Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 180

FOUNDER

James Baggott james@thebaize.com

Twitter: @CarDealerEd

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

James Batchelor james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JRRBatchelor

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR

John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

STAFF WRITER

Jack Williams jack.williams@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JournoJack25

MULTIMEDIA MANAGER

Jon Reay jon@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JonReay

HEAD OF DESIGN

Graeme Windell graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @graemewindell CONTRIBUTORS

Becca Chaplin, Jack

Nigel Swan, Ted Welford

FINANCE MANAGER

Kate Gordon kate@blackballmedia.co.uk

SALES MANAGER

Kevin Day kev@blackballmedia.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Michelle Searle michelle@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @cardealermich

Headline partner

WELCOME.

Seems an awfully long time ago now, but during those weird months of 2020 that consisted of enforced lockdowns, watching daytime television, Joe Wicks and Captain Tom, Car Dealer carried on throughout. We knew that dealers were just as confused and as worried about the future as we were, which is why we launched our Car Dealer Live series – live interviews with the great and the good of the motor trade and car industry.

Every single day, we’d go live to James Baggott’s kitchen or me sitting on my yellow velvet sofa to hear how everyone was getting on, and the interviews quickly became a highly popular thing.

Nearly three years on from the start of lockdown (yes, really), Car Dealer Live is still enormously popular. From interviewing the big chiefs to exposing fake car dealers, we put an awful lot of time and effort into them.

For 2023, though, we thought we’d make Car Dealer Live a major event in the flesh as well. On March 9, we’ll be at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, taking over some of the venue’s fantastic conference rooms, laying out a couple of hundred chairs, constructing a stage and bringing along some amazing guests.

The theme of our first Car Dealer Live conference is, rather appropriately, the future of the car dealer. Since we started the Car Dealer Live series, we’ve seen how much the motor trade has had to adapt, and we thought it might be good to hear how it’s likely to change over the next few years. So, we’ve got some of the most passionate, interesting and knowledgeable faces in the business to give their thoughts on what’s going to happen.

You can find a full programme of events and details of the speakers on pages 6 to 9 of this magazine. I really do hope it’s something that you’ll support and, more importantly, that you’ll go with something new. At the time of writing and putting this issue of the magazine to bed, threequarters of the tickets had been sold, with the remaining spaces going quickly. Tickets can be bought at cardealerlive.co.uk.

Elsewhere in this magazine, we take a look at the amazing rise of Motorway, have a poke around Land Rover’s new showroom in Mayfair and feature all the latest news.

I hope to see you at Car Dealer Live either in person or via our web stream, and if you’re at the event in Gaydon, please do come and say hello.

Enjoy the magazine.

JAMES BATCHELOR Associate editor

Every single day, we’d go live to James Baggott’s kitchen or me sitting on my yellow velvet sofa to hear how everyone was getting on.

IGNITION.

DASHBOARD FORECOURT COMMENT DATA FILE

‘I think they’re sort of laser-focused on the UK market now, which is probably the right thing to do.’

‘It wasn’t all that long ago that the diesel version of any car, bar perhaps a supermini, was the de facto choice.’

‘The 408 is a very interesting addition to Peugeot’s range and shows that there’s life outside of an SUV.’

‘The automotive industry is already delivering growth that bucks the national trend.’

With less than a month to go now until our inaugural Car Dealer Live conference, excitement about the event is mounting among dealers keen to find out what the future holds, courtesy of exclusive research and insight from top names within the automotive industry.

Cambria Automobiles boss Mark Lavery will be one of the headline guests at the conference, which is being held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon on Thursday, March 9, with headline partner Auto Trader plus sponsors Cox Automotive and Close Brothers Motor Finance also taking part, delivering exclusive White Papers. Event partner Google will be there too, to discuss future trends for used car buyers.

Also lined up are a franchised dealer panel and an independent dealer panel – full details on the right – plus a manufacturer panel comprising Polestar UK CEO Jonathan Goodman, MG Motor UK commercial director Guy Pigounakis and Suzuki UK director Dale Wyatt offering a session on what they think car retailing will look like in the future.

It’s the event no car dealer can afford to miss!

Attendees will be able to enjoy thought-provoking panel sessions during the day, with coffee and pastries upon arrival and a buffet lunch included in the ticket price.

Car Dealer editor-in-chief James Baggott, who will be hosting the event alongside associate editor James Batchelor, said: ‘Our Car Dealer Live video sessions were extremely popular throughout the pandemic and beyond as we brought the industry to life with insights into a variety of businesses.

‘This event takes that concept and hosts it live on stage so the industry can not only enjoy the thought-provoking sessions we have planned but also enjoy the chance to catch up with colleagues. Think of the Car Dealer Live conference as the Live Stage from CDX all in one place and you won’t go far wrong.

‘We’ll be interviewing some incredible guests and revealing some exclusive research which will be sure to inspire our attendees. It’s going to be a great day.’

Think of the Car Dealer Live conference as the Live Stage from CDX all in one place and you won’t go far wrong.

Headline partner

research findings will be revealed at event that no car dealer can afford to miss!

James Baggott Car Dealer editor-in-chief

FRANCHISED DEALER PANEL

11

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND THE CAR DEALER LIVE CONFERENCE

John O’Hanlon CEO, Waylands Automotive Paul Hendy CEO, Hendy Group Neil McCue COO, Snows Motor Group

Some of the biggest names in the motor trade are set to give their thoughts on the future at the inaugural conference.

Bosses of some of the leading car dealer groups will be appearing at the event –sponsored by Auto Trader – on March 9.

Cambria Automobiles CEO Mark Lavery will be the headline interviewee and he’ll be talking about what the future looks like for his group after steering it away from the stock market.

The event is being held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon and tickets – which include refreshments and a buffet lunch – are selling fast, with 10 per cent of the proceeds going to

the automotive industry charity Ben. Bosses of three other franchised dealer groups –Paul Hendy, CEO of the Hendy Group, John O’Hanlon, CEO of Waylands Automotive, and Neil McCue, COO of Snows Motor Group – will also be taking to the stage.

The trio will be answering questions from our editors on what the future holds for franchised car dealers as agency sales begin to proliferate in the motor trade.

Audience members will be able to submit their questions to the panellists as well.

Questions can be submitted in advance via email

Sponsored by event partner

12.15: INDEPENDENT DEALER PANEL

Used car-savvy salesmen will give their opinion on the future for car dealers at our conference on March 9.

Dealers comprising those running one of the largest car supermarket groups in the UK, a luxury supercar dealer and two independent showrooms will form our four-strong independent car dealer panel at Car Dealer Live at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon.

They are:

• Nigel Hurley, CEO of car supermarket group Carshop

• Jamie Caple, the man behind used car dealership Car Quay

• David Trigg, the owner of supercar dealership Premier GT

• Stuart Saunders, a founding member of the IMDA and boss of the Urban Car Company in Cambridge

Hurley said: ‘I am looking forward to hearing the wider discussions from all the panels at the conference. Any insight is always welcomed.’

Caple commented: ‘I’m very much interested in hearing what Google has to say.’ He added that he was also looking forward to Mark Lavery give his talk.

Saunders said: ‘The IMDA’s core values have always been to support independent dealers and the Car Dealer Live event is very much the same.

‘It’s an excellent opportunity for all dealers to gain knowledge from other dealers.’

Sponsored by headline partner

1.Why did Cambria Automobiles boss Mark Lavery take it off the stock market?

2.Leading franchised car dealers on agency sales and what’s next

3.Where can the real profits be made in the used car market?

4.Are electric vehicles really going to disrupt the status quo?

5.What does Google think used car buyers want?

6.Are car dealers really ready for bricks-and-clicks selling?

7.It’s a chance to catch up with other car dealers

8.Car manufacturers will give their take on what the future holds for car dealers

9.Pastries, coffee and lunch are included in the price

10.Buying a ticket means you’ll be helping Ben

11.And there’s more to come… We’re still adding to the Car Dealer Live line-up. In the run-up to the event on March 9, 2023, we’ll be announcing more guests and more details of the sessions that you can enjoy. Stay tuned to find out more.

TURN OVER PAGE FOR WHITE PAPER SESSIONS AND THE DAY’S FULL AGENDA

Nigel Hurley CEO, Carshop David Trigg CEO, Premier GT

Jamie Caple Founder, Car Quay

Stuart Saunders IMDA secretary

AGENDA IN FULL

9.30

Arrival – coffee and welcome pastries

10.15

Welcome in auditorium from Car Dealer editor-in-chief James Baggott 10.20

Keynote interview – Mark Lavery, CEO, Cambria Automobiles 10.50

Franchised dealer panel – sponsored by Close Brothers Motor Finance

11.15

Coffee break and networking 11.45

White Paper session with headline partner Auto Trader 12.15

Independent car dealer panel –sponsored by Auto Trader 12.45

Buffet lunch

1.30

White Paper session with Close Brothers Motor Finance 2.00

Car manufacturer panel – sponsored by Cox Automotive 2.30

White Paper session with Cox Automotive 3.00

Google keynote interview 3.30

Event finishes

Buffet lunch advisory

Attendees with any type of nut allergy should note that the museum cannot guarantee that its food or the products that it buys in do not contain nuts or traces of nuts. It does not have a nut-free kitchen or a completely separate nut-free area to prepare the catering, therefore it does not accept any responsibility for any allergic reactions. If an attendee’s allergy is that severe, they are advised to bring their own food and drink with them.

Headline partner

SESSION

How will EVs disrupt the car dealer status quo?

Used car pricing, the surge in electric car sales and what consumers really want from car dealers will be at the forefront of an exclusive Auto Trader presentation.

The advertising giant is the headline partner of Car Dealer Live, and Auto Trader chief operating officer Catherine Faiers has given Car Dealer a preview of what she’ll be presenting at the event.

She said in our video: ‘I’m really looking forward to the event. We’ll be looking to bring our unique insights into what’s happening with demand with car buyers, what we’re seeing on the supply side and what’s happening with pricing. And we’re looking to apply specifically an electric vehicle lens to that insight. We know that one of the

big forces of change we’re going to see this year is electric used car vehicles increasingly growing in volume of stock.

‘And we’re seeing huge changes on the consumer side in the demand that we’re seeing from buyers for that stock, and in the behaviours that we’re seeing for those electric vehicle buyers. That will have huge implications for how retailers think about sourcing, pricing and advertising those cars.’

Auto Trader will also delve into the likely changes as the automotive industry accelerates towards the 2030 deadline.

Faiers added that she was looking forward to getting back to a live event where the industry can ‘connect and be back together’.

With headline partner

To be announced 1.30: WHITE PAPER

SESSION

With event partner

To book tickets, click here or visit CarDealerLive.co.uk

Close Brothers Motor Finance will be talking through the results of its exclusive White Paper, details of which will be announced closer to the date of the conference.

How much of the car buying process do people want to do online and how much at dealerships?

How much of the buying journey are car buyers prepared to do online and in physical dealerships is a question that Cox Automotive will be hoping to answer at Car Dealer Live.

Experts at the firm are currently surveying consumers and car dealers to ask what they want from online and physical car purchasing.

While it’s clear consumers are happy to carry out a large proportion of their research online, what isn’t so well known is how much of the buying process they want to complete from home.

Cox Automotive will present its findings at the conference, with insight and strategy director Phil Nothard and the Car Dealer team being joined on stage by two special guests

– Michael Bell, CEO of Available Car, and Stephanie Muzzall, digital project manager for consumer digital at Volvo Car UK – to discuss the results of the survey.

Nothard explains what he and his guests will be chatting about in a special video preview that you can watch here. He said they’ll ‘give a retailer and OEM perspective’ on some of the findings of the exclusive research, adding: ‘Our research will really try to find out what barriers the retailers are seeing in terms of the full omnichannel experience, what solutions are they offering in that digital space and what, from a consumer perspective, they like around what’s available on retailer websites...Dealers will need to navigate a lot of changes.’

With event partner

3.00:

KEYNOTE INTERVIEW

Physical car dealerships remain crucial in an online used car buying journey, says Google

Despite the rise of online car sales, physical car dealerships are still crucial to the buying journey, says Google

The search giant will reveal its latest research into how important a blended approach to sales is at our conference.

Ben Gault, automotive industry manager for Google UK, will deliver the key address that will look at the growing importance of omnichannel retailing for car dealers.

In a video interview, which you can watch here, Gault said: ‘We’re going to be sharing our latest release of Gearshift, which is an in-depth consumer panel survey on the modern journey of how used car buyers are currently buying their cars.

Q&A AT A GLANCE

What is it?

It’s the inaugural conference building on our successful Car Dealer Live video series, and will see experts give their thoughts on what the future holds for the motor industry.

Where is it?

The conference is being held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire –Banbury Road, CV35 0BJ to be precise. If you use what3words, then ///smiled. harmonica.ivory will deliver you to its entrance.

What are the timings?

It all starts at 9.30am and finishes at 3.30pm. The full timetable is on page 8.

Are there refreshments?

You betcha! Coffee and pastries will be available to welcome attendees at 9.30am, and there’ll be a 45-minute break for a buffet lunch at 12.45pm – please note the advisory on page 8, though.

‘We’ll be covering facts such as how onlineheavy the used car journey is – 88 per cent of consumers will use an online source to help research their journey.

‘Within that process, we know that they’re making those decisions in under a month, and despite the rise of e-commerce, we still know that buyers are very rooted in buying from physical dealerships.’ He said that some of the ‘biggest conversations’ the firm is having with car dealers is around how they set their businesses up for ‘bricks-and-clicks’ car sales. Gault added: ‘Some of the trickiest conversations we’re having with our businesses and clients is around the role of omnichannel.’

With event partner

Where can I park?

There’ll be plenty of parking spaces on site. Just follow the bespoke signs that we’ve prepared for delegates and speakers.

Can I visit the museum too?

Yes, admission to the museum is included in the price of your conference ticket.

Where can I get a ticket?

They are available via this link and cost £149 for trading car dealers, £299 for non-car dealers and £199 for dealers and non-dealers to watch the event live online (no in-person access). Prices are ex-VAT.

IS MOTORWAY SET TO BE THE NEXT MOTOR TRADE GIANT?

• Online used car platform opens its doors to Car Dealer for a special video

• We chat to Motorway.co.uk’s founders and its car dealer customers about the site

• We look at how it grew to the billion-dollar business it is today, and find out what’s next

by James Baggott @CarDealerEd

Online used car marketplace Motorway has opened its doors to Car Dealer for an exclusive Investigations video.

The fast-growing online used car auction platform has made plenty of headlines since it arrived on the scene in 2017 – but where did the idea come from, and who are the people behind it?

In our special video, the founders of the used car auction platform – which connects used car sellers with car dealer buyers – chat about how they set up the firm and turned it into the billion-dollar business it is today.

Speaking to Car Dealer, the team explains how they came up with the idea for the platform that last year generated £1.7bn worth of car sales.

In the video, which you can watch by clicking the link in the box below or on the next page, we also speak to a host of car dealers who use the platform about their thoughts on the disruptor.

Six years after it started, Motorway has 350 staff working from offices in central London and Brighton. Its success story has seen it raise more than £200m in funding and it now works with 5,000 car dealers across the country.

But this isn’t the first time that Motorway’s founding partners – Tom Leathes, Harry Jones and Alex Buttle – have worked together. This is the fifth tech business the trio have started in the past 15 years.

Previously, they found success setting up – and then selling – various comparison websites. They dabbled in property and broadband, then, after a short break, decided to focus their efforts on the used car market.

They believed they’d spotted a gap for consumers to get the best price for their cars by selling them quickly and easily to car dealers. And it was this kernel of an idea from which Motorway was born.

‘We wanted to build the one company which would define our careers, and something that we could build over a 20- or hopefully 30-year period,’ explains CEO Leathes in the video. We zeroed in on this problem that we’d had as consumers, which is the problem of selling a car – how do you sell your used car for a great price and have a good experience doing it?

‘We looked at that problem and thought, that’s where we need to focus. And if we can build something that changes that and makes it better for dealers, then we’ll have something brilliant on our hands. And that was the start of Motorway.’

Car dealers love the fact that they can get their hands on quality used car stock directly from consumers via the platform. While currently it’s not quite set up for bulk-buying

We wanted to build the one company which would define our careers, and something that we could build over a 20- or hopefully 30-year period.

Tom Leathes Motorway CEO

dealers, those that do use it like the fact that they get access to quality cars that are often hard to find.

Redline Cars director John Graeme tells us in the video that he thinks the idea for Motorway proves ‘how fast asleep the motor trade sometimes is’.

He says: ‘It was a simple thing to do and just connected the dots.’

Marc Handscomb, director of used car dealer DCC, added: ‘It is very transparent. You tend to find that when people are selling their cars personally and privately, they know they’re going to have to interact with you, so when you turn up to collect the car, they tend to be a lot more honest.’

Like WeBuyAnyCar.com, Motorway is designed to offer consumers a hassle-free way of selling when they can’t be bothered to sell their cars privately.

Essentially, it’s an online auction where dealers compete to buy the vehicles. Sellers are guided through a simple process of listing and uploading details of their car to the site. They fill in an online form and take their own pictures.

Experts at Motorway then check the adverts for quality before setting them live in daily auctions of up to 1,000 cars.

Helped by this simple process, as well as its memorable radio and TV adverts, Motorway has continued to grab market share from traditional auction houses.

However, like most tech firms on a fast-paced growth trajectory, profitability is something that’s seen more as a nice-to-have, not a necessity.

Motorway is still submitting abridged accounts to Companies House, but it did tell Car Dealer that the value of the cars it sold more than doubled in 2022 – up from £841m in 2021 to £1.7bn.

In a statement, Motorway said that it is on ‘a strong path to profitability’ and that it has ‘significant funding reserves to drive its growth’. What losses the tech firm is clocking up weren’t disclosed.

Leathes said: ‘We believed from the start that this has to be a sustainable business. And even though it’s a technology business, it has to deliver a sustainable, hopefully 20-to-30year, journey.’

Motorway has hoovered up investment as part of this growth. Its last round of funding in 2021 saw it raise £189m from the likes of BMW and Index Ventures. The latter has previously backed tech firms including Slack, Roblox, Deliveroo and Etsy.

Leathes adds: ‘We believe in the power of technology to change an industry. And we also believe fundamentally that in 2017, and even now, the car industry is not utilising technology to its full potential. And that’s a core pillar for the business.’

It’s certainly been an impressive success story and one that car dealers we chatted to in the video think will continue.

‘It’s got the potential to go global,’ explains Taslim Miah, the owner of used car dealership Car Planet.

‘I think they’re sort of laser-focused on the UK market now, which is probably the right thing to do, but it’s definitely a platform that can scale across different markets.’

Sales director of Motorway James Bush agrees, saying: ‘We are still relatively small in terms of the market, but the market is enormous. The sky’s the limit.’

It’s definitely a platform that can scale across different markets.

We are still relatively small in terms of the market, but the market is enormous. The sky’s the limit.

Taslim Miah owner

of

used car dealer Car Planet

James Bush Sales director of Motorway

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME –THE JLR WAY

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has opened a new ’boutique’ showroom that gives a glimpse of its network transitioning to an agency model next year.

Stratstone Land Rover Mayfair, which officially opened on February 7, is the first JLR site to showcase a new strategy by the British brand to cater even more to customers in the luxury market.

It’s owned by Stratstone – which itself comes under the Pendragon umbrella – and operates in a traditional franchise capacity, but the new showroom gives a taste of the customer experiences that JLR is intending to offer under an agency model from next year onwards.

JLR said it is still ‘transitioning’ and ‘consulting’ with its retailer network ahead of the adoption of agency sales in late 2024.

The showroom, which is more than 100 years old and is in Berkeley Street, London, dispenses with the usual dealership fixtures and fittings and instead has been modelled as a ’boutique’.

Digital art and content screens cover the walls, while private consultation rooms allow customers to bespoke-order their cars.

Buyers can choose from a plethora of upholstery, trim and colour options, while there’s also an SV Lounge for customers of SVO-engineered vehicles.

Jaguar Land Rover said: ‘The Mayfair boutique is the manifestation of Jaguar Land Rover UK’s approach to client services for the luxury sector which sees a transition to a directto-customer agency model by 2024 – a move that elevates customer experience both in showrooms and online.’

JLR sales director Patrick McGillycuddy sat down with Car Dealer at the showroom’s grand opening, where he told us more boutiques such as the Mayfair one were likely in the future. ‘We’re looking at the different spaces we need in the future,’ he said. ‘Our “Arch Concept” [showrooms] are very much part of our future and our key route to market.

‘But if we think there is an opportunity to put a different premises in a different place, then we will assess them.’

The look and feel of the showroom is very different to JLR’s regular ‘Arch’ facilities, with staff dressed in smart pastel-coloured jackets, and the walls and flooring painted in sophisticated muted shades. McGillycuddy said Stratstone was involved throughout the refurbishment process.

‘We very much worked with Stratstone on this,’ he said. ‘Our partners are fundamental to our strategy. They are fundamental to our routes to market now and into the future.

‘We work with them, so we say “here are the design concepts, here’s what we think it [the showroom] should look like, what do you think?”, but we do look for consistency.

James Batchelor was given a ‘boutique’ taste of a brave new world when he was invited to Stratstone Land Rover Mayfair’s plush opening.

Each customer will be different. That’s the whole point of why we want to enable our customers to purchase online or in store.

Patrick

McGillycuddy JLR sales director

James Batchelor takes a look inside the Lansdowne Edition

‘If you look at some of the colours, the tones and how those have been executed, we’re doing similar things across the world. So, in Beijing and Shanghai there are some that have a similar look and feel, but in their own spaces and in their own interpretation as well. So there is a degree of consistency in how the brands are presented.’

McGillycuddy is very clear that the future of JLR retail is omni-channel – a mixture of online services and physical retail experiences.

‘Online sales are absolutely growing – we’re seeing more and more customers configuring online, then moving to retail inquiry. We’re also seeing more and more growth in paying for reservations online. When we launched the new Range Rover, we had our first online order in eight minutes.’

However, Stratstone Mayfair has been designed to pamper the customer with a modern, luxury experience – and physical representation is still absolutely key for Jaguar Land Rover. ‘Each customer will be different,’ says McGillycuddy. ‘That’s the whole point of why we want to enable our customers to purchase online or in store.

‘With online, it has to be easy, seamless and hassle-free with no barriers whether you want to be online or in store. It’s easy, it’s seamless, it’s hassle free, there are no barriers and I’m treated the way I deserve.

‘There’s no friction to the journeys; what I did online is the same in store – it’s the same system and I can pick up where I left off.

‘For our brands to bring that luxury manifestation to life, you have to have physical representation.

‘You have to be able to come and experience the product, you have to be able to touch it, see it, feel it. And the Lansdowne Edition [see panel] is the best manifestation of that.’

REVEALED: RANGE ROVER LANSDOWNE EDITION

LAND Rover has revealed an ultra-exclusive version of the Range Rover that pushes its halo model into Bentley and Rolls-Royce territory.

The Lansdowne Edition features a ‘curated’ specification designed by Land Rover’s SV Bespoke division and costs £250,000. Just 16 cars have been built, and they’re all sold.

Based on the SV version of the Range Rover, it gets a unique body colour called Lansdowne Grey Gloss, while the roof and mirror caps are painted in Corris Grey Gloss.

Additionally, the exterior gets special ‘SV Anthracite’ and ‘Graphite Atlas’ exterior trim details, black Land Rover badging and black chrome metal script badging – the latter being handcrafted by jeweller Fattorini.

Completing the look are 23-inch black satin forged alloy wheels with Corris Grey inserts.

The interior has received a custom-made overhaul too, with SV Bespoke rosewood and ebony leather upholstery featuring diagonal stitching, satin black ceramic controls and leather-edged mohair wool carpets.

The tread plates are illuminated as well, complete with ‘Lansdowne Edition 1 of 16’ script, and all cars get the Tailgate Event Suite package, allowing owners to sit on folding leather seats on the tailgate. There are no mechanical changes, with all 16 cars featuring the same BMW-derived 523bhp 4.4-litre twinturbocharged V8 petrol engine.

Patrick McGillycuddy, Jaguar Land Rover UK sales director, said: ‘The profound desirability of our products has never been so apparent. All 16 of the exquisite Range Rover SV Lansdowne Editions have been sold ahead of reveal, truly demonstrating the appeal of our luxury brands.

‘Alongside exceptional vehicles like the Lansdowne Edition, we are developing locations, services and events that provide unique and exclusive touchpoints for our clients. Our new Mayfair boutique provides

Marcus Blake, head of sales for JLR SV, explains the bespoke nature being created

Patrick McGillycuddy and James Batchelor chat in the SV Lounge

The Stratstone Land Rover Mayfair ‘boutique’ dealership showcases a new sales strategy by JLR

Let’s drive… finance innovation

Where do you turn when your prime lender declines a potential car buyer? Try Startline. We offer motor finance to around one in four individuals who we are delighted to welcome as customers despite their sometimes unconventional credit profiles.

Our flexible approach uses a market-leading scorecard, sophisticated technology and human expertise to offer highly competitive products, service standards and overall terms. It’s a dynamic solution that proves remarkably effective for more than half of both the UK’s top 50 franchise and independent dealers.

When your frontline motor finance provider steps back, Startline steps in. Together, we can drive finance innovation to the benefit of your business.

enquiries@startlinemotorfinance.com startlinemotorfinance.com

cardealerpower.com

VOTE FOR THE BEST –AND WORST

Say exactly what you think about the suppliers and manufacturers you do business with because our survey is anonymous, writes James Baggott.

Now’s the time to speak up and rate the motor trade suppliers you do business with and the car manufacturers you represent – in Car Dealer Power 2023.

Brought forward this year to be presented in the early summer, like we used to pre-Covid, these awards are the only ones voted for by those that matter the most – you, the car dealers.

This is your chance to have your say on what it’s like to represent your car manufacturer partners.

We use your marks in 13 classes to determine an overall score for each manufacturer and rank them from the best to the worst to represent in the UK.

You can rate everything from your manufacturer’s marketing to the requirements that it puts on you as a franchisee.

The survey is anonymous, so you can really say what you think. Only the scores published on our website are shared with the manufacturers.

Last year, Kia won the survey for the third year in a row. It narrowly beat sister firm Hyundai into second place while Suzuki was third.

We’ll also be looking to name the best suppliers to car dealers, with votes cast in 20 categories here.

Any car dealer can vote in Car Dealer Power and independents can skip straight to naming the best suppliers to do business with.

Voting only takes a few minutes.

As well as the best manufacturers to represent and the best suppliers to partner with, the Car Dealer Power awards also name the Car of the Year, as voted for by Car Dealer’s readers.

Last year, the new Range Rover won the top gong, with the Nissan Ariya and Dacia Jogger runner-up and highly commended respectively.

Car dealers can vote for their favourite car from any brand.

Voting for Car Dealer Power 2023 will close on Sunday, May 21.

The award winners will then be announced in a special video to be broadcast around Wednesday, June 28.

We’re looking for the cream of the crop in the following categories

SUPPLIERS

• Cleaning Product

• Recruitment Agency

• Stock Acquisition – for those providers who help dealers source stock via trade-to-trade or consumer-to-trade channels online

• Auction House – firms that have either a physical or online presence, or both

• Used Car Valuations

• Consumer Lead Generation

• Dealer Management System

• Website Provider for Independent Dealers

• Website Provider for Franchised Dealers

• Provenance Checks

• Warranties

• Paint Protection

• Trade Insurance

• Online Advertiser for New Cars

• Online Advertiser for Used Cars

• Finance (Sub-Prime)

• Finance (Prime)

• Personalised Video

• Extra Mile Award

• Product Innovation

MANUFACTURERS

• Manufacturer of the Year

• Car of the Year

Voting for this year’s awards will close on Sunday, May 21 – but don’t delay!

Click here now

The Range Rover came top last year with the Nissan Ariya and Dacia Jogger runner-up and highly commended.

USED VAN PRICES HIT RECORD HIGHS AS ULEZ EXTENSION BECKONS

Tradespeople don’t see why they should be forced into replacing their vehicles when they’re running perfectly.

Prices of used late-model vans have risen by record levels as tradespeople look to secure themselves against the proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) extension in Greater London this summer.

From August, the £12.50 daily charge for non-Euro 6 diesel vehicles will extend to all London boroughs, covering almost all of the area inside the M25.

In November 2022 (the latest month for which figures are available), used van prices rose by £240 compared with October to reach £9,914: the highest monthly value recorded and a year-on-year increase of more than 11 per cent in used van values. It was driven by substantial demand and limited supply as buyers clamoured to get compliant vehicles to continue to run their businesses. The one with the biggest rise was the VW Transporter, with values of Euro 6 models increasing by £1,140 on average over the past year.

Jason Price, a roofer from Fenstanton in Cambridgeshire, faces a substantial but all-toocommon challenge, as most of his contract work is in north and east London – a 60-mile commute that he does at least three days a week in his 2008 Citroen Relay.

‘I bought my van when it was three years old and have maintained it carefully,’ he said. ‘It’s my livelihood – it’s covered over 200,000 miles but it’s still running perfectly and I have no need or desire to replace it, as it’s challenging enough being self-employed at the moment with the cost-of-living increases.

‘Why should I, as a small business, be forced to part with a five-figure sum – as that’s what most Euro 6 vans are going for – just so I can continue to work hard and contribute my taxes to the economy? It’s not fair on so many small businesses and is an ill-thoughtout scheme, allowing used van sellers to capitulate.’

The situation isn’t helped by constricted supply of new light commercial vehicles, with availability down by more than 22 per cent throughout 2022 because of production challenges headed up by the global semiconductor shortage. This has seen vehicle production in the UK fall to record lows, including at one major van factory in Luton where Vauxhall, Citroen, Fiat and Peugeot LCVs are produced.

Meanwhile, a number of London boroughs have said they won’t comply with the Mayor of London’s request to install Ulez cameras until motorists and business users are treated more fairly. Among them are Harrow, Hillingdon, Richmond, Croydon, Sutton, Bromley, Bexley, Havering and Kingston.

Louie French, the Tory MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, said: ‘Whilst I completely believe action must be taken to tackle air pollution and I welcome the government’s action on this, there is no evidence that the expanded Ulez will improve air quality in outer London boroughs like Bexley.’

A Harrow Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that it ‘will not be co-operating with TfL in putting cameras in Harrow.’

They also told the service: ‘The evidence that Ulez will work is not there. We have suggested more generous scrappage schemes for instance or better public transport, but this scheme fails to understand the difference between outer and inner London.’

Sutton Council has confirmed that it will block the installation of Ulez CCTV, arguing that it will negatively impact on small business owners and key workers.

Why should I, as a small business, be forced to part with a five-figure sum – as that’s what most Euro 6 vans are going for?

There is no evidence that the expanded ULEZ will improve air quality in outer London boroughs like Bexley.

Jason Price Roofer from Fenstanton in Cambridgeshire

Louie French MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup

How vehicle warranty can help with cost-of-living crisis

With the cost of living rising at its fastest rate for 41 years, many households are tightening their fiscal belts, and the autumn statement from the chancellor may mean further penny-pinching for many. There are changes to income tax, local councils have been given the go-ahead to hike tax by as much as five per cent, energy bills are set for another rise, the inflation rate has topped 11 per cent and interest rates are at their highest for more than a decade.

Many are sitting down with their bank statements and totting up their monthly outgoings, finding ways to cut their expenses while their pay cheques are getting squeezed. Gym memberships, TV packages, phone contracts and, of course, vehicle financial aftercare products will all get scrutinised, and possibly seen as expendable.

Car warranty, for example, is an expense that some may feel they can live without – and then hope nothing goes wrong with their vehicle. However, living in hope can backfire when the unexpected does occur. The average payout from award-winning provider Car Care Plan for warranty claims in 2021 was £845 – and this is expected to top £1,000 in 2022 because of inflation on parts and labour.

A recent survey from the Money and Pensions Service found that a quarter of adults in the UK have savings of less than £100 – that equates to more than 14 million people. In the event they are hit with a £1,000 repair bill for their vehicle, the likelihood is it will get put on a credit card. According to Which?, the typical credit card APR is around 23 per cent, so paying off a £1,000 bill over the course of a year would end up totalling £1,230 (£102 a month).

So, while a warranty may be viewed as something a consumer could live without, the potential impact of not having protection in place if something does go wrong with their car could result in a larger monthly bill.

Car owners should, of course, make sure the warranty they are paying for provides good value for money. Choosing the cheapest option and assuming it’ll be good enough could spell disaster when the customer comes to claim. It pays to have a high-quality warranty in place when a mechanical or electrical fault does occur.

That goes for retailers, too. Dealerships and manufacturers that partner with an industryleading warranty provider, such as Car Care Plan, will ensure their customers are getting the protection they deserve.

Protect your profit

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives your customers 30 days following the purchase of their new or used car to get a full refund or for your business to pay for repairs in the event of a fault. With a high-quality warranty, this shouldn’t be a concern for anyone, as the warranty provider could pay for the parts and labour.

Happy customers

A great warranty equals peace of mind, as faults can soon add up to a significant financial strain. Protecting your customers’ vehicles leads to a more positive experience for them, improving satisfaction rates, which impacts on loyalty and retention.

Zero hassle

The better the warranty, the more parts covered and the fewer restrictions. Customers will also get access to a more efficient claims process, reducing the hassle should they need the support. And your business can even get help with extended duration processes, once again helping to boost retention.

Warranty that Delivers

Service you can trust, quality you can rely on

When it comes to quality our Safe & Sound Warranty package delivers unrivalled cover and peace of mind for your customers. Open it up and you’ll discover a service you can trust, one that delivers you unmatched opportunities to attract more business, grow your margins and drive more volumes into your workshops.

It is the UK’s gold standard with:

Gross profit increased by up to 21%* - quality cover means higher margins

More repeat business - with the peace of mind that your customers gain More workshop revenue - as warranty work comes to you

Call us today to find out how you can receive a Safe & Sound package that will delight your customers and grow your business.

COMMENT

Mazda’s wonderfully mad for daring to be different when it comes to diesel

As anachronisms go, the new diesel engine in the Mazda CX-60 takes some beating. Not a thrilling way to start a column, I’ll admit, but bear with me.

I type this with some trepidation, because coming out and saying that you like a car with a diesel engine is much like saying you’re a fan of Gary Glitter’s back catalogue of music. You can’t possibly advocate in 2023 a vehicle that unashamedly drives past the (probably broken) electric car charger and heads to the blackcoloured pump at the local service station.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the diesel version of any car, bar perhaps a supermini, was the de facto choice. In a very short space of time, diesels moved from being purely suitable for tractors or old Citroens to being rather attractive if you wanted to travel gigantic distances and could have one powering your company car.

I fear I’m starting to even bore myself now, but what I’m trying to say is that while the new CX-60 diesel comes across as being about 15 years behind the times, I think it’s the right engine at the right time.

Mazda – as always – is doing things differently. While other carmakers are axeing diesels because it’s the fashionable thing to do, Mazda thinks there’s a huge opportunity here. However, Mazda being Mazda isn’t just slapping any old derv under the bonnet to sweep up sales, but in its own delightfully enthusiastic way it believes it can build a six-cylinder that’s way more efficient than a four-pot.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the diesel version of any car, bar perhaps a supermini, was the de facto choice.

Not wanting to go all Open University here, but the new 3.3-litre straight-six diesel in the CX-60 uses a fancy new fuel injection technology called DCPCI (distribution-controlled partially premixed compression ignition). There’s also a new piston design, and the combination of both of these means the big in-line six can overcome its larger weight, friction and all those kinds of things by being able to run in a more lean-burn state of operation for longer than a four-cylinder diesel. And the result? It’s cleaner and more fuelefficient. Just as everyone jettisons diesel technology, Mazda has developed something that makes dervs more attractive and cleverer than before.

Mazda has a history of doing this. For decades it has stuck faithfully to its Wankel practice of combustion, and in so doing created some of the most wonderfully engineered (and eccentric you could say) cars. Mazda will even reintroduce Wankel engines to the UK soon with the range-extender MX-30; it could have thrown in a simple four-cylinder petrol engine to make its MX-30 electric car more useable to more people, but no, the complex Wankel it is.

Adding to the wonderful madness, Mazda will put a new 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine in the CX-60 later this year, and while everyone is pointing and laughing, I think it’s a shrewd move.

Going back to the diesel for a moment, getting rid of diesel power in large cars all seems very sensible, but what about those customers who rely on that fuel type? In my other life of being a towcar tester for the Caravan and Motorhome Club, towers are horrified that the current line-up of cars simply favours petrol plug-in hybrids and pure-electrics. For the towing market, diesel remains king, as it does for so many other sectors.

This abandonment of technology because it’s fashionable to do so isn’t liked by customers. While a pure-electric future lies just around the corner, the consumer of the here-and-now doesn’t necessarily want or need a car with a plug. Many do, but not everyone. It’s why Ford’s decision to stop the Fiesta angered me so much, because there’s no viable replacement for a sub-£20,000 car that has space for four, all the tech you could want and is cheap to run. And yet, this summer the Fiesta will die.

So, while some might poo-poo Mazda’s apparent insanity at embracing dying fuel types, it’s offering options for the customer of today. And that’s surely the main job of a carmaker, isn’t it?

Big Mike

So, there were these two Brits speeding in an Italian car in Spain – what could possibly go wrong?

Ihad a beer with an old friend of mine the other week who is currently the dealer principal of a large Citroen dealership and who I know from when I had a franchise of my own for the brand back in the day.

Under the good ship STELLANTIS (apparently you must write it in capital letters or Mr Tavares is liable to get upset), the days of fun and frolics on international car launches are a thing of the past.

These days, he’s lucky to get a lunch in a pub and a half-hour test drive before a car comes to market, which is a far cry from when manufacturers used to treat dealers like kings. Well, a dealer is the primary customer, not the end user. And those selling new cars deserve the red-carpet treatment.

OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE CAR BUSINESS

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.

I certainly believed that when I was a DP, which towards the end of my full-time employment days was while I was working for Fiat. This would have been the mid-1990s, and to celebrate the launch of the new Bravo and Brava models, we were all invited down to the Costa Blanca, where the manufacturer had laid on a three-day programme of eating, drinking and a bit of driving to make us all feel loved. After all, in a market where Ford and Vauxhall had both the fleet and mainstream family markets sewn up, we had our work cut out convincing people that the oddball, blob-shaped Fiats (which I loved, but I’m weird like that) were a viable alternative to the humdrum rubbish that British customers liked to buy.

Plus, I was in south Birmingham, where most people knew someone who worked for Rover and could buy a new one via the friends and family scheme and pay about 15p for the privilege, so convincing them to spend £200 a month on a heavily depreciating Fiat required a small injection of genius sales technique.

Anyway, I digress. Back to Spain, and for the international dealer launch I took my sales manager, Pete Gray, with me to carry my bags. Pete was an old-school salesman and without him my dealership would probably never have made a penny, but the customers loved him and ‘buying a car from Pete’ was a rite of passage for some. He had that amazing ability to convince you he was your best friend, while simultaneously trying to work out how to extract a four-figure deposit out of your current account as if he was doing you the biggest favour he’d ever done. Frankly, he deserved the jolly, whereas I, as dealer principal, was simply entitled to it.

It was the second day of the launch event and the one that required the least drinking and the most driving, with a fantastic route across the Sierra Nevada to entice us into thinking the new Fiats were the best things since sliced bread. Pete and I had a Brava 1.8 ELX – the top-spec model – on Italian number plates, and like all good car dealers we decided that the twisty dual carriageway trunk road over the Sierra Nevada mountain range was the perfect opportunity to put it through its paces. It was a couple of

he’s lucky to get a lunch in a pub and a half-hour test drive before a car comes to market.

why the event was being held where it was.

With Pete at the wheel, we hit 180km/h on the speedo – or about 118mph in English – which was pretty impressive for a plasticky hatchback. But as we crested a hill, disaster struck.

Ahead of us was a silver Renault Laguna with hidden flashing blue lights in the rear window, which had astonishingly overtaken us a few minutes earlier. Now I knew why. At the bottom of the hill was a green and white Citroen Xantia with blue lights on the roof and ‘Guardia Civil’ written on the side of it. The Guardia Civil are the scary version of the Spanish police – the ones that carry guns. We were about to get nicked, big style.

This was a tad concerning. First, we were two Brits, in Spain, in an Italianregistered car – something that in itself would require some explaining.

The two cars pulled us over in a one-in-front, one-behind movement that left no debate whatsoever about their intentions, and we pulled on to the shoulder for the scariest of the officers, firearm in hand, to come to the car window and demand our passports.

He took a look and seemed unfazed that they were British, putting them into his pocket. ‘Now you follow me,’ he said in broken English. So naturally, we did. Conversation turned to the toilet facilities of Spanish prisons and the fact that neither of us had bothered to take out a bail bond, which suddenly seemed like a rather foolish oversight.

We continued to follow the two Guardia Civil cars to the ironically named town of Dólar, where Pete and I were invited (at gunpoint) to withdraw 50,000 pesetas from the local cash machine. About £250 at the time. Naturally, we complied.

And that’s where things got interesting. Having written out the speeding ticket, the scary one with the big gun ripped the top copy into pieces before handing half of the 50,000 pesetas to the driver of the unmarked car, muttering under his breath something about a Christmas party – at least according to my schoolboy Spanish.

‘Señor,’ he said. ‘You get home and send your copy to Guardia Civil and the fine won’t exist. You will get your money back. And you never met me.’

He then returned our passports. And he was right on all counts.

Conversation turned to the toilet facilities of Spanish prisons and the fact that neither of us had bothered to take out a bail bond, which suddenly seemed like a rather foolish oversight.

We hit 180km/h on the speedo, which was pretty impressive for a plasticky hatchback.

CAR NEWS ROUND-UP DASHBOARD

POLESTAR has announced a major update for its 2 electric vehicle range.

The five-door ‘fastback’ has new electric motors, while those versions using just a single motor have made the switch to rear-wheel drive, having been front-wheel drive before.

The single motor now delivers up to 220kW – up from 170kW before – while torque has been increased from 330Nm to 490Nm.

Dual-motor versions have seen power and torque increased to 310kW and 740Nm respectively, up from the 300kW and 660Nm you got on the previous car.

The single-motor version can now travel for up to 395 miles –an increase of 52 miles – while the long-range dual-motor variant’s range has gone up by 65 miles to a total of 368 miles.

Prices start from £44,950.

B5 GT’s 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8 can take car to 205mph

ALPINA has created the most powerful vehicle in the firm’s history.

The B5 GT is powered by a 4.4-litre bi-turbo V8 engine that brings 625bhp and 850Nm of torque, enabling a 0-60mph sprint of 3.2 seconds in saloon versions or 3.4 seconds in Touring variants. It’ll also manage a top speed of 205mph, or 200mph in the Touring.

Alpina has boosted power over the regular B5 through optimised intake duct and air intake silencer, while the engine software and turbo boost pressure have been tweaked too.

The B5 GT uses a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, too, which incorporates a revised launch control for even better acceleration.

Velar now has larger battery

LAND Rover has revealed an updated version of its stylish Range Rover Velar, benefiting from a raft of new technology and a revised plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The Velar arrived in 2017 and was last updated in 2021 with the addition of a P400e plug-in.

This hybrid has now been updated further and boasts a larger 19.2kWh battery, up from 13.6kWh, which lets it travel for up to 40 miles on electricity, placing it in a lower company car tax bracket. The P400e can also now rapid-charge at 50kW, cutting charging times to 30 minutes for an 80 per cent charge.

ALFA ROMEO

Plug-in hybrid version of Tonale revealed

ALFA Romeo has introduced a plug-in hybrid version of its Tonale SUV, with the Italian brand announcing the model will be priced from £44,595.

Joining the mild-hybrid Tonale that arrived in the UK last year, this Q4 model is the first plug-in hybrid to be offered by Alfa Romeo.

Sitting at the top of the Tonale line-up, the model pairs a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a maximum 276bhp output, which gives a 0-60mph time of six seconds.

ALPINA

Manufacturers have been refining their models and producing new ones. We look at some of the results...

More performance and extra range for 2

POLESTAR

RENAULT

Megane E-Tech gains new top specification

M3 CS arrives with 188mph top speed

BMW has unveiled a lighter, more powerful version of its M3 performance saloon – the all-wheel-drive CS.

Kitted out with lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic panels, the M3 CS has the same 3.0-litre twinturbocharged six-cylinder engine as in the regular M3 but with the power raised from 503bhp to 542bhp. Torque sits at 650Nm and, when coupled with BMW’s xDrive all-wheeldrive system, this results in a 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds, while flat out the M3 CS will manage 188mph.

RENAULT has bolstered the trim levels of its Megane E-Tech with a new tip-top spec.

The new flagship ‘Iconic’ trim level includes a great range of standard equipment alongside some efficiencyboosting new functions.

Core to these additions is a heat pump, which can help the electric motor and battery deliver their best possible range when temperatures fall.

Renault says that when it’s below 10 degrees outside, the pump can increase the range by up to nine per cent.

Updated GLE models boast tweaked hybrid powertrains

MERCEDES has revealed an updated version of its large GLE and GLE Coupe models, boasting upgraded powertrains with hybrid technology across the range.

The current generation of GLE arrived in 2019 with a raft of new technology that made it one of the brand’s most advanced models to date.

For this 2023 model, there’s a new front bumper with additional chrome trim, while round the back are new LED lights. New colours are also offered alongside various updated alloy wheel designs.

LAMBORGHINI

Farewell to the V12 engine with pair of one-off supercars

LAMBORGHINI has called time on its famous naturally aspirated V12 engine with a pair of one-off supercars.

The Invencible coupe and Autentica roadster both use the Italian firm’s 12-cylinder 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 that became a calling card for many of Lamborghini’s famous models but is being discontinued because of tightening emissions regulations.

In both one-off vehicles, the V12 produces 769bhp, which sends that power to all four wheels via a seven-speed gearbox. Acceleration is likely to be similar to the Aventador’s zero to 60mph time of 2.6 seconds.

BENTLEY

Hat tip to Bathurst 12-Hour triumph

X5 and X6 SUVs have hybrid tech

BENTLEY has created a pair of special-edition Continental GT models to celebrate the fearsome Bathurst 12-Hour endurance race.

The event in Australia saw Bentley take the 2020 crown.

To celebrate, Bentley has created two special-edition models. Both are based on the standard Continental GT S spec but add bespoke features. The first is inspired by the livery of the winning racer, while the second reflects the colour of the second-gen Continental GT3.

BMW has unveiled revised versions of its X5 and X6 SUVs.

A key change with these new models is the addition of the German firm’s ‘Curved Display’ inside. It merges a 12.3-inch digital dial display and a large 14.9-inch touchscreen to give the cabin a very modern feel.

The cars also boast some form of hybrid tech. Prices start from £66,230 and £72,430 respectively. Expect first deliveries in April.

BMW

MERCEDES

Lamborghini Invencible

BMW X5

ARNOLD CLARK

Hackers steal customer data

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

NEWS DIGEST

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

ARNOLD Clark has told some customers that hackers may have gained access to their bank details and ID documents.

In a note to customers, CEO Eddie Hawthorne updated them about the hack that took place on December 23.

Customers were told that their names, dates of birth, vehicle information, contact details and National Insurance numbers may also have been compromised.

The dealer group has had to build a ‘segregated environment’ to ring-fence its data.

ARRIVAL

Marshall appoints new finance chief

subscriptions

DACIA gave away hot water bottles via selected dealerships in a tongue-in-cheek dig at manufacturers that charge people a subscription for features such as activating heated seats.

The budget subsidiary of Renault said switching on heated seats was just one example of latest attempts by some car makers to make consumers pay for features their car already has, using web-based connected car technology to activate or disable the extras on a subscription basis. The ‘Heated Seat Saviours’ were available from its showrooms at Staples Corner, Manchester and Swansea at the beginning of February.

LAUNCHING PROCESSING

Omoda 5 SUV is on its way from China

MARSHALL Motor Group has appointed Mark Hemus as its new chief financial officer.

It follows the resignation of Richard Blumberger, who quit after nearly four years there.

Hemus, pictured above, has joined Marshall from Arriva Bus, where he was finance director for just over three years.

Blumberger, who left Marshall in December, has joined idverde Group, which provides grounds maintenance services and landscape creation projects, as its chief financial officer.

CHERY – China’s largest exporter of cars – is to launch its Omoda 5 SUV in the UK early next year.

Although it’s planning ‘several new models with ICE/PHEV/ BEV powertrains’, Chery says it’ll generally be focusing on the BEV in the UK. However, according to Autocar, it’ll begin by offering the ICE version of the mid-sized crossover. The electric version of the Omoda 5 is reported to offer a range of some 280 miles.

£2.2m refurb centre to be opened in Hull

THE French parent company of CarSupermarket.com is to open a multi-million-pound refurbishing centre in the UK.

Aramis Group says it’ll be investing €2.5m (£2.2m) in the 15,000 sq m site in Hull as it looks to drive productivity and efficiency. It will be Aramis’s second used vehicle refurbishing centre in the UK and will increase its processing capacity here by around 25,000 vehicles per year, it said.

Dacia dealerships give away hot water bottles in cheeky response to heated seats

Just as everyone jettisons diesel technology, Mazda has developed something that makes dervs more attractive and cleverer than before.

James Batchelor p21

Clive Brook sells up to Ray Chapman

Ford to axe 1,300 jobs in the UK

CLIVE Brook has sold his Volvo dealerships in Bradford and Huddersfield to Ray Chapman Motors as he takes retirement. Making the announcement on LinkedIn, Brook – pictured with Ray Chapman Motors MD Duncan Chapman – thanked staff, customers, suppliers, family and friends. He added that there would be no initial changes in the management and policies of the company. It doubles Ray Chapman’s retailer portfolio to four.

FORD is to axe 1,300 jobs in the UK over the next two years.

The cuts amount to around a fifth of the firm’s UK workforce, and are part of a major restructure of Ford’s European business that will see 3,800 jobs cut across the region.

In the UK, most of the job losses will be at Ford’s Dunton research site. Back-office posts are also expected to be axed.

Production sites at Halewood, Dagenham and Daventry won’t be affected.

DECLINE

Used car sales drop by 8.5 per cent

THE UK’s used car market declined by 8.5 per cent last year, latest figures have revealed.

Data released by the SMMT show there were 6,890,777 transactions during 2022 – some 640,179 below 2021’s level and 13.2 per cent off the pre-pandemic total of 2019.

The SMMT blamed the drop on new car supplies being squeezed – mainly caused by the global shortage of semiconductors, which restricted stock entering the secondhand market.

RECOGNITION TRANSFORMATIONS

Isuzu honours dealer boss for dedication

AN Isuzu car dealer has been honoured for his dedication to the Japanese brand.

Andrew McGlone, the MD of Eaglesham Garage in Glasgow, received his Special Appreciation Award at Isuzu’s 2023 dealer conference, which was hosted by ex-EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, pictured left with McGlone and William Brown, MD of Isuzu importer and distributor International Motors UK & Ireland.

£16m-plus spent by Volvo on two sites

VOLVO has spent more than £16m on two new showrooms in the UK.

The £10m Volvo Cars Edinburgh dealership in Lonehead Drive opened on February 10, having moved from Glasgow Road.

Meanwhile, a disused site in Hertfordshire is being turned into a £6m-plus showroom. Construction work on the dealership in Elstree began in January and is expected to be finished by September. Pictured is an artist’s impression of it.

The Guardia Civil are the scary version of the Spanish police – the ones that carry guns. We were about to get nicked, big style. Big Mike p22

‘The 408 is set to become another model to file under Peugeot’s success stories.’

REVERSE STOCK SPLIT

Cazoo tries to appease NYSE

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

NEWS DIGEST

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

CAZOO has merged all its share capital in the latest round of its fight to stay financially healthy. The reverse stock split was given the go-ahead by more than 95 per cent of the board of directors and involves the issued and unissued share capital being merged into fewer shares at a higher price.

It has consolidated them at a ratio of 1-for-20 and is doing so as its share price has been consistently below the $1 threshold set by the NYSE, where it floated in 2021.

Premier position for new showroom

THE Sinclair Group is giving a new year boost to a hospice that cares for children and their families. Wales’s biggest motor retail group has pledged to donate £10 to Tŷ Hafan from every used car that it sells between January and March. Richard Seaward, Sinclair’s head of strategic development, pictured with Tŷ Hafan corporate partnerships manager Kelly Dibble, said: ‘Tŷ Hafan is renowned for the fantastic paediatric palliative care that they deliver to families during what are incredibly difficult times.’ It follows the hospice receiving more than £5,000 from over 500 vehicles sold by the group in December 2021.

World record claim over £8.7m Bugatti

PREMIER Car Supermarket has opened a new showroom in Kettering.

The used car dealership at Cransley Park includes a sales building with a workshop and repair bay plus car wash. There is also customer and visitor parking on the 3.55-acre site.

It joins sister dealerships in Leicester and Derby, and chief executive Neil Chapman said: ‘We are delighted to bring this growing brand to a new store in Kettering. The new site is in a great location.’

LUXURY auction house RM Sotheby’s says it has achieved a new world record after selling a Bugatti Chiron Profilée in Paris for a jaw-dropping price of €9.8m (£8.73m).

The price, which includes the buyer’s premium, makes the Bugatti the most expensive new car sold at auction. The figure also makes the Profilée one of the most expensive Bugattis ever sold.

A percentage of the proceeds will go to charitable causes.

CLOSURE

5,000 Autovogue blames JLR as it shuts doors

USED car dealer Autovogue has blamed ‘failing used Jaguar Land Rover vehicles’ as one of the main reasons for it closing after 30 years.

The business in Stableford, Staffordshire, claimed it spent £198,000 repairing JLR products last year. In a statement on its website, it said that ‘with deep regret’ it had ‘ceased trading’, highlighting ‘the poor manufacture of’ JLR vehicles, with many of them failing after less than 10,000 miles.

The number of dealerships that Motorway now works with, six years after it was established.

p10

Sinclair Group revs up its support for children’s hospice with more donations from used car sales

The latest cool products that aim to click with you

Feature p40

EXPANSION

Genesis to open site in Edinburgh

Snows buys two firms from J Davy

GENESIS is to open a dealership in Edinburgh over the summer. The EV manufacturer said the premises will create new jobs and recruiting retail and support teams will get under way soon.

The Hyundai-owned luxury brand opened its first UK retail site at London’s Westfield in the summer of 2021. Then last year, it opened its second site in this country at Battersea Power Station. Talks for it to take over a Ted Baker store in Manchester are ongoing.

TALKS

Lithia Motors poised to buy Jardine chain

SNOWS Motor Group has expanded its operations by adding Vauxhall and Citroen dealerships to its portfolio.

The two Basingstoke businesses have been bought from J Davy, and the deal means Snows now has three Vauxhall dealerships, with Citroen rejoining it. Snows Motor Group chief operating officer Neil McCue, pictured, said: ‘We are delighted by this acquisition.’

The current workforce of some 40 people will be kept on.

ALLIANCE

Renault and Nissan patch up differences

SHELBOURNE Motors is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a £3m capital investment programme across its multi-franchise sites.

The business – one of Northern Ireland’s largest family-owned vehicle retailers – was founded in 1973 by Fred Ward. It is carrying out major renovations and upgrades at its dealerships in Portadown and Newry. Pictured from left are sibling directors Paul Ward, Richard Ward and Caroline Willis with their father, Fred Ward

PROPOSAL

Hendy Group plans £5m ‘motor village

LAUNCH: Citygate Automotive has opened its second Kia outlet after buying the Perry’s Ford site in High Wycombe that closed last October with the loss of half its workforce. The showroom is opposite the group’s Volkswagen operation in London Road.

RESTRUCTURE: Toyota boss Akio Toyoda is standing down as president and CEO to become the automotive giant’s chairman. It’s part of a major restructure at the top of the firm and will come into effect on April 1. The new leader of Toyota will be Koji Sato.

INDEX: Suzuki has been named the best car manufacturer for customer satisfaction in the UK again – with Land Rover at the bottom of the league table. The Japanese firm came top out of 27 car makers in the Institute of Customer Service’s latest index.

JARDINE Motors could be bought by US dealer group Lithia in an acquisition worth some £300m. The franchised dealership is said to be in advanced talks with Lithia Motors, which tried to buy Pendragon last summer but was blocked by the Hedin Group.

According to Sky News, Lithia is within weeks of inking the deal.

Jardine has some 50 showrooms. Lithia – the US’s second-largest auto retailer – has more than 250 sites.

RENAULT and Nissan have equalised their shareholdings at 15 per cent in an attempt to repair their alliance and have agreed greater cooperation on EVs.

Renault Group will transfer 28.4 per cent of the Nissan shares it owns into a French trust, so its stake will be the same 15 per cent that Nissan has in the French vehicle maker. The disparity was a cause of friction, especially after Nissan became far more profitable than Renault.

HENDY Group has applied for planning permission to build a £5m ‘motor village car dealership’ in Tunbridge Wells.

The proposals don’t seek to demolish the former John Lewis at Home store, which closed in April 2021. Instead, the site will be developed around it.

Bosses want to build five new showrooms, an 18-bay service workshop, 15 car wash spaces, a sales office, and parking for 110 cars.

WITHDRAWAL: Falling sales in the estate and saloon sector have led Mazda to take the ‘6’ model off its UK range. The manufacturer will concentrate on its CX-60 and CX-5 SUVs instead, as SUVs are where the demand is, it says, according to reports.

DELIVERY: Lookers Braintree has handed over one of the first GWM Ora Funky Cats of the year. Gridserve received one of the EVs to be used for test drives at its Electric Forecourt in Braintree. It boasts an EV showroom plus brand-agnostic ‘EV gurus’.

PEUGEOT 408

Power

The three-cylinder 1.2-litre engine produces 129bhp and 230Nm of torque.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Peugeot 408 1.2L

PureTech 130 EAT8

Price (as tested): £32,175

Engine: 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol

Power: 129bhp

Torque: 230Nm

Max speed: 130mph

O-60mph: 10.2 seconds

MPG (combined): 41-48.1mpg

Emissions: 133-156g/km CO2

WHAT IS IT?

As reinventions go, Peugeot has one of the most impressive track records in recent times, and the 408 is set to become another model to file under Peugeot’s success stories, if initial impressions are anything to go by. With sleek styling, a quality interior plus petrol and plugin hybrid powertrains, Peugeot is aiming for conquest sales here.

WHAT’S NEW?

It mixes a fastback design with elements of an SUV, much like the Citroen C5 X, which shares the same platform. The fact that it’s called a 408 implies it’s not an SUV; if it were, it’d wear a 4008 badge.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

Engine choices on the 408 include a pair of plug-in hybrids producing 178bhp and 222bhp, which offer up to a claimed 40 miles of electric driving when fully charged. Later in 2023, there will also be an all-electric version.

But our test car uses the entry-level option and the sole purely petrol one – a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder unit producing 129bhp and 230Nm of torque. Drive is delivered to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

It doesn’t sound a lot for a car of this size, particularly when you consider the same engine is available in Peugeot’s 208 supermini, but it allows for a 10.2-second 0-60mph time and a 130mph top speed. In terms of efficiency, Peugeot claims between 41.0 and 48.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 133-156g/km.

WHAT’S

IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

As in most Stellantis cars that use this 1.2, the engine feels remarkably punchy for its diminutive capacity but quickly runs out of puff. The plug-in hybrids add an element of refinement of which the 1.2 can only dream, but the petrol feels more nimble than the PHEVs and turns into corners more sharply.

Peugeot has done the rare thing of getting the balance just right between comfort and agile handling. The ride, even on the UK’s potholed and rutted roads, remains comfortable and compliant, while when the road opens up, this Peugeot feels lithe, helped by the loveit-or-hate-it small steering wheel.

The French manufacturer is going all out for conquest sales with this non-conformist vehicle – James Batchelor took one out for a spin.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

Nobody can criticise Peugeot for playing it safe with the 408’s styling, as this is one particularly bold-looking model. The front end especially is striking, headed up by the intricate colour-coded grille comprising 130 coloured accents. Peugeot’s trademark ‘claw’ LED lights are present and correct too, and remain just as eye-catching now as when they were launched a few years ago. It’s a design with a lot going on, and some might find it a bit over the top, but it’s refreshingly different in our view.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Peugeot interiors have kept on getting better and better in recent years, and the 408 is arguably one of its best yet. Like the exterior, this cabin is different to the norm, with lots of interesting materials and angles creating somewhere very special.

The quality throughout is good, as is the new touchscreen with configurable shortcut buttons. There are small annoyances, the first being the i-Cockpit setup, which won’t suit all drivers because the top of the steering wheel can get in the way of the dials themselves. The instrument cluster itself also comes with a 3D effect on top-spec cars, but we found it harder to read than the standard setup.

The Peugeot 408 also scores plenty of points for interior space. The 536-litre boot is huge (it’s slightly smaller on the hybrids), while rear passengers will have no trouble getting comfortable as there’s a great deal of room back there.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

All 408 models get a decent amount of equipment, with the entry-level Allure featuring a 10-inch touchscreen, reversing camera and LED headlights. The small 17-inch alloy wheels ruin the look, however, so we recommend the mid-spec Allure Premium trim, which gains smarter 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry. The flagship GT brings an electric boot, heated steering wheel, matrix LED headlights and a sportier look.

Prices for the Peugeot 408 start from £31,050 for the petrol model, and even the mid-spec Allure Premium petrol car here comes in at an attractive £32,175. It’s quite a step up for the plug-in hybrid, however, with these being available from £40,825.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

Top Gear said: ‘The 408 turns out to be a tempting concept that drives more engagingly than most crossovers.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The 408 is a very interesting addition to Peugeot’s range and shows that there’s life outside of an SUV while still having a practical and stylish family car. We suspect it will be the car’s looks that will be the decision-maker. But there’s a lot more to the 408 than just its design, as the interior is great and it’s good to drive as well.

Styling

The 408’s design is both striking and bold as well as refreshingly different to other cars in its class.

TARGET BUYERS:

Conquest from premium brands, executive and family buyers.

THE RIVALS:

Citroen C5 X Cupra Formentor BMW 3 Series

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Efficient engines

2. Quality interior

3. Impressive levels of technology

DEAL CLINCHER:

Inside Peugeot has given the 408 one of its best interiors, with the use of interesting materials and angles.

The 408’s design really makes it stand out in the executive car park.

The 408 is a very interesting addition to Peugeot’s range and shows that there’s life outside of an SUV.

VAUXHALL ASTRA GSe

Vauxhall is establishing a sporty GSe electrified nameplate, with its Astra kicking off proceedings. Ted Welford headed to Malaga to try it out.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Vauxhall Astra GSe

Price (as tested): £40,550 Engine: 1.6-litre petrol engine with electric motor

Power: 222bhp

Torque: 360Nm

Max speed: 146mph

O-60mph: 7.3 seconds

MPG (combined): 256.8mpg

Emissions: 25g/km CO2

Power

WHAT IS IT?

Standing for Grand Sport Electric, GSe is Vauxhall’s new sub-brand that will focus on producing more performance-orientated versions of hybrid models then EVs in future years.

WHAT’S NEW?

There aren’t any bespoke high-performance models but tweaked versions of the brand’s existing cars instead. The latest generation of Astra is already available as a ‘180’ hybrid, but the GSe boasts more power, a bespoke chassis and styling revisions.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

Drive is delivered to the front wheels, with an eight-speed automatic gearbox being adopted. A 12.4kWh battery is used, which when fully charged allows for a claimed 40mile range, pushing it into the eight per cent benefit-in-kind tax bracket for company car drivers. Vauxhall claims up to 256.8mpg and 25g/km CO2 emissions, although you’ll need to complete nearly all your mileage on electric to see those kind of figures.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

This is no hot hatch but a rather lightly tweaked version. There’s a decent amount of performance on offer when the Astra is nicely warmed up, while body roll is well contained through the corners. By hybrid hatchback standards, it handles well too, and can be pushed through the bends without losing grip. Despite its sportier-focused ride, it largely remains comfortable, even on rougher stretches of tarmac.

But despite the performance intent, it’s at its best when just pottering about town. Too much throttle action and the engine screams into life, and there’s too much lag between the power sources if you ask a lot from it.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

The latest Astra arrived in Vauxhall dealers last year and was a significant step up over its predecessor. The ‘Vizor’ front end design is stunning in our opinion and makes the Astra one of the smartest-looking choices in the family hatchback category.

For the GSe, Vauxhall’s chief designer was keen to stress he didn’t want a ‘boy racer look’, likely a nod to the old Astra VXR with its garish bodykit, so the result is one that’s been subtly made more aggressive. There are revised bumpers that aim to give the model a

The 1.6-litre petrol engine with electric motor produces 222bhp and takes the Astra from 0-60 in 7.3 seconds.

Style

The Astra uses Vauxhall’s new design language, giving the front end a striking look.

wider look, meanwhile there’s also a set of new alloys plus a full gloss-black look, from its badging to its roof. The result is smart.

WHAT’S

IT LIKE INSIDE?

It’s a similar story on the inside, with Vauxhall aiming to inject a touch of sportiness into the cabin with its new Alcantara-trimmed sports seats, which are a great addition, along with a bespoke ‘GSe’ steering wheel. The overall cabin is smart too, with good ergonomics courtesy of the right balance of screens and physical controls. The quality is largely good, although a few too many gloss-black plastics cheapen the look somewhat.

As for space, the disadvantage of those chunky front seats is that rear space isn’t the best, with taller adults really having to squeeze into the back – a Cupra Leon e-Hybrid offers a lot more room. Boot space, however, is generous, with clever packaging ensuring the addition of the batteries doesn’t compromise volume.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The GSe comes in a single high-spec grade and sits at the top of the Astra line-up. The level of equipment, therefore, is generous, including a head-up display, matrix LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera and ‘Pure Panel’, which includes a large touchscreen and digital dial display merged in one smart piece of glass. There’s little feeling that Vauxhall has been stingy with equipment.

All of this equipment isn’t cheap, though, with the Astra GSe coming in at £40,550. Yes, more than £40,000 for an Astra!

This might sound expensive – and it is – but it comes in at only £150 more than the regular 178bhp hybrid model in top-spec Ultimate grade, although it does miss out on that car’s standard-fit panoramic roof and additional speakers.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

Evo said: ‘The new Astra impresses, but Vauxhall’s first “hot” hatch of its electrified era lacks performance spark.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The Vauxhall Astra GSe arrives as a stylish, efficient and well-equipped hybrid hatchback that is a very credible option for those wanting to reduce their running costs or for company car drivers.

But it suffers from the muddle that comes from being a sporty hybrid. This is a powertrain which, by and large, is much better suited to driving silently around town or sitting at a motorway cruise than it is being thrashed around a twisty road, and for that reason we reckon the regular Astra is a better choice overall. That tiny price increase, however, most certainly gives enough reason to validate the GSe’s purchase.

Inside

The GSe gains Alcantaratrimmed sports seats and a bespoke steering wheel.

TARGET BUYERS:

Company car drivers looking for some added sportiness from their hybrid hatchback.

THE RIVALS:

Volkswagen Golf GTE Cupra Leon e-Hybrid Peugeot 308 Hybrid

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Sportier than standard Astra

2. Low tax for company car drivers

3. Stand-out design

DEAL CLINCHER:

The fact it’s only £150 more than the non-GSe hybrid with less power.

The Vauxhall Astra GSe arrives as a stylish, efficient and well-equipped hybrid hatchback.

MG5

James Batchelor must decide if MG has messed up the recipe with this new version of its electric estate car.

WHAT IS IT?

When it launched in 2020, the MG5 became the UK’s only pure-electric estate car and had a decent 214-mile range but was never what you’d call stylish. That could all change now...

WHAT’S NEW?

MG has focused on improving the important things. There’s now just one larger battery with up to 250 miles on offer, a smarter look on the outside and a plusher interior.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

The 154bhp electric motor is powered by a larger 61kWh (57kWh useable) battery pack. Charging takes nine and a half hours from a 7kW home wallbox, or a zero-to-80 per cent charge from a 50kW rapid charger takes one hour.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The MG5 is a pretty supple thing, and apart from a small whine from the electric motor, it’s surprisingly refined. There’s little fun to be had behind the wheel, though. While the steering is light and direct, the MG5 doesn’t encourage you to drive quickly. Boot the throttle out of a side turning and the wheels spin and the car torque-steers down the road.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

New colours, new wheels and privacy glass (on Trophy models) help give it a lift, but the MG5 remains a rather awkward-looking car, we feel. Having said that, style isn’t the MG5’s raison d’être, rather it focuses on offering the most amount of bang for the least amount of buck.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

The far more modern design focuses on simplicity, thanks to twin digital display screens and a greater level of quality. There’s a nice mixture of different materials and the MG5 feels rather solid and hard-wearing. The technology has received a welcome boost too, with the same infotainment system as used in the new MG4 hatchback.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

Along with smartphone connectivity, SE models include LED headlights and parking sensors. Trophy models include privacy glass, heated front seats and a 360-degree parking camera. Safety and convenience features have also been upgraded.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

What Car? said: ‘It is comfy, quiet at speed and has punchy acceleration.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The MG5 remains a sensible and rational choice in a growing sea of desirable EVs. There’s no denying it offers an awful lot for not a lot of cash.

THE KNOWLEDGE

MG5 Trophy Long Range

Price (as tested): £33,495

Powertrain: Single electric motors

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 260Nm

Max speed: 115mph

0-60mph: 7.7 seconds

Range: Up to 250 miles

Emissions: 0g/km CO2

TARGET BUYERS: Family buyers, fleets.

THE RIVALS:

Mazda MX30

Volkswagen ID.3

Nissan Leaf

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. More stylish design

2. Pleasant interior

3. More spec than before

DEAL CLINCHER: Its sheer value for money.

Inside

The interior has a modern design that focuses on simplicity with a nice mixture of different materials, too.

MERCEDES EQE

The EQE is one of the latest electric models to enter the Mercedes line-up. Jack Evans has been finding out what the saloon is like.

WHAT IS IT?

It’s effectively the smallest battery-powered saloon that you can get with a three-pronged star on the front, acting as an electric alternative to the ever-popular E-Class.

WHAT’S NEW?

From the outside at least, you can see the direction that Mercedes is going in, with curved sections and a very aerodynamically efficient design. Inside, we’ve got space for five people and, because of the car’s flat floor, a little more legroom than you might expect.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

The EQE will be available with a variety of powertrain options, but the one we’re checking out uses a single electric motor. It has rapid-charging capability, so a 10 to 80 per cent charge can be conducted in as little as 32 minutes when hooked up to a suitably speedy charger.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The electric motor is smooth and responsive, while the air suspension on our test car made for a super-soft ride, too. On the motorway, the EQE feels nicely refined and only low levels of road and wind noise are noticeable.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

Because the car’s design is so dictated by aerodynamics, it’s free from any noticeable styling elements such as grilles or even cut-outs. This pebble-like look separates it from the rest of the Mercedes range and doesn’t have an awful lot to tie it to some of the firm’s classic models.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Rear-seat legroom is good, although headroom may prove to be a little tight for taller passengers. In terms of boot space, the EQE offers up to 430 litres with the seats in place or 895 litres with them down.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

Entry-level AMG-Line cars (£76,450) get plenty of standard equipment including a full sports styling package and a panoramic roof. Our car, in Exclusive Luxury spec, bumped the price up to £89,345 after options but added features such as heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. All cars have a 12.8-inch media display as standard.

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The EQE feels like a natural next step in the Mercedes electrified journey. It’s comfortable, refined and quiet, while it also brings the kind of performance you’d expect. It’s pricier than an equivalent E-Class but it feels more premium and upmarket. Its looks may be up for discussion but you can’t fault the EQE’s on-board tech or the way it manages to deliver a similar experience to the one you’d get from a much larger – and more expensive – model.

THE KNOWLEDGE

EQE 350 Exclusive Luxury

Price (as tested): £89,345

Engine: Electric motor

Power: 288bhp

Torque: 565Nm

Max speed: 130mph

0-60mph: 6.2 seconds

Range: 356-394 miles

Emissions: 0g/km CO2

TARGET BUYERS:

Drivers who want an EV with long-distance ability and boatloads of the latest technology.

THE RIVALS:

BMW i4

Audi e-tron

Genesis GV70

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Loads of range

2. Quiet and refined cabin

3. Good performance

DEAL CLINCHER:

The EQE is a great example of how Mercedes is pushing ahead with its EV plans and shows that electric cars needn’t be restricted to shorter drives.

Inside

Rear-seat legroom is good, although headroom in the back might be somewhat tight for taller passengers.

An appeal to UK car dealers for trucks to help Ukraine in its war sparked by Russia’s invasion was answered spectacularly, writes vehicle donor, journalist and participant

HELP FOR UKRAINE

Wetherby-based car dealership SUV Prestige has delivered a Mitsubishi L200 to Ukraine to help it in its fight against Russia.

Car Dealer had featured dealer principal Steve Dhesi in a podcast and one of the stories that week was about Car4Ukraine.com – a charity formed after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. It involves young Ukrainians organising the donation and importation of vehicles such as pick-up trucks that are much in demand in the war against the Russian aggressors.

That story and Steve’s ‘live-on-air’ decision to donate a Mitsubishi L200 triggered a wider momentum, and with a bit of WhatsApping and a lot of direction from experienced Ukrainian helper Patrick McIntyre, February 2 saw five pick-up trucks descend on Folkestone late at night for a ferry departure early the next morning.

The trucks, each one donated by a different Brit and intended for use by the Ukrainian army, then drove in a convoy across Europe, finally reaching the Ukrainian border late on February 5. The journey wasn’t without incident, though. One of the trucks suffered a suspected steering column seizure while leaving a toll booth in Poland. After an involuntary sudden move left, it was hit by a Nissan Navarra in the next lane across belonging to a Pole, and both vehicles ended up being taken away on low loaders with extensive damage to the Nissan, but luckily no injuries to any occupants.

The damaged British truck was due to be delivered to Ukraine, where it will still be repaired and sent on for frontline use.

All the trucks were full to the brim with humanitarian aid ranging from thousands of disinfectant wet wipes to kids’ toys donated by the good people of Yorkshire following a social media call-out by SUV Prestige head of marketing Harry Leighton.

Leighton said: ‘This was a very meaningful trip for all of us. People don’t realise how lucky they are in the UK. We might have cost pressures but Ukrainians are fighting for their lives, their country having been invaded illegally by Russia.’

The trucks arrived in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv very late on February 5.

It was unforgettable in several ways. The border crossing was complex because vehicles have to be signed into army ownership. Obviously, once in Ukraine there’s no insurance or anything like that, so you’re driving on a military permit from then on in a truck that five minutes ago was yours and now it’s not yours and the V5 is gone.

It was several degrees below zero and snowing, with lots of ice, so we all engaged the diff lock and drove carefully down a border road lined with a forest of sombre larch trees all covered in snow. It was beautiful but it was memorably strange because there were military checkpoints and we were all tense. It’s a country at war, not a holiday destination. And yet when we stopped at a petrol station so clean and warm that it was better than anything you see in the UK and were able to get a hot coffee close to midnight, that confounded expectations again.

PICTURES: ULTRON FILMS LTD

A Jeep donated from Poland undergoes modifications and will be used for extraction missions and other logistics.

On the Ukrainian side was Ivan Oleksii, one of the founders of Car4Ukraine.com, and first thing the next day he led all the drivers and trucks from their hotel to a secret workshop location where ordinary Ukrainians have foregone salaries to work round the clock to modify donated vehicles with armour-plating.

We were shown how the door cards are removed and large plates of 10mm steel plate inserted and welded into place. Similar protection is placed over part of each window, around the grille and inside the engine compartment to protect the air intake, battery and radiator. By the time we left the workshop, staff had already begun work on a donated Ford Ranger, originally from Surrey and a victim of the forthcoming expansion of London’s Ulez.

Then we were taken to a second location where trucks are painted and fitted with different configurations of gun turret before final transit to the frontline.

McIntyre said: ‘When they go into service, the trucks can last anything between two hours and several months. But the average life is three weeks.’ That sounds brutal until you realise that in one situation it is claimed that ground-to-air missiles mounted on a truck worth £4,000 brought down two Russian helicopters that had cost millions.

Another driver, Roger Lord from Gretna Green, said: ‘This whole thing is an example of civil society acting rapidly to fill a need. We almost totally circumvented politics and bureaucracy and delivered the trucks in three days flat.

‘They are then expected to be on the frontline within two to three weeks. It’s an outstanding example of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.’

Nasar Kravchuck, a Ukrainian participant in a grass-roots vehicle supply chain, says that the workshop mechanics get burned out from working non-stop in sub-zero temperatures.

‘They then take a break by delivering one of the trucks to the frontline.’

This is a gruelling drive of 15 to 40 hours minimum from western Ukraine to either Kyiv or one of the active fronts in the south and east.

Many of the roads are in poor condition and currently ice-bound.

He added: ‘Eighty per cent of all military movements are conducted in these types of vehicle. The primary demand, and it is huge, is for pick-up trucks, but we will also take SUVs for fast extraction situations, as long as they are 4x4 and diesel.’

The British trucks donated on this occasion were three Mitsubishi L200s, one Ford Ranger and a Toyota Hilux. Not a Land Rover in sight, although as we were leaving we did see a lone classic Defender ambulance being driven in on a UK plate.

The mechanics reported that the Hilux is the most sought-after truck but also the most expensive. The Ranger is the easiest to work on because it has bags of space under the bonnet, while the L200 is good in the field, being a bit lighter.

The older Fords including this one on an 05-plate have that solid 2.5 litre Mazda engine that can go forever with ordinary oil and filter changes.

Kerb weight is all relative when you have added stacks of steel plate. Even closing a door becomes an event once these trucks leave the workshop, as we saw firsthand. Yet these vehicles can cope. They all have a payload of a tonne or more, so can easily cope with armour where an ordinary car would be crippled.

There’s an extra tactical twist resulting in a premium being placed on British, right-handdrive vehicles: Ukraine is a left-hand-drive market, so any enemy fire is typically aimed at that side. The resulting confusion is claimed to have saved lives.

McIntyre has acquired a remarkable reputation, having made dozens of deliveries. Mere days before this trip, he delivered a 12-tonne generator on an old scaffold lorry bought for a few grand. ‘We delivered the generator to the frontline. It will power a military hospital. Really, we need as much support as possible. This is all for Ukraine. They need our help.’

For more information about the charity and to get involved, go to Car4Ukraine.com or email info@car4ukraine.com

This was a very meaningful trip for all of us. People don’t realise how lucky they are in the UK.

Harry Leighton SUV Prestige head of marketing

From left: Harry Leighton, Patrick McIntyre, Ivan Oleksii, Jake Ruddick, Owen Denning, Richard Lofthouse and Roger Lord.

Work is carried out on armour-plating at a secret location.

COOL STUFF

Where did January go? The first month of 2023 has practically zoomed by, with the promise of lighter days and evenings feeling slightly more tangible than before.

But even though January isn’t the best month for adventures, there has still been a decent smattering of cool products to keep things interesting. Let’s check them out...

Google Maps Update

Canon EOS R Cameras from £789

THE ultra-lightweight camera market is a big deal these days as established manufacturers try to rival the smartphones in everyone’s pockets for image supremacy. Canon – one of the biggest names in the business – has just released a pair of featherweight snappers designed to offer big image quality in a small size.

Both the R8 and R50 are mirrorless cameras but can rival full-frame DSLR cameras for versatility. They can shoot in just over 25-megapixel quality, while 4K video means they’re great for movies, too.

Philips Ambilight

£TBC

THERE’S a lot of television to choose from these days, with streaming services and online providers making the process of picking something to watch even trickier. However, at least once you’ve decided, the Philips Ambilight will ensure that whatever you’re watching looks as good as possible.

It’s been upgraded with better brightness than before, while a clever on-board system helps to match the television’s display with the surroundings. It also retains the excellent in-built Bowers and Wilkins sound system that was in the previous model.

GOOGLE Maps is something thousands of people in the UK use each day to get around.

Now Google has stepped things up a notch with a revision that uses artificial intelligence and ‘computer vision’ to combine its traditional street view with aerial images that create maps you can practically ‘walk’ through.

Due to be rolled out in London to begin with, the system even lets you select different times of the day to see what the weather will be like then.

DJI RS 3 Mini

£339

IT’S quite incredible how far camera stabilisation has come in recent years.

Far from being the big, unwieldy units of old, they’re now almost micro-sized yet able to deliver a superb amount of stabilisation no matter what the conditions are.

The new DJI RS 3 Mini weighs in at just 800g yet has some of the very latest stabilisation technology, horizontal and vertical camera mounting and even a 1.4-inch colour touchscreen. You’ll be mimicking Spielberg in no time...

Picture of the month

HOW cute is this?

Citroen has partnered with Playmobil to turn its iconic 2CV into a Playmobil set 75 years after the car’s launch.

The 2CV Playmobil boasts many authentic details from the original and comes with three characters plus various accessories. We want one!

How are things out there on the sales and margins front?

I was chatting with a few other dealers about sales and margins for January and February and some dealers I know have said they had a quiet January while others say it was very busy. We stock around 50-60 cars, mid-range (£10k to £25k), mainly German stuff, and found January a little slow. We still made a healthy bottom-line figure, just slower than anticipated. February has been steady so far with decent leads but auction prices high for quality stock – I’m not paying crazy money to make minimal margin.

I know the old saying ‘You can’t sell an empty space’ is true. But imagine paying £2k to £3k into book for a car to then have a big issue, eg, the gearbox! I know you could upsell products, eg, warranties, finance (to get comms), etc, but surely the risk/reward ratio is against us. What’s your stance for your business? Are you paying good money and sacrificing margin, or are you holding off?

XDR

I broke this rule this week purely because I’ve got an empty yard. Yes I can sell it, but it hurts to pay for it. I feel embarrassed selling cars at the same prices as three years ago, but now I’ve bitten the bullet I’m going to do the same again this week, as I hate twirling my fingers and trying to find things to do.

It’s me

Crazy times at the moment! I’ve seen large(ish) dealers reduce their margins to £600-£700 a car – and I’m talking lumpy stuff. Luckily, we still have decent stock around either in prep or waiting to go on. I’ll hold the bullet for a while until prices level off.

We’ve teamed up with Car Sales Memes to bring you a few of their funniest captions and slogans each month. Enjoy!

XDR

Good January, good start to February. Prices are quite strong at the sales but we are still managing to buy bits to keep stocked up.

A & S

That’s good to hear, A & S! Prices seem to be strong – I’ve heard prices will be even higher next month! Luckily, we’re stocked up and some more cars coming out of prep.

XDR

Search for Car Sales Memes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and give them a follow!

BUSINESS NEWS

A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS THE UK

RIGHTS

GlaxoSmithKline tops gender equality index

BANKING

Barclays to close 15 high street branches

BARCLAYS is to close 15 branches across the country in April and May.

The sites scheduled to shut are Gosport, Bedale, Bridgwater (all on April 26), Heywood, Stamford, Oakham, Wymondham (all on April 28), London Fleet Street and Watton (both on May 3), Chislehurst and St Helens (both on May 4) and Radlett, Leyburn, Talbot Green and Oundle (all on May 5). The news came days after NatWest said it was closing 23 branches.

SURGE

Business insolvencies leap to 13-year high

THE number of firms that collapsed into insolvency in England and Wales last year surged to its highest total since 2009.

Insolvencies registered in 2022 leapt by 57 per cent to 22,109 from the previous year, new data from The Insolvency Service has revealed.

Experts said it was partly driven by the end of government measures to support firms during the pandemic.

ADMINISTRATION

PHARMACEUTICAL giant GlaxoSmithKline has been revealed as the top-performing FTSE 100 business for gender equality, according to a new index.

The Equity Index 2022/23 produced by Lead 5050, a crossindustry accreditation body, ranked companies using official data on average salaries, bonuses and pay at every level.

Jobs at risk as Paperchase brand sold to Tesco

PAPERCHASE’S 106 branches face potential closure after Tesco agreed to buy the high street stationery chain’s brand but not its shops or workforce.

The struggling retailer hired administrators on January 31 after it was unable to secure a rescue sale. Tesco announced a deal to buy the brand and intellectual property from the insolvency specialists. But the stores are expected to shut, with hundreds of workers likely to face redundancy.

Shell profits rocket to highest level CRITICISM

SHELL has recorded the highest profit in its 115-year history as it benefited from soaring energy prices.

Political and environmental campaigners criticised the profit jump as ‘obscene’ and ‘outrageous’ as UK households face soaring energy costs in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The oil giant said core profits rocketed to $84.3bn (circa £68.4bn) in 2022.

BORROWING

Chief economist cautions over increases to rates

THE chief economist of the Bank of England has cautioned that it is important the Bank doesn’t raise borrowing costs too high.

Huw Pill’s warning came a day after the central bank hiked interest rates by 0.5 of a percentage point to four per cent – its highest level since 2008 – but indicated it could slow down recent rate-hiking activity. He told Times Radio it was important the Bank didn’t do ‘too much’, despite recognising that UK inflation was ‘much too high’.

INDUSTRY VIEWS

NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM CAR DEALER LIVE

Derren Martin Director of valuations at Cap HPI

PODCAST

Used car prices set for small rise in February but many

EVs

are expected to find values still falling

Used car prices rose marginally in January but some electric cars lost more than £5,000 in value.

New data from Cap HPI said that despite widespread concerns January would be affected by ongoing cost-of-living concerns, dealers had experienced a strong month for used car sales, with one reporting January was ‘surprisingly buoyant’.

Average trade values at the threeyear/60,000-mile mark rose by 0.1 per cent, driven mostly by strengthening values of petrol and diesel cars.

Cap HPI’s director of valuations, Derren Martin, told us: ‘I think there was a bit of trepidation going into January about how the market would be.

‘Dealers weren’t stocking up in December and they were being pretty wary.

‘For petrol and diesel cars, it’s felt like a pretty normal January, if there is such a thing.

‘The retail world is very healthy, and from the first weekend of the month, dealers were

LUSCOMBE MOTORS

busy and were then replenishing sold stock.’

Cost-of-living concerns and rail strikes possibly resulted in the sub-£15,000 sector being very strong in January, and cars costing £8,000 and less were ‘even stronger’.

Martin revealed that the month could have been as much as 0.5 per cent up on January 2022 if used electric vehicle prices hadn’t acted as an anchor.

EVs saw a ‘dramatic’ decline in January, dropping on average by 6.6 per cent or around £2,050, he said.

Looking ahead to February, Martin said Cap HPI was forecasting a ‘small upwards movement’ on used car prices, with dealers expected to continue buying petrol and diesel cars in good numbers.

‘I think electric vehicles will continue to come down, though – not all of them, but many of them.

‘It probably won’t be to the same degree as January, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some four-figure drops,’ he said.

Dealers defenceless against ‘industry of fraudsters’

Data protection rules have created an ‘industry of fraudsters and scammers’ and it’s impossible for dealers to be completely protected, Robin Luscombe has said.

The Luscombe Motors boss said it was unfair that dealers such as Arnold Clark were criticised when targeted by hackers. The Car Dealer Used Car Awards 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

winner said companies were powerless to stop cyber criminals from hacking their websites.

He also called for more understanding from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) when dishing out fines to firms that have suffered data breaches. The 61-year-old said: ‘Through GDPR rules, we’ve actually created an industry of fraudsters and scammers.’

He added: ‘I think we need a different approach, because it’s not the dealer’s fault if he’s taken reasonable steps to make his data secure and then gets fined by the ICO for a data breach.’

Robin Luscombe

You can watch all our Car Dealer Live broadcasts by clicking here: cardealermagazine.co.uk/live

I think there was a bit of trepidation going into January about how the market would be.

CAP HPI

WE’RE AWARD-WINNING THANKS TO YOU!

This year we’ve won not one, but three awards - an achievement that we are all very proud of.

Our customers voted First Response Finance as the ‘Best Car Finance Provider’ in the Consumer Credit Awards 2022 for the second consecutive year. In addition to that, we’ve won the prestigious ‘Firm of the Year’ award!

The second recognition came from our dealer partners who voted us ‘Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime)’ in the Car Dealer Power Awards. We are honoured to have won this award 8 times!

Vans, cars, motorbikes - it doesn't matter what type of vehicle we’re financing, our award-winning service remains the same.

FINANCE NEWS

Car finance over long term is proving to be less popular

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

Nearly a third of British motorists – 32 per cent – say they’re far less likely to replace their existing car by committing to a long-term (three-year) lease than they were 12 months ago, an independent new study has revealed.

Lease provider Sogo’s research conducted among 2,006 adults in January 2023 also indicated that only 14 per cent of drivers would be much more likely to commit to a longterm financial lease to fund their next vehicle than 12 months ago.

Some 37 per cent of motorists said they believed short-term leases were more beneficial because of the financial flexibility offered. However, 16 per cent believed they wouldn’t benefit from a short-term lease on a new vehicle.

The company said it believes that short-term leasing will be essential to the mass adoption of electric vehicles before 2030. Electric car sales are predicted to continue to grow as the government’s 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars approaches.

Commenting on the research findings, Karl Howkins, pictured, managing director of Sogo, said: ‘As the economy faces significant challenges, flexible leasing allows shortterm demand to be met without the problems of a long-term commitment in an uncertain market.

‘Monthly leasing frees capital from the balance sheet that can be deployed elsewhere in the company to fund growth.

‘While many managers may not yet be able to transition out of traditional lease models immediately, it’s useful to start thinking about the mix across fleets.

‘Analysis of recent car trends indicates that not everybody needs their car as much as they used to, especially with more people working remotely or from home. Considering a short-term flexible lease offers a great alternative to longer leases.’

WATCHDOG

Thousands of misleading ads blocked by FCA

THE Financial Conduct Authority got firms to amend or remove 8,582 promotions last year – 14 times more than in 2021, a new report shows.

The FCA also published more than 1,800 alerts to help prevent consumers from losing their money to scams.

Social media remains a major focus for the regulator’s work in combating misleading promotions. The financial watchdog said it had worked closely with several big tech firms to change their advertising policies to only allow financial promotions approved by FCA-authorised firms, but it said more needed to be done by tech companies to protect consumers.

So-called ‘fin-fluencers’ have also been a growing concern for the regulator.

Unauthorised individuals shouldn’t advise people on the merits of certain investments, it said, as this would likely be subject to its regulations and could lead to action being taken against them.

The FCA said that it had already acted against several social media influencers over the past year.

TIME IS MONEY

RICHARD PYGOTT

A MONTHLY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE FINANCE AND MARKETING

To EV or not to EV... Ready for the revolution come 2030?

Recently, there has been much discussion again in the industry about EVs, with falling prices of used Tesla models sparking debate about whether these prices were inflated or if it was simply a market correction. Additionally, charging station queues in London over the Christmas period made national headlines for all the wrong reasons, and let’s not forget the elephant in the room: the cost-of-living crisis, which continues with no sign of let up.

The Scottish government also recently made an embarrassing error by saying the deadline had been pushed back to 2032, before quickly correcting the statement and reiterating that the original 2030 date still stands. Additionally, there have been many comments and opinions from industry experts stating their belief that the 2030 deadline may be pushed back or even scrapped altogether!

I recently conducted a survey on First Response Finance’s LinkedIn and Twitter pages to gather opinions from dealers and consumers on the likelihood of the 2030 deadline being kept, and 94 per cent of LinkedIn respondents and 90.7 per cent of Twitter respondents believed the deadline wouldn’t be met.

Manufacturers have invested billions in the research, development and production of electric vehicles, and it may be too late for them to shift their focus to alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen or synthetic fuels, as they need a return on their investment.

Car makers themselves lobbied the government in 2021 asking for the deadline to be reconsidered, arguing that sales, jobs and huge parts of the industry were at risk of failing if the 2030 deadline wasn’t re-evaluated.

According to the SMMT, if sales of new EVs continue to climb at the current rate, they’ll account for 40 per cent of overall car purchases by 2030. While I see this as a positive trend, I believe that without further government incentives to encourage more consumers to buy electric cars, people may feel forced into the electric revolution rather than voluntarily embracing it.

The roll-out of the charging infrastructure also appears to be falling behind, with charging stations not being installed at the rate needed to support the deadline.

Richard Pygott

is digital marketer for First Response.

Call him on 0115 946 6365 or email richard. pygott@frfl.co.uk

I believe that the 2030 deadline will be kept, but this will likely be due to internal and external pressures on the government rather than the logistical readiness of the country and industry. I question whether the government, infrastructure, manufacturers, dealerships and consumers are ready for it.

If the government decides to proceed with the 2030 deadline regardless of the UK’s readiness for it, I believe there will be many tough challenges and hurdles that lie ahead for all of us who work in the automotive industry.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY

It may be too late for them to shift their focus to alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen or synthetic fuels.

MARCH 9, 2023

BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM, GAYDON

HEAR FROM LEADING CAR DEALERS ON THE FUTURE

EXCLUSIVE GOOGLE & AUTO TRADER RESEARCH

A DAY OF LIVE PANEL SESSIONS & NETWORKING

FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE DAY’S AGENDA CLICK HERE

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DEALER TICKET FOR TRADING CAR DEALERS ONLY INCLUDES BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND REFRESHMENTS

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SUPPLIER NEWS

A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY

MOTORS.CO.UK

Chris Moyles part of marketing initiative

STAFF at Close Brothers Motor Finance helped make sick and underprivileged children smile by raising more than £6,000 for the UK’s largest annual toy appeal.

Close Brothers hooked up with UK charity Cash for Kids to support its Mission Christmas appeal. Staff collectively raised £4,700 and gave more than 2,000 gifts. The company added £1,470 to match-fund employee donations, taking the total to £6,170.

IVENDI

‘Universal quoting tool’ launched for Europe

SHOREHAM VEHICLE AUCTIONS

OEMs are warned over influx of Chinese EVs

MOTOR manufacturers and pan-European lenders are the target market for iVendi’s new international, multi-lender motor finance calculator.

CEO James Tew said: ‘We’re calling this our “universal quoting tool” because it literally can be added to almost any existing online car sales platform in any market.’ It’s currently formatted for the UK and Germany, but Spain, France and Italy will follow soon.

NEW Chinese EV brands have been backed to kickstart the UK’s stuttering new car market by an industry expert.

Alex Wright, pictured, MD of Shoreham Vehicle Auctions, says incoming Chinese outfits such as BYD are bringing ‘a very strong proposition’ that could threaten the established brands’ positions.

He said OEMs risked losing sales and market share if they didn’t increase production capacity.

MOTORS.CO.UK has launched a new multi-media marketing campaign in a bid to boost its profile and support its dealer partners.

As part of the year-long initiative, the firm has become the headline sponsor of The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, which attracts more than a million listeners every week.

It sees the brand integrated into the daily breakfast show, including regular on-air car buying-related activities and promotions.

Tamsyn looks to mould future of firm’s tech

TAMSYN Weston has been made the new head of IT and digital at Startline Motor Finance. Her responsibilities include networks, infrastructure and security. She will also be pivotal in delivering a new digital strategy as part of its marketing plans. ‘Startline is at a genuinely interesting point in its development where there is a great opportunity to come in and mould the future of technology within the business,’ she said.

Pictured from left are Kevin McHugh, Ryan Scaife, Lianne Smith, Kiriai Topham and Shania Bamford

Staff raise more than £6k for children’s charity

CLOSE BROTHERS MOTOR FINANCE

It may be too late for them to shift their focus to alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen or synthetic fuels.

Richard Pygott p47

THE LATEST REGISTRATION FIGURES

New car market grows for sixth month in a row in best start to year since pre-Covid

by John Bowman @john@blackballmedia.co.uk

The new car market grew by nearly 15 per cent in January to reach 131,994 units –the best start to a year since pre-Covid January 2020.

Figures for January 2023 – released on February 6 by the SMMT – marked the sixth month of expansion in a row and set the tone for an anticipated countercyclical year of growth, according to the trade body.

The UK new car market grew by 14.7 per cent, with electrified vehicles notably driving the increase, thanks to manufacturers bringing more choice to the market in spite of continuing supply chain struggles.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) comprised 14.4 per cent of new car registrations, increasing volumes by 40.6 per cent, with a figure of 18,976 units. Meanwhile, battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose by 19.8 per cent to reach 17,294 units, or 13.1 per cent of new registrations – slightly below the average for 2022.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) recorded a 0.7 per cent rise at 9,109, although their share fell to 6.9 per cent of new cars reaching the road.

As a result, one in five new cars registered in the month came with a plug.

Plug-ins are anticipated to comprise more than one in four new registrations this year, representing growth of 32.1 per cent or approximately 487,140 units and nearly a third (31 per cent) of the market in 2024 at 607,150 units.

However, the SMMT repeated its warning that the roll-out of infrastructure needed to charge them was failing to keep pace.

During the last quarter of 2022, the ratio of new chargepoint installations to new plug-in car registrations dropped to one for every 62 – a significant fall, it said, versus the same quarter last year, when the ratio was 1:42.4.

As a result, in 2022 one standard public charger was installed for every 53 new plug-in cars registered – the weakest ratio since 2020. The SMMT said the Budget on March 15 was an opportunity to put in measures that supported the transition.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘The automotive industry is already delivering growth that bucks the national trend and is poised, with the right framework, to accelerate the decarbonisation of the UK economy.

‘The industry and market are in transition but fragile due to a challenging economic outlook, rising living costs and consumer anxiety over new technology.

‘We look to a Budget that will reaffirm the commitment to net zero and provide measures that drive green growth for the sector and the nation.’

The SMMT anticipates 1.79 million new car registrations in 2023 – an 11.1 per cent increase on the past year.

Mike Hawes SMMT chief executive

The automotive industry is already delivering growth that bucks the national trend.

Growth of more than a quarter

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

LESS THAN 3.5 TONNES

2023 begins with growth of more than quarter

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

NEW LCV registrations rocketed to 22,098 units in January – a 25.8 per cent increase on January 2022, according to latest figures published by the SMMT on February 6.

It was the first rise in new LCV registrations in the UK – Europe’s second-largest van market – since the September plate change last year. However, while full-year growth is expected in 2023, it was 6.2 per cent below pre-pandemic January 2020’s 23,557 units because of the intermittent nature of fleet renewal.

January also saw record deliveries of battery-electric vans for the month – up 53.5 per cent to 993 units. The top-selling LCV was the Ford Transit Custom at 2,787 units, followed by the Volkswagen Transporter (1,428) and Ford Ranger (1,367).

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 3.5  TONNES TO 6.0  TONNES

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

LOOKING FOR A MOTOR TRADE SUPPLIER? YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF SELECTED COMPANIES HERE

Auctions & Trade-To-Trade Sales

BCA

W: bca.co.uk

T: 0344 875 3480

E: customerservices@bca.com

Info: BCA’s remarketing programmes deliver volume, choice and availability for buyers, and speed, efficiency and market-leading returns for sellers.

Automotive E-Commerce

ATG

W: atg.auto

T: 0844 264 3519

Info: Leading provider of retailing solutions, Automotive Transformation Group maximises sales for retailers, OEMs, financiers and fleet suppliers by making car buying easier for their consumers.

Data

Real World Analytics

W: realworldanalytics.com

T: 0808 1890 617

E: auto@realworldanalytics.com

Info: We are a SaaS-based data analytics solution provider for multisite dealers. Our business intelligence tools help customers make faster and better decisions.

DMS

DealerDesk

W: dealerdesk.co.uk

E: contact@dealerdesk.co.uk

Info: Modernise your stock management, advertising, communication, sales and website. DealerDesk provides you with easyto-use tools designed to simplify your dealership management.

Finance

Blue Motor Finance

W: blue.co.uk

T: 020 3005 9331

E: dealersupport@blue.co.uk

Info: Blue is transforming the car finance market, making car ownership simple and flexible and providing motor traders with access to essential finance.

Finance

Close Brothers Motor Finance

W: closemotorfinance.co.uk/

Info: Close Brothers Motor Finance are a specialist finance provider, working with over 8,000 dealer partners to offer flexible finance solutions for car, motorcycle and LCV customers.

Finance

First Response

W: firstresponsefinance.co.uk

T: 0115 946 6317

E: marketing@frfl.co.uk

Info: First Response is an awardwinning UK finance company providing simple financial solutions. Get in touch and let us help increase your profits.

Finance

Forza Finance

W: forzafinance.co.uk

T: 01245 245678

Info: Benefit from Forza Finance’s expertise, choice of products and lenders. Their personal approach will help you achieve higher levels of finance penetration and, ultimately, sell more cars.

HR & People Management

HR Manager

W: hrmanager.co.uk

T: 01480 455500

E: info@hrmanager.co.uk

Info: HR Manager is Lawgistics’ new digital compliance portal designed to assist employers in managing their legal obligations, responsibilities and duties.

Insurance

Tradesure

W: tradesureinsurance.co.uk

T: 0121 248 9313

Info: Providing motor trade insurance to full- and part-time motor traders in the UK, the Tradesure team are reliable professionals who know how to help you.

Key Control

Traka

W: traka-automotive.com

T: 0333 355 3726

E: automotive@traka.com

Info: Bespoke software and electronic key management cabinets to deliver the most effective solution to dealerships to manage their keys and vehicles.

Lead Management

GardX AD-Vantage

W: gardx.co.uk/gardx-ad-vantage

T: 01243 376426

E: goforaspin@gardx.co.uk

Info: The award-winning 360 service offers an engaging display of the vehicle while additionally presenting profitable F&I products to a consumer.

Lead Management

iVendi

W: ivendi.com

T: 0330 229 0028

E: tellmemore@ivendi.com

Info: iVendi delivers a fully connected platform that engages consumers, converts buyers and manages transactions of vehicles online and in the showroom.

Legal & Compliance

Lawgistics

W: lawgistics.co.uk

T: 01480 455500

E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk

Info: The legal experts for the motor trade, giving advice and support to our industry for over 15 years. Not anti-consumer, just pro-trader.

Marketing, PR & Video OnCue Communications

W: oncuecomms.com

T: 020 8125 3880

Info: We are a leading provider of PR, video and events services to the automotive industry. The PR team has a proven track record of securing high-value, big-impact media coverage.

Marketing, PR & Video Marketing Delivery

W: marketingdelivery.co.uk/

T: 01892 599911

E: get.in.touch@marketingdelivery.co.uk

Info: Our SocialStock helps target prospects with tailored stock remarketing and social media advertising tools, and automated lead capture for Facebook.

Oil & Lubricants

Mobil™

W: mobil.co.uk

T: 0800 0857 420

Info: Whether using Mobil 1™ or Mobil Super™, Mobil™ engine oils meet or exceed the latest standards of the oil industry and vehicle manufacturers.

Recruitment

WeRecruit Auto

W: werecruitauto.co.uk

T: 01603 550041

Info: Permanent recruitment – here to assist businesses within the automotive sector find the best fit for their company in terms of skillset, experience and culture.

Stocking Finance

STAR Stocking Finance

W: starassetfinance.com/ stocking-finance

T: 0330 202 0619

Info: STAR Stocking Finance offers simple and flexible stocking finance that enables you to cost-effectively manage the buying and selling of your forecourt stock.

Trade Bodies

Ben

W: ben.org.uk

T: 0808 131 1333

Info: Ben is a not-for-profit organisation that partners with the automotive industry to provide support for life to its people and their families.

Vehicle Photography

Dealer 360

W: dealer360.co.uk

T: 01270 780855

E: nicky.spratt@ukturntables.com

Info: UK makers of photo booths incorporating our turntables for car, van and motorcycle dealers. Our software controls turntable and cameras – a onestop solution.

Vehicle Tracking

Meta Trak

W: metatrak.co.uk

T: 020 8867 2340

E: enquiries@metatrak.co.uk

Info: Total vehicle security. Clever tracking technology, advanced immobilisation, 24/7 monitoring and an easy-to-use app. Security. Connectivity. Peace of mind.

Warranty Providers

Autoprotect

W: autoprotect.co.uk

T: 01279 406888

E: sales@autoprotect.net

Info: AutoProtect offers a full portfolio of award-winning protection products, including GAP. We lead the market with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot.

Warranty Providers

Car Care Plan

W: carcareplan.com

T: 0344 573 8000

Info: Car Care Plan is a leading provider of motor protection products, trusted around the world to deliver quality protection with integrity and a customer-oriented outlook.

Warranty Providers

Händler Protect

W: handlerprotect.com

T: 0800 088 7889

E: sales@handlerprotect.com

Info: Händler Protect is an exclusive dealer warranty provider. Proud to partner and represent more than 1,000-plus ‘active’ independent motor dealers across the UK each month.

Warranty Providers

Warranty Administration Services

W: warrantyadmin.co.uk

T: 01522 515600

E: tellmemore@warrantyadmin.co.uk

Info: Unlock new profit and aftersales flexibility with Crystal Clear Warranty. Ideal for franchised dealers, groups and independents.

Warranty Providers

Warrantywise

W: warrantywise.co.uk/dealer

T: 0800 001 4551

E: dealers@warrantywise.co.uk

Info: Warrantywise sells over 100,000 warranties per year. Quentin Willson personally designed Warrantywise to be the UK’s best used car warranty.

Warranty Providers

WMS

W: wmsgroup.co.uk

T: 01844 293810

E: sales@wmsgroup.co.uk

Info: Open 24/7, we offer award-winning warranty products for FCA- and non-FCA-registered dealerships.

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Bluesky Interactive

W: blueskyinteractive.co.uk

T: 01926 651000

Info: Bluesky Interactive drive dealer websites and digital marketing forward thanks to game-changing innovation, the latest technology and our exceptional relationships with our clients.

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Haswent

W: haswent.com

T: 020 3920 6164

E: hello@haswent.com

Info: Composer is a next-gen automotive platform. You have extensive stock management options, and you’ll gain a brilliantly responsive new website.

AUDI RS 4

Powered boots have become common extras on modern cars, but the mechanism on ‘our’ RS 4 had a bit of a sting in the tail for James Baggott.

When powered boot lids first arrived on new cars, I must admit I was a bit of a sceptic –who needed a motor to do something your arm could already do faster, I asked anyone who dared to listen?

Turns out, the answer is almost everyone. Powered boots that shut themselves at the touch of a button are now nearly as common as electric windows.

You’ll find them on everything from Bentleys to Kias these days, and my long-term Audi RS 4 is no different. So, it’s time to eat a slice of humble pie, because I must admit I’ve become somewhat of a fan.

You see, these days whenever I’m getting something out of the boot it requires 13 hands and a helper. Babies come with a lot of equipment, and when you add a weekly shop to the mix, the chances of being able to shut a boot lid by hand without a return trip falls to zero.

Problem is, I’ve got an issue with our Audi’s boot and that’s its tendency to clobber me on the head. Twice now, I’ve been extracting baby paraphernalia from its deepest recesses to be surprised by a warning beep and, before I know it, the boot lid smacking the back of my head.

I couldn’t work out why it was doing it at first, until one day I realised my feet were the culprit. The RS 4 has one of those sensors just under the bumper that closes the boot for you when a foot is waved underneath it. My size 12s clearly protruded too far under the bumper and were inadvertently setting off the mechanism, resulting in the boot-bonce interface. I was rather pleased with the discovery, thinking this would help my boot-emptying efforts, but can I get it to work when I want it to? No chance.

Despite whatever Michael Flatley dance moves I try to perform behind the Audi, I can never find the sensor when I want to. Typical.

Anyway, enough about boot lids. It’s actually a very minor gripe with what I’m discovering is a truly brilliant car. Fast estates fit my lifestyle perfectly, and the RS 4 is one of the best.

In the past, I’ve taken real issue with sloppy Audi automatic gearboxes, usually paired with their diesel engines, but there’s no such problems with the RS 4. Changes here are brisk and without hesitation as it rapidly fires through the ratios. Under the bonnet, the 444bhp 3.0-litre twin turbo engine is a delight. On the road it’s got power whenever I need it and the 4.1-second time for the benchmark 60mph dash is seriously impressive.

I’m a huge fan of the ride quality, too. I’ve mentioned in previous reports about the RS Sport Suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (£2,000) specified on this car, and the more I live with it, the more I can’t recommend it highly enough. Yes, it’s expensive, but on our potholed roads it still manages to deliver a comfortable ride.

Over the Christmas period, I was also very glad to find a first aid kit in the boot. First on the scene of a nasty road accident, where a car had knocked a pedestrian five metres down the road, I used the kit to patch up the poor woman before taking her to hospital myself, as an ambulance was a two-hour wait away. The kit’s dressings, bandages and sterile wipes came in very handy and I was very glad to find it in the boot. On a separate note, I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the compliments the Audi gets. At petrol pumps or from visitors who have spotted it on the drive, it often receives words of praise. People love a fast Audi, especially those with the iconic RS badging, and the RS 4 is certainly iconic. After three months behind the wheel, I’m also starting to understand why people love them so much.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Audi RS 4

Price (as tested): £85,000

Engine: 3.0-litre twin turbo petrol

Power: 444bhp

Torque: 600Nm

Top speed: 155mph

Fuel economy: 28.5mpg (combined)

0-60mph: 4.1 seconds

Emissions: 225g/km CO2

Mileage: 2,674

This month’s highlight: Managing to work out why the Audi’s powered boot kept clobbering me on the head.

OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING

Volkswagen Caddy

Mileage: 5,892

We’re spending some time getting to know the fruits of VW and Ford’s new partnership.

Ford Focus

‘Our’ Focus has been put to the test on a number of long-distance trips.

Mileage: 11,256

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