Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 65 by Blackball Media

DRIVEN: RANGE ROVER SPORT – IS IT THE BEST SUV EVER?

Business Publication of the Year

Issue 65 | August 2013 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £3.50

cheap frills

CHRISTIAN HORNER: WE’LL GIVE INFINITI RED BULL’S WINGS

UNDER THE SKIN OF BRITAIN’S LATEST BUDGET CAR BRAND TRADERS: IS THIS THE NEXT DAEWOO? BATCH: I’M NOT DRIVING THAT FOR 24HRS* *HE LATER DID

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POWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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THE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN CAR DEALER POWER 2013 – FULL REPORT

Our Dealer Management System will soon have your business ďŹ ring on all cylinders

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL EDITOR James Batchelor

james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @JRRBatchelor

STAFF WRITER Jon Reay

jon@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @JonReay

STAFF WRITER Sophie Williamson-Stothert

sophie@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @1Sophie_W

head of design Graeme Windell

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Manager Duncan Chappell

duncan@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDunc

Advertising EXECUTIVE Amy Hobbs

amy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAmy

CREDIT CONTROL & ADMINISTRATOR Pippa Marsden

pippa@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerPip

SUITS MANAGING DIRECTOR James Baggott

james@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerEd

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

Contributors James Litton, Tim Naylor, Tim Heavisides, Jonathan Such, Dave Brown, Mal Hay, Leon Poultney, Daljinder Nagra, Diana Hargreaves and John Bowman

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I thought spending 24 Welcome. WHY hours in Britain’s cheapest new car was going to be an enjoyable thing, goodness only knows why. Because, in reality, it was awful. The worst part of it was not the 2mph trawl through London on a Thursday morning and nor was it the sound quality from the car’s only optional extra – a stereo. No, it was at 2.46am on the next Friday morning when I thought I’d never get home. We didn’t break down or anything – heavens no. But it was the sound of the strained 1.2-litre engine just revving away that was starting to give me nightmares. This poor car had been on the go for 20 hours and counting; its engine screaming away as we pounded the nation’s highways and byways in our quest to visit as many dealers as we possibly could in just 24 hours – and the only real time it had stopped for any decent length of time was when my colleague wanted a KFC meal with extra chips. This type of car – dependable, pleasantly coarse and laughably basic – is something the UK motor trade hasn’t seen for a few years. When was the last time you drove a car without remote central locking or a radio? You probably can’t remember. In fact, I’m ashamed to say I’ve never even driven a car without electric front windows. So is the used car market expectantly waiting for these outrageously affordable Romanian cars with glee? That’s what we wanted to find out. We also wanted to know whether the Dacia message really is getting out there to Joe Public, so we took one to two busy locations, taped over the Dacia badges and asked random passers-by what they thought of Britain’s cheapest new car. I hope you think the Dacia special feature is as interesting to read and it was putting it together – turn to p48.

CAR DEALER POWER 2013 Issue 65 sees the full results of our totally unique Car Dealer Power survey. This year we had an unprecedented number of survey responses. More than 2,500 dealers filled out paper and online surveys to tell us what they really thought. Some of the comments could never be repeated here, but we discovered the best manufacturer to represent and the best suppliers to do business with. This year it was clear which car manufacturers and suppliers took last year’s Power survey seriously, as they were the ones which took the lead. We have absolutely no say in the results – the awards are voted for by dealers and we just hand out the gongs! If you turn to p61 you’ll see how much it means to the businesses who won an award – because a Car Dealer Power award is a true badge of honour. AND FINALLY... You might have noticed a new name in the panel on the far left-hand side of this page. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Sophie Williamson-Stothert to the Car Dealer team in the role of staff writer. She’s already experienced quite a lot of the Car Dealer way of working – you can feel sorry for her for having to spend 24 hours in a £5,995 Dacia Sandero with me all in the name of a humourous feature. Turn to p54 to hear her pain. Enjoy the issue.

James Batchelor, editor

Winner: Best Business ‘This magazine brings its readers an insightful, engaging overview of their industry which Publication of the Year entertains as well as informs’ - award judges CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

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www.supagard.co.uk 04 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Join Car Dealer Club by visiting CarDealerClub.com Members get free legal advice worth £195 for a £39.99 subscription

Dacia Special

We delve into Britain’s newest car brand by asking what the trade and public think, and we spend 24 hours on the road in a Sandero

INSIDE. ISSUE 65 I AUGUST 2013

Dashboard

07 Car Dealer Used Car Awards 11 Mazda UK MD interview 19 Red Bull’s Horner chats to Car Dealer 22 Finance 28 Big Mike 31 Baggott 33 Real deals 35 Car Dealer Club 36 Letters

22 Forecourt Range Rover Sport Kia Pro Cee’d GT Full road test: New Range Rover Sport

Driven: UK’s first-ever sporty Kia

Nissan Note

‘‘

Citroen C4 Picasso

Interview: Infiniti RBR’s Christian Horner

If I compare today to where we were in 2008, we are in a very different place. Jeremy Thomson, Mazda UK MD

Audi A3 Saloon

19 Features Dacia special

Car Dealer Power 2013 Catching Customers part one – Lead Generation

Data File

The Statistics

£50 Car Challenge Taking Stock Buyers’ Guide Commercials Auctions Trader Talk

On Track Motor Mouth Car Dealer Power 2013 – full report on the winners and losers

a month in A picture...

This lovely photo was taken just minutes into our epic (and slightly disappointing) 24 hours behind the wheel of Britain’s cheapest car – the basic Dacia Sandero Access – visiting the nation’s Dacia dealers. Within hours the happy expressions were replaced with furrowed brows and tired eyes. Find out how we got on by turning to p54

Crystal Clear Market Insight Suppliers Guide & Trader Directory with Litton Workshop Long Termers Time is Money

38 40 43 44 47 48 61 84 90 93 94 95 96 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 108 109 114

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

Good warranties make the world go round. And keep your customers coming back for more. In the past 12 months, Car Care Plan has paid out over 250,000 claims â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no fuss, no delay. No wonder weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the provider of choice for over 60% of UK dealers. Find out how easy it is to switch to us. Call 0844 573 7591 or visit carcareplan.co.uk

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feedback. Your comments via email at james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk | Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk | And from Twitter: Follow @CarDealerMag

Oh what a night!

CAR Dealer Power is not only an enjoyable headache to organise, it’s big for the winners. We asked our guests to use the hashtag #CDPower. These were some of the elated tweets flying around Twitter on the awards night and over the next few days....

We’re celebrating! We’ve been named manufacturer of the year in the @CarDealerMag #CDPower awards. Toyota GB @ToyotaGB @CarDealerMag We’re delighted to have won SEO Company of the Year 2013! Bluesky @BlueskyTeam

#Renault UK’s #Clio viral #VaVaVoom ads win @CarDealerMag Power Awards Best Marketing Scheme #CDPower Renault UK press office @RenaultUKPR Thrilled to win the Innovation of the Year Award at #CDPower Awards @CarDealerMag last night for #BlackBookLive CAP @CAPAutomotive @CarDealerEd So pleased to hear we’ve won a @CarDealerMag award. #elated #CDPower @AntonHanley We won Best Website Design for Franchised Dealers at the @CarDealerMag Power Awards

last night #CDPower

GForces @G_Forces

@CarDealerMag well done to all the winners at Car Dealer Mag awards #CDPower @carmangear Really enjoyable evening at #CDPower awards. Thanks @CarDealerMag Great to meet @mikebrewer and @TheEddChina #topblokes @ChrisW_CAP Very proud to win the ‘Extra Mile Award’ at the Car Dealer Power Awards. It’s a great accolade for the team! Thank you!! #CDPower Autos On Show @AutosOnShowTV

Thanks @CarDealerMag & readers – @renault_uk Clio #VaVaVoom campaign has won Manufacturer Mktg Initiative of the Year! @MattLamprell We WON Product Innovation Of The Year Award from @ CarDealerMag #CDPower – we’re so proud @CAPAutomotive @ ChrisW_CAP @PhilipN_CAP Massive fan of @CarDealerMag #cdpower awards.Great night & excellent venue. @stephen_jury Very proud to win ‘used car advertising’ award for the third year running. #CDPower @Motorscouk

TURN TO PAGE 61 to find out who’s won our coveted Car Dealer Power gongs

The scuffed wheels that bagged me an extra £400 THE Mercedes dealership that I used to work for was one of the main SLR suppliers in the UK. We weren’t allowed to have a go in the demo, this was for the boss, and the boss alone. So when one came in part exchange for a new one, I took my chance! Knowing the boss was not in on Sundays, I knew this would be the only chance I’d get to take it home for the night. I’d already done the deal on the part-ex car with another customer and he would be picking it up later that week, so I had to be extra careful. Excited beyond words, I locked up the showroom

and jumped in the SLR as quick as I could. In my haste, I’d forgotten to put my seatbelt on. As I drove down the road I took my eyes off the road for a second. With a click, the seatbelt was in, and with a bang, the car had hit the kerb. Bugger. Both wheels were scuffed, badly. Later that night, I texted my customer saying: ‘Just seen a black SLR on TV with black wheels, looks amazing! You should do that with

CONFESSION

yours. I can get it done for you before you pick it up. It’s only a grand!’ Being a young and easily influenced guy, he took the bait. Monday morning I took it straight to the paint shop and got them to repair and powder coat the wheels. Only cost £600 too! I told the boss the guy wanted the wheels in black and I’d made an extra £400 from the deal. He was chuffed, the gullible customer was in love with his new ‘gangsta’ wheels and I still had a job! FJ Stockport CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

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GLASS’S

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Revamped Audi showroom creates 20 jobs bit.ly/Audi20jobs

New Note to appeal Heavisides to wider market

warranty wonders

It’s goodby to an old and faithful friend

Lower and more dynamic model arrives in autumn

etaining your existing customers and winning new ones — it’s the holy grail for any car manufacturer. And it’s certainly what Nissan is hoping to achieve with the launch of the all-new Note, arriving in dealerships across the UK this autumn. Nissan has adjusted its place in the market, moving it away from its status as a mini-MPV, and turning it into a challenger in the heart of the B-segment, where Ford’s Fiesta reigns supreme. Redesigned from the ground up, the new Note has been engineered for the European market and is built at Nissan’s Sunderland factory. Among its features are Nissan’s acclaimed ‘Safety Shield’ technologies, linking three systems to create a comprehensive driver assistance and protection package. Three engines are available from launch: a 1.2-litre three-cylinder unit that generates 78bhp; a 96bhp 1.2-litre supercharged DIG-S and a 1.5litre dCi diesel that produces 88bhp. A CVT transmission is available on the 1.2-litre DIG-S engine. The new Note’s four-model range starts with the entrylevel Visia from £11,900 which features equipment including idle stop/start, front electric windows, remote central locking and cruise control. Acenta models — expected

‘‘

to be the best sellers of the range — start at £13,250 and the range-topping Tekna model starts at £15,950 and features 16-inch alloy wheels, part-leather seats. Around View Monitor and the three Nissan Safety Shield technologies as standard. Nissan is certain the new Note will strike the right chord with dealers. Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer, Nissan’s UK marketing director, Guillaume Masurel, said the firm was hoping that 70 per cent of new Note buyers would be conquest buyers. He added: ‘Our existing customers are traditional MPV and mini MPV customers and the new car is more in the heart of B-segment: lower and more dynamic. ‘This will attract conquest customers. We have a very strong marketing plan with a massive level of communication from the end of September. ‘That will help — as will our attractive pricing structure.’ Masurel hopes the car will appeal to buyers who are downsizing. He said: ‘For people who are used to more upper-segment cars but are deciding to go for something smaller, we need to offer them the right level of equipment, the right level of quality and the right level of refinement. This is where Note comes in. ‘We expect 80 per cent of new Note sales to come from Acenta and Acenta premium, with a 50-50 split between the two.’

Redesign offers the right levels of equipment, quality and refinement

Handbook: Nissan’s new Note – p43

ast month marked the end of an era for millions of British motorists but I bet hardly any of them will notice until they buy their next used car and by then it will be too late. After almost 40 years of publication, Auto Trader magazine has gone out of print and taken with it a part of motoring folklore. Of course, car buying has changed dramatically since 1977 and the success of the internet, including Auto Trader’s own website, has played a huge part in the demise of the magazine. Today it’s never been easier to narrow down your search for a new or used car but most of us will have fond memories of poring over the pages of Auto Trader at some point. We’ve lost more than a weekly magazine; we’ve also lost a whole lexicology. Free from the shackles of adverts paid for by the word, key phrases such as ‘FSH’ and ‘E/W’ will drift into the electronic ether and future generations will grow up without the satisfaction of deciphering a code that means nothing to the uninitiated. And while the internet brings a world of cars to our fingertips, there’s something to be said for a lazy afternoon with a coffee and a biro, circling ads and suffering from ‘budget creep’ as you realise that an SRi would only be a few hundred pounds more than an LX. It’s easy to be nostalgic though — the internet brings millions of used vehicles to our computers and our phones in an instant and allows dealers to showcase their stock on far wider terms than they could ever do in small print. The used car market and the web were made for each other, as Auto Trader’s website proves; buyer behaviour has changed and Auto Trader has moved with the times. So while some may lament Auto Trader magazine’s passing, browsing through the classifieds to find your next used car has never been simpler or quicker. The format might have changed but the used car buyer’s favourite pastime certainly hasn’t.

‘The used car market and the web were made for each other’

Who is Tim Heavisides?

Heavisides is CEO of Car Care Plan, the UK’s leading provider of motor warranty and GAP products. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

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AWARDS.

Get nominating in the Car Dealer Used Car Awards bit.ly/UsedNoms13

Black Horse gallops inUSED and AWARDS CAR headlines glitzy awards SPONSORED BY

CarDealer

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WHEELER DEALERS

Leading finance provider saddles up with Car Dealer to celebrate the used car industry

CarDealer

eading finance specialist Black Horse is the latest company to support the Car Dealer Used Car Awards, becoming headline sponsor. The company says it has signed up because of Car Dealer’s ‘respected’ position in the industry and that it recognises the awards’ unique positioning. Commenting on the news, Black Horse’s managing director, Chris Sutton, said: ‘Car Dealer is a respected trade See the video of the inaugural ...or scan the journal and reaches out to Car Dealer Used Car Awards at QR Code more than 17,000 car dealers and manufacturers. This also comes at a great time for the business, as Black Horse has know that they had a great evening too. It was a clear growth strategy with current investment in a superb networking opportunity and cause for our customer proposition and technology. celebration’ ‘We are delighted to be the headline sponsor The award’s raison d’être is to the celebrate the for the first time, in what we know will be another very backbone of UK automotive PLC – the used good night for the motor industry. It comes at car industry. And this year we’ve added more a great time of year to reflect on the effort and categories for dealers to nominate themselves in, successes in 2013 and get ready for 2014. Black and we’re making sure the Christmas party feeling Horse is proud to be associated with the Used Car is as good as ever. Attendees will enjoy all-youAwards.’ can-drink beers and wine, a delicious three-course The Used Car Awards will once again be held at meal, live entertainment and a disco. with a The Brewery in London on December 2 and will delicious three-course meal on offer and an all-yousee Car Dealer team up with Mr Wheeler Dealer can-drink bar. himself, Mike Brewer, to recognise and celebrate On December 2, we will be handing out the used car industry’s finest. awards in 21 different catagories. You’ll notice the ‘We were really impressed with last year’s event,’ categories are varied and open to any dealership, said Sutton. ‘It’s a great opportunity for key dealers no matter how large or small, and we are accepting and suppliers to get together and celebrate success entries now. in various areas. Like the Car Dealer Power awards If you’re wondering how you can go about in The Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, The Brewery nominating yourself and – hopefully – a is also a top-class venue. Nominate by few other dealers who you think deserve Sutton went on to say: ‘Paul McGill, going to bit.ly/ a mention, well, we’ve made it easier Black Horse’s head of motor finance south, UsedNoms13 than ever this year – simply type bit.ly/ or scan this: attended last year and thought it was a UsedNoms13 into your favourite web great event. Paul was really impressed browser or scan the QR code on the left to by the venue, the calibre of the guest bring up our nominations form. list, the quality of dinner and the overall Just fill in the categories you want to – organisation of the event. Speaking to and we’ll do the rest. It couldn’t be various dealers who attended the event we any easier.

bit.ly/wheelerdealerawards

USED CARAWARDS IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WHEELER DEALERS

SPONSORED BY

Categories 1. Used Car Dealership of the Year - Under 50 cars 2. Used Car Dealership of the Year 51-100 cars 3. Used Car Dealership of the Year – Over 100 cars 4. Used Car Dealership Group of the Year 5. Manufacturer Used Car Scheme of the Year 6. Manufacturer Used Car Marketing Scheme of the Year – NEW 7. Used Car of the Year 8. Best Performing Used Car of the Year 9. Best New Used Car Dealer of the Year – NEW 10. Used Car Finance Product of the Year - NEW 11. Dealer’s Dealer of the Year Award – NEW 12. Used Car Sales Team of the Year 13. Used Car Sales Manager of the Year 14. Used Car Dealer Principal of the Year – NEW 15. Upsales & F&I Performance of the Year 16. Best Used Car Customer Care 17. Used Car Website of the Year 18. Best Dealer Used Car Marketing Scheme of the Year 19. Used Car Product of the Year – NEW 20. Outstanding Achievement of the Year 21. Lifetime Achievement Award

Used Car Awards in association with... CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

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Ready-to-Retail programme holds key to one million annual sales for BCA Move could boost average dealer’s stockturn by around 100 units a year

CA has revealed it plans to sell one million units per annum ‘in no more than three years’. The remarketing company told Car Dealer it aims to reach the magic one million mark through improving its Ready-to-Retail programme. BCA already sells 600,000 vehicles in the UK through its auction rooms and services, and a further 200,000 in Europe. BCA suggests the reported growth in new car retail sales means the markets are picking up from the effects of the recession seen between 2008 and 2010. To help boost online and physical sales further, BCA plans to introduce Ready-to-Retail auctions, including Smart Repair and valet services. After a buyer purchases a vehicle from an auction, currently it could take between 20 and 25 days for the vehicle to appear on its website. BCA aims to cut the retail cycle by selling cars which are ready to go straight on to the market. BCA’s UK managing director Spencer Lock said: ‘Technically speaking, due to the depreciation rate of vehicles and today’s financial climate, this delay could have a large impact on a dealer’s sale and

their stock. BCA can shorten this cycle with the new Ready-to-Retail services. ‘This could ultimately help to raise the average dealer’s stockturn by around 100 units a year, meaning they will need to buy more volume in the wholesale market and encouraging more vendors to bring their stock to BCA.’ The company also told Car Dealer its deal to buy the used car purchaser, We Buy Any Car, will be secured by the end of July. Offering customers a valuation on their vehicle and a guaranteed purchase, We Buy Any Car has bought nearly 500,000 since it was founded in 2006. Once vehicles are purchased, a large percentage

of them will go straight to auction. BCA says it’s keen to secure its supply with the company, because this could ultimately increase its profile in the consumer market, as well as increase its used car stock. Lock, said: ‘We Buy Any Car is a large and strong partner of BCA and we are keen to secure the deal as soon as possible. BCA manages the vendor’s used car supply just the same as any other, and we won’t be providing We Buy Any Car with special treatment. This deal could see BCA’s consumer market begin to evolve with a consistent supply chain of used vehicles through auction.’

Yorkshire dealer hits out at plans to close local DVLA office A DIRECTOR of a West Yorkshire-based dealership has hit out at DVLA plans to close his local office in Leeds – stating that it’s had a drastic effect on the way his business operates. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Vic Elam – director of Elam’s in Huddersfield – claims that five jobs have already gone at his dealership because red-tape measures are slowing down the processing of vital paperwork for services like foreign imports

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and cherished number plates. Last year, DVLA’s Colton office in Leeds processed 187,000 car registration, tax and driving license applications. Elam, who is backing the Public and Commercial Services Union in its campaign against the closure plan, claimed that documents which took four or five days to process locally could now take up to two or three months. Elam told the paper: ‘We are extremely

concerned. There will be mayhem. Leeds has always been an excellent service, but this is affecting businesses throughout the motor trade.’ The Leeds office is just one of 39 of the DVLA’s local offices scheduled for closure by the end of 2013. These closures will be a step change towards a digital business as transactions and services will be delivered through a mix of alternative channels. A DVLA spokesperson added: ‘Our continued

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Book your Bangers4BEN 2013 tickets bit.ly/B4B2013

Bag your Bangers place before it’s too late...

Get signed up for this year’s event. It’s an order!

THE PLAN Day one, October 12

Places are filling up fast as our annual banger run to raise money for automotive charity BEN returns.

laces for this year’s epic Bangers4BEN are filling up fast. The annual Car Dealer charity rally in aid of BEN is now in its sixth year – and 2013 is set to be the best yet. As Car Dealer went to press, 12 places out of 40 had been taken with another seven pending – an early indication that the entry list for Bangers4BEN VI is filling up at a record rate. We’ve always tried to make our annual charity run as much fun as possible and this year we’ve worked doubly hard to make sure you have a good time. There’s a good dose of fun and frolics which have characterised previous events, but with a huge dollop of car stuff as well. This year sees the 50th anniversary of the legendary Porsche 911. Always one to stick its hands into its pockets for charity, Porsche has got on board with us this year and helped us out. Bangers4BEN 2013 is a FOUR-day event starting at Porsche’s headquarters in Reading on Saturday, October 12, with our final destination being the Porsche museum in Stuttgart in Germany, before heading home on Tuesday, October 15. Along the way we’ll be finding time to drop in on the fearsome Nurburgring Nordschleife for a look

around — but more of that later. Once the rally has ended, the car you made the trip in will be sold at a special auction at Aston Barclay with all the proceeds handed over to BEN. There’s a £500 budget to spend on your car, but as BEN makes its money from the sale of these cars, spending a trifle more than £500 doesn’t really break the rules — it all goes towards helping BEN raise more money! As in previous years, the entry fee is £500 for a team of two — a small price to pay for such a large amount of fun. The £500 covers hotel rooms, evening meals, breakfasts and your train crossings — you’ll have to pay for fuel, tolls and the overpriced food you find in continental service stations. Once again the AA is kindly providing two patrol vans just in case anyone breaks down. As we go to press, there are 28 places remaining out of a total of 40. In previous years, places have sold out in a matter of days, so get booking to avoid disappointment. As in previous years, Kelly Neal from BEN is dealing with the bookings. Type bit.ly/B4B2013 into a web browser to book your tickets, and BEN will confirm your place and give you the details closer to the time.

BANGERS BANGERS FOR BEN FOR BEN

2013

The teams will meet at Porsche GB’s HQ in Reading before heading to Dover to catch the Eurotunnel. We’ll then be heading down to Maastricht in the Netherlands for the first of our overnight stops. It’s around a five-and-a-half-hour journey covering 340 miles.

Day two, October 13

We’ll make the 280-mile schlep to Stuttgart where in the afternoon we’ll have a tour of the Porsche Museum. The city will also be our home for that night.

Day three, October 14

The next day sees us head north to the fearsome Nurburgring 200 miles away. We expect to be at the ring around 2pm where you’ll have the chance to have an official passenger ride of the ring if you wish. However, you will not be able to take your banger for a quick lap of the 14-mile track as the insurance will NOT cover you — and neither will the AA recover your car! We’ll spend the night in Nuremburg with the traditional awards ceremony.

Day four, October 15

We head home to Blighty.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

DASHBOARD. italian style

Fiat returns to Swindon A TEAM of Italian craftsmen are being flown into the UK to install a unique floor in a new dealership. T H White’s new £3m showroom in Swindon, Wiltshire, will be the first in the UK to house all six Fiat-Chrysler brands under one roof. Due to open in early August it marks the return of Fiat to Swindon after a five-year absence. Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat Professional, the van division, will all be housed under one roof.

HERITAGE

Aston Martin initiative AFTER a two-year redevelopment, the Aston Martin Works Heritage Showroom in Newport Pagnell has opened. For the first time, heritage cars will be sold from its Newport Pagnell base, so customers can draw on the knowledge of the works team and its restoration division. Coupled with the modern showroom, which opened last year, the Heritage Showroom allows customers to view cars from every era of Aston Martin’s 100 years at Aston Martin Works.

John Clark purchases four dealerships from Pendragon Scottish trader extends Land Rover presence and starts with Jaguar

cottish motor trader the John Clark Motor Group has acquired four businesses from Pendragon. The deal sees the John Clark Motor Group increase its Land Rover presence with the addition of dealerships in Perth and Cupar, and venture into the Jaguar franchise for the first time with dealerships based in Edinburgh and Perth. The 101 employees across the four dealerships will continue to be employed by the company. John Clark, the chairman and managing director, said: ‘The acquisition of these four Land Rover and Jaguar sites from Pendragon underlines our commitment to provide quality service and premium brands throughout Scotland. ‘Land Rover Pentland has been our only car dealership in the Scottish capital to date but this will change with the addition of the Jaguar dealership. ‘We are further adding to the Pentland arm of our business and cementing our presence in the central belt with the addition of the Land Rover dealerships in Perth and Cupar and the Perth Jaguar site.’ 2012 was the John Clark Motor Group’s third consecutive record year. Turnover rose 15 per cent to £355m and the company’s net trading profit reached £5m — an increase of 16 per cent. The company also sold 20 per

acquisition

cent more vehicles in 2012, recording 8,483 units sold. Used car sales also saw record results with sales increasing to 7,079 — a rise of 17 per cent on the previous year. The family-owned firm says it has

enjoyed a record first quarter this year, with turnover of £108m. ‘The additions to our portfolio will further strengthen our place at the forefront of the Scottish automotive sector and serve as a platform for future growth,’ said Clark.

New owner at Oxford Jaguar

Donut record marks launch of used car stint

RIDGEWAY Group has purchased the Jaguar franchise in Oxford located on Cumnor Hill from Sytner Group Limited. The acquisition, which will bring Ridgeway’s annual turnover to £550m, follows the acquisition of a Land Rover franchise in Oxford in May. The site will be rebranded Ridgeway Jaguar and all staff will be transferred to increase the company’s workforce to 1,200.

SOUTHWEST dealer group Vospers marked the start of its annual 100Hour Used Car Sale in record style. The company used the talents of renowned stunt driver Terry Grant to make sure the event started with a bang. Grant — who holds 19 Guinness World Records and is considered one of the most experienced stunt drivers in the world — marked the launch with a demonstration of his skills at the company’s Plymouth site. He wowed visitors by setting a new world record for the greatest number of donuts spun in 100

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

seconds, clocking up a total of 39 and throwing down the gauntlet to the rest of the world’s stunt

driving elite. Susannah Knowles, Vospers’ group marketing manager, said: ‘The 100 Hour Used Car Sale is one of the biggest events in our calendar. The Terry Grant event at Vospers not only gave us a means to shout about our sale, but also the opportunity to offer something new and exciting for the local community. ‘We have been delighted with the response among customers and press alike.’ The activity was inspired by a recent interview with Grant for the Vospers company blog.

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INTERVIEW.

Motors.co.uk launches new website bit.ly/Motorsnewsite

We will outperform the industry’s recovery Mazda UK’s managing director, Jeremy Thomson, chats to James Batchelor about why the dark days of 2008 are over and why it has fire in its belly You seem to have started 2013 off with strong sales... Yes – we have exceeded our own internal targets every since month since September 2012. In fact, we only missed our targets on two individual months. This is happening not because we are setting conservative targets, but due to us building significantly from a year of around 25,000 cars last year to 33,000 in 2013. We have raised our expectations due to particularly strong demand for CX-5, and Mazda 6 is certainly generating momentum. As we are coping with these two model lines, we are about to introduce a third in the shape of the Mazda 3 in six months time. In the business at the moment, there is a renewed sense of ambition among all of us. How important is the new Mazda 3? Our dealers are very familiar with the product, but to give some perspective on this we had a strong product launch between 2001 and 2002. It was the start of the original Mazda 6 and it was also when Mazda UK started after being a distributor before. Over the next four to five years we had a great swathe of really exciting product coming through including the RX-8 – for two years that had a tremendous effect on our network. The MX-5 has been the one brand pillar that has been there throughout. Post-2008 and a whole series of things combined made for very difficult times for Mazda UK and for the network. We had significant adverse exchange rates and at that time 100 per cent of everything Mazda made for the UK was built in Japan. We then put all of our R&D resources behind a single strategy, Skyactive technology, and created our new design language, Kodo. That takes time for all of that to happen together and between 2008 and now there has been relatively little in terms of product refreshing. From now onwards we have got launch after launch after launch – it’s tremendously exciting. How different would you say the current path is from those dark days of 2008? Is it a revolution? It’s a velvet revolution! It’s very real and tangible and if I compare the spirit today to where it was back in 2008, clearly we are in a very different place. We will outperform the recovery of

the industry because we have a lot of product around us, pushing us through and giving us momentum when other brands – like the Korean ones – have come to the end of their burst of product launches. And for those dealers who have multiple franchises, they do see this ebb and flow of brand contribution to profitability and I am confident Mazda will start to really earn its spurs over the coming years. I am determined we will deliver. We have been blessed with a dealer network that has stuck with us through the difficult times – they knew good things were coming but promises from car manufacturers are ten a penny. You have been suffering from not being able to get hold of enough cars. Is this now over? The CX-5 has been a global sell-out – our biggest challenge has been getting enough of them. I hate it when I hear from our network – and I hear it regularly – that we have lost a customer to another brand because they couldn’t get hold of a car. The good news is that this year we will have twice the number of production of CX-5 compared to last year. Mazda 6 is in good supply – it is just starting to get that momentum in fleets who, honestly have not had a significant Mazda interest.

Would you agree that up until now the Mazda 3 hasn’t been high on consumers’ wish-lists? I don’t think that’s an unfair thing to say – the sales figures of the old car compared to its predecessor would probably support that. The new car massively over delivers on any of the shortcomings of the previous models. When we look at press commentary on our current models, there has been no negative comments about style and handling. But up until now, our interiors have been a little austere – but the new Mazda 3 is the first of a new range of Mazdas that takes the interior top the next level. [CD]

Stunning new 3 guns for UK buyers MAZDA has revealed the all-new 3 hatchback – and Car Dealer was among the first to clap eyes on the new car at a secret London venue. The big news concerns the styling, however. The new 3 uses distinct elements of Mazda’s new design language called Kodo – and follows in the tracks of the recently launched CX-5 SUV, 6 saloon and tourer models. That means the front features a prominent wing-shaped grille and slim headlamps that sweep back onto the front wing.

Under the bonnet, there will be three petrols and one diesel. The petrol range kicks off with a 98bhp 1.5-litre while there’s also a 2.0-litre unit with either 118bhp or 163bhp. It’s the lower-powered 2.0-litre which is expected to take the majority of UK sales. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

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DASHBOARD.

Fiat appoints new commercial director bit.ly/newFiatDirector

Stay tuned â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Car Dealer Ewards launches soon Car Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hunt for the internetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best websites and services launches next month â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a heads-up

ar Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual search for the best the internet has to offer will be launching soon. Ewards is back and 2013 is all set to be bigger, better and glitzier than ever before. Next month youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be hearing in full about what we have planned, but for now we can reveal that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an occasion you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss out on. This year Ewards will boast a glitzy awards ceremony ensuring those who are lucky enough to go home with a gong get their moment in the limelight to really shine. Once again we will be on the hunt for the best in a variety of categories, namely: 1. Multi-Franchised Dealer Website of the Year 2. Single Franchised Dealer Website of the Year 3. Independent Dealer Website of the Year 4. Car Supermarket of the Year 5. Manufacturer of the Year 6. Web Innovation of the Year 7. Social Media User of the Year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NEW But for 2013, we will also be adding another category. Social Media User of the Year joins the ranks and aims to find the dealer, supplier or motor trade individual that is a first-class act when it comes to Facebook, Twitter, live chat,

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Issue 65 | August 2013 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | ÂŁ3.50

CHRISTIAN HORNER: WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL GIVE INFINITI RED BULLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WINGS

UNDER THE SKIN OF BRITAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LATEST BUDGET CAR BRAND TRADERS: IS THIS THE NEXT DAEWOO? BATCH: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;M NOT DRIVING THAT FOR 24HRS* *HE LATER DID

CarDealer

EWARDS 2013 Categories 1. Multi-Franchised Dealer Website of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: Days Motor Group 2. Single Franchised Dealer Website of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: Alan Day Volkswagen 3. Independent Dealer Website of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: Beck Evans 4. Car Supermarket of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: Car Shop 5. Car Manufacturer of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: Aston Martin 6. Web Innovation of The Year Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner: iVendi (payment search on Hutchings.co.uk) 7. Social Media User of the Year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NEW

Car Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPad app hits 5,000 subscribers

DRIVEN: RANGE ROVER SPORT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; IS IT THE BEST SUV EVER?

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video streaming, YouTube and much more. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve added the new category after dealers told us last year they wanted to be able to nominate themselves and their peers in this crucially important area of the market. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got an exciting venue all lined-up too. The 2013 Ewards will play host to all of our judges and the representatives from the nominated dealers and companies. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be held in early October and the event will kick off with a champagne reception and a chance to network for attendees. There will be speeches from the headline sponsor, Google and other leaders in the digital world. This will be followed by an awards dinner and ceremony. Each of the winners will be revealed and presented with their awards. Once all the awards have been presented, the evening will conclude with some more networking opportunities and a few celebratory drinks. Next month we will reveal all the details, including whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on our panel of judges and how you can enter the awards. But, until then, why not take the take to ponder which categories youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a chance of winning? If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be a sponsor of Ewards 2013, contact Car Dealer us as soon as possible. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find our details on page three.

CarDealer

THE WINNERS AND LOSERS IN CAR DEALER POWER 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FULL REPORT

CAR Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPad app can now boast 5,000 subscribers. The landmark was broken after June saw 199 new subscribers download the iPad app, taking the overall number to 5,171. It means Car Dealer now serves more than 17,000 readers a month, through the printed and digital versions of its magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reinforcing the titleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

position as the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most-read motor trade publication. The free-to-download app was launched last year to celebrate Car Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th issue of the printed magazine. Since then it has won more than 5,000 subscribers who enjoy the added benefits on offer. Along with the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark content, the iPad app adds

exclusive videos and digital content at the touch of a button. The iPad app joins the publicationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPhone app in making Car Dealerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content more accessible for anyone and everyone in the motor trade. Downloading is simple. Type the link below into a web browser, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be taken to the App Store where you can download.

Have you got our FREE iPad app? Download here bit.ly/CDMiPad CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

DASHBOARD.

Infiniti and beyond Infiniti Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner talks exclusively to James Baggott about the British Grand Prix and the tie-up with the Japanese car maker.

nfiniti Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner took the time to talk to us exclusively after the British Grand Prix. Following chat about the race and what he’s looking for in the replacement for Mark Webber, we grilled him about joining forces with the Japanese car maker and what both sides get from the deal. What do you get out of the tie-up with Infiniti as a team? It’s a strong technical collaboration as well as a commercial one. There’s a lot of work going on between the two parties looking at the technology and the synergies between the R&D facilities of Infiniti and Nissan and RBR. We understand you used new paddles in the race that were developed by Infiniti, is that true? As soon as materials become available from Infiniti for our guys, like the paddles, we look to implement them immediately. They have got so much depth of knowledge and an interest in material science, vehicle dynamics and simulation. Their R&D is years down the road, but ours is about the next month so that makes it a compatible and interesting collaboration for our guys. We can use Infiniti’s depth of knowledge of future technology for our own uses. Are there any other technologies that interest you at Infiniti? We’ve looked at the immediacy about what we can use now and that includes stuff like scratchproof paint. We are investigating whether this has better aerodynamic properties. There is a lot of technology we have been looking at.

Exclusive: Infiniti planning BMW M rival

Infiniti is planning a hot performance range — and is to draw on F1 partner Red Bull Racing’s expertise to ensure the cars hit the mark. Infiniti European chief Finton Knight, who joined the brand on May 1, wants to inject more passion into the range and, drawing on his expe ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Did you look at any road car programmes before the tie-up with Infiniti? We thought about it but we are still a young F1 team owned by an energy drink company so it hadn’t been at the top of our priority list. But as the relationship has grown and developed with Infiniti it has suddenly become something of relevance. There are a lot of synergies in technology such as the expertise we have in composites that are of use to Infiniti. What would you like to see in an Infiniti Red Bull road car? Some of the technology we are using in Formula 1, so it’s all about performance. Infiniti is all about inspired performance and hopefully we can assist in putting real performance in a road car. And the other way, we will benefit from the strides Nissan and Infiniti are making in energy recovery. Imagine you built an Infiniti Red Bull road car, would you push to have your branding on it too? It would be an Infiniti but maybe there are elements from a performance perspective that we input. Any vehicle we are associated with would have to reflect the brand values of Red Bull, but it wouldn’t be a Red Bull car. What sort of road cars float your boat — hot hatches or supercars? I enjoy all kinds of different cars. Whether that is old-timers or hot hatches or even SUV pimpmobiles. I am a petrolhead and enjoy all sorts of cars. There’s exciting stuff happening with Infiniti and I’m looking forward to the future.

rience at his previous employer Lamborghini, has big plans. ‘I want our buyers to be as passionate about our cars as they were at Lamborghini. Cars have become soulless and I want to put some energy back — one way we can do that is with IPL.’ IPL — Infiniti Performance Line — will benefit from the collaboration with Red Bull Racing. Knight said engineers from the F1 team and

world champion Sebastian Vettel himself will help tune the cars. ‘No car manufacturer has ever really had the opportunity to tap into F1 engineers like we have,’ he explained. ‘It will not be a carbon copy of BMW’s M range or AMG. The German marques’ design is uniform and too consistent. They breed the character out of cars. We aim to change that with our performance range.’

Inside Infiniti Red Bull Racing bit.ly/InsideInfinitiRBR

Infiniti: Vettel’s role is no gimmick

Infiniti needs a halo car to raise its profile

Infiniti European boss Finton Knight says the brand is focusing on a halo car. ‘We need something aspirational but we also need a challenging entry-level car, especially for the UK.’ He aims to position Infiniti as the choice for the Apple iPhone generation, appeal-

ing to their taste in design and technology, but said it hadn’t been decided if the halo car would take the form of the Emerg-e or the Essence concept cars, or neither. The technology that those cars showcased we learnt a lot from but our small car is just as important, it needs to challenge the Audi A3 and the VW Golf,’ Knight added.

Infiniti has insisted that its tie-up with Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel is far more than just a marketing stunt. The triple world champion is the brand’s director of performance and plays a major part in developing the manufacturer’s road cars. The German driver went to Nissan’s Cranfield engineering site to chat to the Nissan and Infiniti engineers. ‘Sebastian’s feedback about road cars is worth six times more than a normal engineer as he has the ability to detect the tiniest nuances in set-up,’ said an Infiniti Red Bull Racing spokesman. ‘Infiniti is now our title partner and that partnership works both ways — RBR benefits from having access to the 19,000 engineers employed by Nissan, and Infiniti benefits from having two world-class drivers at their disposal for testing.’ Vettel is currently working on developing the new Q50 model and is helping the car manufacturer to tune it perfectly. ‘Seb isn’t all about performance, he wants road cars to be accessible and comfortable too,’ said the spokesman. ‘He talks to the Infiniti engineers about what he feels. His touch and senses are far greater than “normal” drivers so he can sense what needs attention and in many cases knows how to fix it.’ Infiniti is keen to use the link to the world championship winning team to highlight its road cars as it attempts to build the brand’s image in markets where it’s less well known, like the UK. Infiniti F1 director Andreas Sigl said: ‘When Infiniti built a link with motorsport, we knew we wanted to partner with not only a winning team, but with an engineering company who had the same mindset as us. That’s why we chose Red Bull. ‘Our midterm plan up until 2016 is to focus on our product and improve overall brand power by increasing awareness.’ Sigl also hinted that technology honed on the F1 circuits would transfer across to Infiniti road cars too. Hybrid-drive trains and regenerative braking are two they’re most keen to develop further. Infiniti head of vehicle design and development Jerry Hardcastle added: ‘Our partnership with Red Bull means that two competent engineering teams can exchange and develop each other’s performance both on the race circuit and on the road. ‘There are many opportunities below the surface which we try to identify, and one area in particular is materials. Infiniti can provide advance lightweight material, which is attractive to Red Bull. Similarly, Red Bull is also interested in our hybrid drive trains and energy management technology, for the regulation changes next season.’ Hardcastle said it would remain a performance brand too — developing more exciting road cars in the future. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

dashboard.

Polluting BMW dealer in hot water Sytner Ltd pleads guilty to oil spill in River Wye

ytner Ltd has been ordered to pay almost £40,000 after an oil spill polluted a seven-kilometre stretch of the River Wye, killing its wildfowl. The retailer, which owns a BMW dealership on London Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, failed to maintain and clear an oil interceptor at the Wycombe Marsh garage which led to an oily substance leaking into the River Wye for 12 hours on April 3, 2011. Sytner Ltd pleaded guilty to polluting a section of the river in April 2011 at Aylesbury Magistrates Court. The court was also told that Sytner employees were seen emptying buckets containing disinfectants directly into the drainage system by agency officers. Wildlife suffered the most as the spillage killed 12 birds and ducklings, while 14 more, including a pair of breeding swans, were caught and treated by Swan Lifeline, RSPCA and Tiggywinkles

Wildlife Hospital. The company has been fined £27,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,711.54 as well as a victim sub-charge of £15. It all adds up to a total of £39,726.54. Environment agency officer Claire Bale told the Bucks Free Press: ‘We expect all companies to comply with regulations and act within the terms of any permits granted to them in order to minimise environmental risk. ‘Had Styner Ltd done so, the pollution and resultant prosecution could have been avoided.’

MERGER

DSA and VOSA merge into single agency CHANGES to motoring services, such as driving tests and vehicle testing, have been announced by Roads Minister, Stephen Hammond. The services currently provided by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and the Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA) will be brought together into a single agency, providing motorists and businesses with more convenient and cost effective motoring services. It is believed these changes will allow for the delivery of the same high quality testing and standards services to motorists and businesses, but with greater efficiency. These services will be delivered by the single agency in 2014 and a transitional board, under the leadership of VOSA chief executive Alastair Peoples. Stephen Hammond said: ‘These changes will put customers at the heart of the services they rely on and allow for a more coherent approach to service delivery. ‘By bringing testing and standards services into a single organisation we will make life easier for customers.’

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dashboard.

Around the world

INDIA

Renault India sold 6,007 cars in June, achieving an almost eightfold year-on-year growth. According to sales figures, last month Renault India sold 4,523 units of the Dacia Duster, 772 Scala units, 497 Pulse units and 215 Fluence units.

Dealer news from somewhere other than here

CHINA

PSA Peugeot Citroen has opened a third assembly plant in China, even as decreasing European demand has resulted in job cuts back home in Paris. The new plant is set to help the company capture five per cent of the nation’s market by 2015.

USA

In June, US car sales rose at the strongest rate in over five years. This was because of demand for pick-up trucks and confidence that vehicle recovery in the States has more room to build and run. General Motors predicted June’s results would hit 15.8 million cars and light trucks.

Inspect & Collect / Damage Appraisals

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EGYPT

Egypt is the third largest car-making country in Africa, with leading brands such as Toyota and Renault running over 30 dealerships. Carmakers built 36,000 units in Egypt last year, which is 11 per cent less than in 2011. Sales in the first four months of this year were up 14 per cent, with Chevrolet being the top-selling brand with 16,124 units.

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FINANCE. DEALS

Skoda tempts with spicy summer offers SKODA has announced a range of attractive summer offers on all models across the ranges, with a strong focus on low monthly payments and zero per cent APR representative. The summer sales initiative based around the Solutions Personal Contract Plan (PCP) from Skoda finance, means customers can now drive away in a variety of models from the Czech brand’s fuel-efficient lineup for as little as £69 per month. To add to the cheap monthly payments, customers will pay no interest over three years and will benefit from up to three years’ free servicing. The cars available with the finance deal range from the Citigo SE 1.0-litre to the new Octavia hatch S 1.2 TSI 103bhp for 36 monthly payments of £149. Brand director for Skoda UK, Alasdair Stewart, said: ‘Our customers can benefit from excellent low monthly payments on models in each of our car lines. ‘The classic Skoda value for money continues with the additional zero per cent interest offer. On top of that, customers can travel at ease with up to three years free servicing.’

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FLA: Take stock and ready yourself for more finance sales coming your way New survey reveals industry should get ready for growth in finance market

atest figures suggest there is still a huge demand for car finance as car buyers look for easy and costeffective alternatives to purchase their vehicles. The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) recently published the results of a new survey of expectations in the retail motor finance sector. The first edition of the quarterly FLA Retail Motor Finance Confidence Survey shows a rather optimistic outlook for the future, reflecting the strong performance reported by the motor finance industry since the beginning of 2012. According to the results published, 83 per cent of respondents expect growth in the new car retail finance market. Meanwhile, 95 per cent of respondents are also confident that there will be an increase in the used car finance market. It’s not just personal finance in a strong position, as findings showed

another 53 per cent of respondents expect further growth in the Light Commercial Vehicle finance market, with almost a quarter expecting an increase of more than 10 per cent. A number of potential risks to the industry’s performance in the year ahead have also been highlighted, including any weakening of the economic outlook leading to falls in business and consumer confidence. To prevent these risks from occurring, the FLA is working with the Government and regulators to try to ensure that the new regulatory regime for consumer credit is proportionate. However, while progress has been made, the FLA still has concerns about the timetable and transitional

arrangements, and remains in close dialogue with policymakers. The FLA’s Paul Harrison said: ‘The survey brings together the views of leading executives and it is quite clear that they want a new regulatory regime which does not harm competitiveness or the availability of credit for consumers.’ He added: ‘Even though the new regulatory regime comes into force on 1 April 2014, on the Government’s current timetable the final rules will only have been published the previous month. A sensible transition is needed to ensure the industry and the new regulator are ready for what will be the biggest upheaval in consumer credit regulation for a generation.’

Nissan slashes ownership costs with new British-built Leaf NISSAN has made its new British-built Leaf available from just £189 per month. The payment is for customers who decide to buy an entry-level Leaf Visia at just £15,990 after receipt of the Government’s £5,000 plug-in grant Under the Leaf Flex, the battery lease scheme is built-in and covered in the financing package, making

monthly payments more manageable. After a £4,083 customer deposit and a Nissan contribution of £1,600, a Leaf Visia Flex customer will pay 36 monthly payments of £119, plus £70 per month for the monthly battery lease on a 7,500 miles-per-annum contract. At the end of the three-year term, customers have the option to make a one-off final payment of

£7,905 to complete the purchase and continue to pay the monthly battery lease for as long as they retain ownership, or they can hand back the vehicle. Sales director at Nissan, Jon Pollock, said: ‘When you factor in fuel savings plus exemption from road tax and the London congestion charge it’s clear to see that making the switch to a Leaf could very quickly pay for itself.’

..in association with

DEALFINDER.

Latest finance deals on HATCHBACKS

However, the Alfa Giulietta Preferenza means buyers will only need to put down a customer deposit of £1,999 with scheduled monthly payments of £139 over 48 months.

TOYOTA AURIS TOYOTA is offering a massive deal this month on its all-new Auris model. The Japanese car maker has already impressed with its new car and this

finance deal should add to the good feeling. For £199 per month, the Auris Icon comes with alloy wheels, a touch screen multimedia system, a DAB radio and Bluetooth, a rear parking camera and LED daytime display running lights. The five-door hatchback, 1.3 petrol VVT-i comes with an on-the-road price of £17,145, with a customer deposit of £4,122.76. But it also comes with 0 per cent APR representative. The monthly payments are made over the course of 36 months with an expected annual mileage of 10,000.

KIA CEE’D ALTHOUGH it’s not quite at the top of this month’s best finance deals, Kia’s new Pro Cee’d ‘S’ 1.6 GDI is now available on a low rate finance deal. The 133bhp six-speed manual ISG is now available on finance for £405 per month over a 36-month payment period and comes with a 4.9 per cent APR representative. The customer deposit stands at £3,405 and the deal comes with a fixed interest rate of 2.52 per cent. However, to celebrate the new arrival of the new Pro-cee’d, all

time is money

Selling cars to everyone

ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA ALFA Romeo’s stylish Giulietta is available for just £199 per month with a zero per cent APR representative. To accompany the attractive APR rate, the offer also includes a three-year unlimited Alfa Romeo warranty, which consists of 36 months’ unlimited mileage. For a limited time, the offer also includes a £1,500 Alfa Romeo deposit contribution across the entire Giulietta range, meaning customers can drive away in the Giulietta 1.4 TB 120bhp Turismo, including Ghiaccio White Special Paint, with an on-the-road price tag of £18,255.

Meldrum

models are available with a £1,000 Early Buyer Reward, meaning the on-the-road price will drop from £17,960 to £16,495.

hat do you really think about the subprime finance business? I had a curious conversation with senior managers at a large dealer group recently — I was told that they consign their sub-prime finance applications to the wastebasket rather than take the extra time and effort needed to process them. A few years ago, if someone failed to repay their credit agreements they were looked upon as an outcast by the finance world. But, nowadays because so many ordinary people have had their lives wrecked by sizeable reductions in household incomes (unexpected redundancy, business closures or lack of overtime) that attitude has changed forever. We, along with others in our industry, understand that ‘bad things happen to good people’ and so at First Response Finance we’ve become experts in identifying the people whose previous credit problems were due to unavoidable circumstances or outside influences and not just because of some inexcusable ‘misbehaviour’. Whilst it is true that a few people using finance to purchase a a car will fall behind on their credit commitments the vast majority will always repay their debts regardless of their credit score. Ask yourself one simple question — do you believe everyone should be able to buy a car from you or not? Because, once a car dealer makes the decision to provide a professional finance service to every borrower, no matter what their credit profile is, then their success often depends on developing strong internal processes which will allow them to become specialists in helping those who need it most. Well-managed, this becomes a ‘win-win-win’ scenario for everyone involved — the customer, the lender and the car dealer. If you would like to find out how to seize the opportunities dismissed by others, then contact us — especially if you want to sell more cars.

‘We realise bad things happen to good people.’

Who is Jim Meldrum?

Jim is regional sales manager for First Response Finance. Call him on 07917 460 111 or email Jimm@frfl.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

big mike.

All Big Mike’s columns are on our website. Enjoy here bit.ly/bigmike

I was so delighted to lose the sale that I ran to the driver’s seat

n this line of work, you come across more than your fair share of idiots. It is one of the occupational hazards of being a retail transportation consultant, as my good lady wife has taken to introducing me at dinner parties. Idiots come in all shapes and sizes. Take the gentleman, for example (for want of a better word) who decided he was so unhappy with the Saab 9-5 he’d purchased from me that he drove it straight through my locked gates as I was leaving one evening and demanded his money back. That, my friend, is not a good opening gambit, as you no doubt found out when you were landed with a criminal damage charge, as well as a Saab that now has the visual appeal to match its reliability. Had you come back to me politely to explain your grievances, I would happily have made you a cup of tea, explained how I pride myself on running a fair and decent business and that, while it’s not my fault that used cars sometimes misbehave, in order to keep customers happy I have a repair or refund policy. Or to put it another way, s**t happens, but I try to look after good people. My latest experience of outright idiocy led me to do something I’ve never done before, nor hope to again. No, not murder, though it did cross my mind… Last week, a well-spoken bloke in a business suit wandered on to my lot around lunchtime. In his late thirties, the object of his desire was a BMW Z3 roadster. Not my usual stock-in-trade, but at this time of year it’s good to have something pretty and topless to draw the customers in. While I didn’t take too much of a shine to blokey’s over-zealous use of Brylcreem or pungently over-applied eau de cologne, his shiny Italian loafers and Frisbee-sized wristwatch suggested he’d be good to come up with the readies. So when he asked if he could take ‘the baby out for a spin’ I figured that it was worth spending 20 minutes listening to his nauseous sleaziness if half an hour later I had an imprint of his credit card and a gap to fill with something equally slippery and roofless. Little did I realise that the guy was a menace to society. As he lit up the back tyres leaving the lot, I put this down to the car being an unknown quantity and that he’d soon get the hang of it. Then he did the same at the traffic lights, subsequently

Big Mike Our man on the inside spills the beans on the car business...

darting and weaving from lane to lane, almost mowing down an elderly pedestrian as he charged across a zebra crossing with little more than a Mr Toad-style blast of the horn. He proceeded to tear around a housing estate as if it were the Monaco GP Circuit, before taking the Z3 up to just shy of 100mph on the dual carriageway on the outskirts of Halesowen. Fearing not just for my own welfare, but that of those around me, I asked him if he’d care to slow down a little, all thoughts of a sale cast aside by an overwhelming survival instinct. That was when things turned nasty. Rather than acknowledge my request by taming down his driving, he gave me a lecture. ‘You’re selling this as a damned performance car, aren’t you? In that bloody case, how am I supposed to know if it’s any good as a performance car if you won’t let me drive it

‘I have no idea how or if he got home that evening but I never saw the guy again’ like one?’ I explained that there was a difference between enjoying a performance car (and, let’s face it, the Z3 was hardly BMW’s dynamic tour de force) and driving like a complete psychopath whose belief in his own abilities far outweighed said abilities. I don’t think that went down well. The veins on his forehead were popping out as he turned a colour not dissimilar to the BMW’s aubergine paintwork. ‘If you think you’re that bloody good, then why don’t you drive the bloody thing yourself, show me what you can do?’ he said, with all the maturity seen in a playground urinating contest. My sense of relief was palpable. So much so that as we got out of the car to swap seats, I ran round to the driver’s side, gunned the engine, and left the buffoon standing in a cloud of tyre smoke at the bottom of the M5 slip road. I have no idea how he arrived at my lot, or how or if he got home that evening. But I never saw him again. Never have I been so pleased to have lost a sale…

Who is Big Mike?

Well, that would be telling. What we do know is he’s had 30 years in the car trade and picked up some seriously funny tales along the way. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

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Is blowing millions on going F1 racing the right thing for Infiniti?

orking out how to blow the best part of $20m isn’t something many of us will get the chance to consider, but when you’re sitting on one of the world’s biggest car manufacturers’ marketing budgets, these decisions come along pretty frequently. Simon Sproule is in charge of a multi-billion dollar marketing budget for Nissan and Infiniti and is tasked with raising both brands’ awareness with big ticket deals that put his car makes in front of trillions of potential buyers. But that’s not as easy as it sounds. Now more than ever marketing has become a science — and it’s far more complicated than shelling out on quarter-page adverts in the Bolton Bugle… especially when you’re looking at things from a global perspective. I was fortunate enough to travel to Silverstone this year for the British Grand Prix where the chaps from up-andcoming premium car brand Infiniti took me behind the scenes of the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team. As you can read on pages 22 and 23, we heard how the manufacturer is leveraging its association with the world championship winners and current king of the paddock Sebastian Vettel, for its road car programme. It was clear there are big plans for the brand to eke everything it can from the tie-up. However, if some of the other deals the manufacturer was considering to help raise the brand’s awareness worldwide had come off, things could have been very different. During dinner the night before the GP I got chatting to Sproule and the American marketing guru who brokered the deal with Red Bull Racing and asked why they picked F1. The pair explained that the problem when you’re a big brand with big bucks to spend on a big project is that there are very few genuine global sporting names to blow your cash on. Sproule told me how the Infiniti team got together a few years ago to decide how to raise the maker’s profile. Infiniti is well known in America but in other markets, especially Europe, it’s still relatively unknown. They decided to go large with a sports deal to raise awareness. But why sport? Well, the marketing guru explained that with sports teams it’s relatively easy to achieve what you set out to do — stick your name on a football club’s shirt, for example, and you get exposure across the world… especially if you pick the right one. Sproule praised Chevrolet’s £40m deal with Manchester United as ‘good value’ and told me the team’s fan base in emerging markets alone was worth the spend. ‘The best bit about a football team shirt deal is that people actually pay to have your brand name on their clothes,’ he added.

James Baggott *EDITOR’S NOTE: James stole my ticket to the GP*

So football team sponsorship deals were seriously considered and all the ‘usual premier league suspects’ were on the table. Infiniti even looked at sponsoring the big footie leagues but the Premiership was out because it’s already sewn up, as was the Champions League and World Cup. Another option was a Super Bowl advert. These slots reach millions of people but the cost of a 30-second ad, including production, can easily top £10m. That’s a lot of zeros for not a lot of seconds. ‘The problem is there are very few true global teams, or sports, that appeal across the world,’ said Sproule. Andreas Sigl, Infiniti’s F1 programme director, told me that although the F1 deal made sense, it was still a difficult decision for the car brand to make. At the time Honda, Toyota and BMW had all pulled out after getting their fingers burnt and entering a solus team could be ‘commercial suicide’. That’s why the car maker decided to do things differently

‘This deal is a partnership not a sponsorship’ and backed an F1 team that already knew what it was doing. Red Bull’s challenger spirit and provocative brand were attractive to Infiniti so it put its toe in the water in 2010 as a partner. Then, after dating for two years, it was time to get married, joked Sigl, and Infiniti became the headline partner. ‘This deal is about more than simply being fast stickers,’ said Sigl. ‘We offered our engineers and Christian Horner was truly excited by that. This is a partnership, not a sponsorship.’ So has the reported $20m deal been good value? ‘Like you wouldn’t believe,’ chuckled Sproule. ‘In the first year our awareness with consumers doubled. We had better awareness than Alfa Romeo with buyers. The sponsorship has worked better than we could ever have expected.’ So well in fact that they’ve got cold hard facts to back it up. Sproule reported back to supreme Renault Nissan Alliance overlord Carlos Ghosn that in the first year Infiniti achieved a media value equivalent of $250m and in the following 12 months a whopping $339m. That’s quite a healthy return for a $20m investment whichever way you look at it. The fact that champ Sebastian Vettel is happy to put his name to some of their sporty models comes as somewhat of a nice bonus. And you thought the business of selling cars was a complicated game…

Who is James Baggott?

He’s the founder of Car Dealer Magazine and managing director of parent company @BlackballMedia, an automotive services provider. He now spends most of his time on Twitter @CarDealerEd and annoying the rest of us. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

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Website perfect place for lightning bike sale A-list actor and TV biker’s motorcycle sells in double-quick time online

t’s not every day a dealer gets the opportunity to sell a vehicle with a heritage background, but when the chance does come around, it always provides a good result for both the customer and the dealer. Last month, the Scottish-based dealership Grassicks Garage sold a BSA motorcycle on behalf of Hollywood movie star Ewan McGregor. The star, known by many for his performance in the Star Wars trilogy as well as other Hollywood hits, handed his classic BSA motorcycle to Grassicks in the hope of a quick sale. Having been restored by its previous owner in 2000, the BSA was in extremely good condition and had only 1,600 miles on the clock since its full refurbishment. Director at Grassicks Garage Ltd Myles Redford managed to acquire and sell McGregor’s 1970 BSA Lightning USA Spec 630 motorcycle within just two days, proving there is a dedicated consumer audience seeking this type of vehicle and the benefit of listing these particular finds on Autotrademail. McGregor purchased the BSA in 2005 and maintained it in extremely good condition over the past eight years. However, since McGregor moved to LA, the BSA had been standing in his father’s garage. As it was no longer being used, the

‘‘

I put the BSA on Autotrademail as soon as I got it, because I knew this is where I would achieve the best deal

The BSA Lightning USA Spec 630 was bought and sold in two days

actor decided to sell it. ‘It didn’t attract masses of attention, but it is a rare find and definitely not the sort of vehicle you often have the opportunity to deal with,’ Redford told us. ‘Although it didn’t generate lots of attention from potential buyers, there is a specific consumer market for this type of vehicle, and customers are quick to make an offer. ‘I put the BSA on Autotrade-mail as soon as I got it, because I knew this is where I would achieve the best deal,’ Redford explained. ‘As a specialist dealer, I knew this specific find would be popular among buyers and I was confident it would sell promptly, which it did.’ This is just one of many interesting vehicles listed on the online remarketing website, Autotrade-mail.

MARATHON TRIP

Actor travels long way round on two wheels Since he was a youngster, Ewan McGregor has been a keen motorcyclist. The Scottish-born actor has had his fair share of motorcycles, and taken a number of them on challenging adventures. Along with several other journeys, in 2004 McGregor undertook a marathon international trip on a motorcycle, which was documented by the television series, Long Way Round. Covering 19,000-miles, McGregor and his best friend, Charley Boorman, travelled from London to New York riding only BMW R1150GS Adventure bikes. What a trip!

To see the bike visit autotrademail.com and start your free 14-day trial. [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

helpdesk.

Join Car Dealer Club by visiting CarDealerClub.com Members get free legal advice worth £199 for a £34.99 annual subscription

Ask Lawgistics

Q& A

Apprentice wages

ADVICE

Car Dealer Club lawyers Lawgistics answer dealers’ legal questions. Join for £39.99 a year to get advice like this when you need it

I am in the process of taking on a new apprentice, however, they are 18 years of age. What do I have to pay them because they are 18? Also, with regards to apprentices, how do I go about ending their employment when they have completed their training, if there is no position for them within the company at the next level? VA, Denby With regard to apprentices, if they are 18 they will be paid the apprentice wage of £2.65 an hour. Once their 19th birthday comes they will be paid the minimum wage for their age bracket (1820) of £4.98 an hour, unless they are still in their first year of apprentice. If this is the case they will be paid the apprentice wage until the completion of their first year of apprentice, after which they will transfer to the minimum wage as above. You can give notice that their employment will not be continuing after the completion of their studies as they will no longer be an apprentice and there are no technician positions available for them to remain in employment.

We repaired a car where the bill was about £350. The customer paid £50 on his credit card but wanted to pay the rest in cash and we agreed to this. The customer is now saying that we didn’t do the repairs properly and is looking to his credit card company to reimburse him the whole £350 that was paid. Can you explain please! DD, Liverpool

Where a private individual pays for goods or services that have a value of over £100 and pays at least a part of it on their credit card, the Consumer Credit Act makes the card provider

equally as responsible as the (in this case) garage for any breaches of contract (allegedly poor workmanship). It is not the amount that is placed on the credit card that is important only that the value of the goods or services which must be over £100 and this is the case here. In such a case, the card company is equally as liable as the trade is, to meet the cost of any proven breach of contract and this can be more than the actual amount of the contract. The credit card company is not restricted to refund only the £50 placed on the card and nor are they limited to repaying the individual the amount of the £350 bill.

Where credit card providers meet the cost of breaches of contract they inevitably seek to recover the amount from the seller/supplier. Garages can sometimes take steps to reduce liability under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act but it should be noted that this section is very often misunderstood and misquoted and so care should be exercised when trying to respond to communications that attempt to quote it.

I know where the car is — can we go and take it? Q Q A We supplied and fitted a replacement engine in car for a customer and the bill was quite big. We gave the customer the car back on the good faith that he would repay it within a few weeks. He hasn’t paid and is playing ‘hard to get’. We know where the car is parked. Can we go there

Let Lawgistics help you... ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

and take the car or alternatively, remove what is in effect ‘our’ engine? MT, Cardiff The answer insofar as taking the car is almost certainly ‘no’. For taking the engine out — possibly — but only if your contract contained a ‘retention of title’ clause. This is where the contract states that legal ownership (title) of goods remains with

the supplier until those goods are paid for in full. However, there can be numerous issues — both legal and practical — to consider and even if your terms and conditions appear to grant you a retention of title in goods supplied, seizing them is not a course of action we could recommend without having obtained proper legal advice beforehand.

Lawgistics is extremely experienced when it comes to helping car dealers with legal matters. The firm has a reputation for assisting the motor trade with customer complaints, health and safety issues, trade-to-trade problems and much more. To get advice like this (worth £199) join Car Dealer Club for just £39.99 per year. Sign up at CarDealerClub.com

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forecourt.

New Range Rover Sport James Bond star Daniel Craig drove it through New York for the launch, now James Baggott gets his chance behind the wheel of the new Range Rover Sport… in the equally glamorous Cotswolds.

It’s a looker

Like the love child of the Range Rover and Evoque, the Sport looks as good in the metal as it does in these pictures. Gerry McGovern we salute you.

on test What is it?

For years the Range Rover Sport has reigned supreme in the SUV market and now Land Rover is back at it again – with an all-new variety. The king is dead, long live the king! Lighter, faster and more capable than ever before, the new model is no longer based on the Discovery, but now takes its underpinnings from the full-fat Rangie. Design DNA has been taken from the incredibly popular Evoque and mixed with the luxurious surroundings from the daddy of the line-up – it’s a potent combination and we’re in no doubt it’ll be an absolute winner.

What’s under the bonnet? A choice of diesel and petrol units, plus there’s a diesel hybrid on the way later this year. But forget ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Power hungry

Pick of the engine range is the 5.0litre V8. It propels the Sport along at bonkers speeds. A hybrid will join the range later this year.

those earth-hugging iceberg pleasers, what you really want under the bonnet is the petrol stationcrushing supercharged 5.0-litre V8. Not only does it sound like a Spitfire, but it’ll catapult you towards the future at warp speeds. Stats? Well, the 510bhp lump hits 60mph in five seconds dead and on to a top speed of 155mph. OK, it emits 298g/km and returns 22.1mpg, but it’s so worth it. If you’re really into getting smelly hands at the black pumps, the SDV8 arrives later this year and will be worth waiting for. In the meantime, you can pick from the 3.0-litre V6 diesel in 258bhp and 292bhp guises – the more powerful of the two hits 60mph in 7.1 seconds.

What’s the spec like? Palatial. The new Sport is awash with fresh

technology, from wade depth sensors to traffic sign recognition. A real innovation is the two extra seats in the boot – these are for occasional use only, but the electrically powered perches will come in handy with families. The front seats are adjustable 14 ways, are heated and cooled and so too are those in the middle row. There’s a powered tailgate, cooled centre console that you can fit a bottle of bubbly in and soft-close doors. The Meridian 1700W stereo is brilliant and buyers can choose from nine different wheel designs in sizes from 19 to 22-inch.

What’s it like to drive? With 420kg shaved from the weight, heavily revised steering and all-new lightweight suspension, the car feels incredibly different to

in association with

the knowledge

Luxury

There are fewer cars that offer more luxurious surroundings than this. In fact we’d go as far to say it’s as good as any Bentley or Rolls Royce. It’s that good.

Watch James Baggott drive the Range Rover Sport through a Boeing 747 by clicking the blue box link on the main picture

Model: Range Rover Sport 5.0 V8 Supercharged Price: £81,550 Engine: 5.0-litre, V8 supercharged Power: 510bhp, 625Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 5.0s MPG (comb’d): 22.1 Emissions: 298g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers:

Previous Sport buyers and those put off by new Range Rover’s size and price tag

drive on the road to its predecessor. In 5.0-litre form it’s ludicrously quick on all road surfaces and can claim the title of the fastest ever Land Rover to be made. Flick it into Dynamic mode and it becomes a different car – the steering quickens, it corners harder and the throttle response sharpens. It’s worlds apart from the standard mode which is far more sedate. We tested the Sport on a variety of terrains and even though it’s about as likely to see the mud as a stiletto, it’s good to know it’s amazingly capable at tackling pretty much anything you’d want to throw at it. As all-rounders go, this Sport is without doubt one of the best.

WHAT DO the press think OF IT? Auto Express said: ‘It’s massively impressive’, while

Autocar felt ‘Land Rover is already preparing for a rush of buyers – and they’re right to do so.’ What Car? said: ‘If anything, the Sport makes the full-size Range Rover seem superfluous.’

WHAT DO WE THINK OF IT? Make no mistake – this is the new benchmark in the SUV market. Its capabilities really are truly astonishing. I’ve been racking my brain for faults and if I’m picky the plastic feel of the paddle shifters is a little cheap and the infotainment system looks a little old in terms of graphics and speed. But that’s about it. This is a car that would please sports car drivers as much as traditional SUV drivers. And the best bit? It’s considerably cheaper than the equally-brilliant Range Rover – so it’s a bargain too…

the rivals: Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5

Key Selling Points: 1. It’s a whole 420kg (five people) lighter than predecessor 2. It’s thrilling on road… 3. …and incredibly capable off road too

Deal Clincher: It’s the fastest Land Rover ever made! Searches supplied by Monthly AutoTrader.co.uk searches: 808,143 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

forecourt.

Kia Pro Cee’d GT Now is the right time to create a sporty Kia, the firm’s UK’s president and CEO Paul Philpott tells Car Dealer What were your main goals in the development of the Pro Cee’d GT? We’ve said for the last five years we need to get our mainstream products in each of the segments right and then we’d start adding more excitement to the range. GT is a very clear example. New Cee’d was launched 18 months ago and here we are now, bringing out the sporty, fun, dynamic derivative of Cee’d and it’s about adding that excitement to the brand. Why are you offering a warm hatchback rather than something to rival the established hot hatchback players? Kia has to remain a very accessible brand. If we’d have brought out a £30,000 GTI volumes would be so small that we’d never be able to get it off the ground, and then you’re up against some very well-established players in the premium hot hatch market. It’s also important for dealers. They need to believe in the product and see that it’s moving their business forwards. There’s no point in asking dealers to take on some esoteric piece of automotive tinsel, which really doesn’t help them move their business on and attract more customers. Will we see a more powerful version in the future? The direction of our brand is about exciting and dynamic fun, therefore if this is a success then yes absolutely, we will be looking at how we can take that to potentially other model lines but also stretching it further. We’ve pitched it at 200bhp, £20,000 entry price to make it very accessible to people. Establish it there and then we can stretch it some more in the future. We’re definitely not saying no.

Will we see the GT badge on other models in the Kia range? Potentially. If the Pro Cee’d proves successful we have a pretty strong case to go back to the engineering community within Kia and then discuss opportunities for a GT-type derivative in other segments. Do you think that would be a smaller model? Well, if you take someone like Ford as an example, the Focus ST spawned the Fiesta ST. It’s got to be in a volume car line and Rio would probably be the most likely next step, but there are no plans right now. How many Pro Cee’d GTs do you think you’re going to sell in the first year? First full year, obviously we’ve got three-door GT now and we launch a five-door version at the start of next year, so once we have both versions for the full 12 months we believe around 500-750 a year which is around five per cent of total Cee’d sales. But we’re not constrained, we can get more if we can sell more. The last thing we want with a halo product like Cee’d GT is to overcall the volume initially and build up stocks. People that are buying this sort of product are prepared to wait for their car. If we have the orders, we will build to order. But we’re planning a volume in the first full year of around 500-750. Who’s the target buyer? I think either 30-something couples or singles and also slightly older customers looking for a second car in the household and whose first car is something premium like a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz.

on test

Daljinder Nagra gives his verdict on Kia’s first-ever sporty model What is it? Now having established a solid model range in Europe, Kia is venturing into previously unexplored territory by launching a halo model for keener drivers. Obviously learning to walk before it runs, it has decided not to rival established class favourites the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Instead, it is targeting the ‘warm’ hatchback market.

What’s under the bonnet? There’s just the one engine option: A ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

turbocharged version of the 1.6-litre petrol with 201bhp. The engine feels almost naturally aspirated, with little lag and a willingness to be extended. It serves up useful surge everywhere in the rev-range, but push the motor to the red line and a thrashy cacophony percolates into the cabin.

What’s the spec like? Base £19,995 ‘GT’ cars come with

nearly every creature comfort – Bluetooth, reverse parking sensors and cruise control. ‘GT Tech’ models at £22,495 get a touchscreen sat-nav, keyless ignition, xenon lights and heated seats and steering wheel. All models are available in just three colours: black, white and red. There’s also a £23,995 GT 1st Edition model. Limited to 50 UK examples, it’s further equipped with an electric sunroof, gloss black exterior

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CABIN

As standard, Pro Cee’d GTs get part-leather Recaro sports seats, racy red stitching, gloss black trim and stainless steel pedals

the knowledge Model: Kia Pro Cee’d GT Price: £19,995 Engine: 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged, petrol Power: 201bhp, 265Nm Max speed: 143mph 0-60mph: 7.2s MPG (comb’d): 38.2 Emissions: 171g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

LOOKS

The Pro Cee’d was always sporty but GT adds to the drama. 18-inch alloys, red brake callipers feature as does red trim on front bumper

HANDLING

Kia has retuned the suspension for the GT, and fitted stiffer springs, bushes and a larger rear anti-roll bar

target buyers:,

30-somethings, older more mature buyers after a sporty hatch for their second car

the rivals: Ford Focus Zetec S, Vauxhall Astra GTC, Seat Leon SC FR

Key Selling Points: trim detailing and illuminated door scuff plates.

What’s it like to drive? The Pro Cee’d GT is an entertaining steer when the road gets twisty. From the well-insulated confines of its cabin, there is a lot of fun to be had developing a rhythm with both it and the road, and it is this, more than outright performance figures, which is the mark of a good driver’s car.

What do the press think of it? The Telegraph said: ‘Quick, stylish and affordable, but

not as much fun as a hot (or even ‘sporting’) hatch should be and the engine is characterless and thirsty.’

What do WE think of it? This is a credible lukewarm hatchback, which does not sacrifice any of its qualities in the pursuit of greater performance. Those wanting the last word in hot-hatch dynamics and power are better off looking elsewhere, but for drivers simply looking for an added dash of entertainment to their everyday car, the handsome, well-equipped and good value Pro Cee’d GT should definitely be on the shortlist.

1. First-ever sporty Kia comes with firm’s seven-year warranty 2. Racy styling looks the part – both inside and outside 3. Comfortable yet agile

Deal Clincher: At £19,995 it’s one of the cheapest mid-sized warm hatchback on the market Searches supplied by Monthly AutoTrader.co.uk searches: 27,553 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

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UNDER THE BONNET

CABIN

Three engines are available from launch: A 1.2, a supercharged 1.2 and a 1.5 diesel. The supercharged is a real peach

At 4,100mm, the New Note is very long for a supermini which means rear legroom is vast – especially with a sliding rear bench

LOOKS

New Note is clearly influenced by the Nissan Invitation concept car which debuted last year

Nissan Note

the knowledge

Nissan established itself strongly in the B-segment with the Note. But can the new one continue that? Dave Brown reports What is it?

What’s the spec like?

In a nutshell, Nissan’s new B-segment contender. The holy grail for all manufacturers (well, anyone who makes anything really) is to retain existing customers and win new ones and that is what Nissan is hoping to achieve. It says it has retained the practical feel of the old Note, keeping existing buyers on board; yet added vim and vigour to attract a new breed of Note driver. A boat-load of marketing activity is on its way in the autumn to target these potential new – and younger – Note drivers.

The four-model range starts with the entry-level Visia from £11,900 that features Idle stop/start, front electric windows, remote central locking and cruise control. Acenta models – expected to be the best-sellers of the bunch – start at £13,250 and add alloy wheels, air-conditioning, Bluetooth and a sliding rear seat bench. The £14,150 Acenta Premium features NissanConnect, and climate control. The range-topping Tekna model starts at £15,950 and features 16-inch alloy wheels, part-leather seats and automatic air conditioning.

What’s under the bonnet? Three engines are available from launch: A 1.2-litre three-cylinder unit that generates 78bhp; a 97bhp 1.2-litre supercharged DIG-S; and a newlyengineered 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine that produces 88bhp. It’s this diesel engine which emits the lowest CO2 in the Note range – just 95g/km. A CVT transmission is available on the 1.2litre DIG-S engine.

What’s it like to drive? We tried two models during a special Nissan small car event in Bratislava: the 1.2 DIG-S model and the 1.5 dCi, both with manual transmission. Of the two, the diesel-powered Note was easily the one we preferred, capable and willing, with direct, accurate steering and an eager, torquey feel. The 1.2 didn’t quite rise to the

occasion in the same way, though still provided a perfectly pleasant drive. The tech is all very clever too – all the gizmos and gadgets really do add to the driving experience.

What do the press think of it? Autocar said: ‘As a very roomy alternative to a Fiesta it makes much more sense if you don’t mind the dynamic dullness.’

What DO WE THINK OF IT? As we’ve said, Nissan certainly has high hopes for the Note and we’re sure it can do well if it get the marketing right this autumn. At the moment, it maybe has the image of a car for retirees, but if more families and youngsters get behind the wheel it’ll be home and dry and could sell up to 20,000 units a year. New Note deserves to do well. It’s practical, priced well and is now styled to suit a wider age range. And it’s built in the UK – which is great news.

Model: Nissan Note Tekna 1.2 DIG-S Price: £15,950 (as tested) Engine: 1.2-litre, supercharged, petrol Power: 97bhp Max speed: 112mph 0-60mph: 11.5s MPG (comb’d): 65.7mpg Emissions: 99g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers: Existing Note buyers, mature customers but younger supermini-driving ones too

the rivals: Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio

Key Selling Points: 1. It’s built in Nissan’s stateof-the-art Sunderland plant 2. Good range of engines including low CO2-emitting 1.2-litre supercharged petrol 3. Packed full of technology for every type of buyer

Deal Clincher:

Mini MPV levels of space in a Fiesta-rival supermini Searches supplied by Monthly AutoTrader.co.uk searches: 104,374 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

forecourt.

Citroen C4 Picasso Linda Jackson, Citroen’s UK MD, chats to Car Dealer about her aspirations for the new French MPV Why is the new C4 Picasso so important for dealers? It’s very important for them because if we look at the volume of the C4 Picasso in its prime years, we were selling 21,000 of them and fifty per cent of those went through the dealer network – it’s a major player for us. We’re renowned for our MPVs. Picasso is almost our DNA and it’s so important as it gives us the ability to talk to our customers and renew them. There is also big parc our there of existing customers as well. The market for MPVs is shrinking, with buyers being drawn to crossovers. Why have you continued with this market segment? It is shrinking, though there is still a market there and we believe we can sell this car. It offers something a little bit different and a lot more creative technology for the family. We think we have a good proposition. It’s not just families these days interested in MPVs but grandparents who want to carry their grandchildren. In fact, when we look at the demographics of who actually buys a C4 Picasso, there is quite a high percentage of those who are empty-nesters. How many C4 Picassos do you think you’re going to sell in the UK in its first year? In the first year we are aiming to sell 6,000 and that compares with the previous model generation, which sold around 5,500 in its first year. This is of course for the five-seater model. The seven-seater is coming in January, and when I talked about the 21,000 cars sold, that is five-

and seven- seat models combined. Earlier this year you told us you were looking to sell a similar amount of cars to 2012 and focus on brand image. Is that still your position? What we want to do is to get to about a five per cent market share. We think that is about right for the size of the market we are currently in, making it profitable for both our 184 dealers and ourselves. So at the end of May we are at 4.3 per cent, so we are well on our way, and we want to do it by very sustainable volume, by retail and smallbusiness volume. And it’s really that sort of volume we want to grow because it’s so important for our dealer network. What’s the big news for Citroen for the rest of this year? The car launches on July 3, so it’s really important for us that we get our dealers really bought into the vehicle. They’ll be doing their training and we’ll be doing some previews with dealers in June as well. So the big thing for us at the moment is launching C4 Picasso and continuing the momentum we’ve got in terms of market share. What plans do you have for the DS range and keep momentum going with that? The DS range represents 30 per cent of our total

volume. It used to be 11 per cent in 2009-10. Between 30 and 33 per cent is round about where we want to be because we don’t want to forget the C-range. In terms of changing DS, we won’t be, but we will be focusing on DS3, introducing more funky colours, creating some special editions, that sort of thing, to animate the line.

on test

Daljinder Nagra climbs aboard Citroen’s new MPV and delivers his verdict What is it?

What’s under the bonnet?

The ‘Technospace’ according to Citroen. That means a striking new design language, which will eventually filter through to other Citroens. The C4 Picasso is penned to appeal to more than just parents, with stacks of equipment and an airy interior that features lounge-style seats and a ‘loft architecture’ design theme with vast expanses of glazing. It’s the first car to sit on the company’s new EMP2 platform, making it both shorter and a whopping 140kg lighter than the outgoing model, despite offering greater rigidity and cabin space.

The C4 Picasso will initially be offered with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines. All units are 1.6-litres in capacity. A larger 150bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine will also eventually be offered. We found the 115bhp unit to be more than sufficient. It returned

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

a perfectly acceptable fuel economy of 54mpg and emits just 105g/km of CO2.

What’s the spec like? Citroen is yet to confirm final UK specification, though the Picasso will be offered in four trim levels: VTR, VTR+, Exclusive and Exclusive+. All models are equipped with a dual-screen dashboard configuration, comprising a seven-inch touchscreen in the lower fascia and a high-definition 12-inch screen higher up. Prices range from £17,500 to £24,455.

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LOOKS

It’s clearly a Picasso but far more modern thanks to bold front with thin lamps. Rear is far more conservative, though.

the knowledge

INSIDE

Citroen is championing the idea of lounge living with special seats and a ‘loft architecture’ design theme. Comfy and roomy, then.

ENGINES

Initially there are just three 1.6litre petrol and diesel units, but eventually there will be a 2.0-litre diesel as well.

Model: Citroen C4 Picasso e-HDI Airdream 115 Exclusive+ Price: £23,955 Engine: 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel Power: 115bhp, 285Nm Max speed: 117mph 0-60mph: 12.3s MPG (comb’d): 70.6mpg Emissions: 105g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers:

Predominantly family, retail buyers after an MPV with five seats and a big boot

the rivals: Renault Scenic, Ford C-Max, Toyota Verso

Key Selling Points: What’s it like to drive? All models ride superbly, soaking up even the worst bumps with the sponginess you’d expect from a big French car. Despite this, the C4 Picasso exhibits little in the way of body roll when tipped into a bend. This, combined with the linear response from the electric power steering system provides for an entertaining drive.

What do the press think of it? Honest John said: ‘The new C4 Picasso is good

enough to help Citroen rid itself of the budget reputation it once had with big leaps forward in quality and design.’

1. Low emissions 2. Coolest-looking MPV on sale 3. Interior is a huge uplift in quality

What do we think of it?

Deal Clincher:

We’re struggling to find the catch with the C4 Picasso. Effortless and relaxing to drive, comfortable over long distances and with a sense of style both inside and out that makes it truly desirable; it’s a worthy addition to the compact MPV sector. Buyers will be seduced by the car’s sheer elegance which happily hasn’t come at the expense of everyday practicality.

It’s probably the leader in its class for clever and really useful technology Searches supplied by Monthly AutoTrader.co.uk searches: 90,515 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

forecourt.

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ENGINES

INSIDE

Just three engines will be on offer initially. One 2.0-litre diesel and two petrols: A 1.4 and a 1.8. Others will be on the way

Saloon has very high levels of build quality, just as you’d expect from a modern Audi. There are two trim levels: Sport and S-Line

STYLING

Audi hasn’t just welded a boot onto an A3 to make the saloon, it’s quite striking and elegant from certain angles

Audi A3 Saloon

Audi has taken its A3 hatchback and created a saloon version. But is it any good? Daljinder Nagra has driven it What is it?

What’s the spec like?

A booted version of the Audi A3. It’s not simply a graft job either, with revisions to both the wheelbase and track ensuring that passenger space hasn’t been hampered. It keeps the usual A3 strengths, namely its highquality cabin, refined engines and avant-garde design, but the new boot lifts the car visually from a mere posh hatchback to a baby executive saloon.

Two trim levels will be offered: Sport (from £24,305) and S Line (from £26,455). All models are equipped with Audi drive select, which alters steering weight and throttle sensitivity, as well as the MMI interface. Further key standard equipment includes dual-zone climate control and sports seats. Additional interior and exterior body detailing, a sports steering wheel, xenon headlights and half-leather seats supplement S Line models.

What’s under the bonnet? When the A3 Saloon arrives in UK showrooms this September, it will be offered with a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine, as well as 1.4- and 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol motors. Initially, the petrol models will be available only with Audi’s S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with the diesel fitted with a six-speed manual. By next summer, buyers will be able to choose from a higher output 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel, an entry-level 1.6-litre diesel, and also the range topping 298bhp S3. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

What’s it like to drive? Unsurprisingly, almost identical to the A3 hatchback, which is no bad thing. Safety and stability are the order of the day with this model. Those eyeing up a diesel model will not be disappointed with the 148bhp 2.0-litre, as it is refined, smooth and offers a broad spread of power across the rev-range. Of the petrol offerings we would recommend the 1.4-litre, as in real world conditions, it offers

similar performance to the larger 1.8, thanks to identical torque outputs. It’s also fitted with Cylinder on Demand technology, which helps to save fuel.

What do the press think of it? Autocar said: ‘The A3 Saloon is pricey, but works well as Audi’s first entry into the compact saloon class.’ Parkers said: ‘If you want a ‘big Audi’ then this is the cheapest way to get into one.’

What DO WE THINK OF IT? Audi predicts the A3 Saloon will sell in very small numbers in the UK, thanks to our love of hatchbacks. However, it very much deserves a place on the A3 price list, as for a small premium, it offers a more attractive car with a classier image. That it is fuel-efficient and will cost little to tax will merely be the icing on the cake for most buyers, who we predict will want the A3 Saloon for its looks alone.

the knowledge Model: Audi A3 Saloon 1.4 TFSI Sport Price: £24,305 (as tested) Engine: 1.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged, petrol Power: 138bhp, 250Nm (comb’d) Max speed: 135mph 0-60mph: 8.2s MPG (comb’d): 60.1mpg Emissions: 109g/km Residual values tbc

target buyers: Hatchback buyers wanting to move up in the image stakes, old Audi A4 buyers

the rivals: Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW 1 Series Coupe

Key Selling Points: 1. Boot is not ‘stuck’ on – overall look is tasteful and quite elegant 2. Usual high-levels of build quality remain with Saloon 3. Good range of engines for all types of customers

Deal Clincher:

Leads the way in emissions and economy figures Searches supplied by Monthly AutoTrader.co.uk searches: 2,014,154 (all models)

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FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

h the UK r it w e y e elo the n meets ays James Batch a h t e r o n Dacias 1.8 millio There’s m test car brand, s ore than m ld so as la Renault h market’s nd arrive aims to . ew car bra orldwide e UK and

w in th oes a n o. ly ia is back ot often d 30 years ag d especial an s, Now Dac re o ded to do sh n ’s se te o K g U in n rp ri e u it b p hat on th lan to a defined carr y on w cunning p has such s part of a one that the UK. rm fo in y ia it ac il D profitab e to in th g k tory cars in ac as Dacia. b rr of satisfac Renault rs are blu ge e n ak ra d a m g r an er ca f havin ts a clearly , budget While oth Instead o enault wan , premium R e s, m ia ar lu ac ye d of the vo r D fo een as to get ri arrival of like it had lines betw art one w s arket, the P g m o was to n y. s g ri tw b te as t K ra m to the U oney; par efined st in d m affordable – g ’ n -a si ar e lo ch three cl at were nced ‘Dat freshing dels; part dealers th – pronou nault mo w, but a re e e R n rs g le b ca in c h ta met profi of electri delete un not only so alo range h f . ch as o a se t su o u ce s B u rp lt d u y. dp g men sa me Renau as to intro in lu w vision an et vo k g ar t n four rs ti m at the ’t the fi ia is part and exci That’s wh at this isn and bold r; and Dac th tu w o ap nault n C e k d l -R lio an me wil for non it’s been the new C course, so le Dacias the UK – ab in d n n e e e p b e d le, ia has – affordab time Dac e g. Year-tounch of th . . la rs re e e fo e m th b o h st re it be workin cu w he to g n s ias o n m al e ia r it se 2 and 6,994 Dac Roman And so fa It was 198 lt has sold rra, a new ie au S n er e al rd R e D Fo w o n s sh -mould e went o y told Car date figure new jelly nny nam er recentl fu al so e a s d d lt h e ce it au n ri w n .O any an Re , it was p to we Brits car comp Dacias th ia Denem sold more ashed old d the Dac h ad le in its area. h re al a it st C . ju ct at e le th sa more t that was was in eff 0 u 0 b d 7 – £ an ar 0 as 9 manian ye w far this tag that ave of Ro from £3,1 ? oes this w pletely ith a price d m W . at co otor trade 2 h 1 m as w lt e t w Bu Renau ean to th ly e Denem n m How o th ? ly , d st 0 al 0 la an 2 tu 1 ly a sh buyers timism ac ng actual ti p li ri o e than a Lad B fe h d ree is o b o th cars in nation’s current g d by snob ing these Will this on to the ll overlooke it se l e in al ly ad l w e al m e ndred trade fe blic actu was on th does the several hu the UK pu e writing And does y 1984 th ? B e s. m ti ay s’ w year drive ers Dacia is? . ted answ d what a ave ended in Britain ns we wan understan ry could h io for Dacia o st e st u e q e th ’s re the here ought th k Britain These we It’s here w es we too p hadn’t b t began wing pag ault Grou n o n ia ll e g R ordable fo e if ch aff n d th e to. In for goo the most 9. The Fr d 9 9 s an 1 r ge in see ca ad b w ne n firm le trip to g Dacia cheapest Romania le on a litt cts wearin sa u d n d o and ro e y y p p tl p w an n e icals wra ion comp SUV curre creating n d mechan r, an auct the e ge g s, d al e e ru ar p d d p r ye o re ca a used g. Within that offe also vox-p in e yl W st . se e e et ritain’s k B iv th rmar servat buying views on a car supe up in con pe started ner their ro ar , g u e road 4 E th 0 to f 0 o c n 2 li s o he 24 hours and since neral pub , t ge n rs great swat e ca sp le e ab ly like. car and w t depend ero is real cheapest cheap bu acia Sand D 95 ,9 £5 at the to see wh ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

PICTURES: MAX EAREY

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

What the trade think James Batchelor hits the road and visits three people in the trade to find out exactly what they think of selling used Dacias

direct message popped up on my computer screen which said quite simply: ‘See you at 10ish on Tuesday on the farm.’ And waiting for us he was. As our Dacia convoy made up of boggo-spec Sandero supermini and Duster crossover crunched on to the farm’s gravel drive, out stepped a beaming Chris Knight from a recently-acquired second-hand Kia Sportage. Owner of Craze Brothers, Knight sells all sorts of cars and is exactly the type of used car dealer who’ll be interested in moving on Dacias such as these two raw specimens in three years’ time. ‘Wow – they’re basic aren’t they?’ he says as he walks around the front of the Duster. ‘This looks right – not sure about those steel wheels but it has a chunkiness about it which is really appealing. ‘That, however,’ he says as he jabs a finger towards the Sandero, ‘isn’t quite so appealing.’ James Knight, a motor trader for Gibson 30 years, is the owner of Craze Brothers Ltd. It’s a name that’s very familiar to the residents of western Hampshire. Through the years the business sold motor bikes in the 1950s, Triumphs and Morrises in the ’60s, and Peugeots and Suzukis until 2002. Since then it’s been a used car business, and Knight sells his cars on a gravel forecourt rented from a farm. ‘I could easily see myself selling these in five years’ time. Well, why wouldn’t I? They’re going to be cheap and there’s always a customer for a cheap car.’ Knight turns his attentions to the Sandero and has a good poke around it, noticing the coarse dashboard plastics and rugged engine bay. Conversation moves on to the no-discount policy with which Dacia sells its new cars. ‘Do you know what Dacia remind me of?’ he asks. ‘Daewoo. They arrived in the 1990s with a no discount policy and it didn’t work. People want discounts on cars; it’s something we are all brought up with.’ But Dacia’s arrival to the UK is bang on trend ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Batch, with matching shirt, shows Knight around the Sandero

Dacias appeal to car supermarket Motorpoint

Russell Louth can’t wait to sell used Dacias

believes BCA’s James Gibson. ‘We are seeing huge demand for budget cars at the moment, largely as a result of the on-going financial pressures facing many households,’ he says as he surveys our two cars from Hall One’s rostrum at BCA Blackbushe. ‘I remember selling Dacias when they were here first time round. They always attracted the buyers because they were so affordable – and I think that will be the same with these new Dacias. ‘In fact, I think there could be a bit of exclusivity around these basic Access models – there could be some real bidding wars to get hold of these. ‘When we start seeing these models at BCA, the level of bidding will reflect the affordability of the cars. They might not have all the bells and whistles of other hatchbacks, but that will appeal to a certain customer base. While there is no denying that a car’s specification is always important, with these Dacias it’s not about that – their USP is actually the price itself.’ And price is the name of the game at Motorpoint. As well as offering unheard of levels of choice, colour and spec, a car supermarket’s greatest weapon is price. ‘If the price is right, we’ll stock anything,’ says Motorpoint Chingford general manager Russell Louth. ‘I could see us stocking these here – in this area cheap small cars sell well.’ Sitting at his desk which is ideally situated next to a coffee bar, Louth and I chat about the Sandero – and in particular the £5,995 Access model finished in the only shade of white over black. ‘In a year to 18 months’ time I could stick that car out there next the Fiestas, Corsas and Clios we stock and put a sticker price of £3,995 on it. It’ll sell not to a Fiesta buyer but one who is after some of the cheapest set of wheels they can buy. ‘I’m looking forward to selling them, actually,’ says Louth, smiling. ‘It’ll bring a new type of customer here – one who wants a relatively new car, for not much money but who doesn’t want to have a small city car. I can’t see any reason why, if you came back in 18 months time we’d wouldn’t be selling them.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

What the PUBLIC think The motor trade may be looking forward to used Dacias, but what does the public think? James Batchelor investigates

ny new car brand to arrive in the UK is always met with suspicion – but spare a thought for Dacia. For while Renault is pouring money into marketing the car correctly and even bagging prime-time gag status on series 11 and 12 of BBC 2’s Top Gear show, selling a car range that trades on ‘no frivolity’ and cheap prices is always going to be hard. But is the French giant’s efforts paying off? We decided to take Britain’s cheapest new car to the public and ask them exactly what they thought of the cheap Romanian. We selected two posh-ish places to garner the views of the general public – a golf club and the car park of a Marks and Spencer store. We taped over the Dacia badges and adopted our best local newspaper vox pop questions: ‘How much do you think this brand new car is?’, ‘Who makes it?’ and ‘Would you buy one?’ We asked anyone and everyone – and the six responses below are the most revealing of them all. It’s by no means remotely scientific or reflective of the UK – but it makes for interesting reading. As you’ll see from the evidence, there are a number of different view points – and while the motor trade is almost licking its lips at getting the chance of selling Dacias, Joe Public is not quite as positive. So sit back and read exactly what the public thinks of Dacia...

WHAT THEY SAID

‘‘

I’VE seen the adverts for these cars and I’m really interested in buying the Sandero. I want to get my daughter a cheap-ish new car. Whether she wants to be seen in a £5,995 car is quite another thing, though! Name: Jonathan Tubbs From: Bishop’s Waltham

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Verdict

this, you IF YOU’RE a Dacia dealer reading in the ey mon more e could be making som woman the aside ing Putt s. week few next 00 (she who thought the Sandero cost £15,0 hence she n, take re pictu her have to ed refus ensus was wasn’t featured), the general cons nd the arou cost ero Sand 95 £5,9 the that £8,500 mark! what’s But while this sounds really good, 50 good a was there slightly worrying is that who had le peop the een betw split cent per the quirky heard all about Dacia – thanks to really who e thos and – rt adve lity’ frivo ‘no given: were es nam car hadn’t. A number of I AM amazed it costs £5,995. Admittedly it does look like a washing machine or something like that but £5,995? I’d have put a price tag of £8,000-9,000 on it. I wouldn’t buy one though. Who’s heard of Dacia? Name: Scott Edwards From: Fareham

ult – Seat, Proton, Hyundai, but not Rena firm. ch Fren the for thing good a is which But more worryingly is that only one ally buy person below said they would actu hter. daug his for one – and even that was higher el mod a ider cons ld wou they Two said and tful, doub y prett up the range, but were at all, idea the rtain ente not ld wou three e people saying ‘it would be perfect for som , but not port trans need y reall who le – peop for me’. raised The launch of Dacia has certainly judging else little but , the public’s eyebrows test. by this I KNEW it would be basic but not this basic! My wife would kill me if I bought a car without air con! It is food for thought though, but I’d rather have a Fiesta. And I bet you would too (Batch: No comment)... Name: Tim Davies From: Wickham

Name: Davesh Singh From: Bursledon

I QUITE like the look of it. It certainly looks no worse than some small cars. For £5,995 I think it’s a great bargain – and I could put up with a cheap interior like that. But I would prefer something else – a car with a nicer badge. Name: Anne Williams From: Winchester

I AM quite a car nut and I think what Dacia is doing is really interesting. But seeing it in the flesh has changed my mind a bit. It would be great for an A-to-B car but I want a car to look really nice – and this doesn’t. Name: Dave Rutton From: Southampton

‘‘

WHAT is it? A Seat? (Batch: No, a Dacia). Oh those cheap ones on that advert. It’s not bad is it? Costs about £8,500 doesn’t it? (No, £5,995). Wow! It only coming in white is no problem for me. But black bumpers? No thanks!

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

24hrs Lemons

James Batchelor and Sophie Williamson-Stothert attempt to visit as many dealers as they can in 24 hours. It went badly.

06:51 Portsmouth

08:10 Brighton

Batch: We began in such high spirits. I couldn’t wait to find out exactly what this £6k Sandero was like. Even Sophie was excited – I’m not sure how much of that was a front, though. We began by going to Portsmouth, but it quickly turned into a waste of time. It was only 20 miles away...

Sophie: Batch’s bright ideas continued to flow, as he decided to dart from Portsmouth across to Brighton during the morning rush hour. We didn’t reach Brighton until 8am, leaving us with just under 22 hours to go. But, I can’t place all the blame on Batch, because we did have a plan.

11:26 London

12:56 Northampton

Batch: It got worse – we then had to hit London traffic. But it was worth it in the end. One of the dealership staff had ‘pimped’ his Sandero, leading bosses at the showroom to offer the service to customers. We were tempted to use it for the rest of the feature. But that would have been theft.

Sophie: After a quick cup of tea, and diverting my eyes as Batch changed into ‘suitable’ trousers in the back of the Dacia, it was my turn to get behind the wheel and head up to Northampton. Batch decided to grab some shut-eye, so I turned up the volume on our only luxury - the radio.

16:54 Cardiff

18:49 Cheltenham

19:39 Worcester

Batch: We wanted to go to Wales. So we went to Wales. This was another of my mistakes. We spent four hours driving to pretty much a dead end. Cardiff was raining and cold too. It was a pretty awful journey. And I didn’t get any sleep. Sophie’s iPod was awful. Mariah Carey? Seriously?

Sophie: Clearly, Batch can’t tell the difference between Mariah Carey and Brian Fallon from the Gaslight Anthem. Nevertheless, we left Cardiff and headed to Cheltenham. Another hour of rain and numb bottoms awaited us. Plus the awkward silence and Batch’s occasional whining.

Batch: Whining you say? That’s probably because from Cardiff to Chester I was behind the wheel – and my back was starting to ache. The only plus point in chauffeuring you up north was driving through pretty Worcester. I mean strange Worcester – there was a wedding going on at 7pm!

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

05:08 Winchester

02:27 Leicester

Sophie: And it sits nicely on the motorway too. If only my left foot could have had a spot to rest when not on the clutch. I was still awake and we were on time - just a straight road to Winchester and then back to the office! 14 dealers, 850 miles. 24 hours. What a trip. Never again.

Batch: And who’s moaning now? One other plus point of the Sandero is that it feels surprisingly robust. Even driving over Leicester’s potholed roads there was only one rattle from the aftermarket stereo – which I wouldn’t spec. I’d go to Halfords and buy my own ugly contraption.

23:07 Crewe

23:57 Chester

Batch: And the Romanians can’t make gearboxes. Where this gearbox was found I don’t know. Rubbery to use, it blunts what’s otherwise a perfectly decent driving experience. The Sandero isn’t that bad to drive. It feels heavy and quite antiquated but I don’t really mind this.

Sophie: To be honest, all I experienced for the majority of the journey was ‘A day as James’ passenger’, because no matter how much he moaned, he wouldn’t give up the driver’s seat. I could have offered, of course, but he was doing such a good job of it.

£6k Sandero: A 24hr verdict WHEN Renault first published pictures of the £5,995 Sandero Access, I whooped with joy. At last – a basic car that’s far from being pretentious. Getting behind the wheel is quite a different experience though. It feels antiquated and agricultural – that’s no real bad thing but it doesn’t feel like a product from

the EU. And while I appreciate Dacia’s vision, is there really a buyer in the UK who wants a car with no remote central locking, air con or a radio? As a carrot to lure punters in, the Sandero Access is a great marketing tool, but it’s just too basic for British buyers. James Batchelor (@JRRBatchelor)

20:45 Birmingham

21:29 Wolverhampton

22:22 Stoke-on-Trent

Sophie: In order to ease some tension we stopped for a coffee on our trek to Birmingham. Well, that was a laugh! It was pouring with rain, we got absolutely soaked and the coffee machine decided to eject hot water at me. But at least the Sandero had cup holders.

Batch: I wasn’t interested in the cup holders. The flat driver’s seat, however, did interest my back for the wrong reasons. It was really starting to hurt. Romanians can’t make seats. The only moment of relief was stretching my legs by walking around Renault Wolverhampton’s massive site.

Sophie: While Batch continued to suffer from back ache, I focused on planning our route home. I did attempt to get some sleep en route to Stoke-on-Trent, but it was useless. So I tucked into my picnic bag instead. The Sandero has a large boot for such things. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 55

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FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

Save Every Dacia is made on the B0 platform – whether it’s small, medium or large, or car or van – which enables impressive economies of scale

Here we round up the top Dacia-themed facts and compare the UK’s cheapest car with one of the most expensive

Duster Global Duster is a big seller in India and Russia, while the Sandero is huge in Brazil

Dacias are made as Renaults outside the Euromed region. In fact, globally, the diamond-badged ones typically outsell Dacias by between 2:1 or 3:1 depending on model

Brand Tricks Motto Dacia’s is Europe’s fastestgrowing car brand since 2004

To save money in the production, Dacias are designed with less angled glass and electric window switches are all on the centre console to cut down on wiring

Dacia’s motto is ‘eliminate the unnecessary’

head-to-head

Dacia Sandero

Bentley Continental

No extras

With extras

£5,995

£171,995

You can buy

28.6

Dacia Sanderos for the price of one Bentley Continental You can have

1.8

Dacia Sanderos for the price of Bentley’s Elegance package

Spare tyre

£470 0.8 £95 Dacia Bentley Sandero

Continental

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

FEATURE.

DACIA SPECIAL

Andy Heiron Why is now the best time for Dacia in the UK? We think it’s a good opportunity because now is the time of the value brand. If you look at the B- and C-segments, more premium manufacturers are coming into them, and mainstream manufacturers are looking to sell a richer mix of products. So actually, for the inexpensive entrylevel product, there isn’t actually a lot of choice out there for customers at the moment. What is the point in creating a car as basic as the Sandero Access? It is a lead-in priced ‘hook’ vehicle. It’s a relatively easy up-sell, so what we’re actually looking to do is sell people into an Ambiance mid-spec model. We’re probably selling a higher mix of product than we expected, but I see that as a positive and it’s customer driven, we’re not having to force products down people’s throats. Is there a specific buyer out there for the Sandero Access? Dealers have said to us customers have wanted to pay £5,995 and said they don’t want metallic paint and that they don’t want to be up-sold on anything. They’ve said ‘I’ve come in for a £6k car, I want a £6k car’. What’s the average Dacia customer? It’s a customer who’s buying one for what it does for them, rather than what it says about them. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Dacia UK’s brand director chats to Sophie WIlliamson-Stothert about the £5,995 Dacia Sandero and his plans for the brand in the future

The average customer will hold on to a car for six to nine years. How many Sandero and Duster models have you sold in the first half of the year? We sold nine registered vehicles short of 7,000. Bearing in mind we don’t make any big deals and we haven’t done any company cars, apart from a few of our own demonstrators, but they aren’t available to staff, those 7,000 vehicles are almost pure retail. ...and how many sales by the year’s end? We look to be nearer 20,000 sales at the end of the year. Due to the new Stepway and Logan MCV models, the momentum of the two products is now already in the market. Our order take last month was 1,994 which shows there is definitely some momentum there. That’s the sort of figures we need to achieve. What do you see for Dacia in the future – will there be a sport or electric model? I don’t think there would be a sports edition, because the Dacia brand doesn’t stand for that or that sort of performance, and it’s not really what we’re trying to achieve. Equally, I think in terms of electric vehicles there would just be a dilution

of effort. What are your plans for 2014? I would say that the trick we need to do for the next couple of years, is how to keep the news going. Due to us putting all of our cards on the table in the first year, there will be some range animation in terms of special editions. We will probably do stuff on Duster in terms of bigger partnerships and marketing opportunities. You’ll see new editions to the Dacia range. [CD]

C E R AM I C Q U A L

IT Y

2,000 dealers weren’t wrong then…

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

…and 2,500 dealers aren’t wrong now!

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SURVEY.

CarDealer

POWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

manufacturers

or the past four years Car Dealer Power has been giving those that really matter – you, the dealers – the chance to tell it like it really is and name the industry’s best. The Power survey is 100 per cent confidential, thereby ensuring the results are as accurate as they possibly can be. And this year, like every other year, we asked you for your views on a variety of topics in order to search out and celebrate the best of the best. This year an unprecedented number of you complete our survey. More than 2,500 of you filled out paper and online surveys and you were as vocal as you ever have been, making Car Dealer Power 2013 a true warts and all

picture of what car dealers are thinking right across the UK. In the next few pages you’ll find out which car makers are providing the best services for dealers – and those who aren’t. In fact, as an example of manufacturers taking our survey seriously, our winner climbed 14 places to grab the winner’s gong this year. But Car Dealer Power certainly isn’t just about the car manufacturers you represent, but, more importantly, the suppliers you do business with. In every category that matters to dealers – from paint protection through to lubricant suppliers – the best companies in the UK have been rated. This year saw the fiercest voting ever – and

some companies sealed their win by only a handful of points. Each category had a winner and two highly commended places. And as to the celebrations, the winners and highly commended winners were invited to collect their award in the posh surroundings of Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower in June. Turn the page to begin finding out who’s best in the UK.

James Batchelor Editor

how we found the winners Winners of Car Dealer Power awards are voted for by dealers - that’s what makes them unique. This year Car Dealer Power received more than 2,500 survey respondents, making it the most comprehensive ever. For the manufacturers’ section, car makers were only positioned in the final standings if they received at least 10 dealer responses. Dealers marked each manufacturer in variety of categories using a matrix system, scoring from faultless to poor. For Car Dealer Power 2013, we used bar charts to illustrate manufacturers’ results, thereby making the system as transparent as possible. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

SURVEY.

29 Chrysler Overall score qdown 2

20.6%

28 MG Overall score qdown 23

21.8%

IF YOU thought last year’s result for Chrysler was dreadful, 2013 is even worse. It would seem that while more dealers are joining the network and adopting the Fiat Group’s new policy of dealerships showcasing all Group brands, Chrysler dealers are not happy. Dealers voted Chrysler zero for crucial areas such as marketing, its used car scheme, forward planning and manufacturer ROI. It would also seem that while dealers can get hold of new products such as the Ypsilon and Delta hatchbacks and facelifted Voyager, the supply is in direct correlation to brand awareness – a small positive in an overall picture that’s dire. Moreover, in areas where Chrysler did score, they were marked only averagely.

BOSSES at MG Motor UK may well be scratching their heads with this result, for the Chinese-owned British brand has plummeted 23 places over Car Dealer Power 2012. It would seem last year’s good vibes about the firm’s British Touring Car Championship activity and its warranty scheme, have this year been replaced with zero scores for those two areas and more. New car supply is good thanks to a new diesel engine being offered in the MG6 range, and the firm’s Sales Centre at its UK HQ at Longbridge and used car offers are working well. However, dealers are complaining about no TV advertising – a crucial aid for brand awareness. MG will be hoping new cars such as the MG3 will bring back the good old days.

Chrysler’S Scores

MG’s scores

100

27 Lotus Overall score NEW ENTRY

22.3%

41.3

48.1

41.3

27.5 0

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

27.5

27.5 0

27.5

41.3

27.5

50 40 30

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

27.5

41.3

50 40

PERCENTAGE

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

PERCENTAGE

26 Proton Overall score uNON-MOVER

29.2%

THE Hethel-based sports car manufacturer may well be pleased at being a new entrant in the Car Dealer Power survey in 2013, but the result is hardly encouraging. Poor sales are reflected in small numbers of car supply, while dealers also gave Lotus zero scores in its used car scheme, bonus structure and manufacturer return-on-investment. Lotus chiefs can take comfort in the Lotus warranty programme, accessibility and Lotus’ use of the internet. It would seem the brand name and its appearance on a raft of racing programmes worldwide – from Formula 1 and Le Mans to rallying – is helping awareness – something which could be driving customers to Lotus dealer websites.

IT would seem Proton dealers’ views on the Malaysian company have neither improved nor got worse in this year’s survey – hardly great news. Last year dealers complained about poor brand awareness and return on investment. This year while ROI has shot up to an overall score of 27.5 per cent, Proton is still under-performing in the area of brand awareness – as per last year. Proton can also add zero scores in new car supply to this year’s point haul. Overall, while the Malaysian firm is performing well in areas such as its warranty service, aftersales, accessibility and its used car scheme, it’s the areas concerning new cars that dealers feel let down by. It’ll be interesting to see how Proton fares in the next 12 months.

LOTUS’ SCORES

PROTON’S SCORES

100

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27.5

41.3 0

41.3

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

27.5

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

27.5

41.3

41.3 0

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

50 40 30

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

27.5

41.3

50 40

48.1

PERCENTAGE

48.1

PERCENTAGE

scores 0-20% poor

21-40%

CarDealer

41-60% 61-80% 81-100%

average

good

excellent

POWER

faultless

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

25 Lexus Overall score NEW ENTRY

31.0%

24 Chevrolet

42.4%

Overall score NEW ENTRY

IT’S the first time the luxury arm of Toyota has appeared in Car Dealer Power – but their placing of 25th isn’t something to celebrate in any great measure. While dealers view Lexus’ accessibility incredibly highly – 72.5 per cent is a very strong score – and aftersales, marketing and the firm’s used car scheme positively, zero scores in warranty, brand awareness, forward planning, manufacturer requirements, bonus structure and manufacturer ROI is very worrying – key areas for dealers and their businesses. Lexus bosses will be hoping a raft of new products – new GS, facelifted LS and the eagerly-anticipated IS range – will help, but new product is not just the answer; it will have to improve across the board.

ANOTHER new entry – and this time it’s Chevrolet. The American brand can take some comfort in chalking up a respectable score here showing dealers are generally happy but not delighted. Chevy retailers gave average scores in warranty, aftersales, brand awareness, accessibility, internet, new car supply, used car scheme, forward planning, manufacturer requirements, and bonus structure – going to show new products such as its clever Volt and its tie-up with football clubs like Manchester United are being recognised by the dealer network It was only in the areas of marketing and manufacturer ROI that let Chevrolet down slightly.

LEXUS’ SCORES

Chevrolet’S SCORES

100

23 Isuzu Overall score qDOWN 12

47.5%

27.5

48.1

41.3

48.1

41.3

48.1

41.3

27.5

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

48.1

50 40

41.3

63.4

PERCENTAGE

54.4

72.5

54.4

63.4

PERCENTAGE

22 Vauxhall

48.8%

Overall score qDOWN 10

ISUZU will be feeling a little sore at this result. Last year they finished a very impressive 11th, and only missed out on the top 10 by two per cent – oh how 12 months can change things. In Car Dealer Power 2012, dealers gave the roughtie-toughtie maker a number of excellent scores and a smattering of ‘good’ ratings, but this year dealers largely voted Isuzu ‘good’ across the board, despite new product in the shape of the D-Max pick-up. However, while the results are down, the manufacturer is consistent across all areas of our survey. Taken in isolation, dealers would appear to be satisfied with Isuzu – scoring the manufacturer’s work in the warranty section highly.

DROPPING down the order in the Car Dealer Power survey is always unpleasant to stomach, but even more so when you’re a volume manufacturer such as Vauxhall. It would seem dealers are less than 50 per cent satisfied with the GM-owned British brand, scoring Vauxhall as such in aftersales, marketing, brand awareness, internet, new car supply, used car scheme, forward planning, and manufacturer requirements. An average score of 32.5 per cent in manufacturer ROI certainly dented Vauxhall’s overall score, although a good score in warranty helped. Last year Vauxhall also slipped three places over 2011 – the next 12 months will be interesting to see whether the firm can stop its downward spiral.

Isuzu’S SCORES

VAUXHALL’S SCORES

100

32.5

56.9

48.8

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

0 aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

48.8

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

50 40

48.8

56.9

45.6

43.3

44.1

48.1

46.2

45.4

48.5

49.9

47.7

49.6

48.1

53.2

50 40

PERCENTAGE

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

SURVEY.

21 Peugeot Overall score qDOWN 2

49.8%

20 Citroen Overall score pup 1

54.2%

JUST like Car Dealer Power 2012, Peugeot slipped a little down the order this year. Dealers told us that in the areas of brand awareness, accessibility and its used car scheme, Peugeot is performing well with dealers rating the company ‘good’ in these areas. Outwardly, the continuation of the innovative ‘Just Add Fuel’ scheme and the launch of the 208 supermini are great positives. However, it’s behind closed doors where there are a few problems. One look at the bar chart below will show Peugeot’s problem – the firm is not consistent across the board with marketing, manufacturer requirements and forward planning receiving less favourable scores.

IN direct contrast to its sister company, Citroen is showing a uniform approach in working with its dealer network. While dealers rate Peugeot strong in some areas and patchy in others, Citroen’s dealers are universally content. This year Citroen has climbed up one place on 2012 with all categories of our survey returning at least a 50 per cent score. It would seem dealers are particularly happy with Citroen’s warranty programme, accessibility, its use of the internet, bonus structure and manufacturer return on investment. We can safely say Citroen is heading in the right direction – and with the firm’s MD saying 2013 is a brandbuilding year, perhaps the next 12 months looks even more promising?

peugeot’S SCORES

CITROEN’S Scores

100

59.6

50.4

59.6

50.4

50 40

50.4

59.6

PERCENTAGE

48.1

41.2

68.8

38.5

57.7

19 Fiat Overall score pup 3

58.2%

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

0 aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

50 40

60.5

52.3

PERCENTAGE

18 BMW Overall score qdown 10

63.3%

51.5

PERCENTAGE

60.5

57.7

60.5

63.3

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

0 aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

65.3

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44.7

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

50 40

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

60.5 41.2

57.7

68.7

60.5

50 40

65.3

PERCENTAGE

65.3

75.6

72.2

100

61.9

BMW’s SCORES

100

72.2

FIAT’s scores

61.9

THIS is one of this year’s big surprises – and it’s not a nice surprise. Last year BMW struck gold by jumping 16 places on 2011’s survey with dealers giving the German car company an overall score of 80 per cent. However, one year on and it seems dealers aren’t as happy. 18th place is terrible and hardly the type of ground you’d expect to see BMW in. Over the past 12 months, dealers have been unimpressed with the firm in the areas of bonus structure and manufacturer ROI. Dealers aren’t happy with the requirements BMW ask of them either – a score of 44.7 per cent in this category pulled the firm down. There’s certainly some work to be done here.

72.2

WHILE last year dealers gave Fiat a depressing score which resulted in the Italian giant slipping 12 places, 2013 sees quite a different picture. Fiat has risen three places over last year’s result – which is certainly something company executives can smile about. Dealers gave generally high scores across the board in this year’s survey, with marketing, brand awareness and warranty all proving to be high spots – perhaps a rejuvenated 500 range has helped? The categories of aftersales, accessibility, manufacturer requirements, bonus structure and manufacturer ROI were also marked highly by Fiat’s dealer network. However, low scores in internet and used car scheme shouldn’t be dismissed.

scores 0-20% poor

21-40%

41-60% 61-80% 81-100%

average

good

excellent

faultless

CarDealer

POWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH

17 Audi Overall score qdown 10

63.6%

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

16 Dacia

66.2%

Overall score NEW ENTRY

50 40 30

15 Mini Overall score NEW ENTRY

68.3%

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

87.6

96.5

PERCENTAGE

66.2

55.8

69.7

73.2

55.8

41.8

45.3

62.7

50 40

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

PERCENTAGE

73.2

76.7

73.2

100

96.5

DACIA’S SCORES

100

87.6

AUDI’S SCORES

87.6

A NEW entrant here – and it’s great to see the Renault-owned Romanian brand make its entrance. Dacia has performed very well in a number of areas, say its dealers. In fact, in this part of the survey results, scores of 96.5 per cent in accessibility and internet are amazingly positive. However, the good news sours a bit when you discover dealers are not particularly happy with the firm’s used car scheme and forward planning – but both of these areas should be sorted when the brand matures in the UK. What’s more worrying, however, is dealers give a zero score for marketing. While its TV adverts are memorable, dealers don’t feel there’s a strong enough marketing stance to convey Dacia’s position in the UK.

87.6

AUDI find themselves in a near-identical situation as their rivals BMW in this year’s survey – and that’s not something to be pleased about. Like the Bavarian marque, Audi has also dropped 10 places on its final finishing position in Car Dealer 2012. A cursory glance at the bar chart below could show Audi providing very strong support and services in crucial areas such as warranties, new car supply and marketing. Indeed, Audi scores an impressive 76.7 per cent score in aftersales. However, the picture changes when brand awareness, the internet, manufacturer requirements and bonus structure are taken into account. With new digital showrooms and models in recent months, this score is disappointing.

14 Mitsubishi Overall score pup 6

68.7%

54.8

73.6

65.6

57.6

67.3

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

61.6

50 40

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

PERCENTAGE

68.8

72.2

68.8

61.9

65.3

50 40

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

72.2

59.6

100

72.2

100

74.2

MITSUBISHI’S SCORES

76.5

MINI’S SCORES

79.3

EXECUTIVES at Mitsibushi’s UK base can smile at this result. In this year’s survey, the Japanese car company has climbed six places over 2012’s results – a no mean feat. Dealers told us last year the firm was performing to ‘average’ levels in the areas of marketing and brand awareness. But thanks to new models such as the Mirage city car, Outlander SUV and refreshed ASX crossover, it’s no surprise to see both of these categories have had a welcome boost. In fact, the category that received the lowest score was manufacturer ROI, and even that was scored as ‘good’ by its dealers. For a really great result, Mitsubishi is still slightly lacking in the brand awareness stakes – but the firm should be proud of this result.

79.3

ANOTHER new entrant and we’re pleased to see the arrival of a major brand that’s won millions of customers around the UK. The good news is that for a new entrant, Mini has performed reasonably well. The British brand comes home with a score of 68.3 per cent, with dealers being particularly positive about accessibility, internet and forward planning. Even though Mini had prime spots throughout the 2012 London Olympics, dealers feel brand awareness is ‘good’ not higher – but when it comes to marketing the BMW-owned firm is where you’d expect and receives an ‘excellent’ score. All other areas won ‘excellent’ scores – no doubt helped by a dearth of new models which are attracting new buyers.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

SURVEY.

13 Mazda Overall score NEW ENTRY

73.9%

12 Renault Overall score pup 10

78.8%

Overall score pup 5

80.4%

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

0 aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

11 Seat

75.8

74.5

75.6

80.6

81.4

50 40

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

50 40

PERCENTAGE

70 60

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

87.4

93.8

87.4

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

87.4

100

87.5

100

81.4

RENAULT’s scores

82.9

MAZDA’S Scores

82.9

UP 10 places on last year, this is a company that’s really moving. In last year’s survey, dealers were still sore about the dramatic reorganisation of the business which saw dealers lose their franchises and models axed. But 12 months on and dealers seem to be cheering up. With a clearer product strategy, new all-electric models, funkier volume cars, racy new Renaultsport vehicles and clever marketing adverts, it seems Renault is getting back on track. Dealers gave ‘excellent’ and ‘faultless’ scores across the board. In fact, Renault’s scores are one of the most consistent in Car Dealer Power 2013 showing it’s providing a great service in all areas that matter to dealers. A very good result.

81.8

MAZDA makes its first ever entrance into Car Dealer Power, and they are the best of the new entrants. Like Mitsubishi one place behind, Mazda and its dealers are experiencing a very welcome renaissance. After a few years of dreary products and unimpressive marketing, it would seem Mazda is back. New cars such as the CX-5 SUV and the Mazda 6 hatchback and tourer are proving popular – although short supply of the former has dented Mazda’s new car supply here. Dealers aren’t too impressed with the firm’s used car scheme either, but are elated with accessibility and the internet. Warranty, aftersales, marketing and brand awareness all received faultless scores.

10 Suzuki

81.1%

Overall score qdown 8

72.5

100 74

64.5

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W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

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aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

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50 40

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

70 PERCENTAGE

75.3

78.6

86.4

83.8

68.1

87.7

82.5

73.3

83.8

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

87.7

83.8

100

SUZUKI’S SCORES

100

91.6

SEAT’s SCORES

92.5

NUDGING into the top 10 is something to be proud of, but not if you’re Suzuki. While a score of 81.1 per cent overall is very impressive, the Japanese car company finished in second place in Car Dealer Power 2012. However, with more car makers rated this year, there were always going to be some casualties. Dealers are still very impressed with Suzuki’s attitude to aftersales and marketing. In fact, Suzuki can be very pleased with winning a 100 per cent score in manufacturer requirements showing dealers couldn’t be any happier in this respect. Moreover, it’s the only 100 per cent score in 2013’s survey. New car supply and the firm’s used car scheme let the side down a tad, though.

THE Spanish car brand took a sound thrashing in Car Dealer Power 2012, falling a dismal 15 places on 2011 where it won outright. Twelve months on and it would seem Seat is taking on board its dealers’ criticisms, with last year’s ‘good’ scores in a number of areas now being replaced with mostly ‘excellent’ ratings. New products such as the new Leon are defining where the brand is going, and it would appear dealers have no qualms in getting hold of the stock they want. New schemes such as fixed-price dealer servicing aptly named ‘It’s Fixed!’ is winning both customers’ and dealers’ hearts. But, for a return to the top 10, manufacturer ROI will need to be improved.

scores 0-20% poor

21-40%

41-60% 61-80% 81-100%

average

good

excellent

faultless

CarDealer

POWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH

09 Honda Overall score pup 5

82.6%

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

08 Nissan

Overall score pup 1

83.1%

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

60.9

93.5

89.4

91.4

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

Overall score qdown 1

81.2

50 40

07 Skoda

73.1

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

PERCENTAGE

50 40

73.1

76.4

81.3

76.4

81.3

93.6

76.4

81.3

79.4

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

71.5

86.2

100

93.6

100

95.5

NISSAN’S SCORES

87.4

HONDA’S SCORES

89.4

ALTHOUGH just up by one place on last year’s survey, a finishing position of eight and an overall score of 83.1 per cent is nothing to be scoffed at. Bosses at Nissan GB’s HQ in Maple Cross can take comfort in their dealers expressing ‘faultless’ views in a numper of categories – namely warranty, aftersales, marketing, internet, new car supply, used car scheme and forward planning. Nissan’s unique GT Academy, inspired Juke-R project and memorable ‘Built to Thrill’ adverts are winning fans too, as dealers gave a mightily impressive score of 95.5 per cent in brand awareness. Dealers did complain about the bonus structure and return on investment, though – but this is still a very good result.

97.5

UP five places? Honda must surely be pleased with this result. Last year the Japanese giant slipped five places to 14th, but now they’re back firmly in the top 10 with a great overall score of 82.6 per cent. Dealers marked the firm highly in a number of areas – most notably in its warranty services and its used car scheme. The dark days of poor new car supply due to global events seem to be over as well, as this category was also rated at a very strong 93.6 per cent. Dealers scored Honda ‘excellent’ on brand awareness (no doubt thanks to Honda winning the British Touring Car Championship last year), internet, manufacturer requirements and manufacturer ROI.

06 Land Rover Overall score 83.9% 84.1% pup 7

91.9

81.4

80.2

77.5

82.5

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

81.9

50 40

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

86.9

70 60

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

50 40

PERCENTAGE

80.9

79.3

88.2

86.7

85.2

80.9

83.6

83.2

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

82.5

86.2

100

87.3

100

LAND ROVER’S SCORES

84.7

SKODA’S SCORES

82.5

DEALERS complained about a number of areas in which the British offroading marque fell short in last year. But 12 months and it would seem as though Land Rover has listened and is performing much more strongly for its dealers. Manufacturer return on investment is an area dealers are most impressed with, scoring this category a very impressive 91.9 per cent. Meanwhile the categories of warranty, brand awareness, accessibility, aftersales, marketing, internet, new car supply, forward planning and bonus structure were all marked ‘faultless’. Land Rover’s used car scheme was the area that was scored the lowest with a rating of 77.5 per cent. However, overall, this is a cracking result for Land Rover.

89.1

IN recent years, Skoda has always performed very strongly in Car Dealer Power, listening to its dealers’ concerns and acting upon them. However, in 2013, the Czech brand has dropped a place over its 2012 position slipping to seventh place in the standings. But there’s no doubt that, overall, the company still has a raft of happy dealers. Like Renault, Skoda has one of the most consistent range of scores in this year’s survey. Apart from new car supply, bonus structure and manufacturer ROI, Skoda scored ‘faultless’ scores across the board. As per last year, dealers feel the brand is doing a fantastic job in marketing and brand awareness, showing the days of Skoda jokes are long gone.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

SURVEY.

05 Volkswagen 03 Hyundai Overall score Overall score 84.3% qdown 2 qdown 2 88.5% AND we’re into the top five, and sitting very comfortably in fifth spot is Volkswagen. Though down two places on last year’s result, Volkswagen can still take comfort in knowing that the services they offer dealers are still impressing its network. Two areas which have long been key strengths of Volkswagen is their marketing and brand awareness – and it’s these areas, no doubt reinforced with new versions of ‘iconic’ cars such as the Golf, which were marked particularly highly in Car Dealer Power 2013 with scores of 91.2 and 91.7 per cent respectively. Dealers applauded the German giant for its efforts in the categories of warranty, aftersales, accessibility, internet, used car, planning, requirements and ROI.

INTO the top three and sitting on the third step of the podium is a familiar name. Last year’s winner, Hyundai, has slipped back two places – but there’s no doubting it has a network of very satisfied dealers. 2013 is all about building the brand for Hyundai – and it would seem Hyundai dealers are in tune with this strategy. The firm’s much-lauded five-year warranty earned itself an incredibly high score of 99.2 per cent, while the only category not to be marked ‘faultless’ was bonus structure – although being just 0.3 per cent off a ‘faultless’ mark is hardly cause for disappointment. Brand awareness and marketing are riding high too; probably thanks to Hyundai’s continuation of its Piccadilly Circus ads.

vw’S Scores

82.3

73.5

72.8

86.8

84.7

87.8

84.5

91.7

80.2

PERCENTAGE

88.5

85.8

91.2

100

50 40 30 20 10

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W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

04 Ford Overall score pup 13

84.8%

THE Blue Oval can rightly be very proud of this score as the firm has climbed a mightily impressive 13 places on last year’s survey. In contrast to it nearest rival, Vauxhall, Ford is riding high with a network of happy dealers. Its network scored Ford ‘faultless’ in a number of key categories - namely: Warranty, aftersales, marketing, accessibility, internet, used car scheme, forward planning, manufacturer requirements, bonus structure and manufacturer ROI. With new products in the shape of the B-Max and Kuga, it’s encouraging to see dealers are happy with new car supply, although for a top three score, Ford needs to address brand awareness according to its dealers.

80.7

82.3

89.7

86.2

84.7

88.8

90.4

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

92.5

50 40

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89.7

83.2

84.3

86.5

88.1

90.8

70 60

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

50 40

PERCENTAGE

87.6

70.3

87.6

86.5

90.3

100

90 80

PERCENTAGE

hyundai’s SCORES

100

99.2

ford’s scores

scores 0-20% poor

21-40% average

41-60% 61-80% 81-100% good

excellent

faultless

CarDealer

POWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH

94.3

88.2

91.5

87.1

86.6

93.7

91.5

98.2

95.4

60 50 40 30 20 10

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

0 aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

WHAT a result for Kia! The Korean firm has not only sneaked past its sister company to claim second place this year, but it has done it in real style. It’s fair to say we have never seen such a renaissance of a car company in our survey. Last year Kia finished in a dreadful 25th out of 28 car manufacturers. Though known for its leagues of happy customers, dealers were saying quite the opposite, scoring Kia ‘poor’ in three key areas. Kia was not happy and as soon as our results were published they asked how they could do better. And 12 months on they have listened to their dealers with ‘faultless’ scores in every category bar new car supply – an area which is still letting Kia’s overall performance down a tad.

100

96.7

91.2%

kia’S SCORES

PERCENTAGE

Overall score pup 23

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

02 Kia

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

SURVEY.

1 Toyota Overall score pup 14

92.3%

AND this year’s winner with a fantastic overall score of 92.3 per cent is… Toyota. The Japanese maker has risen to the top of the pile in being named as the best manufacturer to represent due to sterling hard work, determination and passion. We’ve mentioned it already but dealers are an honest bunch, and with more than 2,500 of them voting in this year’s survey, Toyota’s achievement cannot be overlooked. The relationship between manufacturer and dealer is always a tricky one to manage, but Toyota has shown how it’s done properly. The car maker earned itself ‘faultless’ scores in every category we asked dealers to vote. In the

areas of aftersales and forward planning – both vital to a dealer’s long-term profitability structure – Toyota scored mightily impressive scores of 97 per cent. Survey respondents told us Toyota’s new range of cars are really changing customers’ perceptions towards the brand, they now have a sports car meaning they can speak to long-lost customers, and head office is providing unrivalled support thanks to ‘like-minded’ management. If that’s not enough to be proud of, Toyota can take comfort in knowing they have jumped an incredible 14 places on last year’s survey – a Toyota’s Scott Brownlee accepts the company’s fantastic achievement. award from TV’s Mike Brewer and Our congratulations go to Toyota. Robert Collins from GEN-3

TOYOTA’s SCORES

PERCENTAGE

92.5

94.5

89.2

89.4

92.5

88.5

88.2

100

60 50 40 30 20 10

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In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly Us sc ed he ca m r e F pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd Ac ess ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

scores 0-20% poor

21-40% average

41-60% 61-80% 81-100% good

excellent

faultless

CarDealer

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GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

Recruitment Agency of the Year 2013

Perfect Placement is proud to announce that they have been presented the coveted award of Car Dealer Power Recruitment Agency of the Year 2013. Ĺ° Perfect Placement is the automatic choice for motor industry employers needing specialist automotive recruitment in the UK. Ĺ° To become the market-leading and award winning experts in this sector, we have had to earn the respect, trust and the patronage of franchised and non-franchised dealers alike. We have done this through delivering what we promise: reliable, ethical and consistently exceptional consultative services. Ĺ° Acting in line with our Client Charter, our specialists can act swiftly in generating unrivalled exposure for YOUR recruitment needs; our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tried and testedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strategy ensures that only the CVs of the most suitable candidates are passed to you for consideration.

With the challenging times that many companies are experiencing in terms of the current skill shortage, choosing Perfect Placement to resolve your motor trade recruitment solutions will place YOU at the forefront of the automotive staff selection process. Ĺ° With our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no win - no feeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guarantee of results, why not let us prove how effective we can be for you? Ĺ° What we offer you: Ĺ° q 4MHPTD @MC $MUHDC #@S@A@RD q 4MQHU@KKDC $WODQS +NB@K *MNVKDCFD q &DMTHMD )NA OOKHB@SHNMR from Real Candidates q 6 1# 6(--(-& 1$"14(3,$-3 l As voted for by the Trade. Ĺ° To our valued clients who voted weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to say a big thank you we are sincerely grateful for your continued support. Call today on 08450 21 21 23

www.perfectplacement.co.uk ďż˝ďż˝| CarDealerMag.co.uk

$BS%

FBMFS

2013 WINN ER

SURVEY.

CarDealer

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suppliers

e’ve seen which manufacturers have come out on tops – and now it’s time for the suppliers to bask in their glory. The importance of suppliers to a dealer’s business cannot be overstated. It’s fair to say that without them, dealers could not run their companies. This year we had 28 categories to mark out the best suppliers in the business – and they were all highly fought for. In fact, 2013 was without doubt the most competitive year as companies in a number of categories fought for top honours. While a number of companies won their categories for the second

and third years running – showing they’re providing a consistently high level of service to dealers – Car Dealer Power 2013 saw a number of companies rise to the top after finishing lower down in the order last year, showing they really took on board dealers’ comments over the past 12 months. To make Car Dealer Power as fair as possible and to make sure the big boys don’t clean up, the results are weighted, meaning the smaller players can fight it out with larger firms head-on. We asked dealers to tell us the best suppliers

to do business with in a number of categories and we were inundated with results. A matrix system was used to log scores, and if there was a tie, the company that had the most number of positive comments went home with the winner’s gong. Two highly commended awards were handed out too – and considering the level of competition seen in Car Dealer Power 2013, the runners-up should be very proud of their achievements. You’ll also find out the winners of Manufacturer Initiative of the Year and Manufacturer Marketing Initiative of the Year. And that’s not forgetting the allimportant Car of the Year 2013.

how we found the winners Car Dealer Power awards are voted for by dealers – and no one else. More than 2,500 respondents filled out the survey rating the manufacturer(s) and suppliers they do business with. Dealers used a matrix system in each category to rate companies – scoring from faultless to poor. Winners were decided upon by the number of excellent scores they received. In the event of a tie, the company that received the most number of positive comments was declared the winner. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

SURVEY. Warranty Provider of the Year

GAP Supplier of the Year

Winner: Car Care Plan Highly commended: AutoProtect Highly commended: Warrantywise

Winner: AutoProtect Highly commended: Santander Highly commended: Mapfre Abraxas Jessica Balkow receives the award from Car Dealer editor James Batchelor

AutoProtect’s Christian Ingrey with Car Dealer advertising manager Duncan Chappell

ONE of the key ingredients in purchasing a new car for a consumer is the standard of warranty they’re buying. A good warranty gives peace of mind to a customer should anything go wrong, while for the dealer, warranties can be a very welcome upselling opportunity. Survey respondents heaped praise on this category’s winner, saying that Car Care Plan are ‘excellent people to do business with’, their staff are helpful and friendly and products such as their Cosmetic Warranty are ‘a reflection of their forward-thinking mentality’. Survey respondents voted AutoProtect and Warrantywise as highly commended winners.

SHOULD a customer’s dream wheels be stolen or written off, paying off the outstanding finance is hard for consumers – sometimes impossible. It’s no wonder Guaranteed Asset Protection – or GAP – products have established a popular following among customers who finance their cars. But a GAP product provider should be easy to do business with and offer outstanding service. And that’s exactly what 2013’s winner offers. For the second year running AutoProtect clinched the title in this category. And this year survey respondents also praised AutoProtect’s ability to create ‘tailor-made solutions’ for their dealer partners. Our two highly commended winners – Santander and Mapfre Abraxas – were both recognised for their ‘excellent’ customer service.

Web design for Franchised Dealers

Web design for Independent Dealers

Winner: GForces Highly commended: Spidersnet Highly commended: Starkwood Media Group

Winner: Razsor Highly commended: GForces Highly commended: Starkwood Media Group

James Batchelor hands over the award to GForces’ James Drewett

Louise Stalker receives the company’s award from Duncan Chappell

NOW more than ever, customers demand the very best from franchised dealers’ websites. It’s no good just providing a satisfactory service with average graphics and design. Customers expect franchised dealer websites to be bursting with information, finance tools, special offers, search engines and much more. On top of this the design must be welcoming and user-friendly. Our winner this year is no stranger to this arena. A multiple winner in our Ewards, GForces is growing by the year and is attracting more and more happy dealer partners because of their professional service and ‘can-do’ attitude. Spidersnet and Starkwood Media Group won highly commended.

IT’S perfectly natural for consumers’ demands for a rich online experience to translate to the independent sector. These days, customers expect independent dealers’ websites to be as flashy and as well-constructed as franchised dealers’. But these do not come cheap. That’s why dealers want a great looking site to suit their customers’ wishes, but not one which costs the earth. Our dealer respondents said Razsor is a ‘great partner to work with’, and provides ‘stunning-looking websites’ that are ‘excellent value for money.’ Dealers also praised our two highly commended winners for their affordable packages; they go to GForces and Starkwood Media Group.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Search Engine Optimisation Company of the Year

Dealer Marketing Agency of the Year

Winner: Bluesky Highly commended: Novus Digital Highly commended: Polk

Winner: Golley Slater Highly commended: ATAP Highly commended: GForces Elliot Messenger from Bluesky accepts the company’s award from James Batchelor

Golley Slater’s Lindsey Reaney and Louise Eling collect their award from Duncan Chappell

HAVING a decent online presence is not enough these days. Dealers need a sophisticated SEO programme if they are going to get ahead of their competitors. By investing in SEO, dealers can measure their return on investment and make themselves the go-to place for customers. Bluesky came out on top because dealers said they experienced measurable uplifts in the right traffic coming to their websites, and their in-house team are specialists in this field and are a pleasure to do business with. Novus Digital and Polk each took home well-deserved highly commended places

IN THE business of selling cars, the importance of marketing your company can sometimes be overlooked. These days it’s not just about the internet, but a complete marketing strategy which combines all forms of media – online and off-line. A dealer cannot be expected to do this all themselves. And this is why a dealer marketing agency is an important partner to have. Dealers said Golley Slater is ‘creative’, ‘highly skilled at getting the right message out there’ and ‘easy to work with’. In this highly competitive category, dealers said they recognised and applauded the efforts of ATAP and GForces in getting the right message to customers. The two firms each went home with highly commended.

Prime Finance Provider of the Year

Sub-Prime Finance Provider of the Year

Winner: Black Horse Highly commended: Barclays Highly commended: Santander

Winner: First Response Highly commended: DSG Financial Services Highly commended: Close Motor Finance Tim Ward from Black Horse accepts the company’s award from James Batchelor

First Response’s Ivor Chatburn, left and Ben Garside, right, with Duncan Chappell

IT’S fair to say finance is one of the most important ingredients of the car buying process. Get it right and the customer will be happy. But get it wrong and that car on the dealer’s forecourt will be sitting there for a little longer. More customers are turning to finance to fund their new car purchases – and it’s easy to see why when there are players in the market like tonight’s winner. Survey respondents said Black Horse is ‘quick to quote’, ‘easy to do business with’ and ‘responds quickly’ to a customer’s finance application. Respondents respected the work of Barclays and Santander and voted the two companies as highly commended.

SELLING a car on finance is another way for dealers to make profits. But for some customers with a less than perfect credit history, getting approval is not always easy. This is where sub prime finance comes in. By investing in a partnership with a good sub prime finance company, dealers will ensure they do not lose the opportunity of capitalising on what is a very lucrative area of the market. Our readers said First Response is ‘flexible’, ‘always extremely’ helpful and provides ‘appealing’ finance deals. Dealers described DSG Financial Services and Close Motor Finance to be ‘reliable’ and ‘is little hassle to do business with’, respectively. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

SURVEY. Finance Tools Provider of the Year

Finance Marketing Scheme of the Year

Winner: MotoNovo Highly commended: Black Horse Highly commended: DealTrak 123

Winner: Peugeot Highly commended: Mini Highly commended: Citroen MotoNovo’s Jessica Moore and Michael Chivell with James Batchelor

Peugeot’s clever ‘Just Add Fuel’ scheme has seen notable rises in showroom traffic, say dealers

CUSTOMERS don’t just want to look at pictures of the car they want to buy on a dealer’s website, they also want to find out whether they can afford it. Simple ‘bolt-on’ tools which give customers the ability to work out the cost of insurance on their new car, or even let them search for their next vehicle via monthly payments, work wonders. This year’s winner – MotoNovo – is quickly becoming a leader in this field. Their products are proving to be a hit with dealers, with customers expressing fondness for this firm’s innovative products, in particular their clever ‘Dealer Hub’. Black Horse and DealTrak 123 took home highly commended spots.

AS ALREADY mentioned, the number of cars funded by finance is up thanks to tempting deals and, more importantly, clever marketing initiatives from companies and manufacturers. This year saw dealers vote overwhelmingly for one ar makers’ finance marketing scheme – and it was Peugeot who took home the win. Dealers said Peugeot had created a campaign that has been a hit with them, and one that has seen customers flocking to showrooms. Respondents praised Peugeot’s memorable adverts and a finance scheme that is easy for customers to understand. Mini’s 50/50 finance scheme and Citroen’s Elect 4 personal lease were awarded highly commended.

Online Advertising For New Cars

Online Advertising For Used Cars

Winner: Auto Trader Highly commended: Carsite Highly commended: Really Good Domains

Winner: Motors.co.uk Highly commended: Auto Trader Highly commended: Pistonheads

Emma Harvey from Trader Media Group collected the award from James Batchelor

DON’T think the internet is just home to used cars being advertised for sale. These days new cars can benefit from equal treatment thanks to a range of advertising portals designed to put new car deals and offers in the limelight. For dealers, it means they can advertise to a wider range of customers than ever before, drawing in new custom. Our dealers said Auto Trader is leading the way in this arena with an intuitive new cars section that features well-written reviews and classleading videos. Carsite and Really Good Domains took home well-deserved highly commended places. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Dermot Kelleher from Motors. co.uk receives the award from Duncan Chappell

USED car advertising is proving to be the go-to destination for many dealers across the UK who want to easily shift stock but also measure their return on investment. In recent years, this has been a highly contended category with companies stepping up their services all of the time. And this year was no exception with 2013’s winner Motors.co.uk delighting dealers with their outstanding customer service, great value for money subscription packages and their attractive online portal. The continued efforts of Auto Trader and Pistonheads were not lost on dealers either, as survey respondents praised these firms’ offerings and awarded them highly commended.

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Dealer Friendly Advertising Portals

Specialist Online Advertising Portal

Winner: Auto Trader Highly commended: Contract Hire & Leasing Highly commended: Carsite

Winner: Contract Hire & Leasing Highly commended: ALD Automotive Highly commended: Gumtree

Emma Harvey with James Batchelor

Duncan Chappell hands over the award to Contract Hire & Leasing’s Dave Timmis

THESE days there are dozens of routes to market for dealers to sell cars. From an online auction to a simple small ad, the internet offers various options for dealers to suit their budgets and needs. One service, which has long had a strong following, is the dealer friendly portal. They are perfect platforms for dealers of all sizes and can easily cope with the most demanding of dealer clients. Our dealers said Auto Trader is ‘the natural partner to do business with’ and ‘have always been the number one – and for good reason’. Others added Auto Trader website is ‘easy to use’ and is clearly laid-out aiding customers. Contract Hire & Leasing and Carsite were awarded highly commended for their services.

WE’VE celebrated the best companies which provide outstanding services for mainstream online advertising, but for this category we were looking for something a little more specialist. These companies are just that, but they still provide dealers with a highquality service and supply great leads. Our readers said Contract Hire & Leasing is a company that delivers a ‘highly professional’ service, ‘provides great support’ and is in-tune with dealers’ needs. Survey respondents also noted the sterling work of ALD Automotive, while the appearance of Gumtree in Car Dealer Power 2013 reflects this portal’s growing appeal to dealers.

Used Car Valuation Provider of the Year

Provenance Check Provider of the Year

Winner: Glass’s Highly commended: CAP Highly commended: HPI

Winner: HPI Highly commended: Experian Highly commended: CDL Vic Barodia from Glass’s accepts the company’s award from James Batchelor

CORRECTLY valuing a car is one-step to sealing the best transaction – one where the customer walks away happy, and the dealer knows they’ve got a great deal. But get it wrong, and dealers will be turning away customers in their droves and profits will spiral away. Valuations experts have long been the people who dealers turn to in their hour of need – but while there are many in the marketplace, there’s one that’s head and shoulders above the rest. Our readers said Glass’s offers a ‘reliable’ service that ‘accurately reflects the current car market’. Taking the highly commended spots were CAP and HPI.

Duncan Chappell hands over HPI’s award to Phil Peace

IT’S no secret customers are after the best quality motors in the used car market. But quality doesn’t just mean unblemished paintwork or a full-service history. Stock that has genuine provenance has always been desirable, and dealers who sell cars with honest histories are showing they are transparent and trustworthy. That’s not forgetting a provenance check can give a customer peace of mind. Our readers said HPI is a master at giving cars ‘straightforward’ but ‘in-depth’ checks and has ‘simple paperwork processes’. Experian and CDL were both applauded by our survey respondents, and earned highly commended places. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 77

SURVEY. Lubricant Manufacturer of the Year

Recruitment Agency of the Year

Winner: Castrol Highly commended: Mobil 1 Highly commended: Shell

Winner: Perfect Placement Highly commended: JGA Highly commended: Hays Castrol wasn’t at our awards – but we made sure they received their trophy

From left, Terry Lemmon, Jimi Matthews, Louisa Coggs and Becki Wright with Duncan Chappell

THIS category doesn’t just recognise a lubricant company that offers great products. We’re focusing on the whole package – from dealer support to point of sale marketing material. Indeed, all the nominated companies are big names in motorsport and their brands are as famous as the cars they lubricate. It all means dealers not only have excellent products, but they can also capitalise on desirable marketing opportunities. Survey respondents this year said Castrol has a range of ‘excellent’ products, ‘are great to do business with’ and they’re proud to display this company’s distinctive branding. Highly commended places went to Mobil 1 and Shell.

FINDING the very best sales people for a car dealership is never easy. Advertising in a local paper or on the internet can result in a deluge of random CVs and inappropriate candidates. However, a good recruitment agency will do the hard work for you. They will sift through the applications, assess the candidates and ensure those served up for interview are right for the job. Our survey respondents said our winner ‘liaises closely’ with dealers during the application process, and takes the burden of finding the perfect employee off their hands. Recruitment firms JGA and Hays were also praised by dealers for their services and were each awarded highly commended.

Paint Protection Provider of the Year

Training Provider of the Year

Winner: GEN-3 Glasscoat Highly commended: Supagard Highly commended: GardX

Winner: Douglas Stafford Highly commended: Motiv8 Highly commended: Martec Europe Andy Bradbury and Robert Collins from GEN-3 collect their award from James Batchelor

THIS was this year’s most closely-fought category. Protection kits have traditionally been dealers’ favourite upsell products. The benefits are simple to understand, the results are easy to see and they can be a lucrative profit-making product. Our survey number-crunchers spent days checking and doublechecking the results. And out of the 2,500 respondents, our winner sealed first place by just a small number of votes. Our dealer readers said they loved GEN-3 Glasscoat’s innovative formula, powerful training programmes and several respondents even said they had doubled paint protection profits using this product. Highly commended went to Supagard and GardX. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

From left: Jamie White, Neil Williams, Paul Brown, and Ben Sargeant with Duncan Chappell

SOURCING and employing the right staff is one thing, but making sure they are consistently delivering great service and performing their job to the best of their abilities is quite another. There are a number of training companies that specialise in the automotive industry, but there’s only one that gets comments such as these. Survey respondents said Douglas Stafford provides a ‘professional approach to training staff’, is ‘approachable’ and their training programmes are ‘first class’. Survey respondents heaped praise onto Motiv8 and Martec Europe as well – both went home with highly commended awards as a result.

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Online Remarketing Company of the Year

Auction House of the Year

Winner: Manheim Highly commended: BCA Highly commended: Autotrade-mail

Winner: BCA Highly commended: Central Car Auctions Highly commended: Manheim James Leese from Manheim collects his award from James Batchelor

Duncan Chappell hands over BCA’s award to Tim Naylor

CHOOSING the online route to buying and selling stock is becoming the first choice for more and more dealers right across the UK. The simple way to acquiring and disposing of stock coupled with the added bonus of fewer hours spent out of the office are welcome benefits of using online remarketing channels. That’s not to mention nearly every big player in the market offering an online service. Manheim received praise such as ‘their system is a joy to use’, ‘there’s always a friendly voice at the end of the telephone’ and ‘you wouldn’t expect anything other than great service’. Going home with highly commended gongs were BCA and Autotrade-mail.

THE online way of buying and selling is increasingly becoming the route of choice for some dealers, but for others it’s the traditional auction house that still gets their pulses racing. Looking at their rivals in the eye or honing those unique skills of bidding can only be done in the auction room – so it’s no wonder online auctions haven’t killed off the physical auction experience. With such big names in the business all providing a sterling service, this category was always going to be a close battle. Winners BCA hosts a wide range of sales that appeal to all different types of buyer, has friendly staff, and offers both a modern and traditional auction experience. Central Car Auctions and Manheim were runners-up.

Trade-to-Trade Remarketing Provider of the Year

Consumer Lead Generation Provider of the Year

Winner: Autotrade-mail Highly commended: Dealer Auction Highly commended: EAMA

Winner: The Auto Network Highly commended: Motors.co.uk Highly commended: Contract Hire & Leasing Kevin Watson is presented with the company’s trophy by James Batchelor

FOR this category, we were looking for the very best company that specialises in trade-to-trade remarketing. Generally speaking, there’s always another dealer somewhere in the UK who’ll want to take a certain car off another dealer’s hands. And trade-to-trade portals are the perfect services for connecting dealers as the leads are qualified and can be relied upon. Survey respondents said our winner is ‘a first class player’ in this arena, ‘with fantastically helpful staff’ and has a simple to use system. Dealers also said Dealer Auction and EAMA provide them with high-quality leads which are reliable. Both took home highly commended gongs.

No-one from The Auto Network was at our awards, but we made sure their trophy was delivered to them

IN A perfect world dealers would experience a steady stream of custom. But the number of customers through the door tends to fluctuate. In times of slow business, getting those crucial leads flowing grows in importance. No leads can often mean no business. But generating those all important leads is no easy thing. That’s why dealers need specialists who know the business of generating leads inside out. The Auto Network clinched the top space by providing high quality leads with innovative ways of capturing customers thanks to a suite of market-leading websites. Motors.co.uk and Contract Hire & Leasing were awarded highly commended. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 79

SURVEY. Dealer Management System Provider of the Year

Product Innovation of the Year

Winner: ADP Highly commended: Dealer Web Highly commended: Gemini

Winner: CAP - Blackbook Live Phil Nothard and Chris Wright accept their award from TV’s Mike Brewer

ADP wasn’t at our awards – but they got their trophy anyway

THERE are many pieces of technology that have made dealers’ lives simpler, but few have revolutionalised the way dealers do business like DMS systems. Whether it’s making sure various parts of a dealership are working at their ideal level or keeping track of leads and customer contact, a DMS has become a mandatory part of a successful motor trade business. ADP can take home not only their award but also comments from dealer principals such as ‘their products integrate seamlessly into our business methods’ and ‘their systems are straightforward to work with.’ Taking the highly commended spots were Dealer Web and Gemini, with dealers saying these services really appealed.

WE asked our readers to name the one company, product or service they thought had not only impressed them but had truly blown the competition away in 2013. There was a wide range of entries covering virtually every part of the market, and dealers told us a number of companies could have won. But the name that kept cropping up in this year’s survey was CAP and its Blackbook Live service. Survey respondents said this product has genuinely shaken up the valuations market, adding that with accurate valuations on around 50,000 makes, models and derivatives at any one time the product is making their lives easier.

Supplier Newcomer of the Year

Extra Mile Award

Winner: Tradeouts

Winner: AutosOnShow David Brown from Tradeouts with Mike Brewer

FOR this category we were looking for a company that has made an outstanding impression in the industry. We left this award completely open-ended leaving the choice of the victor to our survey respondents. Our readers told us Tradeouts has changed the way they remarket and source stock thanks to its trade-only service, nifty auctions feature and intuitive mobile system. They may have only been around for a short time but Tradeouts has leagues of happy dealers who are spreading the word of their great experiences. Dealers also told us they are looking forward to seeing what will come next from this company. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

AutosOnShow couldn’t collect their award on the night, but we made sure they received it

WHEN we introduced this category in last year’s Car Dealer Power, we had no idea how popular it would be. And this year hasn’t disappointed us either. This was a very closely fought category with virtually every company, product or service mentioned deserving the win. But there can only be one winner and survey respondents said they have watched AutosOnShow grow from nothing to being one of the class-leaders. Our readers also praised this firm’s unstinting journey in creating new and innovative products, led by a passionate management team. It’s a testament to their service that they are also winning new dealer partners.

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Manufacturer Initiative of the Year Winner: Ford – EcoBoost WHEN it comes to making motoring greener and more environmentally friendly, every big player in the car business is fighting to earn the customer’s cash. The race to produce the cleanest, most fuel efficient engines that saves the customer money is the goal of every car manufacturer in this present time. But there has been a clear market-leader in this area. Ford has produced an engine range that has found universal praise. Whether it’s for the engines’ fuel-sipping habits and low CO2 emissions, or in them delivering the power and refinement of much larger petrol engines, Ford’s EcoBoost range of petrol engines is steadily building up a strong following and fanbase. Dealers have told us the cars fitted with these innovative powerplants – whether it’s a family hatchback such as the Focus or the B-Max with its nifty doors – are proving to be all the rage in their showrooms, winning them new customers all of the time. Dealers can probably expect this popularity to grow, with forthcoming Fords all confirmed to have these gamechanging petrol engines in them. And if our long term test car is anything to go by, drivers are likely to hang onto the keys because they love the engine so much too!

Ford’s Carl Harris collects the company’s award from Mike Brewer

Manfacturer Marketing Initiative of the Year Winner: Renault Clio – Va Va Voom MARKETING a car has never been an easy task, but in these days of viral videos, clever TV adverts and product placement, it seems manufacturers have got their work cut out to make their cars appealing to customers. Renault has experienced its fair share of rough waters in the past couple of years with dated, loss-making products and a messy model range. That’s not forgetting a mass of dealers being told to look elsewhere for franchises as their relationship with the French car maker came to an end. But the company is bouncing back, first with a range of electric cars and secondly by injecting some passion and flair into its core products. Dealers are also understanding the firm’s new strategy in selling cars and are starting to feel supported by the manufacturer once again. Renault’s latest marketing activity happily brings back a catchphrase that, at the peak of its fame, tripped off consumers’ tongues. Their latest viral video centres around the notion of fun and typical French je ne sais quoi. It aims to reflect this new injection of style and substance which the firm is now embracing – and it seems to be working. The humourous videos have pulled in four million views on YouTube.

Scan the QR code to watch the va-va-video

Mike Brewer hands over the award to Renault UK’s Matthew Lamprell CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

SURVEY.

Car of the Year Winner: Range Rover

Jaguar Land Rover UK sales director, Chris Newitt, accepts the award from Mike Brewer and GEN-3’s Robert Collins

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OUR Car of the Year category aims to find the car that has brought the biggest change to the UK market over the past 12 months. To make a nomination, we asked readers to put their franchise and personal prejudices to one side in naming the victor. Land Rover takes home the Car Dealer Power Car of the Year award for the brand new Range Rover. It’s one of the most prestigious categories

of the awards programme, and only the most worthy cars win. Dealers named a raft of very worthy models, but this year’s winner won by a clear mile, with dealers telling us ‘it cannot fail to impress’ and ‘it’s a gargantuan step on from the old model – and even that car was best in class’. One dealer even said: ‘It has rewritten the luxury 4x4 rulebook’. We can’t help but agree with our readers.

There are few cars that really move the game on in this particular class but the all-new Range Rover has done just that. With a startling range of personalisation options and an image to die for, the Range Rover highly deserves this award. It’s hardly surprising the British factory cannot build them quickly enough to satisfy global demand. Our congratulations go to Land Rover. [CD]

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THAT’S Car Dealer Power over for another year. But don’t worry – the awards which celebrate YOU are in full swing. Nominations are open for the Car Dealer Used Car Awards, so get voting to be in the chance of winning a fantastic trophy. Go to bit.ly/UsedNoms13 or scan the QR code to find out more information.

Nominate by going to bit.ly/ UsedNoms13 or scan this:

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

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Lead generation

Follow the prestige leader DSG

W: dsgfs.com T: 0844 880 0660

onitoring stock and generating sales leads has never been so important, especially with the recent decline in used car sales. That’s why it’s essential for all dealers to invest in online search facilities. And this is how DSG Financial Services can help For more than two decades the company has provided point-of-sale finance for the motor dealer industry, by working closely with its customers to help them sell more cars for the best possible value. To do this, DSG provides dealers with the necessary online tools to generate more leads. DSG is divided into two separate divisions – the Prestige division, which handles prestige car marques, and the Scotland office, which focuses on supporting franchise dealers. The Scotland office opened in 2009 and the Prestige division, based in Ilkley, joined the DSG brand in December 2012. DSG Prestige specialises in looking after the dealer market for the prestige specialist marques including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley and Jaguar Land Rover. Meanwhile, the Scotlandbased company takes a local independent approach and specialises in developing dealer relationships in the Scottish market. ‘I am very proud to be heading up the business as managing director at DSG Financial Services,’ managing director at DGS Scotland, David Quate explained. ‘We believe a locallybased independent approach is the only credible way to develop dealer relationships in Scotland.’ To further improve customer service and help push deals higher for all dealers, whether independent or franchised, DSG has recently launched a new online QST (Quote Screen Transact) calculator, which allows customers to view the latest deals on one page. ‘We launched our new state-of-the-art online website, QST, which actually helps a dealer decide on the best finance option for

the customer by presenting all available facilities together, allowing quick and detailed comparisons of all the quotations combined,’ explained Quate. DSG Financial Services strives to constantly be at the forefront of technology, and the ethos of the DSG business is transparency. To further expand its online presence and provide dealers with more online tools to achieve lead generation, the company will be relaunching this QST service. ‘The second launch of QST will be released to our key dealers. Initially, with customer approval, this will allow a pre-screening option where dealers can preview a customer’s application in order to not just determine a non-prime

‘‘

QST is without a question, miles ahead of the nearest competitor

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

product solution, but to also uniquely allow the user to change the parameters.’ Quate tells us. ‘There will also be a stock feeder, so dealers can automatically have their stock ranked by QST to find the most suitable vehicles for a customer’s profile, requirement and budget.’ DSG Finance Services provides dealer partners with a competitive edge over their rivals, allowing them to easily search and view products using the online QST service with their specific preferences. DSG will liase closely with its customers to ensure the best potential deal is made at the best value. ‘QST is without a question, miles ahead of the nearest competitor and offers our dealer partners

COMPANY PROFILE

a real competitive edge,’ explained of the Prestige division Tim Marlow Quate. ‘This is why we relish the tells us. ‘Dealers now have the ability chance to sit down with the F&I to structure their own quotes and enter decision makers to highlight where what commission they want. The we can make a difference and be an system will enhance dealer volume asset to their business. ‘ and enable all of them to sell The DSG Prestige division uses more cars.’ the same online QST feature and has Although DSG agrees the future is Tim Marlow been a beneficial tool for its specialist online, and the business will continue independent dealers, helping them to generate to grow, the broker is confident it won’t lose its leads and ultimately, buy and sell more prestige personal touch with its customers. However, the vehicles for the best possible value. introduction of the online facility has given ‘Many brokers have a calculator, but DSG is the dealers another lead-generating tool to further first to go live online. I believe this is the most increase business. sophisticated calculator available, allowing ‘The online calculator will be an integral part of a our customers to search on the best dealers’ business, but we do not want to lose touch options available to them with the personal services we offer our dealers.’ one page.’ Director Marlow explained. ‘The new online calculator QST should increase our volumes and the online service is adding to the tools for dealers to use.’

DSG Financial Services Ltd has been providing point of sale finance for the motor dealer industry for 24 years. Up until 1998, DSG was part of a large motor dealer group, which positions it uniquely to understand the needs of dealers and how to provide them with the best possible service. The DSG business is built on strong financial foundations and invests heavily in infrastructure to ensure it stays at the forefront of product development and technological delivery, while working in close relationship with its customers. The support team is now able to deliver the best decisions within 60 minutes of a request.

In comparison to rival companies, DSG Prestige makes a small number of monthly sales. This is due to its market sector and value providing a close and personal service with the majority of its customers, so the company doesn’t strive to produce a high volume of sales. ‘We do work with some franchised dealers, but our main focus is specialist customers in the prestige market.’ says Marlow. ‘Unlike other companies, DSG Prestige only makes 60 deals per month, which are mostly passed to us via vehicle dealers. The monthly average for another company would probably be between 300-600, but at DSG we strive for quality over quantity. ‘Due to the niche products we deal in, we have experienced a larger element of success in independent dealers, but the franchised side is growing as they realise where we can assist in making sales.’ The group has access to more than 12 different lenders, and as part of the Prestige division its profile of clients are typically Alphera, Close Asset and Hitachi Capital Business Finance. ‘Our route to market consists of working with a number of franchise dealers and a vast amount of independent dealers, where we act as their specialist funding partners to give them access to a variety of different lenders,’ Marlow explained. ‘Customers buying expensive cars need a little more information and background about the proposals and how to go about financing them, and that’s where we come into the mix.’ With used car sales at a low point and dealers struggling to get customers into their dealerships, investing in support from financial services like DSG is one of the easiest and most efficient options for dealers to start generating those allimportant leads. By Sophie Williamson-Stothert

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 85

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A great lead is a golden gateway to more deals AUTOTRADE-MAIL

W: autotrade-mail.com T: 01243 523 000

here’s no doubting how important generating leads is for all types of dealers whether they are independent or franchised. But catching those leads isn’t always the easiest thing to do. However, taking the online route can be the ideal solution – and this is how Autotrade-mail can help. The company, established in 1999, is part of the Trader Media Group and is an expert in helping dealers buy and sell cars quickly and efficiently. Autotrade-mail has leagues of happy dealers across the country and its latest service promises to win new fans. Due to a decrease in new car registrations occurring three to five years ago, good quality used car stock has become increasingly difficult to source. Therefore at the beginning of this year, Autotrademail added an additional feature called Multisource. This feature ultimately partners with some of the largest stock providers to increase the number of vehicles they have on offer. Last year it was responsible for offering approximately 250,000 vehicles and this year, alongside its new partners, it expects that figure to exceed 300,000, taking them to second place within the industry. This does not include the reach it has within Auto Trader with its (£10 per month) AT search facility. ‘I was recommended to take advantage of Autotrade-mail’s two-week free trial by my Auto Trader representative, and it was the best thing I ever did,’ Colden Common Car Sales’ Matt Watts explained. ‘I bought eight cars in the in just the first week through the AT Search facility that Autotrade-mail offers and I find the system really easy to use - I don’t know how I managed without it!’ Autotrademail’s operations director, Kevin Watson, told us: ‘Among our professional bank of motor dealers we have some very proactive lead generators who work

‘‘

‘Now, more than ever is the best time to go with Autotrade-mail.

these opportunities extremely well. They sell one car and then look after the family and friends of that customer. ‘It works especially well for them because they can source a diverse section of quality stock from us, often within minutes. ‘Within any circle of family and friends there are extreme variations of needs and wants, from estate cars to convertibles to vans to campers, and with online providers such as us, you now have the reach that just did not exist a decade ago’. Motor dealer members recognise that a typical showroom conversion from inquiry to sale is 25 per cent. They are also aware that the other 75 per cent of prospects that present themselves either online, by phone or in person are not just killing time. In this day and age, proactive professional members

need to work these leads, as each one would have more than likely cost more than £150 to present itself and should therefore not be wasted. ‘At any one point, Autotrade-mail dealers also have over 1,000 specific “wanted” live adverts on their system,’ Watson explained. ‘These are quite often on behalf of someone who has already bought from that deader and is then looking for a car for their son, daughter or wife.’ Autotrade-mail believes that to further generate leads, dealers must view the first car they sell to a customer as the gateway to many more introductions, as long as they can source the stock. ‘Now, more than ever, is the best time to go with Autotrade-mail and take advantage of our free 14-day trial.’ By Sophie Williamson-Stothert CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

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focus on.

Lead generation

Go with the dealers’ choice for your lucrative leads THE AUTO NETWORK

f you’re not finding top gear with your automotive marketing, then The Auto Network is what you are looking for. The company is Britain’s number one specialist automotive marketing agency. Founded in 2002, the firm is centred on lead generation and lead management. The Auto Network’s lead generation and lead management work involves in-market buyers, who are researching their next car, finding one of the company’s network of sites, which includes, among others, AskaPrice.com, Auto Trader (the new car section), AOL Cars and MotorTorque. It deliver thousands of sales, test drives and brochure request leads each month to manufacturers, dealers and the leasing industry, in order to help car buyers fine-tune their search list. Potential new car buyers can then leave their details with one of the sites in order to find the best prices of new cars, have a brochure sent to them or ask for a test drive to be arranged at a local dealership. The Auto Network will put the in-market car buyers in touch with some of the largest automotive manufacturers in the UK, including BMW, Mini, Vauxhall, Honda, Jaguar and Ford. This year the company was voted by dealers as the best in Consumer Lead Generation in the Car

W: theautonetwork.co.uk T: 0844 445 7865 Dealer Power Awards 2013. ‘To be recognised by our customer base as the best new car lead generation provider in the UK is the biggest accolade that we could ever ask for,’ Anton Hanley, The Auto Network’s managing director, told us. ‘The Auto Network’s intention is to supply the highest quality, manually-qualified sales leads in the industry. We go to great lengths in order to ensure that our data converts at the highest rates possible.’ Most recently, The Auto Network was shortlisted for ‘Best Lead Generation Campaign’ at the 2013 Performance Marketing awards for its work with Starcom MediaVest Group on Honda’s

‘bring your Honda home’ campaign. ‘We have been connecting manufacturers with car buyers for the past decade, added Hanley. ‘Our aim is to further improve what we do so that we can provide even better services to UK dealers.’ [CD]

‘‘

To be recognised by our customer base as the best new car lead generation provider in the UK is the biggest accolade that we could ever ask for.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

DATA FILE.

Thestatistics n

SMMT Sales Data

Taking Stock

One million cars sold as market hits half-year mark SMMT: Consumers have purchased over a million cars since January 2013 NEW car registrations passed the one million mark in June, growing 10 per cent in the first half of 2013 to 1,163,623 units, according to the SMMT. Figures reveal that the UK new car market saw the 16th successive monthly rise in June, growing by 13.4 per cent to 214,957 units. Meanwhile, private, fleet and business sectors grew from January to June. Private demand grew the most, showing a 17.1 per cent increase after a 34.4 per cent rise in quarter one and another 21.3 per cent increase in June. Motorists switching to more fuelefficient cars have also helped reduce average new car CO2 emissions to 129.1g/km in the first half of 2013, down 3.7 per cent on last year. SMMT interim chief executive, Mike Baunton said: ‘Boosted by consistently

strong private demand and further growth in June, half-year new car registrations have topped the one million mark. ‘June secured the 16th month of consecutive growth, a clear indicator that manufacturers and dealers are delivering desirable new products with tangible cost savings from the latest fuel-efficient technology coupled to a wide variety of competitive finance offers.’ He added: ‘While there are still

potential challenges ahead, recent robust growth suggests that the market is on course to perform well ahead of 2012 levels.’ Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), added: ‘It is extremely encouraging that new car sales continued to improve in June with dealers reporting increased footfall in showrooms. ‘Consumers continue to be drawn into the showroom by new products and services offered by dealers and manufacturers. ‘We also anticipate some pent up demand from consumers who have delayed buying a new car due to economic conditions. However that purchase can no longer wait as their current car ages causing extra expense due to repair and maintenance costs.’

Fiesta forges ahead as nation’s favourite new car JUNE’S SMMT figures show Ford is still topping the SMMT bestseller charts, with the Fiesta sitting comfortably at the top of the list with 11,332 units registered to its name in June and 63,040 year-to-date. Its bigger brother, the Focus, meanwhile sits closely behind with 9,129 units in June and 47,675 yearto-date. Not far behind in third, Vauxhall’s Corsa sold 8,868 units in June, and 46,147 year-to date. Fourth goes to ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Vauxhall’s Astra; the firm shifted 7,074 units in June and 33,731 year-to-date. The Volkswagen Golf managed 5,875 units in June with the BMW 3 Series right on its tail with 5,432. However, the 3 Series only managed 21,588 units year-to-date. VW’s Polo managed to secure seventh with 4.703 units in June ahead of the BMW 1 Series which managed to shift 4,678 units last month. Looking lower down the list, Nissan’s Qashqai managed 4,507 units

in June, and 27,112 units year-to-date. Meanwhile, the Peugeot 208 achieved 6,649 units in June – but with 20,815 units to its name in yearto-date, the result puts the small Pug ahead of the BMW1 Series. Diesel vehicles saw a saw a 7.1 per cent decrease in market share in June, down from 51.6 per cent in 2012, to 48.7 per cent in 2013. Meanwhile, petrol saw a 20.0 per cent increase up to 49.9 per cent in June from 47.1 per cent in the same month last year.

SMMT sales data June/year to date

Top

Most improved manufacturers in June Lotus

+466.67%

Maserati +66.67% Aston

+61.67%

Suzuki

+38.47%

Renault +34.27%

Bottom

Worst performing manufacturers in June Proton -100.00% Infiniti

-57.14%

Perodua -58.33% Chrysler -32.26% Alfa Romeo -29.14%

LOTUS +466.67%

PROTON -100% Figures supplied by SMMT

June 2013 June 2012 February Marque

Abarth Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Dacia Fiat Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Kia Land Rover Lexus Lotus Maserati Mazda Mercedes-Benz MG Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Perodua Peugeot Porsche Proton Renault Saab Seat Skoda Smart SsangYong Subaru Suzuki Toyota Vauxhall Volkswagen Volvo Other British Other Imports Total

2013

123 445 97 12,417 116 14,290 1,299 231 6,886 1,829 5,710 31,197 5,461 7,147 12 1,341 203 6,742 4,046 738 17 35 2,478 9,613 22 5,956 416 10,602 15 9,887 669 0 4,161 0 4,428 6,361 502 36 175 3,039 8,472 24,870 19,591 3,127 57 98 214,957

% market share

0.06 0.21 0.05 5.78 0.05 6.65 0.60 0.11 3.20 0.85 2.66 14.51 2.54 3.32 0.01 0.62 0.09 3.14 1.88 0.34 0.01 0.02 1.15 4.47 0.01 2.77 0.19 4.93 0.01 4.60 0.31 0.00 1.94 0.00 2.06 2.96 0.23 0.02 0.08 1.41

3.94 11.57 9.11 1.45 0.03 0.05

2012

Year to date (YTD)

% market share

2013 % Change

103 628 60 10,936 105 14,302 1,189 341 6,381 0 4,678 23,654 5,726 7,362 28 1,156 214 5,971 3,772 813 3 21 2,077 8,211 19 7,151 457 10,818 34 8,708 771 17 3,099 33 3,431 5,463 507 44 145 2,200 7,098 21,334 17,121 3,146 117 70 189,514

0.05 0.33 0.03 5.77 0.06 7.55 0.63 0.18 3.37 0.00 2.47 12.48 3.02 3.88 0.01 0.61 0.11 3.15 1.99 0.43 0.00 0.01 1.10 4.33 0.01 3.77 0.24 5.71 0.02 4.59 0.41 0.01 1.64 0.02 1.81 2.88 0.27 0.02 0.08 1.16

3.75 11.26 9.03 1.66 0.06 0.04

19.42 -29.14 61.67 13.54 10.48 -0.08 9.25 -32.26 7.91 0.00 22.06 31.89 -4.63 -2.92 -57.14 16.00 -5.14 12.91 7.26 -9.23 466.67 66.67 19.31 17.07 15.79 -16.71 -8.97 -2.00 -55.88 13.54 -13.23 -100.00 34.27 -100.00 29.06 16.44 -0.99 -18.18 20.69 38.14 19.36 16.57 14.43 -0.60 -51.28 40.00 13.43

711 2,787 530 73,767 596 65,214 6,764 1,379 42,784 6,994 29,423 163,396 30,226 39,135 238 8,658 958 37,178 30,120 4,114 97 174 15,642 54,637 129 25,320 5,034 61,661 152 56,253 3,901 15 20,035 3 22,752 32,384 2,921 291 1,100 17,120 47,358 132,640 101,317 16,780 422 513 1,163,623

%market share

0.06 0.24 0.05 6.34 0.05 5.60 0.58 0.12 3.68 0.60 2.53 14.04 2.60 3.36 0.02 0.74 0.08 3.20 2.59 0.35 0.01 0.01 1.34 4.70 0.01 2.18 0.43 5.30 0.01 4.83 0.34 0.00 1.72 0.00 1.96 2.78 0.25 0.03 0.09 1.47

4.07 11.40 8.71 1.44 0.04 0.04

2012

%market share % Change

607 4,158 482 66,005 663 64,514 8,811 1,606 37,330 0 25,485 150,378 27,511 35,168 296 7,107 1,181 33,478 26,075 4,751 82 171 15,034 47,790 530 24,614 3,549 53,977 245 52,482 3,939 155 19,575 176 19,186 28,076 2,682 420 1,234 12,768 45,299 115,932 95,805 17,297 545 511 1,057,680

0.06 0.39 0.05 6.24 0.06 6.10 0.83 0.15 3.53 0.00 2.41 14.22 2.60 3.33 0.03 0.67 0.11 3.17 2.47 0.45 0.01 0.02 1.42 4.52 0.05 2.33 0.34 5.10 0.02 4.96 0.37 0.01 1.85 0.02 1.81 2.65 0.25 0.04 0.12 1.21

4.28 10.96 9.06 1.64 0.05 0.05

17.13 -32.97 9.96 11.76 -10.11 1.09 -23.23 -14.13 14.61 0.00 15.45 8.66 9.87 11.28 -19.59 21.82 -18.88 11.05 15.51 -13.41 18.29 1.75 4.04 14.33 -75.66 2.87 41.84 14.24 -37.96 7.19 -0.96 -90.32 2.35 -98.30 18.59 15.34 8.91 -30.71 -10.86 34.09 4.55 14.41 5.75 -2.99 -22.57 0.39 10.02

SMMT HAS REMOVED DAIHATSU AS IT registered no new vehicles in 2012. A new entry for 2013 is dacia CarDealerMag.co.uk | 91

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Feature.

£50 Sore Baggott bags cash; car CONTEST

MIKE’S story

Brewer splashes out

James finally gets rid of his rusting piece of 1980s automobilia and pockets his dough, while Mike picks up an MX-5 for the summer

current tally

£450

ike a lot of you guys and girls who read this cracking publication, I don’t have much time on my hands – and when there’s a sniff of a good deal I pounce on it even if I haven’t really got the time to. That pretty much sums up my month on the £50 car contest. Keyed up from the sale of that maroon MG to that hot hatch-loving young kid, I needed to find a decent set of wheels that had a faultless chance of selling. Why? Due to lots of filing of Wheeler Dealers and the international Trading Up version of the hit show, I’ll hardly be in the UK for the rest of this year. Apart from being heavily involved in Car Dealer’s Used Car Awards, I’m out and about so much I haven’t got the time to trawl around looking for a tasty set of wheels to kick Baggott’s a**e with. So when I heard of an MX-5 up for grabs off a mate of mine, I told him I’d have it. It’s summer after all – every fool wants an MX-5 for ‘wind in the air’ driving, don’t they? Course, I have no idea what I’ve agreed to buy. My mate has told me it’s probably red – well, that’s what I’ve told editor Batch. To stop him from shouting down the dog and bone at me, asking me what the bleeding’ hell was he going to illustrate this piece with, I told

him to stick a scarlet library pic here. I think it’s a late-plate MX-5 so it’s in desirable UK-trim and is a ‘nice little runner’. Now, I know a’nice little runner’ is normally the praise used by con men to punt out a car with a missing wheel, but I trust my mate. He says it needs no welding either, needs a ticket and just a bit of tidying up ‘here and there’. Sounds good doesn’t it? You know what I’m going to say next though, don’t you? Yes - that’s right, I haven’t seen the car in the metal. I know

I’ve gone against every lesson in my rule book (available in all good bookshops) of buying a used motor, but I trust my instincts here. And how much have I taken out of my wallet for this slice of the summer? £750 to me. If the car is in order and is how described, this could make a tidy sum before we finish this contest – and finally shut that Baggott up once and for all. Why am I so confident in this MX-5 being a good ‘un? I know where my mate lives if it isn’t... [CD]

JAMES’S story LAST month you may remember our Metro that’s heavier than the moon destroyed our operation director’s ramps. This month it’s managed to destroy most of my lead over that bloke off the telly. Great. After Andy’s mechanic mate PJ had declared our doom blue rust machine a total waste of space we were left with a few options. The first, push it into a canal. Secondly, park it in an Asda car park and forget it even existed. Or thirdly, hope some spotty teenager took a shine to it in PJ’s car current park and wanted it as a project. tally Fortunately the spotted teen was high could never get the hateful thing through on Clearasil or glue (probably) and had an emissions test was because the head decided the Austin – which was sporting gasket wasn’t well. Knowing this, when acne more rust patches than a dilapidated pier – was man arrived with 20 crisp tenners in his hand, I a sound investment as a ‘project’. instructed to PJ to accept the offer. By project I can only assume he was writing an So this leaves me with the princely sum of £1,525 essay on the lack of corrosion prevention fluids in my back pocket – and it just so happens I’ve around in the early 80s in car manufacturing plants found just the car to splash out on… and with only a and wanted a real world example to illustrate four weeks left to go before we declare the winner his piece. I’m hoping I’ll be able to make up for Metro-gate. PJ had also discovered that the reason we

£1,525

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 93

TAKING STOCK. Once again, Motors.co.uk and BCA give their thoughts on what dealers should be paying attention to in the months ahead. Here’s what they have to say

Report reveals Average car gadgets drivers values remain consistent really want comments Dermot Kelleher, Motors. co.uk’s head of business intelligence

ntegrated satnavs, mobile access to cloudbased services and voice-activated social media are all technically possible in new cars, but is this what drivers want? New research, conducted by Motors.co.uk with more than 1,000 car buyers, has highlighted some interesting attitudes among motorists. It’s not a huge surprise that nearly 70 per cent of people expect to see in-built satnav in their next car — it looks like the writing may be on the wall for portable satnavs according to the results of our recent survey. More than 67 per cent of those people questioned currently use an aftermarket satnav system, but when asked if they would prefer to continue to use this standalone method of navigation after buying their next car, only 22 per cent said they would. Where music is concerned, the Motors.co.uk data suggest that the move to digital in-car technology will be eagerly adopted by drivers. Our stats show that while people can see themselves ditching relatively cumbersome CDs in favour of newer, ‘virtual’ devices for their next car, there is also a big appetite for digital radio. More than 70 per cent of respondents said they expected

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to see DAB as standard in their next car. Interestingly, the research also highlighted the attraction of cloud computing and its use for music storage. Although still in its infancy, a third of drivers would like to stream their own music while driving. To this extent, Ford and Volvo’s deals with Spotify put them ahead of the curve. While navigation and music are still important in-car features for drivers, the prospect of linking into social media while driving is something of a turn-off. Most people (52 per cent) clearly said that they did not wish to use Twitter while driving, with 63 per cent of drivers rejecting the idea of updating Facebook via voice recognition while on the road. In conclusion, our market data confirm that drivers want practical, reliable and appropriate technology in their vehicles. But dealers need to be careful when over-selling the gadgets — otherwise customers will think it’s just another gimmick!

says Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK network operations director

he headline average monthly used car value in June declined by just 0.6 per cent, with fleet and lease values rising and dealer-part exchange values falling slightly according to BCA’s Pulse report. Year-on-year values remained well ahead, up by 17.3 per cent. BCA reports that demand from professional buyers remains strong for the best retail-ready examples in the used car market, alongside continued interest at the budget end. Across the board used cars averaged £7,000 last month, down £45 compared to May and ahead of June 2012 by £1,036 (17.3 per cent). Average values have remained at or above £7,000 for five out of six months this year, a significant step up from 2012 which saw an average value nearer £6,000. Fleet and lease values improved to the highest average monthly figure on record, while dealer part-exchange values fell marginally from last month’s record but still showed a substantial year-on-year uplift of

28.3 per cent. Nearly new values fell, largely as a result of a change in model mix. Average monthly values have been remarkably consistent this year, suggesting supply and demand are balanced. Trade buyers are showing less interest in cars requiring significant work to bring them up to showroom condition unless they are priced very competitively. In contrast, vehicles offered in ready-to-retail condition are sought after, with values outstripping guide expectations. The budget end of the market remains strong, particularly in the £2,000 to £3,000 sector, and older, well-presented cars at sensible mileages outperform guide values. Motorists may be on tight budgets but they still expect reliable, yet cost-effective transport, which, ironically, is helping to push the prices of these ‘cheaper’ cars up. Average mileage and age continues to fall. In June, the average car at BCA had covered 55,000 miles, around 4,500 fewer than the same month in 2012. The average car was also three months younger, year-on-year. [CD]

Buyers’ guide

Audi A3

..in association with

(8P) ’03-’13

Warrantywise helps you choose the best stock for your forecourt. This month the Audi A3 is the model in the spotlight

What is it? Audi’s second-generation A3 arrived in May 2003 sporting just three doors and a wide range of engines and trims. Within three months, the range received the much-liked 1.6 FSI engine and in July 2004, a 2.0 TFSI petrol and the five-door Sportback were introduced. The A3 Sportback is 80 mm longer than the base three-door body, and includes improved rear cabin space and a larger luggage compartment (370 litres). Even though it’s based on a Volkswagen Golf platform, buyers will happily pay a premium for the car’s classy cabin, combined with some great engineering. Throw in decent practicality, and the A3 makes lots of sense – but high list prices and strong residuals mean good ones don’t come cheap.

What CAN GO WRONG? These cars are generally well built. However, they suffer from the same issues as many of the Volkswagens of the same era as they share many parts. Electrical failures are the most common problem, with coil packs being prone to failure (like many cars of this age). Failure of the ABS module is also well documented,

which can be a pricey repair. Check that all the warning lights work and that some unscrupulous owner hasn’t removed any bulbs. Watch out for coolant warnings. Some cars had dodgy coolant sensors and this can lead to engine damage. Although famed for its 1.9 TDI, the 2.0 TDI was an entirely new engine rather than a development, and porous heads on these are not unheard of. Although most people assume the 2.0 TDI is the engine of choice due to its improved power, the 1.9 TDI is by far the more robust engine and will wear the miles far better. Fuel pump problems, especially on diesels, where pump cover bolts can shear off resulting in diesel leaks and ultimately failure. Cam belts should be changed every five years or 75k.

What’s the perfect A3? The ideal spec A3 should not be in a bright colour. Lurid-coloured A3s do not sell well. While every A3 seems to be painted in black, it’s in this colour the A3 sells well. When it comes to specification, S Line is traditionally the best seller when fitted with the gutsy 2.0-litre TDI engine with 140bhp registered from 2007-onwards. [CD]

Warrantywise’s top Audi A3 facts 26 per cent of all A3 warranties in the last 18 months have claims logged against them Pricing: Trade warranty price: £180 (six months)

Top claims: n Engine £3,084 n Turbo £1,909 n Emissions/throttle body £1,303 n Gearbox £1,000 Top problem: n Turbo

KNOWN PROBLEMS

There are a number of known problems with the A3, but the most common is the turbo. This costs £1,909 to replace

THE RIGHT BUY

A post-2007 car in desirable sporty S Line, fitted with the 140bhp 2.0-litre diesel and in sexy black

Cover your customers from unexpected repair bills & maximise

your proﬁts.

0800 001 4550

www.warrantywise.co.uk CarDealerMag.co.uk | 95

data file.

JUNESEARCHES

Percentage of total number of searches on TheVanWebsite.co.uk for the month Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

5.02%

Ford helps British Gas make a big splash Blue Oval gives company new van to help raise money for hospital

Ford Transit

5.65% Volkswagen Crafter

2.80%

Mercedes-Benz Vito

4.23% Volkswagen Transporter

4.64%

Citroen Berlingo

2.43% Vauxhall Vivaro

3.99% Ford Transit Connect

2.88% Mitsubishi L200

3.76% Fiat Ducato

3.46%

ne of the UK’s leading vehicle bodybuilders, Bevan Group has purchased 20 Nissan NV400 vans for its national network of mobile technicians. The fleet of 3.5 tonne GVW front-wheel-drive NV400s in SE trim, which also generate 125bhp, will be used as mobile workshops to maintain and repair all different makes and models of truck and van bodies including, ancillary equipment such as tail lifts, cranes and roller shutter doors. These vans have been supplied on a three-year 105,000 mile contract and will be a crucial tool to Bevan’s technicians, as they travel the length and breadth of the country to carry out a variety of projects. The NV400s were Bevan’s ultimate choice, and chosen ahead of vehicles from three other leading manufacturers, as the

drivers said they were impressed by the van’s performance, low loading height and payload capacity. All vans come with a number of features, including factory-fitted satellite navigation systems and the supplying dealer, West Way Nissan has fitted ply-lining kits, deadlocks, alarms, immobilisers and roof-mounted beacons. Bevan’s aftercare manager, Simon Dryburgh explained. ‘The vans are critical for us to help keep our clients’ vehicles on the road.’ Dryburgh added: ‘Our team of technicians were impressed with all aspects of the NV400.’

SMMT: Van sales in June rocket VAN sales increased at a considerable rate in June, latest figures show from the SMMT show. The total number of commercial vehicle registrations grew 7.6 per cent at the year’s halfway point with volumes rising by 4.5 per cent in June. Van registrations between January and June were 11.2 per

cent ahead of 2012, boosted by a 3.4 per cent rise in the month. SMMT commercial development director, Nigel Base, said: ‘The overall CV market rose 7.6 per cent in the first half of 2013. Looking ahead to the rest of 2013, we expect the van market to remain stable with a return to a more normal replacement cycle sustaining the market.’

your sales...

With the #1 website dedicated to vans ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

..in association with

DEALFINDER.

Latest deals on COMMERCIALS

The Ranger isn’t a bad looking van either, with chromed interior coupled with a moulded dashboard with polished wood inserts. Outside the Ranger comes equipped with aluminium roof rails, a body coloured rear boot spoiler, and electric preselect glass sunroof and longitudinal roof bars. So, it’s practical and smart too. Type bit.ly/RangeAugDeal into a web browser for more details.

NISSAN NV200 THERE is currently an unbeatable offer on Nissan’s NV200, priced at just £8,995 and available from only £149.99 per month. The finance lease is based on a £800+VAT deposit, followed by 48 monthly payments of £149.99+VAT. There is no mileage restriction included, so small business owners won’t need to worry about restricting their work locations. The package also includes free delivery of the

vehicle and a three-year warranty. The 1.5 DCi 89 SE model comes equipped with a number of features including, a rear view camera, electric windows, electric mirrors, Bluetoooth and radio/CD player with mp3 compatibility. It’s a great van for the small to mid-sized business after a modern load-lugger. Type bit.ly/NVAugDeal into a web browser for more details.

ford transit cUSTOM FORD has plenty to offer this month, as the all-new Ford Transit Custom 250 is priced at a very competitive price of £13,770. The diesel SWB 2.2-litre TDCi 100bhp is a low roof van with a length of 4,972mm and width of 1,986mm, meaning it’s a top competitor for vans offering the most space and practicality. It’s not the most equipped van on offer, but it does come with a few luxuries

COOL CONVERSIONS

Cleanliness saves cash

FORD RANGER FORD’S Ranger Wildtrak Pick-Up is priced at an attractive £26,795. The double cab 3.2-litre TDCi 4WD is known for its durability and ability to provide owners with heaps of space in the load department. Its automatic transmission means every trip is relaxed and easy to manage, especially for businesses which work long or unsociable hours.

Lawton

including, a sliding sunroof blind and coloured autolux leather upholstery with a luggage securing system in the boot. It’s quite a looker too – with styling that different from its rivals. Adding to its personality, the Custom also comes with a sporty touch, including leather front sport seats and special wheel trims. Type bit.ly/FordAugDeal into a web browser for more details.

flicked through Nissan’s really useful Van Report this week. If you haven’t downloaded it I’d recommend it. Commissioned by the Japanese manufacturer, it involved collating around 250 responses from van drivers and van fleet operators in December 2012 and January of this year – with some surprising and not-so-surprising results. Perhaps most striking is the need for operating clean vans, as 92 per cent of drivers said they felt better about their job when driving a clean van. And 72 per cent thought that the cleaner the van the better the driving. This has a startling consequence; operating a clean van fleet will lead to a reduced accident rate, reduced repair costs and lower insurance premiums. Another nugget which may be surprising is that 48 per cent of drivers don’t clock 100 miles in a day. This means many LCVs are being used on a local and regional level and not national. On the unsurprising stuff that came out of the 2013 report (and it’s always useful to have your preconceptions confirmed), as far as fleet managers are concerned its cost that is the primary motive for selecting a particular model — be it whole-life or up-front. Managers also placed weight on vans with strong residuals and getting a good contract hire deal. Again when the focus is on controlling costs these are not surprising. Similarly when it comes to the drivers, the most essential feature of any van is the ability to listen to the radio or play MP3s/CDs. When you’re spending much of your working day behind the wheel this isn’t startling! When it comes to the radio: Chris Evans is more popular than Nick Grimshaw, with Radio 2 being the most popular station. It is also a male dominated industry with only five per cent of drivers being female.

‘Drivers say that the cleaner the van the better the driving’

Who is Richard Lawton?

Richard is marketing manager for Really Good Domains and on the team at TheVanWebsite. co.uk and ContractHireAndLeasing.com. Contact: richardl@reallygooddomains.com

Call 0161 482 7650

for your 3-month trial or visit thevanwebsite.co.uk/trial CarDealerMag.co.uk | 97

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auctions.

Business is looking up for used car dealers bit.ly/businessup

Charity auction breaks record for saleroom BEN receives £2,000 from special sale of 270 cars in Leeds

karting race team which is comprised of a four-man team from the fleet industry including representatives of both Alphabet and Leaseplan. Aston Barclay general manager Lisa Grimsley said: ‘The show of support from these massive players in our industry just goes to show how important the work carried out by BEN is. To get seven of the top companies together, in the same auction hall, on the same day, is phenomenal and whilst the money raised for BEN is the real success story, the sale also marked a record for Aston Barclay Leeds with the greatest number of vendors in a single fleet sale since we opened in May 2012. ‘I just want to say thank you on behalf of those people who stand to benefit from the support of our sellers and buyers who attended,’ she added.

BCA appoints apprentices at Measham site BRITISH Car Auctions (BCA) and national training and recruitment provider Intraining are combining to help three apprentices drive their careers forward in the motor industry. The apprentices all secured placements at BCA’s Measham centre as part of the Live Online Team, supporting customers using

auction stations

Buyers: More data please

ome of the industry’s top companies have helped to raise more than £2,000 for the automotive charity BEN through a special sale at Aston Barclay’s Leeds auction centre. The sale, held in June, featured more than 270 cars from many FN Top 10 companies including Alphabet, Leasedrive, Lex Autolease and LeasePlan in addition to entries from Helphire, TCH Leasing and Zenith. Support for BEN was out in force with Alphabet moving additional volume into the sale with the promise that £5 for every vehicle sold would be donated by Aston Barclay. The fundraising efforts also included donations from Aston Barclay’s buyer community and their contractors and representatives from BEN were on hand to drum up support and spread the word about the invaluable work the charity carries out for people within the industry who have fallen on hard times. The total of £2,000 raised will be added to the fundraising of the Le Mans 24 hour

Henstock

BCA’s online auction services. Their apprenticeship includes studying for an NVQ in customer service and administration, with regular progress meetings with an external assessor. BCA’s Tina Sharratt said: ‘It’s also a great benefit to our business as all three of our apprentices have shown real passion to succeed.’

he use of business intelligence data and analytics is becoming more widespread in the remarketing sector and demand from customers for this data will grow. Many dealer groups see the remarketing sector as a critical channel to handle part-exchange and overage stock, because it can free up the money in the metal quickly and efficiently. BCA has a wealth of data available that can assist vendors in making key decisions. These data are used to plan sales activity, from the most appropriate sales channel through to pricing strategy. They are also used to ensure the right buyers are aware of the vehicles and attending the sales — physically or online. This includes looking at a wider range of data to inform reserve price setting, such as daily, conditionadjusted vehicle valuations (rather than the traditional monthly data), vehicle demand data and utilising consumer data such as retail market pricing and demand information. Dealers are in tune with market sentiment and will use this data to price their stock to sell. This is gaining importance with vendors who seek to differentiate their vehicles in the market and sell them as quickly as possible. At BCA, we combine this with other information, such as inspection costs, appraisal images/grades, number of days in stock, Auction View interest and performance/ market data of similar vehicles. Real-time access to this data can help to improve first-time conversions and make sure provisional bids are dealt with using the most up-todate information. The critical factor for remarketing success is to have the tools and processes that make buyers feel as comfortable buying. This will remain important as increasing volumes are sold via BCA’s Live Online, Bid Now, Buy Now and e-Auction channels. It is all about being easy to do business with, and this is where the delivery of quality information to customers is key.

Who is Simon Henstock?

Simon is UK network operations director for BCA. Visit british-car-auctions.co.uk or call 0845 600 6644.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 99

TRADER TALK.

..in association with AutoTrader

Used car market sees a change in dynamics More new car sales mean glut of part-exchange used cars is set to hit market

ew car registrations are on the rise, driven by strong consumer demand, while used car sales are declining, mainly due to depressed private-toprivate transactions. This trend was also seen last year and suggests that some consumer demand is shifting from used to new, with consumers going for new smaller, more economical vehicles. This decline in used car transactions was primarily driven by vehicles up to 10 years old while sales of cars older than 10 years saw an increase of three per cent and almost 15,000 units year-on-year. Average part-exchange values have risen to their highest levels for several years, up 23 per cent compared with the same period in 2012 and up 30 per cent compared with 2011. This suggests that part-exchange values are being driven by the increase in the volume of newer cars entering the market rather than just by used car demand. Following flat used car sales in 2012, used car transactions in Q1 2013 declined by four per cent year-on-year, the largest quarterly decrease since Q1 2010. Private-toprivate transactions were down eight per cent year-on-year, while trade-to-private transactions were down two per cent. While declining private-to-private transactions in Q1 2013 have

‘Software is game-changer by providing all the data and intelligence needed’ reduced the number of vehicles advertised online, it’s not all bad news. The significant increase in new car registrations over the same period suggests that there is more stock out there that dealers will need to start selling. In the first three months of the year there were 30,000 more new cars bought by consumers than last year, while there were 50,000 fewer used cars sold by consumers. With a large proportion of people buying a new car part-exchanging their old vehicle, many of those cars will be sold by dealers in the next few months and become trade-to-private used car transactions. These changing dynamics in the used car market make it more important than ever for dealers to use market data and valuation tools to ensure that they buy the right used cars at the right price in order to maximise their profit potential. There is unique software

available that helps to improve the used car operation by highlighting the most desirable stock for the forecourt; creating a realistic retail price strategy for fresh stock; managing retail prices as vehicles age on the forecourt to get the best blend of margin and speed of sale; and by providing access to pre-graded desirable wholesale cars for restocking. Dealers using this software are finding it makes a difference. Comments include, ‘It’s already helping us achieve a better stock turn’ and ‘Our used cars sales are up by 100 units year-on-year plus we have the extra finance penetration and admin fees from these additional customers’. The software is a game-changer by providing all the data and intelligence required to run dynamic and profitable used car operations in an increasingly challenging market.

Who is Tim Peake?

Tim is group strategy director at Trader Media Group,‚ publishers of Auto Trader, the UK s largest car marketplace. Visit autotrader.co.uk

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ON TRACK.

..in association with TRACKER

Device can reduce your costs Focus on telematics means motorists can improve the efficiency of their driving

s the name suggests, TRACKER came to prominence for locating stolen vehicles. However, TRACKER is also a major player in the telematics market, helping fleets, insurers, and more recently, customers, reduce their costs and improve efficiency. Telematics has been the hot topic within the media for some time because telematics offer businesses a very real avenue to save money and improve customer service. And with the European Gender Directive insurers are now looking at tracking vehicles as a better way to evaluate premiums. Businesses are facing new challenges and telematics can provide them with the tools to meet them. Our award-winning telematics system utilises pioneering technology to provide cost-saving benefits for the short-term by identifying fuel inefficiency, but also longer-term by providing valuable insights into driver and business behaviour. Our new MyTRACKER element of TRACKER Locate brings the benefits of telematics to the consumer marketplace and you can use it as an added-value product. MyTRACKER enables TRACKER Locate, our SVR offering for consumers, users to access realtime information on their vehicle from anywhere in the world. This includes a web dashboard that gives a summary of information on distances and time travelled in the vehicle, as well as the all-important fuel consumption, enabling the

‘MyTRACKER identifies fuel inefficiency and provides valuable insights into driver and business behaviour.’ owner to look at areas where money can be saved. Fuel consumption can separated into business and travel use using the expenses report feature, which helps drivers work out mileage they have done for work. The dashboard can help drivers improve journeys while they are out with the support of Google Maps. Information on traffic and congestions zones, incidents and roadworks are all included, as well as details on local amenities such as restaurants and petrol stations. And MyTRACKER supports the main reason drivers invest in a TRACKER unit — security. There is an alerts feature which allows owners to set a period when a vehicle will not be used. If the engine then starts within that time they will be sent an alert notifying them. As a parent, a particular favourite feature of

mine is the Geofence setting. This allows vehicle owners to create an area on a map around a defined location, which can be set to any shape or size, and can either keep a vehicle within an area or away from it — perfect for those who want to ensure their car is only used for the reasons they allow! As well as protecting a cherished vehicle if it is stolen, MyTRACKER provides information to the owner from the moment the unit is installed. TRACKER is committed to developing solutions that anticipate and respond to the changing dynamics of the marketplace.

Who is David Wilson? David is sales and service director for TRACKER. Read his column here every month.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 101 18/3/13 12:55:27

MOTOR MOUTH.

..in association with Motors.co.uk

Want your phone as your car key? The whole set-up of the car could be customised when a mobile is plugged in

ecent research conducted by Motors. co.uk suggests that motorists are beginning to demand greater interactivity between their car and their mobile devices. More than 58 per cent of the UK population now own a smartphone and in excess of 12 million own a tablet. As a nation we have begun truly to embrace the digital age, with people now able to pay for goods instead of using a debit card, socialise, watch TV, play games, even conduct face-to-face meetings via their phone. The results of the recent survey show that motorists would like their cars to utilise more of their smartphone functions. Currently, most new cars allow you to access music stored on your phone but consumers want more. Actually, 53 per cent of people Motors.co.uk spoke to wanted to be able to connect their phone to the car via wireless technology, to allow them to carry out such activities as streaming music from their phone library. While 16 per cent wanted to be able to update their social media profiles via voice recognition. While these seem fairly normal requests, 27 per cent of those people who completed the survey also said that they would like the ability to use their mobile phone as a car key. It is wishes for applications such as this that are getting vehicle designers excited for the future.

‘Revenue streams could be created via a dealer’s own app, such as an integrated servicing and MoT log’ Designers continue to push technology boundaries, introducing further digital functionality to vehicles. Indeed, the growth in the ownership of smartphones and tablets means designers are beginning to explore vehicle control systems operated by mobile devices, such as using tablets/ mobiles to act as dashboard interfaces to control items such as heater, headlights, radio, satellite navigation, or display speed or fuel levels. One major benefit of this would be the ability to offer software/design updates via a simple download link from a manufacturers’ website. This would not only allow motorists to personalise their display, but also offers huge marketing opportunities in regards to the development of additional downloads for functionality and new designs. The whole set-up of the car could be customised to each individual user as soon as a

phone or tablet was connected. So what do these advances in technology mean to dealers? Well, firstly, the same marketing opportunities that are open to the manufacturers would obviously be available to those dealers that wished to capitalise on this form of promotional activity. However, greater business opportunities could be available to those more adventurous dealers out there who wished to explore how this technology could be further developed. Additional revenue streams could be created via the development of a dealer’s own app, such as an integrated servicing and MoT log linked to the dealer booking service or offering limited addition interface designs.

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CRYSTAL CLEAR.

..in association with Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Radar slashes the time trawling websites New app means traders can access spot pricing at the touch of a button

he world is going digital, and Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is keeping one step ahead with the launch of a new app for its revolutionary GlassNet Radar tool. GlassNet Radar is a unique spot pricing tool that tackles one of the biggest challenges facing modern dealers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; understanding whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the market on any given day, knowing what vehicles are selling for and getting asking prices right first time. Radar is a tool that allows dealers to outwit their competitors. It gives them detailed insight into what is really happening in the market. It allows dealers to compare their own vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s asking prices against their competitors, both locally and nationally, even down to the detail of how long the car has been on the market and how many price changes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Radar offers an accurate real-time view of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the market in seconds â&#x20AC;&#x201D; meaning traders can spend less time trawling classified websites and more time making intelligent business decisions. Since Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s launched Radar in January 2012, more than 3,000 dealers have signed up. Spot pricing has now been accepted within the trade, and many businesses around the country are pricing and purchasing stock using GlassNet Radar spot prices. Alongside dramatic growth in iOS sales and a 10-fold increase in Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers going digital, the launch of the Radar app is the next logical

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;GlassNet Radar offers an accurate real-time view of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the market in secondsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; step. Feedback from customers has suggested that a mobile version of Radar would be beneficial to them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and this app means they no longer have to go through GlassNet first â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they can access spot pricing at the touch of a button. Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is committed to providing the best data and insight to the automotive industry, and Radar is a perfect example of that in action. Not only does the tool give dealers an insight into their competitors, it also provides UK-wide intelligence into factors affecting the used car market, such as regional price differences. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a vital tool for any business wanting to increase its profits. Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is working to deliver Radar through as many channels as possible.

In addition to web and mobile app, the tool is also available as a widget, fitting in to any system. Over the coming months, Radar technology will become available in conjunction with other Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products. GlassNet Radar app is available on any iOS device â&#x20AC;&#x201D; iPad, iPhone, iTouch. It is open to any trade customer, and access is free within the app store to users once they have set up a subscription with Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

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MARKET INSIGHT.

..in association with ASE-global.com

Vertu’s acquisitions strategy on way to consolidate sector Relative newcomer has seen substantial improvement in share price performance

his month we look at a relative newcomer, Vertu Motors Plc, in our series of articles in which ASE reviews the performance of the quoted groups. Vertu has an interesting background, having been formed by Robert Forrester (ex finance and managing director of Reg Vardy Plc) in 2006 and listed on the smaller AIM market with the aim of consolidating the UK motor retail sector. The group is the sixth-largest motor retailer operating from 93 franchised sales outlets. It is intended that the group will acquire motor retail operations to grow a scaled dealership group. The acquisition strategy is supplemented by a focused organic growth strategy to drive operational efficiencies through its national dealership network. The group opened or acquired 20 sites in the year to February 28, 2013. This has continued in May 2013 with three Farnell Land Rover sites being acquired from the Co-operative group for £31m, including a substantial goodwill payment of £17m. The group has historically focused on volume brands but now recognises the need to balance the portfolio with a selection of ‘premium’ brands (including Land Rover, Volvo and arguably Honda to date). Whilst the goodwill payment is eyewatering in the context of comparable payments of goodwill in the volume sector, the investment still looks good value at a 7.2 times multiple of EBITDA and will be earnings

enhancing against a current price/earnings ratio of 23.2 for the group. The acquisition was funded by a £50m private placing of additional shares which leaves £19m of surplus funds for further acquisition/investment activity. In addition, the group has £9m of undrawn debt facilities and also negotiated an additional £13.5m stocking facility to support the acquisition. So there appears to be no let-up in Vertu’s appetite for growth and the board clearly sees opportunities (and has the funds in place) to further consolidate this fragmented sector. Given the high P/E ratio of 23.2 noted above against a sector average of 13.3, the City clearly supports the strategy and management team. Net profit before taxation for the year ended February 28, 2013 was £4.5m, a net return on sales of just 0.4 per cent. Even after adjusting for the usual exceptional items and acquired operations, the underlying return is just 0.7 per cent, an identical return to the prior year albeit underlying profits increased from £7.3m to £8.2m. This level of return is surprising given the relatively low levels of debt and interest costs incurred and the positive trading statements made by the group. These statements reflect Robert our experience of the UK

motor retail sector as a whole with substantial increases in new car volumes noted year on year as the UK benefits from the continued deep recession in Europe. In addition, the group has made gains in both its aftersales departments and used car margins, areas that we have not typically seen improve across the sector as a whole. From the statements, it is clear the group faces a challenge in the speed at which recently acquired businesses can be turned around. This, in combination with the operating losses and closure costs of businesses to be exited, is likely to be what is driving the lower than expected overall returns. Paradoxically, the group would probably improve its returns in the short term if it was to step away from the current acquisition strategy (or focus on businesses that require less work to turnaround). The group is in the sector for the long haul and clearly the City agrees, based on the current company value of 41p per share. Consistent with many of the other listed groups in the sector there has been a substantial improvement in share price performance as the new vehicle market recovers and retailer profitability improves. Overall, the group has been regarded as a firm ‘buy’ stock in recent months with target prices ranging in the 55p to 62p range.

Forrester

IN DETAIL 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 July 2012

October 2012

January 2013

April 2013

July 2013

Who is Steve Freeman? He’s managing partner of ASE Professional Services. If you want to talk to him about his column call 01908 847 025 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 105

data file.

James Litton TRADER TALES

Cold statistics are more useful than gut feeling

‘It is clear we can be more scientific in our approach to performance of our sales team’

James is sales manager at Tony Purslow Mercedes Benz, Guildford. He always has something to say about the industry he loves. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Apprenticeship training Babcock

am a huge American sports fan. Even if you are not, you may have seen a recent film starring Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt called Moneyball. The story tells the tale of the 2002 Oakland A’s baseball team, led by their innovative general manager Billy Beane. The A’s has one of the smallest marketing teams in baseball, and confronted with yearly disappointments against teams with much bigger budgets, Beane enlists the help of a sports analyst to change the way the team recruits players. Instead of using scouting reports (which were deemed too subjective) and one or two vital statistics, the A’s broke down every element of performance and created algorithms which rated players based on their combined statistics (sabermetrics), leaving ‘gut feel’ and chance as a thing of the past. Our industry has suffered from the same lack of innovative thinking, in relation to the performance of our sales people and technicians. In baseball, teams are able to see exact performance statistics from previous employers, in order for them to make recruitment decisions. This would clearly not be possible for a motor dealer, but we can use statistics in order to develop our people. Technicians have traditionally been rated only in terms of productivity. But if we were to consider their first-time-fix rate, recovery rate, idle time, job type, in combination with productivity, would we have a different opinion of who our best technician is? Salesmen are no different. Yes, we monitor inquiry rate, demonstration and conversion rates, but how about profitability, new and used car splits, product penetration, ability to sell from stock and many more? Sabermetrics is now having an impact in sports all over the world, and whilst I would always subscribe to an element of experience and feeling, it is clear that we can be more scientific in our approach to performance.

Who is James Litton?

Suppliers W: babcock.co.uk/ automotivetraining T: 0870 013 0325 E: automotive@babcock.co.uk Info: UK’s leading work-based provider of automotive training. Register your vacancy now.

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To have your details included here call (023) 9252 2434 and ask for Suppliers Guide listings

guide

If you’re looking for a motor trade supplier you can find the details of selected companies here

Trader directory

Automotive data

Paint protection

Alfa Romeo

Fiat

Honda

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Supagard

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W: hpi.co.uk T: 0845 301 1843 E: thehpiteam@hpi.co.uk Info: Get the exact options that were factory fitted to an individual vehicle to help you identify and retail the best stock.

W: supagard.co.uk T: 0141 633 5933 E: info@supagard.co.uk Info: Still the UK’s number one after 24 years and the preferred choice of the AM Top 100 and major vehicle manufacturers.

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Jaguar

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Chris Allen chrisallen@sturgess jaguar.co.uk 0116 282 6868

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Finance

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Nissan

Volvo

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Swift Publicity

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Sturgess Nissan Perry Beaver 0116 254 1717 perrybeaver@sturgesscars.co.uk

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Recruitment

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W: moneybarn.com T: 0845 50 50 192 E: mail@moneybarn.com Info: The leading non-prime car finance provider, offering finance for consumers with impaired credit via a nationwide broker network.

W: mirec.co.uk T: 0845 257 9224 E: info@mirec.co.uk Info: An award-winning, specialist Motor Recruitment Consultancy who will not headhunt from you or resolicit candidates they place with you.

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W: Your website address T: 023 9252 2434 (that’s us!) E: adverts@cardealermag.co.uk Info: The Suppliers Guide helps dealers find the companies they need to help them improve their business. Make sure you’re here.

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Vehicle checking

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Web design

Think Insurance

Carcom

HPI Check

Car Care Plan

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Online trading

Remarketing

Video

Warranties

Autotrade-mail.com

GlobalOASys

AutosOnShow.TV

WMS

W: Autotrade-mail.com T: 01243 523000 E: sales@autotrade-mail.com Info: UK’s leading online real time used-car trading network. The original and the best. Call for your free two-week trial.

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W: wmsgroupuk.com T: 0844 477 4909 E: sales@wmsgroupuk.com Info: Experience, expertise, leadership and innovation. The nation’s favourite. The dealer’s preferred partner.

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workshops.

Want to be included in our new section? Call (023) 9252 2434

Marshall and Mitsubishi go the Codes way Two leading names in the industry team up with Motor Codes

Chris Mason

he Trading Standards-approved garage on the development of the online information scheme, Motor Codes, has developed exchange, in which it piloted the survey feed a new online service and repair ratings software over a six-month period. system. Results revealed the system built up a healthy The review system, supported by dealers and level of online feedback and Mitsubishi Motors in manufacturers, will allow its subscribers to feed the UK has become the first brand to adopt the open customer opinion from their own CSR tools. approach to customer feedback. Motor Codes currently has around 120,000 The move reflects the Motor Codes ethos of customer surveys published on its website where scrutiny and transparency, in its bid to ensure that car they are displayed unedited, with each review owners can make informed choices when choosing a traceable to a service, repair or MOT job via invoice service and repair garage. number and vehicle registration. Chris Mason, managing director at Motor Codes, Marshall Motor Group worked with Motor Codes said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;By working with our subscribers and pulling in ď&#x20AC;?ď&#x20AC;?ď&#x20AC;&#x17D;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x201D;ď&#x20AC;&#x201C;ď&#x20AC;&#x2122;ď&#x20AC;&#x2013;ď&#x20AC;&#x2013;ď&#x20AC;&#x2122;ď&#x20AC;&#x161;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x201C;ď&#x20AC;&#x2022;ď&#x20AC;?ď&#x20AC;&#x2013;ď&#x20AC;&#x2122;ď&#x20AC;&#x203A;ď&#x20AC;&#x2019;ď&#x20AC;?ď&#x20AC;&#x201C;ď&#x20AC;&#x17E;ď&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ď&#x20AC;&#x153;ď&#x20AC;&#x203A;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x192;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x201E;ď&#x20AC;&#x2C6;ď&#x20AC; ď&#x20AC;&#x201A;ď&#x20AC;&#x2030;ď&#x20AC; ď&#x20AC;&#x201E;ď&#x20AC;&#x201A;ď&#x20AC;&#x192;ď&#x20AC;&#x201E;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x192;ď&#x20AC;&#x2021;ď&#x20AC;&#x152;ď&#x20AC;&#x201E;ď&#x20AC;&#x2039;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x2018;ď&#x20AC;&#x201C;ď&#x20AC;&#x2014;ď&#x20AC;&#x2013;ď&#x20AC;&#x20AC;ď&#x20AC;&#x192;

Only need apply! Marshall Motor Group is part of a unique family owned group of companies with a turnover approaching ÂŁ1bn (35% growth), with interests also in the aerospace and ground systems sectors. We celebrated our Centenary in 2009 and we are still growing in size. At Marshall, wherever we work, we all play a big part in ensuring that our sales and profit targets are met, not least by providing our customers with a fantastic level of service which means identifying their needs, and responding to them quickly.

their own customer satisfaction data, the volume of feedback available to people will grow immensely. The more comments backing a high satisfaction score, the more people trust what they see. Ultimately, this is good for business.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Managing director at Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, Lance Bradley, added: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Through Motor Codes, we welcome the opportunity to show how satisfied Mitsubishi customers are with their service experience. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It stands to reason that the more positive ratings our dealers generate, the more business they are likely to retain and gain.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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the fleet.

WELCOME TO THE FLEET... New arrival:

SkodaCitigo A

s you’ll probably know, car manufacturers like to ply us with 107year old wine and feed us hand-cooked swan in order to make us say nice things about their new cars. Obviously it doesn’t work with me. As long as it isn’t a Vauxhall, I’m completely impartial when it comes to delivering my verdict on a car. But in order to get a Skoda Citigo as a long-termer, I had to do the bribery… I mean… entertaining with certain members of the Skoda press office. I really wanted to get hold of a Citigo for six months because, in my opinion, it’s the best one out of the VW Up/Seat Mii/Skoda Citigo triumvirate, and it really represents Skoda at its best – quality cars at reasonable prices. And I am delighted to report it has worked – the Car Dealer fleet now boasts a dinky Czech for six whole months; half a year; 182.621 days. It’s not any old Citigo though, rather the new Sport. The model level sits quite neatly between the mid-spec SE and range-topping Elegance versions and costs £10,290. However, don’t think

we’ve got our hands on a Citigo that’s a vRS in all but name. For some strange reason the Sport is fitted with the lower-output 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine – that’s 58bhp between you and I. Despite this small hurdle, the Citigo Sport does look the part. As standard they come wearing fog lamps, tinted ‘sunset’ windows, sports suspension, 15mm-lowered ride height, a front and rear spoiler and a rear diffusor which Nico Rosberg would be proud of. There’s also an interior trimmed in manly black and red and Sports only come in an exterior colour palette of three shades – Candy White with red stripes, Tornado Red with black stripes and Deep Black with red stripes. We chose the latter and ditched the standard black 15-inch ‘Auriga’ alloys and opted for the 16-inch ‘Serpens’ at £270. We also ticked the Safety Pack (city safe system and passenger airbag cut-off) at £180 and the £310 Convenience Pack – parking sensors and cruse control) on the options list bringing the final RRP of our car to £11,050. When the time came for delivery I was the first behind the wheel. And bearing in mind I had fed

the Skoda press team with braised venison soaked in 1927-vintage Port and had waited months for the car to finally arrive, I drove home very slowly and carefully - not wanting to put undue strain on the car, you understand. What I am trying to say here is that I have little idea of how this car drives at this stage. All I really know is that bribery on the right people really works. James Batchelor (JRRBatchelor)

the knowledge Model: Skoda Citigo Sport Price: £11,050 (as tested) Engine: 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol Power: 58bhp, 95Nm Max speed: 99mph 0-60mph: 24.2s Emissions: 105g/km Mileage this month: 803 Costs this month: £0 This month’s highlight The discovery that bribery works awfully well to get the car you really want.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 109

the fleet.

WELCOME TO THE FLEET... Second report:

New arrival:

NissanQashqai MitsubishiASX Sunderland’s finest still impresses the team

I’VE been privileged to drive around a dozen different cars over the past month or so – some good, some bad; some Japanese, some German; some small, some, big; some fast and some luxurious. But, when all’s said and done and I’ve had a lengthy journey to make, I’ve found myself reaching for the keys of our Nissan Qashqai 360. After a couple of months behind the wheel of Nissan’s big selling crossover, it feels almost as though the team at the company’s factory in Sunderland built it just for me. And I dare say that’s a big part of its incredible success. You see, everything’s exactly where you want it to be and you don’t have to take the driver’s manual on a fortnight’s holiday to fathom how it all works. Climbing aboard some of the other cars I’ve driven in recent weeks – even the ones three times the price of the Qashqai – has been a challenge. Just switching on the engine can be a challenge, let alone getting yourself comfortable. But the Nissan comes without the complications. It’s not more basic, or less technological. It’s not dumbed-down and it’s certainly not old-fashioned. It’s just effortlessly user-friendly. And that makes it a real joy to drive.

Mal Hay

the knowledge

Mitsubishi’s funky little crossover joins the fleet

Second report:

RenaultTwizy Our Twizy has a couple of famous friends

GOOD grief, I really am getting on a bit. Not quite 50, but not far off. And so it was on a certain Sunday in June that my family and I piled into Car Dealer’s new long term Mitsubishi ASX to head for Gloucestershire for some (reasonably low-key) birthday celebrations. I like this car. A lot. And I’d been driving it for two or three weeks before my wife and daughters had a chance to sample its delights. Their early impressions were definitely favourable as we trekked up the A34 towards the M4 and on to the town of Stroud. After a few weeks behind the wheel, it’s hard to understand why we don’t see more of them on the roads. Having said that, more than 250,000 examples have been sold around the world. It’s just that you don’t seem to see that many on the highways and byways of Britain, where the Nissan Qashqai would seem to reign supreme as king of the crossovers. The ASX, however, is a very enjoyable car to drive. And although it wasn’t the most raucous of birthdays, the three or four hours behind the wheel of Mitsubishi’s capable and classy crossover certainly added to the enjoyment.

WE’VE recently discovered our little electricpowered fleet addition has had some very famous friends! Brainiac Stephen Fry featured our long termer in his recent Channel 4 show Gadgetman, testing the city car’s commuting credentials with his good friend Jonathan Ross. The two stars loved the little electric car with Fry declaring it ‘brilliant’ and Ross joking the famous twosome getting out of it was like a ‘Kinder Surprise’ for passers-by. Fry featured the Twizy as part of a piece on commuting alternatives and that’s exactly what I’ve been using the little machine for. If I’m careful with the accelerator I can get nearly two weeks of commuting from a charge. Charging is easy, though. We’ve managed not to annoy the health and safety-ists at head office too much by trailing a cable out of the office window and parking the Twizy on the grass. One colleague described it as looking like a ‘happy little lawnmower’. Cute. Overall, I’m thoroughly enjoying my time with the Twizy. It’s a fascinating little car and one which I find a desperate need to learn even more about. With that in mind I’ve got an interview with the designer lined up soon and hope to bring you more on that next month.

Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

James Baggott (@CarDealerEd)

the knowledge

Model: Nissan Qashqai 360 Price: £25,143 (as tested) Engine: 1.6-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 128bhp, 320Nm Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 10.7s Emissions: 135g/km Mileage this month: 729 Costs this month: £0

Model: Mitsubish ASX 4 Price: £22,745 (as tested) Engine: 1.8-litre diesel Power: 114bhp, 300Nm Max speed: 117mph 0-60mph: 10.0s Emissions: 134g/km Mileage this month: 171 Costs this month: £0

Model: Renault Twizy Colour Price: £7,690 (as tested) Engine: Electric motor Power: 17bhp, 57Nm Max speed: 50mph 0-60mph: n/a Emissions: 0g/km Mileage this month: 74 Costs this month: £0

This month’s highlight You don’t need to reach for the handbook to learn how to start the Qashqai. Just turn the key

This month’s highlight No bickering in the back as my daughters enjoyed a comfortable journey

This month’s highlight Stephen Fry’s backside has sat on our Twizy driver’s seat. You can’t buy provenance like that

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

longtermers

Sixth report:

Peugeot208 We fall in love with the little Pug 208. Again

IT WOULD be fair to say that, in the Car Dealer office, my personal life is the butt of many jokes. So tumultuous is my dating history that – much to my annoyance – President Baggott has started referring to my partners simply by the cities they hailed from. Surprisingly then, it turns out my most unstable relationship to date hasn’t involved Bristol, Bournemouth or Basingstoke; but Boulogne – also known as our long term Peugeot 208. Things all started off so well. I quickly fell in love with the metallic blue Pug and its nicely designed interior, but it wasn’t long before things soured. A month in, we had our first fight. The iPod connection refused to work, I said some things I shouldn’t have said, but I think – I think – we’ve been able to move past it. Just to make sure, I took KR62 VPO out to the countryside for a bit of a make-up spin, and I can reveal that everything is rosy once again. Sat behind an old Mini, the 208’s bouncy suspension, pointy steering and revvy engine proved a great lesson in keeping momentum. Will we be able to keep it together? Only time will tell, I suppose. Jon Reay (@JonReay)

the knowledge

Sixth report:

FordB-Max B-Max gets some muchneeded protection

Second report:

VolvoXC60 Leon: It’s Seashell Metallic, not beige!

BOSS-MAN Baggott walked into Car Dealer towers this week proclaiming: ‘I’ve got something for you DJ!’ Suitably perturbed, I followed him into his office where he presented me with a long, elongated cardboard box. ‘It’s body protection for the B-Max,’ he explained. ‘Oh no,’ I thought, with visions of tasteless bonnet ‘car bras’ circulating in my head. However – and much to my relief – the body protection in question was in fact a rear bumper guard, made by a company called RGM. According to the brochure that accompanied it, these rearguards are designed to fit a wide range of cars, and stop you scratching the paintwork on the bumper when loading things into the boot. ‘Go and fit it then,’ urged the boss, like an eager aunt waiting for you to open your Christmas present from her. And so off to the car I trotted, fearing an afternoon wasted with ill-fitting parts and a plethora of screwdrivers. In other news, the B-Max is soon to be called into service on a number of airport runs, where its passenger and load carrying ability will be thoroughly tested. Tune in next time to see how it fares.

OUR rugged and definitely not beige (it’s Seashell Metallic!) long term XC60 has really been put through its paces since it arrived at Car Dealer HQ a month ago. The first challenge on its long list of transporting duties was to swallow the entire Baggott family and its plethora of kiddy accoutrements and embark on a 300-plus mile journey to Wales. Verdict: ‘It’s extremely comfortable,’ he beamed upon his return. ‘I could slap on the cruise control, pull down the centre armrest and let the big Volvo soak up the miles.’ Perhaps the biggest niggle from most that drive the big D5-engined all-wheeler is the poor fuel consumption. At best, it averages around 34mpg, which isn’t too bad when compared to similar sized machines but with diesel costing so much, it’s a kick in the kidneys at the pumps. We’ve figured out how to access and alter some of the most annoying safety ‘bings’ and ‘bongs’ and we’ve worked out how to deactivate the ludicrously delicate alarm. Overall, it’s a glowing report from everyone who has had the privilege of hopping behind the wheel, with even the grumbles of ‘twitchy chassis’ disappearing into the ether.

Daljinder Nagra (@DJonmotors)

Leon Poultney (@blokesincars)

the knowledge

Model: Peugeot 208 Active Vti 1.2 Price: £14,550 (as tested) Engine: 1.2-litre, petrol Power: 82bhp, 118Nm Max speed: 109mph 0-60mph: 13.8s Emissions: 104g/km Mileage this month: 144 Costs this month: £0

Model: Ford B-Max Titanium Price: £18,720 (as tested) Engine: 1.0-litre EcoBoost, petrol Power: 117bhp, 200Nm Max speed: 117mph 0-60mph: 11.2s Emissions: 139g/km Mileage this month: 307 Costs this month: £0

Model: Volvo XC60 SE Lux Nav Price: £40,250 (as tested) Engine: 2.4-litre, five-cylinder turbo diesel Power: 214bhp, 440Nm Max speed: 127mph 0-60mph: 7.8s Emissions: 179g/km Mileage this month: 921 Costs this month: £0

This month’s highlight Learning to love the Peugeot’s personality again is surprisingly easy

This month’s highlight Rear-bumper protection doesn’t come any easier than the one we fitted to the B-Max

This month’s highlight We’ve learnt how to turn off the alarm. It means dogs can now be carried in the Volvo CarDealerMag.co.uk | 111

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 113

data fiLe.

A learning mindset lets your team get better at what they do H

aving finished the first day of a recent external training course, as we were leaving the location for the day, one participant asked if we were going to meet for dinner to reflect and spend the evening together. Everyone agreed saying ‘see you at 7pm in the hotel bar’. In the interim between leaving the course and dinner, I reflected on how well the first day had gone in terms of delivery, intellectual level, especially from the other attendees on the course, combined with content and the overall impact it could have on the organisation I work for if implemented correctly. Having attended a meeting in Manchester the day before, driving back to the East Midlands, waking with a 4am alarm call on the day of the session and hitting the car park which is the M25 at 7am and finally arriving at Royal Tunbridge Wells, I was surviving on adrenalin by the time I arrived in the hotel bar. While we were waiting for our food one participant asked: ‘How do think you are going to use this learning within the company that you work for?’ I took a couple of moments before replying: ‘In some respects I am already doing so, this is more of a top-up to ensure we are doing it right’. The participant was flabbergasted. Further into the conversation it transpired that she had been ‘sent’ as opposed to picking the course herself, as new learning wasn’t something her company found particularly easy to implement because of pressures of achieving results for ‘today’ taking priority over learning. This was a theme which seemed to pass around the whole of the dinner table, although some participants

Jonathan

Such TIME IS MONEY

were attending from well known and impressive companies. Something which unfortunately seems to give way when times are hard, competition is fierce and sales and profit are the main focus, is learning and development. Some of this may be a person’s naivety regarding the value learning has on their performance if undertaken correctly; alternatively the costs involved are sometimes seen as far less necessary when ranked against other crucial running costs. And that is something which I find sad. It can restrict an organisation in future years if the growth of its people today isn’t a focus. I am not saying that everybody has to

‘An organisation can be restricted if the growth of its people is not a focus’ attend external training courses — far from it. That is just something which works for me and I have been able to bring that learning, over the years, back to First Response Finance to share with other employees. What I am supporting is a learning and development mind-set, with the opportunity to learn something new being endorsed, as longer term this will have the biggest impact on overall profitability, as your team will get better at what they do. Back in 2008 one particularly trainer I know summed it up quite nicely when talking about development ‘just make sure you do something’.

Who is Jonathan Such? Such is regional sales manager for First Response Finance. You can contact him on 07917 781608 or email jons@frfl.co.uk

Coming next month If there’s something you think we should be covering get in touch. Our details are on page three

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Hot hatch shootout Fiesta st v 208 gti v ds3 r v Mini gp v Juke Nismo

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 115

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