Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 167

Issue 167 | February 2022 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £6

INVESTIGATION

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO USED CAR PRICES IN THE YEAR AHEAD?

WE TALK TO SEVEN EXPERTS TO GET THEIR VIEWS AND ANALYSIS

DRIVE TIME!

ON TEST: WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CITROEN C4 AND LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT P300E

the Plus: We get rive st d exclusive fir ng’s of SsangYo tion o Korando e-M

NEWS

• KIA’S TOP UK DEALERS • FIAT 500X UPDATED • AGENCY SALES LATEST • HYBRID PUMA ST ON WAY? • UNDERPAYERS EXPOSED • NEW C5 AIRCROSS SUV

2 2 0 2 N I G N I M O C S R CA XCITING THE MOST E CTED MOTORS EXPE EAD IN THE YEAR AH

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THE BOSS FOUNDER James Baggott

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EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR James Batchelor

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CHIEF SUB-EDITOR John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

STAFF WRITER Jack Williams

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MULTIMEDIA MANAGER Jon Reay jon@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @JonReay

HEAD OF DESIGN Graeme Windell

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CONTRIBUTORS Darren Cassey, Rebecca Chaplin, Jack Evans, Nigel Swan, Ted Welford

FINANCE FINANCE MANAGER Kate Gordon kate@blackballmedia.co.uk

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ACCOUNT MANAGER Michelle Searle

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WELCOME. U

sed car prices (no... don’t turn over, this isn’t a repeat of any other welcome page over the past 12 months).

It’s the gift that keeps on giving column inches for Car Dealer.

Seemingly every day there’s a new story about values for second-hand motors having risen, or ‘skyrocketing’ prices for this type of car. Or that one. Or why diesels are more popular than electrics. Or why 2021 was the year of the used electric car.

Don’t go thinking we’ve run out of ideas here at Car Dealer, but in this issue we’ve started 2022 by repeating the age-old question of ‘what’s going to happen to used car values in the next 12 months?’.

This time last year, no one would have guessed the market would have ended up being over 27 per cent higher than when the year started, but it did.

It’s not just cars, either. Outside of my Car Dealer life (yes, I do have one), the market is bonkers for anything with wheels in fact. You’d snigger if I told you there was a shortage of new caravans last year, and you’d snort if I said a few industry people have told me there’s likely to be another one this year. Book prices for most caravans have jumped up by £500-700 each – that’s enormous compared with the used car market, and values are expected to continue rising.

Caravan manufacturers are building fewer of them so punters are instead turning to the used market. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? For some, it’s a double whammy of waiting for a new car and for a new caravan, which is fuelling the hype, too.

I spoke to many car dealers towards the end of last year and a surprising number predicted that we were in the first throes of a price crash – or, to put it more professionally, a price ‘realignment’. This, however, wasn’t tallying with what industry experts were saying to us at the time, in that the slight softening of prices in the last few months of 2021 was purely seasonal – people buy fewer cars in the run-up to Christmas. It has always been that way and 2021 was no different.

We wanted to find out a little more, so we spoke to an assortment of trusted voices. It was interesting to hear the slightly different predictions for the year ahead, but there was one common thread – a price crash is not on the cards. You can read what they say on page six of this issue.

Sticking with the used car theme, you might have seen Car Dealer on TV at the start of January. My good mate Ginny Buckley is one of the reporters on ITV’s current affairs programme Tonight, and the second-hand car market was the theme of the edition entitled How Much Is Your Car Worth? which saw part of the filming taking place at the Car Dealer Used Car Awards in November 2021. It was interesting to see how rising used car prices – something which you and I have known about for yonks – is now a major consumer story. So much so that Auto Trader and Motorway reported huge spikes in traffic as the programme aired. Proof, if any were needed, that TV is still top dog when it comes to getting a message across.

We’d be interested to hear if you agree with the comments from our expert panel – you can contact us using the details on the left.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

This time last year, no one would have guessed the market would have ended up being over 27 per cent higher than when the year started.

JAMES BATCHELOR Associate editor CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

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IGNITION. ISSUE 167 | FEBRUARY 2022

32

CONTENTS

6

10

28 INVESTIGATION

‘The UK’s used car market looks set for a strong 2022, as it builds on the gains made in 2021.’

6

26

‘Jaguar has had its unfair share of ups and downs, with tiny budgets and misguided mismanagement.’

13

6 10 18 20 34 38 40 42 44

COMMENT James Batchelor Big Mike James Litton

13 14 17

FORECOURT Citroen C4 SsangYong Korando e-Motion Land Rover Discovery

28 30

FEATURES Cars for 2022 Cool stuff

32 37

DATA FILE The Statistics LCV news Suppliers Guide Long-termers

46 48 50 51

26

Customers’ acceptance of online sales has increased massively in the past two years.

10

51 COMMENT

2022 car prices Online car sales Car news round-up News digest Supplier news Feedback Business news Car Dealer Live & Podcasts Finance

FORECOURT

‘It’s pleasant to drive, surprisingly quick, and there’s no faulting the amount of space inside.’

30

LONG-TERMERS

‘Most people won’t even know the e-tron is electric as it looks pretty much like a regular SUV.’ 51 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

INVESTIGATION

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO USED CAR PRICES IN 2022?

• 2021 WAS A CRAZY YEAR FOR USED CAR PRICES AND DEMAND, BUT WILL THIS CONTINUE? • IS NEW CAR SUPPLY LIKELY TO IMPROVE IN 2022, AND HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE USED SECTOR? • SEVEN EXPERTS ACROSS THE MOTOR TRADE REVEAL THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THE USED CAR MARKET EXCLUSIVELY TO CAR DEALER

by James Batchelor @JRRBatchelor

W

ith a year of record price increases and crazy used car values now in the rearview mirror, the question on most dealers’ lips is what’s going to happen to used car prices in 2022?

While the next 12 months are unlikely to be as groundbreaking as 2021 was, experts have told Car Dealer that 2022 will still be a strong year for secondhand motors, with fluctuating prices and high demand from consumers.

The semiconductors shortage and motorists proving to be stubborn when it comes to swapping their car keys for public transport are two big factors – the former, some say, will only show signs of improvement this summer, but more likely in 2023.

In December 2021, Cap HPI and Auto Trader told Car Dealer that a softening of prices in November and December was purely traditional seasonal behaviour.

Cap HPI’s Derren Martin, for instance, said this slight dip in values was sharply set against a market that had seen rises of more than 27 per cent since the beginning of January 2021.

But will this dip continue on a downward direction or will prices pick up?

Is there a price crash on the horizon and will 2022 be a successful one for the motor trade?

We asked seven experts for their views – here’s what they had to say…

06 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Dealers are enjoying strong demand, but they are also less likely to offer discounts, because demand looks likely to outstrip supply of vehicles for some time.

Philip Nothard

Strong prices in 2022 – next year market will soften After dealers reported a quiet Covid used car Christmas, our first auction of the year generated a conversion rate of 85 per cent and saw strong demand, although prices weren’t quite as hot as they had been in Q3 and early Q4 2021.

During 2022, the entire market will hinge on the dynamics of supply and demand. With no new signs of major sources of stock coming into the market, dealers will have to compete against one another to buy the stock that ‘s available, keeping prices strong.

Dealers have to keep reviewing their stock and decide whether to stick with what they have on their forecourt or twist and compete for fresh stock at the current prices.

The latter approach looks to be the most progressive option, and buyers are becoming more confident to bid more money for cars as consumers understand they are in short supply and are more expensive as a result.

The current market will continue throughout 2022, we believe. 2023 is likely to see used car supplies increase and prices start to gently soften, which is where dealers want to be more cautious to avoid stock owing them money.

Alex Wright Managing director, Shoreham Vehicle Auctions

The two main factors fuelling this growth are continued new and used car supply constraints and strong consumer demand.

Richard Walker

Price correction? Yes – but don’t expect anything dramatic

‘New normal’ will focus on margins and profit

While it seems certain there will be a correction to soaring used car prices in time, it feels unlikely that any drop will arrive suddenly or dramatically, and even then it is only likely to happen when supply opens up, which won’t be this year.

We’re entering the third year now of massively restricted new car sales, meaning that supply of used vehicles will continue to be strangled. Used demand will remain strong – fuelled again by buyers eager to avoid public transport, plus new car buyers unwilling to wait for their next car, or simply unable to buy one in a timeframe that suits them.

This is now a long-term trend that will take time to correct itself – certainly years rather than months to finally fall back into any kind of status quo as we knew it pre-pandemic.

Jim Holder Editorial director, What Car?

This year, Cox Automotive believes that the market will not return to what was the pre-Covid norms.

The ‘new normal’ for retailers in 2022 is likely to focus on margin retention and profit rather than chasing volume, which is currently unavailable.

Dealers are enjoying strong demand, but they are also less likely to offer discounts, because demand looks likely to outstrip supply of vehicles for some time.

There is little chance of an abundance of new stock for two reasons: it will be around 2023 when the raw material and semiconductor shortages correct themselves, and the types of vehicles entering the wholesale sector are not the same as those in pre-pandemic times.

Prices are unlikely to rise at a similar rate to 2021 or fall, as signs of the supply-demand imbalance remain.

Philip Nothard Insight and strategy director, Cox Automotive

Bursting bubble isn’t on the horizon 2021 was a remarkable year for the automotive industry. Used vehicle pricing saw double-digit growth and used cars flew off the forecourts in record time.

The UK’s used car market looks set for a strong 2022, as it builds on the gains made in 2021.

According to our latest data, the average price of used cars is now over £20,169 for the first week of January 2022 – up 28 per cent year on year on a like-for-like basis.

It just shows that despite ongoing restrictions, our sector has remained resilient in the face of significant challenges and is on track for strong continued price growth well into the second half of the new year.

The two main factors fuelling this growth are continued new and used car supply constraints and strong consumer demand for cars, both of which show no signs of easing anytime soon.

In fact, a recent consumer poll we conducted showed that 33 per cent agreed that car ownership is now more important than it was prior to the pandemic.

Therefore, claims of an imminent ‘bubble burst’ are failing to take these key dynamics into account.

Richard Walker Director of data and insights, Auto Trader CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

INVESTIGATION

Demand will remain high

Some popular used cars may hold their value for longer

Used cars will get older

The year has started on a positive note, with buyer activity noticeably busy across eBay Motors Group’s platforms and many of our dealer partners benefiting from robust inquiry levels since the traditional Boxing Day bounce in online searches.

Following the prime minister announcing his decision not to step up the current Covid restrictions, in-market buyers can now focus their attention on researching and purchasing their next car. And with ongoing supply problems in the new car market, this means demand for used cars will remain high.

Trade values are still tracking at record levels and many of the large dealer groups stocked up going into January, so we can expect used car pricing to remain stable at the current levels for some time to come.

Phill Jones Head of eBay Motors Group

Used cars saw some extraordinary price growth last year, with demand for some models so strong that they even appreciated with age. A five-year-old Mini Hatch, for example, ended up costing 15 per cent more in 2021 than a threeyear-old one did in 2019.

This upward trend cannot continue forever, though, and prices are likely to stabilise in the coming months.

During the second half of 2021, severe shortages of components constrained the production of new cars – leading thousands of would-be buyers to focus their attention on the second-hand market instead.

The surge in demand for used vehicles has been a key driver of the rising prices of secondhand cars. When that demand cools, the pace of price rises is likely to settle, too.

This doesn’t mean used prices will fall across the board, though. Dealers will have to contend with some stock shortages for a while, as with fewer new cars being sold in 2020 and 2021, there will also be fewer nearly-new vehicles entering the second-hand market in 2022.

Some of the more recent models may therefore hold their value for longer than they would normally – particularly the most popular ones.

James Fairclough Chief executive, AA Cars

Many car makers are saying that it will be Q3 2022 before they are likely to see production back to 100 per cent of what it was previously – and even then, they will have to fulfil the existing order book.

In the UK alone, finance houses and leasing companies have tens of thousands of new cars in their order banks and it may take a few more months before those new cars arrive and the used cars move back into the used markets.

With an uplifted number of used cars coming off finance another year older due to contract extensions, or simply three months older due to the payment holidays consumers were offered in 2021, we see the average age of many used cars in the market continuing to rise in the coming year.

January is likely to be a strong used market, but we don’t anticipate the uplift in prices to be as high as the usual start to the year, simply because the average used car is already worth 40 per cent more than it was in January 2021.

However, demand and prices are likely to remain high during 2022 and will only start to soften if volumes get to the stage of supply exceeding demand.

We believe that this may well be felt into 2023, and in the meantime vendors will continue to innovate to best represent their white label partners and manage their own risks in a market which continues to prosper.

Martin Potter Managing director, Aston Barclay

This upward trend cannot continue forever, though, and prices are likely to stabilise in the coming months.

James Fairclough 08 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

WE DON’T HAVE OUR BUYERS BY THE SNOWBALLS

ING CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

FEATURE

HOW ONLINE SALES CHANNELS HAVE CAUSED MAIN DEALERSHIPS TO UP THEIR GAME

The pandemic has forced traditional showrooms to play catch-up with the disruptors, but their trump card of aftersales is giving them the last laugh.

O

ne of the most significant changes that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about in the car sales industry is a shift away from traditional sales channels towards online-only purchasing.

For companies such as Cazoo, Cinch and Carzam, all of which have built their businesses on high-volume, online-only sales platforms, the paradigm shift couldn’t have come at a better time, especially when dealerships were closed and the online disruptors were able to offer contact-free, hassle free delivery services.

But despite this, a lot of the more traditional dealerships have maintained a steady trade, helped in no small part by loyal returning customers as well as an aftersales offering that the online sector can’t match.

Matt Gill, who is the operations director for Eden Motor Group, which has 24 dealerships across the south and south-west of England, believes that this change in customer-buying behaviour has accelerated change within traditional dealerships.

‘Customers’ acceptance of online sales has increased massively in the past two years,’ he said. ‘But this was something that was already happening. If anything, the pandemic has accelerated that, and in terms of our customers, what we’re tending to see now are people who come to the dealership already with full knowledge of what they’re going to buy.

‘The role of our sales people is to give them the affirmation they need, to let them know that they’ve made the right choice.

‘We also find that, particularly with the used side of the business, some customers will come to us with quotes they’ve got from online retailers asking us if we can match them.

‘In reality, we can usually meet them at a price that’s very close, and because the transaction remains a physical one, the customer is able to see their car before it’s bought, request any minor problems to be ironed out, and know that they have somewhere to bring 10 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘Customers’ acceptance of online sales has increased massively in the past two years.

Matt Gill, operations director for Eden Motor Group

In many respects the franchise dealerships are fighting back and beating the so-called disruptors at their own game.

Matt Gill

it back to, to solve any problems should they occur. It’s this aftersales offer that remains the absolute stand-out for a traditional physical dealership as it provides peace of mind to the customer.’

Indeed, to Eden and many other franchised dealerships, it brings an opportunity of its own. ‘One thing we are already seeing is customers who bought cars from online retailers coming to us for servicing or repairs because Eden is the local franchise for whatever brand of car they bought,’ said Gill.

‘Sometimes, the owner feels a little awkward because they didn’t buy it from us in the first place but that’s no problem to us at all.

‘We’re more than happy to take on the service and repair work and build a relationship with that customer, because when they come to replace that digitally purchased car three or four years down the line, they will have built up a rapport with us and will consider us when they buy their next car.’

Where the online competitors have really made traditional dealers change their game, though, is in the digital space.

One of the beauties of platforms such as Carzam, Cazoo and Cinch is that they’re so userfriendly. You log on, you tell them what type of car you’re after and your budget, and within minutes they give you a range of options for second-hand cars that can be delivered to your front door complete with warranty.

It’s an enticing offer and one that has seen all three of the major players increase their sales exponentially over the past two years. But the traditional dealers are catching up.

‘Two years ago, our online sales offering was below par,’ admitted Gill. ‘But now it has the same functionality as our online-only rivals – you can find a car, order it, pay for it, finance it and get an accurate valuation for your part-ex trade-in all in the same place and we can deliver it too, so in many respects the franchise dealerships are fighting back and beating the so-called disruptors at their own game. We have more to offer.’

One thing we are already seeing is customers who bought cars from online retailers coming to us for servicing or repairs.

Matt Gill

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

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Jaguar’s mighty roar has become a worrying silence

I

Clearing away Ralf Speth’s plans reveals Bolloré wants to start with a clean sheet of paper.

Jaguar Land Rover’s CEO, Thierry Bolloré

f the appointment of Thierry Bolloré as Jaguar Land Rover’s new boss in September 2020 during the early grip of the pandemic was a surprise, the press conference announcing Jaguar’s radical new future was even more startling.

It’s nearly a year since Bolloré ripped up plans for the new electric-only XJ saloon and said that Britain’s largest carmaker was working on a new platform that would underpin every new electric car. Oh, and that from 2025 Jaguar would become an electric-only car brand.

The scrapping of the new XJ – estimated to have cost around £500m – shows just how serious the new CEO is. It was going to be the next step in the previous boss’s electrification plan, but the clearing away of Ralf Speth’s plans reveals Bolloré wants to start with a clean sheet of paper.

It was impressive at the time but nearly a year on and there’s little flesh on the bone about what’s on the horizon. Publicly, at least, JLR hasn’t revealed what types of cars Jaguar will be launching, or even dropped a few teasers. All we know is that Jaguar will be repositioned, it’ll likely move away from SUVs and instead concentrate on more affluent customers.

It means Jaguar’s current model range is effectively set in aspic. Yes, there will be minor trim changes and tweaks to the line-up here and there, but the range of two saloon, two SUVs, one sports car and a solitary electric car have to soldier on for another three years.

That’s three years without any new metal heading to showrooms, and the irony is it comes as the current line-up of cars is as good as it ever has been.

The 2014 XE and 2015 XF were supposed to steal market share from the Germans and firmly place Jag as a serious premium player in the executive market.

It’s clear that plan pretty much failed, but the updated XE and XF that now sit rather forlornly in showrooms have the types of high-quality interiors and swish tech that they should have had when they originally launched.

The same goes for the E-Pace and F-Pace SUVs – tremendously popular models (for Jaguar) but they’re now way better than when they originally launched.

The current E-Pace, for example, has a completely different platform from the car that first debuted, while the F-Pace has an interior that’s as good as any German premium SUV. Jaguar has had its unfair share of ups and downs over the years with tiny budgets and misguided management, but as a Jag lover the current situation the brand finds itself in is very worrying for me.

In recent years, it’s arguably been guilty of leveraging its heritage too much and leaning too heavily on cars such as the E-type. Twenty years ago, Jags came across as old-man cars due to the S-type and X-type, but nowadays the brand is potentially facing an even worse fate – irrelevance.

With Jaguar’s proud history of smooth straight-sixes and lusty V12s, taking the electric route might seem like sacrilege, but it could allow Jaguar the opportunity to reinvent itself in a way that’s never been possible. Strip away the wood, leather, string-back driving gloves, the E-type and dodgy electrics, carefully choose the best elements of the brand, and the future could be bright for Jaguar.

Bolloré, a hugely experienced and clever operator, could be exactly what the British brand needs. His appointment is proof that JLR knows this too, but the more time that passes without an idea of what lies ahead, the harder I think it’ll be to revive the marque. Let’s hope 2022 is the year we hear more – I for one can’t wait.

JAMES BAGGOTT WILL BE BACK NEXT MONTH

Batch chat

COMMENT

JAMES BATCHELOR

WHILE THE CEO’S AWAY, BATCH STEPS INTO THE BREACH TO HAVE HIS SAY James Batchelor James – aka Batch – started at Car Dealer in 2010, becoming editor in 2013. He then worked for Auto Express and Carbuyer, went freelance in 2020, and became Car Dealer’s associate editor in October 2021.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

Big Mike OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE CAR BUSINESS

Who is Big Mike?

Well, that would be telling. What we can say is he’s had more than 40 years in the car trade so has probably forgotten more about it than we’re likely to know.

14 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

COMMENT

Ignorance wasn’t bliss for customer when it came to sorting finance

I

’m sure I’m not the only person who holds the view the car sales industry has changed pretty significantly over the past couple of years, not least thanks to the perfect storm of the pandemic and global semiconductor crisis, the combination of which has changed the way we all do business, from the big dealer groups to the small independents like me.

In pricing terms, it’s a seller’s market – something it most certainly wasn’t prior to 2020 – but while shifting stock (and often for a decent price) isn’t that difficult at the moment, the challenge is actually finding it in the first place.

Having decent cars to sell is something that has challenged every single one of us over the past several months, to the extent that I’ve seen seven- or eight-year-old cars on main dealer forecourts, while further down the food chain I’ve seen back street dealers recommissioning cars that just two years ago would have been considered scrap.

And that, in itself, has had a knock-on effect on the scrap industry. Two years ago, you’d get about eighty quid from a breaker’s yard for an end-of-life mid-size hatchback; these days, it’s £300. From the very bottom to the very top then, the world of car sales has completely transformed. But it’s not just us who are having to manage this substantial change in the way we do business.

The customers, too, are also having to re-evaluate the way which they buy a car, as proved by a couple who wandered on to my sales pitch about a fortnight ago looking for a motor to essentially tide them over while they waited for their new Audi Q-wotsit to turn up at the dealership – something they’ve been told might happen by this summer but should certainly be by the end of this year.

Back when I was in the main dealer environment, such a thing would have been unheard of. If a punter wanted a car, nine times out of 10 I could normally source them something pretty close to what they wanted out of central stock and have it delivered to our site by the end of that week, ready for them to take delivery.

Indeed, I was astonished that this couple were prepared to wait – at least until I spoke to them and realised that every dealership they’d been to had said exactly the same thing.

Yes, of course they’d be delighted to take a deposit, but the customer would have to wait an indeterminate amount time for that new car.

I understand that not all brands are affected. But if somebody is in the market for a premium German model, then chances are they’re not going to be happy with a cheaper and arguably more cheerful South Korean hatchback.

And that’s how this couple ended up on the forecourt of Big Mike’s Motors – a site where you don’t normally find people with posh postcodes and letters after their name.

The vehicle they were interested in was a 10-year-old Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which to them would become the equivalent of a hire car while they waited for the new German SUV to have its semiconductors fitted at the dockside, where it was currently absorbing salt while waiting for the next shipment of electronic trickery to arrive from China.

Yes, you heard it here first, kids – those of you operating from new car sales sites have got a warranty storm heading your way for anti-corrosion claims in the non-too-distant future, as it’s not going to do any car a lot of good to spend the first year of its life sitting on a dock being battered by salty air.

By 2035, it won’t surprise me that much if the roads look like they did in the 1970s, with rusty door bottoms an automotive norm.

It’s not going to do any car a lot of good to spend the first year of its life sitting on a dock being battered by salty air.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Anyway, having agreed to buy the A-Class from me for about 40 per cent more than it was worth a year ago, the couple then proceeded to ask me what happened next. I explained that just like going into a shop, they paid me for the car, I gave it to them, and afterwards it was theirs to do with as they wished.

The gentleman asked me when that might be and if there was an appointment available in the near future with the ‘finance guy’.

Given that my idea of a finance package is normally a brown envelope stuffed with 20s, I had to ask him for a bit of clarity, at which he pointed out that, as with every car purchase he’d ever done, he only had about £200 on him and whatever was left in the bank ‘had to see the month out’.

He was clearly of the view that having made his mind up, it was now over to me to complete the job of doing all the finance applications so he could drive away in the car.

Of course, I do have a couple of finance providers available. At the posh end, I use a third-party company and whatever loan they offer my customers is between them, so all I normally have to do is make an introductory phone call.

At the less salubrious end of the scale, I also know a chap who will lend money there and then, but we don’t call him Bobby Kneecaps for nothing and he keeps a rounders bat in the glovebox of his Range Rover. I only ever recommend him to people I can’t stand.

The customer then went on to ask me about GAP insurance, which I’m not even sure you can get on a four grand car, and whether or not I could knock a couple of hundred quid off the list price for him if he agreed to sign up for paint protection and finance insurance so I got my ‘little payday’, both of which were pretty alien concepts to me.

I explained to him that this wasn’t my normal way of doing business and that the vast majority of my customers would turn up with cash or with the finance already in place – something reflected by the fact that a £4,000 Mercedes A-Class was about as pricey as things got on my forecourt. At which point I lost the sale.

‘How on earth am I supposed to afford that?’ said the bloke, who’d just left a deposit on the latest all-singing, all-dancing Audi Q-Cumber or whatever their latest SUV is called at the gin palace up the road.

‘Can’t you just do it for £150 a month or something, and make it easier for everyone?’

No, you plank. Because £150 a month is useless to me, I don’t get commission for paint protection and I don’t like the idea of never owning any of the things I pay for.

No wonder the used car trade is tough these days…

Two years ago, you’d get about eighty quid from a breaker’s yard for an end-oflife mid-size hatchback; these days, it’s £300.

Given that my idea of a finance package is normally a brown envelope stuffed with 20s, I had to ask him for a bit of clarity.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

Whatever’s next, let’s do it together When the world changes quickly, it can feel hard to know what your next move is. That’s why our Account Managers take the time to really understand your business. With their knowledge of customer service and innovative solutions, they can help you simplify finance and keep your business moving forward.

Get up-to-date business support at blackhorse.co.uk/dealer/home/resource-hub 16 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Covid has shown how industry must plan for future crises and react

U

I’m not sure I feel entirely comfortable about a future where I don’t wear a mask on a plane or in a shop.

p until the time of writing, I had thankfully avoided contracting Covid, but with two young children at home and a teacher for a wife, there was always a sense of inevitability that we would all catch the virus.

Luckily, thanks to the miracle of science and resultant three jabs, my wife and I are fine except for the kind of cold that historically would have seen us go to work, and the kids have barely been affected.

Like many, I had really feared the virus, particularly in those pre-vaccine days. Initial images of healthy people in wards in Italian hospitals and, latterly, firsthand knowledge of people who either perished or were severely affected resulted in our family modifying social behaviours; not to the extreme but certainly to a degree which we felt boosted our chances of avoiding catching it.

It is likely that in the coming weeks and months, we will see the status of Covid-19 move from pandemic to endemic and we’ll all have to adapt to life with a new omnipresent virus.

I’m not sure I feel entirely comfortable about a future where I don’t wear a mask on a plane or in a shop. One of the fringe benefits of social distancing and wearing masks is that I have barely had any viruses at all. Immunologists may argue that this isn’t a natural state, but if the ends justify the means, who am I to complain?

The crucial thing for governments, businesses and individuals is how they plan for future crises and react when they happen.

Motor manufacturers have had recent warnings from environmental disasters such as the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and 2011 Japanese earthquake, but many were caught out by a lack of supply chain resilience as a result of Covid-19. Now is the time to marry the future of EVs to a more dynamic, localised supply chain that not only has more resilience to future global catastrophes but has less environmental impact as well.

It still makes me chortle to read how the retail motor industry has been forced online by both the pandemic and disruptor entrants to the market. As I’ve written before, car dealers have been selling cars online for decades; it’s just become more accepted on behalf of consumers that this is the way to do it.

However, now is the time to embrace all aspects of the consumer online buying journey and to structure retail business accordingly.

This doesn’t mean traditional sales executives being given different titles and asked to do two live videos a day, this is about new car agency sales models, part-time sales staff who are dedicated to customer experience and nothing else, aftersales businesses that embrace £60-per-hour labour sales and parts businesses that look for more than just the internal client.

Trader Tales

COMMENT

JAMES LITTON

CASTING AN EXPERIENCED EYE ON THE WIDE AND CHALLENGING WORLD OF MOTOR SALES

James Litton is an automotive retail consultant who always has something to say about the industry he loves.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 17

DASHBOARD

CAR NEWS ROUND-UP Manufacturers have been busy refining existing models and producing new ones.

We look at 10 of the results...

SKODA

First look at Enyaq Coupe iV ahead of full reveal SKODA has given the world a first glimpse of its upcoming Enyaq Coupe iV ahead of the car’s full reveal.

Offering a sleeker and more dramatic look than the standard Enyaq iV, the Coupe features a sloping roofline with a tapered rear glass section.

It also boasts a sportier front end design and sharper headlights. Due to be fully unveiled on January 31, the Enyaq Coupe iV sits on top of Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric car platform, which also underpins EVs such as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Volkswagen ID.4.

FORD

CITROEN

Sparks fly with hint of hybrid Puma ST

New C5 Aircross is given a more ‘mature’ design CITROEN has revealed the new C5 Aircross SUV, which gets a more ‘mature’ design aimed at taking the model further upmarket.

The C5 Aircross is already considered one of the most comfortable in its class, but Citroen wants to elevate this through improved material quality and ergonomics.

The outside has a more purposeful look, while the overall appearance is taller and more vertical. The sharp lines give way to a softer profile, with the now-signature Airbump strip along the bottom of the car.

At the rear, the lights are a new three-dimensional ‘piano key’ design with LED modules.

18 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

BMW

It's all there in black and white . . .

BMW revealed a spectacular colour-changing car at CES that can switch between black and white shades.

The feature was demonstrated on the iX electric SUV and uses electrophoretic technology. Called BMW iX Flow, it involves a body wrap specifically designed to the lines of the car and uses electronic signals to bring different pigments to the surface, changing the colour.

There are millions of microcapsules with a diameter equivalent to the thickness of a human hair. Stimulating them with electricity brings either the black or white pigments to the surface of the capsule, giving the car its colour.

FORD has hinted that a hybrid Puma ST is on the way – the first time the firm has offered an electrified ST model.

The teaser came as part of a video celebrating the one millionth car to leave Ford’s factory in Craiova, Romania.

The video shows Ford’s new Puma rally car – which uses a petrol-electric powertrain – driving around the grounds. In one scene, the camera lingers on a door that says ‘top secret’ with the ST logo beneath it and electric sparks visible through the windows...

FIAT

Refinements are added to 500X TOYOTA

Hilux GR Sport rallies to the cause FIAT has updated its popular 500X model bringing a host of refinements to its 2022 version.

Following the arrival of the electric 500, the 500X gains the ‘500’ logo within its front grille for the first time, while new Fiat lettering has been applied to the rear of the car.

Available in hatchback and new Dolcevita soft-top layouts, it can be specified in three trim levels – Club, Cross and Sport.

Club models are priced from £22,085, Cross cars start at £23,585, while the Dolcevita version commands a higher price of £26,235.

SONY

Vision-S 02 SUV shows tech firm is serious about manufacturing cars SONY has revealed its second vehicle concept – the Vision-S 02 – to show how serious it is about entering the automotive space.

The Vision-S 02 is a seven-seat SUV and follows on from the sleek Vision-S 01 saloon revealed last year.

Both are designed to showcase Sony’s move towards providing technology solutions for automotive manufacturers.

However, it’s also launched a company called Sony Mobility, via which it says it’s looking to enter the EV market. It’s unclear if people will be able to buy Sony-branded cars one day, but it’s clear evidence that Sony is committed to entering the automotive arena.

HENNESSEY

Venom F5 flies through latest test as it aims to break past 311mph THE Hennessey Venom F5 has passed the latest milestone in its quest to be the world’s fastest production car, topping 250mph in testing.

The American car-tuning firm was keen to stress that this wasn't a specific high-speed test, though, with the car achieving the latest record while engineers checked high-speed stability and vehicle dynamics.

In video footage from testing, the driver says they haven't tried the car in F5 mode, which unlocks full power. The Venom F5 aims to break through 311mph, which would make it comfortably the fastest production car ever.

Click here to watch the Venom F5 during high-speed testing

SUBARU

Forester e-Boxer receives update

SUBARU has introduced a revised version of its Forester e-Boxer, bringing new safety features to the SUV. It incorporates the fourth generation of Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assistance technology, which adds 11 safety functions. Three new features have been added – automatic emergency steering, adaptive cruise control and lane departure prevention.

Meanwhile, the exterior has a newly designed grille, refreshed headlights and updated fog lights.

TOYOTA’S Hilux line-up has gained a new flagship model with the GR Sport.

Taking its inspiration from what Toyota has learnt in motorsport and rallying, it gets a retuned suspension system with new monotube shocks plus new front springs.

The monotubes allow for improved damping performance and faster responses, with the revised setup giving the Hilux even better capabilities off-road.

The GR Sport also retains the regular Hilux’s downhill assist control and automatic limited-slip differential, too.

MASERATI

Undercover: MC20 soft-top prototype A PROTOTYPE of Maserati's MC20 convertible was taken outside the Modena plant while heavily camouflaged.

It shares a carbon-fibre construction with the upcoming hard-top MC20 model, allowing for low weight but good levels of rigidity too.

It’s expected to be powered by the same 3.0-litre twinturbocharged V6 engine as the coupe, which will likely deliver around 621bhp and 730Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-60mph time of around 2.7 seconds.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

DASHBOARD HYUNDAI

Aftersales is to go contactless

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

NEWS DIGEST CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY c

HYUNDAI is introducing fully contactless aftersales across its network as it evolves the Workshop Automation system.

A 12-week trial run was held at Hyundai Guildford and it jumped to first place in the dealer network’s customer satisfaction ranks with 62 per cent of customers choosing to use it.

It’s now going to be brought in across the dealer network, with Hyundai Motor UK saying it’s on track to deliver an even slicker aftersales process that will be a boost to efficiency.

CLOSURE

Brakes to be pulled on DriveTribe site

DIRTY BUSINESS

Where there’s muck... Dacia tries to encourage more 4x4 owners off road with ‘mud wash’ DACIA has been mucking in to encourage 4×4 owners to take their vehicles off-roading.

A poll of more than 1,000 city-dwelling 4×4 owners found that 40 per cent had never taken them off road, but 17 per cent wished they could be more adventurous with their car.

Dacia’s London West showroom offered a free ‘mud wash’ to make the SUVs look like they’d been on an epic adventure, with Dacia UK and Ireland brand director Luke Broad saying it was ‘about setting car buyers up for a year of adventure and embracing all that comes with it’.

ACQUISITION

Sherwoods tightens ties with Stellantis

CAR culture website DriveTribe is to close at the end of January.

It was started in 2016 by Grand Tour trio Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, with them as figureheads, after millions of pounds of investment from various parties.

The idea was to combine contributions by the site’s users with content from experienced staff writers.

But in spite of all the investment, the company said it had struggled financially since the pandemic started.

20 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

SHERWOODS Motor Group has bought family business Town Centre Automobiles in Sunderland.

Acquiring the Citroen business strengthens its ties with Stellantis, as it also has Peugeot and Citroen sites in Gateshead and Durham.

Pictured from left are Sherwoods chairman Chris Elvidge, managing director Simon MacConachie and Town Centre Automobiles cofounder Stephen Smith

APPOINTMENT

Jaguar has had its unfair share of ups and downs over the years with tiny budgets and misguided mismanagement.

James Batchelor p13

Carzam makes Laura first people officer

ONLINE used car retailer Carzam has made Laura Chapman its first chief people officer.

She has arrived from CarShop as Carzam secured £112m of outside funding for expansion, and commented: ‘The board recognise the vital role that Carzam’s people have played in the company’s success to date, and that they will only become more important from this point. I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role.’

Omicron ‘could boost online sales’ Supplier News: p34

‘It’s decent enough to drive, superrefined and its 200-odd-mile range is bang on the money.’

SsangYong Korando e-Motion exclusive: p28

NETWORK

Lotus completes agency restructure

CEREMONY

COVID

Gravells of Bridgend Face mask rule to be is UK’s top Kia dealer dropped from Jan 27

T S A C D PO Driven by

LOTUS has completed the agency sales restructure of its retail network in the UK. A full agency agreement is now in place across all 13 sites, which Lotus said made it the first automotive brand in the world to be live in its home market with a totally new retail model across its entire nationwide network and all vehicle lines. The restructure comes as manufacturing the Elise, Exige and Evora ended in December, making way for the start of production of the Emira, pictured.

KIA UK has named the winners of its 2021 Dealer Excellence Awards with Gravells of Bridgend claiming the overall Dealer of the Year crown.

It was followed by Burton Kia and Evans Halshaw of Stourbridge in second and third place respectively.

Kia UK president and CEO Paul Philpott, pictured, said: ‘Congratulations to all this year’s award winners. We are immensely proud of our dealer partners, who have each helped deliver a record market share for Kia last year.’

JOBS

Motorpoint to open store in Maidstone

UP to 30 jobs are being created with a new Motorpoint store in Kent.

The Maidstone site will stock 120 vehicles and have an outdoor collection area for contactless handovers and test drives.

Robert Jones, head of retail operations at Motorpoint Maidstone, said: ‘We are excited about the opening of our new store in Maidstone in late February.’ The posts are in sales, service, support and vehicle preparation.

FACE masks will no longer have to be worn in showrooms in England as the Plan B measures are dropped.

Masks were made compulsory again last November, but as of January 27, when the Plan B measures to try to contain the Omicron variant were due to lapse, mandatory mask-wearing in retail environments and on public transport will end.

People are still being advised to wear a mask if in crowded or enclosed spaces, though.

OM R F M A E THE T EALER CAR DBOUT TALK ATEST THE LAAND NEWSVIEWS IN INTER EGULAR THIS R ST PODCA

ADDITION

By 2035, it won’t surprise me that much if the roads look like they did in the 1970s, with rusty door bottoms an automotive norm.

Big Mike p14

Lloyd Motor Group buys Rayrigg Motors

E R E H K C CLI

LLOYD Motor Group (LMG) has added Rayrigg Motors in Morecambe to its dealer network.

The Lancashire Guardian reports that the firm will take over the company, which runs two Kia dealerships, on February 28.

The dealer group is planning to close Rayrigg’s Windermere showroom and operate solely from the White Lund dealership. LMG already runs 38 dealerships across the north of England and Scotland.

PAST O T N E T S TO LI ES OF THE EPISODEALER CAR DASTS PODC Turn over page to catch up on more stories

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

DASHBOARD AGREEMENT

Mercedes agency sales in UK on way

MERCEDES-BENZ has sealed a deal with European car retailers to move to an agency model, including the UK by 2023.

Swedish and Austrian Mercedes-Benz dealers have already switched to agency sales, but the manufacturer now says it expects half of its cars will be sold this way by 2023. The agreement with the Fédération Européenne des Amicales de Concessionnaires MercedesBenz was hailed as an important milestone by the Daimler and Mercedes-Benz board.

ONLINE

Lookers launches click-and-sell tool

HERE ARE TASTERS OF STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

NEWS DIGEST CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR THE FULL STORY

UNITED

Citygate Automotive’s flagship VW dealership given £2m-plus transformation to bring in Skoda CITYGATE Automotive has finished a £2m-plus transformation of its flagship dealership in Brentford to bring the Volkswagen and Skoda brands under one roof.

The work by the Car Dealer Top 100 group took 16 months to complete, with the dealership staying open to customers throughout the refurbishment. Citygate said it made it one of the first sites in the UK to showcase both marques under the same roof. The four-floor showroom – Europe’s largest VW dealership – boasts a large choice of new and used vehicles as well as a heritage and performance car display.

CORPORATE IDENTITY

Robins & Day blazes new trail for Peugeot

LOOKERS is rolling out new ways of helping customers who wish to transact digitally by launching an instant valuation tool and a fleet of home delivery vans.

It says the move is part of ‘a new and enhanced service for online shoppers’. Its new ‘clickand-sell’ service gives customers an instant valuation of their used vehicles via a number plate lookup tool.

Pictured from left are chief financial officer Oliver Laird, CEO Mark Raban and chief operating officer Duncan McPhee 22 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

ROBINS & Day’s West London Peugeot dealership has become the first retailer in the UK network to sport the manufacturer’s new corporate identity.

Peugeot said work updating all its showrooms should be completed by April in time for the new 308 arriving in store.

Customers visiting its stores will find refreshed showrooms with the updated brand logo as well as changes inside and outside.

400+ The range in miles claimed

by MercedesBenz for its forthcoming EQE.

Feature p32

NEW VENTURE

EMG opens its first MG showroom

EMG Motor Group has opened an MG dealership in Ipswich.

It’s the East Anglia-based dealer group’s first venture with the Chinese-owned British brand and it’ll stock MG’s full new car range. The site was previously home to EMG’s Mitsubishi Ipswich branch.

Darren Allwright, EMG MG general manager, said: ‘We are delighted to be joining MG at this exciting time.

‘It’s a brand that fits well into our business.’

Let them entertain you...We round up some cool stuff to brighten your lives

‘Quote.’

Feature: pXX

Feature: p37

INVESTIGATIONS

Dealerships exposed for underpaying

CHARLES Hurst, Stoneacre Motor Group and Pendragon are among the latest firms named and shamed for underpaying some of their staff.

A total of 208 employers failed to pay some 12,000 workers a total of £1.2m, according to HMRC probes concluded between 2014 and 2019.

As such, the firms contravened the National Minimum Wage law and have since had to pay the staff what was rightfully theirs. They also face financial penalties of up to 200 per cent of what was owed.

EXPANSION

Ancaster adds to Nissan portfolio

THE Ancaster Group has expanded its portfolio of Nissan dealerships with a £600,000 site for the brand.

The group’s seventh Nissan business is in Staines Road, near Heathrow Airport, and features a 40-car used vehicle forecourt, ninecar showroom, nine-bay workshop plus an MOT bay. An Ancaster Group spokesman said: ‘We are proud to have represented Nissan since 1972 and are excited to see the direction the brand is heading in.’

NETWORK

It still makes me chortle to read how the retail motor industry has been forced online by both the pandemic and disruptor entrants to the market.

James Litton p17

CONSTELLATION

Marshall buyout threshold reached

THE owner of BCA and Cinch has reached the acceptance threshold to buy Marshall Motor Group.

Constellation Automotive Holdings said its wholly owned subsidiary CAG Vega 2 Ltd, via which the buyout is being made, had received valid acceptance of its offer by majority shareholder Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd (MCH).

Constellation is paying £325m to snap up MCH’s 64.41 per cent controlling stake in the business.

SsangYong targets 75 sites by mid-year

SSANGYONG has told of its ambitions to increase the size of its UK dealer network to 75 sites by the middle of this year.

It said 16 dealerships signed up to the brand across the country in 2021 – 14 of which were former Mitsubishi showrooms.

There are now 65 dealers representing it in the UK, and SsangYong said that to support the growing SUV, 4×4 and pick-up sectors, it anticipated an increase to a 75-strong network by mid-2022.

AUCTION

Manheim sale raises £32k for charity

MANHEIM Auction Services raised £32,000 for Make-A-Wish after holding a special sale in aid of the charity.

The auction of 28 cars in Leeds meant Manheim’s parent company, Cox Automotive, saw its 2021 fundraising for the charity total £60,000.

Demonstrating the generosity of buyers, 123 per cent of CAP Clean performance was recorded, with a Grade 5 average.

BITE-SIZE Click on the text box for the full story

MOVE: The Jaguar and Land Rover showrooms in Norwich are to move and merge at bigger premises. Both sites in Cromer Road will be combining in one place on the Broadland Gate business park after securing planning permission.

SURVEY: Nearly two-thirds of people would be more likely to buy their next car online if the manufacturer had an agency model meaning no haggling.

That’s according to latest research from What Car? which polled 1,310 in-market buyers.

HEAD: Guillaume Sicard has become country head and managing director Renault brand UK, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus as of January 1, 2022. He replaced Vincent Tourette, who has moved to an as-yet-unspecified role within the group.

SALE: Peter Vardy has sold online car retailing service SilverBullet to software firm Keyloop for an undisclosed sum.

Vardy said: ‘I am thrilled that the team will now form part of the Keyloop family and increase their presence here in Scotland.’

DONATION: The IGA has donated £20,000 to automotive charity Ben on behalf of its members. Chief executive Stuart James said: ‘There has never been a more important time for our industry to come together to help those in need.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

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24 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

PARTNER

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A game of patience Darren Selig, founder and chief commercial officer of high-end vehicle finance lender JBR Capital, provides insight into why the supply of new cars, which the semiconductor chip shortage has dramatically impacted upon, won’t return to pre-pandemic levels any time soon.

The tightening of the supply pipe to a trickle has also brought other changes into play.

Darren Selig JBR Capital founder and chief commercial officer

I

want it all, and I want it now.’ So sang Queen’s Freddie Mercury in 1989. Freddie wasn’t exactly big on patience. But then, who among us is?

Imagine if Amazon introduced a ‘Prime Plus’ account, where the thing you simply had to have could be matter-transported instantly to your home with that little shimmery sound from Star Trek. Who wouldn’t sign up for that?

These are not good times for seekers of instant gratification within the automotive industry. If you’ve spent any time online perusing the supercar of your dreams or even just looking for a family run-around, you’ll be very familiar with those, ‘Due to global supply issues relating to semiconductor chips…’ disclaimers.

You’re still likely to continue seeing those messages through 2022 and into 2023. No one from any manufacturer of high-end vehicles (or seller of them, for that matter) is talking about an improvement in the new car supply chain in 2022.

Covid and the semiconductor shortage have seen the automotive industry’s decades-long model to retail new cars wholly turned on its head. Discounts are, for now at least, a thing of the past. And this is most strikingly illustrated when one looks at what dealers are getting from extremely high-end vehicles such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

In the days before Covid, it took a discount of around £30,000 to get a Cullinan gliding out of the showroom on its 22-inch wheels. Now a customer needs to pay the full price, to the very last penny, before they can sink into the ultra-luxurious massaging driver’s seat. The same goes for other large, luxurious premium-brand SUVs. In addition, a limited new model supply creates a more predictable order book, making it easier for dealers to manage stock and cash flow. The tightening of the supply pipe to a trickle has also brought other changes into play. The once-buoyant relationship between leasing companies and retailers, where the former purchased large volumes of product from the latter at significant discounts, no longer exists for the simple reason that the system is no longer flush with surplus supply.

And what if we trace the supply stream back to its source? Do the manufacturers actually want things to return to how they were before? One would think so, but I am not entirely convinced – at least not when it comes to internal combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles. I suspect manufacturers may be diverting the supply of semiconductors into electric vehicle (EV) production, which they see as the future of course.

Values of used luxury cars – like more regular models – are firm. The chip ‘crisis’ is just one factor, though.

Other factors are that production was cut during the Covid pandemic, while since Brexit there is tax to pay on an imported car, so there is a premium on certain limited-volume, high-end vehicles located in the UK. In addition, we are also seeing that buyers want one last petrol-powered hurrah before they go electric. Of these factors, only Brexit and the transition to zero emission are long-term. The others will blow over.

However, with no change to the new car supply chain expected soon, customers will have to play the patience game a little longer.

For more information visit jbrcapital.com CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

FORECOURT

CITROEN C4

We’ve already tried the new C4 in its most expensive form, but is an entry-level version just as desirable?

Ted Welford finds out.

Power The 1.2-litre engine produces 99bhp and gives the C4 a 0-60mph time of 11.1 seconds.

WHAT IS IT? The Citroen C4 was introduced in early 2021 as the French firm’s latest funky hatchbackcome-crossover. Now the brand has gone the opposite way and launched an entry-level Sense trim as essentially a replacement for the Citroen C4 Cactus.

WHAT’S NEW? This new C4 is available as an EV for the first time, but our focus is the regular petrol and diesel options. Bringing a stylish design and a focus on comfort, the high-spec models we’ve already tried have been a welcome addition to this often-congested segment.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol really is as ‘entry-level’ as it comes. Mated exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox, it can take the C4 from 0-60mph in 11.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 114mph.

Although the 108bhp 1.5-litre diesel will be best for those looking for the lowest running costs (Citroen claims up to a remarkable 70mpg), this petrol is still rather good on fuel.

We averaged around 50mpg with our time with it, while CO2 emissions of 122-136g/km are respectable, too.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? In this area it excels, with a particularly comfortable ride that effortlessly soaks up bumps in the road. Whether you’re driving around town or on a motorway, it’s a very relaxing way to travel. This entry-level engine is also easily powerful enough for most situations and has no trouble getting up to speed when merging, while well-spaced gears mean it’s quite happy to sit at motorway speeds with minimal fuss.

The only slight gripe with the C4’s drive is that the split rear window impacts on visibility out of the back – much like any car with a design feature like this, admittedly.

HOW DOES IT LOOK? It might be the lowest C4 in the range but even this comes with large 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, which certainly give it plenty of street cred. The overall design is funky too, and blends a standard hatchback design with SUV styling features, such as its plastic-clad wheel arches, while it also sits higher up than a typical hatch such as a Kia Ceed. With 26 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

THE KNOWLEDGE Citroen C4 Sense PureTech 100

Price (as tested): £21,310 Engine: 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 99bhp Torque: 205Nm Max speed: 114mph O-60mph: 11.1 seconds MPG (combined): 47.1-54.8 Emissions: 122-136g/km CO2

TARGET BUYERS:

Families looking for something comfortable and easy to live with.

THE RIVALS:

Ford Focus Active Toyota C-HR Volkswagen Taigo

Looks The C4’s coupe-esque styling and funky design help it stand out from the crowd.

Cabin

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Especially comfortable ride.

2. Good value for money.

3. Funky crossover-like styling.

DEAL CLINCHER:

Citroen’s decision to focus on comfort over sportiness will appeal to many buyers.

The user-friendly interior retains some physical buttons as well as a 10-inch touchscreen. its fancy LED lights (fitted as standard) and almost coupe-esque styling, the C4 certainly stands out on the road for the right reasons.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? Citroen has aimed to declutter the cabin on the C4, but unlike some rivals, has still retained physical buttons for elements such as the climate control, which really helps to increase usability. This Sense model also still comes with a large 10-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, although annoyingly we couldn’t get the Apple CarPlay to behave itself. There’s a small digital instrument cluster, too, which helps to modernise the interior.

Despite the sloping roofline, there’s still lots of space in the back for adults, and although the 380-litre boot isn’t especially big, it should offer plenty of room for most.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? This version might sit at the bottom of the C4 line-up but the list of standard equipment you get is especially generous. Highlights include cruise control, that aforementioned 10-inch touchscreen, LED headlights and rear parking sensors.

Granted, there are no luxuries such as heated seats, a head-up display and adaptive cruise control – which you get higher up the range – but you’ve got to ask yourself whether you really need them. The C4’s starting price of £21,310 also makes it very good value for money, undercutting rivals such as the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra by one and two thousand pounds respectively.

This C4 is an easygoing choice that will happily slot into day-to-day life.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? What Car? said the C4 was ‘very temptingly priced for a coupe-SUV’, while Parkers said it was a ‘distinct and interesting family car – with superlative ride comfort’.

WHAT DO WE THINK? ‘Less is more’ is often a policy adopted in the sports car world, but we reckon it applies to the Citroen C4, too. When standard equipment is already this generous, and when the price is affordable and the entry-level engine is more than up to the task, there really is little reason why you should upgrade.

There might be sportier rivals and some that offer big boots, but this C4 is an easy-going choice that will happily slot into day-to-day life.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 27

FORECOURT

SSANGYONG KORANDO e-MOTION SsangYong has finally brought an electric version of the Korando to the UK. James Batchelor was the first motoring journalist here to take it for a spin – did he think it was worth the wait?

Under the bonnet

THE KNOWLEDGE SsangYong Korando e-Motion Ventura Price (as tested): £34,995 Engine: Single electric motor Power: 188bhp Torque: 360Nm Max speed: 97mph O-60mph: TBC Range: 210 miles Emissions: 0g/km CO2

The Korando’s single electric motor produces 188bhp and 360Nm of torque.

WHAT IS IT? The South Korean carmaker has its eyes on the flourishing electric car segment, and the Korando e-Motion is its first EV to go on sale in the UK. WHAT’S NEW? The firm has taken its Korando small SUV, added an electric powertrain and smoothed over the styling to make it more aerodynamic.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? Power comes from a single electric motor hooked up to the front wheels. With 188bhp, the Korando is more powerful than the MG ZS EV and Mazda MX-30, and just a little shy of the Hyundai Kona 64kWh. The e-Motion tops out at 97mph, and while there’s no claimed figure yet for the 0-60 sprint time, in our test drive it felt to be around eight seconds, which is comparable to the car’s nearest rivals.

The electric motor is powered by a 61.5kWh battery (55.3kWh useable), which gives a claimed 210 miles of range. In our testing on a cold winter’s day, a 100 per cent charge was giving a displayed 200 miles and the range dropped mile for mile.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? SsangYong has added a whole heap of sound deadening within the body panels and behind the dashboard. There’s even a different type of front subframe to reduce vibrations. And it really works – it’s eerily quiet, even on the motorway.

With 188bhp and 360Nm of torque, the e-Motion is the quickest Korando you can buy.

Squeeze the throttle hard and acceleration isn’t neck-snapping, but it’s nicely progressive and quick enough. There’s no ‘b-mode’ for extra brake regeneration, instead paddles behind the steering wheel control three settings of regen.

Elsewhere, it’s just like other Korandos, with decent body control, responsive steering and a stiff ride. But the aero-friendly 17-inch alloys do give a slightly more cushioned ride compared with some top-spec petrol and diesel Korandos with 19-inch wheels.

HOW DOES IT LOOK? Just like MG and Hyundai, SsangYong has gone for a smoothed-off look to differentiate the electric version from petrol and diesel models, adding a cleaner front bumper and tweaked

28 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

rear bumper. The headlights and rear lights are different too, as is a new boot trim with ‘Korando’ proudly emblazoned across it, and a set of aerodynamic – but rather plainlooking – alloy wheels. Essentially, it’s a subtle makeover. It certainly looks smart but some of the Korando’s rather crisp lines have disappeared though, which is a bit of shame.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? Compared with other small electric crossovers-cum-SUVs, the Korando’s interior is well put together with some plush-feeling materials.

The e-Motion gets a new 12.3-inch display in front of the driver, which has super-crisp graphics, and it can even mirror your smartphone’s screen.

The Korando has a real bonus compared with rivals from MG, Kia, Hyundai and Mazda – and that’s space. Headroom is very generous and the rear legroom is positively enormous.

At 551 litres, the boot is more than 200 litres larger than the Hyundai Kona Electric’s, and mid-spec models and above get a handy moveable floor that can also act as a boot divider.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? There are three versions of the e-Motion to choose from. The ELX kicks things off with 17inch alloys, the digital driver’s display, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rear-view camera, dual-zone climate control plus a whole heap of safety equipment, including lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. At £31,995, the ELX just sneaks in under the plug-in car grant threshold and gets the £1,500 subsidy.

Ventura comes in at £34,995 and adds more handy features such as LED headlights, a nine-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, the clever boot floor and, importantly, a charging cable – not always standard equipment on electric cars at the value end of the market.

Ultimate tops the range, and while its £37,995 seems very punchy, it’s loaded with kit such as leather upholstery, electric front seats (which are also ventilated), a powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensors and a wireless phone charger. Impressively, SsangYong has also thrown in a heat pump – this heating system can significantly extend the driving range of an EV in the winter and is normally a costly optional extra.

WHAT DO WE THINK? SsangYong first mooted its intention to launch an electric version of the Korando way back in 2019, and it’s certainly taken its time to make good on the promise. Since then, the electric crossover market has mushroomed with the launch of cars such as the MG ZS EV, Kia e-Niro and Peugeot e-2008, but the Korando e-Motion’s arrival is still well timed.

It’s decent enough to drive, super-refined and its 200-odd-mile range is bang on the money. Speaking of money, the Korando could do with being slightly cheaper, but it’s well equipped and considerably more spacious and practical than its rivals. The e-Motion isn’t just the pick of the two-wheel-drive Korandos, but also seriously worthy of consideration for anyone looking at the more value-end of the electric market.

TARGET BUYERS:

Those making the switch to electric. Family buyers.

THE RIVALS:

MG ZS EV Hyundai Kona Electric Skoda Enyaq iV

KEY SELLING POINTS:

1. Plug-in car grant-eligible 2. Plenty of standard kit 3. Heat pump on top model

Style

SsangYong has tweaked the design to give the e-Motion a smoothed-off look and a new rear bumper.

Inside

The cabin feels well put together with some quality materials.

There’s also a new 12.3-inch display in front of the driver.

DEAL CLINCHER:

Its 210-mile range is on a par with small electric SUVs such as the Peugeot e-2008, but the Korando is larger inside and more practical.

It’s decent enough to drive, super-refined and its 200-odd-mile range is bang on the money.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

FORECOURT

Under the bonnet

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT P300e THE KNOWLEDGE

Discovery Sport P300e R-Dynamic SE Price (as tested): £53,780 Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged petrolelectric motor Power (combined): 304bhp Torque (combined): 540Nm Max speed: 130mph O-60mph: 6.5 seconds MPG (combined): 175.5 Emissions: 36g/km CO2

The 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol and electric motor produces a combined 304bhp.

Jon Reay discovers if an electrified powertrain suits the nature of the Discovery Sport.

WHAT IS IT? The Discovery Sport P300e is a PHEV version of Land Rover’s compact SUV. But does it make more sense than a standard petrol or diesel version?

WHAT’S NEW? There’s not much to differentiate it from any other Discovery Sport, except of course an extra flap on the rear wing to hide its charge port. Slotting the battery under the boot floor means the P300e misses out on the Sport’s standard third-row seats too – making this a strict five-seater.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? In typical PHEV fashion, you get a downsized engine paired with a small battery and electric motor. In the case of the Discovery Sport, it’s a 197bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol driving the front wheels, and a 107bhp electric motor driving the rears.

To power said electric motor, Land Rover has squeezed in a 15kWh battery, giving a range of (in theory) 34 miles on electricity alone. Curiously for a Land Rover, these two motors effectively work independently of one another. There are a few benefits to this kind of setup of course – not least efficiency – but it’s worth remembering that when the Sport is operating in electric mode, it’s effectively rear-wheel-drive only.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? If you’re wincing at the thought of a car as large and expensive as this being propelled by a three-cylinder engine, fear not – the turbocharged 1.5 actually fits the Discovery Sport rather well. Most of the time it goes about its business without too much aural intrusion, and even under load it sounds quite pleasing and throaty.

As with most PHEVs though, there are a few operational quirks. For example, on multiple occasions we set off with a full battery only to find the petrol engine running regardless and the dash display stating ‘EV Mode Unavailable’. The culprit, as far as we could work out, was having the climate control switched on.

Not the end of the world, but frustrating if you’re hoping to regularly use the Discovery Sport on electric-only mode for short journeys such as school runs and shopping trips.

HOW DOES IT LOOK? The neater headlights give the front end a more aggressive look than previously, but on the whole it’s a similar visual to before. Think evolution, not revolution. Opt for the R-Dynamic

30 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

TARGET BUYERS:

Compact SUV for buyers who want to economise on fuel but not space.

Appearance The new headlight design gives the front a more aggressive look.

THE RIVALS:

Volvo XC60 Recharge BMW X3 xDrive30e Kia Sorento PHEV

KEY SELLING POINTS: The cabin There are hard-wearing materials to keep things practical but it still retains a premium feel. trim and you’ll get a racy(ish) bodykit with body-coloured plastic, and there are plenty of option packs to make various styling tweaks, too.

1. Generous electric range.

2. Spacious and posh interior.

3. Quicker to charge than other PHEVs.

DEAL CLINCHER:

An easy-to-live-with PHEV with true off-road capability.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? There’s a definite whiff of premium in the cabin – but with just enough hard-wearing materials to keep things practical. As standard (in the P300e at least) you get leather seats and steering wheel, or the option of either of them in a suede-effect cloth instead.

Everything feels sturdy and well screwed together, with reassuringly chunky door cards and extremely well padded (perhaps too much so) seats.

There’s also acres of room inside the Discovery Sport. Rear seat passengers get tremendous amounts of leg room – at least in our car with its optional sliding seats – and the boot is cavernous no matter how you arrange things.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? You’ll find all the usual Jaguar Land Rover infotainment systems here – including the new 10-inch Pivi Pro screen in the centre of the dash, standard on all P300e models – and the option of digital dials. Thankfully, this all works rather well, too.

Of course, there’s also plenty of scope for options – two different choices of upgraded Meridian speaker systems, a camera-based rear-view mirror, adjustable ambient cabin lighting and so on. Surprisingly, quite a lot is bundled in as standard – including a ‘3D’effect surround camera, heated front seats and of course Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Autocar said: ‘In all, the P300e is an impressive and efficient car whose technology never intrudes into its easy day-to-day use. Those who buy it for tax reasons will soon discover they’ve chosen a good car into the bargain.’

It’s pleasant to drive, surprisingly quick, and there’s no faulting the amount of space inside.

WHAT DO WE THINK? If you’re after a plug-in-hybrid SUV, the Discovery Sport makes a pretty decent case for itself.

It’s pleasant to drive, surprisingly quick, and there’s no faulting the amount of space inside.

Much like most PHEVs, it can sometimes feel like an awkward bridge between the worlds of internal combustion engines and electricity – not as simple around town as a full EV, and not as efficient on a long journey as a conventional diesel.

However, if you’ve decided that a PHEV is the right fit for your mileage and lifestyle, the Discovery Sport is definitely worth a look. Niggles aside, it’s one of the better-thought-out plug-in-hybrids on sale, and we’d have no issues recommending one over a diesel model – despite the apparent price premium.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

Toyota bZ4X

FEATURE

If we’re being honest, bZ4X is a terrible name for a car. But if you can look past that, it’s a very interesting model as it’s Toyota’s first production electric vehicle.

Yes, despite the firm forging ahead with electrification through Prius hybrids, it hasn’t actually sold an EV yet. That’s changing in a big way, though, with 15 arriving over the next three years and seven of them getting bZ badging.

The bZ4X is the first of this onslaught and is about the same size as the current Rav4 SUV.

Electric cars are coming in a big way, but there are still some exciting combustion-engined models in the pipeline for 2022, too. Darren Cassey reports.

I

t’s been a turbulent time for the new car industry, with first the pandemic closing dealerships and then a semiconductor chip crisis stalling production.

However, with the world slowly returning to normality and hopes for an end to the chip crisis this year, car manufacturers have been pressing ahead with new model launches.

Here are the most exciting cars we’re expecting to see on sale in 2022.

BMW M2 BMW M cars are some of the most revered performance vehicles on the market, so it’s a highly anticipated moment any time a new one comes along. With the new BMW 2 Series being released in 2021, we’re getting an M2 this year.

The standard car’s slightly odd proportions are clearly designed with the wider M car in mind, so expect very aggressive styling. Meanwhile, power will come from a detuned version of the M3’s 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, likely making around 400bhp.

BMW M240i

Range Rover In the luxury car market, the Range Rover has long been top of the class.

In 2021, Land Rover revealed a new model, bringing sleek, minimalist styling and bundles of new technology.

It has new plug-in hybrid technology as well as a performance V8 engine – and an electric model will be launched in 2024.

Mercedes-Benz EQE The mid-sized executive car market has proved hugely lucrative for Mercedes-Benz and its fellow premium car makers, so seeing it evolve for an EV market is very interesting indeed.

The EQE is essentially an electric version of the hugely popular E-Class.

Targeted at those who do lots of miles, it’s said to be capable of more than 400 miles between charges.

32 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Cupra Born

Dacia Jogger Dacia has found a niche for itself by making the most affordable cars possible in any given segment while still offering sound build quality and decent specifications.

Its newest model is the Jogger, which will be the least expensive seven-seater on sale.

When it comes to large family cars, the Jogger might just be the best-value option on the market.

Cupra is the electric/performance offshoot of Seat, itself a division of the Volkswagen Group.

As a result of the latter, the firm gets access to VW’s latest MEB electric vehicle platform, which currently underpins the VW ID.3.

Cupra’s version is called Born and has a very stylish, modern exterior.

Its range of up to 263 miles isn’t the longest around, but it should be more than enough for most.

Ineos Grenadier

When Land Rover took the old Defender off sale after what felt like hundreds of years, its new one was met with mixed feelings from offroad enthusiasts and farmers who needed a more utilitarian model.

The Ineos Grenadier is a response to this, with a more back-to-basics, robust interior and bundles of offroad capability.

Toyota GR86 The GR86 is the successor to the much-loved GT86.

While car enthusiasts loved its affordable sports car ethos, it never quite reached cult status because its engine, in particular, lacked excitement.

To combat this, Toyota has made the engine bigger and brought more power to the table.

Will a little more performance make this a world-beater?

Time will tell, but in the meantime we’re extremely excited by the prospect.

Ferrari Purosangue

Renault Megane E-Tech Electric

A Ferrari SUV is something even the Prancing Horse itself never thought would happen, but in 2022 the Italian supercar maker will follow every other luxury brand into the SUV market.

Despite resisting long and hard, seeing the success of the Lamborghini Urus forced Ferrari’s hand. We still don’t know a great deal about the Purosangue (which means ‘thoroughbred’ in Italian), but spy shots show a long, low bonnet and a sleek, coupe-like roofline.

Like every car company, Renault is shifting its range towards EVs and the Megane E-Tech Electric is the first.

It will have a range of almost 300 miles, a stylish exterior and a hugely spacious cabin with an infotainment system based on Google’s Android system. These credentials made it a finalist in the 2022 Car of the Year awards, with the winner to be announced in February.

Lotus Emira

Lotus is a real UK car industry success story.

Despite changing demands from buyers, the Norfolk-based company has continued to excel in its niche – lightweight sports cars.

A major evolution is coming from the brand, with electrification on the horizon. But first there’s Emira.

It’s developed on a new aluminium chassis and has an engine from AMG. An intoxicating combination…

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

DASHBOARD

SUPPLIER NEWS

A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY INSURANCE

New year delivers fairer renewals

INSURERS are now banned from quoting people a higher price for renewing their motor policy than if they were a new customer.

The new rules, which also apply to home cover, were brought in by the Financial Conduct Authority on January 1 and are expected to save consumers £4.2bn over the next 10 years. Its reforms follow a review that showed many insurers were increasing prices for customers who renewed year on year.

IVENDI

Omicron ‘could spark increase in online sales’ THE potential impact of the Omicron variant on consumer behaviour means that dealers should gear up for increased levels of online sales early in 2022, iVendi is advising.

Darren Sinclair, chief commercial officer, said: ‘If the virus does prove to spread as rapidly as experts fear, there is every chance that it will affect how much contact people want with others as we head into the new year. The change could be very marked and dealers should now be considering how to meet that potential demand.’

BCA

Positive festive season as sales rise by quarter

AUCTION group BCA says sales rose by 25 per cent over the festive period when compared with Christmas 2020.

The firm said more than 11,400 customers engaged with its sales programme of online auctions between December 27 and 31.

The sales drew over 2,500 buyers and sold nearly 25 per cent more year on year. There was particularly strong activity for used vans, with more than 400 people buying.

34 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

1LINK TRADE BUYER

Setting goals for your business now we’re in January should be at the top of everyone’s to-do list.

Richard Pygott p45

STARTLINE

Best year despite car and van shortages

Sessions help staff overcome challenges

AUTOMOTIVE tech provider Epyx says 2021 saw its 1link Trade Buyer platform enjoy its best year for sales volumes despite ongoing shortages of used cars and vans.

The number of vehicles sold overall was eight per cent ahead of 2020 and also exceeded 2019 – the previous record year – by two per cent, with April 2021 being the best single month for the platform, which was previously known as Disposal Network.

A NEW service is being offered

by Startline Motor Finance to its employees to ‘straddle the line between therapy and coaching’.

The one-to-one sessions from Sanctus Coaching are supporting staff who are facing personal and professional challenges. CEO Paul Burgess, pictured, said: ‘The initial response we’ve had from staff has been very good, showing that the sessions have helped them to feel more empowered.’

Get motor trade insurance from £1,700* Has the cost of your motor trade insurance increased recently, or you are looking for more affordable cover? If yes, then Aston Lark might be able to help.

We offer an exclusive policy that is tailored specifically for motor traders and contains several enhancements that most standard motor trade policies do not – all this at a price that isn’t going to break the bank.

CONTACT US TODAY on motortrade@astonlark.com or via 01732 872 899 to find a policy that suits your needs at the right price. *Terms and conditions apply and can be viewed at astonlark.com/motortrade1700

YOUR WORLD IS OUR FOCUS www.astonlark.com Aston Lark Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

AL-CS-MT-040-0122

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

Build your team.

Light the fire in your belly.

Embrace your wild side.

In Summer 2022, our new annual challenge series will ignite the competitive spirit across the automotive industry like never before. Teams of 4 people will head to North Wales and battle each other across a series of physical and mental challenges to score points, secure bragging rights and, importantly, help us raise vital funds for our automotive family.

Have you got what it takes to tame the Beast of Ben? Learn more and sign up now at ben.org.uk/beast-of-ben

Ben - Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund. Lynwood Court, Lynwood Village, Rise Road, Ascot, SL5 0FG. A charity registered in England and Wales (no.297877) and Scotland (no.SC039842).

36 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

FEATURE.

COOL STUFF TO KEEP YOU (AND OTHERS) ENTERTAINED With a fresh 12 months lying ahead, we’re checking out things that’ll brighten our lives through 2022.

We had some excellent products hit these pages during 2021 and have high hopes for this year. Here’s what January has to offer...

Lego Technic BMW M 1000RR

£174.99

THE days continue to feel short, which means there’s more time for indoorrelated activities. Lego’s Technic models are some of the most realistic to come from the famous toy brick-maker, and its latest is a buildable version of BMW’s M 1000RR superbike.

Made from 1,920 pieces, the model features intricate components such as a three-speed gearbox plus front and rear suspension.

Camel Trophy – The Definitive History

£60

Yeti Roadie 24

Logitech Mevo Start

£326

EVER wanted to stream videos to sites such as Facebook or YouTube? Maybe you want to stream a presentation for others or even kick-start your own videos. Well, Logitech’s Mevo Start aims to make that process easier by allowing you to wirelessly and seamlessly stream to those sites in high definition.

It could be a great business tool too, and you can even sync three cameras to maintain a trio of camera angles all running at the same time.

£199.99

OK, so this isn’t exactly entertaining but it’s unarguably cool!

The Yeti Roadie 24 is a high-grade cooler designed for adventures – it’s even slim enough to fit behind a seat and be easily accessible on a road trip.

Thanks to its rotomoulded construction, it can keep items cold for days, which is ideal if you’re spending a lot of time behind the wheel.

THE Camel Trophy, which ran from 1980 to 2000, was one of the most testing motoring challenges in the world. Roughly 500 amateur drivers piloted their Land Rovers through some of the toughest conditions in countries such as Borneo, Mongolia and Tanzania.

Written by official Camel Trophy photographer Nick Dimbleby, this impressive book is filled with staggering photos as well as many behind-the-scenes insights.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

FEEDBACK TOP TWEETS

What Car? research showed buyers trust franchised dealers the most and online retailers the least, but here’s what Twitter had to say…

Your comments via email to editorial@blackballmedia.co.uk

December was slow and January may be no better

We’ve had the slowest December so far in all our years of trading. Somehow, I think with all that’s going on, January could be a damp squib. Thoughts, please? Yes, it’ll pick up, but it could be a slow burn.

Trade Survivor Yet after a few slightly more sensible weeks at the auctions the prices seem to have gone back through the roof again this week. Someone must be selling somewhere.

Lakeside

Richard Hollis @UsedCarHead

Alternative headline: ‘6% trust online dealers more than longestablished networks within 18 months of opening.’ Tip any of these surveys on their head and they’re worrying for dealers.

New entrants have captured 2% of their market and it’s only going one way.

Hannah Gordon @femalemechanic1

What we are seeing is that people value convenience.

Whether or not they trust online retailers, they would probably still buy from them.

BlackTopMedia @BlackTopMediaUK

I expect dealers will say this is a positive, but it’s like saying would you like to be punched in the balls or the throat. Both are an unpleasant experience you’d rather avoid.

Yep, same here. Very quiet. Hopefully it will pick up in January.

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

Zahoor

Same here. Normally I sell within two weeks, but one week on and I haven’t even had a call yet. slademotors A little fella called ‘Omicron’ is probably not helping...

G Dog

Very slow here, but an uptick in finance inquiries (sub-prime) and lots of those frustrating emails: ‘I’m interested in your car.

You can contact me on Timewaster@hotmail. com’.

Anglo9 Could this be the future look of cars? This super-efficient low-cost EV concept has been dreamt up by Car Design Research as a sustainable alternative to short-haul flights.

The Budget Airline Car would produce only two per cent of the emissions per passenger and would sit six people in three rows, each with a dedicated seat and baggage space.

I saw some loons in December. ‘I’m interested in your car.’ Well, ring about it then. ‘How much will you give me for my car?’ Then nothing. Back to reg and miles question.

Dopey loon. ‘Do you take PX cars that are scrap?’ Idiots. No, but I’ll take your dog or violin as PX if you want. ‘Will you buy my car please?’ Anyone else’s but not yours because you don’t answer the phone. ‘If you give me a great price for mine I’ll buy yours.’ And you have...? ‘A red Mercedes, but it’s my dad’s so I can’t give you the number.’ Bye. What do you mean you haven’t got a driving licence? ‘Not for me. It’s my son’s, but I’m financing it.’ OMG, go get a private loan you idiot. ‘I can’t get one, my credit is no good.’

David Horgan Had a few classics this month. ‘Ringing about your Vitara up at £13,495. Thing is, my budget is 10k. Any chance you could meet it?’ ‘Looking at financing a cheap car, maybe £150 a month. Oh, I’m currently unemployed and have a driving ban but it’s for my mate to drive me about in, looking for work, so I think it should be fine.’

Dan W

More and more of our readers are joining the debate – and it couldn’t be 38 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

On Twitter: Follow @CarDealerMag

Forum: CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

DIAGNOSTICS

Winging it is no good any more for checking cars It’s probably been asked before but what’s the best tool overall for checking cars?

I’m a part-time trader and had been winging it with my own judgment and visual checks. But I got to car sale 34 and have had my first issue that’s cost me with a dodgy engine on an A4. Ideally looking for something straightforward to use for up to or around £200 but could go higher.

Johny1980 In your price range you won’t get a professional-level tool – it’ll be top-end consumer level. Look at products from Topdon and Foxwell.

Halfpenny My quick tool of choice is the Launch CRP123, but for £200 try the CRP129 or, indeed, the Foxwell equivalent.

It’s me You’re better off spending near the £400 mark. Wi-fi touchscreen, being able to reset battery, parking brake, etc. The Foxwells around £200 are woeful.

Marc Personally, I would say don’t bother! Most of

these cheap bottom-end code readers can’t be trusted. I think there’s a case for keeping up to date with automotive technology and being aware of what’s possible. But ultimately, let your mechanic invest in diagnostic equipment.

Metcars

We’ve teamed up with Car Sales Memes to bring you a few of their funniest captions and slogans each month. Enjoy!

Diagnostic tools are only as good as their user!

Unless you know what’s going on, that fault code might not mean that part is faulty.

We got a handheld Autel one that cost about £80. My knowledge goes as far as checking the codes, deleting them, a good drive and see what comes back – then straight up to the mechanic to fix it.

D&M On the old stuff I sell, my OBD reader does most of what I want. I think I paid £30 on eBay about 15 years ago.

From what I’ve seen, the average £200£300 machines aren’t anything special. If you ain’t spending thousands on one, you might as well just buy something cheap that reads and clears codes prior to dropping off the car at your mechanic.

BHM

It’s time to clear out my old valuation guides Daft question... I’m having a major sort-out and I’ve years’ worth of CAP and Glass’s Guide value books.

Is there anywhere to get rid of them? A job lot on eBay? Or just bin them?

CJ Underhill Send them back to CAP and Glass’s. Tell them they were nearer with valuing cars years ago!

David Horgan Very true! Seriously, I reckon there will be

a man on fleabay for those old books. You name it and people seem to collect it. Had a customer who used to collect beer cans. No, no, no, not what you’re thinking – his wife reckoned he spent quite a few quid on some of them.

Frank Cannon Put them in a pile, get a bible out and pray the prices will go back to somewhere near what they were quoted back then!

G Dog

easier to get involved! Sign up to our forum at CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

Search for Car Sales Memes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and give them a follow!

Car Dealer reserves the right to edit comments CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

DASHBOARD

BUSINESS NEWS

A ROUND-UP OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS THE UK CLOSURES

WAREHOUSING

Fears for jobs as Wilko plans to shut stores

RETAILER Wilko is planning to close 15 stores this year, the company has announced.

The firm said the stores affected will close as leases end and favourable terms cannot be agreed, adding that it won’t affect its new openings or stores relocation programme. The GMB union warned that hundreds of jobs could be lost as a result.

E-commerce boom sparks race for space THE UK is witnessing a shortage of warehouse space after a surge in demand for logistics sites in 2021, according to new research.

Experts at real estate advisory firm Colliers said the take-up for large industrial distribution warehouses increased to record annual levels. Around 50.7 million sq ft of large distribution warehouses were snapped up in 2021 – a 3.6 per cent increase on 2020.

It said the soaring demand was accelerated by the pandemic-fuelled growth in online retail. The Office for National Statistics said in December that online retail sales increased to 30.1 per cent of all sales in November, surging from 21.6 per cent in November 2019.

VACCINATIONS

Water firm cuts sick pay for some unjabbed staff

SPENDING

Supermarket sales hit near-record of £11.7bn HOUSEHOLDS shunned pubs, restaurants and bars in December as the rise of the Omicron variant saw people spending near-record amounts in supermarkets and celebrating the festive period at home, according to new data.

Researchers at Kantar found that supermarket sales hit £11.7bn in December – just 0.2 per cent down on the record-breaking same month a year ago when strict restrictions were in place.

40 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

WESSEX Water has cut sick pay for some of its unvaccinated employees.

Staff who don’t have a medical reason to be unvaccinated – or an appointment scheduled – and are forced to self-isolate after being identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 are now only receiving the statutory sick pay minimum of £96.35 per week.

2013 WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

SECURITY

Online bank customers ‘are facing fraud risks’

ONLINE banking customers are being left exposed to some worrying fraud risks, according to Which?

The consumer group urged providers to ‘up their game’ by using the latest protections for their websites and not allowing customers to set unsecure passwords. Which? said the criteria it looked at included encryption and protection, login, account management, and navigation.

PAY

Sainsbury’s and Argos staff given rise

Thank you for your vote!

Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime)

WORKERS at Sainsbury’s and Argos are to receive a pay rise under a £100m investment in staff in recognition of their ‘extraordinary work’.

Basic hourly pay for store staff will increase from March 6 from £9.50 to £10.

The hourly rate for workers in inner London will rise from £10.10 to £11.05, and from £9.75 to £10.50 for those in outer London. Sainsbury’s delivery drivers will get £11.50 an hour, and Argos delivery drivers will receive £11 an hour.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY 0115 946 6260

enquiries@frfl.co.uk

frfl.co.uk/car CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

DASHBOARD

INDUSTRY VIEWS NEWS AND THOUGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR CAR DEALER LIVE GUESTS CAP HPI

December values drop was business as usual USED car values slipped again in December but there’s no price crash on the horizon, said Cap HPI’s head of valuations. Derren Martin exclusively revealed that used car values fell by 1.4 per cent that month but it was a normal drop.

‘Values during December on our Live products fell by 1.4 per cent, which is around £240,’ he said.

Some car dealers went on social media to predict a used car price crash over the Christmas period. But Martin said: ‘The important thing to note is that a drop like this is normal for this time of year – this isn’t a crash.’

He added that since Cap HPI introduced its Live product in 2012, the average December drop was 1.4 per cent, so it was in line.

‘The difference this December is that the fall is coming from a much higher starting point,’ he said. ‘It hasn’t knocked much off the overall increases – values are still over 27 per cent up on where they were at the start of the year.’

T S A C D PO Driven by

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MORE CAR DEALER PODCASTS 42 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Martin went on to say that December’s fall, as in other years, was because of retail demand dropping, but also September and October saw the large dealer groups stocking up for January.

‘There’s also a lot of people who have been watching and waiting to see what happens to values. When you’re watching and not buying, there’s little competition.’

Two of the strongest sectors in December remained city cars and MPVs, but only by small amounts – around three per cent or £150 for the Fiat Panda, Kia Picanto and Skoda Citigo.

Martin reckoned this was due to MPVs still representing good value while city cars were still a necessity purchase for many.

Looking back on a ‘crazy’ year for used car valuations, Martin said: ‘It’s never been more difficult to forecast values of cars – it’s actually easier to predict what’s going to happen in three years’ time, as we know there will be a lot less volume because of what’s happening right now.

‘With semiconductor shortages, Omicron and the potential for Covid outbreak at factories, there is not going to be many new cars coming through, and obviously that will mean fewer used cars being generated.

‘We think values will stay strong into 2022.’

CELEBRATION

Teams battle it out to claim Quiz of the Year crown TO CELEBRATE the end of another weird and wonderful year, the Car Dealer Podcast did things differently for a special episode.

Instead of a show looking back at the week, this time we put the Car Dealer team and two dealer guests’ knowledge of the year to the test.

In this podcast episode – that can be played on Apple Podcasts or Spotify AND watched on YouTube – James Baggott teamed up with Swansway director Peter

Smyth, left, while James Batchelor chose Car Quay boss Jamie Caple, right, as his teammate.

With Rebecca Chaplin as quiz master, the teams went through five rounds of news challenges to decide who would be crowned the winner of the Car Dealer Quiz of the Year.

Watch now to find out who really knew the most about car dealerships and the automotive industry in 2021. Click on the image to see how the teams got on.

The latest from our fleet.

Long-termers: p51

Watch our Car Dealer Live broadcasts as they go out or catch up on any that you’ve missed at: cardealermagazine.co.uk/live AUTO TRADER

2022 will be the third year in a row where we’ve seen relatively low levels of new car transactions by historic standards.

Catherine Faiers Chief operating officer, Auto Trader

There’s more confidence about buying online DESPITE the government announcing Plan B and rumours of even further restrictions in December, the used car market was ending the year in strong health, said Catherine Faiers, Auto Trader’s chief operating officer.

‘We’re seeing levels of consumer demand continuing to increase on our platform,’ she said.

‘And equally, we’re seeing the value consumers place on car ownership and having access to a car, again, is at record levels, because of all the concerns out there around the latest variant.’

Faiers explained that in the week commencing December 4, Auto Trader numbers were up by around 20 per cent on 2019, while for the week commencing December 20, numbers were up by 23 per cent. There were plenty of great highs for car dealers in 2021 too, she said.

‘Dealers have traded surprisingly well during the lockdowns. If you had asked us in 2019 what kind of sales volumes retailers would be able to support and deliver if forecourts weren’t widely open for retailing, I don’t think anyone would have said they’d be 84 per cent of typical volumes in the third lockdown.

‘So, I think for the next few weeks and months, wherever they take us, retailers should feel confident, be getting on the front foot and taking the opportunities there’ll be in the market.’

She added: ‘Overall, online sales in the UK for all categories jumped from about 18 per cent prior to the pandemic to about 26 per cent in Q3 of this year [2021] – and in Q3 this year, you’ll remember, we were about six months out the other side of the last lockdown,’ she said.

‘We’ve definitely seen that play through into automotive, with many of those traditional barriers – whether it was the test drive or completing the finance application on the forecourt – being broken down. All of those factors are giving consumers confidence to do more of the buying journey online.’

But when asked if sourcing stock will get easier in 2022, Faiers said there wouldn’t be much good news on that front. ‘2022 will be the third year in a row where we’ve seen relatively low levels of new car transactions by historic standards, and that is going to have an impact on vehicle availability.

‘By 2024, there’ll be a third fewer three-to-five year-old vehicles than we would have seen in 2019. So, there’ll be about 2.9m vehicles in that age cohort, compared to the 4.8m or so in 2019.’

LAWGISTICS

Commission disclosure has been like the new PPI CAR dealers faced new legal challenges in 2021 following an FCA report on commission, said Lawgistics managing director Joel Combes.

‘Commission disclosures have been coming in faster than we thought.

‘I know we talked about this at the beginning of the year and how we thought this would happen, but there was a report by the FCA about non-compliance and requirements of a disclosure agreement. That sparked off a few letters coming in, and now we’ve actually taken someone on who deals with the financial side for us.

‘The solicitors have got on to this because it’s

like the new PPI.’ He explained that in their terms and conditions, car dealers should have said that if people asked for details of commission they would be given it, and in the FCA report it has said this needs to be prominent.

‘Solicitors jumped on that and said dealers have been misleading because they haven’t made it prominent,’ he said. ‘So really there is no news here because they were doing it properly, but they haven’t brought it to the forefront of their terms and conditions.

‘That’s the letters we’re getting in. They’re really chancers.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

DASHBOARD

FINANCE NEWS APPOINTMENT

Mike Randall tells of honour as he joins FLA board STARTLINE

Used EV market opens up with £292m securitisation

A

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk

£292m securitisation listed on the London Stock Exchange has created funding for motor finance specialist Startline to embark on its next phase of expansion – including a move into used electric vehicles.

The exercise has seen the company float around three-quarters of its existing debt book under the name Satus – Latin for start – to open future funding sources, including a £400m committed facility from global bank J.P. Morgan over the next 18 months.

Startline chief executive Paul Burgess, pictured left with chief operating officer Gregor Sutherland, said: ‘Our medium-term aim is to take around three per cent of the entire used motor finance market, up from just over two per cent currently, and this exercise is designed to place us on a sound footing to achieve this ambition.

‘The securitisation attracted around 20 investors and was significantly oversubscribed, which is something of a rarity and a testament to the quality of business that the team here in Glasgow is writing.

‘Notably, we can now move into electric vehicle funding, which was closed to us under our previous funding arrangements, but is clearly a key element in future growth. The business is now in an ideal position to further expand.’

He added: ‘We have spent 2021 undertaking a number of initiatives designed to support our growth strategy. Importantly, in the current market, investment in technology designed to support both dealers and car buyers, who increasingly purchase online, has continued.

‘We’re also conscious of our environmental responsibilities and will soon be revealing details of a new scheme to plant a tree for every motor finance deal we write.’

44 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

THE Finance & Leasing Association has appointed Mike Randall as a board director with effect from January 2022.

Formerly chief executive of Simply Asset Finance and chairman of The Leasing Foundation, Randall has more than 35 years’ experience in the asset finance sector, having held many senior positions.

The FLA said he was passionate about encouraging cross-sector collaboration to help all small and medium enterprises across the UK to grow and prosper.

Stephen Haddrill, director general of the FLA, said: ‘We are very pleased to have Mike join our board.

‘His knowledge of the market is exemplary and will be much valued by colleagues.’

Randall said: ‘Having been involved with the FLA for many years, it is an honour to join the board at this pivotal time for our industry.

‘I look forward to joining the team in their work to drive value for customers.’

In 2020, FLA members provided £113bn of new finance to UK businesses and households.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

TIME IS MONEY RICHARD PYGOTT

A MONTHLY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE FINANCE AND MARKETING

Never say die – Steve’s story shows the benefit of goals

A

Richard Pygott is digital marketer and LinkedIn outreach specialist for First Response.

Call him on 0115 946 6365 or email richard. pygott@frfl.co.uk

new year is seen by many as a fresh start. Resolutions are made, resets are considered, and there always appears to be some optimism as to what the future holds now that the past year is behind us.

But let’s not beat about the bush or sugar-coat anything. The past few years have been very difficult for various industries, and many would argue that the car trade has suffered just as much – if not more – than other industries. I’ve recently spoken with a few dealers who don’t know if they are going to be in business by the end of March, and from what I’ve read and seen dealers comment on in forums and on social media recently, optimism and positivity seem more absent this year than previous, and negativity rules the day.

With stock valuations skyrocketing, the semiconductor crisis, consumer confidence levels remaining low, the cost of living and running a business increasing as energy costs rise, this negativity is perhaps well founded. It all sounds rather gloomy.

I have spoken with one of our motorcycle dealer partners Steve for a good number of years, and we usually catch up every few months. He told me that because stock was so rare at one point during the pandemic, he only had three motorcycles in his showroom, which usually holds 50! Times got progressively worse, and he eventually shut down the business he’d run for 15 years.

When I called another of our dealer partners, I was surprised to hear Steve’s voice.

After what he described as a personal ‘low point’, he’d taken a job working for someone else as a sales executive, but he did what he had to do.

Undeterred and with a fighting spirit, Steve told me he’d set himself the goal of being independent and having his own business again. Over the following year he did very well and saved up enough money to lease a small unit, leave his job, reclaim his independence and start his own dealership again, albeit on a smaller scale than before.

Steve’s experiences made me realise that there are glimmers of hope and huge benefits in setting business and personal goals even when faced with huge pressures, and whenever I hear negative chatter in the trade, I always think of his journey.

The automotive trade employs some of the brightest, most resilient and adaptable people in the country with a ‘never say die’ attitude. When Steve realised he’d failed he didn’t give up, he simply started over again with an end in mind and how he was going to achieve it. Goals should be worked towards on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. A good year is never determined by just one month’s performance. 2022 is still going to be tough, and many of the challenges from last year are still with us, but setting goals for your business now we’re in January should be at the top of everyone’s to-do list.

A good year is never determined by just one month’s performance.

PARTNER WITH AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY 0115 946 6260

enquiries@frfl.co.uk

frfl.co.uk/car CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

DATA FILE

STATISTICS

THE LATEST REGISTRATION FIGURES

SMMT

SALES DATA

DECEMBER/YEAR TO DATE

TOP

SHOCKS AT THE TOP

Vauxhall deposes Ford after 50 years thanks to Corsa

CARS SOLD IN DECEMBER 2021

by James Batchelor james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk

F

ord has lost its best-selling car crown in Britain to Vauxhall, latest figures show. The Vauxhall Corsa was confirmed as 2021’s most popular new car in data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on January 6.

It means the Griffin-badged supermini becomes the first non-Ford to take the top spot since 1971 when the Austin/Morris 1100/1300 was number one.

Every year since 1971, the Cortina, Escort, Focus and Fiesta have enjoyed the status of best-selling vehicles.

Vauxhall shifted just shy of 41,000 Corsas during the year, while arch-rival Ford only managed eighth place in top 10 chart.

With 28,697 units registered, the title of most popular Ford went to the Puma and not the Fiesta – the latter has dominated the sales charts for the past 12 years.

Ford however did take the title of best-selling vehicle in 2021 with its Transit Custom. The Blue Oval shifted 53,394 examples during the year.

While Ford slipped in the new car standings, Tesla triumphed as its Model 3 not only entered the top 10 chart but romped away with second place.

The American carmaker registered 34,783 Model 3s during 2021 – a figure boosted by the car topping December’s best-sellers chart with 9,612 units registered to the Mini’s 4,625 and the Corsa’s 2,608.

Following the Corsa and Model 3 in the overall 2021 best-sellers chart was the Mini (31,792), Mercedes-Benz A-Class (30,710), the Volkswagen pairing of Polo (30,634) and Golf (30,240), the Nissan Qashqai (29,922), Ford Puma (28,697), Kia Sportage (27,611) and the Toyota Yaris (27,415).

The best-selling plug-in hybrid, meanwhile, was the BMW 3 Series with 10,979 units registered, followed by the A-Class (6,495) and the Volvo XC40 (6,362).

The Model 3 was top pure-electric followed by the Kia Niro (12,271) and the Volkswagen ID.3 (11,031).

Model

Regs

Tesla Model 3

9,612

Mini

4,625

Vauxhall Corsa

2,608

Nissan Juke

2,270

Nissan Qashqai

2,122

Ford Puma

1,827

Vauxhall Mokka

1,821

Volvo XC40

1,755

Peugeot 2008

1,672

Nissan Leaf

1,578

‘Bleak picture’ painted as 2021 sees sales rise of just one per cent THE number of new cars registered in 2021 rose by just one per cent despite a surge in EVs, the latest figures show.

Full-year registrations data published by the SMMT show 1.65m cars were registered last year, with the market down 28.7 per cent on pre-pandemic 2019.

In December, 108,596 cars were registered – down 18.2 per cent on December 2020.

The full-year figure was one per cent up on 2020’s 1.63m total, which itself was the worst 12-month performance since 1992.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes called it a ‘bleak picture’ and ‘not what we’d

hoped for’. The shortage of semiconductors and impact of the pandemic were blamed for the sector not mounting a stronger recovery from 2020. ‘The first half of the year was in lockdown,’ he said, and things ‘didn’t improve significantly’ in the latter six months because of supply shortages.

Click here to see our top 10 rolling sales chart for December 2020 to December 2021 46 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Sales figures soared in 2021.

LCV news: p48

-75%

+380%

SEAT

DACIA

Figures supplied by SMMT

Marque

December 2021

December 2020

2021

2020

% market share

% market share

Year to date % change

2021

% market share

2020

% market share

% change

Abarth

105

0.10

162

0.12

-35.19

2,335

0.14

2,349

0.14

-0.60

Alfa Romeo

124

0.11

285

0.21

-56.49

1,574

0.10

2,107

0.13

-25.30

13

0.01

7

0.01

85.71

202

0.01

105

0.01

92.38

7,647

7.04

7,435

5.60

2.85

117,953

7.16

107,842

6.61

9.38

116

0.11

144

0.11

-19.44

1,348

0.08

1,337

0.08

0.82

BMW

6,420

5.91

10,305

7.77

-37.70

116,577

7.08

115,476

7.08

0.95

Citroen

1,436

1.32

1,717

1.29

-16.37

30,204

1.83

28,059

1.72

7.64

Cupra

564

0.52

107

0.08

427.10

7,584

0.46

162

0.01

4,581.48

Dacia

1,742

1.60

363

0.27

379.89

17,568

1.07

18,918

1.16

-7.14

DS

279

0.26

243

0.18

14.81

2,362

0.14

2,379

0.15

-0.71

Fiat

1,427

1.31

902

0.68

58.20

20,154

1.22

19,253

1.18

4.68

Ford

4,973

4.58

11,479

8.65

-56.68

116,305

7.06

152,777

9.37

-23.87

Alpine Audi Bentley

Genesis

11

0.01

0

0.00

0.00

127

0.01

0

0.00

0.00

Honda

1,588

1.46

1,391

1.05

14.16

26,928

1.63

27,297

1.67

-1.35

Hyundai

4,740

4.36

3,366

2.54

40.82

69,680

4.23

47,507

2.91

46.67

Jaguar

1,333

1.23

3,386

2.55

-60.63

18,868

1.15

25,513

1.56

-26.05

195

0.18

534

0.40

-63.48

4,463

0.27

4,639

0.28

-3.79

Kia

2,903

2.67

3,589

2.70

-19.11

90,817

5.51

70,537

4.32

28.75

Land Rover

-9.22

Jeep

2,669

2.46

4,548

3.43

-41.31

53,111

3.22

58,505

3.59

Lexus

701

0.65

749

0.56

-6.41

13,878

0.84

13,727

0.84

1.10

Maserati

69

0.06

59

0.04

16.95

765

0.05

585

0.04

30.77

Mazda

1,174

1.08

1,275

0.96

-7.92

25,852

1.57

22,742

1.39

13.68

5,508

5.07

7,480

5.64

-26.36

97,945

5.95

110,883

6.80

-11.67

MG

1,126

1.04

1,421

1.07

-20.76

30,600

1.86

18,415

1.13

66.17

Mini

5,924

5.46

4,101

3.09

44.45

45,756

2.78

46,109

2.83

-0.77

0

0.00

531

0.40

0.00

5,125

0.31

9,076

0.56

-43.53

Nissan

6,365

5.86

7,124

5.37

-10.65

68,494

4.16

71,932

4.41

-4.78

Peugeot

4,544

4.18

5,386

4.06

-15.63

61,106

3.71

57,186

3.51

6.85

Polestar

433

0.40

242

0.18

78.93

4,096

0.25

850

0.05

381.88

Porsche

2,221

2.05

2,180

1.64

1.88

13,702

0.83

14,284

0.88

-4.07

Renault

2,019

1.86

1,799

1.36

12.23

29,836

1.81

42,740

2.62

-30.19

Seat

1,032

0.95

4,176

3.15

-75.29

43,130

2.62

45,419

2.78

-5.04

Skoda

3,665

3.37

4,881

3.68

-24.91

55,561

3.37

58,693

3.60

-5.34

Smart

138

0.13

89

0.07

55.06

1,581

0.10

1,377

0.08

14.81

SsangYong

93

0.09

65

0.05

43.08

1,525

0.09

1,488

0.09

2.49

Subaru

176

0.16

128

0.10

37.50

2,107

0.13

951

0.06

121.56

Mercedes-Benz

Mitsubishi

Suzuki

842

0.78

1,279

0.96

-34.17

20,976

1.27

19,838

1.22

5.74

Toyota

6,078

5.60

5,711

4.30

6.43

100,895

6.13

91,793

5.63

9.92

Vauxhall

6,097

5.61

7,283

5.49

-16.28

91,452

5.55

95,444

5.85

-4.18

Volkswagen

8,854

8.15

15,635

11.78

-43.37

147,826

8.97

148,338

9.09

-0.35

Volvo

3,443

3.17

4,541

3.42

-24.18

48,260

2.93

46,408

2.85

3.99

129

0.12

184

0.14

-29.89

2,206

0.13

1,938

0.12

13.83

Other British Other imports Total

9,680

8.91

6,400

4.82

51.25

36,347

2.21

26,086

1.60

39.34

108,596

100

132,682

100

-18.15

1,647,181

100

1,631,064

100

0.99

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

DATA FILE

BOUNCE BACK

LCV NEWS

Key sectors helped sales figures soar in 2021

by John Bowman john@blackballmedia.co.uk THE UK’s LCV market grew by more than a fifth last year as it bounced back from the pandemic-hit 2020, according to latest figures released by the SMMT. A total of 355,380 new light commercial vehicles were registered in 2021, equating to a 21.4 per cent growth from 292,657 and ending with the best December for the sector since 2015, which saw a 7.8 per cent increase, going up from 27,283 in December 2020 to 29,404 last month.

The SMMT said the market’s robustness was due in part to strong underlying demand from key sectors – notably construction and home deliveries. Battery-electric vehicle uptake soared by 142.3 per cent to 12,759 zero-emission vans.

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES LESS THAN 3.5 TONNES Marque

Ford Vauxhall Peugeot Nissan Volkswagen Mercedes Renault Citroen Fiat Maxus Toyota Iveco Isuzu MAN Renault Trucks LEVC Isuzu Trucks Land Rover SsangYong Fuso Suzuki LDV Dacia Mitsubishi Total light CV

Figures supplied by SMMT

December 2021 2021

9,187 3,770 2,721 2,164 2,076 2,036 1,769 1,705 1,011 600 580 359 320 318 246 145 135 119 88 27 19 8 1 0 29,404

% market share

December 2020

2020

31.24 12.82 9.25 7.36 7.06 6.92 6.02 5.80 3.44 2.04 1.97 1.22 1.09 1.08 0.84 0.49

10,282 2,817 2,141 646 3,428 2,060 950 2,090 603 40 487 223 188 240 207 21

0.46 0.40 0.30 0.09 0.06 0.03 0.00 0.00 100.00

96 65 23 27 0 21 0 628 27,283

Year to date

% market share

% change

2021

37.69 10.33 7.85 2.37 12.56 7.55 3.48 7.66 2.21 0.15 1.78 0.82 0.69 0.88 0.76 0.08

-10.65 33.83 27.09 234.98 -39.44 -1.17 86.21 -18.42 67.66 1,400.00 19.10 60.99 70.21 32.50 18.84 590.48

121,465 34,344 28,511 13,639 34,182 29,824 18,128 25,153 9,964 3,700 13,282 4,621 3,688 2,968 2,457 347

0.35 0.24 0.08 0.10 0.00 0.08 0.00 2.30 100.00

40.63 83.08 282.61 0.00 0.00 -61.90 0.00 0.00 7.77

1,291 3,361 570 249 406 142 20 3,068 355,380

% market share

2020

34.18 9.66 8.02 3.84 9.62 8.39 5.10 7.08 2.80 1.04 3.74 1.30 1.04 0.84 0.69 0.10

94,800 31,096 25,639 9,241 32,349 30,439 11,210 22,688 7,796 115 8,004 2,406 3,154 2,574 1,520 35

0.36 0.95 0.16 0.07 0.11 0.04 0.01 0.86 100.00

1,000 1,276 406 236 0 804 0 5,869 292,657

REGISTRATIONS OF NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 3.5 TONNES TO 6.0 TONNES Marque

Peugeot Fiat Mercedes Iveco Citroen Ford MAN Volkswagen Renault Trucks

December 2021 2021

% market share

December 2020

2020

% market share

% change

28.08 19.32 21.75 2.92 7.14 14.77 0.97 2.44 0.81

98.27 -16.81 -45.52 77.78 -47.73 -81.32 150.00 -6.67 120.00

343 99 73 32 23 17 15 14 11

53.68 15.49 11.42 5.01 3.60 2.66 2.35 2.19 1.72

173 119 134 18 44 91 6 15 5

Isuzu Trucks

10

1.56

6

0.97

Other imports

1

0.16

2

0.32

% change

32.39 10.63 8.76 3.16 11.05 10.40 3.83 7.75 2.66 0.04 2.73 0.82 1.08 0.88 0.52 0.01

28.13 10.45 11.20 47.59 5.67 -2.02 61.71 10.86 27.81 3,117.39 65.94 92.06 16.93 15.31 61.64 891.43

0.34 0.44 0.14 0.08 0.00 0.27 0.00 2.01 100.00

29.10 163.40 40.39 5.51 0.00 -82.34 0.00 -47.73 21.43

Figures supplied by SMMT

Year to date

2021

% market share

% market share

2020

1,688 1,421 1,510 223 166 1,256 74 196 10

% market share

% change

24.98 21.03 22.35 3.30 2.46 18.59 1.10 2.90 0.15

-13.86 7.95 -12.52 21.97 10.24 -49.04 66.22 16.84 1,150.00

1,454 1,534 1,321 272 183 640 123 229 125

24.28 25.62 22.06 4.54 3.06 10.69 2.05 3.82 2.09

66.67

37

0.62

22

0.33

68.18

-50.00

28

0.47

161

2.38

-82.61 -11.11

Renault

1

0.16

1

0.16

0.00

8

0.13

9

0.13

Maxus

0

0.00

0

0.00

0.00

25

0.42

0

0.00

0.00

Vauxhall

0

0.00

2

0.32

0.00

9

0.15

21

0.31

-57.14

639

100.00

616

100.00

3.73

5,988

100.00

6,757

100.00

-11.38

Total heavy CV

48 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

BRITISH INDEPENDENT GARAGE OF THE YEAR AWARDS

2022

ENTRIES ARE OPEN FOR THE BIG AWARDS 2022!

A night of well-deserved recognition for Britain’s best and brightest independent garages and technicians. It’s your time to shine - enter today!

• Two complimentary tickets for all shortlisted garages • Recognition from the UK’s largest trade body for independent garages • Industry-wide press coverage, marketing and business opportunities

It’s time independent garages received the recognition they deserve with high-profile awards truly created by the industry, for the industry.

All shortlisted garages will receive two complimentary tickets to an extraordinary evening of celebration, fine dining and entertainment on Friday 19th August 2022 at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre. Held in association with the iconic British Motor Show, all finalists also receive a 4 day family ticket to The British Motor Show 2022.

You’ve got nothing to lose! Enter today to raise the profile of your garage and be part of an event that truly celebrates Britain’s best garages.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Independent Garage of the Year - Overall Independent Garage of the Year - Large Independent Garage of the Year - Small Customer Service Award Communication Award Community Engagement Award Innovation Award Outstanding Achievement Award Training & Development Award Environmental Award EV Specialist Award Consumer Choice Award Business Improvement Award Individual Contribution Award

ENTER NOW AT:

theBIGawards.org.uk CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

DATA FILE

SUPPLIERS GUIDE

LOOKING FOR A MOTOR TRADE SUPPLIER? YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS OF SELECTED COMPANIES HERE Auctions & Trade-To-Trade Sales

Finance

Lead Management

Trade Bodies

Warranty Providers

BCA

First Response

iVendi

Ben

Momentum Warranties

Automotive Ecommerce

Finance

Legal & Compliance

Vehicle Photography

Warranty Providers

GForces

Forza Finance

Lawgistics

Dealer 360

Warranty Administration Services

W: bca.co.uk T: 0344 875 3480 E: customerservices@bca.com Info: BCA’s remarketing programmes deliver volume, choice and availability for buyers, and speed, efficiency and market-leading returns for sellers.

W: gforces.co.uk T: 01622 391904 Info: GForces delivers class-leading ecommerce solutions. We work with global vehicle manufacturers, the world’s largest dealer groups and independent retailers around the planet.

W: firstresponsefinance.co.uk T: 0115 946 6317 E: marketing@frfl.co.uk Info: First Response is an awardwinning UK finance company providing simple financial solutions.

Get in touch and let us help increase your profits.

W: forzafinance.co.uk T: 01245 245678 Info: Benefit from Forza Finance’s expertise, choice of products and lenders. Their personal approach will help you achieve higher levels of finance penetration and, ultimately, sell more cars.

W: ivendi.com T: 0330 229 0028 E: tellmemore@ivendi.com Info: iVendi delivers a fully connected platform that engages consumers, converts buyers and manages transactions of vehicles online and in the showroom.

W: lawgistics.co.uk T: 01480 455500 E: sales@lawgistics.co.uk Info: The legal experts for the motor trade, giving advice and support to our industry for over 15 years. Not anti-consumer, just pro-trader.

W: ben.org.uk T: 0808 131 1333 Info: Ben is a not-for-profit organisation that partners with the automotive industry to provide support for life to its people and their families.

W: dealer360.co.uk T: 01270 780855 E: nicky.spratt@ukturntables.com Info: UK makers of photo booths incorporating our turntables for car, van and motorcycle dealers. Our software controls turntable and cameras – a onestop solution.

W: momentumwarranties.co.uk T: 0330 445 0059 E: support@momentumwarranties.co.uk Info: How long does your warranty company make you wait? We pay claims into your bank within 45 minutes. The most advanced warranty programme in the UK.

W: warrantyadmin.co.uk T: 01522 515600 E: tellmemore@warrantyadmin.co.uk Info: Unlock new profit and aftersales flexibility with Crystal Clear Warranty.

Ideal for franchised dealers, groups and independents.

Data

HR & People Management

Marketing, PR & Video

Vehicle Tracking

Warranty Providers

Real World Analytics

HR Manager

OnCue Communications

Meta Trak

Warrantywise

DMS

Insurance

Marketing, PR & Video

Warranty Providers

Warranty Providers

DealerDesk

Tradesure

Marketing Delivery

Autoprotect

WMS

W: realworldanalytics.com T: 0808 1890 617 E: auto@realworldanalytics.com Info: We are a SaaS-based data analytics solution provider for multisite dealers. Our business intelligence tools help customers make faster and better decisions.

W: dealerdesk.co.uk E: contact@dealerdesk.co.uk Info: Modernise your stock management, advertising, communication, sales and website.

DealerDesk provides you with easyto-use tools designed to simplify your dealership management.

W: hrmanager.co.uk T: 01480 455500 E: info@hrmanager.co.uk Info: HR Manager is Lawgistics’ new digital compliance portal designed to assist employers in managing their legal obligations, responsibilities and duties.

W: tradesureinsurance.co.uk T: 0121 248 9313 Info: Providing motor trade insurance to full- and part-time motor traders in the UK, the Tradesure team are reliable professionals who know how to help you.

W: oncuecomms.com T: 020 8125 3880 Info: We are a leading provider of PR, video and events services to the automotive industry. The PR team has a proven track record of securing high-value, big-impact media coverage.

W: marketingdelivery.co.uk/ T: 01892 599911 E: get.in.touch@marketingdelivery.co.uk Info: Our SocialStock helps target prospects with tailored stock remarketing and social media advertising tools, and automated lead capture for Facebook.

W: metatrak.co.uk T: 020 8867 2340 E: enquiries@metatrak.co.uk Info: Total vehicle security. Clever tracking technology, advanced immobilisation, 24/7 monitoring and an easy-to-use app. Security. Connectivity.

Peace of mind.

W: autoprotect.co.uk

T: 01279 406888 E: sales@autoprotect.net Info: AutoProtect offers a full portfolio of award-winning protection products, including GAP. We lead the market with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot.

W: warrantywise.co.uk/dealer T: 0800 001 4551 E: dealers@warrantywise.co.uk Info: Warrantywise sells over 100,000 warranties per year.

Quentin Willson personally designed Warrantywise to be the UK’s best used car warranty.

W: wmsgroup.co.uk T: 01844 293810 E: sales@wmsgroup.co.uk Info: Open 24/7, we offer award-winning warranty products for FCA- and non-FCA-registered dealerships.

Key Control

Oil & Lubricants

Warranty Providers

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Traka

Mobil™

Car Care Plan

Bluesky Interactive

Finance

Lead Management

Recruitment

Warranty Providers

Website Design & Digital Marketing

Close Brothers Motor Finance

GardX AD-Vantage

WeRecruit Auto

Händler Protect

Haswent

Finance

Blue Motor Finance

W: blue.co.uk T: 020 3005 9331 E: dealersupport@blue.co.uk Info: Blue is transforming the car finance market, making car ownership simple and flexible and providing motor traders with access to essential finance.

W: closemotorfinance.co.uk/ Info: Close Brothers Motor Finance are a specialist finance provider, working with over 8,000 dealer partners to offer flexible finance solutions for car, motorcycle and LCV customers.

W: traka-automotive.com T: 0333 355 3726 E: automotive@traka.com Info: Bespoke software and electronic key management cabinets to deliver the most effective solution to dealerships to manage their keys and vehicles.

W: gardx.co.uk/gardx-ad-vantage T: 01243 376426 E: goforaspin@gardx.co.uk Info: The award-winning 360 service offers an engaging display of the vehicle while additionally presenting profitable F&I products to a consumer.

W: mobil.co.uk T: 0800 0857 420 Info: Whether using Mobil 1™ or Mobil Super™, Mobil™ engine oils meet or exceed the latest standards of the oil industry and vehicle manufacturers.

W: werecruitauto.co.uk T: 01603 550041 Info: Permanent recruitment – here to assist businesses within the automotive sector find the best fit for their company in terms of skillset, experience and culture.

W: carcareplan.com T: 0344 573 8000 Info: Car Care Plan is a leading provider of motor protection products, trusted around the world to deliver quality protection with integrity and a customer-oriented outlook.

W: handlerprotect.com T: 0800 088 7889 E: sales@handlerprotect.com Info: Händler Protect is an exclusive dealer warranty provider. Proud to partner and represent more than 1,000-plus ‘active’ independent motor dealers across the UK each month.

W: blueskyinteractive.co.uk T: 01926 651000 Info: Bluesky Interactive drive dealer websites and digital marketing forward thanks to game-changing innovation, the latest technology and our exceptional relationships with our clients.

W: haswent.com T: 020 3920 6164 E: hello@haswent.com Info: Composer is a next-gen automotive platform. You have extensive stock management options, and you’ll gain a brilliantly responsive new website.

To have your details included email sales@blackballmedia.co.uk and ask for Suppliers Guide listings 50 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

LONG-TERMERS

AUDI Q4 E-TRON THE KNOWLEDGE Our latest long-term arrival is a taste of the future.

James Baggott gets his head around life with an electric car as his day-to-day runabout.

T

here are many reasons to make the switch to an electric car – the environment, the money saving and the simple fact they’re often nicer to drive are three off the bat.

But on the flip side there are also many reasons not to buy one. When you’re making the decision over what car to buy next, chances are something electric will be very high up the list and you’ll not only be crunching the numbers, you’ll be assessing the pros and cons of charging, ranges and new fangled technology.

I’ve just picked up my latest long-term test car, the Audi Q4 e-tron, after a string of easy-tofill-up-when-you-want combustion-engined cars and I’ve had to get my head around living life in this electric future.

Unfortunately, I haven’t got access to a home charging point so am currently making do with plugging the Audi into a normal socket in the garage, like a pressure washer. Charging this way is the slowest way to do it – a recent top-up for a half-full battery took 17 hours. That may sound like a lifetime, but I plugged it in when I got home one Friday evening and didn’t do much on the Saturday, so by the time I got to it again, the charging was done. Of course, this isn’t the best way to do it, but until I get a proper charging point installed, it will have to do.

When it comes to range, I’ve been getting mixed results. After a full charge, it currently gives me about 270 miles. This Launch Edition is supposed to do 305 miles, but I’ve yet to see that on the dash after a top-up. That said, 270 miles is very usable and often means you don’t need to factor in a recharge on your trip. That’s handy because the public charging infrastructure across the UK is nothing short of woeful. In my experience, more don’t work than do, which can make long trips very stressful.

So, what’s the Audi like? Well, first impressions are very good. I’ve been seriously considering buying an EV and even put a deposit down on a Tesla Model 3 last year until they messed me about so badly that I cancelled it. I’m glad they did, because I actually think this e-tron is better. While a Model 3 might have some cool cache, the Audi is backed up by a ‘proper’ dealer network and is built by a manufacturer with decades of experience.

Most people won’t even know the e-tron is electric as it looks pretty much like a regular SUV from the firm. Inside, there’s plenty of practical and usable space, and while the ride might be a little hard, I love the high-up driving position and comfy seats.

The specification on this early Launch Edition is a little strange. It might be something to do with the lack of microchips out there when they built it, but it’s missing many things that you’d expect on an Audi costing £51k. There are no electric seats, there’s no parking camera or front parking sensors and the doors have the buttons for keyless entry but not the tech. It also feels a little flimsy in places. The heating also tends to get on my nerves – whatever temperature I set it to, it appears to blow hair dryer-hot air at me.

The multimedia system, though, is excellent and with wireless Apple CarPlay (which should be in every car), a cinch to use.

So far, life with an EV has been, on the whole, very pleasant. I find the way it drives – swift when you want it to be, but silent for the majority – a relaxing way to get to places, and I’m a big fan of its chunky looks. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how it fits into life over the coming months and whether I’ll ever want to go back to filling up at the pumps again.

Audi Q4 e-tron Launch Edition

Price (as tested): Engine: Power: Torque: 0-60mph: Max speed: Range: Emissions: Mileage:

£51,165 Electric 204bhp 310Nm 8.3 seconds 99mph 305 miles 0g/km CO2 4,896

This month’s highlight: Enjoying the high-up driving position and comfortable seats.

OTHER CARS WE’RE DRIVING

Mazda MX-30 Mileage: 7,697 A home charger installation has transformed our ownership experience of the Mazda.

Volvo XC40

Mileage: 9,500 It was a very sad day for us when the time came to say goodbye to the Volvo.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

WE’VE WON! Within a month we’ve won not one, but two awardsan achievement that we are all very proud of.

Our customers voted First Response Finance as the ‘Best Car Finance Provider’ in the Consumer Credit Awards 2021.

The second recognition came from our dealer partners who voted us ‘Finance Provider of the Year (Sub-Prime)’ in the Car Dealer Power Awards for the second consecutive year.

Cars, motorbikes, vans- it doesn't matter what type of vehicle we are financing, our award- winning service remains the same.

First Response Finance Ltd, 5 Regan Way Chetwynd Business Park, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6RZ. Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.Registered in England No.