AM - Automotive Management magazine March 2015 preview

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www.am-online.com March 2015 £8.00

G LY N H O P K I N / P 6 6

AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT

MD Fraser Cohen on building the dealer brand

A M AWA R D S 2 015

THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

Who won what, and why, at the annual highlight of the UK’s motor retail industry / P20 MARKETING / P80

BR ANDING/ P83

D I G I TA L T R E N D S / P 8 7

How carmakers’ TV campaigns still give dealers the best return

Do corporate identity controls put dealers’ own identities at risk?

Why your business needs a new breed of marketing hero


D I N N E R 11th June 2015, Park Plaza Riverbank, London Jeremy Vine will be the guest speaker at the AM100 dinner this year which will be held on June 11 at the Park Plaza Riverbank in London. Vine established his reputation as a smooth-talking but tough presenter on Newsnight. He now presents the lunchtime show on Radio 2, hosts Eggheads and pops up with a range of graphic wizardry whenever there’s an election. Jeremy joined the BBC as a news trainee. His first reporting assignments were on Radio 4's Today programme, covering issues as diverse as punishment beatings in Northern Ireland and sheep-racing in Dorset. He then took up the reins as a political correspondent, under John Sergeant.

One of Jeremy’s early reports was an award-winning exposé of South African police brutality, which led to twenty four officers being suspended. In a lighter vein, he was famously challenged by Jeffrey Archer to a race on Brighton beach, after remarking that the Tories had become elderly. Archer pulled out, complaining of ‘tiredness’. The AM100 publication is the annual industry guide to the 100 largest dealer groups in the country, according to their company turnover. In addition, the AM100 provides a detailed analysis of the state of the industry and looks at the key issues facing dealers and their customers.

igious gala dinner on the calendar The most Prest Headline sponsors:

Associate sponsors:

Book your table now at www.am100dinner.co.uk

or call Emma-Louise Kinnaird on 01733 395133 or email: emma-louise.kinnaird@bauermedia.co.uk


welcome

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Is a marketing storm brewing between dealers and manufacturers?

T

he AM Awards have been presented to the cream of the industry following careful consideration by our judging panel of industry experts and auditors. The quality of the winners, and the finalists in general, shows 2014’s focus on the new car market did not come at the expense of innovation, excellence and determination to succeed. Congratulations to the winners. Awards aside, this issue of AM takes a look at recent developments in marketing for motor retailers. Our insight into manufacturer marketing (page 80) suggests that despite the prevalence of digital marketing, for carmakers there is still no better place than television to get their brand and model range in front of the new car buyer. By contrast, in the dealer sector, where budgets are more modest, it remains crucial to have a broad marketing toolkit (page 87) at hand to spread the reach of the dealer brand.. Talking of the dealer brand, is it at risk of being squeezed out of existence by manufacturers intent on being the focus of the customer? With a trend emerging among premium and specialist brands to strip the dealer brand from the showroom fascia, we asked a selection of dealer group leaders and analysts whether they see this as a pressure point (p83). That is a question that should be worth long-term consideration by all the dealers who have invested so much time and effort in their own businesses. In the meantime, good luck with the March plate-change campaign. The editorial team Email: am@bauermedia.co.uk Website: www.am-online.com Twitter: @amchatter LinkedIn: am-online.com/linkedin

ouR ExpERT conTRIBuToRS philip nothard He is retail and consumer valuations editor at cAP, which he joined in 2010 after two decades working in motor retail, culminating in running dealerships for european motor Holdings, lythgoe motor Group and Arnold clark. In this issue (p92), he looks at why the forthcoming general election, low fuel prices and PcPs make 2015 an interesting year. prof Jim Saker As director of the centre of Automotive management at loughborough University’s Business School, Saker is a key figure behind the drive for management recognition and skills in the motor retail sector. This month (p93), he says dealers who do not design intelligent post-service surveys risk alienating their customers.

AM Af ter sa Conferenc les e

Book ticke t am-onlinse today at: af tersales .com/ 2015 Jeremy Bennett Editor

Tim Rose Managing editor

Danielle Bagnall Senior reporter

April 16, 2 015 am-online.com March 2015 3


In this issue March 2015 66

20

AM AwARds 2015 THis yeAR’s wiNNeRs

Your news

7

News digest This month’s round-up includes Pendragon’s annual profits rising 36%, Arnold Clark acquiring Ness Motors, HMRC targeting repairers across the UK to identify incorrect VAT returns, and Renault updating its customer experience.

Market intelligence

13

fACe TO fACe GlyN HOPKiNs Md fRAseR COHeN

New car finance

Our new-look section analyses the emerging trends in new car registrations. This month, we look at how franchised dealer finance hit £14 billion last year as 77% of private new cars were funded by dealership offers and how headline figures mask a decline in retail and a rise in rental.

16 New car registrations

Mitsubishi is the early winner as its growth shows no sign of slowing.

4 March 2015 am-online.com

18 Used cars

77 Life after the FCA review

AM Awards 2015

80

Values rise as wholesale volume falls 18%.

20

AM Awards All the winners and pictures from motor retail’s most prestigious awards ceremony.

Insight Training puts the dealer brand in the driving seat

66

Managing director fraser Cohen on how Glyn Hopkin’s focus on staff training delivers a loyal customer base and a thriving business.

direct loan challenge 73 Dealers can beat new

High street lenders once shied away from automotive finance, but are now beginning to flex their muscles.

Retailers may have to change how they sell insurance, but profits can still be made.

How much of a carmaker’s marketing really matters?

The ‘digital explosion’ has changed marketing forever, but TV still offers the best ‘bang for buck’.

83 Are dealer brands at risk?

Carmakers exert ever more influence over the appearance of showrooms.

Marketers need a 87 tech-savvy superhero

digital technology has changed how dealers communicate with buyers.

90 AM Poll

More than half of franchised dealers believe the manufacturer’s brand and reputation wins car sales.

‘Make the basics brilliant, 91 then add magic touches’

sales is as much about the person as the product, says former Virgin Airlines’ crew boss linda Moir.


For the latest motor retail industry news, visit am-online.com Sign up to get AM news daily by email: am-online.com/newsletter

D E A L E R S A N D S U P P L I E R S IN THIS ISSUE:

87 diGiTAl MARKeTiNG HOldiNG OUT fOR A TeCH-sAVVy sUPeRHeRO

80

MARKeTiNG HOw effeCTiVe ARe CARMAKeRs’ effORTs?

92

Used car market election, low fuel prices and PCPs:

96

2015 should be an interesting year, says CAP’s Philip Nothard.

fORd ReiNVeNTs THe MONdeO fOR GReATeR ReTAil APPeAl

View from the business school 93

Badly designed post-service surveys can inspire a sense of dread, says Prof Jim saker.

Showroom

96

Ford Mondeo

98

Volkswagen Passat

100

Suzuki S-Cross

Mondeo Man can rest easy with the new-look large car, but ford is pushing for a bigger retail split.

The German manufacturer is banking on safety features and space to attract fleet drivers.

suzuki’s rival to the Kia sportage and Nissan Qashqai joins the AM long-term test fleet.

102

Volkswagen Golf ugely popular hatchback may lack H

103

Mazda3

charisma, but sales keep growing.

Hatchback becomes a vehicle of choice for long journeys.

Coming soon In April’s issue 106

face to face with london Morgan dealer principal Anthony Barrell; Geneva Motor show reports; and smart’s forTwo and forfour driven.

Adroit Automotive............................................77 Alphera Financial Services ...................74, 84 AMS Insurance Services...............................77 Arnold Clark.....................................................7,8 ASE .......................................................................15 Auto Trader........................................................84 BCA.......................................................................18 Black Horse.......................................................74 BMW Group Financial Services..................77 CAP.......................................................................92 Car Care Plan ...................................................77 Carshop...............................................................25 Creditplus ...........................................................75 Crewe Audi.........................................................41 Crewe Seat.........................................................49 Day’s Motor Group...........................................53 DSG FS ................................................................75 Experian................................................................8 Fiat ........................................................................80 FLA ...........................................................8, 13, 73 Ford ...................................................8, 45, 59, 81 GForces...............................................................88 Glyn Hopkin...................................................7, 66 Greenhous............................................................8 Hidsons..................................................................7 Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance............74 HMRC...................................................................10 HR Owen.............................................................46 Humphries and Parks ...................................37 ICDP..............................................................80, 83 Inchcape................................................................8 Jaguar..................................................................47 Jardine Motors .................................................43 John Clark Motor Group ........................55, 61 Kia .........................................................................31 Knights Group...................................................33 Lifestyle Europe.......................................23, 89 Lookers .................................................................8 Manheim.............................................................18 Mapfre Abraxas................................................77 Marketing Delivery..........................................87 Mercedes-Benz................................................50 MotoNovo............................................................73 Motoring.co.uk ..................................................83 Motors.co.uk........................................................7 NAMA...................................................................18 Pebley Beach.....................................................35 Pendragon........................................................7, 8 Perrys......................................27, 29, 57, 83, 62 Peter Vardy ........................................................39 Renault ................................................................10 Rolls-Royce..........................................................7 Sandicliffe...........................................................10 SMMT...................................................................14 Swansway ..........................................................84 Sytner...................................................................64 The Funding Corporation..............................75 Trusted Dealers................................................87 Vantage Motor Group.....................................10 Vauxhall.................................................................8 Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ..............8 Wrexham Volkswagen...................................52

am-online.com March 2015 5


NEWS DIGEST

T H E N E W S YO U C A N ’ T A F F O R D T O H AV E M I S SE D

8

F O R D A I L Y N E W S , V I S I T: w w w.am-online.com T O g E T A M ’ S F R E E D A I L Y N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: w w w.am-online.com/newsletter FOLLOW AM ON TWITTER: @amchatter

Arnold Clark Dealer group to carry out rebrand and showroom revamp.

pENDRAgON

pendragon announces 36% rise in profits to £60.2 million pendragon claims to have launched the UK’s first automotive ‘click and collect’ service as it reports having made a 36% jump in underlying profits in 2014. The UK’s largest car dealer increased revenue in 2014 by £151 million (3.9%) to £4 billion and underlying profit before tax rose from £44.2m to £60.2m, according to its full-year results posted to the London Stock Exchange. Pendragon this month launches Move Me Closer to enable the consumer to reserve a vehicle direct from their electronic device and have the car delivered to their nearest Evans Halshaw location for their viewing, on payment of a refundable £200 reservation fee. Through this service, consumers can research and view more than 20,000 vehicles online, then inspect the vehicle they reserved at a location convenient to them, backed by Evans Halshaw’s five-day price guarantee. Its launch follows Pendragon’s roll-out last year of its Evans Halshaw Sell Your Car initiative which guarantees to

HMRC Dealers are to be targeted in probe into VAT returns and suspected suppression of sales, it is understood.

IN bRIEF HIDSONS Hidsons has opened its first Mitsubishi car dealership, in Rainham, Kent. The family-run group now represents six different brands at five locations in Medway and Gravesend, Kent.

ROLL S-ROYCE Rolls-Royce has announced plans to enter the SUV market to meet demand from customers. The new model aims to be one that offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a high-bodied car, with allaluminium architecture, that can cross any terrain and meet its customers’ highly mobile, contemporary lifestyle expectations. pay more than rival WeBuyAnyCar to customers wishing to dispose of their current vehicle.

AUgMENTED REALIT Y

ARNOLD CLARK

Darren Cox, global head of brand at Nismo, Nissan’s sports car brand, told Marketing Week: “Showrooms are dying out. If you look at costs of dealerships and the profit margins, something has to change. Just a few years ago, on average, people visited three showrooms before buying a car, they now visit one – the internet has changed everything.” Marketing Week asked Land Rover’s marketing director Laura Schwab whether more brands using AR technology was a step away from the traditional showroom. “Absolutely! It’s about making the buying experience as easy as possible for the customer. That could mean AR slowly replaces showrooms to an extent,” she said. Honda’s European marketing director Martin Moll told Marketing Week that he thinks the showroom experience will be trimmed down, using AR instead of expensive concept cars. National communications manager for Škoda Erica Vernon added: “There will always be a room for a showroom, but it won’t be defined by a retail park location like before.”

Arnold Clark will acquire 104 employees and sites in Inverness, Elgin and Perth. All of the branches will be Renault, Dacia or Citroën franchises. Eddie Hawthorne, managing director, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Ness Motors to the Arnold Clark family. “As a company, we share many of the same values as Ness Motors and look forward to continuing to offer great value and excellent service to customers at the new showrooms.” Sir Arnold Clark established the group in 1954 and it now employs more than 9,000 staff nationwide, with branches located in Scotland and England. The company has been awarded the title of Retailer of the Year by AM for the past three years, and had a turnover of £2.9 billion in 2014. Ness Motors was founded in 1960 and was purchased by company accountant Scott Lauder in the early 1980s from retiring owner and chairman Bill Gilbert. The business expanded through the years by acquiring a number of franchises for the north of Scotland, including Renault.

Manufacturers have claimed augmented reality (AR) could replace the car dealership showroom completely.

10

Arnold Clark Automobiles, Europe’s largest independent car dealer, has acquired Ness Motors.

g LY N H O p K I N Glyn Hopkin, the UK’s largest volume Nissan dealer group, has opened a new, purposebuilt dealership in East London. It replaces the group’s existing Nissan Leyton dealership with a new dualpurpose Nissan and Fiat facility. The Nissan East London dealership includes a 15-vehicle showroom. n Face to face: glyn Hopkin, page 66

MOTORS.CO.UK A recent survey by Motors.co.uk has revealed that car buyers aged 55 and over are the most likely to buy a used car. Seventy-nine percent of motorists in this age group said they were likely to buy a used car, whereas those aged 18-24 were the least likely to, with 46% saying they would purchase a used car. Over-55s were also the most comfortable with the buying process, with 67% saying they were happy to discuss price point when buying a car.

am-online.com March 2015 7


NEWS DIGEST GREENHOUS

Greenhous has acquired WR Davies Ford Newtown and Welshpool dealerships in Wales. The acquisition brings Ford to Greenhous’s franchise portfolio for the first time, adding to its existing Dacia, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo and DAF operations. Greenhous’s joint chief executive Derek Passant said: “Eighteen months ago we announced the acquisition of the WA Lewis franchises in Shrewsbury and Telford which increased our influence and reach. “Now we have had very positive and professional discussions with Jonathan (Davies) and his team and this has concluded in our taking on the Ford franchise in Newtown and Welshpool, including the staff already working there. We are utilising our extensive resources and expertise to ensure that there is a smooth transition for all involved. We are delighted to welcome Ford into the Greenhous group.” WR Davies still has Ford dealerships in Llandudno, Llangefni and Rhyl.

T O R E A D A M ’ S D A I L Y N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m / n e w s l e t t e r

CL ASSY CHASSISS

Independent car dealer Classy Chassiss of Newcastle-Under-Lyme has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 in fines, costs and compensation after not properly advertising the mileage on a vehicle. Its directors pleaded guilty to a Consumer Protection Regulations charge of misleading a buyer after Staffordshire Trading Standards investigated a complaint about the sale of an Audi TT in 2013. Trading Standards said the firm had omitted mileage information from an internet advert for the Audi. It had used descriptions of “more than 100,000 miles”, but the car had had more than 190,000 miles recorded in 2009 and displayed a dashboard reading of around 72,000. Magistrates awarded the buyer compensation of £3,245 to cover the amount he had paid for the car. The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £750.

ARNOLD CLARK

Dealer group Arnold Clark is to carry out a group-wide rebrand and showroom revamp this year. Its new logo and branding concept has already been unveiled in locations such as the Leeds and Glasgow South Street Motorstores. The dark grey and yellow design will be rolled out throughout 2015 at the remaining Motorstores. The rebranded dealerships will include private consultation booths, a spacious and comfortable waiting area with complimentary hot and cold drinks and free Wi-Fi access. For those with young children, there will be a designated children’s play area equipped with iPads with games and a colouring area with table and chairs. The company’s headquarters will also move to new premises at Hillington. Work will begin on the new Hillington headquarters in April.

PENDRAGON

Pendragon’s Stratstone Aston Martin business in Mayfair was named the biggest-selling Aston Martin dealership in the world at the brand’s global dealer conference.

Lookers has opened its all-new multi-million pound Land Rover showroom in Battersea, London.

USED CAR SALES

The company said its newest car retail facility, located on Lombard Road, was its most modern and ‘green’ yet, incorporating the latest cloud technology to enable staff to interact more freely with customers and have up to 24 Land Rover models on display at any one time – including the newly-released Discovery. The showroom is 40% larger than its predecessor and boasts a sleek, modern and contemporary design.

Data from the global information services company showed 1.86 million used cars were sold in Great Britain between July and September last year, compared to 1.82m in the corresponding months in 2013. It represented the strongest period for used car sales since the second quarter of 2008 when 1.92m vehicles changed hands. The number of used cars sold aged nine years or more was up 7.1% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2014. Sales of used cars aged up to three years increased 4.3%, but there was a drop in transactions of vehicles aged between three and six years (3.4%) and six and nine years (3.9%).

8 March 2015 am-online.com

SIMON OLDFIELD Vauxhall Motors has appointed Simon Oldfield to the new position of sales and marketing director, effective from March 1. Oldfield joins Vauxhall from MercedesBenz UK where he held a number of senior positions.

S T E FA N B O M H A R D Inchcape has announced the appointment of Stefan Bomhard as its new chief executive. Currently president of Bacardi Limited’s European region, Bomhard will begin his new role on April 1. He has a PhD in marketing and has experience in the retail and consumer sectors, including senior roles at Cadbury and Unilever’s Foodsolutions Europe division.

NICK THEMISTOCLEOUS Nick Themistocleous, pictured, has been appointed director of fleet operations at Ford of Britain, succeeding Phil Hollins. Hollins has been appointed commercial vehicles director at Ford of Europe. Themistocleous joined Ford Credit as a trainee in 1986.

A D R I A N D A L LY

Two of the world’s top five most successful Aston Martin dealerships are owned by Pendragon, with Stratstone Aston Martin Wilmslow coming third.

LOOKERS

PEOPLE NEWS

Used car sales rose by 2.6% in the third quarter of last year to reach their highest point since 2008, according to Experian.

The Finance & Leasing Association has appointed Adrian Dally as its new head of motor finance. Most recently, Dally was head of policy at the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), leading a team which managed the FOS’s relationship with government, regulators and stakeholders.

TREVOR HODGSONPHILLIPS Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has appointed Trevor Hodgson-Phillips as its head of service and parts. He succeeds Kevin Rendell, who becomes head of customer quality and network development for Volkswagen Passenger Cars.


Vehicle retailers are faced with changing consumer behaviour, evolution in vehicle drive-trains and a constantly shifting legislative framework. However, businesses make the future work for them by examining the trends and adapting accordingly. Despite the challenges ahead, the aftersales arena remains a significant area of opportunity.

✓ Aftersales – Today, tomorrow and beyond ✓ Customer retention and return – Keep your customer base and bring back those who have left ✓ Maximising aftersales – Become a true one-stop shop for your customers ✓ Making online work for you – Find out how to make the most of the internet ✓ Increased efficiency – Learn how to run a lean operation

Thursday 16 April 2015 – Crowne Plaza Heythrop Park, OX7 5UF For more information, visit www.aftersalesconference.co.uk

Headline sponsors:

Masterclass sponsors:


market intelligence 14

January market

the Smmt claimed a good start to 2015, but beneath the headlines was a decline in retail and rise in rental.

16

the news in depth

18

Buyer preference

insight into car buyers’ wants and needs shows reliability factors highly, but many still want a discount from the dealer.

used cars

sponsored by

Dealer part-exchange cars saw another drop in values in January despite a marked fall in overall wholesale volumes.

Franchised dealer finance hit £14 billion last year more than three-quarters of private new cars were funded by dealership offers 1,000,000 900,000 800,000 700,000 Volume

Franchised dealers handled more than £14 billion of new car finance in 2014, more than double the amount they sold five years previously. Figures released this month by the Finance & Leasing association (FLa) showed a 17% rise in the value of new car point of sale consumer finance and 13% growth in volumes in 2014 as a whole, to reach a record annual level of 897,593 cars funded. the percentage of private new cars sales financed through dealerships by FLa members reached a new high of 76.1% in the 12 months to december 2014. point of sale penetration has climbed steadily since the recession. Geraldine Kilkelly, FLa’s head of research and chief economist, said: “there has been strong growth in consumer motor finance provided through dealerships by FLa members over the past couple of years. Our most recent industry confidence survey suggests that growth is likely to continue in 2015, but at a slower rate than in 2014.” Opportunities for dealers to further improve their finance sales are still available, according to paul harrison, head of motor finance at auto trader. independent research commissioned by the company found that only 15% of surveyed dealers currently displayed finance offers on their website. “Fixed fees and standardised interest rates will help encourage best practice in showrooms and ensure that consumers are guided to suitable finance products. “changes to incentive programmes will result in simpler and more transparent finance offers which, in turn, should translate more effectively to a dealers’ online showroom than has been possible previously. “Given just how important finance is to dealer profitability, those dealers who transparently present their finance offers online will help reach a bigger audience and maximise their potential buyers.”

new cars Financed thrOuGh deaLerships

600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

d e a L e r p O i n t O F s a L e p e n e t r at i O n 80% 70% 60% pos percentage

Finance success

50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

d e c e m B e r m O t O r F i n a n c e m a r K e t: n e w c a r s Source: FLA

new cars bought on finance by retail customers through dealerships dec 2014 change on previous year Value of advances (£m) 927 15% number of cars 55,317 10% new cars bought on finance by businesses through dealerships number of cars 38,856 0%

3 months to dec 2014 2,994 186,168

change on previous year 14% 10%

12 months to dec 2014 14,086 897,593

change on previous year 17% 13%

117,200

8%

455,091

11%

am-online.com March 2015 13


MARKET INTELLIGENCE JA N UA RY R EG I S T R AT I O N S New car registrations in the UK in January increased 6.7% year-onyear to 164,856 units. This was the best start to a year since 2007. It means the period of record market growth has now reached its 35th consecutive month. However, retail sales were down 5.1% – the first fall in four years. The growth in company car registrations has been particularly strong, up 18.1% year-on-year, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which when looking at the overall figures can mask the drop in retail units. Fleet and business accounted for 59% of the market in January. Retail’s share fell about 5% yearon-year last month. The last drop in retail was in September 2011 at 155,135 compared to 170,951 in September 2010 (a 9% fall). The SMMT pointed out that 2011 was the first strong year for fleet registrations following the credit crunch, and with many fleets operating on a three- to four-year

TOP FI V E FLEE T C A R REGI S TR ATION S IN JA NUA RY

replacement cycle, many cars will be due for replacement. Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “These figures mark an encouraging start to the year after a very strong 2014, with a strikingly robust company car market as businesses take advantage of the attractive finance offers currently available. “January saw increased uptake of both petrol and diesel cars, while demand for alternatively-fuelled vehicles continued its surge with registrations rising by 60.8%. “Last year’s 9.3% rise in the overall market was fuelled by stronger than expected economic confidence and we expect to see some levelling off throughout 2015: demand is at pre-recession levels following record-breaking growth.” However, the publicly-available SMMT information did not show that registrations to rental channels were up 69% and manufacturer demonstrators up 29%, indicating a forced market.

Vauxhall Corsa 3,539 Ford Fiesta 3,119 Volkswagen Golf 3,073

FINANCE OFFERS Carmakers have a range of offers to tempt buyers in March’s competitive new 15-plate market – three-year PCPs are judged to be the most effective. Kia requires only £83 a month after a £2,672.30 deposit on a Picanto ‘1’ 1.0 5dr, with an optional final £2,775.25 to secure ownership. At some Citroën dealerships, the deposit on a C1 VTi 3dr Feel is only £1,546, followed by 36 monthly payments of £119 and an optional final £4,735. A 43-month Suzuki PCP on the Alto 1.0 SZ requires an initial £959, monthly £99 and final £1,981.

The full list of manufacturers’ finance offers can be found at www.am-online.com/offers

14 March 2015 am-online.com

Top finance offers for retail buyers

For a searchable list of manufacturers’ finance offers, go to www.am-online.com/offers

Model

Finance type

Deposit

Term

Monthly payment

Final payment

APR

Offer ends

Citroën C1 VTi 3dr Feel C3 HDi VTR+ C4 Cactus Tech 82 Feel * Some dealers

PCP * PCP PCP *

£1,546 £4,302 £3,880

37 months 37 months 37 months

£119 £169 £165

£4,735 £5,507 £6,267

4.9% 4.9% 4.9%

31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15

Kia Picanto ‘1’ 1.0 5dr Rio SR7 1.25 3dr cee’d GT 1.6 T-GDI pro_ceed SR7 1.4 GDi Sportage ‘1’ 1.6 GDi

PCP PCP PCP PCP PCP

£2,672.30 £3,638.00 £5,277.30 £3,537.50 £3,999.70

36 months 36 months 36 months 36 months 36 months

£83 £139 £249 £161 £217

£2,775.25 £3,094.22 £6.477.00 £4,315.75 37,229.25

4.9% 4.9% 4.9% 4.9% 4.9%

31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15

MG MG3 Form Sport MG3 Style MG3 Style Lux MG6 GT S diesel MG6 GT SE diesel

PCP PCP PCP Personal lease Personal lease

£2,785.22 £2,825.94 £2,840.33 £1,233.36 £1,315.32

36 months 36 months 36 months 36 months 36 months

£129 £139 £149 £205.56 £219.22

£3,263 £3,375 £3,578 n/a n/a

6.9% 6.9% 6.9% n/a n/a

31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15

Suzuki Alto 1.0 SZ Jimny SZ3 Swift 1.2 SZ2 3dr SX4 S-Cross 1.6 petrol 2wd SZ-T

PCP PCP PCP PCP

£959 £2,299 £1,551 £3,697

43 months 43 months 43 months 43 months

£99 £199 £139 £219

£1,981 £3,653 £3,280 £7,343

8.9% 8.9% 8.9% 5.9%

31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15 31/03/15


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BLACK HORSE COMMENT

By Chris Sutton, managing director, Black Horse

Ford Focus 3,529

Nissan Qashqai 2,665

DEALER KPIs Source: ASE

Key ratio

Net profit as % sales Overhead absorption Used: new sales Expenses as % gross Sales per salesman Used vehicle stockturn (days) Return on used car investment Overall labour efficiency Service gross profit % on labour Service expenses as % gross Hours per retail job card Parts gross profit Parts expenses as % growth Parts stockturn

Rolling 12 months Dec 2014 1.46% 55.4% 0.87:1 62.3% 199 55.0 78.9% 82.1% 75.7% 58.3% 1.64 22.2% 44.5% 7.75

Rolling 12 months Dec 2013 1.47% 56.6% 0.90:1 62.2% 196 56 80.2% 81.0% 75.8% 56.9% 1.64 22.4% 44.4% 8.01

Benchmark

3.0% 80% 1.5:1 50% 150 45 100% 100% 75% 40% 2.5 22% 40% 8.0

The average UK car dealer finished 2014 strongly, making a profit of £27,000 in December, according to data from ASE. This was an improvement of £5,000 over the previous year and left dealers with an average annual profit of £225,000, up £19,000 from 2013 and a new record high. The return on sales percentage dropped slightly, however, reflecting the fact that turnover has been increasing at a faster rate than profit, with dealers having to compromise on margins in order to hit required targets. Prestige car retailers produced an average return on sales of more than 2.2%, while volume dealers produced a return of just over 1%.

The FCA’s remit to regulate consumer credit will celebrate its first anniversary in April and the rules in its Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) were one of the most significant events to affect the industry in many years. That is why we are committed to helping dealers to implement the necessary changes in a way that enhances their point-of-sale finance business. As part of our response to the new regulations, we at Black Horse revised our approach to finance pricing and the rewards paid to dealers. Our aim was not just to comply with the FCA rules, but to offer greater transparency, recognising that customers like the convenience of point-of-sale finance arranged at the time of the vehicle purchase. One of the key changes we are introducing is the de-coupling of any link between the interest rate charged to the customer and the amount of commission paid to the dealer. This will enable dealers to provide competitive rates to their customers, but maintain an important source of revenue in a much more transparent and customer-friendly way. We are also withdrawing all credit arrangement fees, which have been an irritant to both customers and dealer sales staff alike. During our discussions with our dealers in the past few months, it is clear that many share our aim and have been supportive of this new approach. Some have tested this new approach and have seen an increase in vehicle sales and higher levels of finance being provided to their customers. My belief is that this new way of doing things provides a win:win:win situation for customers, dealers and finance providers. Moving away from the practice of linking commission based on the interest rate paid by the customer to one based on the amount of the advance provides a massive boost to the integrity of the motor sales industry. It is surprising, however, that some finance providers appear to intend to continue rewarding dealers based on the price their customers pay. We believe incentivising dealers to sell a higher price to customers to secure greater income via Difference in Charges commission structures is not in the spirit of treating customers fairly and is not in the long-term interests of our industry.

am-online.com March 2015 15


MARkeT iNTeLLigeNCe

sponsored by

n e w c a r r e g i s t r at i o n s 10-year market trends available: www.am-online.com/ami

January

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BRAND Mitsubishi Maserati Jeep Abarth Lexus Volvo Subaru SsangYong Nissan Porsche

YTD (%) 159.03 82.54 67.16 60.24 50.15 33.67 29.69 28.72 25.88 21.39

r i ser s & fa l l er s

it’s too early in the year to judge which brands are accelerating hardest in 2015, but January’s figures suggest Mitsubishi, a top 10 growth brand in 2014 and 2013, doesn’t plan to ease off now it has an expanded dealer network.

w h at b u y e r s wa n t

nearly two-thirds of car buyers rank reliability as the most important quality when buying a new or used car, according to a what car? Motoring Panel survey of more than 4,000 motorists. the level of the finish and a car’s reputation for quality were the next most important factors that determined the choice of their current car. one in two (52%) rated the availability brand Model exterior styling interior styling interior space luggage space interior versatility Quality of finish reputation for reliability reputation for quality fuel economy co2 emissions Performance connectivity (mobile devices etc) enjoyable driving experience standard equipment interior versatility availability of a discount

10 9 8 7 6 5 =1 =1 =1 =1

BRAND Bentley Lotus Alfa Romeo Jaguar Smart Chrysler Chevrolet Mia Perodua Proton

YTD (%) -16.77 -18.75 -20.54 -26.81 -33.33 -50.43 -100.00 -100.00 -100.00 -100.00

Jeep, subaru and ssangyong have also got off to fast starts, with growth driven in part by new products, price cuts and strong finance promotions. subaru also added its XV and forester suVs to the Motability scheme in late 2014.

of a discount as important or very important, and two in three (66%) said access to a dealer was important. relatively unimportant were the nationality of the brand and the co2 emissions, while availability of flexible finance was of very low importance. the motoring panel was asked to rank the importance of 29 factors which influenced members’ last car purchases.

availability of flexible finance

unimportant -1.0

Very important -0.5

16 March 2015 am-online.com

0

0.5

-1.0

1.0

2014

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

21,480 16,935 13,993 11,354 11,076 9,348 8,008 7,171 6,711 5,794 5,414 5,116 4,914 4,303 4,184 4,137 3,609 3,340 3,016 3,009 2,243 1,897 1,808 1,620 1,006 800 630 336 236 192 166 135 133 129 121 115 61 57 45 13 0 0 0 0 0 49 152 164,856

% market share 13.03 10.27 8.49 6.89 6.72 5.67 4.86 4.35 4.07 3.51 3.28 3.10 2.98 2.61 2.54 2.51 2.19 2.03 1.83 1.83 1.36 1.15 1.10 0.98 0.61 0.49 0.38 0.20 0.14 0.12 0.10 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.09

2013

% market share 21,792 14.10 14,892 9.63 14,436 9.34 10,747 6.95 8,799 5.69 7,792 5.04 7,923 5.13 7,611 4.92 6,173 3.99 5,064 3.28 5,471 3.54 5,059 3.27 4,695 3.04 4,384 2.84 4,223 2.73 3,664 2.37 3,206 2.07 2,802 1.81 2,830 1.83 2,251 1.46 2,019 1.31 1,849 1.20 698 0.45 1,373 0.89 670 0.43 1,093 0.71 519 0.34 201 0.13 297 0.19 288 0.19 128 0.08 138 0.09 83 0.05 155 0.10 94 0.06 63 0.04 66 0.04 115 0.07 50 0.03 16 0.01 697 0.45 5 0.00 8 0.01 1 0.00 0 0.00 68 0.04 54 0.03 154,562

% change -1.43 13.72 -3.07 5.65 25.88 19.97 1.07 -5.78 8.72 14.42 -1.04 1.13 4.66 -1.85 -0.92 12.91 12.57 19.20 6.57 33.67 11.09 2.60 159.03 17.99 50.15 -26.81 21.39 67.16 -20.54 -33.33 29.69 -2.17 60.24 -16.77 28.72 82.54 -7.58 -50.43 -10.00 -18.75 -100.00 -100.00 -100.00 -100.00 0.00 -27.94 181.48 6.66

Source: SMMT

Personalisation features length of warranty Price access to a dealer servicing costs Depreciation performance nationality of brand Previous experience with the brand Previous experience with the model Prestige associated with ownership

Marque


market iNtelligeNce

Sponsored by

YEAR-ONYEAR

ECONOMIC I N D I C AT O R S Inflation

Fleet/leasing Jan 2014 Jan 2015 40.14

Used car volume falls 18% as average value rises

0.2ppts

39.81

Retail stock acquisition Manheim’s Market Analysis for January showed the average selling price of ex-fleet vehicles increased from December’s £6,693 to £7,358, a monthon-month rise of £665 or 9.9%. The average value was the highest since June, but £466 down year-on-year. After December’s £507 plunge, BCA saw its January average ex-fleet car value rebound by £352 or 3.8%. The average figure of £9,478 was £260 down year-on-year, with age and mileage broadly flat. BCA’s UK operations director Simon Henstock said: “Rising consumer confidence is impacting the used car market as well as the new.”

CPI annual inflation in January was 0.3%, down from 0.5% in December. CPIH (inflation including owner-occupiers’ housing costs) was 0.4%, down from 0.6% in December. Falling prices for motor fuels and food were the main contributors.

45,745 47,563 £9,218 £9,478 97.73% 97.75% Part-exchange Jan 2014 Jan 2015 88.50

GDP

+0.5%

90.12 73,415

GDP increased by 0.5% in Q4 2014. The largest contribution to the increase came from the services sector, which increased by 0.8%. The increase in GDP followed growth of 0.8% in Q3 2014. GDP was 2.7% higher in Q4 2014 compared with the same quarter a year ago.

72,649 £3,830 £4,075 96.68% 97.52% Nearly new Jan 2015 7.86

Mortgages

8,897

Trade-in disposal In January, the average value for dealer part-exchanges at the UK’s largest motor auction group, BCA, fell by £38 or 0.9% to £4,075. Year-on-year December values were up by £245 or 6.3%, despite average rising over the year. At Manheim, the average part-exchange value for January was down £115 monthon-month to £3,268. Year-on-year, the average value was 1.9% or £59 higher. Manheim suggested the year-on-year increase, despite a rise in average age and mileage, could suggest that overall vehicle condition is now as important in shaping values as traditional influences such as age and usage.

“My advice to dealers would be to ensure that their cars are retail-ready before going to auction. While it’s no secret that buyers still see age and mileage as among the most important factors when making a purchase, a car that’s in overall good condition is still likely to command an impressive price tag, even if it’s older with a few more miles on the clock,” said Daren Wiseman, valuations services manager at Manheim.

National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) data showed January’s national used car wholesale market volume was 18% down year-on-year at 93,398 cars. The average month-on-month value of used cars sold at auction across the board increased 2.8% from £5,670 to £5,828. This was 7% higher than in January 2014. The first-time sales conversion rate rose from 73% in December to 80% in January – which was slightly behind the 82% seen during January 2014.

-3%yoy

£21,403 100.79%

First-time buyers saw a monthon-month lending increase, with 26,100 first-time buyer loans in December – up 3% on November, but 3% down on December 2013, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. First-time buyers were advanced £3.8 billion in December.

Average age (months) Average mileage Average value Sales vs CAP

U S E D C A R VA L U E T R E N D S manheim Fleet £ manheim Part ex £ Bca Fleet £ Bca Part ex £

12,000

10,000 9218

9572

9624

7791

7791

9191

9537

9448

9411

7376

7273

9593

Unemployment

9445

9533

9633

7135

7045

6948

4136

4188

4113

4075

3390

3395

3383

3268

9126

9162

9478

-1.5ppts

8000 7824 7076

6795

6964

7260

6000

4000

3830

3797

3906

3129

3209

3216

3285

3982

4048

3973

4065

4032

4059

3016

3077

3125

3130

3162

3162

Debt

3842

The unemployment rate for October to December 2014 was 5.7%, down from 7.2% a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics.

7358 6693

+£300m

2000

0 Dec 13 Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15

18 March 2015 am-online.com

12 months to Dec 2014 10,640 1,045,924

Change on previous year 21% 14%

40,132

-32%

Source: FLA

Used cars bought on finance through dealerships Dec 14 Change on 3 months to Change on previous year Dec 2014 previous year Value of advances (£m) 744 15% 2,507 14% Number of cars 69,689 11% 237,709 8% Used cars bought on finance by businesses through dealerships Number of cars 3,336 -13% 9,341 -23%

Net consumer credit borrowing rose £0.3 billion in December, according to the British Banking Association. In 2014, there were 2.5 billion credit card purchases, 8% more than in 2013; with a value of £145bn, 4% higher. The BBA said annual growth in unsecured borrowing is running at 3.8%, the highest in six years.


SHOWROOM 98

Volkswagen Passat

An advance in technology and cabin comfort is hoped to ensure the diesel-only new Passat remains a fleet favourite.

THE CARS DRIVING YOUR BUSINESS

100

Suzuki S-Cross

This compact crossover has been a sales success for Suzuki. Now joining AM’s long-term fleet, it will be put under scrutiny.

102

Volkswagen Golf

Concerns about our long-term test car’s lack of charisma aren’t reflected in the Golf’s sales performance.

103

Mazda3

Good levels of comfort and fuel economy have helped to keep our long-term test car on the pace during road trips.

FIRST DRIVE FORD MONDEO - ON SALE NOW

The retail re-invention of an indelible motoring icon

Mondeo Man can rest easy with this new-look large car, but Ford is pushing for a bigger retail split By Danielle Bagnall ith more than 80 UK awards under its belt, the Ford Mondeo is clearly an iconic model and its 22-year lifespan hasn’t dulled its standing in retail or fleet markets. Since the Mondeo launched in 1993, we have probably all sat in one at some point, if not as a company car driver, then being ferried about by parents or driving your own children around. With 1,400,000 sold in the UK, it is indelibly stamped on our motoring consciousness. Available as a hatchback, saloon (hybrid) and estate, its latest iteration is recognised as extremely practical, which is further

W

96 March 2015 am-online.com

“More than half of company car drivers are considering the [Mondeo] for their next company car”

confirmed by the estate winning WhatCar? Best Estate this year. Sales director at Ford UK Andrew Barratt said: “The new-look Ford Mondeo is obviously a really strong model for us. “Our expectations are that the four-door saloon will make up 3% of its total sales, while the estate will make up 35% and the five-door will make up the remaining 62%. “In terms of engine, we expect sales to be 3% hybrid, 5% petrol, 23% the 1.6-litre TDCi variant, while the 2.0-litre TDCi is to make up the largest margin of 69%. “Plus we still have the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, 1.5-litre TDCi, AllWheel Drive, 207bhp diesel and the Vignale to come.” Interestingly Vignale, the high-end specification designed to enhance customer perceptions of the brand, was championed by Ford of Britain boss Mark Ovenden when it was first conceived in 2013 as a means for dealers to compete with Volkswagen. It has been a busy time for the manufacturer. It replaced its whole commercial vehicle line-up last year and 2015 is set to be just as busy, as it replaces 45% of its passenger cars.


F O R M O R E R E V I E W S V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m / r o a d t e s t s

S P EC I F I C AT I O N

The rear has an almost ‘fastback’ design

The new Mondeo is the first European Ford to have inflatable rear seat belts

Price £20,795 - £24,245 Engine 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi 177bhp Performance 0-62mph 8.7seconds. Top speed 135mph Transmission 6sp Auto Efficiency 57.7mpg. 128 g/km CO2 RV 3yr/30k 33.2% Rivals Volkswagen Passat, BMW 3 Series, Mazda 6

20,000

new Mondeos will sell in its first year, according to Ford

WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL BE READING ABOUT THE FORD MONDEO

Ford predicts 21% of Mondeos will sell retail, up from 15% on the outgoing model

The front of the redesigned Mondeo is definitely eye-catching The new model has been treated to a full make-over, although competitors such as the new Volkswagen Passat (featured on page 96) and the current best-seller in the segment, the BMW 3 Series, beat Ford to the tape. Its new look brings it in line with the rest of the current range, plus it is really up to date with its new dynamic LED adaptive headlamp technology (they give the indicator a really nice gradual sequence – think 1980s US TV series Knight Rider). It also marks the debut of inflatable rear seat belts as a safety add-on in a European Ford, but they are a £175 option. The front is eye-catching and, although not much has changed to the rear, the new almost ‘fastback’ design gives a sportier aesthetic, particularly to the hatchback version. There are six variants in the engine line-up: two petrol, three diesel and one hybrid (Ford’s first in Europe), with five more being introduced soon. The model has been selling for some time in the US and Asia, where it is called Fusion and doing rather well, but what are Ford’s predictions in terms of sales over here?

It is aiming for 20,000 sales for the new Mondeo in its first year, with the target market being the user-chooser. The manufacturer predicts the proportion of the model sold retail to be 21%, up from 15% on the outgoing model, which equals a retail increase of 2,500 units in 2015. Barratt said: “We also expect a 124% lease increase on last year with the new model.” So Mondeo Man, the phrase coined 20 years ago by then PM Tony Blair to describe an affluent class of home and car owner, is as relevant today. According to AM’s research department, Sewells Intelligence, more than half of company car drivers are considering the fifth-generation model for their next company car. In the largest study of its kind, half of those surveyed who usually consider lower, upper and executive cars in the User Chooser Barometer survey said they would definitely or likely consider the new car as their first choice. Simon Staplehurst, commercial manager at Sewells Research and Insight, said: “It’s easy to be blinded by the kudos of a premium badge, yet surveys like the User Chooser Barometer highlight that company car drivers still consider or buy other options like Ford. Given that this generation of Mondeo will also offer a hybrid petrol-electric option, a first for Ford UK, it’s only likely to increase interest from drivers.” Glass’s and CAP have given their predictions on residual values of the new model at three years/60,000 miles. For the Zetec 2.0-litre TDCi, RVs are predicted to increase from about £6,500 for the outgoing model to £8,025. There’s an increase from £8,000 to £8,800 for the Titanium 2.0 TDCi and up to £9,575 if your customer goes for the X Pack. “Not only have residual values gone up, we have made it much easier to buy it in the first place with retail and lease figures both being revised,” Barratt said. The new Mondeo is priced from £20,795 and 4,000 models are already on order, with first deliveries happening now.

WHAT CAR? The new Mondeo Estate makes an even more compelling case than the hatchback version. The things it excels at (space and ride comfort) are crucial to estate buyers, even if it does without some of the practical touches you’ll find in the best estates. AUTO EXPRESS The latest model comes as a saloon (as a hybrid only), hatchback and this attractive estate – and this is the model we would be tempted to go for. It’s good looking, better built than ever and has a great petrol engine in this 1.5-litre turbo. PARKERS There is plenty of space for five adults, it’s comfortable and the ride is impressive. Boot space at 500 litres fails to match the Passat Estate’s 650 litres, and it’s not down to a fullsize spare taking up space. The Mondeo features a space saver wheel as standard.

am-online.com March 2015 97


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IN APRIL’S ISSUE

C O N TA C T U S

PUBLISHED MARCH 27

AM, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email: AM@bauermedia.co.uk If you or someone you know are aged 16-24 and are interested in work experience opportunities at Bauer Media go to www.gothinkbig.co.uk Editor Jeremy Bennett 01733 468261 Managing editor Tim Rose 01733 468266 Senior reporter Danielle Bagnall 01733 468343 Industry editor Tony Willard AM production Head of publishing Luke Neal 01733 468262 Production editor Finbarr O’Reilly 01733 468267 Designer Erika Small 01733 468312 Contributors Debbie Kirlew, Chris Lowndes, Philip Nothard, Prof Jim Saker, Richard Yarrow AM advertising Commercial director Sarah Crown 01733 366466 Group advertisement manager Sheryl Graham 01733 366467 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Kerry Unwin 01733 468327 Angela Price 01733 468338 Lucy Peacock 01733 468338 Account managers Sara Donald 01733 366474 Richard Kerr 01733 366473 Kelly Crown 01733 366364 Recruitment enquiries Richard Kerr 01733 366473

Face to Face: London Morgan Dealer principal Anthony Barrell explains how this new urban outlet focuses on the personal touches that will build loyalty in its customers.

Can you turn your customers into advocates?

Dealers and suppliers outline the path towards creating loyal advocates for the franchised dealership through communications, the purchase experience and ultimate satisfaction.

First drive: Smart ForTwo and ForFour The fresh and funky city cars from the folds of Daimler Group look set to offer drivers an alternative choice to a Mini or Fiat.

Geneva Motor Show Report The hottest cars heading to your showrooms later this year.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Autoclenz ......................................................95 Autotorq.Com..............................................30 Barclaycard Loans.....................................38 Birchwood Ford ........................................104 British Car Auctions .................................94 British Sky Broadcasting Group............28 Business Training & Consultancy.......105 Call It Automotive.......................................71 Car Care Plan..............................................44 Chris Eastwood Automotive.................105 City Auction Group.....................................85 Dealer Management Services .............100

106 March 2015 am-online.com

Emac .............................................................32 Enterprise Rent a Car...............................34 Flagpole Express ltd...............................104 Gforces ......................................................6/70 Infomedia....................................................108 Institute of the Motor Industry...............82 Ivendi......................................................76/103 Jewelultra ....................................................36 Lawdata.........................................................95 Lloyds Banking Group........................12/60 Loughborough University........................19 Manheim Retail Services.................2/9/17

Mapfre Abraxas UK............................54/72 Marketing Delivery....................................89 Marketingfile ...............................................58 Moneypenny.................................................19 Motors.co.uk ................................................11 Nextgear Capital UK ...............................107 Really Good Domains................................42 Ridgeway Group .......................................105 Supagard.......................................................94 Symco Training ...........................................90 Trader Publishing .........................56/78/86 Trusted Dealers..........................................10 Twg Services ...............................................48

AM publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Chief executive officer Paul Keenan Subscriptions 01635 588494. Annual UK subscription £99, two years £168, three years £238. Overseas one year/12 issues £149, two years £253, three years £358. AM is published 12 times a year by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, registered address 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2RF. Registered number 01176085. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publisher. All material published remains the copyright of Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy or images submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material to Bauer Media whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish in the magazine, including any licensed editions throughout the world. Any fees paid in the UK include remuneration for any use in any other licensed editions. We cannot accept any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images or materials lost or damaged in the post. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, howsoever caused, resulting from the use of the magazine. Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent Complaints: Bauer Consumer Media Limited is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www.bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Our email address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is complaints@bauermedia.co.uk.


Events

www.am-online.com/events

Date

Event

Venue

April 16 2015

AM Aftersales Conference

Crowne Plaza Heythrop Park

June 11 2015

AM-IMI People Conference

The Park Plaza Riverbank, London

June 11 2015

AM100 Dinner

The Park Plaza Riverbank, London

July 17 2015

AM Executive Breakfast Club

Simpson’s in the Strand, London

September 15 2015

AM Digital Dealer Conference

Silverstone Wing, Silverstone Circuit

October 2015

AM Used Car Conference

Midlands

November 6 2015

AM Executive Breakfast Club

Simpson’s in the Strand, London


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