Guest Blog

  Carwow supply and demand data tells us that there is one conspicuous portion of the used car market where there is a sizeable gap between consumer interest and what retailers are offering: used electric vehicles (EVs). Despite negative press in some media outlets around consumer appetite, the reality is that EV consideration amongst buyers is fairly high, with 41% ...

Last night Elon Musk revealed the much-anticipated CyberCab at an event at the Warner Brothers film studio in Hollywood – a location that has produced both massive blockbusters and monumental flops. The key question for investors and anyone with an involvement or interest in the automotive industry was which category will the CyberCab fall into? The event apparently started an ...

In its election manifesto, Labour committed to reinstating the 2030 ban on new ICE (petrol/diesel) car sales, which the previous government had pushed back to 2035. However, reports now suggest that any reinstatement of the 2030 ban would allow the sale of new hybrid cars to continue until 2035. A ‘tweak’ to the manifesto pledge has been implied by a ...

We’ve been looking over recent months at people issues, particularly in the context of the challenges faced by dealer groups, and the role of the HR department. People are always at the heart of an organisation but there are three particular areas where dealer groups face specific challenges today. ICDP consumer research shows that the people with whom a prospective ...

I talked in my blog last week about aftersales and that despite it being a significant profit contributor for both manufacturers and repairers, it possibly does not get the attention that it deserves with new car sales taking the limelight, at least within the franchised sector. It therefore seems appropriate to focus this week on the other area that is ...

Even though aftersales can represent half the profits for an established car manufacturer or a franchised dealer, it often remains the ‘poor relation’ in terms of the attention that it gets by comparison with the more glamorous world of new car sales. When visiting manufacturer aftersales teams, they are often based in the back corners of the office block, distant ...

The upcoming budget will be the first under a Labour government since 2010 and it couldn’t be more critical for the automotive sector. The industry is navigating a period of profound transformation, and the Chancellor has the opportunity to accelerate change positively. Faced with challenges such as the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, fluctuating consumer demand, and evolving regulatory landscapes, ...

As we come into September it marks the end of the holiday season and the return to work. I hope that everyone reading this blog has found time to get some rest and relaxation and to recharge your batteries. Batteries of a different sort are clearly having an effect on many in the industry as electrification is forced onto a ...

Glyn Hopkin Group recently announced its sale to become an employee ownership trust (EOT). The group, which has a £550m turnover, has 25 sites and employs more than 800 people, making it the largest EOT transaction in the franchised motor retail sector. When business owners are planning for a future exit, there are various options to consider. These include the ...

Electric vehicles (EVs) continue to grace our headlines, whether it’s a comment on the perceived lack of EV charging infrastructure, confirmation of increased road tax for EVs alongside the government-mandated ban on internal combustion engines and worries of EV-specific insurance cost increases. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as I can see – we’re still running head-first ...