Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 197

REVEALED NEWS WADDELL LOSES HIGH COURT BID TO HAVE RIGHTS RESTORED AT BIG MOTORING WORLD

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

‘WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND THEN OVERALL WE HAVE TO SELL BETTER AND WE HAVE TO BE MORE

• JOIN US AT PODCAST LIVE

• OBE FOR MIKE HAWES

• CATERHAM BOSS’S UK VOW

• CAZOO LATEST

• BERMAN FACES PAY REVOLT

• BATTERY FACTORY HORROR

• TAX DODGERS REVEALED

FOUNDER

James Baggott james@thebaize.com

Twitter: @CarDealerEd

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

James Batchelor

james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JRRBatchelor

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR

John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

STAFF WRITER

Jack Williams

jack.williams@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JournoJack25

MULTIMEDIA MANAGER

Jon Reay jon@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @JonReay

HEAD OF DESIGN

Graeme Windell graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @graemewindell

CONTRIBUTORS

Becca Chaplin, Jack Evans, Leon Poultney, Cameron Richards, Nigel Swan

FINANCE MANAGER

Kate Gordon kate@blackballmedia.co.uk

SALES MANAGER

Kevin Day kev@blackballmedia.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Michelle Searle michelle@blackballmedia.co.uk

Twitter: @cardealermich

WELCOME.

Somebody said to me recently that with the prospect of everyone having to drive an electric car, the car world isn’t exciting any more. While it’s a common misbelief that EVs are being forced on to people who don’t want them, I actually think the industry is as interesting as it has been in my lifetime – or certainly the 14 years I’ve been working in it.

One example of that is how the seemingly natural or traditional hierarchy of car brands is changing. I think there is nothing to fear from the Chinese car brands – many in our industry do, you know. I think this avalanche of new Chinese carmakers appearing in the UK will turn to a trickle in a few years’ time and many will disappear altogether. But in the meantime, it’s fascinating to see how all the car manufacturers, old and new, are fighting to grab some of the limelight.

Nowhere was this more evident recently than at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The old guard, such as JLR and Ford, with their famous nameplates and bucketloads of history and breeding, fought hard to not be overshadowed by the new kids on the block from China. While Ford was fending off criticism for its use of the Capri name on an SUV (and, ironically, declaring it to be one of the most talked-about launches it has ever done), BYD was wowing the crowds with its crazily glitzy U8 and U9 models – one a tank-like SUV, the other a Ferrari-baiting electric supercar. You can read more about what I think of this fascinating power play at Goodwood on page 19.

While the car brands were slogging it out to woo customers at the festival, the important day-to-day business of selling cars came under the spotlight this month with our Car Dealer Power awards for 2024. You can see full coverage on pages 12 to 15 on who’s impressing dealers the most and those who are underperforming.

Elsewhere in this issue, James Baggott sits down with Stellantis UK boss Maria Grazia Davino for an exclusive chat, we report on the latest from the High Court concerning Peter Waddell’s bid to have his rights restored at Big Motoring World – and, of course, we take a closer look at the Capri.

See you next month.

JAMES BATCHELOR Associate editor

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IGNITION.

Peter Waddell LOSES High Court bid to have rights restored at Big Motoring World

• High Court judge throws out Peter Waddell’s application for a temporary injunction

• Move would have seen him handed back voting and information rights as majority shareholder

• Waddell was ousted from used car supermarket group after allegations of ‘bullying and intimidation’

Peter Waddell won’t have his voting rights at Big Motoring World restored after a High Court judge threw out his application for a temporary injunction.

Waddell was ousted in March from the used car supermarket group he founded, following a breakdown in relations with investment group Freshstream.

Ahead of a full trial on the issue, likely to take place later in year, the 58-year-old applied to the High Court for an interim injunction that would have seen him handed back voting and information rights as the majority shareholder of the business.

Car Dealer was at the Royal Courts of Justice in May while Freshstream and Waddell laid out their cases.

During the hearing, Waddell was accused of ‘bullying and ‘intimidation’, which he denied.

Mediator Murray Rosen KC reserved judgement, ahead of preparing a full written ruling, and just over a month later his judgement was made public, with Rosen throwing out Waddell’s application for the interim injunction.

He said Waddell had displayed ‘dangerous conduct’

by Jack Williams @JournoJack25

and ‘cannot be trusted’ if restored to power, adding that Waddell had shown himself ‘unable to accept the reality’ of the situation. The ruling states: ‘He has demonstrated himself as highly disruptive, hostile and offensive to many others involved in the group and its business.

‘The contention that his previous success and acumen are unchallenged entirely misses his dangerous conduct over the recent past: experience is the safest guide to the near future. I fear that he cannot be trusted (even if he gives undertakings) if he is restored to power as an interim measure, overturning the current regime.

‘Whether or not rational on his part, to impose any greater control in Mr Waddell’s favour would for now risk his trumpeting it to wreak attrition and revenge on those within or related to the group, to its and their serious detriment, in ways which are seriously hazardous, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and unlikely to

be quantifiable.

‘Restoration would lead to resignations and distress.’ During the hearing, various allegations were made against Waddell, who was labelled ‘abusive, racist, sexist, misogynistic and irrational’.

Edward Davies KC, representing Bluebell Cars, of which Freshstream is an investor, told the court that Waddell was accused of ‘physically slapping or punching’ the manager of one of his sites – a complaint which, he says, was later upheld by an independent investigation.

A complaint of racist comments from Waddell was upheld as well, with the company’s report returning ‘findings of bullying behaviour’ towards employees.

In addition, Waddell is said to have made references to sex and used other offensive language ‘in the context of important meetings’. NatWest is also said to have considered ‘de-banking’ the group as a result of his behaviour, while the company was left ‘in the last chance saloon’ with Black Horse.

Judge Rosen added: ‘The likely outcome of restoration would be serious disruption to the management of the group, resignations amongst senior management and distress to employees, especially those who have suffered from the abusive behaviour of Mr Waddell or perceived by him to have participated in the investigations into his behaviour.’

Car dealer tax dodgers revealed as HMRC publicly outs ‘deliberate defaulters’

CAR dealers who have been deliberately defaulting on their tax bills have been named and shamed by HMRC.

HMRC says that everyone on its latest list made ‘deliberate errors in their tax returns’ or ‘deliberately failed to comply with their tax obligations’. Sarisbury Green-based used car

dealer Ecarlogical Ltd defaulted on £201,937.47 in tax between April 6, 2020 and April 5, 2022 and was handed a penalty of £196,889.02.

Meanwhile, Oldham car dealer Yasar Hussain was slapped with a £66,857.89 penalty for defaulting on tax bills totalling £116,274.63 between April 6, 2015 and April 5, 2020.

Elsewhere, the Birmingham-based Anderton Motor Group Ltd appeared on the list in relation to offences that took place between March 1, 2020 and September 1, 2022.

The firm defaulted on £54,378 of tax and was subsequently fined £38,064.60.

The list is updated every six months.

Get your tickets for the Car Dealer Podcast Live and be part of the show

CLICK HERE TO TICKETSYOURBOOK

• Car Dealer Podcast Live in association with Motorway invites YOU to join them in September

• Taking place in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, from 4pm until late with barbecue dinner and bar!

• Limited tickets and hotel packages now available – with special discount for podcast listeners

by Rebecca Chaplin news@cardealermagazine.co.uk

On September 4, the Car Dealer Podcast team will be hosting a live event with an evening of entertainment, networking and – always importantly – food.

If you’ve listened to our podcasts, you’ll know that we bring a light-hearted approach to the important topics of the week with industry guests to share their views, too.

This extended live recording, sponsored by Motorway, will give attendees the opportunity to have their say as well as hear from special guests and the Car Dealer team on the subjects that matter most to the car industry. There will also be the chance to connect with those people and others in the industry throughout the evening.

The event will run from 4pm until late in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, with a live recording that we’d love you to be part of.

Following the show, we’ll open the bar and guests can enjoy a barbecue in a beautiful outdoor setting, where they’ll be able to relax during an evening of socialising with other industry professionals.

Tickets are now on sale from £149, which includes entry to the live podcast show followed by the barbecue dinner.

There are also a limited number of hotel room packages available to book at the venue, which includes a ticket for one person to the event as well as a double or twin room on site with breakfast the following morning for £299 each.

Podcast listeners will also get a discount code, so make sure you subscribe to the show if you haven’t already!

SUV Prestige boss speaks out about what caused top dealership to fail

HIGH interest rates and a fall in retail prices led to the sudden collapse of award-winning car dealership SUV Prestige.

That’s according to the firm’s boss, Steve Dhesi, who says that increased borrowing costs created strain from which the company couldn’t recover.

The Wetherby-based business was one of the largest independent prestige car dealerships in the UK, stocking up to 300 high-end sports and luxury vehicles, as well as 4x4s.

Run by Dhesi and his wife, Satinda, the company enjoyed a rapid rise, with the pair winning Dealer Principal of the Year at the 2022 and 2023 Car Dealer Used Car Awards, respectively.

However, in January the firm dramatically announced its immediate closure as a result of ‘difficult trading conditions’.

Dhesi has now told Car Dealer that the business was suffering from cash flow issues that stemmed from lower margins and a slump in customer demand.

But he added that despite the abrupt ending, he remained proud of SUV Prestige’s ‘groundbreaking standards’ and paid tribute to his former employees.

‘We experienced a period of difficulty arising from high interest rates affecting both customer demand as well as impacting on increased borrowing costs to the company,’ Dhesi told Car Dealer.

‘This was further impacted by a fall in retail prices and ultimately lower margins on vehicles, which had a negative impact on cash flow. We were hoping to reach an amicable agreement with our suppliers and partners, but unfortunately things came to a dramatic end that ultimately led to us having to make the team redundant.’ He praised its ‘amazing team’ and said: ‘We are extremely sad we were not able to continue to trade.’

The Podcast Live will be hosted by James Baggott, Jon Reay, Rebecca Chaplin and James Batchelor

FEATURE FORD CAPRI

The iconic name returns with a bold new look for the 21st century. Jack Evans takes a look around the car.

Batterypowered motor

We’ll tackle the elephant in the room head-on. You won’t find a thumping V8 underneath the bonnet of the new Capri as this new model is electric-only. Available in both alland rear-wheel drive, the new Capri should be able to manage up to 390 miles on a single charge.

Outright performance

SUV bodystyle

The Ford Capri is a model that lies at the very heart of British car culture. Something of an icon, its long bonnet and snub rear end made a big impact when the car was first revealed in the late 1960s, while the more blocky model that we saw in the 1980s soon became the model everyone thought of when the word ‘Capri’ was mentioned.

For decades after, the Capri name has remained dormant – until now, that is. Ford has revived the iconic nameplate on its latest EV, and while there are many differences between this new model and the iconic original, there’s still plenty to talk about. Let’s check it out.

The original Capri was always known for its performance and the new version certainly isn’t a slouch. The standard rear-wheeldrive version should do 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds, or 5.1 seconds in the stickier all-wheel-drive version. That’s significantly quicker than even the punchy Capri RS3100, which would do the same dash in 7.3 seconds.

Loads of assistance technology

Ford has jumped with both feet into the world of driver-assistance technology and you’ll find lots of it included on the new Capri. It boasts 12 ultrasonic sensors, five cameras and three radars all working together to monitor the area around the car and helping to make this Capri as safe as can be.

It might be called Capri but the overall look and feel of this new car is vastly different to the original. It’s a boxy, upright-looking car that measures in at just over 4.6 metres – around the same as the current Ford Kuga. However, it’s slightly wider than the ever-popular Kuga.

A big boot

With its upright SUV shape, the new Capri is a far more practical affair than the car it replaces. In fact, Ford says that it should offer up to 572 litres of boot space with the seats in place or 1,510 litres with the rear seats folded down. There’s also a clever 17-litre ‘MegaConsole’ underneath the front armrest alongside a secret storage area.

Switchable infotainment screen

Inside, the Capri features a 14.6-inch central screen that gets Ford’s new SYNC Move technology. Essentially, it allows you to slide the screen up and down to make sure it’s at the most comfortable viewing angle.

Speedy charge time

These days, charging speed is king. Ford’s new Capri can charge at up to 185kW, which should mean you could do a 10 to 80% charge in around 26 minutes. Expect a full top-up at a conventional 7kW home charger to be finished overnight.

Plenty of standard equipment

Ford has always had a strong focus on standard equipment and the Capri is no different. While official pricing is yet to be firmed up, we do know about some of the equipment that will be offered right away, with highlights being keyless entry, heated front seats and steering wheel, plus dual-zone climate control. However, it does appear that a heat pump – which boosts the efficiency of the electric motors and battery in the winter – will be an optional extra.

DASHBOARD

INTERVIEW

Stellantis boss on potentially pulling UK production, her love for the 2030 ban and what she needs to fix next

• Exclusive video interview with Stellantis UK group MD Maria Grazia Davino

• Boss doubles down on threat to pull production from UK if industry isn’t helped by government

• She calls for EV incentives and praises Labour’s plan to bring back 2030 ICE ban

• Speaks about her frustrations at delivery problems and complex dealer bonus issues

by James Baggott @CarDealerEd

Stellantis boss Maria Grazia Davino has doubled down on her threat to pull UK production if the incoming government doesn’t help the car industry out further. Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer in a wide-ranging video interview before the general election, Davino said that if the UK car market became a ‘bloodbath’ she could be forced into making a decision about closing the plants.

She said ending production at Ellesmere Port and Luton was something she would ‘have to consider’ if the new government doesn’t listen to the car industry.

And she called on the new government to be ‘consistent’ and ‘co-operative’ with the car industry and act quickly to introduce incentives to boost electric car demand with retail buyers.

Top of her agenda is a cut in VAT for electric cars and ‘fiscal incentives’ to boost demand – and she warned that shutting the UK factories was still very much ‘on the table’ if the industry doesn’t get any help.

Davino was reiterating comments she made at the SMMT summit about ZEV mandate targets that dictate 22% of all cars sold this year must be electric.

Speaking about the potential factory closures in the video interview [at 11:18], she said: ‘I have said there is no decision on this and I do not have it on the top of my agenda but I will have to consider it.

‘It is not the purpose of a businessperson to threaten and I was not blackmailing anyone, but the question [of closing the plants] is a rational one and I tried to give a rational answer.

‘This has been a conversation we have made very transparently, since April, with the government.’

Referencing a likely change in power after the election, Davino said she did not think an ‘immediate reaction’ will be needed.

‘It’s on the table,’ she added. ‘But I don’t have any rational intention to threaten anyone.’

Asked what needed to change to encourage Stellantis to keep production in the UK, Davino said the conversation with the new government would have to be ‘productive’ and that demand for the firm’s cars would have to improve.

‘We have to listen to each other – Stellantis is big enough to listen – and then overall we

Agency sales

STELLANTIS rowed back on its plans to introduce agency sales when Maria Grazia Davino took over and set up a panel of dealers and independent experts to advise on a way forward.

Davino said that had resulted in her plans changing and agency sales wouldn’t come in until ‘the start of 2027’ and when it does it’ll be for all brands.

‘We are still looking at it with the dealer working groups and I think we are having productive conversations. It is helping us understand what is the best set-up in this country. At the moment, the milestone is 2027. I realised that we needed more time to prepare.’

Directly addressing her dealers at the end of the interview, Davino also stressed the importance of working as a team.

She said: ‘First of all, thank you. Thank you for the job that you have done so far.

‘The more I observe and I experience the way we can grow in business, it’s all about team performance.’

have to sell better and we have to be more profitable and see that this trajectory that we will work hard to keep in this country shows that it is all good and that we are progressing,’ she said.

‘If we are making progress in a way that is sustainable then of course I will defend the UK production operations.

‘If it’s going to be a bloodbath then it does not make sense, not only for Stellantis, but for anyone. And in this case I will have to take other decisions.’

The Stellantis UK group MD wants to see the incoming government put its hand in its pocket to incentivise electric car purchases.

She said: ‘You have to give a customer a very good reason to buy and this cannot only be environmental responsibility or good offers from the OEM.

‘Salary sacrifice schemes and the corporate car business are doing well [with EVs] because they are getting a fiscal advantage, but it’s too unbalanced.

‘We need some fiscal adjustment for people that buy mainstream products – cash incentives help, infrastructure helps and then lots of communication around it.’

Stellantis operates Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Fiat and Alfa Romeo, Abarth and Jeep in the UK.

VAT cut sought

Davino also spoke about how she thinks Labour’s plan to pull the petrol and diesel car ban forward again to 2030 was a ‘good thing’ as the message it gives consumers is that EVs are the right car to buy now.

She said this would make the ‘purchase consideration more compelling’, especially if it was combined with a cut in VAT that would give EVs a ‘material advantage’.

Davino also explained that Stellantis had decided not to pay any ZEV mandate fines –some £15k per car over the target – and would manage to do this by throttling back petrol and diesel car supply later this year.

‘We are trying not to do this, but it will be an immediate consequence,’ she said.

‘[Fines] are not an option for me. It’s not the way we are set up – we will not pay fines.’

Speaking about Chinese car manufacturers – and the threats of import tariffs –Davino said that Stellantis believed in ‘fair and free trade’ and wasn’t keen to see competitors penalised.

She also told how she is tackling cars stuck in ports, the late payment of bonuses to her dealer partners and how agency sales will be delayed to at least 2027. And Davino explained that some petrol and diesel cars could be removed from sale if it looked like the firm would miss its ZEV mandate targets.

Maria vows to solve problem of late dealer bonus payments

STELLANTIS UK group MD

Maria Grazia Davino labelled the problem of paying out bonuses to her dealers as one of the most complex of her whole career.

In our exclusive video interview, she tackled the thorny issue of the late payments.

Stellantis dealers have complained that they have been waiting ‘months and months’ for bonuses to be paid out, with little news on when the problem will be fixed. Davino said: ‘This has been the most complicated project of my whole career.

‘I am not where I want to be. More than 50% of the problem has been resolved but my target is 100%.

‘We’re tackling this continually and this is on my desk, not on the desk of someone else.

‘It’s a really complicated matter. It’s a mixture of procedures, processes, different legacies, changes and, in general, timing.

‘Stellantis is ranking this problem very high and I am tackling it. I have escalated it to the highest level of the company and I am personally involved in it.’

Davino told how frustrated she was by the matter, adding: ‘I am very confident that I will sort it out.’

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MARIA GRAZIA DAVINO NTERVIEW IN FULL

James Baggott chats to Stellantis

UK boss Maria Grazia Davino

WHO WON WHAT AT THIS YEAR’S AWARDS?

James Batchelor, this

year’s survey

results provided some real surprises.

The cream of the motor trade crop has been revealed in this year’s Car Dealer Power.

Car dealers across the UK voted in our survey and chose their favourite manufacturer to represent plus the best suppliers they do business with, as well as the top car. The hugely deserved winners in 21 categories were announced in a special video filmed by the Car Dealer team, which you can watch by clicking on either of the links on this page.

Suzuki was named Manufacturer of the Year after rising three places on its ranking in 2023, with dealers saying they’re incredibly happy with how the Japanese carmaker operates in the UK.

Last year’s winner, Toyota, was knocked into second place with a very strong performance, while BMW held firm in third with many happy dealers throughout its network.

Hyundai was the biggest riser in 2024, soaring 12 places from 17th in 2023 to reach fifth this year.

MG, meanwhile, was the biggest faller, slumping 12 places on 2023’s ranking, finishing in last place to make it the worst manufacturer to represent this year. Its dealers weren’t happy in a number of areas, but in particular with aftersales and accessibility to top management.

The full results, including detailed scores in the 13 categories that car dealers voted in for each car maker, can be found here

In the supplier categories, winners and highly commended firms were named in 19 categories.

Click on either of the links on this page to watch our special Power video.

CAR OF THE YEAR

CAR dealers across the UK have voted the BYD Dolphin as their Car of the Year for 2024.

The electric hatchback from UK market newcomer BYD scooped the top gong, while the BMW i5 and Suzuki Swift were highly commended.

The Car Dealer Power Car of the Year award differs from other similarly titled awards handed out by motoring magazines and judging panels, as it’s voted for by car dealers regardless of which brands they represent.

The BYD Dolphin was the clear winner in this year’s survey. Despite being an unknown entity more than 12 months ago, BYD is now the Chinese carmaker to watch.

Dealers are queuing up for a franchise and customers are giving BYD’s products serious consideration when it comes to going electric.

The Dolphin in particular shows that an electric hatchback needn’t be expensive. Factor in a 200-to-265-mile range, seating for five, plus all the tech that you’d ever need and it’s easy to see why dealers voted it Car of the Year.

BMW took home a highly commended gong for its i5. This is the car, along with the smaller i4, that BMW is using to woo company car drivers. The i5 is also efficient, packed with tech and – just like a typical BMW – good to drive.

The other highly commended place went to the Suzuki Swift – the only non-electric car in the awards. It has an eager little petrol engine, comes with a manual gearbox, is frugal and well equipped as well.

THE WINNERS

MANUFACTURER

SUPPLIERS

SUPPLIERS

Wyatt

of Suzuki in the UK

Baggott, left, and James Batchelor

Suzuki has scaled the Car Dealer Power rankings to be named Manufacturer of the Year 2024.

The Japanese carmaker rose three places on last year’s position, pushing 2023’s winner, Toyota, into second place. BMW held steady in third.

Suzuki’s dealers gave it very high scores for finance offers, warranty, aftersales, forward planning and manufacturer requirements.

Chinese-owned British brand MG finished rock bottom – 25th out of 25 brands ranked in the survey.

Car Dealer Power asks dealers across the UK to rank their manufacturer partners in 13 categories. The scores for the individual categories are then taken to create the overall result.

Dale Wyatt, director of Suzuki in the UK & Ireland, put its win down to its close relationships with its partners plus its no-nonsense approach to the way it operates.

‘I’m really grateful for this award – and it’s an award that’s for everybody here at Suzuki,’ he told Car Dealer.

‘I’m proud of our dealers and proud of our employees. My job is to create an environment to enable the team to perform – and the team are the people that do it. I couldn’t be more pleased.’

Wyatt added: ‘We try to keep things simple. We try not to ask dealers to do things that don’t add value to the customer. We try to put our ego in our pocket and work on what actually matters.

‘Our dealers are very pleased with our communications, the new Swift and the consistency of our approach. They’re also particularly pleased at how we didn’t adopt the agency model.

‘We said very early on that we were committed to the network, and I think this has played a part in this result. The dealer is the physical embodiment of the brand, and it’s the dealer that delivers on our promise.’

WHERE DID YOUR CAR MANUFACTURER RANK THIS YEAR?

The SAF Approval deadline is 1 January 2025.

To continue working with lenders who are members of the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), when offering finance to your customers, you’ll need to become SAF Approved by 1 January 2025.

‘COVID CARS’ ARE CAUSING HEADACHES FOR DEALERSHIPS

Anomalies in car specifications as a result of the semiconductor crisis are making valuations difficult for three-to-four-year-old used car stock. Craig Cheetham reports.

Used cars made in 2020 and 2021 are causing headaches for car dealers, with specification anomalies and removal making vehicles of this age difficult to value.

According to the Vehicle Remarketing Agency (VRA) – an umbrella body made up of fleet representatives, rental companies and dealerships – the global semiconductor crisis led to an unknown number of cars reaching the market with specifications either altered or missing compared with the original specification sheets.

Marcus Blakemore, chairman of the VRA’s industry trends committee, said many cars were missing key items, leading to confusion for customers and dealers.

The shortage saw key manufacturing facilities closed, mostly in Japan and China, which make semiconductors and microprocessors for all areas of consumer electronics – domestic as well as automotive.

Blakemore said: ‘During the initial stages of the pandemic, there was massive supply chain disruption, especially around the availability of microprocessors. As a result, manufacturers improvised on the production line, removing key items just to keep things moving.

‘Depending on the manufacturer and model, there are all kinds of items omitted – heated seats, head-up displays, electric door mirrors, electric seats and more. Some cars were even built with analogue instrument clusters and clocks.’

He says this has led to widespread debate in the resale sector around spec removal and how much it affects the residual values of used cars, a lot of which are now being traded in and coming on to the used market at the end of three-year PCP deals and fleet contracts.

‘We’re now in a phase where these cars are starting to leave their initial owners and coming on to the used market, and [they] are causing valuation issues among vendors, dealers and consumers,’ added Blakemore.

‘There is generally agreement in the used sector that few items of equipment add much value to any used car.

‘However, if there is equipment missing that buyers are expecting, it does make a vehicle more difficult to sell. For example, if you’re trying to retail a prestige car at three years old that doesn’t have heated seats, it’s probably going to stick around on your stock list for a while.’

One of the major issues affecting dealers is the closed nature of many auctions these days, with traders unable to physically inspect stock, then finding that when a vehicle arrives the specification is different to that mentioned in the data available.

One of the biggest concerns raised by the VRA is the issue of dealers accidentally misdescribing a car only for it to then be rejected by the customer, which the Motor Ombudsman has confirmed would be entirely acceptable under consumer law, specifically the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires a vehicle to be ‘as described and fit for purpose’.

Where a major element of a car’s factory specification is absent but a dealer has pre-filled an advertisement using one of the many data services available to motor traders, a dealer could potentially only notice a misdescription concern at the point it is raised by the customer.

The VRA has now set up a working committee to investigate the issues.

Blakemore added: ‘So much stock is bought ‘‘blind’’ by dealers and traders that many don’t realise they have bought a Covid car.

‘Nobody wants the drama of misdescribing a car, because it means unwinding the deal. We just want clarity.’

The microchip shortage of the pandemic has led to added problems for dealers

If there is equipment missing that buyers are expecting, it does make a vehicle more difficult to sell.

Cars had specifications removed during the manufacturing process at the time of the pandemic

Marcus Blakemore Chairman of the VRA’s industry trends committee

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The Chinese at Goodwood – they came, they saw, but did they conquer?

If this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed is anything to go by, the Chinese carmakers aren’t coming – they’ve seen, they’ve come and they’ve conquered. Conquered certainly when it comes to hiring a patch of grass in front of the Duke of Richmond’s modest, detached two-up two-down. Only a few years ago, the biggest names in the volume and premium markets battled it out for show supremacy – the likes of Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Audi and Ford tried to out-do each other with ever-larger stands and ever-fancier tat to give away.

But this year the tables were very much turned. BYD, fresh from its Euro 2024 marketing blitz, had constructed a box-like stand with a sort of mezzanine level – painted in black, it looked the part. Round the back, its glitzy Yangwang brand – the 1,000bhp-plus U9 supercar that can drive with one wheel removed if necessary – was on show, as was the tank-like, floating-capable U8 super-SUV. As a statement of what the Chinese can do, it clearly impressed the crowds as the area was packed for the whole weekend.

The Chinese conquered squarefootage in the grounds of the country pile for sure, but did they conquer the customer?

Luxury brand Hongqi was there, too, with its former Rolls-Royce designer-penned products, and seemingly laying the seed for its slated 2026 arrival in the UK, while Chinese-owned British brands Lotus and MG had stands of impossibly large proportions. MG was even headline sponsor and spent its time during the four-day show laying on thick its sporting heritage.

Central to its show ‘story’ was that the current duke’s grandfather, Freddie, ran the first MG works racing team, taking victories at Goodwood, the Irish Grand Prix and the Tourist Trophy at Ulster in an MG C-type in the 1930s. It was well done, but at times appeared to be overshadowed by Red Bull Racing’s 20-year anniversary that took over one complete paddock and had its own crowd-drawing ‘moment’ outside Goodwood House every day.

It wasn’t a complete Chinese walkover, though. Mini had a characteristically flamboyant stand and showed off its new Cooper, Countryman and Aceman, while BMW nearby revealed the new (heavy) M5. JLR was there as usual with its impressively posh House of Brands stand, but it really only succeeded in showing how much Jaguar is currently on life support until its 2025 ‘reimagining’.

The Chinese conquered square-footage in the grounds of the country pile for sure, but did they conquer the customer? That’s less certain. Arguably the new car star of the show was the Ford Capri, with the crowds all keen to take a look at the reinvented icon.

Whether or not it stole show-goers’ hearts wasn’t of interest to me – it was how Ford used the Festival of Speed to debut a new car and get everyone a little hot under the collar that fascinated me. All of this from a stand that appeared to be just a couple of Capriyellow-painted portable buildings welded together and in the shadow, quite literally, of the Chinese monoliths. It was pure marketing genius – and exactly what you’d expect from a 120-year-old company. None of the new wave of Chinese car firms, with their fancy stands and bags of cash, could match that.

Big Mike

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

A little ‘expert’ knowledge can prove to be a buyer’s loss and a dealer’s gain

Car enthusiasts are a funny old bunch, aren’t they?

Just recently, I’ve encountered more than my fair share of them, as I’ve moved my business model away from common or garden mainstream motors to those of a more specialist nature.

The reasons for this are two-fold. First, I’m a dinosaur, and the reality is that I’ll hopefully be lying with my feet up by a pool in a Mediterranean villa when the younger guard are rapidly adapting to explaining charging processes, battery capacities and other such gobbledegook to customers.

Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not anti-EV and I do understand why electric cars make sense, but I’m at a stage in my career where reinvesting what little savings I have into a forecourt full of charging points and trying to get my head around what a kilowatt-hour is and the many different ways of generating one just scares me. At the moment, I have two plastic cans –a green one and a black one – and if a car runs out of motion while in my care, I simply grab one of those, tip the contents in the tank and we’re back in business. After all, the fuel light is something that every car dealer wears like a badge of honour. Nobody trades in a motor with a full tank, after all. Anyway, my new business model is essentially my old business model reinvented. I sell cars that I know how to operate and repair, and as they get older, the type of customer changes. The sort of person who buys an old Jaguar or Volvo estate these days is more than likely an enthusiast – or at least someone who appreciates the analogue nature of such vehicles and is very often prepared to pay quite a decent sum for the privilege.

It’s working, too. I can find stock inexpensively, and if I prepare it properly, I can sell it for a reasonable uplift, so if something old and vaguely interesting comes along at the right price, I’ll give it a go.

The only problem here is that with enthusiasts come ‘experts’. I was taught from an early age that an ex is a has-been and a spurt is a drip under pressure, so I’ve never been a huge fan of these types of individual, not least because their incredible self-belief often leads to a sense of delusion.

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.

For example, just recently I had a 2003 MG ZR in stock. It’s the kind of car that when new appealed to a baseball-capped hooligan in need of something to replace the Citroen Saxo VTR they’d recently hurled into a ditch. Today, that baseball-capped hooligan is more than likely in his early forties and wants to kick off his mid-life crisis early by reliving his youth – and my role here is to help him out by finding really tidy examples and making sure that they leave me in tip-top order. After all, 90% of doing this job properly comes from preparation and presentation – I’ll let nobody tell me anything otherwise.

Anyway, the ZR I acquired was sourced via Facebook Marketplace, which has become a good hunting ground for me on the basis that many of the

The sort of person who buys an old Jaguar or Volvo estate these days is more than likely an enthusiast.

It’s the kind of car that when new appealed to a baseball-capped hooligan in need of something to replace the Citroen Saxo VTR they’d recently hurled into a ditch.

adverts on there attract illiterate vermin looking to screw over buyers. A bold claim, maybe, but it’s something that I’ve been told time and time again by the sellers I’ve bought cars from, whose relief at receiving a polite and articulate message expressing an interest in the car is often enough to make them almost give it to me for free.

The MG belonged to an old chap who’d hung up his driving gloves in 2020, leaving the car parked up in his garage. I went to have a look at it, saw it had loads of potential and handed over his asking price haggle-free to save him from the knuckle-draggers. After all, even car dealers have a conscience. Well, some of us do, anyway.

Six weeks later, I had it for sale – fully serviced, new tyres and a small amount of welding to both rear inner sills were required, and this was all mentioned in the advert, along with close-up images of a couple of parking dents and some loose interior trim.

It was spotted by a Facebook ‘community’ of people who like MG Z Cars and, if reading some of their other posts was to be believed, Nigel Farage and misogyny.

Anyway, my detailed advert, to which more than 140 photographs were attached, sparked some lively discussion around the car’s value, ranging from “scrap it” to “£800 if he’s lucky”. Sadly, that led to one young enthusiast believing their rhetoric and withdrawing his interest in the car because I’d ‘overpriced’ it.

Now, far be it from me to sound bitter, but I’d wager that a grumpy old Brummie with more than four decades behind him of selling cars has a better idea of values than a 19-year-old who made the mistake of asking bulldog enthusiast SteveZRFanBro (not his real handle) from Redditch his opinion – and ultimately it was his loss. I sold the car to a lovely 40-something chap who travelled a long way to collect it and we shook hands at £200 below my asking price, which is bang-on what I expected.

Just don’t tell the ‘experts’...

It was spotted by a Facebook ‘community’ of people who like MG Z Cars and, if reading some of their other posts was to be believed, Nigel Farage and misogyny.

CAR NEWS ROUND-UP

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

New Continental GT Speed ditches W12 engine in favour of 4.4-litre hybrid V8

BENTLEY has introduced the latest generation of its Continental GT model, giving it hybrid power.

The new Continental GT Speed ditches the famous W12 engine and replaces it with a 4.4-litre hybrid V8.

It blends 584bhp from the petrol engine with a 187bhp electric motor – meaning a total power output of 771bhp and 1,000Nm torque. In terms of acceleration, 0-60mph is dealt with in 3.1

Two special editions of MC20 revealed MASERATI

MASERATI is releasing two special editions of its latest supercar –the MC20 Icona and Leggenda. They celebrate two decades since Maserati returned to racing with the MC12 after 37 years, and only 20 examples of each car will be built. The MC20 Icona features the same livery as the old MC12 Stradale, while the exterior of the Leggenda features a Nero Essenza and Digital Mint Matte sports livery that harks back to the MC12 GT1 Vitaphone – the car that won the 24 Hours of Spa three times.

Prices are yet to be confirmed.

seconds and the GT Speed will keep going until 208mph where legal. There is also a 25.7kWh battery pack behind the rear axle, improving weight distribution and allowing up to 50 miles on electric power alone.

Both the GT Speed and convertible GTC feature Bentley’s new Active Chassis, which includes active all-wheel drive, an electronic limited-slip differential, all-wheel steering,

torque vectoring, a new-generation ESC system plus Bentley’s dynamic anti-roll system, which should help the car to stay flat and composed through the bends.

The GTC’s performance remains very close to that of the hard-top, with 0-60mph being achieved in 3.2 seconds alongside an electronically limited top speed of 177mph. Prices are yet to be announced.

Updated e-tron GT unveiled

AUDI has lifted the lid on its updated e-tron model, which sports new exterior styling, an increased battery capacity, a reduction in overall weight and introduces a range-topping Performance model with 912bhp.

The updates are in line with similar revisions to the Porsche Taycan, upon which the e-tron shares the majority of its underpinnings. Upgrades to the battery capacity, improvements to the motor and a tweak to battery cell chemistry mean greater performance range and faster charging speeds across the board.

Useable output has risen from 84kWh to 97kWh.

Single motor variant added to SUV line-up

POLESTAR has bolstered the number of powertrains available on its new 3 SUV with a single motor version.

The Single Motor 3, priced from £69,900, has a claimed range of up to 403 miles.

Polestar says the 3’s 250kW peak charging capability allows a 10 to 80% charge to be completed in 30 minutes. With 295bhp and 490Nm of torque, the Polestar 3 can reach 60mph in 7.6 seconds.

There are six exterior colours to choose from plus five interior set-ups.

POLESTAR

AUDI

Golf GTI starts at under £39,000 VOLKSWAGEN

VOLKSWAGEN is releasing updated versions of the Golf GTI, GTE and eHybrid Style models in the UK.

The new GTI will offer more power than its predecessor, with an extra 19bhp taking the output to 261bhp. This has resulted in a new 0-60mph sprint time of just 5.9 seconds – down from the 6.2 seconds offered by its predecessor.

It’s available to order from £38,900, while the eHybrid Style and GTE models start at £36,760 and £39,750 respectively.

FIAT

BMW

X3 now has improved plug-in-hybrid power

BMW has revealed the next generation of one of its longest-running SUVs – the X3.

It has a heavily revised exterior and interior, as well as being offered with a better plug-in-hybrid powertrain.

Prices start at £46,800 for the standard 20 xDrive and rise to £64,990 for the M50 xDrive. The plug-in-hybrid model costs £56,340 for the 30e xDrive and is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor, generating 294bhp and achieving up to a claimed 56 miles on electric power alone.

Panda will measure less than four metres in length

FIAT’S new Grande Panda will arrive in either hybrid or electric format and will be less than four metres long.

The Panda has been one of the most successful models in Fiat’s history, falling just behind the car with which it shared its chassis — the 500.

On the outside, the new vehicle features a lot of square and angular lines that give the body a distinctive look.

Meanwhile, an engraved ‘Panda’ emblem pays homage to the original Panda 4×4.

Details of its powertrain and specifications are yet to be announced.

BYD BUGATTI

Covers pulled off Tourbillon supercar that boasts 1,824bhp

BUGATTI has revealed its Chiron replacement that could be the world’s fastest production car – the Tourbillon hybrid.

The engine is a 8.3-litre V16 that was engineered with the help of Cosworth and is said to produce 1,013bhp. There are three electric motors on board that generate the equivalent of 811bhp, giving a total power output of 1,824bhp. Top speed and 0-60mph figures have not been revealed yet.

Deliveries are expected in 2026, with only 250 being made, and the car will come with an estimated price tag of around £3.2 million.

Seal U ‘can travel for up to 671 miles’

BYD’S new Seal U has gone on sale from £33,205.

Arriving as the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, it combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a battery and electric motor.

The engine charges up the 18.3kWh battery – although it can also be topped up via regenerative braking – and it can manage up to a claimed 49.7 miles of electric-only range. BYD says that when combined with the petrol engine, the Seal U can travel for up to 671 miles when fully filled and charged.

C3 Aircross SUV to include electric model

CITROEN’S upcoming C3 Aircross will be capable of almost 190 miles on a single charge in its electric guise.

That’s according to the French manufacturer, which has revealed more details about the new compact SUV.

It said there would be a choice of petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains, with the petrol and hybrid versions available with five or seven seats.

The five-seat-only electric variant will have a claimed range of 186 miles on a single charge.

CITROEN

How big changes at mfldirect will make buying easier for car dealers

Mfldirect introduces new auction function and inspected vehicles to e-commerce platform.

Mfldirect is a name that’s known to a lot of car dealers looking for good-quality, low-mileage and well-maintained vehicles, and now the business has updated its platform to make buying easier and simpler.

To better serve its trade customers, it’s now adding new offerings to its e-commerce platform, including an auction feature and inspected vehicles.

The business is part of Motability Operations, the organisation that delivers the Motability Scheme leasing cars to over 760,000 disabled people across the UK, and sells all of its de-fleeted stock.

This means there are a huge number of vehicles coming through mfldirect that can be purchased by dealers for stock, and because of the nature of the business these cars are maintained through franchised dealer networks and often do lower mileage.

Damian Oton, chief commercial officer for Motability Operations, spoke to Car Dealer’s James Batchelor about the recent changes and explained what this means for people using the platform.

‘It’s simple by design,’ he said. ‘An inspected product is exactly what it says on the tin – we’ve got cars that are fully inspected by professional inspectors.

‘These aren’t inspections by an end consumer that’s trying to sell a car or anything else.

‘These are inspected by professional inspectors at one of our refurbishment sites. The inspection report is what we use to understand how we want to refurbish our products.’

Talking about the new auction pricing, he added: ‘Auction pricing is much like anyone recognises in the online market now, albeit we’ve tried to take the best of everything that’s in the market and bring

We’ve tried to take the best of everything that’s in the market and bring it into one place so that customers can use something that’s incredibly simple.

Damian Oton Chief commercial officer for Motability Operations

it into one place so that customers can use something that’s incredibly simple.’ Mfldirect is taking a customer-centric approach to its e-commerce platform and has done extensive research to create what Oton believes is a ‘much more comprehensive offering’.

He said: ‘We’re doing it because customers have asked us to do it. Quite simply, we’ve got a really interesting mix of customers that come on to mfldirect, some incredibly large businesses that everyone would recognise.

‘They want to buy hundreds of cars in a day, and then they want to get on with running their business with all the kind of confidence that comes from buying from a business like us that’s been around for a while and that they can trust.

‘Equally, we’ve had smaller buyers turn around to us and say, look, I’m interested in ones and twos, I really need a bit more detail on some of those cars and I want to get value from being involved in the auction process.

‘So we’ve listened to them and we’ve brought them on board, and what we’ve ended up with is something we think is a much more comprehensive offering for them.’

You can watch the interview in full where Oton also discusses the used car market, electric vehicle uptake and online retailing by clicking here

Giving help to buy well and sell more

SMALLER independent dealers have different buying needs from those of larger chains and franchised dealers.

But even among the smaller dealers, needs vary from week to week based on customer demand, local trends and workshop availability.

As a result, mfldirect has worked hard to create a range of buying choices that mean every dealer will have a way to buy that works for them.

Chief commercial officer Damian Oton said: ‘Our scale and unique buying platform let us offer small independent traders and big brand dealers exactly what they need to achieve their goals.’

Flexibility is key to supporting dealers, so mfldirect has moved all its auction events on to the one site. Dealers can now choose how they buy – auction or buy it now –as well as what they buy.

And mfldirect is proud to promise that every transaction is completely transparent, with absolutely no buyer fees.

In addition, the mfldirect website includes plenty of insight and advice for dealers to help them buy easily and well, as well as sell more cars.

Its delivery service scores highly among dealers too, who need to know that the vehicles they’ve ordered will reliably arrive in time.

Gordon Motors marks milestone

GORDON Motors is celebrating having a 45-year partnership with Suzuki GB.

The family-run dealership in Crieff has now been providing customers across Scotland with Suzuki vehicles and awardwinning customer service since 1979. Director Gordon Petrie, pictured centre with wife and fellow director Jane plus service manager Ian Lemon, said: ‘We would like to thank Suzuki and our customers for their continued support. Suzuki has been very kind to us these past 45 years.’

QUITTING

Audi UK boss to head dealer group

AUDI UK managing director Andrew Doyle is leaving the brand to take charge of a car dealership group down under. Doyle has been appointed by listed Australian car dealer Peter Warren Automotive to take over ‘no later than November 2024’. He previously ran Audi Australia and joined Audi UK in April 2017. Doyle, an Australian, is also a member of VW’s UK board. He said: ‘From a distance, I have admired the group’s achievements and I am enthusiastic to build on those.’

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

NEWS DIGEST

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

Stellantis invests millions more to help electric flying cars project take off after test flight success INITIATIVE

STELLANTIS has ploughed some £42.5m more into a project to bring electric flying cars to the skies. The $55m injection for Archer comes on the heels of a successful test flight in June and builds on Stellantis’s purchases of 8.3m shares in the aviation firm in March. Archer aims to replace 60-to-90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-to-20-minute electric air taxi flights that it says will be safe, sustainable and cost-competitive with ground transport. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said: ‘I applaud the innovation, expertise and hard work of the engineering and manufacturing teams from Stellantis and Archer.’

Pentagon bolsters its BYD portfolio

PENTAGON Motor Group has added BYD dealerships in Derby and Nottingham to join its Lincoln site for the Chinese brand.

MD David Peel said: ‘We have been very encouraged in the first few months by the performance of our BYD dealership in Lincoln.

‘The safety, performance and build quality of the marque are clear for customers to see.’ The two new BYD showrooms share their sites with Pentagon’s Vauxhall operations.

It was pure marketing genius – and exactly what you’d expect from a 120-year-old company.

Battery factory fire kills 23 people

A FIRE at a lithium battery factory in South Korea killed 23 people and left eight injured.

James Batchelor p19

Several batteries exploded at the Aricell plant in Hwaseong, sparking the fire, but experts are still trying to find out what caused the batteries to combust in the first place.

Most of the dead were said to be Chinese migrant workers.

The government will hold a separate investigation to see if any safety issues were involved.

‘The McLaren Artura Spider has arrived as one of the sharpest convertibles around.’ Forecourt: p30

Collapsed Cazoo owed almost £260m

FAILED used car dealer Cazoo collapsed owing almost £260m to its creditors, damning new documents have revealed.

Papers have been filed with Companies House by administrator Teneo that lay bare the full extent of the company’s turmoil.

They show that Cazoo’s three businesses – Cazoo Ltd, Cazoo Properties Ltd and Cazoo Holdings Ltd – owed money to a combined 10,107 creditors. More creditors are likely to come forward, too.

Could CarShop sites be sold to Big group?

BIG Motoring World is refusing to be drawn on rumours linking it with a swoop for sites from used car dealer group CarShop

Multiple industry insiders have said that Big Motoring World is in ‘advanced negotiations’ to take over dealerships in Manchester, Norwich and Sheffield.

Car Dealer approached Big Motoring World’s executive chairman, Laurence Vaughan, about the rumours but he declined to comment. SPONSORSHIP

Richmond gets on side with Pompey

RICHMOND Motor Group has signed a new sponsorship deal with Portsmouth FC as the club returns to the second tier of English football.

The Car Dealer Top 100 retailer is now a ‘principal partner’ of the south coast’s most decorated club.

Operations director Sam Nobes said: ‘This collaboration holds special significance for us, as Portsmouth FC is not just a football team but a symbol of pride and passion for the entire city.’

After all, 90% of doing this job properly comes from preparation and presentation –I’ll let nobody tell me anything otherwise.

Marshall reclaims Nissan in Cambridge

MARSHALL Motor Group has won back the franchise for Nissan in Cambridge.

The dealership chain – which was taken off the London Stock Exchange when Constellation Automotive Group bought it in May 2022 – said its new store will open in August/September, creating 20 jobs. Marshall offloaded its Cambridge Nissan interest to the Glyn Hopkin Group in autumn 2014 but now has the area sales and service franchise again.

ACCOLADES

‘Fab four’ honoured with global awards

FOUR Hyundai dealerships in the UK have scooped global honours from the manufacturer.

Read Hyundai Boston and Paul Rigby Hyundai Bromsgrove shared the title of Hyundai Global Dealer of the Year 2024 (United Kingdom), Richmond Hyundai Guildford is the Rising Star of 2024 in Europe Region, and Devonshire Motors Hyundai Barnstaple was the winner of the EV Frontier of 2024 in Europe Region category.

Polestar opens eighth UK location

POLESTAR has opened its eighth UK showroom at a shopping centre in Sheffield.

The Swedish electric performance car brand’s Space – as the manufacturer labels its showrooms – is on the first floor at the Meadowhall centre and boasts a minimalist design. It replaces a temporary pop-up location at the centre, where there are 30 charging points.

On-site test drives are available, and customers can tailor their whole buying journey, from inquiry to delivery.

Rolls-Royce site is given refurb

GRANGE Motors held a swish champagne and canape reception to mark the official launch of its new Rolls-Royce showroom in Edinburgh.

The ultra-luxury marque’s flagship premises on Corstorphine Road have reopened after a multi-millionpound refurbishment. General manager Roddy McAllister said: ‘The official inauguration of our state-of-the-art new showroom in Edinburgh was a fabulous occasion completely befitting of the opulent setting.’

NEWS DIGEST

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

UK will remain home to Caterham, insists boss as new manufacturing site is opened in Dartford

CATERHAM’S home remains firmly in the UK – with the firm’s boss stating that the company wasn’t tempted to move production abroad, despite being owned by Japan-based VT Holdings. Managing director Bob Laishley spoke exclusively to Car Dealer as Caterham opened the doors to its new factory in Dartford. Being just down the road from Caterham’s previous production site brought its advantages, said Laishley, adding that having the extra production capacity of the 54,000 sq ft facility meant that Caterham could fulfil a significant number of new orders.

Car Dealer founder launches newsletter

CAR Dealer founder James Baggott has launched a Substack newsletter with an exclusive review of the week’s news for time-poor executives.

Every Friday, he’ll review the week’s biggest automotive headlines from Car Dealer and give his take on what they mean to the industry. It comes at the request of executives who said they struggle to keep up to date with the huge volume of content published on our website.

This xDrive30 model brings just over 300bhp, meaning that it’s actually around hot-hatch territory in terms of output

Long-termers p48

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes was awarded an OBE in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. He has been made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – to give it its full name – for services to the automotive industry. Hawes, who joined the trade body as CEO in 2013 after a number of years in the automotive sector in the UK and abroad, called it ‘a huge honour’ and one that he was sharing with the

‘Its excellent driving experience and great looks will tempt buyers away from the Peugeot e-2008 and Fiat 600e.’ Forecourt: p32

Ex-Lookers director backs tech start-up

VETERAN car dealer investor Tony Bramall has splashed out cash backing a tech start-up.

The former Lookers director, 88, has ploughed cash into Drive Fuze, an online car subscription service.

Bramall left the board of Lookers in 2020 and made £80m from the sale of his shares in the group to Constellation Automotive Group in 2022. He previously cashed in to the tune of £240m selling another business, CD Bramall, to Pendragon in 2004.

Senior exec smashes fundraising target

A SENIOR Nissan executive has raised more than £2,000 for charity by tackling a gruelling endurance challenge.

Atul Shahane, regional network development manager for Nissan in the UK, completed the Ultra Scotland 100 with the aim of raising £800 for The Richard Whitehead Foundation, which aims ‘to identify and remove the barriers disabled people face in accessing sport and physical activity’. He said he was ‘super-thrilled’ at the result.

TrustFord creates 96 jobs with new sites

TRUSTFORD has opened the doors to another car dealership in Scotland, bringing its total number of employees in the country to 175.

The Ford dealer group opened the Glasgow site on June 18 and celebrated the official opening of its Aberdeen store, which began operations in March, the next day. To get them up and running, TrustFord has recruited a further 96 employees in Scotland. Ford of Britain and Ireland MD Lisa Brankin officially opened the sites.

BLUNDER: An error on Tesla's Model Y web page let customers finance a Model Y for as little as £66 a month. It cancelled all affected orders after people swooped on the bargain, saying the mistake ‘caused incorrect finance options to be displayed’.

ACQUISITION: US automotive giant Group 1 has added to its UK operations after buying four Mercedes dealerships. The firm has bought the Hertfordshire quartet from L&L Automotive. The showrooms will continue to operate under an agency model.

Goodbye Goodman –and hello to Galvin!

JONATHAN Goodman has retired as Polestar UK CEO and handed the reins to former Nio boss Matt Galvin. The move leaves question marks over the launch of the Chinese electric car brand, which is said to have pushed back a launch date to 2025. Galvin, who was due to take over from Goodman at the end of June, previously worked at Mercedes and Volvo.

He appeared at Car Dealer Live in March as the head of Nio. APPOINTMENT

EVs

Canadian dealers gear up for

Jag fight

JAGUAR dealers across the pond are gearing up for a legal battle with the manufacturer over its plans to switch to a lower-volume, electric future.

Canadian dealers are said to be furious sales numbers will plummet from some 8,000 cars a year to around 700 when the new electric car is launched next year.

Steele Auto Group is one partner claiming $6.8m for ‘failing to disclose upcoming changes to Jaguar’s business strategy’.

PROMOTION

Stellantis CEO role for Richard Garbutt

RICHARD Garbutt has been made the new chief executive of Stellantis &You UK in a promotion from his role as sales director.

Garbutt, who joined in 1994, has replaced Angela Shepherd, who has left the group after becoming CEO in May 2023. He said: ‘I’m delighted to be appointed. I look forward to working with the whole team to create success together.’

He’d been in the sales director role since 2016.

OPPOSED: A fifth of Pinewood Technologies’ shareholders have delivered a resounding ‘no’ to CEO Bill Berman’s multi-millionpound pay packet. The directors’ remuneration policy saw 80.42% agree to it when it was put to the vote at the annual meeting.

FILING: Troubled EV start-up Fisker has filed for bankruptcy protection in the USA. The company failed to secure muchneeded hundreds of millions of dollars of investment and has been selling assets and undergoing a debt restructure.

PRODUCTION: Car manufacturing fell by almost 12% year on year in May with 69,652 units rolling off production lines, according to latest figures from the SMMT. Domestic output rose by 9.7% to 17,754 units but exports fell by 17.4% to 51,898.

McLAREN ARTURA SPIDER

This convertible has many go-faster touches and Jack Evans went over to the south of France to put it through its paces.

WHAT IS IT?

The Artura was only recently introduced but has been freshened up to coincide with the release of this model – the Artura Spider. Rather than just lopping off the roof, though, this Artura has been given a range of modifications and upgrades over the original car.

WHAT’S NEW?

The Artura was a car plagued with difficulties in its early stages, but McLaren has looked to finesse the formula with the Spider and equivalent coupe. It’s not just a couple of visual tweaks, either. The hybrid powertrain has gained a power boost and the transmission has been revised for faster shifts, while the suspension and damping have gained a big revision to make the Artura even sharper to drive than before.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

McLaren has managed to squeeze some extra boost from the V6, bringing the Artura Spider’s total output to 690bhp, up from 671bhp previously. The good news is that if you’re an existing Artura owner, McLaren will upgrade your car to this power output for free. Unlike with other hybrid models, there’s no regenerative braking, with the petrol engine being the primary source of charge.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The Artura Spider instantly feels like a more focused affair than many of its rivals. Pushing off under electric-only power, it’s sharp and taut underneath, although it does remarkably well to shrug off the worst of the potholes and road imperfections. Increase the pace and it remains impressively flat and level, darting through corners with increasing hunger. It’s actually in the more everyday driving situations where the McLaren particularly impresses. During a slog through some rush-hour French traffic, it felt as easy to manage as a conventional hatchback with an easy-to-judge throttle and a gearbox that shifted intelligently, ensuring this is one supercar that you could use every day.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

McLaren models have always had quite a similar approach styling-wise and there’s some of that carried through with the Artura Spider. It’s still very much recognisable as one of the Woking brand’s cars, that’s for sure, but it does what you want a supercar to do when

Power

The twin-turbocharged petrol V6 with electric motor produces 690bhp and 720Nm of torque.

THE KNOWLEDGE

McLaren Artura Spider

Price (as tested): £221,000

Powertrain: Twinturbocharged petrol V6 with electric motor

Power: 690bhp

Torque: 720Nm

it comes to looks: make an impact and turn heads. However, the details in the roof area are what make this car stand out. The buttresses are a particularly neat touch as they’re incorporated into the roll-over structure but also have a glazed section that makes it a little easier to look out of the back.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

It’s all very stripped back. The materials are good, and while this isn’t the most practical of cars, the two occupants do get a decent area to stretch out in, while headroom isn’t bad when the roof is in place – and near-infinite when it’s folded away. The 160-litre boot in the nose of the car might be smaller than the boot that you’d get in a Hyundai i10 city car, but it’s deep, square and ideal for two soft weekend bags or some coats and jackets. A week’s worth of clothing for two people might be a bit of a stretch, mind you.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The cabin is all very stripped back, and there’s a decent amount of space for the occupants to stretch out in. The materials also have a quality feel. Interior

It’ll just as easily transform into a docile A-to-B drop-top that could be used for even the most mundane of journeys.

TARGET BUYERS:

Drivers who want an involving hybrid drop-top supercar.

THE RIVALS:

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

Prices for the Artura Spider start from £221,000, making it considerably more expensive than something like a Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. But McLaren has certainly pushed harder to increase the level of on-board tech inside its cars and that’s evident in the Artura Spider. The main forward instrument cluster is clear to use and can be configured to show different readouts. McLaren has equipped the Artura with the latest driver-assistance systems, too. The main screen itself works reasonably well but still lags behind rivals in overall usability, while it’s quite badly affected by overhead sunlight – which isn’t ideal in a convertible.

Ferrari 296 GTS

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder

KEY SELLING

POINTS:

1. Great driving experience

2. Easy to drive

3. Hybrid powertrain adds a level of usability

DEAL CLINCHER:

The Artura has had a bumpy start to life, but the Spider shows it beginning to come into its own.

Style

The Artura keeps the recognisable McLaren design looks, making an impact and turning heads.

WHAT DOES THE PRESS THINK?

Pistonheads said: ‘The new Artura is more powerful, cleverer, bigger sounding and better riding.’ Car said: ‘The Artura Spider delivers a brilliantly well-rounded supercar experience.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The McLaren Artura Spider has arrived as one of the sharpest convertibles around. While it can quickly play the full supercar role at the drop of a hat – delivering a sharp, exhilarating and measured driving experience that will thrill those behind the wheel – it’ll just as easily transform into a docile A-to-B drop-top that could be used for even the most mundane of journeys. While it might be nice to have a touch more flamboyance from the engine note, you can’t fault how effective the McLaren Artura Spider is.

ALFA ROMEO JUNIOR ELETTRICA

The Italian firm is committed to an electric future and the Junior is here to kick things off. Cameron Richards tried one out for size.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Alfa Romeo Junior

Elettrica Veloce 280

Price (as tested): £42,295

Engine: 54kWh battery

Power: 283bhp

Torque: 345Nm

O-60mph: 5.7 seconds

Max speed: 124mph

Range: 215 miles (est)

Charging speed: 100kW

Power

The electric motor paired with the 54kWh battery produces 283bhp.

WHAT IS IT?

The Junior is Alfa Romeo’s first electric car and the baby SUV in the Italian firm’s line-up. It’s also the cheapest car in the range.

WHAT’S NEW?

There’s a new body with cool styling features, while underneath is a battery set-up that can be specified in three power outputs, all of which use one battery pack.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

The 54kWh battery pack brings 158bhp and a claimed range of up to 250 miles in the standard version. The Speciale model packs 243bhp and gives a claimed range of 215 miles. The range-topping Veloce, meanwhile, offers 283bhp and has the same claimed range as the Speciale. All models will be compatible with DC rapid charging – up to 100kW. There’ll also be a hybrid version badged Ibrida with a three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 134bhp with a 28bhp electric motor mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

For a small crossover, the way it handles is second to none, thanks to very little body roll and good balance through the corners. The steering has a nice weighty feel without being too artificial and the power from its electric powertrain is plentiful. Although a little firm, the ride wasn’t unbearable – although we didn’t drive the Junior on any public roads. Driving the car in Dynamic mode sharpens up the throttle response and adjusts the stability control to enhance the car even further round the bends.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

The front end has boomerang-shaped front headlights with four individual LED daytime running lights, while the front grille has a carved design that houses the Italian firm’s logo. It’s one of the first Alfa Romeos to feature a centrally mounted front number plate, too. The side profile gives a sportier three-door appearance, while a large gloss-black lower bumper with diffuser offers a more dynamic and stylish stance.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Inside is leather and Alcantara, while our Veloce model had Sabelt sports seats that look

Style

The design at the front incorporates boomerangshaped headlights while the grille has a ‘carved’ look.

great, hold you well through the corners and are fairly comfortable, although they may get a little firm over longer distances. However, the plastics on the door cards and dashboard were brittle, which felt cheap and not suited to a vehicle costing more than £42,000.

The infotainment screen, although angled towards the driver, is positioned a bit too far down and the climate control switches are hard to see in bright sunlight and fiddly to use on the move.

The glovebox was a decent size, but the lid would cut into the front passenger’s legs. Rear headroom and legroom are decent for average-sized adults, and the small transmission tunnel makes it easier for three to sit abreast in the rear.

Boot space is one of the biggest in its class at 400 litres and the rear seats fold down to increase its capacity further, but it’s a shame there’s a slight ridge between the boot floor and rear seats.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The standard Elettrica costs £33,895 – almost £2,000 less than the Peugeot e-2008 – and comes with 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlamps and tail-lights, rear parking sensors plus a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. Move up to the Speciale Elettrica priced at £35,695 and it adds a sports styling kit, tinted rear windows, sports pedals, six-way electric driver’s seat with massage function and an electric tailgate.

Our test car was the flagship Veloce model, which continues Alfa Romeo’s sporty image with a larger power output of 283bhp and is priced at £42,295. It boasts a Torsen differential, 20-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers, black and red leather seats, 25mm lower suspension and a black roof.

WHAT DOES THE PRESS THINK?

Auto Express said: ‘The Alfa Romeo Junior Eletrrica is the best mainstream Alfa in a generation. It hits the bullseye on numerous levels.’ Car said: ‘It’s not ridiculously stiff or hopelessly overpowered...and it has a lightness of touch to the driving experience that’s been missing from fast EVs so far.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

The Alfa Romeo Junior is an important car for the Italian firm. Not only is it its first EV, but it’s also an electric car that needs to keep up the brand’s reputation of producing an engaging drive while maintaining style — and the Junior certainly does excel in those departments.

Its excellent driving experience and great looks will certainly tempt buyers away from the Peugeot e-2008 and Fiat 600e. While its interior may be let down by cheap plastics and a user interface that confuses form with function, the Junior is still a practical and very likeable crossover that should be a hit for Alfa Romeo.

Inside

The cabin is a mix of leather and Alcantara and in general the materials used are good, although some of the plastics feel cheap and brittle.

Its excellent driving experience and great looks will tempt buyers away from the Peugeot e-2008 and Fiat 600e.

TARGET BUYERS:

Those in the market for a compact crossover that offers a sporty driving experience as well as a spacious interior.

THE RIVALS:

Peugeot e-2008

Fiat 600e

Lexus LBX

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. One of the biggest boots in its class 2. Great driving characteristics 3. Stylish looks

DEAL CLINCHER:

Entry-level car is nearly £2,000 cheaper than a Peugeot e-2008.

POLESTAR 4

This low-slung SUV increases Polestar’s presence in the UK but what can it offer?

Jack Evans took one out on a road test.

WHAT IS IT?

Polestar is ramping up its presence in the UK, with things taking a turn for the more dynamic courtesy of the 4. It’s classed as an SUV, but to look at it’s a pseudo-crossover-style vehicle with a low-slung roof that leads into one of the 4’s most talked-about styling aspects – its lack of a rear window.

WHAT’S NEW?

No glass section at the rear aside – which Polestar says allows the 4 to have the sloped roofline of a classic coupe but with the extra headroom that you’d expect from an SUV –there’s a lot else going on. Inside, we’ve got some of the latest technology that the brand has to offer, including a large infotainment system that runs Android’s Automotive software and brings all manner of readily loaded apps such as Google Maps and Spotify.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

The 4 comes in single- and dual-motor set-ups. We’re in the 536bhp latter model here, which has pace on its side, that’s for sure. When it comes to range, Polestar claims that this dual-motor version will manage up to 367 miles on a single charge, versus the 385 miles you should get from the single-motor version – although both have the same 94kWh battery.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The instant delivery of the torque ensures that the 4 feels very quick away from the lights, while body control is really good through the bends. It corners flatly and without any drama, despite its relatively large size. The steering isn’t all that communicative, however, and the ride remains quite firm for the UK. At greater speeds, there is quite a lot of wind noise only highlighted further by the lack of any engine thrum. There was also a strange ‘boost’ of braking right at the end of the pedal press and this made the 4 a little difficult to stop smoothly. We’re told this issue is being ironed out, however.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

Polestar has stated that the 4’s design is all about aerodynamics, and that complete lack of rear glass gives it a somewhat insect-like aesthetic that’ll definitely get people talking. There is also a good number of paint colours to choose from. A gold shade is a particularly eye-catching choice, providing a welcome change to the more usual whites and greys.

Power

The dual electric motor delivers 686Nm of torque and can get the 4 from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds.

Polestar 4

Price (as tested): £59,990 Engine: Dual electric motor

Power: 536bhp

Torque: 686Nm

O-60mph: 3.7 seconds

Max speed: 124mph

Range: 367 miles

Charging speed: 200kW

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?

Style

The rear design of the 4 is eye-catching with its lack of rear glass and will certainly get people talking.

The lack of a rear screen is meant to help boost headroom at the back while still allowing for a coupe-esque roofline. Does it work? Pretty much. Average-height rear seat passengers should be able to get comfortable, and the flat floor means there’s a lot of room to stretch out. It’s got a limousine-like quality, while the large panoramic roof lets in plenty of light. It’s all beautifully put together, too, and there’s a genuinely premium feel to the whole cabin that could make German rivals nervous.

As with other Polestar models, there are plenty of recycled materials used throughout the 4, with a new ‘tailored knit’ upholstery – made from 100% recycled polyester – being a particularly neat touch.

The inlay carpets are made from recycled plastics, too, as are the floor mats.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

There’s plenty of equipment aboard the Polestar 4. Highlights include the 15.4-inch main display, which is packed with information that might lead you to believe it’d be complicated to operate, but thanks to some logically designed menus it’s more hassle-free than you’d think. Finding your way through different settings is surprisingly breezy.

Drivers get a view of the road behind them via a digital rear-view mirror that relays an image captured by the roof-mounted camera. Is it as intuitive as a regular mirror? Not to this tester. Sadly, your eyes find ‘regular’ glass much easier to focus on, and checking the screen instead frequently makes you feel a bit queasy. Polestar says it’s done this to avoid having the rearward view blocked by the back seat headrests as in a ‘normal’ car – but if this is the case, why do all of its other vehicles still have a rear window?

WHAT DOES THE PRESS THINK?

Autocar gave this verdict on the Polestar 4: ‘Roomy, intriguingly styled and a pleasant drive, but lacking a USP beyond its sheer design bravery.’

Car said: ‘Its pleasing dynamics and welcoming interior make it an appealing entry into the premium SUV class whether you like the windowless rear or not.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

We’ve already been impressed by the 3 – Polestar’s latest SUV. It’s comfortable, refined and well-made inside. The 4 has many of those same attributes, too, with great material quality inside and loads of clever technology that breezes over rival offerings. It’s got an impressive amount of range, too.

However, it just feels as though the 4 doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. Polestar bills it as a performance coupe SUV, and while its straight-line acceleration ties into that, we’d rather see this car’s refinement boosted to make it a proper tourer, rather than struggling to translate a relatively big, heavy car into something that it isn’t.

Inside

The interior is all beautifully put together and has a premium feel, with the large panoramic roof letting plenty of light into the cabin.

At greater speeds, there is quite a lot of wind noise only highlighted further by the lack of any engine thrum.

TARGET BUYERS:

Drivers after an electric vehicle with a level of quirkiness in its design.

THE RIVALS:

Tesla Model Y, Porsche Macan EV, Mercedes EQC

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Well-made interior

2. Lots of cutting-edge tech

3. Roomy back seats

DEAL CLINCHER:

As a talking point, the Polestar 4 fits the bill, while its clever interior and sharpedge technology make this one interesting EV.

COOL STUFF

It feels as if summer isn’t quite firing on all cylinders, doesn’t it? The weather doesn’t seem to be getting any warmer, while constant rain is keeping the entire country under a cloud.

But there’s no reason to get bogged down, as we’ve picked out some great new products to help brighten things up – even if the weather won’t do it for us!

THIS is something very exciting for the future of running. On has created a clever new way of designing the ‘uppers’ of running shoes to create ‘lightspray technology’, whereby the top half of a set of trainers is effectively ‘sprayed’ on to create something incredibly – you guessed it – lightweight.

It’s being showcased for the first time in the very expensive Cloudboom Strike LS shoes, but thanks to this new technology these lightweight runners weigh in at just 170g.

Expect to see prices fall as the technology becomes more widespread.

G-Shock 5600 ‘Energy Pack’ – £99

IF YOU’RE looking to make a statement with your next watch without breaking the bank, then the new ‘Energy Pack’ of G-Shock’s classic 5600 could be for you. Priced at a pound under a ton, it’s exceptionally good value and gets you a neat watch with an impressive 200-metre waterproof rating.

As you’d expect from a G-Shock, this model is still made from very robust and damage-resistant materials that are ideal for everyday wear.

WE’RE big fans of Yeti’s range of no-nonsense coolers and it’s now added a more compact but no less usable version of its popular Roadie range. With a 15-litre capacity, it’s far smaller than other Yeti coolers, but that means it’s easier to transport, and thanks to a carrying strap it can be taken anywhere you like with little effort.

Despite being quite small, it’s got enough room for 12 cans of drink and it’s available in a range of vivid colours, too. As with all Yeti items, expect rock-solid build quality as well.

Apple Homepod Mini – £99

IT’S BEEN a busy few months for Apple and the tech giant is showing no signs of slowing down its run of new products with the introduction of the Homepod Mini. This is a compact smart speaker with the clean design that we’ve come to expect from Apple, plus a handy backlit display.

Available in a number of colours, the Homepod Mini can be used to stream your favourite songs as well as being used as a separate speaker for external devices, such as a smart TV. Plus, get multiple Homepods and combine them for a surround-sound experience.

SUPPLIER NEWS

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

Cazoo brand bought by advertising platform

MOTORS has bought the Cazoo brand and will turn it into a mobilefirst used car digital marketplace.

The move by the advertising platform, for an undisclosed sum, will see it launch a new Cazoo app then a new website with more than a quarter of a million used car listings.

Barry Judge, pictured, CEO of Motors, said: ‘This acquisition offers an exciting opportunity for dealers to tap into Cazoo’s awareness and traffic as part of the Motors network.’

Auction house gets physical again after Covid

PHYSICAL drive-through auctions have been brought back at a Glasgow site for the first time since the pandemic.

Central Car Auctions resumed in-person events on June 19 and is holding them every Wednesday. Digital auctions replaced them during the Covid outbreak but dealers are now being welcomed back to the 13-acre site. Those who can’t make it in person can still bid and buy online, though.

Used car website has refresh from Heycar

RAC Cars’ new online used car portal operated by Heycar has gone live.

Suitable for mobile and desktop devices, it features an intuitive design that Heycar says is perfectly suited for modern digital retailing.

People can search through thousands of quality cars, then buy in person at their local automotive retailer or via the RAC Cars website.

Heycar chief of staff Alex Grime said: ‘We are delighted to have partnered with the RAC.’

We firmly believe that our staff are our greatest asset. By investing in and supporting them, we empower them to deliver exceptional service.

Richard Pygott p43

Paul joins as forecast data team manager

PAUL Titchmarsh has been appointed UK forecast manager for Cap HPI and joins the team responsible for managing the company’s new and used car forecast data.

He was formerly at JCT600, where he held several senior positions, most recently as operations director.

Titchmarsh replaces Jeff Knight, who retired from the business in June after 23 years at Cap HPI in various roles.

Majority of assets are floated in £450m move

STARTLINE Motor Finance has floated around three-quarters of its existing assets under management on the London Stock Exchange in a £450m securitisation move. It follows a £292m securitisation – which sees various types of contractual debt pooled, with tradeable shares in that pool then sold to investors – carried out in late 2021. CEO Paul Burgess said it’d help it make more efficient use of its capital and diversify its funding.

RAC CARS

CAP HPI

BUSINESS NEWS

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

Warhammer maker shares £18m among staff

GAMES Workshop says it has dished out £18m among its staff after the Warhammer figurine maker reported a stronger year of sales and profits.

The Nottingham-based company estimates its pre-tax profit for the year to June to be at least £200m, up from £171m the year before, while sales are set to have jumped from £445m to £490m. It has some 1,500 staff at its UK HQ as well as workers in stores and offices worldwide.

SUSTAINABILITY

M&S to launch clothing repair service with Sojo

MARKS & Spencer is to launch a clothing repair service.

The retail giant will offer alterations and repairs to customers from August, amid increased demand for sustainable fashion and reuse.

It has partnered with Sojo, a specialist repair and tailoring business founded in 2021, to launch the service through its website.

McDonald’s end AI use after order mishaps

MCDONALD’S is removing AIpowered ordering tools from its drive-through restaurants in the US after the IBM-developed voice recognition tech went wrong online. A number of customer videos and posts appeared online detailing ordering mishaps such as bacon being added to ice cream and hundreds of dollars-worth of chicken nuggets being included in an order.

It’s the end of the line for Royal Mail’s train fleet

ROYAL Mail is to ditch its own fleet of trains as part of major changes to how it delivers post.

The postal service said that its almost-30-year-old freight trains are at the end of their operational lives and it won’t be buying new trains.

Instead, the firm will use a combination of commercial rail services, its existing road network and reduced air services to transport mail. Only 3% of mail is currently transported by rail.

Carlsberg in £3.3bn Britvic takeover

DANISH brewing giant Carlsberg has agreed a £3.3bn deal to buy Robinsons squash maker Britvic.

The UK soft drinks firm, which also makes J2O and Tango, told shareholders that it’ll recommend the latest deal – which is valued at £4.1bn when debts are taken into account – after rejecting a previous £3.1bn offer.

Carlsberg will pay 1,315p per share to Britvic investors under the deal.

Thames Water says it’ll run out of cash in 2025

THAMES Water has warned that it’ll run out of money by the end of next May, as the heavily indebted company intensifies efforts to secure fresh funding. Britain’s biggest water firm, which is creaking under a debt pile of more than £15bn, said it had £1.8bn of cash reserves at the end of June – a fall from £2.4bn three months previously. The firm said it was still looking for new funds needed to maintain and update its infrastructure, after investors pulled the plug on £500m of emergency cash.

INDUSTRY VIEWS

NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM CAR DEALER LIVE

Rosy picture for used car prices as

June

May was stronger than expected, even when you’ve got bank holidays in there, but June has just felt better really.’

Derren Martin

Cap HPI director of valuations

chalks up 0.1% drop but EVs dragging market

Used car prices dropped a ‘negligible’ 0.1% in June as the market remains strong into the summer – with no great falls predicted any time soon.

For large parts of the month, pricing experts at Cap HPI even thought they might rise, such was the strength seen in trade valuations.

Petrol and diesel cars remained the strongestperforming fuel types as an ‘air of positivity’ flowed through the used car market.

Cap HPI director of valuations Derren Martin told Car Dealer Live that the market in 2024 has ‘returned to normal’. He said that following drops of 0.9% in April and 1% in May, the market began to stabilise from mid-May, with improved conversion rates seen in auctions.

‘There’s not a lot of negativity out there,’ he said. ‘May was stronger than expected, even when you’ve got bank holidays in there, but June has just felt better really.’

Petrol cars saw their prices increase by 0.2%, diesels dropped by 0.2% and

‘Cazoo bosses didn’t listen until it was

Former Imperial Cars director Neil Smith says he and other experts weren’t listened to during their time at Cazoo.

Smith had a brief stint as retail operations director at the online disruptor after it acquired Imperial in late 2020.

However, he quit the company within months of the deal being completed and has now lifted the lid on what went on behind the scenes.

down

hybrids fell 0.5%. Electric cars were far and away the worst performing, dragging the rest of the market down with a drop of 1.7% on average.

Cap HPI reports on trade prices – the amount of money that cars change hands for in the motor trade at auctions and other sales.

‘Electric vehicles continue to be the weakest fuel type, but it is better than it’s been doing over previous months. There’s a bit of stabilisation there,’ said Martin.

‘But [EVs] continue to be the weakest and it’s going to carry on like that because you’ve got some that are continuing to drop in value and you’ve got others that are performing well now.’

Three-year-old used cars saw the smallest fall in prices at 0.1% in June, one-year-old cars fell by 0.2%, while 10-year-old cars dropped 2%.

Martin added: ‘Younger cars are actually doing okay for those that are fuel types other than electric. It’s those older ages that are more heavily affected, but a 2% drop on a 10-year-old car is about £75, so it’s not much.

‘There’s probably slightly less demand for those older cars and a bun fight for the prime stock.’

too late’ – Neil Smith lifts lid

Smith revealed on the podcast that the company ‘had its own agenda’ and didn’t listen to experienced industry figures who joined as part of the takeover of Imperial.

He also said bosses ‘did not give any consideration to profit’ during the first 18 months of trading.

His comments came after

Cazoo was officially wound up, with documents revealing that Cazoo Ltd owed an eye-watering £190m in unsecured debt

Smith said: ‘I remember a conversation on exit, which was: “Look, in 12 months’ time Neil, everything that you and the rest of the team have been telling us, we may think we should have listened to, but right now, we’re not making any changes.”’

CAP HPI

WE’RE AWARD-WINNING THANKS TO YOU!

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

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

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

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

FINANCE NEWS

RESEARCH

Nearly half of buyers uncomfy with dealer finance process

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

More than three-quarters of car buyers will consider the finance options offered by dealers even though just over half admit to being comfortable with the process, according to new research.

The findings by Motors’ Consumer Insight Panel revealed a strong appetite among buyers to source their finance via dealers.

The research, which polled 2,008 in-market car buyers, also identified when consumers first start looking at how to finance their purchases. Almost half (46%) begin to think about payment options before they start searching, 32% during the initial search stage, dropping down to 11% during the shortlisting stage and 11% during the final decision stage.

However, among the 76% considering dealer finance, only one in two (51%) say they’re comfortable with the process. Over a third (34%) are neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, while 15% are uncomfortable.

Overall, the biggest concerns raised by buyers were hidden fees (43%) and higher interest rates (43%), followed by pressure to sign on the dotted line (24%).

Motors marketing director Lucy Tugby said: ‘Our research shows how dealers are the goto option for finance for most car buyers, although the level of discomfort many feel should be factored in by all retailers.

‘The convenience of discussing and arranging finance at the point of sale is clearly a major selling point for most buyers, but anything that can be done to put customers at ease with greater transparency could make a big impact on conversion.’

She added that the findings also showed how important it was for dealers to actively promote their finance options online.

Close Brothers ‘Olympics’ give charities boost FUNDRAISER

CLOSE Brothers Motor Finance crossed the finishing line of its Charity Week with £14,886 raised for Cancer Research UK and Make-A-Wish UK.

Adopting an Olympics theme, this year’s event saw employees, partners, family and friends engage in an array of activities to raise money. Participants creatively harnessed the Olympic spirit via events and activities that included archery, axe-throwing, table tennis, sponsored walks and cycling.

Most fiercely contested was the Office Olympics, with colleagues decorating their desks to represent individual countries and playing some heated games of bin basketball, pencil javelin and table tennis.

CEO Seán Kemple said: ‘Every year, our annual charity week goes from strength to strength, and it inspires such pride seeing the creativity and determination of my colleagues to raise significant amounts for these worthwhile causes – and having fun in the process!

‘I want to thank them all for their herculean efforts and look forward to reaching new heights together next year.’

TIME IS MONEY

RICHARD PYGOTT

Our culture has helped so many and is key to success

I’ve been with First Response Finance since 2010, making it the longest tenure I’ve had with any company. What keeps me here? Quite simply, the culture!

I know that terms such as ‘culture’ and ‘wellbeing’ have become buzzwords in more recent times. However, back in 2010, when I started out as a dealer account manager at First Response Finance, no one else was talking about these things, but First Response Finance was already putting them into action!

The company is built on three pillars: People, Service, and Profit. We firmly believe that our staff are our greatest asset. By investing in and supporting them, we empower them to deliver exceptional service, creating satisfied repeat customers and driving profitable growth that is reinvested in our people.

When I learned that Car Dealer Magazine readers had named us the best finance provider in the sub-prime category for the fifth consecutive year, I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to share the news with our team.

Here’s what our marketing operations manager, Dan Casey, had to say: ‘It’s a massive honour to win the Finance Provider (Sub-Prime) category for the fifth consecutive year. This achievement underscores our team’s commitment and our culture of always prioritising the customer.

‘Whether it’s helping someone buy a car for work or family needs, our focus remains on delivering outcomes that enhance their lives.

‘Our customers aren’t just individual car buyers; our network of dealers also relies on us to provide tools and services to finance sub-prime customers and grow their businesses. Our commitment to service is pivotal: clear communication, streamlined processes, quick deal approvals and a deep understanding of customer needs make it easier for dealers to sell vehicles.

'This commitment reflects First Response Finance’s ethos of People, Service, and Profit. By prioritising people and delivering exceptional service, profitability naturally follows.’

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

Over the past 26 years, we’ve helped thousands of dealers sell more than 200,000 vehicles to customers who were declined elsewhere. We’ve also supported dealers through lockdowns, the cost-of-living crisis, and industry uncertainties of recent years. Why? Because it was the right thing to do!

That’s the culture we have at First Response Finance – it’s what we do!

On behalf of all of us at First Response, a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us! If you haven’t yet experienced our exceptional award-winning service, visit our dedicated site for dealerships at dealer.firstresponsefinance.co.uk

It’s a massive honour to win the Finance Provider (Sub-Prime) category for the fifth consecutive year.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY

STATISTICS

New car sales to retail buyers fall again as market hits one million mark

by James Batchelor @JRRBatchelor

Sales of new cars to retail buyers fell for the ninth month in a row in June, as the new car market hit the half-year one million mark for the first time since 2019.

A total of 179,263 new cars were registered in June, according to latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders – a 1.1% year-on-year rise.

The half-year numbers were 6.0% up on the previous year but still down 20.7% on 2019. Fleet sales dominated in June, accounting for a 14.2% rise, while retail sales were down by 15.3% – the nine consecutive month of decline.

Retail buyers, in fact, accounted for fewer than four in 10 new cars that were registered, comprising 37.7% (67,625 units).

Registrations of plug-in hybrids were up 30.0% to reach a 9.3% market share, while hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) rose by 27.2% to achieve 14.9% of the market.

BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) rose by 7.4% and took their highest monthly share this year, accounting for 19.0% of all new vehicle registrations.

However, as in previous months, the growth in BEV registrations in June was entirely from the fleet sector, said the SMMT.

Private BEV uptake has fallen by 10.8% year to date, with fewer than one in five new BEVs going to private buyers.

The trade body said that BEV uptake was ‘behind the levels mandated by government’. It is again calling for the halving of VAT on new electric cars for three years, and saying that VAT on public charging should be slashed from 20% to 5%.

The top-selling car in June was the Kia Sportage with 4,113 registrations, followed by the Nissan Juke (3,891) and the Tesla Model Y (3,642).

The Ford Puma remains the year-to-date best seller with 26,374 registrations.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘The year’s midpoint sees the new car market in its best state since 2021 – but this belies the bigger challenge ahead.

‘The private consumer market continues to shrink against a difficult economic backdrop, but with the right policies in place, the next government can re-energise the market and deliver a faster, fairer zero-emission transition.

‘All parties are agreed on the need to cut carbon, and replacing older fossil-fuel-based technologies with new electrified powertrains is the essential step to achieving that goal.’

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

The private consumer market continues to shrink against a difficult economic backdrop, but with the right policies in place, the next government can re-energise the market and deliver a faster, fairer zero-emission transition.

Mike Hawes SMMT chief executive

LCV NEWS

June fall of 4.5% ends 17-month growth run

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

THE UK’s new LCV market dropped by 4.5% to 33,066 units in June 2024 versus June last year, latest figures from the SMMT show.

It ended a record-equalling 17-month growth run, with the previous one spanning February 2010 to June 2011.

But the industry body said the sector had stayed robust during the first six months of 2024 – up by 4.5% year on year to 177,620 new vans, pick-ups and 4x4s, which it said was the best performance since 2021 when the figure stood at 191,513.

Deliveries of battery-electric vans fell for a third month this year – down by 16.8% on June 2023 to 1,476 units from 1,775.

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

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

Auctions & Trade-To-Trade Sales

BCA

W: bca.co.uk

T: 0344 875 3480

Finance

E: customerservices@bca.com

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

Automotive E-Commerce

ATG

W: atg.auto

T: 0844 264 3519

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

Data

Real World Analytics

W: realworldanalytics.com

T: 0808 1890 617

E: auto@realworldanalytics.com

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

DMS

DealerDesk

W: dealerdesk.co.uk

E: contact@dealerdesk.co.uk

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

Finance

Blue Motor Finance

W: blue.co.uk

T: 020 3005 9331

E: dealersupport@blue.co.uk

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

Finance

Close Brothers

Motor Finance

W: closemotorfinance.co.uk/

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

First Response

W: dealer.firstresponsefinance.co.uk

T: 0115 671 1755

E: marketing@frfl.co.uk

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

Finance

Forza Finance

W: forzafinance.co.uk

T: 01245 245678

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

HR & People Management

HR Manager

W: hrmanager.co.uk

T: 01480 455500

E: info@hrmanager.co.uk

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

Insurance

Tradesure

W: tradesureinsurance.co.uk

T: 0121 248 9313

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

Key Control

Traka

W: traka-automotive.com

T: 0333 355 3726

E: automotive@traka.com

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

Lead Management

GardX AD-Vantage

Lead Management

iVendi

W: ivendi.com

T: 0330 229 0028

E: tellmemore@ivendi.com

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

Legal & Compliance

Lawgistics

W: lawgistics.co.uk

T: 01480 455500

E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk

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

Marketing, PR & Video

OnCue Communications

W: oncuecomms.com

T: 020 8125 3880

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

Marketing, PR & Video

Marketing Delivery

W: marketingdelivery.co.uk/

T: 01892 599911

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

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

Oil & Lubricants

Mobil™

W: mobil.co.uk

T: 0800 0857 420

Trade Bodies

Ben

W: ben.org.uk

T: 0808 131 1333

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

Vehicle Photography

Dealer 360

W: dealer360.co.uk

T: 01270 780855

E: nicky.spratt@ukturntables.com

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

Vehicle Tracking

Meta Trak

W: metatrak.co.uk

T: 020 8867 2340

E: enquiries@metatrak.co.uk

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

Warranty Providers

AutoProtect

W: autoprotect.co.uk

T: 01279 406888

E: sales@autoprotect.net

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

Warranty Providers

Car Care Plan

W: carcareplan.com

T: 0344 573 8000

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.

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

Recruitment

WeRecruit Auto

W: werecruitauto.co.uk

T: 01603 550041

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

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

Warranty Providers

Centurion Warranties

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.

Warranty Providers

Händler Protect

W: handlerprotect.com

T: 0800 088 7889

E: sales@handlerprotect.com

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

Warranty Providers

Warrantywise

W: warrantywise.co.uk/dealer

T: 0800 001 4551

E: dealers@warrantywise.co.uk

Info: Warrantywise sells over 100,000 warranties per year.

Quentin Willson personally designed Warrantywise to be the UK’s best used car warranty.

These Listings Work!

More Sales For You

W: Your website address

T: 020 8125 3880 (that’s us!)

E: sales@blackballmedia.co.uk

Info: The Suppliers Guide lets dealers find the companies they need to help them with their business. Make sure you’re here. Contact us via the above number or email address.

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Bluesky Interactive

W: blueskyinteractive.co.uk

T: 01926 651000

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

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Haswent

W: haswent.com

T: 020 3920 6164

E: hello@haswent.com

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

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Spidersnet

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.

SKODA KAROQ

Our time with the Skoda Karoq is drawing to a close. Cameron Richards gives his verdict on what it’s been like to live with.

My time with the Skoda Karoq is coming to an end and I’ll be very sad to see it go. But why have I become so fond of it? Was it because it was the press car I’ve lived with? No. In fact, it’s just been brilliant at everything and anything.

The Karoq will not set the heart of any motoring enthusiasts alight, nor will it turn heads. More so, people won’t notice it, but that’s what makes it so great.

This car wasn’t designed to entertain; its purpose is to provide as much practicality as possible while getting you to your destination in comfort and safety, and the Karoq delivers that in spades.

Its nifty little design cues and features such as the famous Skoda ice scraper in the fuel cap really show that this car has been thoroughly thought through, while its little door bin with a bag and clever elastic door strings to hold bigger water bottles in place make the car a thoroughly enjoyable experience in terms of ease.

Boot space is cavernous and there are plenty of tethering hooks and storage nets to keep bags and shopping in place.

The back seats slide forwards and backwards to increase the already impressive luggage capacity or improve legroom for rear seat passengers, and there are picnic tables with slideout cup holders and mobile phone holders. The back seats also recline, fold down and can be removed entirely – very similarly to how the car it replaced, the Yeti, did all its tricks.

The engine is perfectly powerful enough and is quiet at speeds, making it very relaxing to travel on the motorway, plus averaging 53mpg on trips was pretty impressive for a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol with an automatic gearbox.

Reliability-wise, nothing has broken or fallen off and the build quality is second to none.

Underneath its skin, the Karoq sits on the Volkswagen Group MQB platform, meaning it’s similar to a number of cars. The Karoq has been exceptional when it comes to long-distance journeys. The suspension does a great job of soaking up all the lumps and bumps and it’s very refined. The steering is nice and light and it goes around corners without much fuss, even if it is a little vague.

My only gripe is with the optional DSG automatic gearbox, which has a tendency to change down a gear when on steep declines, meaning the engine screams at you. Plus, with the touch of the throttle, the transmission kicks down a couple of gears as you lurch out of your seat.

The interior of our Karoq had the optional cream leather, and although it looked classy from afar, dirt would stick to the seats very easily, with shampoo having to be frequently used to remove any marks. The seats were extremely comfortable, though, and great on long trips.

Storage inside the Karoq is plentiful with a large centre console and decent-sized glovebox with a pen holder, while a handy compartment on the dashboard is a nice touch. There’s a little drawer next to the steering wheel as well and the wheel itself is lovely to hold, with a nice design – plus it’s heated.

Overall, for my time in this car I think that the Karoq has been a superb (no pun intended) all-rounder. Yes, it may not excite and have pizzazz, but as a vehicle the Karoq really is a truly brilliant car that I shall miss greatly.

As a car enthusiast, one tends to bypass the practical and comfort side of things and just focus on the driving experience, but the Karoq has made me think again about what the average person looks for in a car.

For a daily commuter and family wagon, this is an almost-complete package.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Price (as tested): £38,955 Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 148bhp

Torque: 250Nm

0-60mph: 8.8 seconds

Top speed: 130mph

Fuel economy: 53mpg (combined)

Emissions: 140-144g/km CO2

Mileage: 8,317 miles

This month’s highlight: The Karoq may not excite or have pizzazz but we’ve loved our time with this brilliant car.

The engine is perfectly powerful enough and is quiet at speeds, making it very relaxing to travel on the motorway.

The cream leather interior is classy but gets dirty very easily

Skoda Karoq SE L

BMW iX2

Jack Evans welcomes the latest addition to ‘our’ fleet –BMW’s iX2, which is one of the newest EVs on its roster.

I’m not often a big fan of coupe-styled SUVs. For me, practicality reigns supreme, and while these angular models – such as the Audi Q3 Sportback, for example – might look a little snazzier, they often come at the expense of outright usefulness.

So it’s going to be an interesting six months as this new addition to the fleet – the BMW iX2 – aims to convince me otherwise. It is, after all, a more sleekily styled version of the iX1 which, in my opinion, is already a good-looking car and a reasonably practical one to boot.

This iX2 is finished in M Sport trim and is resplendent in Portimao Blue paint – a £595 option – as well as having a couple of other choice extras including a £1,100 panoramic glass sunroof and the full ‘technology pack plus’, which adds folding wing mirrors, a headup display plus wireless smartphone charging for an extra £2,890.

That pack adds a distinctive styling feature, too, in the form of the light-up kidney grille. On the iX2, the grille is practically enormous but on this electric vehicle it plays more of a stylistic role as, without an engine, there’s little need for front-end cooling. When traced with LED light – or ‘Iconic Glow’, as BMW calls it – it’s hard to miss at night but, to me, it does give the iX2 quite a cool Tron-like feel in the dark.

This xDrive30 model brings just over 300bhp, meaning it’s around hot-hatch territory in terms of output. Combine that with 494Nm of torque and BMW claims that 0-60mph should be sorted in 5.4 seconds – it certainly feels that quick out on the road. You can even pull a left-hand paddle behind the steering wheel that unlocks a ‘boost’ function for a short period, which is great for overtaking. However, as with most electric cars, you tend to drive them more sedately in order to preserve range. So far, I’ve tried one semi-fast acceleration and left it at that; I’d rather not have to charge up any more than I need to.

Speaking of charging and range, BMW claims the iX2 should manage between 259 and 266 miles on a single charge. At present, I’m getting around 240 – and I expect it to creep up incrementally if things get warmer – so I’d be expecting a little better for summertime. It can take a maximum charge rate of 130kW, too, which would result in a 10 to 80% charge being sorted in 29 minutes. However, I’ve only really been topping it up using my home charger and a full overnight stint is more than enough time to fully replenish a charge. The BMW app is great, too, as it allows you to monitor the rate of charge.

The app can also let you see exactly where your car is at any one time and you can flash the headlights, too. Most important is that you’re able to see whether it’s locked or unlocked and remotely control either of those things.

All in all, I’m looking forward to the next few months with the iX2, particularly during the summer when EVs tend to be at their very best.

BMW iX2 xDrive30

Price

This month’s highlight:

The app has proved to be a boon by letting me check if the car is locked or not and controlling that remotely.

You can even pull a left-hand paddle behind the steering wheel that unlocks a ‘boost’ function.

The iX2 has more than enough space for a mountain bike with the seats down