Becca Chaplin, Jack Evans, Cameron Richards, Nigel Swan
SALES MANAGER
Kevin Day
kev@blackballmedia.co.uk
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Michelle Searle
michelle@blackballmedia.co.uk
Twitter: @cardealermich
CAR DEALER LIVE IS BACK FOR 2025
Car Dealer Live 2025, sponsored by Auto Trader, is back and bigger than ever: focussing on a broad range of motor industry topics.
We’ll be interviewing some of the biggest names in the car dealer business from franchised dealers, to leading independents, to car manufacturer executives.
Listen, learn and connect during a packed day of inspiring sessions with other motor trade professionals at this dedicated conference for the automotive industry.
HEADLINE INTERVIEWS
Dr Andy Palmer Former CEO, Aston Martin
Nicole Melillo Shaw Managing director, Volvo Cars UK
John O’Hanlon CEO, Waylands Automotive
Our three headliners will feature in individual keynote interviews throughout the day, where they will individually share the secrets to their success, and discuss the hot topics of the automotive industry.
COPING WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN THE MOTOR TRADE
Daksh Gupta Former CEO, Marshall Motor Group
SESSION DETAILS
Catherine Faiers
COO, Auto Trader
Auto Trader’s chief operating officer, Catherine Faiers, will be discussing the findings from an in-depth study into business processes.
As retailers refocus after a period of change and disruption, Faiers will reveal the key market trends which are set to have the largest impact, as well as the performance metrics retailers need to concentrate on, and where the opportunities lie to improve them.
Mohammad Lone Omnichannel strategist, Google
Search giant Google will once again be bringing its latest tips and insights to Car Dealer Live.
With the recent roll-out of its Vehicle Ads solution, and the world moving towards AI integration, there will be plenty to discuss.
Phil Nothard Insight director, Cox Automotive
Rachel Clift CEO, BEN
Working in the motor trade inevitably means dealing with pressure: whether you’re a valeter, or the managing director. Our panel will be talking about their experiences existing within high pressure environments, and how you can look after yourself – and your staff – along the way.
FRANCHISED DEALERS
Danny Minshall Director, Greenhous Group
FULL LINE-UP TO BE ANNOUNCED
Jason Cranswick Coo, Marubeni Auto Investment
Franchised dealers regularly find themselves at the bleeding edge of new manufacturer initiatives, and that’s not likely to change in 2025. Our experienced panel will share their insights on the technological and regulatory changes coming our way in the years ahead.
MANUFACTURER
PANEL
Adam Wood Managing director, Renault UK
FULL LINE-UP TO BE ANNOUNCED
James Taylor Managing director, Vauxhall
Manufacturers have plenty of challenges of their own in 2025 – the ZEV mandate being just one of them. But what words of wisdom can they offer to their dealer partners, and are things going to get easier or more difficult in the next 18 months?
The past year has illustrated that, despite challenges, the used battery electric vehicle (BEV) market presents a lucrative opportunity for dealers. In this panel discussion, Cox Automotive and key partners paint a picture of current and future demand with the latest data into the used car market.
Building on these insights, Philip Nothard, insight director, will map out key considerations that need to be made when sourcing and retailing this stock, from customer expectations to accurately appraising BEVs.
James Wilson COO, Motorway
Motorway will lead a discussion into how dealers can move their business forward with AI. Using exclusive research, they will reveal how dealers are currently using AI and what the barriers are to greater uptake.
Their research will also reveal the current level of consumer confidence in AI and what services people think could be improved by AI. Motorway will speak alongside one if its dealers who are using AI to help run their business and will provide advice on how dealers can start to use AI this year.
David Kerry Director of data insight, Experian
Accessing and using data is critical to decision making – and hence success – for car dealerships. To make the right decisions dealers need a holistic view of data covering three key areas – data about cars, data about consumers, and data about finance. This session will look at each of these in turn and offers key solutions.
New for 2025, JATO will take to the stage to discuss the influx of Chinese car brands, and their effect on the UK car market.
Who will be the biggest casualties of these new challenger brands? What impact will they have on sales volumes in the UK?
Perhaps most importantly, which Chinese brands should dealers be investing in now? All will be revealed in this panel session.
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JOBS
BMW names new UK Mini director
BMW Group UK has named its new director for the Mini brand in the UK and Ireland –David Beattie.
He will take up the role on January 1, 2025, and succeeds Federico Izzo, who has taken a new role as head of Mini Region Europe.
Beattie leaves the role of used car sales director – a position he has held since 2023. Beattie first joined BMW Group UK in 2005 and has held other roles including being responsible for Mini sales from 2018.
ACQUISITION
Arnold Clark buys family company
SCOTTISH car dealer group
Arnold Clark has completed the acquisition of Wallsend-based Wingrove Motor Company.
Wingrove was one of the largest family-owned car dealers in the North East. The buy-out came as the family behind Wingrove decided to ‘step away’ from motor retailing.
Arnold Clark said it is now ‘ready to welcome customers’ to its Arnold Clark Wallsend Silverlink Citroen/Peugeot/ Jeep dealership.
NEWS DIGEST
Cinch cuts losses but revenue falters thanks to ‘rapidly falling’ used car prices ACCOUNTS
Used car dealer Cinch cut losses to just over £118m last year, latest accounts show.
Filed under Cinch Holdco UK Limited on Companies House, the Constellation Automotive Group-owned firm – which brands itself as a ‘faff-free’ way of buying a used car – finished the year ending March 31, 2024, with a pre-tax loss of £118.2m and saw lower revenue.
It was an improvement on 2023’s pre-tax loss of £176.1m, while adjusted loss before tax came to £115.3 versus 2023’s £176.3m. Loss after tax came to £103.1m (2023: £168.1m).
Cinch said the loss after tax came after £16.8m of depreciation and amortisation (2023: £13.4m), £2.0m of impairment (2023: £9.2m) and £4.0m of net finance costs (2023: £3.3m), and income tax credit of £15.1m (£8m in 2023).
Revenue came to £932.5m, down on the £1.01bn it made the year before. Cinch put this drop down to
‘rapidly falling’ used car prices in Q3.
As of March 31, 2024, the company had inventory worth broadly the same as the year before – £104.6m compared to 2023’s £103.2m.
‘Initiatives’ saw it sizing its inventory for ‘market demand’ and it shortened the amount of time vehicles were on its books.
At the end of the year, it had 5,285 vehicles listed for sale on its website (6,397 in 2023), of which 72% were owned by Cinch (62%).
In the report, director James Mullins declared Cinch to now be the largest fully online car dealer in the UK.
Last year, however, saw the firm switch to an omnichannel offering with it opening four showrooms, one of which was a former Cazoo site in Northampton.
At the time of the news, the firm said the ‘Stores’ would offer hand-picked used cars from its inventory.
Cinch’s dealerships offer test drives but purchases are completed online.
‘We’ve really found our feet’ says Volvo UK boss after agency shift
VOLVO’S UK boss has said that the Swedish brand’s ‘results speak for themselves’ after the firm switched to an agency model.
Back in May 2023, Volvo announced that it would be closing its UK wholesale channel and moving exclusively to agency sales. In the process, the UK became the first market for the brand to make the switch.
During the same year, Nicole Melillo Shaw took over the Volvo UK managing director role and the brand has
‘really found our feet’ ever since.
‘I’ve got retailers who said to me that they wouldn’t go back. We’ve had a lot of support from the central team and I think that’s where everyone is coming together. The results speak for themselves – we’ve just broken through 60,000 (sales for the year) which is like a psychological hurdle.’
Melillo Shaw will be a headline speaker at Car Dealer Live 2025 at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, March 13.
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Vertu appoints non-exec director
EXPERIENCED businesswoman
Amanda Cox has joined the board of Vertu Motors has an independent non-executive director.
Cox takes up the role with immediate effect and will sit on the dealer group’s audit, nomination and remuneration committees, alongside her existing position as chief people officer and stores director at Dunelm.
The 55-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the board, having previously worked at Marks and Spencer.
TURNAROUND
HPL Motors profit and turnover up
USED car supermarket Heaton Park Garage Limited reported turnover and profit growth for its financial year ending March 2024, released in its latest accounts.
This was a drastic turnaround from its accounts published in 2023, when profit slumped 15%.
Since those last accounts were published, Marubeni Auto Investment took a majority shareholding in parent company HPL Motors Group.
Honda Nissan tie-up would create third largest car maker in the world
JAPANESE car makers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to merge in a move that would make the group the third largest car maker in the world by sales.
In a joint statement last month, the two firms said they had signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ which would wrap Mitsubishi in as part of the deal too.
Lotus contract hire buyers left in limbo
LOTUS has admitted it will not be able to honour previously agreed finance offers, leaving customers in limbo as they wait for their cars to be delivered.
The British marque emailed its dealer network on December 13 to tell them that finance provider Drivalia UK Ltd was pulling funding.
It means that the firm will now longer be able to honour ‘the majority’ of Personal Contract Hire or Business Contract Hire finance deals that are yet to be delivered’.
The email, seen by Car Dealer, was sent by Conor Horne, Lotus’s UK and Ireland director.
The complicated deal would see the firms share platforms and technology to take on the might of Tesla and emerging Chinese rivals, such as BYD. Nissan and Honda have lost ground globally to these emerging car makers. Talks will continue into the middle of next year as they aim to set up a new holding company by August 2026.
Luxury car dealer sees profits slashed
SUPERCAR dealer H.R. Owen saw its profits slashed by almost 70% last year as it joined the rest of the industry in difficult market conditions.
Accounts published via Companies House show that the luxury retailer made a pre-tax profit of £2.29m in the 12 months to June 30, 2024.
The figure is 69.6% down on the same period last year, when the firm made £7.57m with bosses admitting that external factors, like global supply chain issues, had impacted performance. The decreased profit was achieved against shrinking revenues.
Used car values fell in December
USED car values fell in the final month of 2024 as demand dwindled over the festive period.
That is according to new data from valuations experts Cap HPI, which has been pouring over December’s trade figures.
The firm’s experts found that the average value of a three-year-old, 60,000-mile vehicle decreased by 1.5% last month – the equivalent of £260 per car.
The data also showed that more than half (60%) of all vehicles within that profile saw a reduction in value, with only 5% rising in price and 35% remaining stable.
BITE-SIZE
Click on the text box for the full story
BESPOKE: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced plans to inject more than £300m into its Goodwood factory, as the number of cars it built having bespoke features reached a new record in 2024. The factory has been Rolls-Royce’s home since January 1, 2003.
EXECUTIVE: Close Brothers has appointed a new chief executive after boss Adrian Sainsbury stepped down after a period of medical leave. Sainsbury quit on January 6, with finance director Mike Morgan being made chief executive permanently.
BLAZE: A Jaguar Land Rover dealership had to be closed over the first weekend in January after a fire caused by a faulty EV charging point. The emergency services rushed to Stratstone Jaguar Land Rover Stockton in County Durham after smoke was seen.
FRACAS: A police investigation is underway after a man suffered a head injury in violence which broke out at a Skoda dealership in Oxfordshire. Officers say that public disorder flared up outside Marshall Skoda Oxford at around 5.35pm on January 3.
RUMOURS: Former Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares has insisted his departure from the carmaker was ‘amicable’ amid talk of a bust-up with the board. Car Dealer reported at the end of November that Tavares was standing down as CEO with immediate effect.
NEWS DIGEST
Peter Vardy to sell dealerships to Parks leaving Porsche Centres as group’s only retail sites
PETER Vardy Group has agreed a major deal to sell the majority of its sites to Parks Automotive Group.
The agreement will see three dealerships, representing five brands, change hands in Motherwell, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. It means that the showrooms, which have franchise
ACCOUNTS
Steven Eagell Group sees profits slashed
STEVEN Eagell Group has seen its profits cut in half despite turnover topping £1bn for the first time in its latest set of annual accounts.
Documents published via Companies House show that Europe’s biggest Toyota and Lexus dealership group made a pre-tax profit of £14.98m in the 12 months to the end of December 2023.
The figure represents a 48.6% drop off on the previous year, when Steven Eagell Holdings made a record profit before tax of £29.16m.
HAVAL
deals with Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, BMW, Omoda and Jaecoo will now be rebranded as Parks sites.
Peter Vardy Group will retain its Porsche Centres, in Perth and Aberdeen, as part of the arrangement and no redundancies will occur. That means that Parks will be taking on more than 300 employees.
GWM Ora dealers to rebrand in 2025
CHINESE brand GWM Ora UK will lose the Ora part of its name as it confirms plans to bring the Haval marque to Britain this year.
The move will see GWM Ora dealerships rebrand to simply GWM by the end of February 2025, and showroom space given to the new Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid SUV.
GWM has five model lines in its portfolio – Ora, Haval, Wey, Tank and Poer – and the decision to bring Haval to the UK could open the door to more brands arriving in the future.
First global sales decline in 10 years
A STRONG final quarter was not enough to stop Tesla from enduring its first year-on-year sales decline for almost a decade in 2024, new figures have shown.
Documents published on January 2 revealed that the Elon Musk-led outfit delivered 1.79 million units throughout last year – 1.1% below 2023’s sales of 1.81 million.
Experts have put the slide down to a slump in overall demand for EVs, marking the first yearly decrease for Tesla since 2015.
TESLA
DASHBOARD
Volkswagen remained top-selling brand in 2024 sales charts
• Volkswagen remains UK’s best-selling marque
• Chinese brands posted strong sales; MG overtook Vauxhall
• Ford and Vauxhall saw heavy drops
by James Batchelor @JRRBatchelor
Volkswagen finished top of the pile in 2024’s new car registrations, while Chinese brands made strong gains and overtook some of the industry’s most long-standing manufacturers.
The German giant sold more than 166,000 cars last year according to latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, retaining its top spot for another year. The Golf, which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2024, continued to be VW’s biggest selling car in the UK and finished the year with 32,370 sales to its name.
The Polo, which celebrates its half-century in 2025, was the tenth best-selling car last year clocking up 28,891 sales.
Jeep finished the year recording one of the largest sales growths with registrations soaring by over 192%, and it was a good year for Smart (up 152.36%), Volvo (up 32.33%), Renault (up 36.25%), Nissan (up 12.28%), Skoda (up 12.25%) and Peugeot (up 10.42%).
German premium brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz finished the year with 125,265 and 102,757 sales representing percentage growths of 12.11% and 17.06% respectively, while Audi saw a chunky 10.95% drop to 122,431 units.
Jaguar posted a robust 16.73% rise to 16,617 while sister brand Land Rover exceeded 61,000 sales – a 14.80% increase.
Volume brands Ford and Vauxhall suffered, however, with both positing heavy drops of 23.68% and 21.43% respectively.
Tesla just ticked over 50,000 cars strengthening the American car maker’s strong position in the UK car market, while fellow pure-electric premium brand Polestar saw a 30.69% fall with 8,693 sales. Fisker notched up 259 units in the few months it was on sale in the UK. It was a stellar year for new Chinese entrant BYD. The brand sold over 8,700 cars, comfortably beating Alfa Romeo, DS Automobiles, Genesis and Subaru combined.
Rival brands Ora and Omoda chalked up sales of 1,162 and 3,629 respectively, while MG finished the year with a punchy 81,53 beating Vauxhall.
Full year figures for 2024
BMW M5
The new M5 gains plug-in hybrid power for the first time, but what does that mean for the driving experience? James Baggott finds out.
WHAT IS IT?
The BMW M5 has long been the pinnacle of performance saloons. Introduced 40 years ago, the Autobahn-busting sports car has appealed thanks to its combination of supercarslaying thrills and the ability to transport your family in comfort.
This latest version is the most powerful yet with a plug-in hybrid set-up that can drive silently around town for around 60 miles while still being capable of cracking 189mph and accelerating to 60mph in just under 3.5 seconds.
WHAT’S NEW?
That plug-in hybrid set-up is a first for BMW’s performance M cars. It helps boost performance and efficiency and means it’s able to achieve fuel economy of around 28mpg.
There’s a new curved double screen display in the cabin, four wheel drive, adaptive suspension and dramatic new styling in look-at-me garish paint colours.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?
Purists will be aghast that BMW has dared to introduce electric power to their beloved performance car, but they won’t sniff at the figures. The electric motor is mated to a 4.4-litre V8 which, combined, produces a whopping 737bhp and 1,000Nm of torque.
The battery can be charged with a 7.5kW home charger in around three hours too. All that translates into a kidney-punishing punch on the open road, but it does feel slightly strange when you put your foot down as there’s a momentary, but noticeable, pause when it switches from electric to petrol power.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
It’s devastatingly quick once V8 and hybrid powertrain are working in harmony, but it’s seriously heavy. With an engine, battery and electric motor to conceal under its clothes, there’s definitely been a bit of mid-life spread for the now 40-year-old M5.
Power
The 4.4-litre V8 plug-in hybrid pumps out 1,000Nm of torque and 737bhp.
THE KNOWLEDGE
BMW M5 Saloon
Price (as tested): £132,670
Engine: V8 plug-in hybrid
Power: 737bhp
Torque: 1,000Nm
O-60mph: 3.5 seconds
Max speed: 189mph MPG (combined): 28mpg
Emissions: 34g/km CO2
Style
The M5 has striking looks especially if you opted for the garish green paint work.
These days it tips the scales at nearly 2.5 tonnes – some 470kg more than the previous model. Engineers have tried to make it feel lighter to drive, mostly thanks to lighter steering and adaptive suspension, but it’s not completely flawless.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
The new M5 is certainly striking and when specified with the outlandish yellow or garish green paint job, it’s impossible to miss.
Quad exhausts at the rear, a subtle boot spoiler, deep front splitter and flared arches mean you won’t mistake this for anything other than a performance M car.
WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?
Inside the huge curved screens dominate the driver’s view. They’re packed with information and can be fussy to use on the move. But an Alexa-like control system, that allows you to ask the car to open windows, turn up the heating, change the radio station and most other things you’ll want to do on the move works well and is intuitive.
Flashy lighting panels around the dashboard and doors, which pulse in the colours of the M badge, also add some drama to the cabin at night. The seats are wonderfully comfortable and there’s plenty of room for the kids and their assorted accompaniments.
WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?
You get plenty of toys on the M5 including huge six-piston brake callipers the size of loaves of bread, driver assistance systems to get you out of trouble and lots of parts made from carbon fibre to try and save weight. It’s got adaptive suspension for a smoother ride and even has an app to help you park the car remotely from up to 200 metres away.
Inside there’s also a head-up display that projects speed, revs and other information onto the windscreen. Prices for the new M5 start from £114,705 and remember that a more practical Touring version will be shortly available too.
VERDICT
The big question here is does a hybrid set-up work in a performance BMW M car? And the answer is: sort of. The benefits of silent driving on electric power are a bonus, especially as it also brings down emissions and increases fuel economy. What’s more, the added punch it gives the V8 when you’re pressing on – and let’s face it, that’s what an M5 is all about – is also incredibly addictive, but you’ll just have to forgive for the jarring transitions.
If you’re looking for a performance car with a conscience, though, this could be it – just don’t expect to go anywhere unnoticed as it stands out like a police officer with a speed gun.
The benefits of silent driving on electric power are a bonus, especially as it also brings down emissions and increases fuel economy.
Cabin
Inside is a great place to be with wonderfully comfartable seats. There’s also a huge curved screen and an Alexa-like control system.
SELLING POINTS:
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
Car dealer Peter Vardy announces £10m losses
PETER Vardy Group reported a £10.93m pre-tax loss in 2023, compared to a £4.8m profit in 2022, citing a year of major strategic changes. The group divested its Peter Vardy Carz used car supermarkets and integrated its CarMoney finance business into the main operation. Turnover fell by 6.6% to £551.32m, and staff numbers dropped from 1,008 to 841. Despite these challenges, CEO Peter Vardy emphasised that the restructuring, including a £15m cost tied to closures, positions the firm for long-term growth, focusing on luxury brands and innovative ventures like FlexAuto.
What do I think?
It’s been a challenging year for Peter Vardy. As we reported at the end of last year, he’s decided to sell up all his dealerships apart from his Porsche sites. And that came after selling his volume sites earlier in the year. Vardy has clearly lost the love for elements of the motor trade and is it any wonder with tough results like these? A £15m swing in a year is devastating and quick changes to the business clearly needed to be made.
Ford Puma named 2024’s top-selling new car while Tesla Model Y is most popular EV
THE Ford Puma was 2024’s best-selling car in the UK with 48,340 registrations, narrowly surpassing the Kia Sportage (47,163). Tesla’s Model Y dominated the EV segment with 32,862 registrations, securing its spot as December’s top seller as well.
What do I think?
Tesla stormed to the top of the December sales charts with both its Model Y and 3 securing first and second place. Tesla ships its cars in quarterly batches so this often happens, but still it’s impressive to see nonetheless. Ford will be pleased with the number one best selling car spot for the year – a consolation prize for its disappointing fall down the best selling car manufacturer chart.
Quote
‘Detectives investigating allegations of fraud at a car sales showroom in Knutsford have charged three people. The total value of the offences is believed to be more than £1m.’
Cheshire Constabulary spokesperson confirms charges have been bought in relation to an alleged £1m fraud at VIP Car Sales in Runcorn, which saw the business collapse in 2017. Richard Gleave, Rachel Gleave and Mark East will appear at Liverpool Knowsley & St Helens Magistrates’ Court on February 12.
Government not expecting to dish out
ZEV Mandate fines
THE UK’s new car market grew 2.6% in 2024 to 1.95 million registrations, driven entirely by an 11.8% increase in fleet sales, while private sales fell 8.7%. EVs accounted for 19.6% of the market, below the 22% ZEV Mandate target, but the Department for Transport confirmed no fines are expected, citing ‘flexibilities’ in the mandate. The SMMT highlighted a record year for EVs despite low private adoption and urged government support. Experts warn achieving the 2025 EV target of 28% will require price reductions and targeted incentives to encourage consumer confidence.
What do I think?
Just before Christmas, the government announced that it would officially consult with the industry about tweaks to the ZEV Mandate. Ministers said they would take views from the industry on what it could do to ‘give clarity’ on how the 2030 ban could be achieved. The industry will be hoping for help to incentivise buyers into EVs as targets ramp up this year. While none will face fines for last year, this has mostly come about because car makers have ‘borrowed’ credits from future years. This robbing Peter to pay Paul cannot continue.
Used car supermarket HPL Motors reports profit up 15%
HPL Motors Group reported a 15% profit increase and a 38% rise in turnover, reaching £137.1m for the 17 months ending March 2024, a reversal from its previous 15% profit drop. Gross profit rose to £15m despite margins shrinking by 8%. Now majorityowned by Marubeni Auto Investment, the group attributed the gains to operational improvements while acknowledging challenges from falling used car prices. Directors expressed satisfaction with the performance despite the market difficulties. HPL Motors operates four locations in the North West under its parent, Heaton Park Garage Limited.
What do I think?
From one used car business (Cinch, p.7) to another, but this time a far more successful set of results. HPL was snapped up by Marubeni in January of 2023 and now benefits from the might of the larger group, which includes franchised car dealers Norton Way and RRG. That gives HPL access to the funding power of a larger group which will help cut borrowing costs, not to mention access to quality part exchanges. HPL was a great business before it was bought up and now looks like it will thrive in its new owner’s hands.
Subscribe to James’s weekly newsletter at cardealer.substack.com – out every Friday and directly emailed to your inbox
IF YOU were wondering what incentives could do for the new EV market – take a look at the example set by China.
Last year, an incredible 11m ‘new energy’ vehicles were sold in China, an increase of some 40.7%.
Electric cars accounted for nearly HALF of all retail car sales last year in the country too. A huge success story.
But why are they selling so well? That could be down to the £2,200 handout from the Chinese government to replace a conventionally powered car. Last April, the Chinese doubled the incentive just three months after it introduced it and it’s helped drive a surge in registrations.
While the Chinese and British markets are very different, I can’t help thinking that a similar incentive would help convince more buyers to make the switch…
Honda showcased its 0 Series of cars – a saloon and SUV – at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Both EVs, they share the same platform and will go on sale in 2026 in America first, then Japan and European markets.
CAR NEWS ROUND-UP
Manufacturers have been refining their models and producing new ones. We look at some of the results...
VOLKSWAGEN
New Tayron SUV will start at under £40,000
Kamiq adds a grade to boost its appeal
SKODA has added a new Design Edition specification to its smallest SUV, the Kamiq.
The Kamiq acts as a rival to cars like the Nissan Juke, Seat Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross and acts as an entry point to the firm’s range of SUVs.
This new Design Edition comes as standard with the same level of equipment as the existing SE Edition model but adds in 17-inch alloy wheels, black roof and door mirrors and privacy glass.
VOLKSWAGEN has announced prices and further specifications for its new Tayron SUV.
Prices start at £39,850 for the base model and rise to just over £50,000 for the flagship R-Line Edition.
The Tayron will sit in between the smaller Tiguan and larger Touareg in the firm’s range and is said to be a replacement for the old Tiguan Allspace.
Flagship EV9 GT set for 279-mile range
KIA has announced further details for its flagship electric SUV, the EV9 GT.
The upgraded model will utilise an all-wheel-drive powertrain with a dual motor setup alongside a 99.8kWh battery pack, and cover a claimed 279 miles on a single charge. Kia says it will also be DC rapid charging compatible, taking the vehicle from a 10-to-80 per cent top-up in just 24 minutes.
Available with a choice of five or seven seats, the Tayron will be targeting those with growing families.
The entry-level car comes with a 1.5-litre eTSi mildhybrid four-cylinder petrol unit, which produces 148bhp. This is also found in the plug-in hybrid drivetrain badged ‘eHybrid’ – whose 19.7kWh battery pack, Volkswagen claims, can take the car up to 75 miles on electric power.
Hybrid SUV to be one of cheapest on sale
GWM has revealed prices and specifications for its new hybrid SUV, the Haval Jolion.
GWM is one of the largest Chinese vehicle manufacturers and owns Ora and Haval.
The Haval Jolion will come with a hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor to give a combined power output of 186bhp. GWM claims that this SUV can travel up to 620 miles on a full tank.
GV60
gets
a
refresh inside and out
GENESIS has introduced several updates to its electric SUV, the GV60. On the outside, the SUV receives a redesigned front bumper and new headlights that feature microlens array technology – which was first seen on the brand’s flagship G90 saloon, which isn’t offered here in the UK. The technology gives a more precise and clearer headlight beam image from dozens of tiny modules.
GWM
GENESIS
KIA
SKODA
New Prelude coupe to arrive in 2026
HONDA has announced that its new Prelude hybrid coupe will be coming to Europe in early 2026.
Although few details have been announced about the car’s mechanicals, what the firm has revealed is that the model will introduce Honda’s S+ shift technology which will simulate the sound and feel of quick automatic gear changes. This means that the car will more than likely be fitted with a CVT gearbox. Also, the new Prelude will come with a hybrid setup, but details about its powertrain are yet to be revealed.
New exterior images have been revealed which show the production car’s exterior styling to a greater extent with the car utilising flush door handles and a full-width rear light bar while the front has Honda’s latest front nose with black gloss lower bumper and wraparound LED headlights.
BYD
Sealion 7 sets out three trim levels
BYD has announced pricing and specifications for its new Sealion 7 electric SUV.
Kicking off at £44,990, the entry-level Comfort comes with an efficiency-boosting heat pump and heated front seats. The mid-level Design boasts 20-inch alloy wheels and the all-wheel-drive version is priced at £49,290. The Excellence adds a head-up display and Nappa leather upholstery and is £57,290.
CARS
New engine and gearbox options as entry point
AC CARS will introduce a new engine and gearbox option for its lightweight Cobra GT Roadster and GT Coupe vehicles to provide a new entry point to the range. Sitting alongside the existing naturally aspirated and supercharged V8 versions, the new 2.0-litre petrol engine will join the options in 2026. Despite being smaller in capacity than the existing setups, the new engine will still be ‘performance-orientated’.
AC
HONDA
NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM THE CAR DEALER PODCASTS
Sponsored by
Virtually every buying decision still goes through me because I have to buy it with my gut.
Andrew North Co-founder of Alexanders Prestige
‘I never ever use data’: Why ‘gut feel’ remains key in the high-octane world of selling supercars
These days, it can often feel like data is king when it comes to selling used cars but for one sector ‘gut feel’ remains the the be-all and end-all. In the high-octane world of selling supercars, one of the best in the business is still relying on knowledge and experience to try and buy the best stock every time.
Andrew North, co-founder of Alexanders Prestige says that in order to make it selling some of the most exclusive cars on the market, you have to know the business better than anybody else.
Appearing on the latest episode of the Car Dealer Podcast, North said that anyone trying to crack the luxury market using a data-led approach would be likely to get it ‘hugely wrong’.
He told hosts James Baggott and Jon Reay that following his gut remains a key part of the the success of Alexanders Prestige, with almost all buying decisions still going
through him.
‘I never ever use data,’ he said. ‘I know the tools are out there with Auto Trader and other places like that, but if anybody uses those in this level of product, I think they’ll get it hugely wrong.
‘You’ve got to fully understand what you’re doing, but also, they have a gut feel.
‘Even though I have a buying team and and the sales management team get involved, virtually every buying decision still goes through me because I have to buy it with my gut.
‘Even if you sell a car that you’ve been successful with, someone might go, “Well, let’s just get another black Revuelto” but the specification of that car might not be exactly like the other one was for various reasons. It might have a similar list price, but it may be missing certain things or the colour combination might not be right, that’s something that, I think, only the gut feel can bring.
‘I always look at it as, “Would I buy that car?” I’m not saying I’ve got a good taste – if someone sees my trousers, they’ll probably say I haven’t – but that’s the way I look at it.’
Car dealers encouraged to stock used EVs amid ‘real demand’ from buyers
USED car dealers need more support from manufacturers and the government in order to sell second-hand electric cars, says Carwow’s Sally Foote, who believes there is still a ‘high reluctance’ from used car retailers to stock EVs.
Appearing the Car Dealer Podcast, Foote said that figures show there is high demand for second-hand electric cars, but that stock is not flowing into the market. Carwow’s Sell My Car chief commercial officer put this down to dealers still being concerned about selling, servicing and warrantying used EVs.
Foote said: ‘I would back used EVs. I think we’re seeing such a high appetite for them at the moment and we are still seeing across our platform, and with dealers that we talk to, a really high reluctance in stocking used EVs.
‘Partners have told us that their teams have never even potentially driven or sold these cars before. They have a real uncertainty about selling them. They’re worried about their ability to service them and warranty them, they’re worried about batteries, all of the concerns about stocking them. As a result, we’ve got this increasing buyer appetite for these cars and you’re seeing that come through in some of the stock turn figures.’
She added: ‘We are seeing that people are interested in EVs. They can’t afford a new EV, but they are very interested in a used EV and that stock is just not flowing back into the consumer market in the way that you’d hope because used dealers are still very nervous about stocking them and need more support to be able to do that. I think that’s both from manufacturers and from government incentives.’
ALEXANDERS PRESTIGE
FINANCE NEWS
Volkswagen Golf named most financed used car of 2024
by Jack Williams @JournoJack25
The Volkswagen Golf was the most financed car of 2024 in a list dominated by small, affordable models.
That is according to new data from Close Brothers Motor Finance, which has been looking back at its most popular vehicles of last year.
The firm found that the Golf was its most financed vehicle throughout the year, overtaking the long-standing Ford Fiesta into top spot.
The Fiesta, and its stablemate – the Focus – scooped second and third spots respectively, ahead of the Mercedes’ A-Class and BMW’s 3 Series.
The likes of the BMW 1 Series, Vauxhall Corsa and Audi A3 also featured in the top 10, as finance customers flocked to smaller cars throughout the year.
Reacting to the results, John Cassidy, managing director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, added: ‘The continuing challenges facing motorists is reflected in the selection of petrol and diesel vehicles on this list.
‘Owing to the rising cost of motoring, which is becoming unaffordable for some drivers, it’s little surprise to see economical, practical cars make up the bulk of the top 10.
‘This will cause further headaches for manufacturers who are having to produce electric vehicles in line with the ZEV Mandate, despite limited consumer demand.
‘This will need to be a focus point for the government in 2025. Electric vehicle infrastructure, such as charging points, remains inadequate for widespread adoption, and the removal of incentives, such as exemption from excise duty, could further stall the transition away from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. This will require immediate attention if the government’s plans to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles is to be achievable.’
FCA complaints deadline extended to December 2025 COURTS
FINANCE firms now have until December 4, 2025 to respond to borrowers complaining about motor finance deals with hidden commission payments, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said.
The regulator issued an update on Dec 19 and said the decision follows the shock Court of Appeal judgement in October that ruled it was unlawful for car dealers to receive commission on motor finance from lenders without a customer’s informed consent. It said the extension regarding non-discretionary commission payments was in line with the extension it provided for complaints involving discretionary commission agreements.
The FCA said: ‘Firms who provide motor finance are likely to receive a high volume of complaints.
‘We have extended the time firms have to handle complaints to help prevent disorderly and inconsistent outcomes.’
‘In deciding next steps, we’ll consider how to make sure consumers are appropriately compensated and the market continues to work well.’
TIME IS MONEY
How is First Response Finance different to other finance lenders?
I’m pretty sure Christmas and New Year celebrations seem to come and go quicker each year. As nice as it is to spend time with friends and family, like most in the motor trade, there comes a point where I’m just itching to get back to business.
Recently, we surveyed our dealer partners to find out what they thought about us, our service, and the finance companies they work with. One theme that came up time and time again was the frustration dealers had with the differences in every lenders criteria.
I can understand the frustration, and I know that dealers want to help customers drive away in the right car, but it often feels like there are unnecessary barriers getting in the way of getting the deal done.
For example, higher mileage cars are a common sticking point. I’ve heard dealers tell me how frustrating it is that some lenders won’t touch them, even though these cars are practical, affordable, and a lifeline for many customers. The same goes for cars that don’t meet certain age restrictions. Perfectly good cars sit on forecourts because they’re ‘too old’ in the eyes of some lenders, which in my opinion doesn’t make sense.
And it’s not just the cars, it’s the customers, too. Dealers told me that rigid rules around provisional licence holders or customers in active IVAs shut out people who could easily be driving off in one of their cars. Whether it’s customers credit history, employment status, or something as simple as being self-employed or on benefits, these customers are often declined and not given a second look.
That’s what really sticks with me: every one of these hurdles is a missed opportunity for a dealer to sell a car, and isn’t that what we’re all here to do?
Richard Pygott is digital marketer for First Response. Call him on 0115 946 6365 or email richard. pygott@frfl.co.uk
It’s clear from the conversations I’ve had that the motor trade wants more flexibility from their finance lenders, and that’s exactly what we’ve built into everything we do at First Response Finance. We’re not here to add hoops for you or your customers to jump through. Instead, we’re focused on approving customers, whether that means higher mileage cars, older cars, provisional licence holders, or those with lower credit scores.
At First Response Finance, our approach is simple: we’re here to make your life easier and your customers happier. By focusing on flexibility and simplicity, we aim to help you sell more cars and grow your business. If you don’t currently work with us, and want to know more, please visit out dealersite. https://dealer.firstresponsefinance.co.uk/
It’s clear from the conversations I’ve had that the motor trade wants more flexibility from their finance lenders.
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.
MAZDA 2 HYBRID
The 2 Hybrid is one of Mazda’s smallest models, but does it offer a big-car experience? Jon Reay finds out.
Ican’t help but feel a bit sorry for our Mazda 2 Hybrid. After a whole year of driving Mazda’s poshest, biggest and most expensive (at the moment) car – the CX-60 – suddenly swapping into its second cheapest model was always going to be an eye opening experience. And indeed, it has been – but not for the reasons you might expect.
Our dearly departed CX-60 was a bit of a bruiser in every way: size, power, weight, and even price. By comparison, the 2 Hybrid couldn’t be more different. One third of the power, nearly half the weight, and pretty much half the price too – assuming you’re up for twisting the salesman’s arm a bit.
It would be understandable to find that this turns out to be half the car the CX-60 is, then. But surprisingly, it seems to do a lot of things just as well – and in lots of cases, better even.
Let’s get the obvious differences out of the way first: you’re not getting a spacious load-lugger here. Even as superminis go, the 2 Hybrid is pretty compact: sneaking in at under four metres in length. Thanks to its rather bulbous roofline, that doesn’t mean a claustrophobic cabin – but don’t expect long-legged adults to be comfortable in the back for too long. The boot is far from the biggest in its class too, but perfectly fine for a bit of shopping.
Next up, let’s talk performance. Waving goodbye to the CX-60 and its 3.3-litre diesel, the 2 Hybrid couldn’t be more different on paper. Its engine is less than half the size, has half the number of cylinders, and comes with – gasp – a CVT automatic gearbox, rather than its bigger brother’s dual-clutch one.
And yet, in lots of ways the 2 Hybrid feels far more sprightly than its bigger brother. The clever hybrid system means you take off at a surprising rate from a standstill – thanks to an electric motor doing most of the work. There’s quite an adjustment going from a conventional car into a hybrid like this: you quickly realise you can nip out of junctions much faster than you’re expecting, for example.
As for that often-dreaded CVT gearbox, it seems that Mazda – or rather Toyota, who actually developed it – has finally got the hang of making the experience not completely miserable. The result is a very unstressed, almost serene driving experience, with the petrol engine barely noticeable half the time. In fact, after a few weeks behind the wheel, jumping back into a more conventional petrol or diesel car can feel like going back in time.
So what are we missing from the decidedly posh CX-60, then? Well, the 2 Hybrid certainly isn’t as luxurious inside. Mazda’s trademark premium-feeling interior is missing in action here – partially because this is a cheaper car, but mostly because this is actually a Toyota in disguise (did we mention that?).
And while it’s far from being short of standard equipment, a few things have curiously fallen off the options list. There’s no way of getting heated seats or steering wheel, for example – which is a bit odd given that the older, cheaper, non-hybrid Mazda 2 has had both available for a while now.
Beyond that though, there’s very little to fault about the 2 Hybrid. In fact I’m amazed how well it’s fitted into performing the same routine as the CX-60.
Mazda 2 Hybrid Homura
This month’s highlight:
Finding out that ‘our’ little Mazda does many things better than its more expensive bigger brother.
OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING
Mileage: 728
Our experience with the Polestar is good, plus it’s quiet, refined and reasonably comfortable.
Mileage: 2,960
An unfortunate inner-city incident has put the Ibiza’s safety to the test.
