Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 192 by Blackball Media

VOTING NOW OPEN

PLUS: THE NEW CAR BRANDS ARE COMING – WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU?

FIRST DRIVES

Issue 192 | March 2024

WHY YOU NEED TO BE AT OUR CONFERENCE

CarDealerMag.co.uk | £6

ON TEST: THE AUDI R8 GT, PORSCHE CAYENNE, JEEP AVENGER AND ISUZU D-MAX

• HEADLINE INTERVIEWS WITH PETER VARDY AND PETER WADDELL • EXCLUSIVE PANEL SESSIONS – INCLUDING FRANCHISED, LUXURY AND INDEPENDENT CAR DEALERS

• EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH PAPERS FROM AUTO TRADER, COX AUTOMOTIVE, AUTOMOTIVE TRANSFORMATION GROUP, IVENDI AND GOOGLE • LISTEN, LEARN AND CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED MOTOR TRADE PROS

CarDealerLive.co.uk

NEWS • GROUP 1 JOBS THREATENED • INCHCAPE SITES MAY BE SOLD • TOP TAXPAYERS REVEALED • JLR PRESSURE GROUP FORMED • LOOKERS FUNDING LATEST

SELLING SUPERCARS BEHIND THE SCENES OF EXOTIC CAR DEALER ALEXANDERS PRESTIGE

INSIDE: WHY 2024 WILL BECOME A BITTER EV BATTLEGROUND

Protect Customers.

Save Time.

Make Money. with the warrantywise

Partner Programme.

activate & accelerate. 02 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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THE BOSS FOUNDER James Baggott

james@thebaize.com Twitter: @CarDealerEd

EDITORIAL 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 Evans Nigel Swan, Ted Welford

FINANCE

FINANCE MANAGER Kate Gordon kate@blackballmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Kevin Day

kev@blackballmedia.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER Michelle Searle

michelle@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @cardealermich

Distribution Car Dealer is distributed to a database of up to 12,000 franchised car dealers, independents, service and repair sites, car manufacturers and suppliers. Advertisers are supplied with a print certificate every month.

Awards

Winner of Best Business Publication, Headline Auto Awards 2012 & 2014

Company No: 6473855 VAT No: GB 343 7049 04 ISSN 2756-1364

Car Dealer is published by Blackball Media Ltd (company number 6473855). All rights reserved. Conditions of sale and supply include the fact Car Dealer shall not, without our consent, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated way or in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or affixed to any part of a publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever. Car Dealer is fully protected by copyright. Nothing may be reproduced wholly or in part without permission.

WELCOME.

’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that January felt like it took eight weeks to pass, and yet, as I write this, half of February has already gone and we’re just three weeks away from our first big bash of the year – Car Dealer Live. There is an air of mild panic here as scripts still need to be written, the sandwiches need to be tested and James Baggott hasn’t chosen his shoes yet. The stress levels are also high because nearly a couple of hundred of you have booked your tickets. Nerves are good, though, because we have a cracking event in store for you. This year, we’ll be putting the used car industry in the spotlight, and we’ve gathered some of the biggest and most knowledgeable dealers in the industry to come and talk on stage. We’re supported by a number of fantastic suppliers, too. They’ll be revealing some fascinating research pieces, not least Google, which will be unveiling its new Vehicle Ads format for dealers. I know I’m bound to say this but it’s an event that you really won’t want to miss. You can read more about the day and what’s in store on pages six to nine and can book tickets by logging on to cardealerlive.co.uk. Last year, we were hugely taken aback by the number of you who battled through the snow to the British Motor Museum for the inaugural conference – we’re hoping for calmer weather this year! Elsewhere in this issue, James Baggott chats to a baroness (not words I ever thought I would type), we have a deep dive into electric cars and the current state of the new and used EV market, and round up all of the important news. I hope to see you on March 7 for Car Dealer Live. In the meantime, enjoy the issue.

James Batchelor and James Baggott at last year’s inaugural Car Dealer Live conference

The sandwiches need to be tested and James Baggott hasn’t chosen his shoes yet.

JAMES BATCHELOR Associate editor CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

Introducing Opteven.

Quality now has a name.

Entreti

We are independent experts in the automotive and insurance sector

We have over 1.5m customers using a warranty with us across the continent, so you’re in safe and trusted hands

www.opteven.co.uk 04 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

We operate in 9 European markets Our mission is to help people with their mobility, facilitating their travels and helping them take care of their car

IGNITION. ISSUE 192 | MARCH 2024

6 CONTENTS

Conference 2024 latest 6 Power 2024 launched 12 The EV battleground 14 Baroness Parminter interview 18 New car news 26 News digest 28 Business news 40 Finance 44 Supplier news 47

COMMENT James Batchelor Big Mike

23 24

FORECOURT Audi R8 GT Porsche Cayenne Jeep Avenger Isuzu D-Max

32 34 36 37

FEATURES Selling Supercars part 4 New brands for 2024 Cool stuff

10 20 39

DATA FILE The Statistics LCV news Suppliers Guide Long-termers

48 50 52 53

DASHBOARD

‘Consumers do want EVs, but not in the number required to hit these targets.’ 14

BIG MIKE

‘Said Saab is currently sitting in poo corner with my cheap partexes while I decide on its fate.’ 24

FORECOURT

‘The sheer enjoyment that the V10 brings is unlikely to ever be repeated in the future.’ 32

DATA FILE

‘We now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which net zero depends.’ 48 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

MARCH 7, 2024

CONFERENCE

Don’t miss your chance to learn from top names in the industry

KEYNOTE INTERVIEWS

Peter Vardy and Peter Waddell will feature in two keynote interviews where they will individually share the secrets of their success and very different ways of doing business.

by James Baggott @CarDealerEd

ar dealer giants Peter Vardy and Peter Waddell are the keynote guests when our Car Dealer Live conference returns in less than a month. The pair will headline our special event – sponsored by Auto Trader – on March 7 at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon by taking part in two separate major interviews. Vardy’s group represents franchised brands including Porsche, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, but he’s also made impressive inroads as a used car specialist with his used ‘Carz’ brand. Waddell, meanwhile, is best known for his successful Big Motoring World used car supermarket group, which now boasts eight sites. The two car dealership business supremos will feature in keynote interviews where they’ll individually share the secrets of their success and very different ways of doing business. These motor trade titans will be joined by a host of other leading industry figures during the day at the special event. On the luxury car dealer panel will be Tom Hartley and H.R. Owen chief technical officer Brett Ward. Both will be talking about the ultra-high-end world of selling supercars. Chorley Group operations director Sue Corkin, Wessex Garages MD Chris Wiseman and Luscombe Motors boss Robin Luscombe are all confirmed to appear on the franchised dealer panel. Meanwhile, EV Experts co-founder Estelle Miller, Carbase chief operating officer Alex Jones and Solo Cars director James McConville are slated to form the independent dealer panel, with Stellantis used vehicle operations director Nicola Dobson, Nio UK managing director Matt Gavin and BYD UK marketing manager Mark Blundell on the manufacturer panel. The above is just a taste of what we’ve got planned for the packed event. This four-page spread gives you more details but keep checking the Car Dealer website between now and the big day for up-to-the-minute information. It’s an event not to be missed, so make sure you’re there!

To book tickets, click here or visit 06 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

CarDealerLive.co.uk

9.35

Peter Vardy

CEO, Peter Vardy Group

1.45

Peter Waddell

CEO, Big Motoring World

10.00 FRANCHISED DEALER PANEL

Sue Corkin

Operations director, Chorley Group

Chris Wiseman

MD, Wessex Garages

THREE senior franchised car dealer figures will give their take on the used car market for 2024 and more at the conference. Sue Corkin from Chorley Group, Chris Wiseman from Wessex Garages and Luscombe Motors’ Robin Luscombe will discuss topics such as the transition to agency plus the move towards an electric future.

Robin Luscombe

MD, Luscombe Motors

Franchised dealers regularly find themselves at the bleeding edge of new manufacturer initiatives, and that’s not likely to change in 2024. Our experienced panel from the franchised sector will be sharing their insights about the technological and regulatory changes coming our way in the years ahead.

Sponsored by event partner

3.30 INDEPENDENT DEALER PANEL Alex Jones

Estelle Miller

COO, Carbase

Co-founder, EV Experts

THREE independent used car dealers will form a panel for this sector at Car Dealer Live 2024. Carbase chief operating officer Alex Jones, EV Experts co-founder Estelle Miller and Solo Cars director James McConville will discuss the latest used car trends, how they’re tackling electric car sales, the impact of AI on their businesses and what they predict will happen

James McConville Director, Solo Cars

to used car sales in 2024. Carbase has four sites plus three servicing centres and sells thousands of cars a year. Miller recently told us how crashing EV prices could teach all used car dealers a lesson when it comes to managing falling prices. Completing the panel, McConville operates a 100-car site in Liverpool that he started with his father in 2008.

With headline partner

4.00 GOOGLE KEYNOTE INTERVIEW

Google to take wraps off its Vehicle Ads format SEARCH giant Google is to showcase its long-awaited Vehicle Ads format for the motor industry at Car Dealer Live 2024. Launched in the United States last year, it has been rolled out in a closed pilot scheme in the UK. Google’s Mohammad Lone will talk about how the new product works, how car dealers have been using it so far and what it means for dealerships. ‘Essentially, Vehicle Ads provide people with a new opportunity to find their next car,’ he said. ‘So, we can search for a particular type of

car – a BMW 3 Series, say – and the user will be offered an inventory of local or national cars available and they’ll be able to click and choose, just in the way that they might do the same for trainers.’ Practical examples of dealers who have used the format successfully will be given. Google’s session will also cover best practice with search and how car dealers can make themselves stand out on the platform. Sponsored by event partner

What is it? It’s a conference that builds on our successful Car Dealer Live video series, and will feature experts giving 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 9am and finishes at 4.30pm. The full timetable is on page 8. Are there refreshments? Indeed! Coffee and pastries will be available to welcome attendees at 9am, and there’ll be a 45-minute break for a buffet lunch at 1pm – please note the allergy advisory on page 8, though. Where can I park? There’ll be plenty of parking spaces on site. Just follow the bespoke signs that we’ll have 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 £150 for trading car dealers, £300 for non-car dealers and £200 for dealers and non-dealers to watch the event live online (no in-person access). Prices are ex-VAT.

EVENT PARTNERS CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

FEATURE

SELLING SUPERCARS MEET THE TEAM BEHIND SUPERCAR DEALER ALEXANDERS PRESTIGE

• We visit the stunning supercar showroom Alexanders Prestige • In the latest episode of our Selling Supercars series, we chat to co-founder Andrew North • He shows us around his luxury dealership and explains what makes his firm different by James Baggott @CarDealerEd

elling supercars and dealing with the buyers who can afford them requires a fastidious level of service – and the team behind Alexanders Prestige know that better than anyone. Started back in 2005 by lifelong friends Andrew North and Alexander Brimelow, the luxury and prestige car dealership meticulously prepares the cars they sell. When we visited them – a little over a year ago now – to film the latest instalment of our Selling Supercars video series (above), I was impressed by the spotless cars, the immaculate showroom and, well, the attention to detail. They even have a name for it – they call it ‘the unseen’ – and it’s a principle that runs deep throughout the business, based in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire. Alexanders has even made a video about it that dominates its website, telling people it likes to focus on the small things so that everything just feels right when you buy a luxury car from the dealership. ‘The unseen is about everything we do behind the scenes,’ North tells us in our video about his business. We don’t shout about it. We don’t tell everyone about it. It all just happens. So you leave as a customer, with whatever it is you purchased, just thinking, “I’ve got everything I needed there.” And that’s because we’re just quietly behind the scenes just trying to do things right.’ It’s an enviable stance and clearly runs deep throughout the business. The on-site bodyshop touches up even the smallest of marks, the valeting teams prepare cars to concours condition before they take up their place in the long, barn-like showroom, and the mechanics are busy working on customer cars in much the same fashion. When we visited, used car prices – especially for luxury cars – were still high and the showroom was packed with a mix of luxury SUVs, including an Aston Martin DBX and Range Rovers, peppered with some of the latest supercars. A blue Maserati MC20 was just being driven into the showroom – a car North had bought himself to drive for a few months as ‘he was fascinated by it’ – while there were plenty of Ferrari and Porsche models to choose from. If you take a look at the firm’s stock today, the mix is much the same, with everything from a Ferrari 488 Pista to a Lamborghini Urus Performante. North said: ‘Our high-volume stuff is Range Range Rover product and things like that. We do a lot of G-Wagen, too. ‘But we also do a lot of the specialist stuff as well. Many Porsches – a lot of Porsches – Bentley, Ferrari, anything that’s a high-end prestige car. 10 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

If we enjoy it, our customers enjoy it. I don’t know why people find buying cars sometimes isn’t a nice experience. Andrew North Alexanders Prestige co-founder and managing director

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE ALEXANDERS PRESTIGE VIDEO

YOU CAN FIND ALL EPISODES OF OUR SELLING SUPERCARS SERIES ON THE DEDICATED PLAYLIST ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Alexanders Prestige co-founder and managing director Andrew North, and above, with the team ‘We try to cover sort of every avenue – our average selling price is round about £100,000.’ Walking through North’s perfectly laid-out premises, it’s certainly not hard to miss his perfectionism. The cars are lined up inch-perfectly in the spotlessly clean showroom that would rival many franchised dealerships I’ve set foot in. You can tell they haven’t scraped on the fit-out either. The floor tiles are luxurious, there’s plenty of space and light to let the supercars shine and the branding is high-end. Personally, I think the logo is fantastic. It’s clear North and the team also love what they do. He teaches his sales staff not to sell – he says that’s not their job at all. They’re there to answer questions and help guide the buyer through the process of buying their dream. Some, he says, are famous footballers and sports stars, but most are successful business people treating themselves to a toy. ‘Brand is the key to it,’ he says in our video. ‘You don’t have to be a stereotypical car dealer. It should be a nice experience buying supercars.’ North started out working in a BMW dealership but decided that ‘wasn’t going to pay the bills’ and so started the business with his friend. These days it turns over around £71m a year and makes a profit of around £1.5m, according to its accounts for 2022. And he says he’s never surprised by how eccentric some of his buyers can be. While filming this video series we’ve heard from Romans which told us about a company’s staff clubbing together to buy their boss a Bugatti, while Amari told us about the Lamborghini buyer who turned up on a bus. ‘One customer surprised me when he bought a new Bentley Continental GT with a cream interior from us,’ he said. ‘The first thing he did was open the boot of his Range Rover, got his massive dirty lurcher dog out of it and put the dog in the back of the Continental. I couldn’t believe he was doing it, but his car was his life and so too was his dog.’ Having spent some time with North, I know that every dirty paw press on that car’s leather would have made him wince… During the first four parts of this video series we’ve met some of the most famous supercar dealers in the country, and Alexanders seriously impressed. It’s no wonder the business is a serial Used Car Award winner, picking up our Days to Sell award in the recent 2023 event and a nomination in the Specialist Used Car Dealer category, too. North adds: ‘If we enjoy it, our customers enjoy it. I don’t know why people find buying cars sometimes isn’t a nice experience – it should be. We want to give buyers the best experiences of their life.’

PART 1 Inside supercar dealer Romans International

PART 2 Meet hypercar dealer Tom Hartley

PART 3 Meet the Amari Supercars husband-and-wife dream team

PART 4 Inside supercar dealer Alexanders Prestige CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

AWARDS

VOTE FOR THE BEST SUPPLIERS AND MANUFACTURERS • It’s YOUR chance to name the best suppliers • Car manufacturers are ranked from best to worst • Completing the survey only takes a few minutes

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

by James Batchelor @JRRBatchelor

he chance to name and celebrate the best suppliers and manufacturers in the automotive business is back for 2024. The annual Car Dealer Power survey has returned and it’s YOUR opportunity to honour the best suppliers you do business with and the car manufacturers you think are the best to represent. And that’s what makes this unique – the awards are voted for by those who matter the most… you, the dealers. The survey will close on Friday, May 17 – it only takes a few minutes to fill out, so get voting now! Last year we received well over 1,000 entries, making Car Dealer Power a highly important event in the motor trade. Winners and highly commended placed firms were named in 19 supplier categories, with the best car manufacturers to represent and the car of the year also being revealed. In the manufacturer awards, Toyota made a stunning rise to the top of the table, knocking Kia off the perch after three consecutive wins. Kia finished second and BMW third, while Honda was the biggest riser, leaping by 15 places from 21st in 2022 to sixth last year. Jaguar was named the worst manufacturer to represent for the second year running, while the MG4 was voted car of the year. You can watch last year’s Car Dealer Power by clicking on this YouTube link or read more here. Along with naming the best car manufacturer to represent and the car of the year, the industry’s best suppliers are also honoured. From the best protection firms to finance providers, all sectors are covered and allow dealers to air their views on the best – and the worst. The supplier categories are listed on the right and the winner of each receives a prestigious Car Dealer Power trophy. Any car dealer can vote in the Car Dealer Power awards, while independents can skip straight to naming the best suppliers to do business with, and it only takes a few minutes. Voting for Car Dealer Power 2024 closes on Friday, May 17.

The MG4 came top last year, with the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and BMW i7 both highly commended 12 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

cardealerpower.com

SUPPLIERS Cleaning Product Recruitment Agency Stock Acquisition – for 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 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 Friday, May 17 – but don’t delay!

Click here now to vote for your favourites

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Introducing EV Drivers Club from Car Care Plan

he transition to electrical vehicles is already well under way. Sales have been rapidly rising in recent years as more consumers make the switch. At the midway point in 2023, battery-electric vehicles accounted for more than 16% of the market share, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. In June, an EV was the best-selling vehicle model in the UK, taking the fourth spot in the year to date. As the UK gets closer to the 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, consumer interest in the alternatives will only grow. There have been predictions that EV sales could overtake petrol and diesel sales as early as 2025, when well over a million motorists will be traversing the UK’s roads in fully electric vehicles. There were 810,000 EVs on UK roads by the end of June 2023, according to Zapmap.

Impact on aftersales

For car retailers and their aftersales departments, the EV transition will have an impact on sustainable income generation, according to Chris Strong, head of product innovation and strategy at Car Care Plan, an industryleading provider of warranty and add-on insurance products. ‘Many EV servicing programmes are no longer annual, they are “on demand”, or up to every two years,’ Chris explained. ‘Many features and vehicle updates can be completed remotely, and, after researching several different manufacturer servicing inclusions, there is also inconsistency on what is included within EV servicing events across all providers and OEMs. ‘Due to fewer servicing event requirements, aftersales income for dealer groups and OEMs will be greatly reduced, reportedly already by as much as a third. Some OEMs are indicating aftersales income reduction could be as high as 75% once the full transition to electric vehicles has finalised.’

EV Drivers Club

Car Care Plan has launched its EV Drivers Club membership programme to support its dealer and manufacturer partners and their customers. The programme has a wide range of benefits for members, while providing retailers with a new route to market and an opportunity to provide ongoing support to their customers. Chris said: ‘We identified a number of EV bespoke health checks that are not included in the majority of EV servicing requirements, all of which will enable the selling dealer to identify any issues.’ The programme’s comprehensive annual vehicle health check includes a thorough assessment of requirements outside a normal vehicle service, from traction battery and coolant checks to onboard computer and air conditioning function checks. The benefits of EV Drivers Club do not end there, however. ‘We also investigated the current ownership terrain for new and experienced EV drivers. There are many third party applications and new to the marketplace “transition experts” in the EV world,’ Chris continued. ‘On our clients’ behalf, we fully investigated the main features and benefits of these providers, and brought the best on the market together under our EV Drivers Club umbrella.’

Piloting EV Switch

Car Care Plan’s provision in the growing EV marketplace does not end there, however. It also has a pilot in place called ‘EV Switch’. This service has been created to assist customers in their transition to EVs by providing independent advice on the subjects that matter most. Customers register their interest with their car dealer via an online platform. An EV transition specialist will then contact them directly to discuss and advise them on specific questions and concerns related to BEV ownership. For any retailers and manufacturers interested in offering EV Drivers Club to their customers, or if they’d like to learn more about EV Switch, contact Chris by emailing chris.strong@carcareplan.co.uk.

EV Drivers Club benefits include: In addition to the annual vehicle health check, EV Drivers Club members get access to:

EV Drivers Club Assist A breakdown and recovery service.

Zoom EV Full Membership Various charging benefits and discounts.

SmartFob including Keycare Key insurance benefits.

Zapmap Premium Membership Charger location and information.

Bonnet Charging App

Discounted charging on a wide network of providers.

Dent Wizard Ventures (DWV) discount 10% off cosmetic and alloy wheel repairs.

A customer portal provides access to all the benefits in the same place. They are also accessible from a SmartFob app included within the membership package.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

INVESTIGATION

WHY 2024 WILL BECOME A BITTER EV BATTLEGROUND • How will car manufacturers hit their 22% EV sales targets at a time when many have been turned off by the tech? • Car Dealer experts say that new EV discounts are likely in 2024 with a knock-on impact for used prices • Who will be the winners and losers in what’s set to be a bitter battle for EV buyers? by James Baggott @CarDealerEd

ar manufacturers are set to unleash a series of killer deals in 2024 as the battle for electric car sales really begins to heat up. A Car Dealer Investigation has found that experts predict a bloody battleground as legacy car makers fight a growing number of ambitious Chinese challengers for the few retail EV car buyers around. With a tough government-mandated 22% target this year of every car maker’s sales having to be electric – coupled with punishing £15,000 fines for every car they miss – do not underestimate just how fierce this fight will become. While prime minister Rishi Sunak may have delayed the ban on petrol and diesel cars to 2035 in September, what he didn’t change were those stringent EV targets car makers must meet – and they get tougher every year. In fact, in just five years’ time, more than half of the cars that manufacturers sell must be electric. But how do they convince retail customers to switch to EV when there are little incentives to do so? ‘Consumers do want EVs, but not in the number required to hit these targets,’ said Derren Martin, director of valuations for Cap HPI. Martin said he had already seen discounts of as much as 30% on some EVs from traditional manufacturers, while Auto Trader’s research has found the average discount on a new EV to be nearly 11% – and growing. ‘Discounting is already widespread,’ added Martin. The battle for EV customers comes at a time when many retail buyers have simply been turned off the technology. The government delaying the petrol and diesel ban – which is now even further away than when it was first announced – has dropped it further down the news agenda, while problems with public charging have moved it up. Rupert Pontin, from vehicle data provider One Auto API, said he simply doesn’t believe that consumers are ‘engaged’ with buying EVs. ‘There is still a great lack of clear information on battery range and health, and this 14 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Consumers do want EVs, but not in the number required to hit these targets. Derren Martin Director of valuations for Cap HPI

EV SALES TARGETS

Our government has to do more to bring us in line with continental Europe or it will risk car makers sending EVs to other markets. Steve Fowler Auto Express editor-in-chief

doesn’t help confidence in EVs as a whole,’ he said. ‘The negative press coverage whenever we have a cold spell also brings out concerns on both battery range but also the poor charging infrastructure.’ Even the specialists are concerned. Tom Barnard, who is the editor of electric car website Electrifying.com, said: ‘The early adopters have mostly adopted already. ‘Now we are moving slowly into the mainstream – but there is not a great incentive for private buyers to make the switch. ‘It is too big a leap for many motorists currently – especially those who do not have access to home charging.’ Barnard thinks it’s an education problem and that there are actually many buyers out there for whom an EV would be perfect – they just don’t know it.

CURIOUS CONSUMERS

Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler says consumer interest in electric vehicles is still relatively high. His website’s ‘best EVs’ story consistently achieves ‘huge volumes of traffic’ – but he is also worried that low electric car sales ‘speak for themselves’. ‘Our government has to do more to bring us in line with continental Europe or it will risk car makers sending EVs to other markets where demand is stronger, therefore undermining the UK’s own targets,’ Fowler told Car Dealer. ‘Otherwise, it’s down to the car makers to employ tried and tested sales tactics – let the low-rate finance and deposit contribution battles begin.’ Most experts believe that the only real way to drive EV sales this year will be to make the deals look too good to be true. ‘More needs to be done to educate consumers on the benefits of EV ownership with a focus on the total cost of ownership saving,’ added Cap HPI’s Martin. ‘Some OEMs offer support for home charger installation with a new car purchase, and those that don’t would certainly reap some benefits from doing so.’ Jyoti Kumar, from market analysts Jato, said car makers will need some ‘compelling strategies’ to encourage EV browsers to become buyers in 2024. ‘We’re already seeing a number of low- or zero-rate finance offers available to buyers,’ added Kumar. ‘And we can expect to see attractive incentives for consumers ahead of March registration.’ Others, such as Karen Hilton, CEO of car buying website Heycar, believe a better incentive for buyers would be improving charging. She’d like to see all car manufacturers and the government work together on solving an issue that’s front and

CONTINUES OVER PAGE

CAR manufacturers are most likely to focus on fleet deals to hit their EV targets. There are more incentives for businesses to buy EVs than for consumers, but there’s still a limit to how many the fleets can take. Steve Young, MD of research firm ICDP, said: ‘The focus will be on fleets with longer holding times of around three to four years rather than short-cycle daily rental – and I suspect Motability will also get some great deals on electric cars.’ He revealed that to help boost numbers car dealers are already being set electric vehicle targets with higher bonuses than those available on traditionally fuelled vehicles. ‘The scale of the offers is not enough to persuade a sceptical retail customer,’ he added. ‘They have only been shown to respond to several thousand pounds of incentives when these were on offer from the government. ‘There will therefore also be periodic campaign support from OEMs for dealers to boost electric car sales, particularly towards period ends. All classic stuff.’ Young said that car manufacturers will be able to ‘borrow’ from next year’s targets to hit this year’s 22%, but he warns this could become like ‘payday loans’ and the start of a ‘nightmare’. SMMT boss Mike Hawes would rather see cash on the table from the government to boost EV demand. ‘While manufacturers offer a vast range of zero-emission vehicles, demand must match supply,’ he said. ‘Delivering a buoyant EV market means giving all consumers the confidence to invest, which requires an attractive package of fiscal incentives, mandated infrastructure targets and a consistent message that encourages drivers to switch now.’

Government’s annual EV sales targets as part of ZEV mandate 2024

22%

2025

28%

2026

33%

2027

38%

2028 2029

52% 66%

2030

80%

2031

84%*

2032

88%*

2033

92%*

2034

96%*

2035

100%*

*Target will be set out in future legislation later in the decade. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

WHO WILL WIN?

INVESTIGATION

Left: BYD will challenge traditional brands for sales in 2024

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE centre of potential buyers’ minds. Her website asked 2,000 consumers what would most likely encourage them into an EV and 40% of them said ‘more charging points’. These sorts of deals and big price cuts will be vital if car manufacturers are to hit the 22% target in 2024. If they don’t, they can buy EV credits from electric vehicle car makers – such as Tesla – instead of paying the fines, so expect the American firm’s coffers to swell as a result.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO USED EV PRICES IN 2024?

With such aggressive marketing campaigns in the new EV market, what impact could heavy discounting have on used EV residual values? Used electric car prices plummeted last year – with some models losing as much as half of their value in nine months – but is a further fall likely? ICDP boss Steve Young says this challenge could be tough for manufacturers to manage. ‘If distress pricing affects residual value forecasts, then this will obviously affect finance rates on new cars, multiplying the affordability challenge regardless of the list price. ‘Manufacturers need a story they can sell to the market that their electric vehicle values will not tank in three to four years’ time. If that is seen as a possibility – brand-specific or, even worse, applied across the market – then it is all going to get messy.’ Jayson Whittington, head of valuations at Glass, said new car price reductions on EVs was a concern of his. ‘There is always a risk that a significant price reduction will affect the used market value, but throughout 2023 used electric vehicle values suffered a significant fall – in the region of 36% – so there may be enough of a disconnect from the new car market that a reduction in new price may not fully filter through,’ he said. ‘An encouraging result of residual values falling is that used BEVs have seemingly found a new price point that is proving popular with consumers.’ Auto Express boss Fowler thinks any new car incentives will complicate a difficult market even further. ‘The used market is confused enough as it is, but cheaper new EVs are only going to mean one thing on the used market – prices will drop,’ he said. Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, sees those price drops as a positive. He said: ‘More affordable supply heading for the used electric market in 2024 means that used EVs will be a viable alternative to brand-new models, which will add further competition for car makers’ ambitions.’ Carwow boss John Veichmanis said demand for used EVs ‘remains subdued’ and he is concerned residual values will suffer as a result of ‘aggressive pricing on new’. ‘One of the primary concerns for the used EV market is the false perception that EV batteries have a fairly limited life or that the slightest bodywork damage could write the whole car off,’ he added. ‘More needs to be done to promote the safety of batteries; once there is a greater understanding that they can be repaired or replaced, consumer confidence in the second-hand EV market will grow.’ What does remain clear is that 2024 is set to very much be the year of the EV. Whether it’s in the new or used market, the subject is set to dominate the agenda for some time yet.

More affordable supply heading for the used electric market in 2024 means that used EVs will be a viable alternative to brand-new models. Ian Plummer Commercial director at Auto Trader 16 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

PICKING the winners and losers in what will be the toughest electric vehicle market for years isn’t easy – but the clever money is riding on the Chinese. MG has already proved that goodvalue electric cars sell. The brand clocked up more than 81,000 sales last year and a 4.2% market share – beating the likes of Renault, Skoda and Volvo while closing in rapidly on previous top performers such as Hyundai. And this year will see the likes of BYD increase their footing in the UK further still, along with many other new entrants from China. ‘Chinese brands will be the winners,’ predicted Umesh Samani, used car dealer and chairman of the Independent Motor Dealers Association. ‘They are already making headway and customers are looking at value and are not too worried about the brand.’ John Veichmanis, CEO of Carwow, also thinks it will be interesting to see if consumers ‘set aside’ their ‘traditional brand loyalties’ and are happy to buy from the new Chinese challengers. He said: ‘Chinese OEMs are investing significantly in their EV product ranges and we know that the likes of BYD have ambitious plans for volumes in the UK. ‘While these new entrants may currently lack brand awareness that has always been critical for selling cars in volume in the UK, we are already seeing huge marketing campaigns in their roadmaps, which will try to overcome this.’ Jato’s Jyoti Kumar added: ‘It’s important to call out emerging players like BYD. While their registrations may have been low in 2023, the brand is heavily investing in growth. Their sales in 2024 will be significant in influencing the EV targets for competing brands. ‘Conversely, Stellantis, Renault, Japanese brands and Ford may experience a decline in market share.’

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH BARONESS PARMINTER PAGE 18

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INTERVIEW BARONESS PARMINTER

‘We need incentives to buy new and used EVs now’ The chairwoman of the inquiry into electric vehicles was interviewed by James Baggott about its findings. Here’s what she had to say...

inancial incentives to entice consumers into new and used electric vehicles are needed now if the government is to hit its targets. That’s the opinion of Baroness Parminter, chairwoman of an inquiry into the state of the electric vehicle market in England and Wales. Speaking to Car Dealer on the eve of the publication of the committee’s report entitled EV Strategy: Rapid Recharge Needed, Baroness Parminter – who drives a Nissan Leaf – said she’d like to see the government put in place financial incentives to help boost the uptake of EVs ‘immediately’. She said: ‘If there was a commitment to immediately consult on the necessary fiscal incentives for both new cars and secondhand cars, that would be a win. ‘And in the Budget saying we will equalise VAT on home and public charging, that would be a massive signal of intent. ‘And that’s what we need from this government, because the messages have been mixed. ‘When Rishi Sunak rolled back on the deadline last year, he used the term “getting to net zero is going to be hard” – that’s not what the public needs to hear. ‘They need to see the government putting some skin in the game now. And the VAT equalisation in the Budget would do that. There needs to be some clear communication from the government that we’re all in this together.’ The report – published on February 6 – suggests boosting used electric car sales with a ‘battery health standard’, reforming vehicle tax so consumers know where they’ll stand in the future if they buy an EV, and reducing the VAT rate for public 18 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

charging to 5%, among a number of other ideas. Baroness Parminter added: ‘If we don’t incentivise used [electric] cars then we are not going to crack this market, given how many cars are bought in the used market. ‘I think the government needs to learn the lessons from other schemes [in other countries] which are working, which are incentivising the second-hand market. And we’ve said, absolutely, the government should be looking at fiscal incentives, whether it’s loans or grants. That’s a matter for them. And it needs to be doing that now. ‘In the past, when we had the plug-in car grant, it was across all cars. What we are saying is that we need to target the affordable end of the market for fairness issues. ‘That’s where we need people to be buying the cars. We’re asking the government to look at effectively reintroducing grants but to target them at the lower end of the market.’ The report also suggests solutions around promoting the life of EV batteries in used cars and showcasing how ‘healthy’ they still are. The baroness added: ‘We think it’s absolutely critical that the government introduces a battery health indicator for EV batteries. Otherwise, I think that will be a major brake on people thinking that they’ll buy second-hand electric cars.’ Baroness Parminter and her inquiry heard evidence from August 2023 onwards from car manufacturers, suppliers, charging infrastructure firms, the general public and car dealers. She warned the government that if it doesn’t heed the inquiry’s advice, hitting its targets will be near impossible.

‘I think if they don’t take on the main recommendations that we are proposing, I think the chances of us meeting those net zero targets are slim. ‘If we don’t get the EV revolution in place, we’re not going to hit our legally binding net zero targets by 2050. So the government needs to take what we’re saying really seriously.’ Baroness Parminter also explained that she found the fact that consumers were less worried about ‘range anxiety’ and more concerned about charging infrastructure the most shocking. ‘The second thing that shocked me was the whole issue around VAT and the discrepancy between the amount you get charged for electricity if you’re able to charge from home and that which you get charged if you’re charging at a public site. ‘Given that 40% of people aren’t going to be able to have home charging facilities, that, for me, was a big issue, which I don’t think has been explored sufficiently. That was something that really struck home to committee members.’ Asked if she thought the government would listen to the inquiry’s advice, Baroness Parminter said: ‘I’m hesitant. The mood music as we move towards the general election, where green issues by the Conservatives are being increasingly portrayed as a wedge issue, makes me feel that this might make it harder for our messages to land.’

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Reduce prep time to boost cashflow

he past few years haven’t been ‘normal’ for the used vehicle market. Less stock available along with price rises for new vehicles has seen used vehicle prices increase. New car sales volume is returning, but the RRPs remain significantly higher. This means higher used vehicle prices are here to stay. What has also returned is the monthly book drop we are now seeing. This can cost dealers as much as 3% a month, which is a significant amount for some volume sites. This is why it is so important to focus back on turning stock quickly, which is sitting at 31 days as an average. Most dealers are restricted on the number of hours available to them for mechanical work and bodywork, so it is important to have a handle on preparation. Chris Barrett, the MD of Visual Automotive, commented: ‘On average, there is a delay of two days before a vehicle is booked in for any work. Delays are often caused by waiting for parts that could have been pre-ordered, or a vehicle being held in one part of a preparation process while another person/department could be working on it.’ vAutoStock offers a full suite of tools to help with all this. Already working with more than 130 dealers ranging from small independents to large groups and preparation centres, vAutoStock understands the vehicle preparation processes and stock management. Jacob Freshwater, the MD of Fresh Motors, said: ‘Since going live with vAutoStock, the average vehicle speed to online has dropped to six days from 11 and from Check-in, Appraisal and our Certified Fresh process it’s down to 48 hours from when a vehicle lands on site. ‘We can make prep decisions quickly, with more stock ready to drive away the same day, boosting cashflow and reducing the days in stock average from 62 to just over 50.’

The vAutoStock solutions include:

• vAutoPrep – Takes a feed from the DMS, linking all departments and processes together, reducing preparation times. vAutoPrep helps prepare vehicles correctly and efficiently, providing full visibility on the prep status of every vehicle • vAutoTrack – Uses radio frequency identification (RFID) or Bluetooth to update vehicle location, as well as complete preparation updates. Dealers can track stock across different locations and save hours of trying to find vehicles that have been moved or test-driven at other sites. • vAutoBots – Works with most dealer management systems to enhance operational efficiency. Usually, vehicles require inputting into the DMS and need pushing to the workshop as well as invoicing off. vAutoBots removes double data entry into third party platforms.

Tips for anyone looking to improve their speed to market via faster preparation 1. Spend time with each person currently involved in the preparation process. This applies throughout the vehicle preparation process. Ensure staff aren’t wasting time completing spreadsheets! 2. Measure your preparation time. Set your target preparation time and introduce ongoing monitoring. Dealers often have no measure, or the measure set doesn’t correspond to the reality. 3. Control the costs. The best-performing businesses maintain a focus on the costs of each vehicle. 4. Understand the limitations of a department. If the bodyshop is full of stock vehicles, there’s no point buying more that need lots of bodywork – no matter the price. 5. Only sell prepared cars. If vehicles are fully prepared before they are sold, this will save time for the sales team. The vAutoStock platform can show dealers a clear reduced impact on the sales team in terms of time.

For a discussion on how we can help prepare your vehicle stock faster for less and turn it quicker, please book a demo via our website or email us at amanda@visualautomotive.co.uk CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

BRANDNEW FEATURE

The automotive world is on the brink of being populated by more brands than ever – but who are the newcomers and what’s the opportunity? Craig Cheetham reports.

he rise of electrification and the surge in both the quality and popularity of cars built in China are just some of the reasons behind what looks to be the biggest source of disruption to the car market since South Korean makers found their feet and made huge inroads a quarter of a century ago – but who are the new kids on the block and is it worth taking on a franchise?

Omoda

omodauk.com Current dealers: 50 (estimated) The launch of its UK website last month was the latest tease from Chinese manufacturer Chery, which plans to introduce its Omoda brand to the UK as early as spring 2024. The launch model – the Omoda 5 – is a Nissan Qashqai-sized SUV and will be offered as a turbocharged petrol variant and a full EV, the latter of which will be announced later 20 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Nio

this year. While sites and branding have yet to be revealed, Omoda has said it will have 50 retail sites across the UK ahead of its April launch and has confirmed Listers, Arnold Clark and Greenhous as among the first partners. Cullum Goodson, network development manager for the UK, said: ‘We knew from the outset having a physical retail presence would be a key part of our approach in the UK, and with over 50 sites already confirmed pre-launch we’re exactly where we want to be.”

nio.com Current dealers: 0 2024 is the year in which Chinese luxury EV maker Nio will finally make its presence felt in Europe, having announced plans to expand across the region in 2023. Its adaptable electric car architecture is easily switched between left- and right-handdrive, which means it has the UK and Australasia also firmly in its sights, with plans for distribution expected in the late summer. At present, it has a nine-car model range in its domestic market, with the ES7 SUV and ET5/ET5-T saloon and estate tipped to be the launch models across Europe, including the UK. Key to its marketing will be its battery swap programme, which will allow owners to upgrade to newer, more efficient batteries as technology evolves.

BYD

byd.com/uk Current dealers: 25 It may be one of the newest kids on the block in the UK, but BYD is a vehicle manufacturer with almost three decades of heritage behind it. Founded in 1995, the Chinese manufacturer is one of the more established pioneers of batteryelectric vehicles and has had a presence in the UK since the 2010s, when it first partnered with bus maker Alexander-Dennis in Scotland. Most of the electric buses currently in service in the UK have BYD powertrains. The brand decided that Europe was ready for its cars – or moreover that its cars were ready for Europe – last year and appointed five dealer partners across key open points in the UK last year, with 25 sales sites. It sells three electric-only cars: the Atto3, the Seal and the Dolphin.

KGM

kgm-motors.co.uk Current dealers: 73 Haven’t we been here before? A South Korean brand with an easily recognisable three-letter name and a powerful warranty offer, with a range of capable SUVs that raise eyebrows across the industry? Just like Kia, KGM has its sights set on greatness and it’s a brand that already has some recognition in the market – you probably know it already as SsangYong. The company has, quite sensibly, gone for a far-easier-to-spell rebrand, but it’s retaining its loyal dealer network and existing model range, while the new Torres SUV goes straight for the jugular of the established elite. As it looks to expand its network in the next couple of years, it’s certainly one to watch.

B-On

b-on.com Current dealers: 0 Already in service across Europe with Deutsche Post and DHL Logistics, B-On’s range of urban last-mile electric delivery vans is set to take on a massive boost with the launch of the Ford Courier-sized Pelkan, which is due to make its UK debut at the CV Show in Birmingham in April. The smaller StreetScooter model has seen reliable service for more than four years now, and the US-German B-On company has partnered with IM Group to expand its presence, with UK deliveries starting in summer 2024. Target customers include small to medium businesses in urban areas, where the lightweight Pelkan’s 185-mile range should prove useful.

GWM Ora

gwmora.co.uk Current dealers: 30 With its great value and characterful Funky Cat electric hatchback, GWM Ora is rapidly growing in the UK with a 30-strong dealer network and eight regional test-drive centres. It’s also not as new a brand as you may think. GWM Ora is part of Great Wall Motors, which first came to the UK in the mid-2000s with the Great Wall Steed pick-up – a value-for-money utility vehicle that met its ultimate demise on the back of a zero-star NCAP crash test rating. The cars are imported by IM Group, which has worked closely with small to medium franchise operators to expand the brand, with Marriot Group, Westaway and FG Barnes the latest names to sign up for a franchise. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

Let’s drive…

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Working together, we can drive better lending outcomes.

enquiries@startlinemotorfinance.com startlinemotorfinance.com 22 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Bringing back Lancia would be a brand too far

Over the years, the company has built some of Italy’s finest cars – and arguably some of its worst.

hat automotive powerhouse Stellantis is injecting some life back into one of the most charismatic brands in its arsenal – Lancia. You may have seen a few headlines recently about the firm launching a new model, and in a surprising move Stellantis hasn’t said one word about Lancia returning to the UK. To be clear, it hasn’t said yes, but it most certainly hasn’t said that it’s quashed the idea. But even I, as a fan of old historic car names, believe Lancia returning to the UK is a step too far. There’s no doubt Lancia is a name that tugs on the heartstrings. It was founded in a manner that would be unheard of now but in the early days of motoring was commonplace. Vincenzo Lancia and his friend Claudio were colleagues at Fiat and thought they could make cars too. So, in 1906, they laid down the firm and built their first car a year later. Over the years, the company has built some of Italy’s finest cars – and arguably some of its worst. Lancia upped sticks and stopped selling cars in the UK 30 years ago this year, licking its wounds from miserable sales figures and a lingering reputation of building rust-riddled cars in the 1970s. Petrolheads mourned while everyone else carried on buying Fords and Volkswagens. Since then, though, Lancia has boomed in its home market. It now only builds one car – based on a stretched Fiat 500 platform, the Ypsilon has been around for 13 years and was even available in the UK around a decade ago wearing a Chrysler badge as part of an utterly bizarre rebadging exercise. Despite its age, the Ypsilon is still a huge sales hit in Italy, ranking third in the country’s best-selling cars chart last year. Stellantis wants to relaunch the Lancia name and views it as a shining diamond in its premium range of brands. It’s starting this reinvigoration with a new Ypsilon to replace the still stylish, but pensionable, current car. It wears the new face of the brand with slim LED daytime running lights, while the large and circular rear lights are a nod to the ’70s Stratos. There’s even a table jutting out of the dashboard for some unfathomable reason. It’s sure to be a money spinner for Stellantis, too, as under the svelte body lies the basic ingredients of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot E-208. But here’s why I don’t want Lancia to come back to the UK... It may well be profitable but is a small, probably overpriced, electric car surely what a brand such as Lancia deserves? Where are the big, comfy saloons? The dainty convertibles? The fire-breathing rally cars? If Stellantis can’t provide those, then what’s the point? That may sound idiotic as there is no way Stellantis or any global carmaker could finance models such as that, but then you have to question what is the role of Lancia? If it’s to sell a sporty Italian lifestyle then you only have to look at Alfa Romeo to realise it’s a tough sell in Britain. If it’s to market something that’s vaguely upmarket and distinctive, the struggles of DS Automobiles should be a warning bell. Stellantis hasn’t exactly got the happiest dealer network in the UK, either, and asking it to make showroom space for yet another brand could be a step too far. Then there’s the question of brand values. The people who remember Lancia for building cars with a rot problem wouldn’t likely buy another in the future, even if we are talking about cars from a generation ago. And those who have been born in the past 30 years could be difficult to persuade, too. Let’s face it, to the under-30s, Lancia will sound like another unheard-of brand selling electric cars. As much as it hurts me to say it, Lancia should stay exactly where it is.

Batch chat

COMMENT

JAMES BATCHELOR

CAR DEALER’S ASSOCIATE EDITOR HAS HIS SAY James Batchelor James – aka Batch – started at Car Dealer in 2010, becoming editor in 2013. He then worked for Auto Express and Carbuyer, went freelance in 2020, and became Car Dealer’s associate editor in October 2021. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

Big Mike 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. 24 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

COMMENT

Hidden in plain sight: The secret messages that could save us lots – or cost us dearly

ubliminal messaging. It’s everywhere we look – from the adverts we see on TV to the narrow-eyed way in which Herself looks at me on days where I’ve clearly forgotten something I should have done around the house, or have failed to notice her new haircut. It’s a difficult concept for we blokes to understand. As literal creatures, we tend to prefer a straightforward explanation over a confused message. We like black and white, not multiple shades of grey. And that’s why, after more than 40 years in the trade, I’m still leaving messages for my fellow members of the trade that are simple and easy to understand – for example, the feedback that I left for a buyer who tried to chip me down on a well-known auction platform, which read: After Requesting Some Extra Help Owner Left Empty-handed. There’s a reason why I did the first letters in upper case... Or the time I was ‘correcting’ the mileage in a Ford Sierra for one of my less scrupulous previous bosses back in the 1980s, only to find a note behind the instrument panel that read ‘Oh no, not again’. Or perhaps the occasion where I recall flicking through the service book of a Jeep Cherokee at a well-known auction house once, where the last five stamps were from The Forge Garage with the post code GU11 18LE – whoever had stamped that one up was having a laugh, and to this day I wonder if there was a punter gullible enough to fall for it. Back in those days, where the only way to buy at auction was to physically turn up, the weekly trip to the part-exchange and bargain buys sale on a Monday teatime was one of the highlights of my week, both professionally and socially. There was a bar at the auction house, so I’d normally go down on the bus and spend the night leaning on the rail, cigar in one hand and beer in the other, inhaling the scent of burnt oil and unburnt fuel emerging from the exhausts of some of the clearly poorly old knackers that were being dragged through the block. Back then, we traders had a subtle but unwritten code to identify the duds. Each of us carried in our jacket pockets a handful of GB stickers, and prior to the auction starting, when we were looking around the stock in the yard, if any of us noticed a major fault with a car we’d stick a GB sticker on the boot lid as a warning sign to other members of the trade. After all, nobody else looks out for us and it’s good to keep an eye on your mates. As such, if a car went through the block with a GB sticker on the tailgate, there was a very good chance it wasn’t capable of making it to Dover, let alone across the English Channel. This did occasionally lead to confusion though, and the clever dicks among us would get down to the auction house early to see which cars had GB stickers on them already. Therein lay a bargain, while the auctioneer looked on bewildered as a low-mileage Volvo estate struggled to muster more than a single bid. I scored a few good ones that way while my peers

Said Saab is currently sitting in poo corner with my cheap part-exes while I decide on its fate.

If a car went through the block with a GB sticker on the tailgate, there was a very good chance it wasn’t capable of making it to Dover, let alone across the English Channel.

assumed the car was wearing a warning sign. But for every win, there’s a defeat, and sometimes you have to look very closely to avoid getting stitched up. I recall one occasion where I was checking over a customer’s part-ex that supposedly had a full service history – when we got it up on the ramp, a mechanic had kindly written in chalk pen on the oil filter: ‘He asked us to clean this, not change it’, which was enough for me to run a mile. It was very helpful of the mechanic – and quite transparent – but alas, I did get caught out in a similar vein recently despite past warning. The car in question was a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT estate, and those of you who read this column regularly will know what a weakness I have for a powerful old barge. There it was, winking at me beneath its silver body kit, shiny ‘hammerhead’ alloys and gleaming silver paint assuring me that it was the car for me. I crumbled and handed over the cash, as I often do when I see something I fancy smoking around in myself for a couple of weeks. Back at work, I decided to get it up in the air and have a proper look at what I’d bought and there it was for me to see – written in MOT testers’ chalk on the sump pan: ‘Don’t buy me! Metal in sump, engine has oil pressure issues!’ Said Saab is currently sitting in poo corner with my cheap part-exes while I decide on its fate. It’s entirely on me – after all, someone did their best to try to warn me…

Those of you who read this column regularly will know what a weakness I have for a powerful old barge.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

DASHBOARD

CAR NEWS ROUND-UP Manufacturers have been refining their models and producing new ones. We look at some of the results... POLESTAR

4 SUV coupe starts at £59,990 with deliveries expected from August POLESTAR’S new SUV Coupe has gone on sale with a starting price of £59,990. The 4 is the Swedish electric performance carmaker’s fourth electric model and follows on from – you guessed it – the 1, 2 and 3. However, this car sits between the Polestar 2 hatchback and

3 SUV in terms of size and pricing. For now, two versions will be available, each using a 100kWh battery. The Long Range Single Motor packs 268bhp and is rear-wheel drive, while the Long Range Dual Motor uses twin electric motors to deploy 536bhp to all four wheels. With a 0-60mph

sprint time of 3.6 seconds, the Dual Motor becomes Polestar’s fastest-accelerating model. The Single Motor can cover 376 miles (in preliminary WLTP tests) before needing to charge, while the Dual Motor can manage 360. Deliveries are expected from August.

BMW

AUDI

2024 Q7 benefits from styling tweaks AUDI has revealed an updated version of its seven-seat Q7 SUV, which benefits from a styling redesign and additional safety features and connectivity. It now has a more imposing grille made up of new L-shaped inlays similar to that of the latest Q8 SUV. There are also new LED lights at the front and back. Third-party apps such as Spotify and Amazon are now directly integrated into the twin touchscreen. The large digital instrument cluster is also now integrated with the various driver-assistance systems to display new warnings. 26 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

4 Series range receives revised exterior and new infotainment BMW has upgraded its entire 4 Series range, introducing a tweaked exterior design alongside a new operating system for the infotainment. Priced from £43,020 for the Coupe and £49,695 for the Convertible, the new 4 Series will begin to hit the roads this spring as customer deliveries commence. The exterior has been given a number of tweaks to keep it fresh, including removing the front foglamps and M Sport models getting a diffuser in the lower section of the rear bumper. It also gains BMW’s latest Operating System 8.5, which incorporates a simpler menu setup.

FORD

Puma gets fresh look and interior upgrades

FORD has updated its Puma crossover, introducing a new exterior design and an upcoming fully electric version. The look of the Puma has had a number of tweaks and changes, with the most obvious being the positioning of the Ford badge within the front grille rather than on the ‘nose’ as before. Inside is now a 12.0-inch central display, combined with a 12.8-inch digital instrument cluster. A fully electric version – called Puma GEN-E – will be revealed later this year.

VOLKSWAGEN

SMART

Updated Golf aims to woo back buyers

Entry-level #1 drops price by £4,000

AN updated Golf brings better quality and technology to address weaknesses of the previous car. This update for the eighthgeneration Golf has been fasttracked to address problems that caused VW to lose loyal Golf buyers since its launch. A product expert said the latest model had proved ‘too much’ for a typical Golf customer, with features such as a fiddly infotainment system and touchpads for steering wheel buttons being poorly received.

SMART has added an entrylevel ‘Pro’ grade to its electric #1 crossover with a big price cut but no compromise on standard equipment. This new trim uses a smaller 49kWh battery, allowing for a 193-mile range. The power output from the rear-mounted electric motor remains the same, producing 268bhp and 343Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-60mph time of 6.7 seconds. This new Pro trim costs from £31,950, which is £4,000 cheaper than the longer-range Pro+ version.

AUDI

Motorsport heritage celebrated with limited-edition RS 6 GT AUDI is harking back to its motorsport heritage with a new limited-edition version of its RS 6 performance estate – the GT. Just 660 examples will be produced worldwide – of which 60 will make their way to the UK – with each priced at £176,975. Although it shares the same basic layout as the ‘standard’ RS 6, the GT has been comprehensively redeveloped to make it even sharper and more engaging to drive. The 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine produces the same 621bhp as the regular RS 6, but thanks to lightweight materials it’ll manage the 0-60mph sprint in 3.1 seconds – slightly quicker than the standard car. It’ll top out at a limited 190mph, too.

SKODA

Facelifted Kamiq and Scala have more recycled materials ORDERS are now open for Skoda’s facelifted Kamiq and Scala. Both cars receive similar mid-life updates for 2024, including new bumpers and badging to bring the two cars more in line with Skoda’s newer models. There’s also an increased use of recycled materials throughout the cabins of the two cars. A more efficient 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is also included, which is available with outputs of 94bhp or a 116bhp version, which gets a 6bhp increase. The range-topping 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine remains the same as before and is available on both cars.

BMW

HYUNDAI

Manual gearbox is added to Z4 roadster

Refreshed Bayon boasts light bar

BMW is bucking the trend by introducing a manual gearbox to its Z4 sports car as it aims to maximise the driving fun of this roadster. Many manufacturers are looking to, or have already stopped, offering manual cars because of limited demand, and the increasing trend for hybrid and electric models, which always use an automatic transmission. But BMW is now introducing a manual version of its Z4 for the first time in eight years as part of a new option.

HYUNDAI has revealed an updated version of its Bayon – a compact crossover that rivals the Nissan Juke. The Bayon is based on the same underpinnings as the i20 supermini and is often overlooked in its segment and the Hyundai range in general. But this refreshed version aims to change that. It gets a new front light bar stretching out across the bottom of the bonnet, while the front grille gets a new pattern as part of the revised front bumper.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 27

DASHBOARD EXPANSION

Two more Mazda sites for Stoneacre

NEWS DIGEST

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY c

STONEACRE has added to its Mazda portfolio by opening two new showrooms in Yorkshire. The Car Dealer Top 100 outfit has flung open the doors to a pair of new sites representing the Japanese brand in Halifax and Dewsbury, pictured. Both were officially opened by David Wilson-Green, customer services director at Mazda, and Paul Vozbutas, Stoneacre’s regional director. They join its six existing Mazda showrooms, with bosses tipping them to be a hit with customers.

SHUT

SUV Prestige is forced to close

AWARD-WINNING used car dealer SUV Prestige has been forced to close after ‘difficult trading conditions’ made it impossible to continue operating. Founded in 2013, recent years saw it experience a rapid rise under husband-and-wife team Steve and Satinda Dhesi, who won Dealer Principal of the Year at the 2022 and 2023 Used Car Awards. An emotional Steve told Car Dealer: ‘It’s not been a great time for us. Unfortunately, due to difficult trading conditions, we have had to close the business.' 28 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

SCHEME

Dicksons of Inverness gives one ‘L’ of a boost to wannabe drivers as it funds lessons and tests A SCHEME to give youngsters free driving lessons and get them through their test saw Dicksons of Inverness inundated with well over 700 applying for the 12 spaces. An event at Dicksons’ Nissan showroom gave them the chance to chat to staff – some of them are pictured above. Sgt David Miller, from Police Scotland, gave a talk about road safety and driving in the Highlands and hosted a short Q&A session. MD Fraser Bryce said: ‘We were astonished by the level of interest, and the judges’ task in selecting 12 young people from so many applicants was extremely difficult.’

PARTS

REVIEW

Furious JLR owners form pressure group

Inchcape says it might sell sites

ANGRY Jaguar Land Rover owners who are desperately waiting for parts to get their cars back on the road have joined forces to put pressure on the car maker. The Jaguar Land Rover Alliance Group has been formed on social media sites – including Facebook – for owners to club together to share their stories. A spokesperson for JLR insisted to Car Dealer that the parts problems had eased

Over the years, Lancia has built some of Italy's finest cars –and arguably some of its worst.

James Batchelor p23

INCHCAPE has confirmed it could sell all its UK dealership sites – but has tried to play down speculation. It followed a report by Sky News that it was looking to offload its 70 UK showrooms, which employ some 3,700 people, to focus completely on its far more lucrative distribution business. Inchcape said it was reviewing its strategic options after being approached by interested parties but there was no certainty that it will lead to a sale.

£25k fundraising target smashed Supplier News: p47

‘How Jeep has packed as much as it has into a car as small as this is seriously impressive’

Forecourt: p36

VISIT

CUTS

HONOUR

Group 1 set to axe some 300 jobs

Cotswold Hereford is Nissan GB boss Mini’s top UK dealer ‘ecstatic’ over site

T S A C D PO Sponsored by

GROUP 1 Automotive is looking to axe about a tenth of its UK workforce during this year’s first quarter. The bombshell announcement was made when the Houstonheadquartered company released its financial results for 2023 as well as for its last quarter. It owns more than 70 car dealerships in the UK, and the reduction would have an impact on around 300 people, the company confirmed to the PA news agency. Image via Google Street View

THE Cotsworld Motor Group’s Mini dealership in Hereford has been named the manufacturer’s top UK retailer for 2023. Mini UK honoured its car dealers for their hard work and dedication at the Retailer of the Year awards in Manchester, hosted by comedian and writer Katherine Ryan. Pictured from left are Mini UK and Ireland director Federico Izzo, Cotswold Hereford head of business Peter Redfern and Katherine Ryan

A NEW Nissan dealership in Hampshire has been praised by the manufacturer’s UK boss. Nissan GB MD Andrew Humberstone said while visiting the state-of-the-art Hendy showroom and workshop in Eastleigh: ‘I’m extremely impressed by what I’ve seen here today – ecstatic in fact!’ The multi-million-pound building, which boasts solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and groundsource heat pumps, is Hendy’s fourth Nissan site.

LOAN

RISK

Lookers’ new owner ‘in fresh funds talks’

UK arm of Arrival in administration

LOOKERS and its new owners Global Auto Holdings are believed to have held a series of meetings with lenders to raise fresh funds. Talks with financial institutions – including private equity firms and banks – are understood to have taken place as the new owners look to refinance the punishing 12-month loan it used to buy the business for £504.2m. Lookers and Global refused to comment when contacted several times by Car Dealer.

Back then, we traders had a subtle but unwritten code to identify the duds.

Big Mike p24

ROM F M A E T THE EALER CAR DBOUT TALK ATEST THE LAAND NEWSVIEWS IN INTER EGULAR THIS R ST PODCA

E R E H K C CLI

THE UK arm of Arrival has been placed into administration, putting over 170 jobs at risk. The electric van maker was founded in 2015 in the UK by Russian billionaire Denis Sverdlov and had its HQ in Banbury. Administrator EY said: ‘The group’s liquidity position has been impacted by challenging market and macroeconomic conditions resulting in delays in getting the group’s products to market.

PAST O T N E T S TO LI ES OF THE EPISODEALER CAR D STS PODCA Turn over page to catch up on more stories

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

DASHBOARD PRODUCTION

Nissan made most cars in UK in 2023

NISSAN shone in the UK car manufacturing charts last year – the best year for vehicle production since before the pandemic. Figures released by the SMMT show that 905,117 cars and 120,357 commercial vehicles were produced by the country’s auto manufacturers. Nissan was top with 324,893 vehicles made at its Sunderland plant. JLR took second place with 238,422 vehicles produced at its factories in Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull.

OPENING

New Toyota site for Eastern Western

NEWS DIGEST

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

MILESTONE

‘Bridgend Veterans’ team of 55 notch up 1,200 years of service between them at car dealer group BRIDGEND Motor Group is celebrating 1,200 years of combined service by 55 members of its staff. The milestone has been achieved by just over a fifth of the Ayrshire company’s workforce – together affectionately known as the ‘Bridgend Veterans’ – with their long service ranging from 10 years to 45. Praising their dedication and loyalty, the used car dealer group said they’d contributed significantly to its success over the years. Bridgend Motor Group MD Alan McLaughlan is pictured with some of the ‘Bridgend Veterans’

TROPHY

Dynamic Daniel does the Ferrari double

EASTERN Western Motor Group has opened another Toyota site as part of a £20m expansion. The Car Dealer Top 100 outfit has begun trading from its new Barnetts Toyota branch, bringing the Japanese brand to Perth. It follows the car dealer opening a Toyota site in Dundee the previous week, after a delay over a fireproof ceiling. The expansion project has also seen a Lexus dealership open in Dundee. Between them, the trio of dealerships have created around 90 jobs. 30 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

A JCT600 employee has been named Ferrari’s top technician for the second year in a row. Daniel Dawson triumphed again in the world finals of the Ferrari Testa Rossa Awards at the Prancing Horse’s base in Maranello as one of 12 shortlisted finalists who competed via an extensive programme and assessments. Dawson has worked for the dealer group for 18 years, having joined as a 17-year-old apprentice

3.2

THE TIME IN SECONDS THE NEW AUDI R8 GT HITS 60MPH

Forecourt p32

COLOURS

Green cars making comeback with Brits

A GROWING trend to go green has been highlighted as more drivers than ever pick the colour for their new car. Latest figures from the SMMT show that green cars secured their highest market share in 19 years. Some 53,426, or 2.8% of all new cars, were ordered in a shade of green last year. But grey was the most popular by far for the sixth year in a row, with a 26.8% market share of 509,194 cars in the colour.

Cool products to inspire you to get out and have an adventure Feature: p39

AWARDS

CONSULTATION

Year’s most inspiring MOT tests schedule women are named will stay as it is

SEVENTEEN women have been named by the Automotive 30% Club as this year’s inspiring females. The club’s Inspiring Automotive Women Awards honour exceptional women within the industry who are seen as trailblazers succeeding in roles traditionally occupied by men. The club’s partner sponsor is The IMI and the awards will be given during the IMI’s annual awards dinner on March 13, with an overall winner chosen from among them. Click on the image for the full list.

THE government has decided not to ‘modernise’ the MOT test, which included shifting a car’s first MOT from three years to four. In January 2023, a consultation was launched to see if extending the time between MOTs and pushing back the date of a vehicle’s first test after registration was feasible. But the Department for Transport has said things will stay as they are, with the first MOT test due three years following registration, and annually thereafter.

LIST

Arnold Clark owners top dealer tax table

LADY Philomena Clark and her family paid the most tax among car dealers last year after another period of huge profits for the Arnold Clark group. They handed over £78.3m in 2023, according to the latest Sunday Times Tax List, where they were in 15th place overall, ahead of the likes of JK Rowling and the Duke of Westminster. Next among the car dealers was Douglas Park and family, of Park’s Motor Group, who were 65th with an £18m tax bill.

SPONSORSHIP

DIP

Tasty! Snows Toyota backs food festival

Bentley sales fell by 11% during 2023

A POPULAR food festival is to be held again this year thanks to backing from Snows Toyota. The spring bank holiday weekend of May 25, 26 and 27 will see the Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley filled with street food vendors for The Big Eat. Profits from the free-toattend event will go to food banks. Snows Toyota Hedge End general manager Bruce Simpson, seen right with Big Eat director John Seymour, told of its pride to be sponsoring it.

BENTLEY’S global sales fell by 11% last year, but more customers personalised their cars than ever. The Crewe-based company said it delivered 13,560 cars in 2023 versus 15,174 during 2022, which was its best year of sales. But Bentley said that around three-quarters of its customers went beyond the 46bn configurations available from the standard options range to add bespoke features – a 43% rise over 2022.

‘Quote.’ Feature: pXX

BITE-SIZE Click on the text box for the full story

SALE: Pendragon has completed the sale of its dealerships and leasing division to US dealer group Lithia & Driveway. The UK automotive retailer announced on February 1 that the £397m sale was finalised the day before – bang on target.

APOLOGY: Toyota chief executive Koji Sato has said sorry to car dealers, customers and suppliers for flawed testing at a group company. It involved Toyota Industries, which makes diesel engines, that was needed for government approval.

REST: Greenhous Group has become the latest motor retailer to end Sunday trading to enhance the work-life balance of its employees. Bosses there say they hope that it'll help staff to prioritise their mental and physical health.

EXPANSION: Stellantis has launched an online used car sales service in the UK to bolster its Spoticar network of physical sites. It'll be selling 200 or so second-hand vehicles via Spoticar Direct, to be handed over at its dealership locations.

SUCCESS: Pentagon Motor Group is celebrating a ‘significant early sales success’ with BYD. The dealership signed up with the Chinese brand late last year and said it had made some 60 BYD sales at its Lincoln site in the first full month there. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

FORECOURT

AUDI R8 GT As Audi retires its R8 supercar and V10 engine, Ted Welford takes the final iteration out for a spin. Power

The 5.2-litre normally aspirated V10 pumps out 612 bhp and gives a 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds.

THE KNOWLEDGE Audi R8 V10 GT RWD

Price from: £198,573 Engine: 5.2-litre V10 Power: 612bhp Torque: 565Nm O-60mph: 3.2 seconds Max speed: 199mph MPG (combined): 18.8 Emissions: 340g/km CO2

WHAT IS IT? Born out of Audi’s success at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the R8 was the road-going supercar that many thought it would never make, arriving in 2007. But as Audi increasingly has to electrify its range and reduce its emissions, the V10 R8’s days are numbered, with this GT model being the final offering. WHAT’S NEW? Only available in rear-wheel-drive guise, the power is increased to a mighty 612bhp. The car also gets a range of styling changes to make it look more aggressive, with all manner of carbon fibre used across the design, while a large fixed spoiler is quite different to the R8’s usually more subtle rear. Just 333 R8 GTs are being made, with only 15 of them bound for the UK. Not surprisingly, they’re all accounted for. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The centrepiece of the R8 has always been its engine. Its mighty 5.2-litre V10 unit is midmounted and completely on show. Enclosed in glass and with its own lights, it invites you to take a look at it like a Christmas display does in a shop window. There’s no turbocharging here so it’s pure brawn, and on the GT it puts out 612bhp and 565Nm of torque – the most of any rear-wheel-drive R8. A new seven-speed S tronic automatic is also adopted. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The V10 absolutely dominates the R8 experience, and the rich and mechanical note of this Lamborghini-sourced unit is intoxicating. The GT gets a new rapid-shifting gearbox that’s been revised to offer more acceleration in all gears, and the performance, almost regardless of revs, is exceptional. With the GT only being rear-wheel drive, it does keep you on your toes if you try to put your foot down, although it’s all fairly controllable. This GT also features a new torque rear drive mode, which allows you to control the slippage on the rear axle via the traction control depending on your driving ability and the conditions, essentially allowing drivers of all levels to tap into the R8’s capability. HOW DOES IT LOOK? By supercar standards at least, the regular Audi R8 is fairly subtle. Not so much on the GT, though, which has been given the styling to go with its more aggressive intent. It gets what

32 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Style

The R8 V10 GT gets the Aerokit – a range of carbon-fibre elements that improve the looks as well as the aerodynamics.

Audi calls an Aerokit – a range of carbon-fibre elements, including for the front splitter, bumpers and impressive rear wing. It improves aerodynamics, too, not just the visuals. The more you see, the more you notice with the GT, including its carbon sideblades and a range of ducts and vents to help get as much heat away from the V10 as possible. With large 20inch black alloy wheels shod in track-focused Michelin Cup 2 tyres as well, this is an Audi R8 that certainly doesn’t go unnoticed out on the road. WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? The main change with the R8’s interior is its bucket seats, which instantly give it a sportier feel. Bright red seat belts and red stitching across the cabin help to deliver an interior befitting a supercar. If you like Alcantara you’re in the right place, as it’s used across the inside, from the seats to the steering wheel and even a full headlining. We did find the seats to be quite uncomfortable after several hours behind the wheel, however. But there’s a decent amount of space inside the cabin and plenty of creature comforts. You’ll have to pack lightly with its tiny 112-litre front boot, though.

The sheer enjoyment that the V10 brings is unlikely to ever be repeated in the future.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Although Audi reduced the R8’s weight with the GT, you’ve still got plenty of luxuries, including heated seats and even a Bang & Olufsen sound system. All the Alcantara and carbon-fibre elements don’t come cheap, though, and neither do the standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes, which offer exceptional stopping power and don’t feel anywhere near as grabby or harsh as brakes of this type often can. Despite all these elements, though, there are bits of the R8 that are starting to feel a bit old – there’s no central touchscreen but instead a large digital instrument cluster that controls all media functions. It’s not the easiest to use and we had several issues trying to connect our phone. WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Evo said: ‘The GT RWD is a formidable farewell to the big banger R8.’ WHAT DO WE THINK? Given that it’s already earned itself ‘future classic’ status, this supercar is going down as one of the German firm’s giants. The GT is every bit the ultimate iteration of this supercar – more raw, aggressive and visually exciting than anything it has done before, while still retaining that everyday usability. The V10 engine is an utter masterpiece, and even though Audi will have plenty up its sleeve, the sheer enjoyment that the V10 brings is unlikely to ever be repeated in the future. There are elements where the R8 is showing its age, and in that sense it probably is time for the supercar to retire while still on a high. But it can bow out in style, and with the accompaniment of that magical V10 on full chat as the curtains close.

Inside

The R8 GT gets bucket seats for a sportier feel, plus there are lashings of Alcantara throughout the interior.

TARGET BUYERS:

Loyal Audi fans getting their final V10 R8 fix.

THE RIVALS:

Aston Martin Vantage Lamborghini Huracan Porsche 911

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. The final time we’ll see a V10 engine in an Audi 2. Limited-run status 3 Remarkable everyday usability

DEAL CLINCHER:

The Audi R8 GT is the perfect end for this legendary supercar.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

FORECOURT

PORSCHE CAYENNE

Porsche has revised its largest SUV with new engines and significant interior tweaks. Ted Welford hit the road in one. WHAT IS IT? The importance of the Cayenne to Porsche should never be underestimated. It was Porsche’s first SUV in the early 2000s and is often credited as helping to save the German company. More than two decades later, it continues to be a key contender in the large premium SUV segment and boasts a broad choice of engines, including several plug-in hybrids. To help keep it competitive, it’s had a range of upgrades.

Power

The 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 pumps out 468bhp and 600Nm of torque.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Porsche Cayenne S Price (as tested): £105,235 Powertrain: 4.0-litre turbocharged V8

WHAT’S NEW? Visually, not all that much appears to have changed, but there’s the firm’s latest touchscreen and digital dial displays, while the front-seat passenger can even have their own screen in the dashboard. The plug-in hybrid also gets a much larger battery that extends the claimed electric range to 46 miles – significantly more than before. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The standard Cayenne uses a 348bhp 3.0-litre unit but if you want more performance, there’s the Cayenne S we’re trying here. Previously, it used a V6 but the S now uses a mighty 4.0-litre V8 engine and essentially replaces the Turbo model. Power is up 34bhp to 468bhp, and it has an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

Power: 468bhp

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The Cayenne has always been the driver’s SUV and it only gets better with this latest model. At just under five metres long, it’s a big car, but the way it behaves behind the wheel is astonishing. There’s a level of agility you just don’t get from large SUVs, and you can throw it into a corner at speeds that would ruffle the feathers of many of its rivals. As long as you’re not looking at the fuel economy, this V8 engine is superb, with a delightful grumble as you put your foot down and a surge of power to go with it. Combined with its quick-shifting gearbox, you’ll struggle to find a more enjoyable and rewarding SUV to drive.

Max speed: 170mph

HOW DOES IT LOOK? Although Porsche calls this one of the ‘most extensive product upgrades’ in its history, you’d never know by just looking at it. There are changes, predominantly at the rear where the number plate has been moved from the boot lid to the bumper and there’s a new 34 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Torque: 600Nm

O-60mph: 4.8 seconds MPG (combined): 22.6mpg Emissions: 283g/km CO2

3D-effect light bar, but it’s mainly business as usual from a design perspective. We’d say that’s a pretty good thing with the Cayenne as – like most Porsches – it’s aged brilliantly. It gets the balance just right between being bold but never over the top. The German firm also offers extensive personalisation options, as well as a more stylish Coupe version with a sloped roof for people who prefer that style of vehicle. WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? There are some pretty big changes with the Cayenne’s interior, with a new widescreen touchscreen, digital dial display and redesigned centre console being the main ones. The displays offer superb clarity and ease of use, and there’s even the option of having a touchscreen in the dashboard for the passenger, but we struggle to see the point of it. The gear selector has also been moved from its conventional place to a little toggle next to the steering wheel, but it’s a bit awkward to use. However, the quality of the Cayenne can’t be faulted, as it feels every inch a premium product with top-grade materials used throughout. There is masses of interior space as well, with loads of room for adults in the rear and a huge 698-litre boot.

Cabin

Large SUV buyers not willing to compromise on a sporty driving experience.

THE RIVALS:

Audi Q8 BMW X5 Range Rover Sport

KEY SELLING POINTS:

There are some big changes inside including a new widescreen touchscreen and digital dial display, all offering fabulous clarity.

The Cayenne continues to be the SUV that goes against those who say vehicles of this type can’t be great to drive.

TARGET BUYERS:

1. Great to drive 2. Exceptional interior quality 3. Very spacious cabin

DEAL CLINCHER:

The Cayenne’s ability to combine sportiness with comfort is unmatched in its segment.

Style Updates to the Cayenne’s look include a new 3D-effect light bar at the rear

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Prices for the new Cayenne kick off from £70,400, but if you’d like the excellent V8 engine with the S, you’ll need to find £84,000. Standard equipment is a bit penny-pinching, with features such as leather seats and adaptive cruise control absent. Optional extras are expensive, too, with our test car’s many add-ons coming to more than £20,000 and features such as a panoramic roof (£1,500) all quickly hiking up the cost. WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Top Gear said: ‘The 911 defines Porsche as a company, but it’s the Cayenne that supports the entire operation.’ WHAT DO WE THINK? The Cayenne continues to be the SUV that goes against those who say vehicles of this type can’t be great to drive. Its combination of agility and comfort is unmatched, and the changes made to the interior and dynamics only improve on what was already an excellent model. It offers a level of class that many of its premium SUV rivals seem to have forgotten, and as long as you’re mindful that Porsche isn’t as generous with its equipment as many of the Cayenne’s rivals, this is a deeply complete package. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

FORECOURT

THE KNOWLEDGE

JEEP AVENGER Jeep might be known for its big, fuel-guzzling 4x4s but the Avenger arrives as a very different breed of car. Ted Welford tries one out. WHAT IS IT? This is Jeep's first all-electric model, which is quite the departure. It’s not a big 4×4, but rather a small, front-wheel-drive crossover instead. WHAT’S NEW? Designed and built for Europe only, it’s the firm’s smallest car, measuring around four metres long. While it might not be a 4×4, Jeep has fitted a clever traction control system with specific modes for sand, mud and snow. A four-wheel-drive car is rumoured to be in the works, too. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? A petrol model is also available, with a mild-hybrid expected in 2024. But the highlight remains the battery-powered car, which we’re trying here. We tested the Avenger during a particularly cold week and found the range to be quite poor at around 160 miles, but expect it to be much better when the temperature’s a little higher. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The Avenger is a really quite impressive all-rounder behind the wheel. Its small size makes it brilliant around town and it’s especially easy to park with great visibility. The pick-up from the electric motor is smooth and it should offer enough pace for most. The ride quality is good, too. HOW DOES IT LOOK? Jeep has managed to give the car a sturdy and chunky design, despite its minimal footprint. It’s not as tall or long as it seems in photos, yet still looks like it means business with lots of plastic cladding and a bold grille.

Jeep Avenger Summit Price (as tested): £41,375 Powertrain: Electric motor with 51kWh battery Power: 154bhp Torque: 260Nm Max speed: 93mph 0-60mph: 9.4 seconds Range: 249 miles Emissions: 0g/km CO2

TARGET BUYERS:

SUV buyers wanting rugged styling in a compact package.

THE RIVALS:

Mazda MX-30 Peugeot e-2008 Vauxhall Mokka

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Fun styling 2. Compact size makes it ideal for driving around town 3. Very clever packaging

DEAL CLINCHER:

Jeep’s best car for decades.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? There are next to no ‘premium’ materials, yet it doesn’t feel cheap. Although the Avenger isn’t the roomiest car, it offers a lot of space for such a small model. Rear seat space is fairly tight, but the 355-litre boot is a good size. There’s plenty of storage across the interior as well. WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? All Avengers come with a decent level of equipment, with standard kit including a 10.25-inch touchscreen, keyless start and rear parking sensors, but the Altitude version makes more sense with a large digital instrument cluster, along with adaptive cruise control and an electric boot. At the top of the range, the Summit trim brings stylish 18-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera and heated front seats to name just a few extras. WHAT DO WE THINK? The Avenger is a strong return to form for Jeep. How Jeep has packed as much as it has into a car as small as this is seriously impressive, and its surprising talent on different terrains sets it apart from rivals. It's one of the best cars that Jeep has ever made. 36 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Inside

There aren’t many premium materials used in the cabin, yet it doesn’t feel cheap.

FORECOURT

THE KNOWLEDGE

ISUZU D-MAX The D-Max has always been there for drivers after a no-nonsense truck, but can this Isuzu bring a more rounded experience than before, Jack Evans asks? WHAT IS IT? Pick-up trucks are now seen as genuine alternatives to SUVs, particularly thanks to the extensive tax breaks that come to business users, and recent arrivals such as the VW Amarok – and even the no-nonsense Ineos Grenadier – mean this Isuzu’s job is tougher than ever. WHAT’S NEW? A redesigned front grille is one of the headline design changes, while four distinct trim levels – Utility, DL20, DL40 and V-Cross – all bring slightly different approaches to aesthetics. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? You’ll find no electrification or battery-assisted wizardry. There are no other options when it comes to engines, either, but there’s the choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox (ours has the latter) . WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The low-speed ride is a little fidgety when there’s nothing in the rear bed, but get it loaded up and things do settle down. However, at greater speeds then the ride evens out. The gearbox really struggles, though, particularly when you’re on a steady incline, but the light steering makes it far easier to pilot than you’d expect for such a large vehicle. HOW DOES IT LOOK? This V-Cross model with its dark grey radiator grille, matching door mirror caps and 18-inch alloy wheels certainly looks more upmarket than previous D-Max models and a good range of exterior colours means you can give the whole truck a more out-there design if you’d like.

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross Automatic Price (as tested): £35,779 Powertrain: 1.9-litre turbocharged diesel Power: 162bhp Torque: 360Nm Max speed: 112mph 0-60mph: 12.8 seconds Economy: 30.7mpg Emissions: 241g/km CO2

TARGET BUYERS:

Primarily commercial users but this new D-Max is more suited to lifestyle buyers than ever.

THE RIVALS:

Ford Ranger Toyota Hilux Volkswagen Amarok

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Strong and reliable 2. Remains a great utilitarian choice 3. Plenty of standard equipment

DEAL CLINCHER:

Perfectly fills the void of a nononsense truck when rivals have moved upmarket.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? The leather seats on our test truck were nicely padded and comfortable, and while some materials lower down the cabin are a little harsh, there are some nice finishers further up. Room in the back is tight, and without a protective cover over the load bay, you’re not left with really any usable luggage space. so we’d be opting straight for a load bed cover. WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Prices start from £24,999 plus VAT, rising to £35,499 plus VAT for this V-Cross model. Fancy the range-topping Arctic Trucks model? You’ll be looking at a chunky £50,000 before VAT. However, this V-Cross version makes the most sense. A new nine-inch infotainment system is a key addition on this grade, too. The D-Max is also packed with safety-boosting extras. WHAT DO WE THINK? On the motorway, it isn’t in its natural habitat, but when off-road, it won’t let you down. The D-Max has slotted into a gap left by many rivals that have turned more luxurious and less functional. For many drivers, the D-Max’s tried-and-tested feel will be reason enough to pick it.

Inside

The leather seats in the D-Max are nicely padded and comfortable. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

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Henson Motor Group

An award winning partnership For over 30 years we’ve built an established reputation as a flexible and trusted finance provider, and have supported our dealer and broker partners through both good and challenging times. 38 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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FEATURE.

COOL STUFF Where’s the time going already? While the weather remains quite wintry in most places, there have been some signs of spring appearing as the occasional flower bravely surfaces to check the lie of the meteorological land. But with the promise of warmer weather coming, we’ve got some cool new products to inspire you to get outside and have an adventure.

G-Shock Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body watch – £399 THERE are few tougher watches than a G-Shock and there aren’t many tougher motorsport events than the Dakar Rally. The two have now combined, with Dakar racing outfit Team Land Cruiser (TLC) collaborating with Toyota Auto Body to create an extreme version of the famous G-Shock Mudman. Featuring a black and brown splatter pattern that symbolises the Dakar dust and sand, the GW-9500TLC has a dual-layer LCD screen that can showcase a bearing indication to help with navigation and, when illuminated, displays the TLC graphic.

GoPro Quik for desktop

Gozney Arc – from £599

– Free with GoPro subscription

GoPro’s range of action cameras are some of the most trusted around, with their high image quality and robust build making them a go-to for people who love to capture their experiences – no matter how extreme the activity that they’re doing. The only issue is that for Mac users, things haven’t been quite so easy. Up until now Quik – GoPro’s own editing software – hasn’t been available for Apple computers. That all changes now, however, as a new setup for Quik has been launched for users of Macs. It gives you access to all of Quik’s amazing editing tools, from built-in music to intelligent ‘clipping’ that can automatically time your shots to audio.

THE popularity of pizza ovens has rocketed in recent years as people start to see the fun in creating pizzas at home. Gozney is one of the biggest names in the pizza oven business and it has just produced a new at-home oven that it says is the ‘most advanced compact pizza oven’ in the world – the Arc. This gas-powered oven can cook a pizza in under 60 seconds, thanks to a new lateral gas burner that surrounds the pizza as it cooks. There are two versions available as well, with one able to cook a 14-inch pizza and the other a 16-inch one for hungrier audiences.

Canyon Team Cycling Kit – various prices As everyone knows, having good cycling kit makes you quicker and Canyon makes some of the tastiest equipment in the business. It has just unveiled its new racing kit, too, and if its pattern is anything to go by, it’s sure to power you onwards to a new personal best. Various bits of cycling gear are available – including jerseys and shorts – but they all feature the same vivid design that will also be worn by Canyon’s professional cycling teams.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

DASHBOARD

BUSINESS NEWS

A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD

WRESTLING

Dwayne Johnson gets rights to The Rock name

DATA

Amazon fined over ‘excessive’ surveillance AMAZON has been fined €32m (£27m) in France for what the country’s data watchdog called ‘excessive’ surveillance of its warehouse workers via data recorded by handheld scanners. The system measured interruptions in activity so precisely that it led to staff having to justify each break or interruption, and was in fact illegal. But an Amazon spokesman called the conclusions factually incorrect and said it reserved the right to file an appeal.

DWAYNE Johnson has signed a new agreement with professional wrestling organisation the WWE and will become the legal owner of the name The Rock. The deal will also see Johnson join the board of TKO Group, the sports and entertainment company that houses WWE and UFC. The Rock is a name derived from Johnson’s father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson.

REDUNDANCIES

Deutsche Bank to cut 3,500 jobs globally

DEUTSCHE Bank has revealed plans to cut 3,500 jobs worldwide by the end of next year to help slash costs by €2.5bn (circa £2.1bn) and improve its profits. The jobs cuts will be ‘mainly in non-client-facing areas’, it said. It employs around 90,000 people globally, with roughly 7,000 in the UK, but hasn’t yet disclosed how many of its UK staff will be affected.

40 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

TRADING

Halfords sales hit by weather and consumer woes HALFORDS has revealed weaker-than-expected trading amid mild weather and consumer cutbacks in the run-up to Christmas. The group said like-for-like retail motoring sales plunged by 15.3% in December, which it blamed on the weather and ‘customers balancing difficult spending decisions in the lead-up to Christmas’. it still expects full-year profits to be between £48m and £53m, though, in line with previous guidance.

2013 WINNER

STRATEGY

Channel 4 to move HQ and axe 200 staff CHANNEL 4 plans to move out of its London HQ and make hundreds of staff redundant. The broadcaster has said, under its five-year digital-first strategy, that the Horseferry Road building will be closed and a new office found in the centre of the city. Under the plans, its headcount will be similar to 2021 levels by reducing current roles by 18% – making around 200 staff redundant.

WORK

Four-day week scrapped after staff complain

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE! Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime)

MORRISONS has scrapped four-day working weeks for head office staff after they complained about having to work at weekends. The supermarket brought in the four-day working week in 2020 for head office workers in Bradford, reducing their weekly hours from 40 to 37.5. But the staff were expected to work one Saturday every four weeks, which led to disquiet. They will now work the 37.5 hours over a four-and-a-half-day week instead.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY 0115 946 6260

enquiries@frfl.co.uk

frfl.co.uk/car CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

The latest from our fleet Long-termers: p53

NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM THE CAR DEALER PODCASTS Sponsored by

ROMANS INTERNATIONAL

There’s a new kind of enthusiasm in the market at the moment because everything looks such good value. Tom Jaconelli Romans International

Used supercar prices have steadied out to bring ‘new kind of enthusiasm’ to the market

sed supercar values are beginning to level out after drastic price drops rocked high-end dealers last year. That’s the verdict of Romans International’s Tom Jaconelli, who admits the outfit has had its fingers burnt by plummeting used car prices. The 38-year-old said the market was experiencing a ‘new kind of enthusiasm’ as a result of prices beginning to balance. Jaconelli, son of Romans founder Paul, said recent years have seen ‘crazy overinflation’ that resulted in a major fall-off last year. However, he believes things are looking more positive amid more stable market conditions. ‘It’s definitely picked up we found in January, and we’re getting quite a lot of interest now in some stuff we’ve had in stock since the back end of last summer. ‘I think with everything dropping in value, there’s a new kind of enthusiasm in the market at the moment because everything looks such good value compared to what it was six, nine months ago.’

But he added: ‘It’s been painful. There have been lots of painful conversations with customers who have bought cars at the peak who are now looking to sell and are losing big amounts of money. ‘We’ve been caught out ourselves with a couple that we’ve just had in stock too long and couldn’t quite sell them before they kept going down. ‘It seems to have steadied a bit, there is some stuff that is still dropping, but it definitely feels like people are seeing the value now at the new levels.’ Aside from falling prices, another factor all dealers had to deal with last year was the fallout from the government’s decision to push back the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars. In the supercar sector, Jaconelli says there will always be demand for the ‘more pure cars’ and believes in years to come there could be a surge in demand for older, more ‘analogue’ vehicles. ‘With interest rates still being high and insurance premiums still being fairly high on a lot of these cars I don’t think we’re going to see a big bounce back just yet, but I think when interest rates do start to come down, you could certainly see that long-term.’

MOTOR CONNECT

FCA investigation into motor finance ‘could be next big PPI scandal’

otor Connect director Steve Corwood has warned that the ongoing Financial Conduct Authority investigation into the motor finance industry could be as big as the PPI scandal. The watchdog is using its powers to identify cases of potential wrongdoing by motor finance firms regarding now-banned commission arrangements. Car Dealer reported that if evidence of widespread misconduct is found, banks could end up paying out as much as £10bn

in compensation to customers. Corwood compared it to the PPI scandal of the 2010s, which saw millions of customers win billions in refunds when banks were proved to have missold payment protection insurance. The latest investigation recently featured on Martin Lewis’s ITV consumer show and Corwood believes things could soon prove tricky. He said: ‘This is like the next big PPI. I have had conversations with Nick McDonald and Jon Rix at The Compliance Guys surrounding it all and they are on top of it.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR CAR DEALER PODCASTS

42 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘There is going to be a backlog of inquiries coming in now, so you’ve got to get your house in order and make sure that if you are going to get asked any questions that your processes are tight. ‘It is pre-2021 that they’re probably going to be looking at because of the rules and regulations but it is still ongoing. ‘It just seems relentless and never-ending for car dealers at the minute. ‘People just feel like everything is coming from every angle that’s possible.’

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.

First Response Finance Ltd, 5 Regan Way Chetwynd Business Park, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6RZ. Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Conduct CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43 Authority. Registered in England No. 03560611.

DASHBOARD

FINANCE NEWS CONSUMER

New business value fell by 5% in 2023 to £38.8bn COMMISSION

262,500 emails in one day after complaint tool launched by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

ore than a quarter of a million complaint emails have been sent after just one day of a free motor finance reclaim tool going live, consumer champion Martin Lewis has said. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Lewis said: ‘Car finance reclaiming update. Staggeringly after just 1 full day of our free complaint tool being live… 262,500 complaint emails have been sent.’ He added in a further post: ‘These numbers are off the charts – far bigger even than the closing days of the PPI (payment protection insurance) deadline.’ The free tool and guide are on the MoneySavingExpert.com website, which was founded by Lewis. Car Dealer has reported how dealerships could be inundated with compensation claims. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a major investigation into whether people could be owed compensation for being charged too much for car loans, following a high number of complaints. In January, it said it would look at historical discretionary commission arrangements in the motor finance market. If it finds widespread misconduct, the regulator has said it will make sure those affected receive settlements in an orderly, consistent and efficient way. Before January 2021, some lenders allowed brokers (the person arranging the loan, for example, a car dealer) to adjust the interest rates they offered customers for car finance. Typically, the higher the interest rate, the more commission the broker received. This was known as a discretionary commission arrangement. They created an incentive for brokers to increase how much people were charged for their car loan – and the FCA banned this practice in 2021. But the regulator has said there has since been a high number of complaints from customers about how much they were charged before the ban.

44 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

LATEST figures from the Finance & Leasing Association show that consumer car finance new business by value and volume decreased by 5% and 6% respectively in 2023 as a whole, compared with 2022. It said the number of cars bought on finance via the point of sale totalled 2,094,478, with the value put at £38.794bn – but it was still the second highest value on record. New business volumes fell in December by 8% versus the same month in 2022. The corresponding value of new business was also 8% lower over the same period. The consumer new car finance market reported a fall in new business in December of 12% by value and 13% by volume compared with the same month in 2022. In 2023 as a whole, new business volumes in this market were 6% lower than in 2022. The consumer used car finance market reported a fall in new business in December of 5% both by value and volume versus the same month in 2022. In 2023 as a whole, new business volumes in this market were 6% lower than in 2022.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

TIME IS MONEY RICHARD PYGOTT

A MONTHLY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE FINANCE AND MARKETING

Power of choice needs to be taken out of hands of No 10

Richard Pygott is digital marketer for First Response. Call him on 0115 946 6365 or email richard. pygott@frfl.co.uk

f there is any topic that has continued to cause debate in the motor trade over the past few years, electric vehicles are near the top of the list. Zapmap’s latest data, as of November 2023, points to a large increase in the number of electric cars on UK roads, totalling 950,000. In November alone, electric vehicles accounted for 15.6% of all new car registrations, with an impressive 24,359 new electric cars registered during that month. Is this a good sign for EVs or a result of the falling prices of EVs in 2023? I don’t have any issue with EVs themselves; I think they are a great alternative. What I do take issue with is the poor rollout of the charging infrastructure, quotas being pushed on to manufacturers and the deadline being moved and treated like a political football. It’s quite possible the 2030 deadline could be reinstated after the next general election, which is heavily rumoured to be only a few months away. Despite the deadline being moved to 2035, January still saw legally mandated quotas for manufacturers come into force, requiring 20% of their total sales to consist of EVs. However, a recent RAC investigation highlighted a government shortfall in supporting charging infrastructure, and the overall poor state of the infrastructure and its installation rate. I am currently of the same opinion as many in the motor trade – that eventually, the deadline for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be scrapped entirely, due to political pressures and the state of the infrastructure. If 12 months is a long time in politics, 11 years is a lifetime. But I don’t think it will be the end for EVs either though, due to the continuous improvement of environmentally friendly fuels and battery technologies. I foresee a future where electric, hybrid, synthetic fuels and cleaner traditional forms of petrol and diesel coexist seamlessly on dealership forecourts, roads and consumers’ driveways – a future that is not only more environmentally friendly but also allows dealerships to offer a larger choice of vehicles without having to adapt their entire business at a huge cost to service and sell EVs only. More importantly, it will be a future that puts the power of choice back in the hands of the motor industry and consumers and out of the hands of the revolving door of Number 10. Whatever happens, though, our dealer partners can rest in the knowledge that First Response Finance will be here to support them and assist them in financing the cars for their customers, regardless of what’s under the bonnet.

I don’t have any issue with EVs themselves; I think they are a great alternative.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY 0115 946 6260

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frfl.co.uk/car CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

Celebrate success with the BIG Awards 2024! Friday 20th September at Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

Have You Entered?

Independent Used Car Retailer of the Year Award PLUS 16 other categories spotlighting all aspects of running a successful business in the independent garage sector, so there’s an award for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Scan to enter!

Scan to secure your tickets!

theBIGAwards.org.uk 46 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

DASHBOARD

SUPPLIER NEWS

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

COX AUTOMOTIVE

Chris Adams appointed to leadership team

MOTONOVO Finance has appointed Chris Adams to the newly created position of director of pricing and portfolio performance. He’ll be joining the senior leadership team from Lloyds Banking Group, where he’s been for more than 20 years. ‘I can’t wait to get started,’ said Adams. ‘This is a great business – I’m excited about what we can do together to build a first-class service for our customers.’

Road trip helps fundraiser smash £25k target A WINTRY 874-mile drive from John O’Groats to Land’s End – raising more than £3,500 for Shelter – rounded off a year of fundraising at Cox Automotive. Cox had set a target of £25,000 and smashed it to reach its current total of £29,413 – with more to come. Fleet manager Greg Elcock and colleague Kelly Lane were given three days off work for the challenge in the Ford Mondeo donated by Hendy Group and auctioned at Manheim Shotts for £750.

FLEET ASSIST

MOTORS

AUTO TRADER

Buyers research more online before spending

Underpricing is costing Karen Ewer promoted used car dealers dearly to role of ops director

BUYERS are visiting more car search websites before they splash their cash, new research has found. Motors polled 3,000 people and found that buyers visit an average of 4.2 car search websites before they make a purchase – up from 3.5 in 2021. Two-thirds of buyers (66%) said seeing a car advertised on multiple websites encouraged them to make an inquiry or visit a dealership, compared with 60% in 2021.

It’s quite possible the 2030 deadline could be reinstated after the next general election.

Richard Pygott p45

USED car dealers are currently missing out on more than £30m as a result of underpricing vehicles. That’s according to fresh data from Auto Trader, which found that a whopping £31m was being left on the table because dealers weren’t valuing cars correctly. Analysts there found that 47,500 cars for sale on the platform from 8,000 retailers were being advertised for below their average retail market price.

FLEET Assist has promoted Karen Ewer to operations director at the supply chain management outfit. Ewer is one of Fleet Assist’s longest-serving members of staff, having worked at its Huntingdon HQ for 13 years, the past six as head of business development. She said: ‘I am overjoyed with the news of my promotion and look forward to working with MD Vincent St Claire and the team as we continue to grow.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

DATA FILE

STATISTICS

THE LATEST REGISTRATION FIGURES

JANUARY/YEAR TO DATE

MILESTONE

TOP

SMMT

SALES DATA

One millionth EV registered in Britain as January chalks up 8.2% rise in new car registrations

CARS SOLD IN JANUARY 2024

by James Batchelor @JRRBatchelor

he UK passed an important milestone in January by registering the millionth new EV during a strong month for new car registrations. Latest figures from the SMMT show a huge uplift in the number of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) hitting the roads recently. January saw 20,935 BEVs registered, taking the overall total of BEV registrations to 1,001,677 since records began in 2002. For comparison, only around 674,000 pure BEVs were licensed in the UK by the end of 2022. The SMMT expects pure battery electrics to account for more than one in five new cars registered this year. Importantly, however, January continued the trend of fleets accounting for most of the growth in BEV registrations. Fleet and business demand for BEVs grew by 41.7% in January, but registrations by private buyers fell by 25.1% – ‘an ongoing trend that will undermine Britain’s ability to deliver net zero’, said the SMMT. The body has renewed its call to temporarily reduce VAT on EVs to spur more private buyers to switch to BEVs. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘It’s taken just over 20 years to reach our million EV milestone – but with the right policies, we can double down on that success in just another two. ‘Market growth is currently dependent on businesses and fleets. Government must therefore use the upcoming Budget to support private EV buyers, temporarily halving VAT to cut carbon, drive economic growth and help everyone make the switch. ‘Manufacturers have been asked to supply the vehicles, so we now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which net zero depends.’ Meanwhile, January overall saw new car registrations jump by 8.2%. The month saw 142,876 new cars registered, which was an uplift of 10,882 units on January 2023 – the best performance for the month since 2020 and the 18th consecutive month of growth. It was driven entirely by fleets, though. Fleet registrations rose by 29% while private registrations fell by 15.8%. BEV market share for January grew year on year from 13.1% to 14.7%, although that was below the full 2023 performance of 16.5%. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded volume growth of 31.1% to 11,944 and 8.4% of the market – up 1.5 percentage points on 2023’s 6.9% market share. Meanwhile, hybrid (HEV) volumes fell by 1.2% to 18,744 and a 13.1% share – down by 1.3 percentage points on 2023’s market share figure of 14.4%. The Kia Sportage was January’s top seller with 4,239 registrations, followed by the Ford Puma (4,201) and Nissan Qashqai (4,008). 48 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Model

Regs

Kia Sportage

4,239

Ford Puma

4,201

Nissan Qashqai

4,008

MG HS

3,413

BMW 1 Series

3,204

Mini

3,079

Audi A3

2,648

Volkswagen Golf

2,456

Nissan Juke

2,421

Hyundai Tucson

2,373

Click here to see our top 10 rolling sales charts for January 2023 to January 2024

Manufacturers have been asked to supply the vehicles, so we now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which net zero depends. Mike Hawes SMMT chief executive

13th month of growth in a row LCV news: p50

-74%

+536%

POLESTAR

ABARTH

Figures supplied by SMMT

Marque

JANUARY 2024

2024

% market share

JANUARY 2023

2023

% market share

% change

YEAR TO DATE

2024

% market share

2023

% market share

% change 536.36

Abarth

0.05

0.01

536.36

0.05

0.01

Alfa Romeo

0.05

0.06

0.00

0.05

0.06

0.00

Alpine

0.03

0.02

57.69

0.03

0.02

57.69

Audi

8,832

6.18

9,028

6.84

-2.17

8,832

6.18

9,028

6.84

-2.17

Bentley

0.06

122

0.09

-32.79

0.06

122

0.09

-32.79

BMW

10,795

7.56

7,812

5.92

38.18

10,795

7.56

7,812

5.92

38.18

BYD

248

0.17

0.00

248

0.17

0.00

2,339

1.64

2,397

1.82

-2.42

2,339

1.64

2,397

1.82

-2.42 20.72

Chevrolet Citroen Cupra

1,818

1.27

1,506

1.14

20.72

1,818

1.27

1,506

1.14

Dacia

2,087

1.46

1,910

1.45

9.27

2,087

1.46

1,910

1.45

9.27

108

0.08

254

0.19

-57.48

108

0.08

254

0.19

-57.48

Fiat

1,097

0.77

1,763

1.34

-37.78

1,097

0.77

1,763

1.34

-37.78

Fisker

144

0.10

0.00

144

0.10

0.00

Ford

9,696

6.79

9,156

6.94

5.90

9,696

6.79

9,156

6.94

5.90

Genesis

0.04

121

0.09

-48.76

0.04

121

0.09

-48.76

GWM Ora

0.04

0.01

330.77

0.04

0.01

330.77

Honda

2,411

1.69

2,325

1.76

3.70

2,411

1.69

2,325

1.76

3.70

Hyundai

6,191

4.33

6,237

4.73

-0.74

6,191

4.33

6,237

4.73

-0.74

Ineos

0.02

0.00

0.02

0.00

Jaguar

1,331

0.93

1,026

0.78

29.73

1,331

0.93

1,026

0.78

29.73

Jeep

512

0.36

335

0.25

52.84

512

0.36

335

0.25

52.84

KGM

0.06

0.00

0.06

0.00

Kia

10,207

7.14

9,014

6.83

13.23

10,207

7.14

9,014

6.83

13.23

Land Rover

4,679

3.27

3,185

2.41

46.91

4,679

3.27

3,185

2.41

46.91

Lexus

689

0.48

758

0.57

-9.10

689

0.48

758

0.57

-9.10

Maserati

0.04

0.07

-43.48

0.04

0.07

-43.48

Maxus

0.00

Mazda

1,965

1.38

2,547

1.93

-22.85

1,965

1.38

2,547

1.93

-22.85

Mercedes-Benz

5,495

3.85

5,030

3.81

9.24

5,495

3.85

5,030

3.81

9.24

6,711

4.70

7,433

5.63

-9.71

6,711

4.70

7,433

5.63

-9.71

Mini

3,744

2.62

2,734

2.07

36.94

3,744

2.62

2,734

2.07

36.94

Nissan

8,639

6.05

5,671

4.30

52.34

8,639

6.05

5,671

4.30

52.34

Peugeot

6,033

4.22

3,692

2.80

63.41

6,033

4.22

3,692

2.80

63.41

Polestar

236

0.17

915

0.69

-74.21

236

0.17

915

0.69

-74.21

Porsche

1,192

0.83

1,797

1.36

-33.67

1,192

0.83

1,797

1.36

-33.67

Renault

3,818

2.67

3,024

2.29

26.26

3,818

2.67

3,024

2.29

26.26

Seat

2,731

1.91

3,240

2.45

-15.71

2,731

1.91

3,240

2.45

-15.71

Skoda

4,931

3.45

5,533

4.19

-10.88

4,931

3.45

5,533

4.19

-10.88

Smart

147

0.10

0.03

332.35

147

0.10

0.03

332.35

SsangYong

0.00

105

0.08

0.00

105

0.08

0.00

Subaru

193

0.14

0.08

94.95

193

0.14

0.08

94.95

Suzuki

1,546

1.08

1,490

1.13

3.76

1,546

1.08

1,490

1.13

3.76

Tesla

1,581

1.11

579

0.44

173.06

1,581

1.11

579

0.44

173.06

Toyota

6,111

4.28

8,606

6.52

-28.99

6,111

4.28

8,606

6.52

-28.99

Vauxhall

8,327

5.83

5,250

3.98

58.61

8,327

5.83

5,250

3.98

58.61

Volkswagen

11,460

8.02

12,427

9.41

-7.78

11,460

8.02

12,427

9.41

-7.78

Volvo

3,881

2.72

4,314

3.27

-10.04

3,881

2.72

4,314

3.27

-10.04

Other British

240

0.17

214

0.16

12.15

240

0.17

214

0.16

12.15

Other imports

167

0.12

0.07

73.96

167

0.12

0.07

73.96

8.24

142,876

Total

142,876

131,994

8.24

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

DATA FILE

WARNING

LCV NEWS

LCV market grows for the 13th month in a row by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk DEMAND for LCVs rose by more than 8% in January as 23,962 vehicles joined UK businesses and company fleets, latest figures revealed. That was an 8.4% year-on-year rise, said the SMMT, and marked 13 months of growth in a row. It was also the highest January total since 2021’s figure of 24,209. New van registrations are also increasingly zero emission, as demand for new battery-electric vehicles grew to 1,186 units – up by 19.4% on the same month last year. That means some 60,517 new battery-electric vans have joined Britain’s roads since 2018. But the SMMT warned that demand must accelerate even more rapidly to reach the government’s mandate of 10% of the market from the current 9.4%.

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES LESS THAN 3.5 TONNES Marque

Ford Volkswagen Vauxhall Citroen Toyota Mercedes Peugeot Renault Fiat Land Rover Maxus Iveco Nissan Renault Trucks

Figures supplied by SMMT

JANUARY 2024

2024

6,842 2,911 2,400 2,005 1,905

% market share

JANUARY 2023

2023

% change

29.94 11.73 8.95 7.74 5.70

3.42 12.35 21.40 17.18 51.31

6,842 2,911 2,400 2,005 1,905

6.95 7.07 8.47 2.61 1.64 0.74 1.34 2.12

1.63 -4.35 -22.34 6.24 54.70 184.66 52.70 -8.33

1,560 1,494 1,453 613 560 464 452 429

28.55 12.15 10.02 8.37 7.95

6,616 2,591 1,977 1,711 1,259

6.51 6.23 6.06 2.56 2.34 1.94 1.89 1.79

1,535 1,562 1,871 577 362 163 296 468

250

1.04

267

1.21

-6.37

MAN Isuzu Trucks

155 138 126

0.65 0.58 0.53

11 260 105

0.05 1.18 0.48

1,309.09 -46.92 20.00

Isuzu KGM Dacia Fuso BYD

99 63 25 13 4

0.41 0.26 0.10 0.05 0.02

297 0 26 22 0

1.34 0.00 0.12 0.10 0.00

-66.67 0.00 -3.85 -40.91 0.00

Ineos

0.00

LEVC

0.00

0.14

SsangYong

0.00

23,962

100.00

22,098

1,560 1,494 1,453 613 560 464 452 429

Suzuki

Total Light CV

YEAR TO DATE

% market share

2024

% market share

2023

JANUARY 2024

2024

Ford Mercedes Fiat Peugeot Iveco MAN

175 106 78 57 47 25

Vauxhall

% market share

3.42 12.35 21.40 17.18 51.31

6.95 7.07 8.47 2.61 1.64 0.74 1.34 2.12

1.63 -4.35 -22.34 6.24 54.70 184.66 52.70 -8.33

6.51 6.23 6.06 2.56 2.34 1.94 1.89 1.79

1,535 1,562 1,871 577 362 163 296 468

250

1.04

267

1.21

-6.37

155 138 126

0.65 0.58 0.53

11 260 105

0.05 1.18 0.48

1,309.09 -46.92 20.00

99 63 25 13 4

0.41 0.26 0.10 0.05 0.02

297 0 26 22 0

1.34 0.00 0.12 0.10 0.00

-66.67 0.00 -3.85 -40.91 0.00

0.00

0.14

0.00

0.41

0.00

0.41

0.00

100.00

8.44

23,962

100.00

22,098

100.00

8.44

% change

19.53 23.44 25.39 10.94 9.38 0.00

250.00 76.67 20.00 103.57 95.83 0.00

175 106 78 57 47 25

50 60 65 28 24 0

3.07

5.47

14.29

Maxus Citroen Volkswagen

8 4 3

1.54 0.77 0.58

9 2 1

3.52 0.78 0.39

Isuzu Trucks Renault Total heavy CV

2 0 521

0.38 0.00 100.00

1 2 256

0.39 0.78 100.00

Figures supplied by SMMT

YEAR TO DATE

% market share

33.59 20.35 14.97 10.94 9.02 4.80

50 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

29.94 11.73 8.95 7.74 5.70

6,616 2,591 1,977 1,711 1,259

JANUARY 2023

2023

% change

28.55 12.15 10.02 8.37 7.95

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 3.5 TONNES TO 6.0 TONNES Marque

% market share

2024

% market share

2023

% market share

% change

19.53 23.44 25.39 10.94 9.38 0.00

250.00 76.67 20.00 103.57 95.83 0.00

33.59 20.35 14.97 10.94 9.02 4.80

50 60 65 28 24 0

3.07

5.47

14.29

-11.11 100.00 200.00

8 4 3

1.54 0.77 0.58

9 2 1

3.52 0.78 0.39

-11.11 100.00 200.00

100.00 0.00 103.52

2 0 521

0.38 0.00 100.00

1 2 256

0.39 0.78 100.00

100.00 0.00 103.52

MARCH 7, 2024

BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM, GAYDON

HEADLINE INTERVIEWS: PETER VARDY & PETER WADDELL

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DATA FILE

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

LOOKING FOR A MOTOR TRADE SUPPLIER? YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF SELECTED COMPANIES HERE Auctions & Trade-To-Trade Sales

Finance

Lead Management

Trade Bodies

Warranty Providers

BCA

First Response

iVendi

Ben

Händler Protect

Automotive E-Commerce

Finance

Legal & Compliance

Vehicle Photography

Warranty Providers

ATG

Forza Finance

Lawgistics

Dealer 360

Warrantywise

Data

HR & People Management

Marketing, PR & Video

Vehicle Tracking

Warranty Providers

Real World Analytics

HR Manager

OnCue Communications

Meta Trak

WMS

DMS

Insurance

Marketing, PR & Video

Warranty Providers

Website Design & Digital Marketing

DealerDesk

Tradesure

Marketing Delivery

AutoProtect

Bluesky Interactive

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

W: autoprotect.co.uk

Finance

Key Control

Oil & Lubricants

Warranty Providers

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Blue Motor Finance

Traka

Mobil™

Car Care Plan

Haswent

Finance

Lead Management

Recruitment

Warranty Providers

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Close Brothers Motor Finance

GardX AD-Vantage

WeRecruit Auto

Centurion Warranties

Spidersnet

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

W: centurionwarranties.co.uk T: 0800 368 7420 E: support@cwuk.net Info: Centurion offers comprehensive aftermarket warranty solutions to motor dealers across the UK who sell first-owned vehicles through to high-end, prestige and sports cars.

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.

W: spidersnet.co.uk T: 01273 837749 E: hello@spidersnet.co.uk Info: Websites that are designed to increase the number of customers for dealers. We have solutions for all budgets and needs. All solutions include our DMS Autopromotor.

To have your details included email sales@blackballmedia.co.uk and ask for Suppliers Guide listings 52 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

LONG-TERMERS

The Formentor was among esteemed company during a video shoot for Evo magazine

CUPRA FORMENTOR The Cupra has proved to be a surprisingly good all-rounder. Nigel Swan explains what else he’s discovered about the SUV.

he three months with our Cupra Formentor have sadly come to an end and I’ll admit, I’m going to miss my time with it. Its combination of stylish looks and high performance made it a well-valued member of the video team, and nowhere did it prove more valuable than on our recent shoot for Evo magazine as a support car for the filming. Filming for any Car of the Year shoot is fraught with pressures, and especially when you’re filming high-performance cars such as Lamborghinis, Aston Martins and Porsches. You need to be pretty reactive and able to move at a moment’s notice, and the Cupra was perfect for the job. Throughout the week-long shoot on the English/Scottish border we were battling the elements, which to be fair is expected at the end of October. Rain, wind, fog and general bleakness aren’t great for filming – and it’s even worse for cameramen. So when the decision is made to move locations, it helps to have a car that can keep up with the rest of the test cars, and the Cupra not only surprised me, but a few of the members from the Evo team, too. On one of the rare occasions that the sun came out, I was following one of the very talented drivers and road testers in a Honda Civic Type-R along some of the amazing deserted Scottish roads. You could see for miles and the conditions were perfect for seeing just how capable the Cupra is when driven in a more spirited fashion. I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve got out of a car laughing because I’d driven down a road that was so much fun, but on this occasion, I had the biggest beam on my face. The four-wheel-drive system and accurate steering really give confidence when driving at pace, plus the automatic gearbox with paddle shifters means you can change gears just like a racing driver without having to take your hands off the steering wheel. It’d be better if the paddle shifters were a little bigger, though. The four-wheel drive and relatively decent ground clearance made it useful for stopping on a grass verge when hopping out to do some filming. It also came in pretty useful when it came to car-to-car filming, too. There was plenty of space for me to sit in the boot and be mobile, but the ride wasn’t super-firm, as you might expect for a car with sports credentials. Now I understand some of these points aren’t the kind of situations most people will find themselves in, but for anyone who’s looking for a car that’s practical, with a good-sized and shaped boot, with space for people in the back, and that can live with all manner of driving, then the Formentor is a great option that’s well worth considering. The other thing I’ve noticed when you’re driving on twistier roads is that the seats are pretty snug and figure-hugging, meaning you won’t feel like you’re being flung around. But when you’re driving at a more relaxed pace, they don’t feel too firm. As an all-rounder, the Formentor really has been one of the best long-termers the video team has had. Economy-wise, we’ve been averaging just under 30mpg and that’s with a mix of motorway, urban and more pacy driving, but there’s no question this could be improved if driven in a more eco-focused manner. The only issue I’ve had is the infotainment system, which has been frustrating to use. The screen incorporates sat nav, phone connectivity, car settings plus heating and ventilation controls, so trying to navigate it while on the road is a bit distracting. Overall, though, the Formentor has been a great all-rounder.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Cupra Formentor VZ3 Price (as tested): £48,835 Engine: 2.0TSI 310PS 4Drive DSG Power: 305bhp Torque: 400Nm 0-60mph: 4.9 seconds Top speed: 155mph Fuel economy: 32.8mpg (combined) Emissions: 194g/km CO2 Mileage: 5,248 miles

This month’s highlight: ‘Our’ Cupra was the perfect car for a recent video shoot on the English and Scottish border.

OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING

Skoda Karoq Mileage: 3,647 The Karoq’s practicality has been impressive and it’s fantastic for daily duties as well.

Nissan Juke Hybrid Tekna+ Mileage: 11,386 Just a few weeks on the fleet for OV72 HKF but it’s quickly become a firm favourite. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

Services that make a difference At Black Horse, we support dealers with expert knowledge and insight, so you can support your customers. We underpin everything with straightforward tools and systems to simplify the finance journey and help you grow your business.

Find out how we can help you at www.blackhorse.co.uk