Features

Digital was transformed during the pandemic when dealers, carmakers and systems providers transformed the customer journey in buying cars. Consumers went through a series of digitally enabled steps, starting with the website, video chat, configuration of the car online, a VR rest drive through do digital finance quote, signature and taking deposits online. It was a total overhaul. But in ...

  The digital landscape has been transformed over the past decade with dealers focusing increasingly on digital marketing  compared to traditional marketing channels. The systems and processes that can be put in place are more consistent and deliver superior outcomes for dealers. They are also trackable and diverse, ranging from Dealer Management Systems (DMS) to Customer Relationship Management (CRM), from ...

Lotus opened its first flagship European “global brand centre” in Mayfair, London in 2023. Lotus London serve sas a showcase and launch venue for the latest vehicles and products, including the next-generation vehicle line-up; the Eletre hyper-SUV, Emira sports car and Evija hypercar. This is the brand’s first digitally driven flagship showroom in Europe. In 2018 Lotus revealed Vision80 and ...

Inchcape Retail is growing its used car sales and planning a radical overhaul of its systems with a switch to the Tekion dealer management system (DMS) created by ex-Tesla IT boss Jay Vijayan Online evangelists who have forecast the demise of physical dealerships in an increasingly digital world have clearly never visited places like the Oxford Motor Park in Kidlington. ...

It has been quite a journey for Lookers and its CEO Mark Raban who joined the group in 2019 as finance director just as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) began an investigation into the dealer group’s sales processes. Lookers promoted Raban to CEO in early 2020. He has nearly 30 years of multi-channel retailing experience and is steeped in finance. ...

A lot is said about the shortage of new cars in the supply chain. Looking around at the Steven Eagell Toyota dealership in Merton Drive, Milton Keynes, you would never know. It’s packed to the gunnels, a constant juggling act is going on to manage the flow of cars on the forecourt. Steven Eagell, CEO of the eponymous group is ...

Motor Trader speaks to managing director and third-generation owner of Gravells, Jonathan Gravell, on the group’s family atmosphere and how it has earned several customer service awards. Gravells is a familiar and long serving face in South Wales, with the company founded in Kidwelly in 1932. It then took on Renault in 1954 making it the oldest Renault dealership in ...

It came as a surprise for many when Mercedes-Benz Vans UK managing director Steve Bridge jumped ship in February to head up eStar Truck & Van as MD. Bridge had been with Mercedes-Benz Vans UK for 20 years. On his watch Mercedes-Benz Vans UK’s sales volumes rose from 25,000 vehicles a year to a peak of 44,000 units in 2019. ...

John Cleland is one of the UK’s best known racing drivers, winning the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in 1989 and 1995. In all that time he has successfully run the family business started by his father, taking on the dealer principal role in 1974 aged just 22. He terminated his Vauxhall franchise 15 years later, despite being a works ...

Winning the Sales Team of the Year prize in the 2018 Motor Trader awards was just the latest in a string of awards for Marshall Group’s Bridgwater Volkswagen outlet, selling new and used vans and used cars. In the past three years the centre has been turned from a loss-making business into one posting record performances each year, selling more ...