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TIP-OFF
Police uncover cannabis farm
A USED car dealership that closed earlier this year has been ‘flying high’ once more – although not in the way you might expect.
That’s because police discovered a major cannabis farm, with a street value totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, inside the vacant showroom.
Following a tip-off, the operation was uncovered at the former premises of Hamilton Car Sales in Northampton, which had been empty for several months.
WARNING
Dealers urged to test part-exes
IT’S more important than ever now for car dealers to testdrive part-exchanges before buying them from customers.
That’s the warning from Shoreham Vehicle Auctions MD Alex Wright, pictured, in the wake of part-exes getting much older and becoming more expensive to have them ‘forecourt-ready’ if they’re in a poor condition.
‘Ignore the test drive and risk a repair bill that could equal the value of the car,’ he said.
NEWS DIGEST
Joe’s officially in the know after just a year at showroom as Nissan names him top UK dealer ambassador of 2024
A STAFF member at a Nissan dealership in south Wales has been crowned the manufacturer’s Dealer Ambassador of the Year.
The overall triumph for Joe Davies, who works in the sales department at Wessex Garages Nissan Cardiff, came after he was named one of 12 Nissan Dealer Ambassadors of the Quarter for 2023-24.
Davies has only been at the dealership for 12 months but Nissan said he goes above and beyond to ensure all customers have a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of its products.
Pictured are Wessex Garages Nissan Cardiff general manager Rhian Edwards and Joe Davies
REPOSITIONING BANGERS4BEN
No new cars for Jag outfits to sell in ’25
JLR dealers won’t be selling any new Jaguars for most of 2025 as the carmaker gets ready to reposition as a luxury pure-electric brand.
JLR ended production of the XE and XF saloons and F-Type sports car earlier this year, while in July it confirmed it would axe the E-Pace small SUV by the end of 2024.
It had been hoped Jaguar’s sole electric model, the I-Pace, would remain in production until the firm’s repositioning, but it too will be cut to boost the brand’s profits.
Cartoon capers ahoy on charity rally!
THE first cars have been revealed that will be taking part in this year’s Bangers4Ben rally – and for the 2024 event, Automotive Compliance has teamed up with Lawgistics for a Tom and Jerry theme.
Teams from the two companies spent hours transforming an MG TF, Ford Kuga and Honda CR-V into cars fit for any cartoon lover, with the bangers each given fur exteriors.
The charity rally will be taking place in France and Switzerland between October 5 and 8.
MOTION
Caffyns voters reject giving Reform £20k
SHAREHOLDERS at Caffyns overwhelmingly rejected a motion to donate £20,000 to Reform UK.
The car dealer group held its annual meeting on August 1, with the results published via the London Stock Exchange.
Among the motions was a ‘shareholder-proposed resolution to authorise the directors to make a donation of £20,000 to the Reform UK Party’. The proposal was rejected, with 2,904,626 votes cast against the idea – an 83.97% share.
Sytner completes CarShop rebrand
SYTNER has now completed the rebranding of its CarShop used car supermarkets to Sytner Select sites.
The UK’s second most profitable car dealership group in the UK – according to the Car Dealer Top 100 – has just finished the work on its final store in Manchester. It now has nine Sytner Select stores across the UK in Bristol (pictured), Cardiff, Northampton, Nottingham, Swindon, Wakefield, Warrington, Wolverhampton and Manchester.
PLAN
Trade Centre UK closes store
USED car supermarket group Trade Centre UK has closed one of its stores in the Midlands as part of an ongoing plan to increase sales.
The Car Dealer Top 100 firm’s Birmingham South site is no longer trading, following a review. Customers in the area are now being redirected to its ‘megastores’ in neighbouring Wednesbury and Coventry.
Most of the staff were transferred, with the rest helping with the logistics of the closure.
Bristol Street Motors opens its first BYD dealership at Worcester – with dancing robot assistant on its way!
BRISTOL Street Motors has chosen Worcester as the location of its first BYD dealership.
The showroom in Cosgrove Close shares the site with Bristol Street Motors’ Ford dealership in the cathedral city. It includes a dedicated showroom for BYD vehicles, as well as a shared workshop and service reception facilities, supported by trained BYD technicians. The move has created four jobs. A robot assistant is also arriving that’ll greet customers, tell them briefly about vehicles – and entertain them with singing and dancing!
Pictured from left are general manager Iain McDonald, sales adviser Billy Richardson, new car sales manager Georgia O’Leary and sales adviser Sam Martin
Strong H2 predicted for used car dealers
USED car dealers are expected to enjoy a strong second half of the year, despite experts predicting a ‘squeeze’ on supply.
New analysis from Auto Trader is forecasting that used car sales will rise by around 5% year on year between July and December, taking the total number of transactions to around 7.6m.
However, the online marketplace has also warned retailers to be ready for ‘unprecedented shifts in supply dynamics’.
Among the biggest headaches predicted is a lack of stock aged up to five years.
EV technicians gap set to hit 16,000
THE automotive industry will be short of 3,000 EV technicians by 2031 – with that figure predicted to rise to 16,000 by 2035.
That’s according to the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which said its new data also highlights what it calls the current ‘postcode lottery’ for EV skills. IMI executive chairman Kevin Finn said: ‘Automotive businesses urgently need to prioritise training more technicians so that the expected rising number of EV owners can find a local technician qualified to work safely on their vehicle.’
Dacia Sandero tops Europe sales charts
THE humble Dacia Sandero was Europe’s best-selling new car for the first half of this year, according to fresh data from automotive market research company JATO.
The Romanian hatchback secured 143,596 sales, followed by the Volkswagen Golf at 126,993, the Sandero’s mechanical twin the Renault Clio at 114,623 and the Volkswagen T-Roc at 111,381.
The most improved model in terms of sales was the Citroen C3, which enjoyed a 50% hike to 102,304 units in the six months to the end of June, placing it seventh on the list.
Arnold Clark agrees Scottish Rugby deal
ARNOLD Clark has signed up to become the new principal partner of Scottish Rugby after agreeing a multi-year deal.
The arrangement will see the Car Dealer Top 100 winner have its logo across the front of Scotland’s jerseys in matches involving the men’s team, as well as the under-20s.
The dealer group will also become the title sponsor of the men’s and women’s Premiership and national leagues from the start of the 2024/25 season. It replaces Peter Vardy, which had been Scottish Rugby’s principal partner since 2021.
APPOINTMENT
Waylands poaches
Vicky from Hendy
WAYLANDS Automotive has made Vicky Hart its head of marketing and digital sales for the group.
She has joined the family-run-andowned motor retail outfit from Hendy Group, where she was its marketing head. It sees her assume responsibility for Waylands’ marketing and digital sales operations. Hart said: ‘I am delighted to have joined a business that I have long admired for its position at the forefront of the transition to EV. The group’s forward thinking and peoplecentric culture is something that I am incredibly proud to be part of.’
Used EVs help drive surge in Q2 sales
ELECTRIC cars drove a surge in used car sales in the second quarter, latest figures show.
New data published by the SMMT shows that more than 1.96m transactions took place between April and June – a 7.2% uplift on the same period last year. Sales of used battery-electric cars rose by 52.6% year on year to take a record quarterly market share of 2.4% with nearly 46,800 transactions.
The Ford Fiesta was the UK’s best-selling used car during the second quarter of 2024, with 77,000 transactions.
LSH
Auto stresses
importance
of apprenticeships as it welcomes latest recruits to take total to 74
LSH Auto has told of its delight at welcoming young women as part of its latest intake of apprentices.
The 20-strong cohort will bolster its teams, taking the total number of trainees at the Car Dealer Top 100 firm to 74. LSH Auto operations director Tracy Ellam, who is pictured above with some of the new recruits, said: ‘I really enjoyed meeting our new apprentices. It’s so important for us to have a strong apprentice intake each year and to invest in their development.’
She added: It’s wonderful to see them grow over the years and I’m especially pleased to see young women joining our business.’
TURN
BITE-SIZE
Click on the text box for the full story
ROLE: Former Lookers chief Mark Raban is to be the new group CEO for the combined Inchcape and Group 1 Automotive UK business. Raban confirmed the news to Car Dealer, following the deal’s completion, saying he’ll be starting on October 1.
EXECS: Senior automotive industry leaders have formed a network to debate critical issues facing the sector. The Automotive Leadership Network is a successor to the Automotive Fellowship International, which was established 30 years ago.
BAN: The SMMT has called for flexibility in Labour’s plan to reintroduce the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, saying many manufacturers would currently ‘struggle to comply’. It also wants sales of hybrids to be allowed to continue for longer.
PLAN: A luxury second-hand car dealer hopes to turn its showroom into a site displaying just one high-end vehicle. The application by Imperials Hornchurch follows a failed attempt last year to tear down the one-storey building and put up a three-storey one.
DECLINE: UK car production fell by 7.6% year on year in the first six months of 2024, with manufacturers turning out 416,074 units as they overhauled lines for electrified models, the SMMT said. It was down by 26.6% for June at 62,231 cars.
NEWS DIGEST
Pat Kirk group gives cash backing to activity camps in sponsorship deal so youngsters can enjoy summer fun
NEW and used car dealer group Pat Kirk is helping to ensure that children can have summer fun during the holiday season.
It has signed up as a main sponsor of Core Kids, which runs activity camps for youngsters during July and August. The dealership outfit’s financial support will allow Core Kids to keep booking fees at a reasonable level so that as many children as possible can attend the camps.
It’ll also go towards new sports and play equipment. Cars such as the Nissan Juke and Qashqai will be on display at drop-off and pick-up points for grown-ups to inspect.
APPOINTMENTS
New senior roles at Simon Bailes
SIMON Bailes Peugeot has made two new senior appointments.
The dealership group has welcomed back industry veteran Sheldon Cockburn as its head of operations, while Louis Shepherd joins as the sales manager at its Northallerton site.
Cockburn, pictured left, has returned to Simon Bailes after working as head of business at Bentley & Ferrari Newcastle. Shepherd, right, joins from Vauxhall & MG Darlington.
ACQUISITION
Mon Motors buys Heritage showrooms
MON Motors has added to its retail network by acquiring seven new showrooms in the West Country.
The South Wales-based outfit has bought the franchise sites from rival firm Heritage Automotive after agreeing an undisclosed fee with the fellow Car Dealer Top 100 retailer.
The deal sees it take on Cheltenham Audi, pictured, Gloucester Skoda, VW Bristol and VW Weston-super-Mare, as well as Bristol Skoda, Gloucester Cupra and Bristol Cupra.
Topping-out held at Bentley design site
BENTLEY Motors has held a toppingout ceremony for its new design centre in Crewe.
It marked the completion of the structural phase of the building’s construction, with Bentley chairman and CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser plus board members Andreas Lehe and Matthias Rabe, who are responsible for manufacturing and R&D respectively, attending.
The new centre will be completed next year, looking like the image at the top of this story.
Pat Kirk Nissan sales manager James McDermott, left, and Core Kids founder Gary Wallace with some of the eager participants
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At its core, Track & Evolve is built on two key principles:
1. TRACK – The ‘Track’ component provides dealerships with instant visibility into warranty sales metrics, allowing for timely interventions and strategic adjustments.
2. EVOLVE – The ‘Evolve’ aspect ensures that coaching and support strategies promote consistent growth and improvement of your dealership. By simplifying the process of warranty sales, the Warranty First Track & Evolve process enables dealerships to unlock previously untapped potential in this crucial area of their business.
Why choose Track & Evolve?
The beauty of Track & Evolve lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. It’s a six-step process designed to seamlessly integrate into a dealership’s existing operations while providing the structure and support needed to dramatically improve warranty sales performance. Advantages include:
• Tailored Income Objectives – We work with you to set achievable, ambitious goals that drive your warranty sales forward.
• Comprehensive Process Review – Our warranty experts analyse your current sales processes and team capabilities to identify areas for improvement.
• Customised Coaching – You’ll receive bespoke training and support designed to address your dealership’s specific needs and challenges.
• Real-Time Performance Tracking – Access our exclusive 24/7 live performance tracker, providing instant insights into warranty sales by our experienced team.
• Regular Performance Reviews – Benefit from monthly check-ins to ensure you stay on track to meet your objectives and to allow for timely adjustments.
• Adaptive Support – Our flexible approach evolves with your business, providing continuous, tailored assistance as your needs change.
Are you ready to evolve your warranty sales? Partner with us today and start your journey to increased profitability! Visit us online at warrantyfirst.co.uk where you can send us an inquiry, or call us on 01733 830278
Proven results for all types of dealerships
Our support means that when it comes to warranties, we’re here to do the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what matters most –running your dealership.
Our extensive and proven range of products has helped numerous partners significantly boost their warranty income and overall profitability for absolutely no extra cost – our Track & Evolve process is included free with your Warranty First partnership!
Charlie Whiston, chief operating officer at Warranty First, is the driving force behind the game-changing programme, and he says: ‘Most dealerships understand the importance of warranties but few harness their full potential.
‘Our Track & Evolve process brings warranty sales to the forefront, making it a key performance indicator that drives real results.’
Putting
warranties first
Warranty First is a leading provider of used vehicle warranty solutions in the UK. With a commitment to excellence, we offer more than just warranty products – we deliver a comprehensive partnership experience to dealerships across the country.
Through our innovative Track & Evolve process, we are providing dealerships with tailored support, real-time performance tracking and adaptive coaching to maximise their warranty sales potential. Fully accredited by the Motor Ombudsman, Warranty First not only protects vehicle owners but also empowers dealerships to enhance their profitability and customer satisfaction.
FEATURE STAR CAR: AUDI Q6 E-TRON
Jack Evans gives us 10 top facts about the new Audi Q6 e-tron.
Fast charging speed
These days, charging speed is everything, and thanks to a new platform, the Q6 e-tron can accept a speedy rate of charge. It can take up to 270kW, in fact, which means a 10 to 80% charge could be completed in just 21 minutes.
Priced from around £63,000
When it arrives this year, the Q6 e-tron will start from around £63,000 for a single-motor version or £68,975 for a dual-motor quattro version. However, there is set to be a cheaper model, too, which uses a smaller battery and will take the Q6’s price to just under £59,000.
The new Q6 e-tron is here to bolster the number of electric vehicles in Audi’s line-up. Sitting atop a new platform means that this EV can take advantage of some seriously cutting-edge technology, too, alongside a good amount of range that’ll mean this won’t be an electric car that is limited to city life.
Let’s check out some of the key things to know about the new Audi Q6 e-tron.
Plenty of space
Something that the Q6 e-tron focuses on is practicality. It’s why it has a handy 525-litre boot, and there’s even a separate 64-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, which is ideal for storing the charging cables when they’re not in use.
Tech-heavy interior
Audi has gone to town with the screens inside the Q6 e-tron. In fact, you’ll find one ahead of the driver, a large infotainment setup and – available as an optional extra – a third display in front of the passenger. That last one allows whoever is in the passenger seat to control aspects such as navigation or media functions.
Gaming when you’ve stopped
Those big screens aren’t just for media. In fact, when you’re parked up, Audi says that you’ll be able to play games to pass the time. It could prove the ideal way to while away a few minutes while you’re waiting for the car to charge.
ChatGPT voice assistance
Audi has started integrating ChatGPT artificial intelligence software into its cars. It means that when you access the vehicle’s voice assistance, it uses ChatGPT technology to give more detail in response, from navigation details to local information.
Configurable lights
Audi has continued to develop its lights technology and in the Q6 e-tron things have become even more complex. In fact, you can configure the headlights to show a variety of patterns, customising your car to an even greater extent.
It’s based on a new platform
Premium Platform Electric –or PPE – is what you’ll find underpinning the Q6 e-tron. It’s a new architecture for Audi and allows for bigger batteries, greater efficiency and –importantly – plenty of range, with up to a claimed 388 miles coming from a full charge.
Front-end technology
Notice the big grille? It’s one of the key areas of tech for the Q6 e-tron and is where you’ll find the suite of sensors and radars that are used to help this car’s assistance systems. Audi has put them all here to give an overall cleaner aesthetic.
Range-topping SQ6 e-tron
You’ll find a go-faster SQ6 e-tron at the very top of the line-up. Boasting a powerful dual motor, it’ll manage 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds yet should still deliver up to 360 miles on a single charge.
Car Dealer editor-in-chief
JAMES BAGGOTT has launched a subscriber-only Substack newsletter. Every Friday, he digests the week’s news and gives his opinion on the biggest stories. Here’s a selection of his comments from the most recent newsletters. To subscribe, head to cardealer.substack.com
JAMES’S VIEWS ON THE NEWS
Why did Sytner rename CarShop?
We’ve seen yet more comings and goings in the used car supermarket world, with Big completing its purchase of some sites from Sytner and Sytner finishing the rebranding of its CarShop stores.
But I’d like to focus for a moment on Sytner here. Rewind the clock to 2017 and the American-owned dealer group shelled out some £70m for CarShop. The used car supermarket group was a successful outfit and Sytner believed that plugging it into its network of part-exchanges from the plethora of quality brands it represents would help grow the used car business.
For years it worked. So much so that the CarShop name was expanded globally, with CarShop signs going up across the United States at Penske’s sites, too. So why, then, did a strategic review this year see the name canned?
It seems a strange move to the outside world, doesn’t it? You spend years building up an award-winning business only to then close it down.
Well, Sytner boss Darren Edwards is no fool, and the landscape of used car supermarkets has shifted. Supply has dried up, margins have been squeezed and even with a decent supply of quality used cars from its prestige franchised sites, Sytner believes it cannot sustain such a large network.
Now it has sold off some to Big Motoring World, closed one in Doncaster and rebranded the others to Sytner Select used car superstores.
But why the change in name? Well, the telling comment from Edwards when he contacted me this week was this:
‘These cars will be advertised on the Sytner Group website, reducing the requirement for a second website and the associated costs with running that.’
While we don’t know for sure, it looks like the additional marketing costs – plus a network that was probably a little too large for the volumes – was the reason for the switch. Sytner has a strong brand, but so too did CarShop. Clearly, Edwards and his team believe that it’s better all under one roof.
Tesla must act fast
It’s one of the most talked-about car brands ever – and I’m going to add my two penceworth, too: Tesla is in trouble.
Why? Well, for a number of reasons, but the biggest issue has to be its lack of new models. The Model 3 and Y are looking old now and sales are slowing.
According to a report in the Sunday Times, Tesla sales accounted for less than half of EV sales in the US in the second quarter – the first time it has slipped below 50%.
Chinese rivals – including the likes of BYD – are challenging Tesla for market share across the world, especially so here in the UK.
Tesla needs some new products and fast. The rumours are that the company has cancelled its planned affordable Model 2, which would have come at the perfect time. Consumers have fallen out of love with EVs and the industry needs a firm to kickstart the race for a small, decent range and affordable EV.
Tesla also needs to cut its prices. Chinese manufacturers have stolen share with tech-laden cars that undercut the established rival. If Tesla is to stem its falling market share and share price, it needs to act – and act fast.
Rising car insurance could be good
Car insurance premiums are now more than a fifth higher than they were a year ago, according to the latest industry figures.
That’s a big rise and one I’ve certainly noticed. When it came to a renewal on my car and my motorbike, both were far higher than I had paid previously. And when you get to my age, that’s a bit of a shock because you’re more used to them going down every year.
While on the face of it rising insurance costs are not good news, it did make me
think this might present an opportunity for used car dealers.
I had a customer at the weekend who bought a Fiat 500 from me purely because it was in a lower insurance group than the car she was driving.
Her premiums had gone up so much she simply couldn’t afford them any more. That forced her to change cars – and changes are good news for used car dealers.
The second-hand car market is normally driven by purchases born out of necessity and it’s wider changes like rising insurance
Subscribe to James’s weekly newsletter at cardealer.substack.com – out every Friday and directly emailed to your inbox
premiums that can help keep the market moving. I’ve started shouting in my adverts about insurance groups so buyers are aware if they’re lower ones and more affordable. It seems to be working.
CAR NEWS ROUND-UP
Manufacturers have been refining their models and producing new ones. We look at some of the results...
Performance arm returning with Ariya-based model for Nismo
NISSAN has revealed that its performance car tuning arm Nismo will be coming back to Europe with a gofaster version of its Ariya electric SUV.
The announcement coincides with Nismo’s 40th anniversary and it’ll mark the first time that the brand has had a UK presence since its 370Z and GT-R models were on sale here.
RENAULT MG
Petrol and plug-in hybrid for updated HS
MG has taken the covers off its new HS crossover that comes in petrol and plug-in hybrid flavours. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol makes 167bhp and 275Nm of torque and goes from 0-60mph in 9.2 seconds. The plug-in hybrid has a 24.7kWh battery pack and 67kW generator, giving a claimed 75 miles of range. Mated to a 1.5-litre petrol engine, it produces 140bhp and can hit 60mph in 6.6 seconds. Torque and top speed
Symbioz to hit the road from £29,295
THE new Renault Symbioz has arrived on the market with prices starting from £29,295. Positioned between Renault’s Captur and Austral SUVs, all versions of the Symbioz will be hybrid-driven, combining a 1.6-litre fourcylinder petrol engine with a compact electric motor and a small 1.2kWh battery for lower emissions and improved fuel economy against a traditional combustion-only set-up.
But whereas they were petrol-powered, Nismo’s newest creation will be based on the electric Ariya.
Essentially a tweaked version of Nissan’s Ariya e-4orce, which uses a dual-motor set-up and an 87kWh battery, the new model will get a series of performance upgrades. The Nismo Ariya was unveiled to the public at the London E-Prix in July.
EV3 electric SUV boasts three trims
KIA has revealed prices and specifications for its new electric SUV – the EV3.
There are three trim levels and two battery packs.
The entry-level Air model is priced from £32,995 and includes 17-inch alloy wheels.
The mid-range GT-Line costs £39,495, adding rear privacy glass, for example, and the flagship GT-Line S starts at £42,995 and has electric front seats among its attributes.
Performance dialled up on Panamera
PORSCHE has released a range-topping version of its luxurious Panamera saloon. With a 4.0-litre bi-turbo petrol V8 at its heart, the Turbo S E-Hybrid combines this with an electric motor and battery to produce 771bhp, making it the most powerful Panamera. It’ll do the 0-60mph sprint in 2.8 seconds and go on to 201mph, with the 25.9kWh battery managing 54 miles of electric-only range.
KIA
PORSCHE
NISSAN
Latest
A5 arrives to replace A4
AUDI has introduced its latest A5 as a replacement for the A4.
Whereas the A5 badging was previously used on Audi’s Coupe and Sportback models, it is now being used to name the successor to the existing A4. This latest A5 will be available in saloon and estate forms.
Things kick off with an entry-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit with 148bhp. A 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine will also have a place in the range and will be linked to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
FIAT
Giorgio Armani 500e marks 125 years
FIAT has partnered with fashion house Giorgio Armani to create a bespoke 116bhp version of the 500e to celebrate the automaker’s 125th anniversary.
The 500e Giorgio Armani is offered in two exclusive colour schemes: Dark Green and Ceramic Greige – a blend of grey and beige.
It has a claimed range of up to 199 miles. Pricing is yet to be announced.
CHEVROLET ZR1 is most powerful Corvette to date
CHEVROLET has revealed its most powerful Corvette to date – the ZR1.
A 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces a total of 1,078bhp and 828Nm of torque. Further performance figures are yet to be revealed, but the four test drivers topped 200mph on their first laps at the Nürburgring. Production will begin in 2025. Prices and whether it’ll be coming to the UK are yet to be announced, though.
AUTOMOTIVE 30% CLUB
NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM THE CAR DEALER PODCASTS
Sponsored by
We aren’t attracting enough female talent. We aren’t enabling enough women to progress in the sector.
Julia Muir Founder of the Automotive
30% Club
Lack of women working in the motor trade remains ‘at very core’ of industry’s weakness
Alack of female representation remains at the ‘very core’ of one of the motor trade’s biggest weaknesses.
That is according to a expert, who is leading a campaign to increase the number of women in leadership positions.
Julia Muir is the founder of the Automotive 30% Club – a network of industry CEOs and MDs working to close the gender gap. The group counts bighitters such as Arnold Clark boss Eddie Hawthorne among its members and aims to make women’s voices heard within the industry.
Muir, who has more than 25 years’ experience in automotive retailing, manufacturing, marketing and consulting, says the club wants to see at least 30% of leadership positions filled by women by 2030.
But she said the automotive industry isn’t attracting enough female talent and not enabling women to progress through the ranks.
She told hosts James Batchelor and Jon Reay: ‘The reason we are known for promoting increasing female representation is because that is at the very core of where we see the weakness in the
industry. We aren’t attracting enough female talent. We aren’t enabling enough women to progress in the sector. It’s based on the premise that women are equally as capable as men. If you look at the numbers of women that are in the sector, which is very few compared to the male population, you’ll see that we [as an industry] are very underrepresented with women.
‘That became the first challenge. It was how do we tap into that broader talent pool to make sure that we aren’t excluding women, which we have been in the past.’
Muir also pointed out that the 30% isn’t a quota but a KPI to give the industry something to aim for.
The figure was selected after extensive research found that 30% is the level at which minorities stop being seen differently in the workplace. She added that the KPI is needed because automotive is an objectives-driven industry, so if there isn’t something to aim for, people don’t focus on it.
‘It’s actually a very important tipping point with regard to group dynamics. You don’t have to reach 50% before that happens.’
Salary sacrifice schemes ‘could become the future of new EV sales’
Salary sacrifice schemes are making EVs more affordable to new car buyers who couldn’t otherwise go green.
That’s according to Natalia Peralta Silverstone, head of propositions at Octopus Electric Vehicles.
The firm, which forms part of the wider Octopus Energy Group, currently offers the scheme through a number of businesses and is seeing increased uptake from customers.
Peralta Silverstone explained that the model offers a viable alternative to government grants,
telling hosts James Baggott and Jon Reay: ‘The reason salary sacrifice is so compelling is because it’s bringing price parity into the market for people wanting to buy an EV.
‘It’s literally aimed at getting more people into EVs, and this is a way of doing it versus, say, grants or other stuff that you might do in the retail market.’
Explaining how the model works in practice, Silverstone said: ‘Most of what we do is salary sacrifice. That means that we sell in the scheme to a business, and then it’s offered to employees
as an employee benefit. It’s actually a benefit scheme rather than a fleet or leasing scheme.
‘It’s not a traditional company car scheme, so that changes who the demographic is.
‘Actually, the person taking these cars is like a retail customer – they’re just paying for their car through their salary.’
She added: ‘Our top-selling cars are the MG4, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model Y. We’ve also got new manufacturers coming to market like BYD, which is doing really well. There’s really a mix and it’s representative of the retail population.’
FINANCE NEWS
Multi-million dealer ‘fraud’ sees lender exit motor trade
by James Baggott james@blackballmedia.co.uk
Haydock Vehicle Funding has pulled support for car dealers across the UK following an alleged multi-million-pound fraud. Sources in the motor trade say a London-based car dealer has allegedly defrauded the finance company out of nearly £7m. Doctored invoices are said to have been used to load cars on to a stocking facility the car dealer had with Haydock, which told its current dealer partners that they needed to find other funding by the end of July, leaving many scrabbling around to find alternative firms.
BCA is also said to have lost money in the scam with the same dealer. A spokesperson for the firm confirmed BCA stopped lending to the dealer in question more than a year ago.
A police investigation is said to be under way, but Car Dealer has not been able to verify this independently at this time.
Haydock would not comment directly on the alleged fraud. However, a spokesperson for the lender said: ‘Following a review, we have taken the strategic decision to wind down our stocking facility to focus on other growth opportunities across the business. During this wind-down, our team is working closely with our dealers to manage orderly exits and helping them to find alternatives. We obviously can’t comment on individual exposures.’
Haydock started lending to car dealers in 2020 and built up an extensive client base across the UK. EV Experts, the specialist electric car dealer, said it was one of the dealers that had lost its funding from Haydock and was now struggling to find a replacement partner. ‘We switched to them as they were great to deal with,’ EV Experts co-founder Martin Miller told Car Dealer. ‘There are a lot of dealers who have been hit by this. Once your stock funding has gone it is very painful. Everyone has got very twitchy as a result of this alleged fraud. It’s incredibly difficult to get funding now and a lot of them have lost the
New business volumes and values fall again
THE consumer car finance sector suffered an 11% yearon-year drop in new business volumes in June.
Latest figures from the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that the total number of cars financed during the month stood at 167,241. The FLA added that the value of advances for the month fell by 10% to £3.215m.
When broken down into their separate markets, the new car finance sector saw new business by value drop by 6% year on year to £1.545m, with the number of cars financed down 12% at 55,097.
The used car finance sector saw new business value down by 13% on June 2023 at £1.67m and the number of cars financed down 10% at 112,144.
The declines follow May’s 4% drop in both value and volume.
Geraldine Kilkelly, chief economist at the FLA, said: ‘In the first half of 2024, the consumer car finance market reported a modest fall in new business despite challenging economic conditions. Our latest research suggests that the value of new business will fall by 1% in 2024 to £38.5bn.’
TIME IS MONEY
RICHARD PYGOTT
AND MARKETING
What we can learn from the day that the Earth stood still
It’s the end of the world as we know it... as sung by REM in their song released in November 1987. I found myself singing it in my head on 19th July when the world ground to a halt due to the global IT issue. Thousands of flights were cancelled, banks couldn’t process payments, hospital operations were cancelled, GPs were only seeing the sickliest of patients, TV stations went off the air and many companies simply couldn’t process business.
Ironically, the software update that caused the problems came from a cybersecurity tech firm – CrowdStrike – and the global outage resulted in $14bn being wiped from its stock market valuation. Ouch!
Even backing up critical business data is now usually thrown into the cloud, and the global IT crisis shone a light on how much we rely on IT to do the simplest of tasks. Back in 2004, the internet was still decentralised; fast-forward 20 years and it’s run by the big three: Google, Amazon and Microsoft. If something goes wrong with one of those three or a third party they depend on, the effects are felt worldwide!
While the world didn’t quite end up like Mad Max (apart from my hometown, which has been like that since the ’80s), it did make me wonder how we survived without computers at all!
Our own IT department did a fantastic job of getting us back up and running while the rest of the world was still struggling.
We also made sure to keep our customers and dealers updated by posting on our websites and social media channels.
It did make me consider what the world would have been like if all customer records, invoices, compliance data – the lot – had just vanished! Then I found myself thinking, what would a dealer do if the same happened to them?
Richard Pygott is digital marketer for First Response. Call him on 0115 946 6365 or email richard. pygott@frfl.co.uk
I would seriously recommend making sure that your dealership’s data is backed up on a physical hard drive, especially data such as customer records, Financial Conduct Authority records, account details and your stock records. Don’t depend too heavily on cloud storage, as it can be unreliable. Keep your dealership’s systems up to date and regularly check that your back-ups and your Windows recovery processes work properly.
While I know there are many daily tasks in running a dealership, if you’re still not convinced, imagine what it would be like to get to the office one morning and find that everything on the computers was just gone! It gives me a knot in my stomach just thinking about it, so it always pays to be careful, just in case!
Thousands of flights were cancelled, banks couldn’t process payments, hospital operations were cancelled.
PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY
COOL STUFF
It’s been another busy month in the world of cool products. Major names have been getting in with some headline items that could radically shape how we do things day to day.
There are some really interesting bits and pieces to take a look at, so let’s dive straight in and see what this month has to offer.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus – £399
NOTHING disrupted the Android phone market with its sci-fi-looking smartphones and it’s now weighed in with an even more feature-laden version of its flagship device.
The new Phone (2a) Plus has a more powerful processor, making it quicker to operate and speedier when loading apps.
Upgrades to the camera mean snapping with the (2a) is even sharper, and with fastcharging capability, this new device can be topped up to a day’s worth of power in under 20 minutes, according to Nothing.
Finisterre x Gregory Stout Backpack –
from £175
A GOOD backpack can make any adventure a whole lot easier and this new one – which is the result of a collaboration between Finisterre and American firm Gregory –is a fine choice.
It takes Gregory’s smart-looking Stout backpack and introduces some of Finisterre’s trademark style while retaining the bag’s durable nylon exterior that’ll handle anything that’s thrown at it.
Specialized
You’ll also find that the backpack gets a handy water-repellent finish for when the weather turns, well, British.
S-Works Crux – from £11,400
THE Specialized Crux was already one of the lightest gravel bikes on the market, so what has this firm done to make things even crazier? Make it even lighter!
The new S-Works Crux – which draws a lot from Specialized’s road bikes – has a frame that weighs just 725g, helped by lashings of carbon fibre and some very stripped-back components.
It’s still able to accommodate the chunky tyres needed for an out-and-out gravel bike and gets some very powerful brakes to help bring it all to a halt, too.
Peak
Performance Trail Hipe Jacket – £230
PEAK Performance was founded in the 1980s as an outdoor brand dedicated to skiwear and equipment but it’s recently tapped into a more hiking and adventure-based area of the market. One of the newest additions to its product range is the Trail Hipe jacket – an all-singing, all-dancing waterproof that aims to keep the worst of the weather at bay.
It’s got a high neckline to stop any wind from whistling through, while its roomy hood is large enough to accommodate a helmet if you’re doing some more serious climbing. It’ll be just fine on a dog walk, that’s for sure.
With a stream of quality leads, partnering with heycar will help you stay resilient in the face of market challenges and build a blueprint for future success, with at least 6x return on your investment.*
Want to see if we click? Say hey today.
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.
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.
THE KNOWLEDGE
Vauxhall Astra Electric Ultimate Price (as tested): £43,960
VAUXHALL ASTRA
James Batchelor gets to grips with his first time ‘living with an electric car’.
It’s been a few months since I was given the keys to ‘my’ Vauxhall Astra Electric, so I know you’re all dying to know how I’ve been getting on.
Reading back my first report, I can see I wasn’t entirely honest with you. I may well drive electric cars all of the time, and I was truthful when I said I’ve never lived with one before. But I failed to mention I was a bit anxious about spending six months with a car you have to plug in for long periods of time to get enough miles in the battery to get anywhere.
I know I sound ridiculous, but I rack up a lot of miles a month doing this job. All those lovely car events are never close to home. And long distances inevitably mean motorways – often the thorn in the side for an electric vehicle as, unlike a diesel engine, fast-flowing motorways are the least-efficient places for an EV.
Since I last wrote those introductory words about the Astra, I’ve been mostly doing local journeys, and that means I’ve probably had to charge up once every two weeks. Home charging is relatively cheap even on my standard electricity rate, and costs around £14 to fill up the battery to give an indicated 258 miles. That’s a fortnightly bargain, let’s face it, and an EV-specific tariff from a different energy supplier would cut that even further.
The Astra has a clever delayed-charging feature allowing you to program when the car charges. A few prods of the touchscreen let you set a specific time for the car to charge –such as midnight, when tariffs can be cheaper. So, you can plug it in at 5pm when you get home and all you need to do then is press a little button beneath the charging port to set that delayed charge. A blue glow shows you that the car will charge at the desired time.
I’ve done a handful of longer journeys too, of course. While I have had quite a few issues with the public charging network in the past, it’s all been plain sailing so far. Not wanting to sound like Alan Partridge, my favourite charging stop so far has been Gridserve in Braintree. To put it simply, it’s designed like a petrol station but for EVs. I like the layout, and because it’s a 24/7-managed services owned by Gridserve, you know the chargers will work. Also, because it’s covered like a petrol station, you don’t get wet if it rains, either.
I use ZapMap all of the time. It’s an app that details all of the charging points you can use across the UK, and I have even forked out for a paid subscription to unlock extra goodies such as route planning. The Astra Electric comes with wireless Apple CarPlay as standard, so I often plan routes while sitting on the sofa watching Poirot the night before I need to do a long journey, pinpoint the chargers I need, create the route and then in the morning it’s beamed wirelessly to the Astra’s wide and crystal-sharp touchscreen.
Quite a few journeys have involved more than one charging stop. But, to be honest, these have been mostly due to me either needing a break or not having the confidence to get to my destination with the battery’s remaining charge.
Every time I’ve bottled it and dived into a service area for a quick zap, it’s been entirely due to my anxiety and wanting reassurance. I’m starting to think that the Astra is the most efficient electric car I have ever tested, though, as I routinely see more than five miles per kWh (which is seriously good if you don’t know), and even when I put my foot down and have the climate control cranked to maximum, I never see under four miles per kWh.
I have a diary full of far-flung events coming up, so I’ll report back soon on how the Astra gets on.
This month’s highlight: Visiting my favourite charging stop in Braintree – a place you know the chargers will work.
OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING
Mileage: 13,232
‘Our’ Ariya’s charge levels have been helped no end by the hotter temperatures of summer.
Mileage: 440
‘Our’ new Ibiza drives really well but why oh why does it have to BONG so much?
