Editor’s Blog

Volkswagen Group UK is pushing ahead with plans to remap its UK dealer networks with cuts to the number of dealer outlets and fewer investors. To be fair, it’s not alone. These programmes are ongoing by carmakers and have long timelines, but the VW plan is ambitious, reflecting its big presence in the UK, taking a quarter of car sales, ...

The Motor Trader Top 200 Franchised Dealer Groups for 2024 features in the July August print edition of Motor Trader. It shows a sector experiencing huge interest in dealer groups from foreign investors, ongoing consolidation and a market building momentum after contraction in the pandemic. At the top of the listing there has been big change in ownership. Pendragon was ...

This month in Motor Trader, in print and online, we feature two dealer groups who are doing well, Chapelhouse Motor Group has regularly appeared in the Motor Trader Top 200 Dealer Groups over the years with high return on sales. In this issue we interview MD Phil Clay, in the top job for just over a year. Also, in this ...

Welcome to the first Motor Trader for 2024 and the big issues of the day. First up: EV Mandate. The coming 12 months will be so critical for EV sales and carmakers ramp up production and put in place their ZEV target strategies. Dealers have raised reservations about prospects for EV sales in 2024. The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) ...

What are the three biggest drivers of change facing car dealers? The move towards EVs has to be up there. The arrival of Chinese brands, another. And the post-pandemic market, with falling used car values is also in with a good shout. EV first. Dealers have been investing a lot of time and money into their electric vehicle infrastructure and ...

This month we look at two key topics, the emerging and established Chinese brands and the way agency is adapting in the market. We catch up with Pendragon CEO Bill Berman who talks about his confidence in the Chinese giant BYD and its technology. “We are fully committed and fully invested. It is going to be exciting,” he told Motor ...

This month in Dealer Insight we feature LSH Auto UK, which opened a new BYD showroom in Stockport. Chinese electric vehicles are in the news and attracting a lot of interest from dealers. LSH belongs to a select club, being one of a handful of dealers to partner with the Chinese EV brand. Vaughan Blackman, former LSH Australia general manager, ...

Data protection is a huge issue for all dealers and rising fast up the agenda for management. This month we report on a well-chronicled case, that of Arnold Clark. It’s not  alone. Other dealer groups, including Pendragon, have been targeted. This will be a key area of debate at the Motor Retailing EXPO taking place at Silverstone later this year. ...

In the April issue of Motor Trader we look at the new Financial Conduct Authority rules on Consumer Duty that come into force on 31 July 2023 and set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection across financial services and require motor finance firms, brokers and dealers to put their customers’ needs first. It will mean that consumers should receive ...

In February issue of Motor Trader now online we look at Stellantis and its plans for its brands. Stellantis met with dealers at an investor conference held at the NEC, Birmingham. It detailed strategies for the brands to simplify the business , introduce new aftersales and commercial vehicle strategies and push ahead with plans for agency. The group is furthest ...