Cambria Automobiles boss Mark Lavery has described the UK collapse in private demand for new cars as a “market meltdown”. UK sales to private buyers fell 26 per cent in the six months to the end of February. Over the same period the dealer group’s...

Market conditions in the used car market are expected to become “more challenging”. “Everyone we have spoken to believes that general market conditions will become more challenging this month,” said Glass’s Guide managing editor Adrian Rushmore.

Mon Motor Group has opened an £11m Audi centre on the outskirts of Bristol. The centre overlooking the M5 has showroom space for 24 vehicles and workshop capacity for 24 cars.

Cambria Automobiles, the AIM listed car dealer group, boosted profits by 4 per cent to £2.6m for the six months to 28 February 2011. Turnover for the group rose 5 per cent year-on-year to £184.2m, including £23.9m from acquisitions made during the previous financial year.

Mazda Motors UK has made two senior appointments at director level. Peter Allibon is now the sales director following the departure of Mark Cameron and Steve Jelliss is taking up the role of fleet and remarketing director.

The MG6 looks the part. It is large, somewhere between the Focus and Mondeo, with plentiful space inside, while the sweeping fastback rear gives it a pleasing look.

Average wholesale used van values fell by 2 per cent to £3,944 in March following a 2.8 per cent fall in February. When compared with March 2010, average values are 6.9 per cent lower.

The number of new cars bought on finance declined 14 per cent in February compared with February 2010, according to the latest figures from the Finance & Leasing Association.

Demand for online auctions continues to rise, according to BCA. In Q1, 477,000 bids were made on its Live Online service, an 18 per cent increase with 28,500 vehicles sold, up 9.2 per cent increase over last year.

March used car values fell 2 per cent to £5,875, according to the RMI's National Association of Motor Auctioneers (Nama) first market report.