contemplate buying, say, a run-of-the-mill Fiesta for a couple of days before handing the cash over, the period between a Rolls-Royce customer expressing interest in a model and then settling on it can be two years – sometimes more if they want to go down the bespoke route.

‘We don’t have clients queuing up at our doors – we have to go out and find them and work with them,’ says Andersen.

This is a big part of Sadie Stone’s job, and the showroom has become known for its events to attract new or existing customers.

Golfing days, supercar Sundays, champagne receptions and exclusive meetings at Goodwood’s motorsport events are all designed to help bring in business.

‘Purchasing a Rolls-Royce is so much more than buying the car. It’s entering into a lifestyle with other owners. At the end of the day it’s a very expensive object, and you want as much to come with the car as possible and all the niceties,’ says Stone.

F

riends of customers are actively invited to events in a bid to drum up trade, which has definitely worked, as Andersen describes the dealership as ‘the most successful it’s been in a long time’. You’re probably waiting for some sales figures, but in Andersen’s words ‘numbers get watered down’.

Other efforts that Andersen and his team have gone to include building their own ‘Mayfair Edition One of One’ model and raising awareness of Rolls-Royce Financial Services to make models more accessible. So, rather than someone having to stump up £360,000-plus for a Phantom, they can pay a meagre £4,000 per month for one. We didn’t dare ask what the deposit or final lump sum were…

One thing’s for certain: sales figures are set to increase with the recent launch of the manufacturer’s first SUV – the Cullinan.

The ultra-expensive 4x4 joins the growing number of these utility vehicles being built by 44 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Unsurprisingly, the dealership likes to show off its top award given by the manufacturer

‘We don’t have clients queuing up at our doors – we have to go out and find them and work with them.’

Claus Andersen surprise manufacturers, as it’s a market that’s growing at such a rate that firms simply can’t ignore it – even those such as Ferrari.

In an unexpected move, the Cullinan was revealed to the world at the London showroom, with the dealership recording an ‘extremely successful’ number of orders afterwards. Again, though, no figures. It has since held a driving event for the model from its dealership.

And what about the firm’s bespoke aspect – perhaps one of the key selling points of RollsRoyces? Without wanting to sound like we’ve inhaled a year of marketing waffle, there really is a ‘sky’s the limit’ approach here. Stone recalls one particular customer who had a car’s interior built to match her crocodile-skinned Hermès handbag – at a cost of £90,000. And no, that’s not a typo.

But somewhat astonishingly, not all owners want a car that’s unique to them.

Andersen explains: ‘To some customers, bespoke is of little importance – it’s purely about the ownership value. It’s about having one and waking up in the morning knowing they’ve got a Rolls-Royce on their drive or in their garage. It’s a sense of reward to themselves.’

Other bespoke options include customers

putting plenty of trust in the dealer to specify them on their behalf, while others wait to buy bespoke models not built to customer order, which are often highly collectable.

All aspects of the firm – from servicing through to sales and marketing – have been thoroughly modernised so that the brand can appeal to the ‘new money’ generation: those who like to flout their wealth but don’t want to be chauffeur-driven everywhere as perhaps past generations did.

To rejuvenate a dealership is no easy task, but Andersen and his team have managed it in spades.

It feels open to all and that austere quality has vanished, which is why you’re more likely to see a tourist looking round the showroom than perhaps a 70-year-old millionaire.

In this day and age, you never know whose wallet is exploding with wealth and whose is in debt. You can’t make the distinction on face value, and that’s why dealerships such as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London can’t pick and choose clients based on what’s on their wrist.

This dealer has realised that, and because of that alone, it’s truly worthy of its Global Dealer of the Year status. [CD]

It's not unknown for Rolls-Royce customers to take more than two years to buy one of its cars, says Claus Andersen, right

Claus Andersen, left, and H.R. Owen chief executive Ken Choo are proud to have won the Global Dealer of the Year award

The dealership's service centre is in north London, seven miles from the showroom, but Claus Andersen ensures the two are seamlessly linked CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

Feature.

MODEL LAUNCHES

The new cars to get excited about in 2019 This is likely to be a year of stand-out vehicles, but here are some of the key releases you need to keep an eye out for

T

he past few years have marked a real change in the motoring scene, and it’s now no longer enough for a car to be more powerful, more efficient or safer than its predecessor.

Instead, the industry as a whole is looking to ever more sophisticated electrified and

Ford Focus ST

There are few cars set to arrive in 2019 with as much expectation upon them as the Ford Focus ST. Since the regular Focus has gone down so well across the board it’s already assumed that an ST version will be very good indeed.

Rumours suggest it’ll be powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine, too.

Mini EV

It’s almost a crime this hasn’t been done yet – the perky and fun Mini was surely crying out for a proper electric version right from the start. It’s likely to use a similar powertrain to the BMW i3, so expect good performance and decent range wrapped up in a bodyshell that’s the cutest of the cute.

46 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

autonomous vehicles – a trend clearly shown in the cars that we’re expecting in 2019.

That’s not to say the entire motoring scene is a blank, battery-powered box – there’s plenty of exotic and evocative metal being launched over the next 12 months. We’ve rounded up a healthy mix of both camps for you to sink your teeth into.

Lexus UX

Premium, hybrid and SUV are three very popular words, so combining them into one package should be a shortcut to big sales, right? Lexus certainly hopes so with the UX. It’s set to sit under the NX and RX in Lexus’s SUV range, and will mix the brand’s trademark hybrid powertrains and rock-solid build quality.

Your legal queries answered.

Lawgistics, p66-67

Toyota Supra Aston Martin Valkyrie

Much like the MercedesAMG One, the Aston Martin Valkyrie is a shot at the very pinnacle of motoring development.

It uses a hybridised powertrain as well, with a 6.5-litre V12 engine linked to electric motors.

It’ll push out north of 1,000bhp, yet you can take it to the shops.

All-carbon bodywork means that it’s exceptionally light, too.

Mercedes-AMG One

The partnership between Mercedes and AMG has already produced some fantastic results but the all-new One is likely to be among its fastest. It uses the same engine as Mercedes’ Formula 1 race cars, linked to an electric motor for added shove. It can produce more than 1,000bhp and features an amazing 11,000rpm red line.

Honda Urban EV

This adorable electric hatchback was the surprise star of the Frankfurt Motor Show, demonstrating that it’s possible to inject personality into electric motoring. Expect the show concept to be toned down a bit for production, but if Honda knows what’s good for it, it’ll retain as much of that cheeky character as possible.

There was disappointment when it was announced that the successor to the iconic Toyota Supra would use BMW tech, but it seems these concerns are drifting away.

It’ll initially be powered by a straight-six engine, linked to the rear wheels via a ZF automatic gearbox. We’ve had multiple camouflage cars but will have to wait for the Detroit Motor Show to see just what it looks like.

Porsche Taycan

Porsche’s first all-electric model will be the Taycan – not a Liam Neeson movie but a super-saloon designed to rival the Tesla Model S. Performance, as you’d expect from Porsche, will be ample, with more than 600bhp on tap and four-wheel drive. Whether it can topple Elon Musk’s mighty machines remains to be seen, though.

BMW M8

BMW’s new 8 Series marks the return of a badge last seen in the 1990s, and it already comes with the option of a 530bhp 4.4-litre V8 engine. But it wouldn’t be a true BMW without a hard-core M variant, so we’re expecting to see a new M8 arrive with a highly tuned engine outputting close to 600bhp.

Ferrari 488 Pista Spider

Ferrari’s hard-core 488 Pista arrived to critical acclaim in 2018, and the Italian supercar manufacturer is hoping that by lopping its roof off to create this – the 488 Pista Spider – it’ll extend its popularity even further. It matches the hardtop’s performance too – Ferrari claims 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds, and it’ll do 211mph flat out.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

Location: Farnborough International Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2019

The most important conference and expo dedicated to the UK retail motor industry.

Expo

Meet face-to-face with the biggest suppliers

Live Stage

Find out what the future is for the industry

Workshops

Learn key skills and techniques

Keynote Speakers Hear from industry leading experts

CDX is the industry-leading event for all dealers and manufacturers, gathering key industry suppliers to show their latest products and deliver best practice workshops and seminars.

In association with

48 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Focus on.

Top suppliers of 2019

Time to ring out the old and bring in the new? Read on...

We’ve been beavering away to find the companies we think you could benefit from doing business with

T

he start of the year is a fantastic time to think about whether current partnerships are the right ones for your business and whether a new supplier could transform your company.

Perhaps you’ve been with the same supplier for years but were unaware of new businesses and technology now available in the sector. Perhaps you’ve been wanting to change supplier but didn’t know where to start or just didn’t have the time to explore the options. This is where we can help.

In this special ‘Focus on’ section of the magazine, we’re showcasing our Top Suppliers of 2019. These are the businesses you should be talking with as soon as possible to find out what they can offer your company.

The team here at Car Dealer Magazine have been speaking with them to find out what’s new, what they can do for you and why they’re the best of the best.

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @believebecca

In the next edition of our magazine we’ll also be giving you a free copy of our Suppliers Guide for 2019. This has everyone worth knowing in the industry, sorted by the service they offer. It’s a standalone publication, which means you can keep it on your desk and refer to it all year round.

But for now, let’s introduce you to our top suppliers, which you can read about in the next 10 pages of this magazine.

First up, we’ve got legal firm to the motor trade Lawgistics. It’s known for offering top-quality legal advice if ever a car dealer or garage has an issue with a customer. However, there’s much more to its business and it has new products about to be launched – and if you’re already a member, it’s free!

Next we have motor trade marketing provider GForces. The data this company has from billions of consumer interactions with its products is giving it an edge over other businesses in 2019 and it’s one to watch! With a new brand identity just launched, you can find out more about its plans for the next year.

It’s a core part of any business: how do you fund yourself and your customers? We’ve spoken to Barclays Partner Finance about how it’s working with car dealers to offer a more seamless service both for today and the future.

Where would we be without a platform to help manage what customers are doing with our business? eDynamix’s dealer management system is renowned for allowing you to manage a customer through the service life cycle and maintain and increase loyalty with your business.

It explains how it can help you do this with ease in your own dealership this year.

FEATURED SUPPLIERS

Lawgistics

GForces

Barclays

eDynamix

A trusted source of legal advice and point of reference.

Delivering cost-effective, safe and secure digital environments.

Where finance partnership and innovation are leading the way.

Creating customer-centric systems for full self-service.

P50

P52

P54

P58 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

Focus on.

Top suppliers of 2019

Always right on the advice – LAWGISTICS

W: lawgistics.co.uk E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk T: 01480 455500

M

otor trade legal experts Lawgistics were set up in 2001 by the previous managing director of LawData David Combes and his lifelong friend the late Dennis Chapman.

Both were former trading standards officers who could offer legal solutions for car dealers who couldn’t understand the confusing legislation aimed at protecting consumers.

Speaking with sales and marketing director Joel Combes – David’s son – for this feature, it’s clear the breadth of the business’s offering was far greater than its reputation in the early days.

‘We already had a reputation for solving problems such as consumer issues. If members had an issue with the sale of a vehicle or with work they had carried out on a vehicle, we would get involved,’ said Joel.

‘But what people didn’t realise was that we would routinely deal with employment law and health and safety matters for our members, as well as protecting them from unfair contract terms handed to them from suppliers and also chasing monies owed to their business.

‘Generally, we say we can help with anything legal that affects our members’ business, although our scope is limited when it comes to the highly specialised areas of law such as property, family and VAT. While we can give advice in these areas, you may need to consult a specialist.’

Lawgistics has seen an influx in its membership each time new legislation is implemented. The first example of this was in 2005 when the FSA introduced new regulations on insurance warranties.

It was already supplying warranties to car dealers, but the new regulations meant even more car dealers turned to Lawgistics for help.

‘We didn’t really see that one coming. We were overwhelmed with the response and suddenly we were recruiting people to sell our warranties because it was the ‘‘it’’ product of the time. The product was called Driver Options, which we still sell today, and it enables car dealers to run their own warranty schemes, giving more profit, flexibility and control.

‘In 2010, we realised we were being

Joel Combes, left, and David Combes outside Lawgistics’ offices 50 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

perceived as just another warranty company, so to avoid this we rebranded our legal service, with Basic, Small Business and Professional membership packages. These packages provide various levels of cover, with access to our online resources hub, legal helpline and casework service. We became more proactive with our members, providing advice and support not only when problems arose but also pre-sale advice and guidance, helping them to avoid problems when selling vehicles, wording adverts, compliance and vehicle preparation.’

Alongside the rebranding, Lawgistics introduced its Legal Updates, a free newsletter highlighting legal matters that affect the motor trade. Advice, case studies and changes to current legislation are just a few of the core subjects covered. The decision not to sell through or use the updates for marketing meant Lawgistics quickly became a trusted source of advice and a point of reference for all matters affecting the trade and it quickly moved from being monthly to a fortnightly publication.

The implementation of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 was the next big milestone for Lawgistics. ‘As we approached the introduction of the CRA 2015, we made the decision to be proactive and the legal team scrutinised the legislation and began publishing guidance on how to operate within the CRA,’ Joel explained.

‘Not only were our members asking questions of the legal team in relation to the CRA but the national press and other industry bodies looked to us, as leaders in our field, for guidance and comment.’

The new legislation meant the company saw another huge surge in those wishing to use its services and membership grew by nearly 50 per cent overnight. This exceptional

growth posed a new set of problems for the business, but restructuring, moving to larger premises and increasing the number of legal advisers enabled it to provide an even better level service for its members.

Joel said: ‘The introduction of GDPR also saw a big rise in membership, as people were looking for good, honest guidance.

‘There were many companies cashing in on people’s fears. A lot of people had paid for or taken advice from elsewhere, then found out it was incorrect. That really helped us, because yet again our team had scrutinised the regulations and we were giving advice to members and businesses in clear, easy-to-understand English.

and aware of market trends

“

HR Manager was developed with the independent dealer in mind – however, we are also seeing huge interest from franchise groups.

We are extremely proud of HR Manager, our tailor-made HR portal, as well as being surprised and overwhelmed with the demand for it.

Joel Combes

‘That is the strength of what we do. We provide solutions and answers to problems facing our members. We don’t go for big adverts to sell Lawgistics, we just give free, honest, correct and concise advice to both members and nonmembers, but we make sure we’re right on that advice because we’re often picking up the pieces after other people have advised incorrectly.’

”

He added: ‘We receive around 3,000 calls from our members a month, and from this the legal team create between 250 and 300 cases.

‘While not all of these will involve an actual court case, the firm currently has 350 cases in court for members.’

This volume of work means it is aware of trends in the market above any other law firm in the motor trade.

What’s next for Lawgistics then?

Unsurprisingly, its latest solution has been driven by common requests from its members and the problems they are having.

‘One of the biggest issues we have is an employer will come to us and say they have an issue with an employee. We’ll ask if they have

a contract and find out that it’s out of date,’ Joel explained. ‘Therefore we needed a solution that was easy to understand and simple to use, to help our members manage their employees.’

Called HR Manager, this new solution enables the business to take control of its employee management, and facilitates compliance with employment law, health and safety and GDPR, all in an online database.

‘The concept behind HR Manager is that the directors or owners of the business have legal obligations they need to meet but they may not enjoy the task of doing it. This has created a niche that has been filled by companies that overcomplicate and overcharge for HR, health and safety and GDPR support. HR Manager enables directors to delegate the responsibility to key people within the company to ensure that these tasks are carried out while giving their employees the tools to complete those tasks.

‘Because HR Manager gives you a live version of a contract, it is continually updated. You still have to issue the contract to the employee and at this point it starts to get old, but when we update something that’s critical we’ll send you a message on the portal advising you to reissue your contract. HR Manager was developed with the independent dealer in mind – however, we are also seeing huge interest from franchise groups.’

The best thing about HR Manager is it’s free to Lawgistics members. A lite version of HR Manager has also been created for federations, giving federation members free employment contracts, a company handbook and a tool to monitor holidays and absences.

However, full members also get the benefit of managing appraisals, disciplinaries, performance reviews, forms to compose letters correctly and free access to the health and safety and data protection modules.

Joel concluded: ‘We are extremely proud of HR Manager, our tailor-made HR portal, as well as being surprised and overwhelmed with the demand for it.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

52 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Ecommerce is here.

Let’s go.

There’s been a lot of hype about online car buying and automotive ecommerce. But now, we are at the tipping point. It’s here and it’s real. Growing numbers of consumers are ready to purchase a car online, but most dealers are not yet equipped to deliver a blended, omnichannel retail experience.

GForces has been building towards what we think is the inevitable outcome. Through our brand new NetDirector® Auto-e platform, we

are delivering safe, secure and cost-effective digital environments for dealers to sell cars online in the here and now.

There are many claiming to be the next big thing in automotive ecommerce. But GForces already delivers an end-to-end solution, including finance approval, and all within a dealer’s native web environment.

Get in touch to find out more.

www.gforces.co.uk 01622 391 904 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

Focus on.

Top suppliers of 2019

Working closely with dealers BARCLAYS PARTNER FINANCE

W: barclayspartnerfinance.com T: 0330 1526252

D

oes it sometimes feel like every time you look online the world of motor finance has evolved into something you might not quite recognise? Whether that’s everchanging market dynamics, additional regulatory expectations, Generation Z demands for an increasing digital and omni-channel experience, an uncertain economic horizon rife through the headlines, or changing views on the future of motor fuels…

Adam Mepham, Motor Sales Director from Barclays Partner Finance, believes that we can get through the challenges of today’s everchanging market dynamics thanks to innovation, collaboration and an ability to constantly evolve.

‘What is absolutely key is that we support our partners here and now, but also focus on the longterm plan for all of our businesses. What is it that we can do today, what can we control today and what can we learn for the future?

‘It’s also how we deploy digital innovation to deliver and exceed consumer expectations, and how we’re able to exceed dealer expectations.’

Despite a dip in overall UK car sales figures during 2018, buyers have flocked to the forecourts – and it’s here where Mepham believes partnership and innovation will lead the way, through a strong collaboration between dealer and finance partner.

‘I think that when we look to 2019, the significance of who dealers choose to be their partners is more important than ever,’ said Mepham. ‘It’s important that dealers ensure that their finance partner is working with them on a shared agenda and understands their business goals.’

And working together is a key theme for Barclays Partner Finance. Dealers and Area Sales Managers share a close working relationship, with a consistent exchange between the two helping to create stronger ideas and innovative new strategies. ‘Meetings are very collaborative conversations discussing how we can support dealers in achieving their objectives, but also, as

an outside organisation we can sometimes give them a different perspective – for instance, when it comes to the customer journey.

‘Our partnerships also provide the opportunity for us to share our insight and understanding that we have developed across the Bank.’

It’s that new view of things that keeps a

Proud partner of

54 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

business with 300 years of experience fresh.

‘We like to get our dealers thinking about how the consumer is changing, and how they need to adapt to meet changes in consumer buying behaviour. We’re seeing much more of a retail model evolving in the motor market.’

This year will see the company introduce a variety of new initiatives reflecting some of its findings in the retail sector. ‘It’s going to be exciting when we start looking at the innovations that we can bring into this sector in 2019 and beyond off the back of that retail experience,’ says Mepham, and it’s why dealers could benefit from partnering with Barclays Partner Finance.

as motor finance evolves E: sarah.wenham-slack@barclaycard.co.uk

Team spirit helping children’s hospices

And Barclays Partner Finance is applying this collaborative spirit to areas outside the forecourt, too. ‘A key part of our objective here is engaging with that wider community. One of our core values is stewardship and that means supporting our local communities, leaving things better than we found them and giving back. Our team do an incredible amount to support local and national charities, for instance, our Northern team completed the Great Scottish Half Marathon to raise funds for Children’s Hospices across Scotland (CHAS), raising over £11,000.

‘We think that type of activity is absolutely key in driving the right ethical approach to our wider business. And it’s a process and ideology that puts people at the heart of what it does.’

The result of this process speaks for itself. ‘Our dealers consistently rate our account managers at

9+ out of 10 when we do our client surveys,’ says Mepham, showing that the close-knit approach that Barclays Partner Finance adopts is one that rings true with dealers.

‘What that is evidence of is that our dealers can see that we add significant value at the sharp end.

‘Our Area Sales Managers use a consultantbased approach, partnering with dealers to provide advice and guidance we have access to across the Bank. Our Area Sales Managers are a tangible part of the business who would be missed if they weren’t there.’

Another key part of 2019 for Barclays Partner Finance is Car Dealer’s CDX event at Farnborough International in June, for which it is a headline sponsor. ‘We’re really excited about it, and the thought that struck me about CDX last year was the diverse group of suppliers and clients that were there,’ said Mepham. ‘From my perspective, I was able to have conversations with virtually every kind of supplier that we would want to engage with, as well as every single type of client that we would want to speak to as well. It was great to come together as a motor community and exchange ideas.’

With a considered approach, exciting new strategies and initiatives, Barclays Partner Finance is hugely enthused about what the future holds.

As a customer- and client-centric business, particularly when it comes to innovation, the relationships they hold are key to their success.

In 2019, they will look to deepen existing and establish new strategic partnerships, by leading the way in Point of Sale finance in an everchanging marketplace.

‘It’s important that dealers ensure that their finance partner is working with them on a shared agenda and understands their business goals.’

Adam Mepham, Motor Sales Director from Barclays Partner Finance CarDealerMag.co.uk | 55

We’ll help focus on the detail.

So you can concentrate on the bigger picture.

When you partner with us you can help gear your business for success.

You can offer your customers an alternative way to pay that is fair, transparent and meets their needs. Plus, we offer expert guidance through the regulatory world, allowing you to build your business with confidence.

Let’s take the first step forward. Call us today on 0844 811 7777* or visit barclayspartnerfinance.com

56

Barclays Partner Finance is a trading name of Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC. Clydesdale Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register number: 311753). Registered in England. Registered No: 2901725. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP. | BPF/MDS3/0119 CarDealerMag.co.uk

Partner Finance

*Calls will cost no more than 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. (International calls will be charged at a higher rate – please check with your telecoms provider.)

To maintain a quality service we may monitor or record phone calls.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

Focus on.

Top suppliers of 2019

Bringing self-service together in the palm of a customer’s hand EDYNAMIX

T: 0845 413 0000 W: edynamix.com

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

O

ur goal at eDynamix has always been to create customer-centric systems that allow for 100 per cent self-service.

All industries, including the automotive sector, are seeing a shift towards customer centricity, affording customers the opportunity to serve themselves when they want and how they want.

The airline industry is a prime example of this, whereby a customer can search for flights and book tickets any time of the day or night through an app, adding baggage, meals, and choosing their preferred seats. When the customer arrives at the airport they scan their e-ticket and present their e-passport before taking their seat on the plane. They have not had to interact with any other person during the entire transaction. This is the definition of customer self-service.

Through our unique offering of integrated, customer-centric products we bring self-service to the automotive industry. Through one supplier a dealer can provide online service plans, electronic vehicle health checks with online authorisation, integrated CRM and online bookings and AutoPoint lockers which, when combined, provide full customer self-service.

58 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

These products, on top of links with most DMS systems, allow us to send out service, MOT and red and amber work reminders with a link to an online bookings platform, which automatically loads the service information. A customer has full control over their service experience, including the addition of courtesy cars or special offers.

They can even choose if they would like to use an AutoPoint locker to drop off their keys. This will send them a unique code for their locker.

On arrival, the customer can use the iVHC active digital reception (ADR) module embedded in the lockers to check in their vehicle, alerting staff that the vehicle is on site. On completion of the vehicle health check using iVHC, the customer can view their report online with supporting videos and photographs taken through our VIDEO1st platform, authorising work

at the same time. For customers without a service plan, a link can be included to configure and take out the plan online before collecting the vehicle, where the keys will be waiting in AutoPoint.

During the check-out process using iVHC ADR in AutoPoint, customers can book future amber work through an internal version of online bookings. They will then receive an email and SMS reminder in the weeks leading up to the booking with a link to amend it through the online bookings platform if necessary.

Our app gives the customer access to vehicle health check records, allows them to authorise online, keeps them informed of work due, and lets them manage their service schedules and service plans as well as book directly with the dealership. This brings self-service together in one platform in the palm of a customer’s hand.

Dealers need to start preparing for Generation Alpha as they will be growing up in a world where everything is connected and they can control their entire life from their mobile phone.

They will expect to serve themselves when and how they want, and those that cannot offer this facility will undoubtedly be left behind.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

Focus on.

Car Dealer 5

Get a great website at a fraction of the price our rivals charge CAR DEALER 5

I

E: sales@cardealer5.co.uk T: 01902 203333

t’s a common problem for used car dealers – how to draw in customers with a really great website without spending a fortune on getting it up and running.

There are, of course, plenty of companies that can help you get online – but few offer the incredible value for money with zero build costs that Car Dealer 5 delivers. The company was conceived in 2011 as a web solution for both large and small used car dealers but without the hefty price tag of other UK media providers.

Car Dealer 5’s bespoke systems mean that its clients are assured of an automotive digital solution that suits them, is innovative, offers firstclass service and, above all, won’t break the bank.

Car Dealer 5 has now provided hundreds of car dealers across the UK with web systems that simply ‘work’ for them, all at a cost that represents excellent value and cannot be matched by overpriced competitors.

There are three different package types available for potential customers – Responsive, Super and Elite. Each package has many different design options, each of which can be tweaked to your liking. Colours can be changed on the fly, layouts adjusted and many options can be selected, making each site unique.

The company currently offers 20 cutting-edge, flexible website designs with lots more in the pipeline. All new top-of-the-range Elite packages have a built-in SEO module as standard to boost search engine placement.

And that’s not all!

All Car Dealer 5 packages have unique finance integration modules that can be activated at the flick of a switch and customised.

This allows any integration from iVendi, Codeweavers and Evolution Funding to be up and running instantly. All design themes on offer are GDPR-compliant, fully responsive and use the very latest technologies.

The administration system is fully responsive, which means dealers can upload and manipulate stock on the go through their phones!

At this point, you might be forgiven for

60 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

thinking that Car Dealer 5 sounds too good to be true – but it most certainly isn’t. Car Dealer Magazine recently caught up with managing director Adrian Pitt, who explained his company’s ethos – particularly when it comes to pricing.

‘The prices dealers currently have to pay are extortionate,’ he told us. ‘I really don’t understand why they pay what they do. We consider that we offer exceptional value for money – and transparency is very important to us, too.’

Adrian was more than happy to share details of his company’s pricing structure when we chatted.

‘A Responsive site is £450 a year, Super is £650 a year and Elite is £1,050 a year. The more money a dealer spends on their site, the more interaction the front-end user has got with the website, especially when it comes to finance, and it just makes the whole user experience that much better,’ he explained.

‘We have just released an option for dealers to make monthly payments for an Elite site as well.

Although slightly more expensive than making a one-off annual payment, it still works out at only £100 a month.’

One thing you can be sure of if you work with the team at Car Dealer 5 is that there will be plenty of personal support to help you on the off

chance that there is an issue of any kind. ‘Our support system is absolutely phenomenal,’ Adrian told us. ‘If anyone’s got any issues at all, they can raise a support ticket and the whole team is notified. The issue will get assigned to the correct person and will usually be sorted inside 20 minutes. The technology used is very much state of the art. The usability is simple, powerful, extremely controllable and very streamlined.

‘Any issues or changes can be made to hundreds of websites in seconds.

‘Sam Jordan Cars Ltd recently transferred to us from another UK media provider who was charging £200 per month at a reduced rate. Sam is now saving £1,350 per year by switching to Car Dealer 5 and was up and running within 60 minutes of placing his order.’

Another important point is that Car Dealer 5 can really help you maximise your reach, with a free feed system to third-party advertisers such as Auto Trader, Motors.co.uk, eBay, CarGurus and many more. Car Dealer 5 now accepts incoming feeds from Auto Trader, too.

So, if you’re looking for a new website provider in the new year and are keen to save some money at the same time, maybe it’s time you gave Car Dealer 5 a call.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

Introducing CDK Global Partner Programme The story so far...

The CDK International Partner Programme was launched with the aim of developing an open platform using standard integration points that any partners could use to access the CDK DMS products. Technical work started in 2017, with the first pilot partner - showroom system provider enquiryMAX - going live in mid-2018.

After successfully developing APIs with the Rev 8 and Autoline Drive platforms, the enquiryMAX integration is now live in more than 100 dealer sites in the UK. Since this pilot, a further five partners have joined the CDKI Partner Programme and are currently developing integrated solutions for dealers.

A key benefit of the CDKI Partner Programme is the potential it offers partners for future business opportunities in new markets. Once a partner’s application has been certified, it has a single connection point that has the potential to integrate the application with eight different DMS platforms. A number of global markets are already supported by local CDK Partner teams, including South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Spain and Italy.

Jonathan Hales Partner Manager, UK

Alistair Jeff

Michael Landless

Head of Partner Platform

API Platform Product Lead

62 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The CDKI Partner Programme team will continue to work closely with existing partners to build connections and develop APIs, and recruit new partners. The next key areas of focus are parts and vehicle health checks.

| Force24 | Force24 Force24 is a Marketing Automation Platform, allowing companies to effectively target customers and prospects across channels including email, SMS, social media and microsites to generate sales leads.

Marketing automation offers all customers a truly omni-channel experience, streamlining and automating marketing tasks and workflows, ensuring operational efficiency and fast ROI.

| eDynamix | MOTcleanse MOTCleanse automatically checks all current vehicle records from a dealers DMS against DVSA information to ensure accuracy of MOT data. With an average of 52.7% of MOT dates being incorrect in the DMS, dealers can increase MOT sales and revenue while reducing the cost of unnecessary reminders.

| Salesmaster | StockBook

SalesMaster

Salesmaster takes data from retailers’ DMS, factory and third-party systems and enhances it to provide access to the most accurate vehicle information. Among its key products, StockBook is a software tool to aggregate real-time stock data into a user-friendly platform.

StockBook automatically combines and processes group-wide vehicle data and can be dynamically suited to the retailer’s needs.

| Dealerweb | Dealerweb Showroom Dealerweb Showroom is a sales process and enquiry management system built for the automotive sector by industry experts. Accessed by one simple login, its intuitive interface is designed with integration in mind and includes lead management, offer creation, profit calculation and analysis, FCA compliance and real-time activity reporting.

| Motor Document Solutions Ltd | iDealFILE Developed specifically for the automotive industry, iDealFILE is an integrated electronic deal file platform that turns unsecured manual paper-based documents into secure visible, traceable and auditable data. In line with ever-increasing legislation, compliance and manufacturer requirements it gives dealers an efficient, transparent and secure way to manage sales documentation and dramatically reduces their environmental impact.

Make connections count: cdkglobal.co.uk/partners CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

Focus on.

AX

Introducing AX – the new name for Accident Exchange AX

E: partners@ax-uk.com W: thinkax.com Three into one

U

ntil 2002, few dealers had a P&L line that included the words ‘credit hire’ or ‘accident management’.

It seemed a missed opportunity. The customer you worked hard to get into one of your vehicles is involved in an accident as the innocent party, and because you’ve not engaged with them they get the keys to a replacement vehicle – only it’s a rival brand. Within six months, 50 per cent of them have bought a new car – potentially the model they were loaned while their vehicle was being repaired.

Today, the company that helped drive credit hire – the provision of like-for-like vehicles in the event of a non-fault accident – has rebranded to reflect its diversification over 17 years.

With 1,350 partners, including over half of the UK’s top 50 dealer groups, Accident Exchange is now AX – a group-wide rebrand that brings its complementary subsidiary companies DCML and In-Car Cleverness together under one name.

As part of the rebrand, two operating divisions have been created – AX Automotive and AX Innovation – to support the motor industry with customer-first, mobility-based services, products

64 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

and technologies. Lucy Woods, chief executive of AX, explains: ‘The two core pillars of exceptional customer care and innovative technologies will remain front and centre of everything we do under these divisions.

‘By streamlining all the brands as one, we can deliver even greater agility, efficiency and revenue to all our partners and customers regardless of their individual business needs.’

Headed by chief operating officer Nikki Roy, AX Automotive will continue to grow the core credit hire business that has supported hundreds of thousands of customers from its dealer, bodyshop and manufacturer partners since 2002.

In addition, AX Innovation, which brings DCML and In-Car Cleverness together, will be led by managing director Vince Powell. It will concentrate on growing AX’s suite of vehicle technology products, including telematics, asset recovery, dashcams and day insurance.

‘Technology sits at the core of everything we’ve done, and will do,’ explains Woods. ‘Our in-house developers work side by side with our operational teams to ensure the customer journey is seamless and stress-free while driving cost-efficiency into the P&L of every partner.’

AX is entering an exciting new chapter in its history, according to Woods. ‘We now intend to build on our foundations and continue to listen to and work with our partners, to bring even more intelligent and innovative services and products to the market.’

WHICH brands now make up the suite of products and services that is AX? Accident Exchange’s core business of credit hire and credit repair was bolstered by the addition of software and day insurance specialist DCML well over a decade ago. Now within AX Innovation, the dealer expert manages the utilisation and protection of more than 50,000 courtesy and demonstrator vehicles nationwide.

Telematics and vehicle relationship management specialist In-Car Cleverness has made its name with the delivery of robust protection for fleet and dealer vehicles, minimising accidents, delivering driver behaviour insight and reducing costs, and this now joins AX Innovation.

Finally, the motor fraud investigators from APU will continue their service for insurers under the AX brand via the unique combination of forensic data analysts, expolice officers and in-house technologies.

Customer service excellence when motorists need it most ‘Our customers are our partners’ customers.

As a result, our service levels must be beyond reproach,’ explains Nikki Roy, chief operating officer of AX. As a result of this approach, 98.9 per cent of its customers would recommend AX to friends and family. In addition, the independence afforded by TrustPilot sees it deliver a 5-Star ‘Excellent’ customer rating, making it the number one credit hire provider on the site, while also earning an impressive Net Promoter score of 71.

When dealer margins are under pressure, Roy says looking after the customers you have, retaining sold hours, parts and material revenues at retail rates will only become more important in 2019.

She concludes: ‘We collaborate closely with our partners to ensure we are constantly innovating and improving the services we offer to our dealer and bodyshop partners.’

Honk if you want to retain your customers and grow profits.

Accident Exchange has brought all its innovative services under one shiny new roof.

With all-new AX it’s now easier than ever for you to build loyalty and retain customers.

RETAIN REPLACE REPAIR MANAGE CONNECT PROTECT

For accident management and innovation solutions, thinkax.com

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

Data File.

Ask Lawgistics .com

Car Dealer Club lawyers at Lawgistics answer dealers’ legal questions. Join for £49.99 a year to get advice like this when you need it

Are we liable for employee’s punch?

Q

At a corporate event one of my employees drank too much and physically attacked someone from another organisation. Could we be held responsible for their actions? It started when a person from another company was verbally abused by a group of people representing my organisation. Unfortunately, the drunken verbal tirade quickly turned violent, with one of the group from my company assaulting the person physically and knocking them to the floor, but luckily there was no serious injury and the event continued as usual.

The examples given below highlight the fact that you as an employer could find yourself in hot water over the actions of your employees or those who represent your company either at trade events or even just in the daily routine of their job. Furthermore, there are patent lessons from a range of case law that the employer would be held vicariously liable for acts to third parties in the course of their employment.

When a Morrisons petrol station employee punched a customer in 2016, the supermarket chain was found liable by the Supreme Court for the employee’s actions. It had entrusted him with his role and was thus responsible when he abused that trust.

Last October, the Court of Appeal found a recruitment agency, Northampton Recruitment, vicariously liable when an employee sustained traumatic brain damage after being punched by a manager at a staff Christmas party in 2011.

A key factor in the court’s finding was that the violence arose out of a work-related matter at

ADVICE

A

Firstly, all attending this event were there in the capacity of their employment and were representing their respective organisations. Despite the exciting atmosphere and the availability of alcohol, it is important for employees to remember that the expectations in relation to conduct are the same as if they were in the workplace.

a work-related event. Hostility and aggression towards those representing another organisation and taking place at Christmas parties or charity events, for example, could find the same key factors applicable in the event of subsequent litigation, and could be costly for the vicariously liable employer.

A clear workplace policy outlining expectations in terms of employee behaviour and what constitutes misconduct and gross misconduct should be in place and available to all employees, and where violence is involved robust disciplinary action is a necessity to help prevent any such unfortunate events repeating in the future.

We would suggest carrying out an investigation into the event and disciplining the employee if necessary. It is conduct that could amount to dismissal and certainly a warning if proved. A letter of apology in the first instance could help, followed by meaningful discussions with the aggrieved party to resolve the issue and find a way to move forward.

JOIN CAR DEALER CLUB AND GET ALL THESE BENEFITS WORTH £1,000s FOR Claim your dealership’s FREE website audit!

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Click Dealer is a performance partner for dealerships, with over 15 years’ experience and a portfolio of award-winning, integrated products and services, including websites, SEO, DMS, lead management, online sales software and a reputation management platform.

As the digital dealership experts in an industry in which inertia has been a long-standing problem for forward thinking, Click Dealer has continued to innovate to stay ahead of its competitors and provide products and services for used vehicle dealers before

they even know that they want them! n Make 2019 your year by ensuring that your website and digital showroom is the very best that it can be! Click Dealer’s team of in-house experts will look over your website and advise on any recommended changes to improve your visibility online! n At Click Dealer, we ALWAYS put our customers first! That’s why we’d like to offer Car Dealer Club members £100 off their first bill when they take out any of our products or services!

Offers will be running until the end of the year

66 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

A free telephone consultation and other great benefits, too n A free telephone consultation worth £100. n Lawgistics’ Basic package worth £95. n Twenty-five per cent off the ‘pay-on-use’ legal helpline and casework service. n Up to 25 per cent off any stationery or warranty products. n Upgrade the Basic package and receive £100 off the Small Business package or £250 off the Professional package.

Buy and sell trade stock quickly and profitably Cartotrade.com is the new online trade-to-trade platform set up by the ex-management team of Autotrade-mail. Cartotrade’s focus is on the integrity, security and accessibility of stock, complemented by a simple yet innovative platform that allows its members to buy and sell trade stock quickly and profitably. To see the benefits, Car Dealer Club members can have an extended, no-obligation, four-week free trial*. If, after the free trial, a Car Dealer Club member wishes to subscribe, they then get their next month completely free, without contracts and never a price increase. * Subject to vetting

Claims clarified

Q A

Please can you explain how section 75 of the 1974 Consumer Credit Act works?

Section 75 allows consumers to make claims against their credit card provider where their purchases are paid for via their credit card, should the seller cease trading before supplying the goods or where the goods provided are defective.

The price of the goods must be over £100 and up to £30,000. It doesn’t matter how much is paid on the card so long as the price falls within those parameters.

The credit card provider is equally and jointly liable as the car dealer, but the act allows the credit card provider to receive an indemnity against the trader.

It doesn’t matter if the card user exceeds their credit limit when making the payment, or if they pay off any of the amount that they put on the card.

It can be used for breach of contract claims or misrepresentation (by the trader) but note that hire purchase transactions cannot fall within the remit of Section 75.

Money withdrawn using credit cards that are used to buy goods is not covered either.

WANT TO UPGRADE?

WHY I LOVE LAWGISTICS

Customer tried billing us over ‘cancelled holiday’ but was dispatched with ease WE LOVE Lawgistics to bits – we don’t use them very often, but it’s a fantastic safety net.

That’s what David Connellan, the owner of Worcester’s Mobile Mechanic, says.

‘We live in a world where consumers love to complain, and it’s why having Lawgistics on your side is more useful now than ever.

‘In this day and age, people are getting more interested in litigation and want to blame everyone else for something – it doesn’t make sense.’

And the repair centre – which has built up a name for itself looking after Mazda Bongo imports – gets Lawgistics involved when occasionally encountering troublesome customers.

Last year, the garage was locked in a battle with a customer who claimed they had to cancel their holiday as repairs to their campervan weren’t finished in time. However, the customer hadn’t mentioned the holiday until after the work had started and there had been no promise to complete the work in the set time.

Hard work from Connellan and his team ensured the work was done to meet the holiday deadline, so it was a bit of a surprise when a week later a bill demanding £500 came from the customer.

Connellan said: ‘If we hadn’t had Lawgistics on our side, we might have had to pay out. Lawgistics helped us to compose an official letter, and not long after that we received a text from the customer saying they didn’t want to pursue the complaint any further.

‘Cases like this show what people are like. I wish I’d known about Lawgistics 20 years earlier!’

The legal specialists have also helped the garage settle disputes with suppliers, and Connellan now frequently recommends it to others.

‘A lot of small businesses think they don’t need a service like Lawgistics, but the problem is that you never know when you’ll need it. We don’t use them very often, because we don’t have to, but Lawgistics is a fantastic safety net and I recommend the service all the time.’

Ted Welford

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Dragon2000’s dealer management system is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use products on the market. The software can help manage supplier and customer details, help you keep on top of your costs, and ensure that your business is running as smoothly and as profitably as possible. Car Dealer Club members are eligible for a 10 per cent discount on their first year of a Dragon2000 software subscription – and they get the free Vehicle Health Check app too.

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LAWGISTICS’ Basic membership – which you receive as a member of Car Dealer Club – is a cracking deal, but what if you need something that has extra clout? Larger dealer groups or a dealer embroiled in a big legal battle may require some more firepower, and the good news is that club members get discounts on Lawgistics’ other packages. You’ll receive a £100 discount off the Small Business package (normally £795) – perfect for sole traders, a partnership or a small dealer group – and £250 off the Professional package (normally £1,595). This is ideal for franchises, a dealer group or a car supermarket and covers all relevant legal areas and documentation.

There really is a package for everyone with Lawgistics.

To join go to cardealerclub.com or call 023 9252 2434 and speak to one of the Car Dealer team Fifty per cent off your first video shoot or PR package Video has become a must-have for dealers, with branded, broadcastquality video for corporate messaging and social media outlets now the industry standard.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

LCV news.

Fullyloaded

| LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES | FLEET | REVIEWS |

DEAL

FITNESS

Vertu buys Vans Direct in multi-million acquisition

VW helps van drivers shake off festive excess V

VERTU Motors has bought the award-winning online retailer Vans Direct in a multi-millionpound deal.

It paid £7m in cash from its existing resources for the Newport-based van retailing business, which was founded in 1999. The estimated total consideration for the entire share capital is £7.5m, which includes an arrangement rewarding performance over the next two years and could see up to £2m more paid out.

Vans Direct flourished following the appointments in 2009 of Jane Pocock as managing director and Richard Simmonds as operations director and has won the Best Van Leasing Broker award from the Leasing Broker Federation for the past three years.

Simmonds will be joining the group along with the team of 42 colleagues, while Pocock will remain a non-executive director.

Robert Forrester, pictured, chief executive of Vertu Motors, said: ‘This is an exciting development in a growing space, which is synergistic and parallel to our core motor retail business and which strengthens our multichannel offering.

‘We believe that the future growth prospects for this new business are significant.’

68 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

olkswagen Commercial Vehicles has designed a way for van drivers to get fit following the festive period.

Many people head to the gym at this time of the year after a spell of overindulgence, but it can be difficult for busy van drivers to fit in the time to keep fit – particularly as they spend an average of 2.89 hours a day behind the wheel.

To help make exercising a little easier for them, Volkswagen has devised a regime that uses everyday tools and van body panels.

Although a survey of 500 van users by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles found that the average driver aims to exercise at least twice a week, and one in 10 say they follow a healthy diet, it can still be tough for those behind the wheel to spend enough time active.

That’s why VW says a range of exercises – from ‘bumper dips’ to ‘panel push-ups’ – could help to get the blood pumping.

Sarah Cox, head of marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: ‘Our brand promise Working With You is devised to keep customers and their businesses moving forward, and that goes beyond just the health of the vehicle. It’s all part of putting our

customers first, and this unique programme could see Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Working Out With You in 2019!’

Up first is a cable skip for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest. This is repeated 10 times.

Then there’s the toolbox squat and raise for 10 to 20 reps. The driver has to hold a toolbox out in front of them and squat from the knees with back straight and feet flat. Then they need to stand up straight and raise the toolbox above their head and repeat. Third is a pipe clean and press for 10 to 20 reps. Put a section of pipe on the ground and bend down while keeping the back

Top-selling LCVs in December Ford Transit Custom Ford Transit Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vauxhall Vivaro Ford Transit Connect

3,906 2,437 2,296 1,854 1,461

straight. Pick up the pipe and lift it to chest height, before pressing it overhead with straight arms.

Seated wrench curls are up next, again for 10 to 20 repetitions. Open the side door of the van and sit on the edge. Take a wrench and lift it from waist to shoulder while keeping the body still. Repeat while alternating between hands.

Finally, there are panel push-ups.

The driver should place their hands on the bumper, facing the van in a traditional press-up position, then they need to lower themselves towards the bumper before pushing back up. This should be done for between 10 and 20 reps.

Source: SMMT

Ford Ranger 1,387 Volkswagen Transporter 1,307 Peugeot Boxer 716 Renault Trafic 705 Mercedes-Benz Vito 615 LCV registrations, p70

‘It’s practical if you need to make deliveries off the beaten track.’

Tom Wiltshire tries the Toyota Land Cruiser Utility Commercial for size p71

Sliding doors WITH CRAIG CHEETHAM

A look at the world of buying and selling vans and pick-ups

Conversions and accessories can be key to keeping money flowing in

P

reviously in this column, we’ve discussed why having a van franchise may well be just what you need to get past a period of economic uncertainty, and in 2019 the general consensus is that’s where we’re heading.

If so, then the new vehicle market will undoubtedly have to take some of that on the chin – but if you step away from those who constantly talk doom and gloom, vans could still be a good way of keeping money flowing through your dealership.

According to SMMT figures, the number of people directly employed within the automotive industry in the UK is 856,000, or around one in 30 of the country’s total workforce.

There are a great many jobs riding on the success of the sector too – from manufacturing plants to sales and marketing, repairing, maintaining and ultimately recycling the vehicles we use.

And in the van market, all of these things have a faster turnaround. While the average age at which a car is scrapped in the UK is 13.6 years, the average age for a van is just 10 years, which is hardly surprising when you consider the working life that most commercial vehicles lead. From huge mileages on fleets in their early years to being used and abused by sole traders during their second or third ownerships, vans are business tools and are often not vehicles that are regularly cleaned, loved or cherished.

That means replacement cycles are generally shorter, as are the gaps between servicing plus the frequency of replacing wearable parts. Not only will a van customer put money through your business for a large vehicle with a decent margin attached to it, but if you look after him or her, they’ll be coming back more often than a car buyer will do to get their servicing done and/or to buy parts, as well as any repairs the van may need later in its life.

But that’s not all. Today, more than ever, there are companies all over the UK that specialise in vehicle conversions, from fitting tipper

trays and Luton bodies to chassis cab vans all the way up to building bespoke bus bodies, ambulances or fire appliances. These are recession-proof vehicles that will always be in demand and which will be replaced on a strictly controlled cycle.

Where this can really work for you as a dealer, though, is by forging relationships with the converters. Some of them are manufacturer-approved, and if you have a brand franchise then you should check with the franchise brand first to bring conversions business in through its recognised suppliers. As the intermediary, there’s a good slice of the pie in the deal for you.

If you’re not allied to a franchise, or specialise in used LCVs, the conversion business is your oyster. Simply find out what the customer wants and talk to them about the necessary conversion work to find the supplier that will do the best job. Between you, you can come up with a price, supply the vehicle the customer wants and ensure you each make a decent amount on the deal.

We’re not talking about inching your profits upwards, either. Van buyers won’t think twice about paying a couple of grand for a different body or even a few hundred quid for a tail-lift, some flashing orange beacons or an auxiliary power supply if that’s what their job demands.

Indeed, some of these smaller conversions are where the best profits can be made. Imagine, for example, that you supply 10 vans to a roadworks contractor and all of them need light bars fitting. Take £150 off each one plus an hour’s labour for fitting and you’ve got a clear and decent margin to work from. Make friends with a local supplier who can also fit them and you could – quite literally – make some money for nothing.

For vans and pick-ups, the accessory market is huge, and the number of companies happy to carry out modifications is vast.

That doesn’t happen with cars, and in an increasingly challenging marketplace, it’s a business opportunity that’s hard to ignore.

‘Vans are business tools and are often not vehicles that are regularly cleaned, loved or cherished.’

Craig Cheetham is an experienced automotive journalist with specialist knowledge of the LCV sector.

Turn over the page for more LCV stories CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

LCV news.

LATEST STATISTICS

December drop of nearly nine per cent caps off a mixed 2018 THE new light commercial vehicle market dropped by 8.8 per cent in December, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

It capped off a mixed year for the sector, which saw a moderate decline of 1.3 per cent.

Performance in 2018 was boosted by the strong

showing from pick-up and 4×4 models – up 4.3 per cent and 303.4 per cent respectively – meaning 3,548 more of them were on the road compared with the previous year.

Overall registrations of 357,325 were still enough to make 2018 the fourth best year on record, beating industry forecasts, said the trade

body. However, the December drop represented more than half of the full-year decline of 4,824 units, and SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘This sector is a key indicator of business confidence in the UK, and operators need stability to renew their fleets. December’s performance was worrying.’

Registrations of new commercial vehicles less than 3.5 tonnes Marque

December 2018

December 2017

2018

2017

% market share

% market share

Figures supplied by SMMT

Whole of 2018 against the whole of 2017 % change

2018

% market share

2017

% market share

% change 6.99

Ford

9,680

37.89

9,306

33.22

4.02

126,072

35.28

117,831

32.54

Volkswagen

2,652

10.38

3,146

11.23

-15.70

42,164

11.80

41,474

11.45

1.66

Peugeot

1,579

6.18

2,244

8.01

-29.63

33,312

9.32

36,176

9.99

-7.92

Mercedes

3,531

13.82

3,907

13.95

-9.62

32,255

9.03

33,889

9.36

-4.82

Vauxhall

2,447

9.58

1,854

6.62

31.98

28,242

7.90

28,368

7.83

-0.44

Citroen

1,007

3.94

1,747

6.24

-42.36

25,365

7.10

27,237

7.52

-6.87

Renault

1,329

5.20

1,905

6.80

-30.24

15,543

4.35

19,595

5.41

-20.68

Nissan

827

3.24

1,134

4.05

-27.07

13,430

3.76

15,813

4.37

-15.07

Mitsubishi

401

1.57

776

2.77

-48.32

9,695

2.71

10,406

2.87

-6.83

Toyota

365

1.43

437

1.56

-16.48

9,482

2.65

9,252

2.55

2.49

Fiat

669

2.62

624

2.23

7.21

8,751

2.45

10,844

2.99

-19.30

Isuzu

503

1.97

519

1.85

-3.08

4,888

1.37

5,522

1.52

-11.48

Iveco

173

0.68

222

0.79

-22.07

2,803

0.78

2,931

0.81

-4.37

Renault Trucks

123

0.48

89

0.32

38.20

1,427

0.40

1,260

0.35

13.25

Land Rover

85

0.33

0

0.00

0.00

1,381

0.39

20

0.01

6805.00 860.29

MAN

38

0.15

10

0.04

280.00

653

0.18

68

0.02

Isuzu Trucks

42

0.16

38

0.14

10.53

621

0.17

394

0.11

57.61

SsangYong

48

0.19

9

0.03

433.33

483

0.14

404

0.11

19.55

LDV

30

0.12

34

0.12

-11.76

475

0.13

385

0.11

23.38

Fuso

18

0.07

10

0.04

80.00

163

0.05

151

0.04

7.95

Dacia

1

0.00

1

0.00

0.00

80

0.02

62

0.02

29.03

Hyundai

1

0.00

3

0.01

-66.67

36

0.01

36

0.01

0.00

Great Wall

0

0.00

1

0.00

0.00

4

0.00

31

0.01

-87.10

25,549

100.00

28,016

100.00

-8.81

357,325

100.00

362,149

100.00

-1.33

Total light CV

Registrations of new commercial vehicles 3.5 tonnes to 6.0 tonnes Marque

December 2018

December 2017

2018

2017

% market share

% market share

Figures supplied by SMMT

Whole of 2018 against the whole of 2017 % change

2018

% market share

2017

% market share

% change

Peugeot

91

23.70

123

18.22

-26.02

2,650

30.38

790

11.17

235.44

Ford

39

10.16

96

14.22

-59.38

2,021

23.17

2,029

28.68

-0.39

Fiat

82

21.35

71

10.52

15.49

1,676

19.22

1,533

21.67

9.33

Mercedes

113

29.43

337

49.93

-66.47

1,615

18.52

1,823

25.77

-11.41

Iveco

37

9.64

26

3.85

42.31

381

4.37

418

5.91

-8.85

Citroen

6

1.56

2

0.30

200.00

128

1.47

84

1.19

52.38

Renault

3

0.78

7

1.04

-57.14

74

0.85

72

1.02

2.78

Vauxhall

7

1.82

5

0.74

40.00

69

0.79

140

1.98

-50.71

Volkswagen

4

1.04

4

0.59

0.00

63

0.72

128

1.81

-50.78

MAN

2

0.52

0

0.00

0.00

27

0.31

0

0.00

0.00

Isuzu Trucks

0

0.00

3

0.44

0.00

15

0.17

22

0.31

-31.82

Renault Trucks

0

0.00

0

0.00

0.00

2

0.02

2

0.03

0.00

Nissan Total heavy CV

70 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

0

0.00

1

0.15

0.00

1

0.01

34

0.48

-97.06

384

100.00

675

100.00

-43.11

8,722

100.00

7,075

100.00

23.28

FIRST DRIVE LAUNCH

Toyota Land Cruiser Utility Commercial

Mercedes-Benz centre opens in Gillingham

Could this be a worthy successor to the Defender? Tom Wiltshire finds out.

What is it?

What’s the most iconic off-roader of all time? Two names come to mind immediately – Land Rover and Land Cruiser.

For Land Rover, its Defender in particular had a loyal following among those who used it for its intended purpose – off-roading, load-lugging and general dirty work. It’s to these people that the new Toyota Land Cruiser Utility will appeal – people who don’t care about fashion but really need a car to perform flawlessly in the rough stuff for years at a time.

Model: Toyota Land Cruiser

Utility Commercial Price: £32,995 Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel Power (bhp): 174 Torque (Nm): 450 Max speed (mph): 108 0-60mph: 12.1 seconds MPG: 37.6 Emissions (g/km): 197

What’s new?

Utility trim is all about ‘less is more’ – even more so in the Commercial variant we tested, which ditches the rear seats and blanks out the rear windows to create a makeshift van.

THE RIVALS: Land Rover Discovery Commercial, Mitsubishi Shogun Sport, Toyota Hilux.

What’s under the bonnet?

All Land Cruisers feature the same brawny 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. With 174bhp on tap, it’s hardly a sports SUV – but what it does have is torque, and plenty of it.

And with 450Nm at its disposal as well, it’s certainly not sluggish.

What’s it like to drive?

The Utility holds a curious appeal for a certain type of driver, who’ll find its roly-poly handling characteristics, light steering, manual ’box and sheer heft a great deal of fun. For everyone else, it’s inoffensive yet a bit rubbish on the tarmac – and near-unbeatable off it.

The separate chassis construction means the Land Cruiser shakes and

THE KNOWLEDGE

TARGET BUYERS: Those who miss the Land Rover Defender and need a 4x4 for actual work.

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Cheapest Land Cruiser available.

2. Superbly rugged.

3. Bulletproof image.

DEAL CLINCHER: A surprising amount of fun for a utility vehicle. shimmies on rough surfaces, but this is dampened by the tyres.

How does it look?

We love the Land Cruiser Utility’s looks – especially in this gawky, terribly proportioned, three-door, short-wheelbase form. Truncated appearance aside, the sheer simplicity that Utility trim brings is actually very appealing, and you certainly won’t worry about leaving this in a crowded car park.

What’s it like inside?

Our Commercial model saw the rear seats ditched for a steel mesh bulkhead and large, flat load area. This is no van though, with the space on offer more akin to a compact estate car than a Ford Transit Custom or similar.

It’s practical if you need to make deliveries off the beaten track, plus most alternatives can’t handle a three-ton trailer like the Toyota.

Up front is where the charm of Utility models shows through once again. Who needs leather seats?

The Land Cruiser offers the finest in Japanese velour.

What’s the spec like?

There’s not much equipment on offer, but you do get keyless entry and start, air conditioning and Bluetooth operation for the stereo.

Even more happily, the Utility model’s options list consists of just one item, which is a towbar with towing preparation package.

What do the press think?

Honest John says: ‘Its appeal is dented by the fact that a modern pick-up has it beaten in most areas,’ while Autocar says: ‘It’s a function not form vehicle.’

What do we think?

The Toyota Land Cruiser Utility showed an unnatural ability to worm its way into our hearts during our time with it – perhaps this is the same magic that kept motorists buying the cramped, slow, inefficient and unsafe Land Rover Defender for so many years.

MERCEDES-BENZ Van Centre Medway opened in Gillingham on January 2 after what the manufacturer called ‘an exhaustive search’ for the right partner to represent its premium brand in Kent.

It has been launched by the privately owned JCB Group, whose managing director Jonathan Bischoff said: ‘Our new Mercedes-Benz Vans franchise represents a very exciting opportunity, and we are immensely proud to be adding such a prestigious brand to our portfolio.’

The group, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in December, already represents two car manufacturers whose ranges include vans, and another that offers a pick-up.

Mercedes-Benz Vans head of network operations Sarah Palfreyman said: ‘We have every confidence that Jonathan Bischoff and his colleagues will deliver the industry-leading quality of service that our customers are entitled to expect.’

CONVERSIONS

Peugeot supplies 170 meter vans UTILITY metering firm SMS has taken delivery of 170 Peugeot Boxer, Expert and Partner vans to be used by engineers across the company’s various divisions as they replace and install gas and electricity meters.

The vehicles have all been supplied through Peugeot dealer Robins and Day Sheffield North and fitted out by local conversion specialists.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

Workshop.

Aftermarket

SERVICING & REPAIRS | PRODUCT NEWS | PEOPLE & PLACES

PARTNERSHIP

Manufacturer joins forces with factor

TRAINING

JCT600 signs up 40 apprentices over year

by JOHN BOWMAN john@blackballmedia.co.uk

PARTS manufacturer GT Automotive has formed a partnership with CR Marks Motor Components in Banbury.

CR Marks said its main aim was to exceed all service requirements for range, availability and price and was dedicated to supplying the right part in the shortest time.

Its state-of-the-art cataloguing and business system ensures it stocks only the most relevant part numbers, ensuring customers receive the correct part first time.

The brands stocked by CR Marks are some of the best known and are manufactured to the highest possible standards.

It has taken on board GT Automotive’s extensive crankshaft pulley range as well as its new Maysan Mando shock absorbers range.

GT Automotive sales and business development manager Simon Baker, pictured above right with CR Marks manager Matt Perring, said: ‘Partnering with a local factor makes perfect sense, as providing OEquality products helps our local economy and keeps all of our carbon footprints lower.

‘It’s great to have a wellrespected factor like CR Marks involved with our products, and we’re looking to strengthen our relationship as we work closely together in the future.

‘Focusing inward on our local economy is just as important as our global clients.’

72 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

J

CT600 is celebrating having welcomed another 40 apprentices during 2018 – 12 more than planned.

Since launching its training scheme for young people five years ago, the Bradford-based business has attracted and retained 100 apprentices in a variety of roles.

JCT600 offers apprenticeships at most of its 52 dealerships for a wide variety of roles – from trainee service advisers to apprentice technicians and parts apprentices.

Katie Saunders, HR director for JCT600, said: ‘While having some academic qualifications and IT skills is desirable, being hard-working, motivated and having a ‘‘can-do’’ attitude is more important.’

JCT600 is preparing to launch its 2019 scheme and will again be running two- and three-year apprenticeships resulting in NVQ Level 2 and 3 qualifications alongside IMI Technical Certificates.

Four youngsters in Bradford and Leeds who have embarked on careers with JCT600 are Oliver Mouatt, Jessica Suffield, Patrick Wall and Conor Asquith-Smith.

Oliver, 21, a third-year parts adviser apprentice at Vauxhall

JCT600 apprentices, from left, Jessica Suffield, Conor Asquith-Smith, Oliver Mouatt and Patrick Wall Bradford, said: ‘I really fancied being a parts adviser because it’s such a diverse role.

‘Once I complete my apprenticeship at Vauxhall Bradford I’m hoping to manage one of the smaller sites and work my way up through the ranks.’

Eighteen year old Jessica, a second-year apprentice technician at Porsche Leeds, said: ‘The apprenticeship is very well structured – there’s lots of guidance and support at work and the weeks we spend at college are really good.’

First-year apprentice Patrick, 17, also works at Porsche Leeds as an apprentice technician and said: ‘It’s

fantastic to be learning the trade and progressing as a technician. I was planning to go to college, but this apprenticeship has given me the chance to gain qualifications while working. It’s a really supportive company.’

Conor, 20, who has started the first year of his training as a technician at Volkswagen Bradford, said: ‘I’ve always wanted to be a technician, so this is a dream come true for me. I did work experience at JCT600 through the Prince’s Trust, went through a number of interviews and got this job at the end of it – it’s a huge achievement and I’m exactly where I want to be.’

Pirelli becomes tyres partner of Briggs BRIGGS Automotive Company has officially joined forces with Pirelli, announcing the Italian giant as its new tyre partner at Autosport International 2019.

The Liverpool-based manufacturer behind the highly acclaimed Mono has been working directly with Pirelli through an

18-month development process to produce the perfect range of tyres for the world’s only single-seater road-legal supercar.

Pirelli’s road-going motorsport tyre, the P Zero Trofeo R, has been specially homologated for Mono in sizes 205/45-17 (front) and 255/40-17 (rear).

RECRUITMENT

New year means trio of new faces

WMS Group has started 2019 in style by adding to its workforce.

The warranty expert has taken on three highly talented, professional and experienced team members, namely, Joe Hague as head of corporate sales, David Robertson as regional account manager for Scotland, and Murray Brash as account manager support.

Managing director John Colinswood said: ‘2018 was a great year for the WMS Group and our dealers that we support. Although 2019 holds a great deal of uncertainty for all of us within the automotive industry, we at WMS remain totally focused and committed to supporting our dealers and partners.

‘As a business, we understand that by investing in the highest calibre of people, we are able to continue providing our partners with the service they have come to expect and indeed deserve.

‘While the industry continues to evolve, service levels remain at the very heart of everything we strive to achieve.’

Head of sales Keith Pipe said: ‘2019 is set to be one of the most exciting years since the WMS Group was created.

‘We have worked hard to establish a clear way forward for the business and to remain the industry leader throughout all areas. As always, partnerships are what make us all stronger and more successful.

‘May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a truly great 2019 from everyone at the WMS Group.’

Matthew Jones, centre, has inspired Joseph Codling, left, and Robert Oliver to become Master Technicians

MENTORING

Supervisor inspires duo to aim for the top T

wo members of the aftersales staff at Lookers Seat in Middlesbrough are aiming to follow in the footsteps of their supervisor and mentor by becoming Master Technicians.

Joseph Codling, 36, and Robert Oliver, 25, have just completed two years’ extensive training and assessments, which has steered them on the road to becoming fully fledged Seat-approved service technicians.

Ongoing support and encouragement from their supervisor and Master Technician mentor Matthew Jones, 36, who achieved the highest accolade with support from the company in 2011, has spurred the duo on to progress to the level of diagnostic technician.

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

The third step in the qualification process will be to work towards Master Technician status.

Codling said: ‘We’ve both truly been inspired by Matthew, who has been extremely supportive and encouraging throughout. He’s a fine example of what can be achieved when you’re given the opportunity to progress your career and achieve additional qualifications through your employer. We’re looking forward to working towards the next stage in the qualification process, but our overall goal is to achieve Master Technician status.’

He has worked at the former

Jennings dealership for the past 12 years. His career in motors began after he completed an apprenticeship at a local garage.

For the past four years, Oliver, a time-served apprentice, has worked within the service department at the dealership. He previously gained experience working at a local independent garage.

The trio all live in Skelton, North Yorkshire, which means they also car-share the 24-mile round trip to and from their place of work each day.

Jones, who has 18 years’ experience in the motor industry, said: ‘It’s quite a rarity to find three employees from the same company, all of whom share the same trade and live in the same small village.’

Watchdog bans TV ad for fuel enhancement systems A COMPLAINT about a TV advert for CGON fuel enhancement systems has been upheld.

The advert, seen last May, said the manufacturer’s range of systems for car engines could cut fuel bills by between 10 and 20 per cent and also helped stop many vehicles failing their MOTs on emissions.

A complainant challenged both those claims but Clearcast – the non-governmental organisation that pre-approves most British TV advertising – said the

claims were worded cautiously rather than absolutely, and supplied the Advertising Standards Authority with verification that it had received.

However, among its findings, the watchdog said the evidence about the fuel bills didn’t relate to engines fitted in cars, while it was impossible to understand if the emissions testing results were consistent.

It therefore concluded that the claims by CGON were likely to mislead and banned the advert.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

74 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Sean Speaks.

...in association with Close Brothers Motor Finance

Don't skimp on the attention you give your digital forecourt Make someone responsible for social media strategy and be consistent, says Sean Kemple.

W

e all hear so much about the fact that consumer-buying behaviours are changing. Well, from an online perspective it’s already changed. And it will continue to change with the evolution of digital going forward.

It’s no secret that car buyers are more knowledgeable and empowered than ever – largely, of course, due to the internet. In fact, using the web is now the most common method for researching a car.* Dealers are still central to the car-buying process, however – just two per cent of people actually complete their purchase online.* But to retain their position of influence, there are certain things dealers need to be aware of – and there are lessons we can all learn when it comes to making the best use of our online presence.

Interestingly, our insight tells us that thirdparty classified websites aren’t consistently successful when it comes to appealing to private buyers. New entrants to the market have been known to experience certain difficulties and high bounce rates (the number of people who leave a web page immediately after landing) because they are not delivering when it comes to the consumer experience.

Maximising your digital footprint It could be argued that automotive doesn’t always lead the way online.

It might be an unusual analogy but think about buying a pair of socks from the John Lewis or M&S website. Those socks will be presented with nice pictures and informative descriptions – all for a product that costs perhaps £5.

If we think about that from a dealer perspective, it’s essential that the digital forecourt

KEY POINTS • Take a step away from automotive when looking at the effectiveness of your online presence.

• Remember that consumers dip in and out of the automotive cycle.

• Online is the most common tool for searching. is utilised as effectively as possible – after all, it has many more pairs of eyes on it than there ever was footfall on their forecourt.

Dealers invest huge amounts into their physical sites, but just as much, if not more, attention needs to be paid to their digital presence.

Consider carefully the phraseology you use to win the attention of potential customers. Saying a £40,000 Range Rover Evoque has a ‘full service history’ could be a wasted opportunity when it might be loaded with appealing extras.

Face to face, customers can ask us questions, but with buyers doing their research online, we need to pre-empt their questions and position vehicles in the right way.

There are a number of channels over which dealers don’t have full control, of course. One of these is the aforementioned third-party classified sites. But dealers do have control of the images and text they upload, so making the most of their real estate there is vital. Pricing correctly and having an effective overall strategy is key, too.

Above all, remember that people are looking for value for money, so avoid focusing too heavily on ‘trying to appear on page one’ – customers search for cars in different ways. If you’re offering genuine value for money, it will certainly count in your favour. You don’t always have to be the cheapest!

Social media and reviews If you’re using social media, have a consistent presence. It won’t work for you if you just dabble – but if used properly, sites such as Facebook can give you a huge return.

The main social media

• Consumers ‘dabble’ six months before they make a purchasing decision.

• Intensive research begins six weeks before they’re ready to buy.

• Potential buyers are watching your stock. If a car isn’t selling, change something – whether it’s the description, price or pictures. platforms are simply enormous – the number of people who are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn on a daily basis is incredible.

We would advise making a member of your team responsible for your social media strategy.

Appoint someone to the role, put them in control and, above all, as I have mentioned, be consistent.

Whatever your physical forecourt looks like, whatever your digital forecourt looks like, your social media presence needs to be exactly the same.

Reviews are key, too. The first step is to actually give your customers the chance to give feedback.

Reviews can be incredibly powerful – especially when they are positive. But on the off chance that you get a negative review, reply in a measured, courteous way and do your utmost to rectify the issue. Take the approach that ‘the customer is always right’.

How can Close Brothers help dealers?

We act mainly in an advisory capacity at the moment. But we have some exciting plans coming to fruition in 2019, so watch this space!

Our principal message to dealers is that your role remains central to the car-buying process, even in our changing world. The internet isn’t going away any time soon but buyers still want to talk to dealers. That’s partly because there is so much confusion in the market.

This is to do with finance options (PCP, HP, PCH, etc), the emergence of electric vehicles, the demonisation of diesel and a whole host of other issues.

Customers still want dealers to help them – it’s very important to remember that.

Close Brothers Motor Finance can help you maximise your opportunities online and on the forecourt. * Britain Under The Bonnet report, Close Brothers Motor Finance, 2018

Sean Kemple is director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, one of the UK’s leading providers of motor finance. The company works with over 8,000 dealers and provides finance for new and used cars, LCVs, motorcycles, caravans and motorhomes. Go to closemotorfinance.co.uk to find out more.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

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“

Safe and Sound have implemented a number of new tailored Facebook advertising campaigns with all seven of our dealerships. In just a couple of weeks, these campaigns have achieved a 20% uplift in enquiries and increased our used vehicle sales as a direct result.

“

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Safe and Sound includes: Six month Ultimate or Five Star warranty Six month 24hr full UK breakdown cover 60 point vehicle safety inspection Provenance and mileage verifications Our exclusive dealer buy-back promise And much, much more...

For the Ultimate used car scheme, there can only be one choice.

Visit www.SafeandSound.co.uk or call 01844 293810 to find out more.

Request your free, no-obligation dealer pack today Warranty at www.WMSGroupUK.com Provider or call 01844 293 817.Year 2018 of the The warranty experts 76 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

From the WMS Group

*You will receive your jacket after your first five x 6 month warranty and recovery packages have been issued with no further obligation.

Market Insight.

...in association with ASE-global.com

Brexit continues to cast its shadow over the industry

Challenging end to tough year for UK's listed motor retailers Double-digit falls in share prices and overall drop reflects wider picture of economy, says Mike Jones.

T

he stock market in general had a year to forget in 2018, with the FTSE 100 ending the year 12.4 per cent down. This was certainly felt by many of the listed motor retailers, which ended the year with double-digit falls in share prices and the overall average performance down 17 per cent on the year.

This reflected the wider picture within the economy, with UK-based retailers particularly hard hit by changes in consumer spending, compounded by the uncertainty over the impending impact of Brexit, the continuing challenge of diesel and the supply-side impact of the recent changes in emissions legislation.

The most significant announcement during December was that of the resignation of Trevor Finn as Pendragon's chief executive, effective no later than March 31, 2019. The announcement appeared rushed – released on a Friday evening and with no successor named – and we saw an immediate dip in the share price, which then recovered above the pre-announcement level.

Pendragon also saw Schroders build its stake in the business above five per cent in the month and Teleios acquire further shares to take its holding above 17 per cent. It feels like 2019 could

Share price movement over the past month

Share price movement since the start of 2018

Pendragon

-8.2%

-21.1%

Vertu

-4.7%

-30.2%

Lookers

1.5%

-10.3%

Inchcape

-5.2%

-29.5%

Cambria

3.8%

-10.7%

Caffyns

-7.4%

-9.6%

Marshall

-0.6%

-7.5%

Motorpoint

-3.9%

-6.2%

BCA

2.3%

7.1%

Auto Trader

3.7%

28.8%

be a transformational year for the business, with all current signals pointing to change ahead.

Vertu announced its own directorate changes in December, with CFO Michael Sherwin stepping down in March 2019 to be replaced by deputy CFO Karen Anderson and Nigel Stead stepping down as non-executive director. With

Richard Blumberger joining Marshall as its new CFO, 2019 will see three of the listed companies – Pendragon, Marshall and Vertu – all with new CFOs. Marshall also announced that Richard Parry-Jones will be joining as non-executive chairman, taking over from Peter Johnson who retired at the end of 2018.

Outside of the listed motor retailers the significant growth in Auto Trader saw it added to the FTSE 100 Index from December 31. It also announced the completion of the joint venture with Cox Automotive to create Dealer Auction.

Auto Trader has rolled Smart Buying (previously known as Autotrade-mail) into it.

Financial performance After a hectic couple of months, December saw a lull in the announcement of trading results.

All eyes will be towards the first announcements of trading results for the final quarter of the year. The December registration statistics may put further pressure on retailers.

However, the monitoring of the Brexit negotiations and resulting impact on car supply is likely to dominate discussion and sentiment.

Mike Jones is chairman of dealer profitability specialist ASE plc. You can read his column here every month.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 77

In 2 19

Get What You Really Wanted For Christmas!

Over 1,000 New Candidates Available Since 25th Dec 2018

www perfectplacement.co.uk

78 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Recruitment.

MARSHALL

Carole builds on success to become franchise director MARSHALL Motor Group has made Carole Merry franchise director for the Volvo, Honda and Maserati division.

Carole has more than 20 years’ motor trade experience working with a number of top dealer groups. She joined the Marshall group in 2014 as general manager for Marshall Honda and Marshall Maserati in Peterborough, and since January 2018 has also held the sales operations manager role for the Volvo, Honda and Maserati division.

As such, she has played an integral part in improving the profitability, sales performance and customer experience at 15 Marshall dealerships. Chief executive Daksh Gupta said: ‘We have been delighted with Carole’s career progression and relationships with these three key manufacturer partners, so I am excited to see her building on her Volvo, Honda and Maserati sales operations successes.’

SSANGYONG

Stephen is new regional aftersales manager

S

sangYong has appointed Stephen Bucci as regional aftersales manager for the south of England.

He joins Peter Howe, regional aftersales manager for the north of the country, and Adrian Ryan for the central region. Stephen has come from Vestatec Distribution, where he was OEM key accounts manager responsible for the design and integration of aftermarket products – his accounts included SsangYong UK among other brands.

His motor trade experience also includes working with numerous brands such as Audi and Ford, and he was national aftersales manager for LCV brand DFSK. Doug

Lincoln, aftersales director of SsangYong UK, said: ‘As the SsangYong vehicle parc grows, we are preparing for the future by further investing in our aftersales service.

‘This strengthening of our

field force will enable us to provide even higher levels of support to our customers and dealer network.

‘I am delighted to welcome someone as experienced as Stephen to the team.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 79

Auctions.

How I made sure I got to see Damon Hill race.

Confessions, p83

Jones

Buyers get a new year boost as BCA Buyer app launched

CarShop is to hold regular sales with BCA at two venues

SALES PROGRAMME

CarShop appoints BCA for remarketing deal

S

ytner Group’s CarShop has partnered with BCA in a 12-month deal that will see up to 7,500 vehicles sold annually in weekly sales.

The sales programme launched in January and includes sales every Monday at BCA Peterborough and every Wednesday at BCA Bridgwater. All cars will be presale prepared and selected vehicles offered under the BCA Assured scheme.

Paul Christodoulou, head of disposals at CarShop and The Car People, said: ‘BCA provides the scale and flexibility we need to support our planned growth for 2019. The remarketing programme we have developed together brings a targeted audience through in-lane and online channels, and all supported with the

technology we need to streamline the process.’

CarShop operates sites in Cardiff, Doncaster, Northampton, Norwich and Swindon. It recently opened a £100,000 technical training centre at its preparation centre in Leighton Buzzard to enhance skills across its network.

Suzanne Spencer, major account manager at BCA, said: ‘CarShop is a fastgrowing brand and we worked closely with their team to develop a programme that provides a truly blended approach that streamlines the remarketing process.’

The partnership with CarShop extends BCA’s relationship with the Sytner Group’s supermarket division, with The Car People holding regular sales at BCA Brighouse.

Francis takes top development job FRANCIS Bleasdale has joined BCA as OEM business development director, with responsibilities for a number of key manufacturer customers including BMW and Toyota, among others.

He joins BCA following five years in senior roles with Fiat-Chrysler Automobile.

Car dealer new strip ad Revised Prior to that, Bleasdale spent nine years

at Nissan in a number of key roles. He said: ‘I am delighted to be joining BCA as the market leader providing integrated solutions for both physical and digital services to the automotive industry.

‘BCA is uniquely placed to deliver a comprehensive range of linked services 4/4/18 12:01 Page 1 to OEMs.’

Dene Jones is BCA UK‘s chief data and marketing officer. Visit bca.co.uk or call 0345 600 6644.

Fixed cost buyers premium User friendly website & stock locator. On-line bidding

Professional Vehicle Auctions for Professional Vendors & Buyers

80 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

B

CA’s customers are set to benefit from the launch of a new app that streamlines the buying process to ensure that they never miss a vehicle.

The BCA Buyer app offers mobile access to the largest range of used vehicles in the UK with the ability to search and track stock in real time.

The launch follows extensive customer testing and is designed to save buyers time and help them be more productive. In an industry first, the app supports online and in-auction bidding by allowing users to track multiple vehicles in real time and be notified when bidding starts. Buyers can also access detailed vehicle information, including BCA Assured reports, vehicle grades and guide pricing.

We put the buyer at the heart of the development process of the new Buyer app by spending many hours with a cross-section of our buyers over the past few months. It is designed to make the buying process as easy as possible by providing a best-in-class digital experience with an unrivalled selection of stock.

The new app is free to download in Google Play and Apple’s App Store. It offers a quick search for vehicles by make, model, auction centre, sale date and vendor. Users can view all the vehicles they want to bid on in one screen with a simple vehicle-tracking feature and benefit from real-time running orders and vehicle notifications.

Despite it only being available in the stores the past four weeks, we’ve already had thousands of downloads.

The launch of the new app marks a busy 2019 for BCA that will see a wave of innovation that will make it easier than ever to buy with BCA. BCA plans to roll out regular enhancements to the Buyer app based on buyer feedback to ensure that it consistently evolves with the needs of its buyers.

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Taking Stock.

Remarketing specialist BCA analyses its latest Pulse report to give its thoughts on matters that dealers need to consider in the months ahead

Average used car values rise to record level as trading strong Professional buyers were active throughout December and demand carried on to digital platforms, reports Stuart Pearson, chief operating officer for BCA’s UK remarketing operation.

A

verage used car values rose by £275 (2.7 per cent) to a record level of £10,141 in December as a strong month’s trading closed the year at BCA. Buyer demand remained positive for good-quality stock, while seasonal market trends and the shorter trading period saw some shift in model mix.

Average values improved for fleet and lease stock and nearly-new vehicles, while dealer part-exchange values were broadly static.

Year-on-year, the headline figure was up by £273, equivalent to a 2.7 per cent increase in average values that reflected the steady demand and well-balanced supply of cars available at BCA over the past 12 months.

BCA UK remarketing chief operating officer Stuart Pearson said: ‘Professional buyers were active throughout the month building forecourt stock for the new year and demand carried on to BCA’s digital platforms over the festive season.

‘The shorter trading period and the seasonal

influences on stock mix certainly created strong competition for vehicles that were ready for retail.

‘With data now available for the full calendar year, it is clear that the used car sector experienced sustained demand in 2018.

BCA saw values rise steadily during 2018, with professional buyers competing strongly for stock both in-lane and via BCA Live Online. Both fleet and lease and dealer part-exchange average values have seen double-digit percentage increases over 2017 figures. Nearly-new values are a third higher on average than in 2017.’

Average fleet and lease values in December rose to £11,790 – the third highest point on record and significantly ahead of the same period in 2017.

Average values were up by £1,186 (11.2 per cent) versus the same month last year.

The retained value against original MRP

Average used car value :

£10,141

(manufacturer’s retail price) slipped by just half a percentage point to 44.15 per cent. The average mileage and age of part-exchange vehicles continued to rise in December, with values effectively static at £5,275 – the third highest value recorded at BCA for dealer stock.

Year-on-year values were ahead by £502, representing a 10.5 per cent increase over the 12-month period.

Sustained demand for nearly-new vehicles during 2018 has seen average values rise in 10 of the past 12 months.

December values improved compared with November by £490 (2.0 per cent), with strong competition for the most desirable vehicles. The average value of £24,660 was the third highest this year and ahead of December 2017 by £5,627 – a 29.5 per cent uplift. Model mix has a significant effect in this very low-volume sector, with brand-specific winners and losers.

Average dealer part-exchange values:

£5,275

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

Data file.

James Litton

TRADER TALES

Suzuki’s new Jimny gives plenty of food for thought

I

f you ever find yourself in Devon and are in search of some tasty food, you could do yourself a favour and track down The Ring of Bells in Cheriton Fitzpaine. Only your mum will make a better roast dinner.

But what makes it so nice?

The roast beef is perfectly cooked and generous in portion, the roast potatoes have some crunch but are fluffy inside, and the vegetables are well seasoned. However, the star of the show was the gravy.

I am not entirely sure what goes into this special sauce, but it makes the roast dinner stand out from a million I have had before.

I have the same feeling when I see the new Suzuki Jimny.

Visit any large pub or restaurant chain and they will typically have a roast dinner on the menu, in the way that most manufacturers have a small SUV within their range.

The ubiquitous roast dinner has all the staple ingredients, but none do what The Ring of Bells can do.

The same can be said of Suzuki.

You may think that I am being disloyal to Volvo, the brand that I represent, but this is not the case.

Volvo is where Suzuki could be in a few years’ time, providing the cars following the Jimny have similar appeal.

When Volvo launched the SPA XC90 in 2015, I can remember being similarly impressed as I was with Suzuki.

A brand not known for creative design and interiors was suddenly competing impressively in a market flooded with strong competition.

What Volvo has been able to do since 2015 is consolidate the first SPA car with a string of award-winning models that are now recognised as strong competitors in each segment, including the XC40, which will tackle the Jimny head on.

Suzuki was already occupying a lofty position in the most recent NFDA survey.

Its dealers must now feel like they have the best pudding (try the apple crumble; simply divine) to go with their delicious lunch.

Toyota also deserves some praise for reinventing an iconic car. The imagery of the new Supra looks like the menu of a kebab shop at 2am on a Sunday morning: delicious.

One can only hope that the car itself does not disappoint like the inevitable limply lettuced lamb doner.

Before I go, I would like you to heed this warning: it would not be good for your health to eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding every day.

While cabbage may sit nicely with a lovely piece of roast beef, I would not want it as an ice cream flavour.

By offering a 500 incarnation for every palate, Fiat has proved that too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.

‘Its dealers must now feel like they have the best pudding.’

James Litton is general manager – director of Volvo Cars Poole. He always has something to say about the industry he loves.

82 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Faking mourning for Grand Prix morning

B

ack when I started out in the industry, I worked at a Renault franchise as part of the sales team.

It was a fairly good gig that I kept for about three years, and some of my colleagues really helped me as I learnt the industry.

At one point during my tenure, I also learnt to put myself first – something that I’d been terrible at previously. Before you read on, it’s also worth noting that I’m a big fan of motor racing.

It was 1996 – early in my time at the dealership – and Renault was putting a lot of effort into promoting itself through racing in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) as well as being an engine supplier for various teams in Formula One. Its customer list in Grand Prix racing that year included Williams, which also built the Laguna touring cars, as I’m sure some of your readers will know.

Back then, the BTCC used to hold races at the Grand Prix, so I imagine it made a lot of sense to send out tickets to the dealer network to tout the brand’s successes, and our boss, who didn’t follow the sport, was lucky enough to have some sent his way.

I know this because I was the default postie at the time and would distribute the letters to the relevant people and desks.

I also know this because I pocketed the tickets...

The envelope was branded in such a way that identifying it as being F1-related was easy. ‘He won’t even go. I’d enjoy it more,’ I thought to myself as I quietly slipped the envelope in my bag, making a mental note of race day – July 14.

The day drew closer, but not long beforehand the MD announced he was going away on Grand Prix weekend and needed all hands on deck. I panicked. I’d been relishing the prospect of attending the race, especially since Damon Hill was in the midst of a great year.

Scrabbling for an excuse, I said: ‘Sorry, I’ve been meaning to say that I’m going to have to be away that weekend. My aunt in… Scotland has passed away, and I really owe it to Mum to be there.’ My mother was an only child, but nonetheless, everyone took the bait.

Fast-forward to July 14, and at the very moment I was supposedly serving as a pall bearer in Inverness, I was watching the Williams-Renaults start from the front row.

‘I also learnt to put myself first – something I’d been terrible at previously.’

Tell us your story

Have you something to confess? Email our head of editorial (you can find her details on page three) or post it on our forum – cardealermagazine.co.uk/forum CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

Key Notes.

...in association with Traka

Key technologies set to reshape all businesses – not just dealers Paul Smith begins a close look at ‘The Essential Eight’ ways that are going to have a global impact.

J

ust before Christmas, I was lucky enough to be invited to a technology seminar in which a PricewaterhouseCoopers director spoke about ‘The Essential Eight’.

These are the eight key emerging technologies that PwC selected from more than 150 technologies it researched, because it regards them as having the most significant, and potentially ubiquitous, impact on businesses globally within the next three to five years.

The Essential Eight are, in short, ‘the technology building blocks that we believe every organisation must consider’. PwC’s view is that those without a strategy to take advantage of some of the eight will be damaged – and may even be out of business – in as little as 10 years.

With this scary prospect in mind, I listened with interest as PwC took on: 1. Augmented reality (AR) 2. Virtual reality (VR) 3. Internet of Things (IoT) 4. Blockchain 5. Artificial intelligence (AI) 6. Robots 7. Drones 8. 3D printing I noted straight away that the first six on the list already offer clear potential in the automotive and car dealership world, so I thought I’d use my first two columns of 2019 to look at them in more detail:

AR is a visual or audio overlay on the physical world that uses contextualised digital information and other ‘sensory modalities’ to augment the user’s real-world view. I’ve written in the past in this column about the potential for AR-enabled smart glasses to be worn by the prospect when walking around and sitting inside the car they are thinking about buying.

AR can now enable a customer to virtually see that new tech pack in the dashboard, view the leather interior upgrade in different colours and open the virtual sun roof to the sky – all while receiving useful information about these features in the customer’s head-up display.

In the near future, it will not only be possible to see those in-car features but also hear what those upgraded speakers sound like, touch those new leather seats, feel the warmth of those heated seats and have the whole immersive experience enhanced by pleasant smells.

VR offers the potential to take that same virtual car out on the open road or, if it’s a 4x4, on an off-road mountain track of a preferred degree of difficulty. In the future with autonomous driving, it will be possible to take customers through the experience of travelling in an autonomous vehicle with other autonomous vehicles (as well as traditional vehicles) around you.

IoT offers a network of physical objects, devices, vehicles, appliances that each contain sensors, software, network

connectivity and computer power that lets them collect, exchange and act on data without human intervention. For IoT, we can read the connected car. Cars today can collect, store and even transmit data about the usage, maintenance requirements and other onboard diagnostics to the car’s designated service centre.

It is conceivable that within a few years, service centres could offer a proactive maintenance service, perhaps via a small monthly subscription, which tells the driver when specific parts need to be replaced or serviced – offering slots for bringing the vehicle in.

AI is about crunching more data and more variables more quickly and accurately than it’s possible for humans to achieve. This is only possible today if humans build AI algorithms that work well to gather all necessary data to make a judgement.

The autonomous vehicle is arguably the largest and most sensitive testing ground for AI that there is right now.

Using AI and machine learning to defeat the Go board game champion of the world in March 2016 is one thing, but using it to make autonomous driving consistently safer than human-only driving is quite another. Futurists predict that we may be less than 20 years from making this a reality.

We will have to save blockchain and robots for next month’s column, but in summary, six out of PwC’s Essential Eight will reshape our market fundamentally within 10 years, and most of these technologies are so disruptive that they demand a collective response from manufacturer and dealer alike.

Paul Smith heads Traka Automotive, part of the ASSA Abloy Group brand Traka. ASSA Abloy bought the electronic key management software provider eTag Solutions, which was founded by him. Traka is a leader in intelligent access control, key management control solutions and keyless electronic lockers.

Keys can make you money…

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On Your Side.

...in association with Legalsolutions4u

Bespoke advice from specialist practice to protect dealerships Dedicated lawyer is on hand to help resolve issues – and will deal with unlimited consumer rights matters.

L

egalsolutions4u began trading in April 2016. It is a specialist legal practice offering bespoke legal advice purely to the motor trade. The firm was created following reforms to consumer law and in particular the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and to protect car dealerships.

It advises a range of car dealerships from franchises and car supermarkets to independents and home traders on a multitude of areas including the Consumer Rights Act 2015, trading standards disputes, finance house disputes, employment law and defamation in relation to online reviews from customers.

Legalsolutions4u has grown dramatically over the past three years, offers an unrivalled package and now acts for more than 1,000 dealerships across the country.

It offers a unique solution to the daily issues encountered by car dealerships and for a low monthly fixed fee it will deal with unlimited complaints and legal matters arising in connection with the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Legalsolutions4u will deal with any historic or ongoing cases that you currently have. It prides itself on removing the burden and complex nature of the legislation and acts on your behalf to advise you what is the best course of action.

It is there to protect the dealership, as opposed to certain consumers who wish to use the act to punish the dealer.

Legalsolutions4u has a proven track record of acting for dealerships in dealing with Consumer Rights Act issues and giving the best advice to them to protect the dealer’s position and to ensure that the act is not being abused to take

86 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The way the company operates is that you will have a dedicated lawyer on hand to whom you will have direct access at the end of the telephone to deal with any queries or issues.

When an issue arises, you can either telephone or email the details through to your adviser and then Legalsolutions4u takes over and begins

drafting all the correspondence and will deal with the matter through to completion.

In addition and free of charge it will complete a full review of your existing sales procedures and provide you with a full and robust system to ensure that going forward you are compliant with the Consumer Rights Act. This will include checking your terms and conditions of sale and making suggested amendments, pre-delivery inspection documents, etc. A lot of the compliance with the act is to ensure that you have a full and robust audit of events. There are no tied-in contracts and it operates on a 30-day rolling basis, all for a low cost of £49.99 plus VAT per month.

For a free one-hour legal consultation on an issue give them a call on 0191 481 3992 and quote ref ‘Car Dealer19’. Alternatively, you can subscribe for free legal updates by emailing advice@legalsolutions4u.co.uk and start protecting your dealership.

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LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Kia Ceed SW 1.6 CRDi DCT 3 It’s a baptism of fire for our sensible new Ceed estate as 600 miles in a day prove a snap.

by TOM WILTSHIRE @mctreckmeister

W

e’re sent a great number of cars to test here, and many of them aim for excitement with powerful engines, shiny styling additions and a list of equipment as long as your arm.

That’s all well and good, but even the most extensive spec sheet can’t cover up a car that’s simply a pain to live with.

That’s why I had such high hopes for the new addition to our fleet – the Kia Ceed SW. Kia and parent company Hyundai, in the main, produce cars with one particularly brilliant attribute – the total inability to irritate. While Kias often struggle to excite, they hit back by offering absolutely nothing to moan about, which is a pretty rare thing indeed.

I had plenty of time to put this to the test in my first run in the car – a marathon 10-hour day where I’d cover nearly 600 miles. A funeral in the family meant driving from Southampton to my grandparents in Great Yarmouth, before dropping my siblings back in Cheltenham – via Bristol, just to spice things up. A noble mission, then, for our Ceed SW 1.6 CRDi DCT 3.

Let’s dissect that badge. The Ceed is Kia’s rival to the Ford Focus and VW Golf, a mid-sized family hatchback built in Europe and tuned specifically for European tastes. It’s the successor to the Cee’d – Kia thankfully decided to drop the apostrophe. SW stands for Sportswagon, which in this case means ‘estate’.

Our car’s fitted with the 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine, which produces a decent if not sparkling 114bhp and is supposedly capable of nearly 70mpg. We’ve paired it with the DCT seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As for 3, that’s the trim level, in a line-up that confusingly starts at 2 and finishes with First Edition. Right.

Practically, that means our car does without particularly fancy styling and luxury features but provides all the essentials – cruise control, alloy wheels, automatic headlights and wipers, climate control, a reversing camera and Kia’s seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, DAB and smartphone connectivity.

It’s this last feature that I’m so glad to see – I’m a huge convert to Android Auto and use it wherever possible, including on 10-hour trips to see family.

Kia’s estate impressed everyone, although the fuel economy left something to be desired

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Price (as tested): Engine: Power: Torque: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG (combined): Emissions (CO2): Mileage:

Kia Ceed SW 1.6 CRDi DCT 3 £24,605 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel 114bhp 280Nm 119mph 10.3 seconds 67.3 108g/km 1,780

THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT: Still liking the Ceed even after 10 hours at the wheel.

With the addition of Shadow Black metallic paint, our car weighs in at a very palatable £24,605. A bargain? Well, perhaps, but certainly not in the way Kias used to be. For just a few hundred pounds more, Ford will sell you a Focus Estate in Titanium trim, netting you keyless go and heated seats as well as a more renowned badge.

Perhaps slightly annoyingly, Kia doesn’t really offer an options list, either. There’s currently no way to get more features on a diesel model – the range-topping First Edition does get LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, heated seats all round and a premium sound system, but it’s only offered with the 1.4-litre petrol engine. It costs a pretty penny, too.

Are any of these deal-breakers, though? Not really. The Kia proved a great companion on my terrible day – a relaxing cruiser, happy to sit at 70 for hours at a time and providing nothing for me to distract myself complaining about.

Even my passengers couldn’t moan too much, with a decent amount of space in the rear and

A great companion on a terrible day comfortable seats. In the end, I had only a couple of niggles.

Firstly, I’d like to be able to specify heated seats, improved headlights and a premium sound system on a diesel model. The last two simply address the Ceed’s weak points, while the first is a personal favourite. And secondly, given the Ceed’s quoted fuel economy of 67.3mpg combined, I felt 56.6mpg was a bit below par for a car that spent nearly 10 hours with the cruise control never exceeding 70mph. Perhaps economy will improve as we rack up the miles – which I’m sure we’ll be doing, given how easily the Ceed laps up long journeys.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

Long-termers.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Mercedes X-Class The bare-bones X-Class proves that vehicles don’t need bells and whistles to make a pleasant noise.

by JACK EVANS @jackrober

O

ver the past few years, the explosion of ‘high-end’ trucks has been felt across the country, with pick-ups sporting huge alloy wheels and luxurious interiors appearing all over the place.

So, are we getting a touch disconnected from what a pick-up is ‘meant’ to be?

Perhaps. I’m bad enough for this – I ran a topof-the-range Volkswagen Amarok for six months this time last year and got pretty used to heated seats, a high-definition infotainment screen and an engine that allowed it to outpace most hot hatches in a straight line.

But, like a shining white beacon in front of me, here’s the antidote. It’s from a premium manufacturer but the truck itself is decidedly entry-level. It’s the Mercedes X220d.

It’s finished in Progressive specification, which is one above the very base Pure trim level. But in terms of overall kit, it’s pretty bare bones.

Weighing in at £34,200 it’s still expensive, but it’s only around £2,500 more than the base Pure spec. For that you get 17-inch alloy wheels with squashy 255/65 tyres, black fabric upholstery, electric wing mirrors and – gasp – decadent carpet flooring. There’s a seven-inch infotainment screen, but there’s no satellite navigation.

Bluetooth connectivity is fitted though, so at least there’s the option to play music from your phone through the car’s speaker system.

Powertrain-wise, you get a 2.3-litre turbocharged diesel unit with 161bhp and 403Nm of torque.

Mercedes claims 37.2mpg and we’d back this – the truck is just starting to loosen up after arriving with delivery miles and we’ve already been seeing around 36mpg, so the claimed figure isn’t out of the realms of achievability.

And that’s about it. You’ve got a loadbed, engine, steering wheel and manual gearbox. In short, all you could want from a pick-up.

So what’s it been like to drive in the first month? Not bad at all. The diesel engine, though clattery on start-up, recedes to a gentle thrum when warmed up and cruising. There’s not too much road noise, and although the tyres generate a bit of a roar, it’s no more than you’d expect.

The X-Class comes with a collision detection system as standard, and although it’s a welcome 88 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

It may be entry-level but the X-Class shows that’s no bad thing in the pick-up sector

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Mercedes X220d Progressive Price (as tested): £34,200 Engine: 2.3-litre turbocharged diesel Power: 161bhp Torque: 403Nm Max speed: 105mph 0-60mph: 12.7 seconds MPG (combined): 37.2 Emissions (CO2): 236g/km Mileage 2,050 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT The lamp over the bed is proving most useful. addition, it’s been bonging away at times when the area ahead is perfectly clear – and it can be a little distracting when you’re driving round a bend or navigating a roundabout.

But that’s really about it in terms of grumbles.

The ride isn’t too bad for a ladder-frame vehicle, and the large tyres help to make things a fair degree more comfortable than an equivalent pickup riding on much lower-profile rubber.

The steering is light, which makes parking a little bit easier, although the sheer size of the thing means that I’m often keeping a sharp eye for the biggest spaces or the ones without any cars next to them.

The lamp over the bed is particularly useful at this time of year when there’s not a lot of daylight to play with. In all, it proves that basic isn’t bad.

Do I miss having satellite navigation built in?

Not really. Do I wish the seats were leather-clad and featured 18-way adjustability? Not in the slightest. Just because something doesn’t have the bells and whistles doesn’t mean that it’s incapable of making some noise. And the X-Class is certainly making its presence known.

OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING

Citroen C3 Aircross Mileage: 15,032 Our Aircross was busy over Christmas. Presents, people and all things in between were crammed into its surprisingly roomy cabin. It’s going back to Citroen soon and we’ll be sad to see it go.

Seat Ibiza FR As one Seat car leaves our loan fleet, another is welcomed – and quickly proves its worth.

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

W

ith the Christmas season in full swing, it seemed appropriate that we took delivery of a little cracker of a car. And already the good-looking new Seat Ibiza supermini is settling nicely into our fleet.

The compact hatchback might be the most diminutive offering we have on loan from a manufacturer at the moment – but as recipients of seasonal gifts often find out, the best things can come in small packages.

KY68 ZXK is a sporty FR model embellished with some natty design touches to help it stand out. In smart Eclipse Orange metallic paint, it has a punchy and eager 1.0-litre petrol engine mated to a slick six-speed manual gearbox.

Capable of going from 0-60mph in around nine seconds, the car can press on to a top speed of 121mph and deliver fuel economy in excess of 55mpg. And although in some places you’ll see the Ibiza described as a city car, that really doesn’t do it justice, as it’s completely at home on motorways tackling journeys that are a lot longer than a typical daily commute.

After our car was dropped off (and its predecessor, a larger Seat Arona, returned to Seat HQ), it had a quietish initial spell with us. Daily eight-mile journeys from home to work and back again were the order of the day before it was time

Seat’s compact hatchback proved to be a real Christmas cracker when it joined our fleet

to head to Heathrow to fly to foreign climes on business. Heathrow isn’t that far away from our base – but it did prove far enough for the Ibiza to stretch its legs and show us what it can do.

I must say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Departing from our HQ near Portsmouth, I headed up the A3, which, although quite a fast route towards the capital, is known for being peppered with several short slip roads with lots of speeding traffic joining the carriageway relatively unannounced, as it were. This means you can

find yourself trapped between a newly arriving vehicle on your left and another one overtaking on your right. The Ibiza had no trouble handling these sorts of situations, though. A quick gear change down, a bit of pressure applied to the accelerator pedal and we were off – clear of any potential horn-sounding or light-flashing. I’m an Ibiza driver, get me out of here!

I was pleasantly surprised, too, by the fact that as a lanky six-footer there was plenty of room for me to push the driver’s seat back and get comfy.

I was on my own on that occasion, so wouldn’t have known if I’d left enough space in the back for a passenger to relax – but a week or two later, I was off to an awards ceremony in London with a couple of colleagues. Back-seat passenger Michelle had nothing negative to report about our journey other than the fact that a manual window winder seemed a bit old-school these days.

The Ibiza played a blinder in the traffic. It’s so nippy and quick off the mark, it was right at home, and we arrived feeling calm and relaxed.

All in all, our Ibiza has made a good impression in its first few weeks with us and it definitely emerged as a (Christmas) star performer.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Mazda 6

Skoda Fabia

Mileage: 3,348

Mileage: 3,783

Dealing with video kit-lugging duties this month, its large boot, comfortable ride and spacious interior have proved ideal for a film team carrying cameras, tripods and lenses.

This is a new addition to the fleet and it’s been quickly put to use by Ryan Hirons with a marathon trip from the south coast to Hull (and back). He says it’s ‘Skodalicious’. Expect a full report soon.

Model: Seat Ibiza FR Price (as tested): £17,845 Engine: 1.0 TSI six-speed manual petrol Power: 113bhp Torque: 200Nm Max speed: 121mph 0-60mph: 9.1 seconds MPG (average): 56.5mpg Emissions (CO2): 113g/km Mileage: 1,182 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT: Staying calm and relaxed in London traffic.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

The last word JA M E S B AG G OT T

Against our better judgment, we give our CEO the final say each month

Out with the old figures – let’s hope the new ones give us some cheer

Y

ou can forget Baby Shark or Blue, or whoever it was who bagged the number one spot in the charts at the end of 2018, because the top of the pops we all really care about are the winners and losers in the car world.

While many hate the return to work in January, dragging themselves out of a slumber that includes not knowing what day of the week it is, a period when pyjamas are without doubt an acceptable form of everyday clothing, and a constant internal battle to decide whether it’s acceptable to have a glass of wine at 11am (it is), I actually look forward to the first few days back in the office.

Why? Well, like a kid on Christmas morning, I wait for the delivery of data down the Car Dealer Towers internet chimney from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders that helps cut through the PR bull manure we’ve been served up with for months – the annual sales figures. ‘We’re the best at this’, ‘We’ve outsold that’, the news can be spun any which way a car manufacturer pleases throughout the year, but these straightforward end-of-year sales figures can’t be denied.

So, let’s cut to the chase – who was the big winner of the year? Well, surprise, surprise, once again it was Ford, registering 254,082 cars. Not a bad result, but still nearly 12 per cent, or 33,314 cars, down on 2017. As always, we need to be very careful labelling these as ‘sales’ figures as that’s not necessarily true.

Remember, cars sold to dealerships in bulk and then registered by the dealer to enter the used market are included too.

Next in line to the throne was Volkswagen – punting out 203,133 units.

They dropped too, but by only 2.5 per cent, or 5,329 cars. That’s impressive and proves the fall-out from dieselgate is well and truly forgotten. Funny how quickly consumers forget, isn’t it?

In third was Vauxhall. The brand is continuing its restructuring, cutting back dealer numbers and rationalising its entire UK operation. Sales dropped again for the firm by just over nine per cent to 177,298. Considering that just three short years ago it clocked up nearly 100,000 more registrations with 269,766 sales in 2015, the figures clearly demonstrate the dramatic changes the brand is experiencing under PSA Group ownership.

The big losers of the year were Infiniti – down a whopping 79 per cent – with just 750 cars in the whole year. That’s pretty much what Ford does in a day. They were followed by DS, 44 per cent down with 5,074 cars clocked up in a year.

A shock third worst performer, after you exclude the now-defunct

Chevrolet, was Nissan – 32 per cent down with 102,637 sales.

Although on the face of it that looks worrying, Nissan still outsold Japanese rivals Toyota (101k), Honda (52k) and Mitsubishi (21k) to be the best-performing Japanese brand.

Another interesting statistic to look at is the biggest risers. MG topped the board with a 104 per cent rise from 4,441 sales in 2017 to 9,049 in 2018. Mitsubishi was the second most-improved brand, increasing sales by 31 per cent, followed by Abarth, with a 26 per cent rise.

In the big German sausage-waving battle of 2018, Mercedes was certainly not the ‘Wurst’ (sorry), nudging out rival BMW by just 190 registrations. Merc chalked up 172,238 units with BMW clocking in with 172,048. Audi was third with 143,739.

Interestingly, in a year of falls, all three of the German brands were down – BMW the ‘best’ worst performer, down two per cent, Mercedes was down by five per cent and Audi fell by a dramatic 18 per cent. It’s these stats that tell the real story.

I always find the luxury brand figures telling too. While Ferrari or Lamborghini don’t report sales – far too beneath them – the likes of Bentley, Aston Martin and McLaren do. Bentley sold 1,542 models, AM managed 1,455 units, Maserati 1,297, McLaren 626 and Lotus just 247. If we count Alpine as one of those revered makers, some 142 lucky drivers picked up our Road Test of the Year 2018 winner – the brilliant A110. Jealous. I exclude Porsche as it’s a little more mainstream these days – its sales were down 11 per cent at 12,437 units.

One very telling stat was the Kia v Hyundai figure. From what I can ascertain, Kia outsold its parent company Hyundai in the UK for the first time with 95k-ish sales to Hyundai’s 90k-ish. I’ve heard an unconfirmed rumour Hyundai was not allowed to be outsold by Kia in the UK, so if this rule has finally been broken it’s a seismic shift for the Korean brands.

Overall, 2018 will be a year most manufacturers will want to forget. Diesel sales fell by a drastic 26 per cent and gains in alternatively fuelled cars and petrol didn’t go anywhere near making up for it. Add in a year of changing taxation, an unsettled economy and consumers holding on to their cash and most car firms will be hoping 2019’s 80 new model launches will help keep the wolves from the door and the market more stable in the next 12 months. My prediction? I see another 12 months of falling sales, the market dropping around five per cent in total, but stabilising towards the end of the year. Let’s hope so…

‘Overall, 2018 will be a year most manufacturers will want to forget.’

James Baggott is the founder of Car Dealer Magazine and chief executive officer of parent company @BaizeGroup, an automotive services provider. He now spends most of his time on Twitter @CarDealerEd and annoying the rest of us.

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