Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 80 by Blackball Media

REPORT: the dealership with no salesmen

Business Publication of the Year

Issue 80 | November 2014 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | Â£3.50

80 YEARS THROUGH

THICK AND THIN

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL EDITOR James Batchelor

james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @JRRBatchelor

PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

head of design Graeme Windell

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Manager Duncan Chappell

duncan@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDunc

Advertising EXECUTIVE Cliff Culver

cliff@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerCliff

CREDIT CONTROL & ADMINISTRATOR Pippa Marsden

pippa@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerPip

SUITS MANAGING DIRECTOR James Baggott

james@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerEd

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

Contributors Tim Naylor, Nick King, Mike Jones, Jonathan Such, Ben Morley, Daljinder Nagra, Chris Lloyd, John Bowman, Becca Chaplin, Nigel Swan

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avid reader of Car Welcome. ANY Dealer will know that Road Test of the Year is our favourite feature. Getting together the best cars to have launched in your showrooms over the past 12 months is a real treat. And with such a stunning line-up this year, it’s hardly surprising we were just as keen to hit the road as ever. The calibre of machinery gets better every single year, always leading one of the team to write somewhere in the magazine: ‘It’s the best year yet!’ But this year really was special because any of the cars we took to Wales could have won. It was tricky driving all of these cars – you’ll see from the feature later on in the magazine – back-to-back to find a winner. Honest. Road Test of the Year 2014 was special for another reason. Our snapper Dean Smith used to be one of our favourite chaps to use for these features. But when Evo magazine pinched him, we didn’t think we’d see him again. Happily, however, he managed to fit us into his busy schedule and was able to come along. The pictures he snapped for us are probably the best ever to have appeared in the pages of Car Dealer. Turn to page 76 to see his efforts and those of our wordsmiths. AWARD WINNERS I AM absolutely delighted to reveal (if you didn’t know already, where have you been?) that Car Dealer was named the Best Business Publication of the Year 2014 in September at the Headline Auto awards. The awards are special because they are voted for by other motoring journalists and car manufacturer PRs. In the case of the former, that could be our peers and our rivals. And we triumphed over Motor Trader,

Fleet News, BusinessCar and Professional Driver. It’s a massive achievement. We have won it once before, back in 2012, but after being nominated last year and missing out on the spoils, we took on board the judges’ comments. They said that they loved the irreverent humour, the good fun and the interesting features, but this content needed to be balanced out with more business-focused material. So we fixed that, and have carried out some major business interviews over the past 12 months. Who could forget us quizzing the DVLA’s chief executive over the road tax changes weeks before the BBC and the Telegraph paid any attention to the issue, and James Baggott’s fantastic interview with the SMMT’s big cheese over pre-registrations? We are naturally delighted with the award – hopefully you can help us win it again next year. THE FINAL CURTAIN AND on that happy note I have to announce that I am stepping down as editor of Car Dealer magazine and leaving the magazine’s parent company, Blackball Media. I am off to try something a little different in the motoring press after four glorious years here, with the past 21 months spent as editor. I hope you think the team and I have done a great job – it has been an absolute pleasure working on a magazine that has such a loyal readership. Enjoy the issue.

James Batchelor, editor

WINNER

CAR DEALER MAGAZINE Best Business Publication CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

04 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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INSIDE.

Paris Motor Show

The best coverage of one of the most important events of the year – we have 23 pages of reports and pictures

ISSUE 80 I NOVEMBER 2014

Dashboard

Feedback

Car Dealer Club Used Car Awards Digital decisions with Hyundai Big Mike Baggott Real Deals

Forecourt Infiniti Q50 Porsche 911 GT3

Why YOU should get involved with our Used Car Awards

127

Mitsubishi ASX is welcomed to our fleet of long-termers

‘‘

Lexus NX 300h Mini 5-Door Cooper D Volvo V40 driven – but what did we think?

Volvo V40

Features

You can no longer rely on people giving ‘word of mouth’ referrals

130

Jonathan Such

Road Test of the Year Trading Up

Data File The Statistics Taking Stock Buyers’ Guide Auctions Money Matters Trader Talk Market Insight Suppliers’ Guide with Litton Long-termers

CarDealer

Check out Hyundai’s digital dealership of the future

OUR AWARDS...

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

2013 WINNER The Car Dealer Used Car Awards, CarDealer sponsored by Black Horse, EWARDS celebrate the used car industry. 2013 Nominate now – log on to bit.ly/ UsedNoms14, by October 31.

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USED Is Money CARAWARDS

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feedback. Your comments via email to james.batchelor@blackballmedia.co.uk

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

Which camera do you ‘I want something that does the job and does the job well’ Just thinking about getting a new camera for taking advert photos. So before I start looking, I wanted to find out what you are all using, and what you may recommend. I don’t want anything that costs thousands but want something that does the job and does the job well. I would say max. budget of £500 unless anyone is using something that they really rave about. It would be good to hear what you think. James (jamslug) Do you really need one? We take pictures on iPhones and often these are even good enough to print in the magazine. When you’re advertising cars online, an iPhone 5S will take extremely good-quality pictures that will be far bigger than any web advertising site will be able to deal with. Just a thought... James Baggott Another vote for iPhone 5S here; never had a problem with quality. The added bonus of iPhone is that I’ve got the Dealer Portal app which I can upload photos straight to! Chris I’m quite a keen photographer and wouldn’t bother getting my kit out to take car pics, especially with the limitations of the websites. I’ve been told the iPhone has an exceptional camera with some very professional features where ‘metering’ is concerned. I would be more concerned with the subject and background than the camera to be honest. metcars I use a proper camera! Just find it easier! TML Cars Limited A lot of the internet sales sites won’t accept highquality pictures these days, so when I’ve used my digital SLR I’ve had to spend ages dumbing them

down. At least with the iPhone the file size is correct! Andy Entwistle FWIW, we use a Nexus 10 Tablet and we can take good-quality photos, upload to A/T and websites, print stock sheets via Google Cloud, prop finance deals, check auction stock, Skype and become a black belt in Candy Crush, all on the one device. And for half the price of an iPhone. See how I didn’t mention soshall meeja? But you can do that, too, if you have the time. Green Giant GG – I love how you’re a one-man adversary to the world of social media. I get the feeling that if you met Mark Zuckerberg you’d have a few things to say. James Baggott I would. But I’m not sure an actual conversation using, you know, words and stuff is something he’d manage. My main issue with it is the fact that it is anything but social. I was in my local the other day

and there was a couple, obviously on some kind of date, who spent more time staring at the little screens in their hands than actually talking to each other. Wouldn’t surprise me if they were texting each other. How sad is that? Anyway, I don’t think I’m on my own. For example, if the big question today had been: ‘Would the world be a better, more tolerant place without Facebook and Twitter?’ the yes campaign would have smashed it out of the park. Green Giant But what if I told you this: Every single car under £5,000 I put on Facebook I sell through Facebook. James (jamslug) I don’t generally sell many cars under £5k so we’re not treading on each other’s toes. As of August 2013, approx one third of the population had active Facebook accounts. Which I admit is a lot. But not as many as the two thirds who haven’t. Green Giant

Picture of the month

Japanese imports Do these sales still happen?

Years ago we used to travel to various auctions around the UK (Southampton docks, Tilbury, Liverpool etc.) buying used Japanese imports. Does anyone know if they still exist? metcars I think a lot of these are online now. There are a handful of sites where you can buy directly from Japan... if you are brave! Andy Entwistle

Well, as you might have read on page three, editor James Batchelor is leaving the building. In fact, by the time you read this, he will be happily settled into his new job, never to darken the doors of Car Dealer Towers again. As is always the way in the newspaper and magazine industry, we prepared a mickey-taking page to mark his departure. And on an alcohol-fuelled night out at the start of October (hence the angle of the picture) we said our farewells. All the best Batch, you’ll be missed!

More and more of our readers are joining the debate – and it couldn’t be easier 06 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

On Twitter: Follow @CarDealerMag

Forum: CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

use for car pics? Vauxhall revokes lifetime warranty

Top tweet

A return to the old standard of 3y60k

It’s arrived! My @Bangers4BEN steed for our charity rally to Turin has arrived. Carbon fibre wrap by @wraptition :) James Baggott @CarDealerEd

INTERESTING strategic shift, when Kia offers seven years and most other Asian brands have five-year cover, that Vauxhall has gone back to the old standard of 3y60k. I guess the sub-text to this is that Vauxhall has become almost entirely fleet-focused, and that these customers aren’t prepared to pay more for longer cover as it has a negligible effect on the three-year RV figures. Also, the percentage of buyers using finance, and especially PCP penetration, quoted is lower than what I understand is the

industry average, so it suggests that private Vauxhall buyers are probably more likely to make use of a longer warranty than those buying a Hyundai... Jamie Edmonds And they reckon to out-sell Ford by 2016 or something?! TML Cars Limited We’ve had Vauxhalls put back on our company car list; can only think this is awful news. Paul Stewart

I’m making some sales at home – am I officially a car dealer?

FEEDBACK

The gadgets and gizmos that aren’t worth the trouble... James Baggott wrote in a recent edition of Car Dealer: The recent announcement about driverless cars heading to the UK got me thinking. Not about how nice it would be to have a snooze in the back of a long-termer as it cruised up the A34, dodging overtaking lorries as we go (although I admit that was my first thought), but more about the incredible advances in technology the car industry has made over the years… and, more importantly, the not so incredible. Electric parking brakes. Why oh why? They go wrong with alarming regularity and cost £400 a corner to sort! What’s wrong with using your arm and a lever? Andy Entwistle Hybrids, I can see those being an expensive fix over 10 years old! Wheelerdealer1 My other half has been looking at a Lexus RX 400h and, after driving one, I wasn’t put

n Full Bangers4BEN coverage in our next issue

I am still in a full-time job and doing some deals from home on cars I have done up. At what point am I obliged to register as a dealer in any official capacity, say with the HM Revenue authorities? I guess I should be declaring any profit on a tax return anyway, but if I up the ante and start doing more cars, where do I stand? Ultimately if I can convince myself I could do it full-time, I would pack in my job and go for it. Any advice or websites I should look at? bangna63

off. But what is going to happen when it’s 10 years old and the hybrid has decided that the batteries and motors are pants so the engine is permanently on! Can’t 100 per cent say I am on board with this idea yet, so back to Range Rover shopping and stuff the batteries. Paul Stewart I’ve just taken in an old Rolls-Royce with a built-in... wait for it... barometer! Why would you ever need a barometer in your car? Though, as has been pointed out, the onedoor-only remote locking has to be the most pointless. Or fighting with the one-touch window to only open it a quarter of the way. CJ Underhill I have a C-Max in at the moment with a button that you press, and then it parallel parks for you. I thought, ‘yay, can’t wait to try this’. It ran over a traffic cone that it didn’t ‘see’ and kerbed the rear wheel. What a load of c***. James (jamslug)

You become a dealer when you buy a vehicle with the aim to sell it on for a gain. I am sure HMRC etc have software to scan adverts for phone numbers which come up frequently in adverts. The biggest danger is falling foul of the Sale of Goods Act (or whatever it’s known as now) and being caught out advertising as a private buyer. Profits should be declared on a tax return, but the chances of the taxman catching up with you if you don’t range from ‘very unlikely’ to ‘highly likely’! Gavin@Rousdon Thanks for the input. I have only done a few cars and all in this tax year, so no ‘crimes’ so far. I think at such small volumes/profits so far there is no big deal in declaring it all as is required. I was wondering if ‘dealer’ had some special definition. I have always told purchasers I was trading. Clearly I need to update myself on all this as it’s many years since I last did it and things have obviously changed quite a bit. I want to make sure I am doing it properly before going any further, hence the questions. Great site by the way, really helpful and supportive. bangna63

to get involved! Sign up to our forum at CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

DASHBOARD.

Car Dealer is the best The UK’s leading motor trade magazine has just been voted Best Business Publication for 2014 ... and we couldn’t be more delighted ! James Batchelor receives the trophy from awards host Ginny Buckley and Eldred Green, programme manager at Magma Group

ar Dealer magazine has been named the Best Business Publication for the second time at the motoring journalism ‘Oscars’. At the Headline Auto Awards, Car Dealer picked up the coveted gong for the second time in three years, beating rivals Motor Trader, Fleet News, BusinessCar and Professional Driver. AM was not nominated. The awards – which are unique in that they are voted for by the automotive industry – praised Car Dealer for being a ‘breath of fresh air in what is traditionally a stagnant segment’. James Baggott, managing director of Blackball Media, parent company of Car Dealer, said: ‘This award is a fantastic testament to the hard work and passion the team put into every single issue. ‘It also proves to our loyal advertisers and supporters that their messages are being published in not only the widest read motor trade publication, but the best. ‘When we won this award in 2012 we were over the moon – winning

Judges said:

08 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

again in 2014 is unbelievable.’ One Headline Auto Awards judge said: ‘Every mag the trade will ever need! Informative, entertaining, topical.’ While another judge added: ‘There’s a slight lads-mag feel to this business title, but as it’s aimed at car dealers, that’s probably no bad thing. Visually the most engaging of these titles, and it balances the laddish content with some original, ambitious and useful content.’ And another said: ‘No mistaking who the mag is aimed at. Original. Lovely mix of articles – serious and tongue-in-cheek. Very fresh layout and healthily cynical headlines. Comment pieces are entertaining. Manages to laugh at itself.’ Outgoing editor James Batchelor added: ‘Car Dealer magazine is like no other publication in the business

‘Every mag the trade will ever need! Informative, entertaining, topical.’

‘There’s a slight lads-mag feel to this business title, but as it’s aimed at car dealers, that’s probably no bad thing. Visually the most engaging of these titles, and it balances the laddish content with some original, ambitious and useful content.’

– for the second time! BMW 4 SERIES

PRE-REG: SMMT CHIEF ENTERS DEBATE

From Russia with love

CLEAR PICTURE

New luxury limo reviewed P42

PLUS: A DAY AT CAROLINE’S CARS

ag.co.uk | £3.50 CarDealerM #VTJOFTT 1VCMJDBUJPO PG UIF :FBS

Issue 72 | March 2014

Some of the congratulatory tweets we received

BENTLEY FLYING SPUR

New coupe put to the test P36

TESTED: PORSCHE EARN S ITS

STRIPES WITH NEW MACA N

Issue 67 | October 2013 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £3.50

WE TAKE MAZDA’S NEW 3 ON AN EPIC SIBERIAN ROAD TRIP

INDUSTRY’S LEADING FIGURES ON WHAT 2014 HAS IN STORE

Issue 76 | July 2014

MAZDA SPECIAL

CarDealerMag.co.uk |

IN RUSSIA & IRELAND

POLE

Umesh Samani @specialistcars1

Karl Ridley @AutocarsHull

POSITION

IS THIS THE RETURN OF THE HOT VOLVO ESTATE?

WORLD CUP ROAD TRIP

HOW WE RE-CREATED ICON 1966 PICTURES – WITH DEALIC ERS!

TV’S THE DEALERSHIP EMPLOYS A NEW RECRUIT.... CAR DEALER’S EDITOR!

sector. That’s because we love the motor trade and aim to have fun every single month. ‘The fun and interesting features are bookended with the best industry news and investigations. The main focus of Car Dealer will always be about tackling the best news stories and issues in the motor trade. ‘We are absolutely delighted with winning this award for the second time. We acted upon comments posed in last year’s awards where we finished as a runner-up. It’s wonderful to see all of our hard work recognised.’ Car Dealer submitted three magazines for the awards judges to assess. These included our Mazda special where we travelled across Russia with the firm’s MD and two dealers; A Day at the Essex Car Company, which delved behind the scenes of the site featured in the Channel 4 documentary series; Automotive

Massive congrats! Well done – well deserved! Keep up the GREAT work! BIG congratulations to all the team @CarDealerMag, very much deserved award. TOP industry publication.

FIRST DRIVE

Rover, Kia, BMW, Toyota, Peugeot, Nissan, Jaguar Land FEATURING CAR BOSSES FROM: Renault, on the year ahead PLUS Major suppliers give their views Pendragon, Ford, Mitsubishi and Hyundai

£3.50

INTERVIEW: WHY TOM HARTLEY JNR SPLIT WITH FATHER TO GO IT ALONE

Influencers 2014; and our World Cup special which saw us recreate the famous 1966 World Cup-winning team picture with dealers of the same name. Baggott added: ‘Knowing which motor trade publication to partner with can often be a tricky decision, but with two awards to our name – and the enviable position of most widely read motor trade magazine – working with Car Dealer really can be a winning partnership.’ Car Dealer is distributed to 12,000 dealers every month in print format while nearly 6,600 dealers enjoy the magazine on our free iPad app. To find out how Car Dealer can help promote your business to the motor trade contact (023) 9252 2434 today.

‘No mistaking who the mag is aimed at. Original. Lovely mix of articles – serious and tongue-incheek. Very fresh layout and healthily cynical headlines. Comment pieces are entertaining. Manages to laugh at itself.’

Congratulations – way to go! Not just any magazine - Business Publication of the Year Again Magazine. Step-Up Finance @StepUpFinance

Nice bit of bling for the office... well done! CD Auction Group @CDAuctionGroup

Congratulations to you all – well deserved :D Perrys @perrysmotors

Massive congratulations to all the team. Jason Craig @JasonCraig120

Congratulations to the team on your award! Douglas Stafford @DouglasStafford

Congratulations & well done for all your hard work! Porsche Retail Group @PorscheRetail

‘A confident, well-designed publication that has brought a breath of fresh air into what is traditionally a stagnant segment.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

DASHBOARD. MOTORPOINT

Firm’s delight at high ranking MOTORPOINT has achieved its highest ever ranking in the prestigious Sunday Times Top Track 250 list. The car supermarket moved up 22 places to 36th, placing it in its highest position since first being included in 2005. Mark Carpenter, managing director of Motorpoint, said: ‘We’re absolutely thrilled to be listed once again in the Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250. ‘Our inclusion is testimony to the ongoing efforts of every member of our team to ensure we continue to remain the country’s leading car supermarket.’

RESULTS

A ‘solid’ set of figures from AA THE AA has announced ‘solid’ maiden interims results for the six months ending July 31 – just a few weeks after the management buy-in last June. First-half group revenues were up 1.6 per cent to £491.7 million while trading EBITDA was up 3.9 per cent to £211.8 million. However, profit before tax was impacted by on-going financing costs.

RESEARCH

Drivers failing to prepare for MoT A THIRD of drivers don’t prepare their car for its MOT despite the cost of making a failed vehicle roadworthy again rising by almost 10 per cent, according to new research. Allianz Insurance found that the most common reasons for a test failure were broken headlights and indicators, even though they are among the easiest problems for customers to check and put right. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

New jobs at CitNOW thanks to Santander funding bit.ly/cit-jobs

F1 legend Nigel Mansell in pole position with new dealership Ex-world champion joins Mitsubishi with an outlet in St Helier, Jersey by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

ormula One legend Nigel Mansell is taking the driving seat for a new team – Mitsubishi Motors in the UK. The former World Champion has opened a Mitsubishi franchise at his family-run dealership on Jersey. The new showroom and service centre, managed by his son Leo, opened for business on September 16. Nigel, who is chairman of The Mansell Collection dealership, which opened in St Helier in 2013, said: ‘Our dealership has gone from strength to strength and the time is right to get a franchise on board. ‘We wanted a brand that crossed a lot of boundaries of motoring and with Mitsubishi there really is something for everyone. ‘The most exciting thing for me is how great the Mitsubishi product is. I have been involved with motorsport all my life and now we have an incredible opportunity to be blessed with selling these vehicles. ‘I know from Formula One that you must not leave any stone unturned, so we will make sure the customer gets the care and respect they absolutely deserve. It’s a very exciting time for us.’ The dealership also houses The Nigel Mansell Story – a museum displaying his trophies and some of his race-winning cars, including the Williams FW14B in which he won the world championship in 1992. Nigel will take an active role and will be handing over the keys to

From left, Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK; Nigel Mansell, chairman of the new dealership; and his son Leo, managing director customers when he is on the island. Leo, himself a former racing driver, is managing director at the dealership, which employs 14 people. Leo said: ‘Mitsubishi is a perfect fit for us. The range of vehicles excites me and this is a great opportunity. Having the museum at the dealership is a real asset and it’s been a far bigger success than we imagined.’ He added: ‘It’s great working with family. We are eager to show the Mitsubishi range to the island. Jersey will be surprised by what they get from a Mitsubishi.’ While it was his daring overtaking manoeuvres and exciting style that won him enormous adulation from fans, these days Nigel and his team

are focused on delivering excellent customer service. Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: ‘It says much about Mitsubishi Motors’ current and upcoming products, and our plans for the brand in the UK, that Nigel and Leo have chosen to join us, because there are a lot of brands that would have loved to have had them. ‘Their vision is one of an incredible level of service for the customer and that aligns perfectly with what we do. We’re absolutely delighted to be working with them.’ Mitsubishi was the fastest-growing mainstream car brand last year and sales in 2014 are equally impressive – up by more than 30 per cent.

DVLA new online tax service crashes under pressure THE DVLA’s new system buckled under what it called ‘unprecedented demand’ on the first day without paper tax discs. Motorists were so keen to use the new system that more than 270,000 renewed their vehicle’s tax on October 1, up 30,000 on the same day last year. This resulted in the website crashing and the DVLA posting this tweet:

‘We are currently experiencing high volumes of traffic to our online vehicle tax service. Please keep trying. Sorry for the inconvenience.’ According to the DVLA, at 9.43pm on September 30, it was receiving 6,000 visits a minute but when the new rules came in on October 1 it was inundated with many more. A DVLA spokeswoman told Sky

News: ‘The unprecedented demand for car tax online temporarily affected the services provided by Vodafone to DVLA. Vodafone’s engineers worked hard with us to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Vodafone will continue to monitor the service closely and will be carrying out a full investigation into the issue.’ Big Mike, page 35

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

DASHBOARD. FEATURE.

Ask Lawgistics Car Dealer Club lawyers at Lawgistics answer dealers’ legal questions. Join for £39.99 a year to get advice like this when you need it

I am a car dealer but one who only wants to sell to the trade and not members of the public. People often come in claiming to be fellow car traders but when something goes wrong, they say that they are private individuals and tell me I cannot take away their rights. How can I protect myself?

This is an interesting question and one where we are currently challenging trading standards. Our client words his advertisements as ‘trade sale’ and prices them accordingly. He has no showroom and is remotely situated so private buyers can’t simply stumble upon his premises. His paperwork is headed ‘Trade to trade sale’. He asks the buyer to sign said paperwork to confirm that they are in the trade and not private and, furthermore, he asks them to write on the invoice their trading name. In bold letters, the words ‘this vehicle needs servicing before resale’ also appear on the same document. When signing, the buyer does so at a desk above which is a clear sign stating ‘trade sales’. Yet, perhaps bizarrely, all this is not considered sufficient by one trading standards department which is considering prosecution, alleging that our client unlawfully attempted to take away a consumer’s rights under the Sale of Goods Act. They argued that our client ought not to simply take the word of someone who claims to be a trade buyer, but obtain proof such as a business card or

VAT invoice. We believe that this is excessive when the person in front of them is openly declaring that they are a trade buyer. If they read everything that is presented to them, willingly write a false trading name and sign the paperwork, then surely their deceit ought not to protect them in the same way as an ‘innocent’ consumer or private individual. Our counter-argument is that our client is doing everything he reasonably can to ensure that genuinely private individuals don’t purchase from him. Yet it would appear that trading standards are suggesting that, despite our client’s efforts, the buyer is still a consumer and thus entitled to the full range of protection from the law. This is encouraging buyers to sue our client as if they were consumers. We will certainly be exposing to the court those buyers’ deceptive actions in order to secure their vehicles at heavily discounted (trade-only) prices. As regards to the potential prosecution, we accompanied our client to the formal interview conducted by trading standards. While they are considering what to do, it is inappropriate to comment in detail except to make one point. At no point was either of us asked to provide proof of who we were. No ID was asked for – nothing. A case of trading standards’ double standards we think! To sum up, great caution has to be exercised when selling only to fellow traders, and our advice would be this – make sure that whatever you do or we advise you to do – it is supported by your local trading standards department.

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In summary, what does this letter mean?

Lawgistics have written a defence that we have sent to the county court in response to a small claim against us. We have now had a letter from a firm of solicitors saying that they are to apply to the court for summary judgment against us together with costs. What does this mean? Summary judgment is where a party asks for the court to dismiss either a claim or a defence on the basis that it simply has no realistic chance of succeeding. In this case the person bringing the claim will need to complete a formal application notice to the court and pay either £155 or £50 depending on whether they wish the application to be determined with or without a hearing. Judges are unlikely to give summary judgment except where there is very obviously no chance of the claim or defence succeeding. While the general rule is that solicitors’ costs are not awarded against a losing party in a small claims case, this does not apply to any hearing other than the main hearing for liability. Therefore, a solicitor who successfully obtained a summary judgment could also expect the judge to say their legal costs must be paid by the ‘losing’ party. More often than not though, it is an idle threat that is intended to intimidate.

What can I do? This online criticism is very unfair

Q A

My business has been unfairly reviewed on the internet. Help! Any comments that are untrue and which unfairly cause harm to your business would be considered to be defamatory. As the review is in writing then it would be libel. (Slander is another form of defamation but that tends to relate to the spoken word

rather than the written word.) It would be possible to apply for an injunction (preventing the continued publication of the unfair review) and/or consider suing for damages (compensation) for the loss of reputation. However, any action taken has to be balanced with freedom of speech and proceedings have to be

commenced in the High Court. Often the best thing is simply to post on the same review site your own version of events and explain why the writer of the review is incorrect. Do not, however, enter into a public discussion – simply state your case and end by saying you would be happy to discuss matters privately.

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Customer claimed car had been remapped... so dealer turned to Lawgistics for some advice DAVID ANDERTON of Yorkshire Exclusive Cars recently ran into trouble with a customer who believed her car had been mis-sold to her 16 months earlier. ‘We had a bit of a situation that we hadn’t come across before,’ explained Anderton. ‘We were contacted by a customer who bought a car from us which had developed a problem. She was alleging that the car had been remapped, ie, that it had undergone a modification before she bought it. She said we had mis-sold it and wanted us to provide a full refund.’ It was at that point that Anderton called Lawgistics – the free legal service that comes as part of his £39.99 Car Dealer Club membership – to see if they could help. He told us: ‘Lawgistics confirmed that we were doing the right things. We were not being asked to repair the car, but the allegation was that the car had been modified and it was left that the customer needed to evidence that. ‘Even though we’re a few weeks on now, we still don’t know if the car was remapped. If it turns out that it has been, we need to know if there’s a liability – given that we could never have known. ‘It was only a two-year-old car when she bought it and we had spoken to the original owner, the one and only owner. We bought it from an Audi dealer who took it in part exchange. It had been serviced four times at a Skoda dealership and had been serviced the month before in fact. It was then workshop checked by us, driven by me and it didn’t feel any faster than anything I’ve

driven before. I spoke to the original owner and I asked if any modification had been made to the car. He was adamant that no modification had been made and said he was prepared to put that in writing.’ Anderton explained that the current owner of the car, a Skoda Octavia vRS similar to the one in our picture below, was experiencing a problem with the diesel particulate filter. When it went in for repairs, mechanics couldn’t access the ECU, leading to a suspicion that the car could have been remapped. He continued: ‘We try to do the right thing by people. We pay out when we don’t need to pay out for reputation’s sake. I have done that over the years, but this one is unusual and there are other things which could have caused it to be blocked. It could be a repairer accessing the ECU the wrong way, for instance. I understand it’s been to four different repairers.’ Although the issue isn’t quite settled yet, Anderton is more than happy with the assistance and guidance offered by Lawgistics so far. He said: ‘Lawgistics were great. I explained that I was a Car Dealer Club member, and they put me through to someone straight away who just listened. ‘I do understand the Sale of Goods Act but I thought, ‘‘I’ll just check’’. It’s so useful because they’re motor trade specific. ‘I knew I could pick up the phone to a local lawyer but they wouldn’t have the motor trade-specific experience that Lawgistics have.’

WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP? LAWGISTICS’ basic membership – which you receive as a member of Car Dealer Club – is a cracking deal, but what if you need something that has extra clout? Larger dealer groups or a dealer embroiled in a big legal battle may require some more firepower, and the good news is that Club members get discounts on Lawgistics’ other packages. You’ll receive a £100 discount off the small business package (normally £595) – perfect for sole traders, a partnership or a small dealer group – and £250 off the professional package (normally £1,295). This is ideal for franchises, a dealer group or a car supermarket and covers all areas of legal law and documentation. There’s a package for everyone with Lawgistics.

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There’s not long left, so get nominating! Fill in our form by Friday, October 31, and you can be part of the best awards event in the automotive calendar

ime is running out if you’d like to be a part of this year’s Car Dealer Magazine Used Car Awards. If you want to get involved in this year’s event – and why wouldn’t you? It’s THE automotive awards do of the year! – you have until October 31 to nominate potential winners. So if used cars form an important part of your business, or you want industry recognition for your hard work, the awards, sponsored by Black Horse, are perfect. Winning a Used Car Award is a big thing. The awards celebrate and recognise all the different areas of this vital backbone of the motor industry. From the smaller independents to the larger groups, every dealer who has an involvement with the used car business can take part. If you’re interested in getting involved, however, there’s no time to lose. That deadline of October 31 is approaching rapidly! On the night we will be handing out gongs in a variety of categories – from Used Car Sales Manager of the Year to Used Car of the Year, so there will definitely be something you can enter.

And if you reach the final shortlist, you will be invited to our sparkling awards night, hosted by TV’s Mike Brewer and held at The Brewery in London on December 1. You’ll be able to enjoy a delicious three-course meal, free table wine and beers, a disco and a great live band. If you missed out on last year’s event, don’t delay in entering 2014’s Used Car Awards. Tickets and sponsorship packages are selling out quickly so don’t miss out. WHERE IS IT? At The Brewery. This amazing venue is large enough to hold all our winners but small enough for the event not to feel too vast – a complaint many people have about other industry awards ceremonies. This year the theme for the venue is The Circus – absolutely perfect for our beloved car industry! WHEN IS IT? Once again this will be an excuse for a Christmas party you can put on expenses. It’ll be held on Monday, December 1.

WHAT’S THE RUNNING ORDER OF THE NIGHT? Guests are treated to welcome cocktails and wine. Then we take our seats for the first half of the awards. Mr Brewer does his stuff then it’s time for dinner. After that we announce the final winners, then it’s time for a live band, with the night topped off with a disco. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the night with industry colleagues and get busy with some networking in a convivial environment. HOW DO I ENTER? Entry is FREE and easy. Fill out the form on the opposite page and enter as many categories as you wish. The only thing we ask is that you provide as much detail as you can to support your nominations as it really helps when it comes to creating the shortlists. If you’re struggling to think of nominations for a specific category, don’t worry – you can leave them blank. Do get your thinking caps on as we are counting on you to nominate yourself or others!

Award categories Used Car Dealership of the Year (Under 50 vehicles) We’re looking for the best dealership that stocks up to 50 used cars. Used Car Dealership of the Year (50-100 vehicles) This award will mark the best dealer that stocks between 50 and 100 cars. Used Car Dealership of the Year (Over 100 vehicles) This one is for the larger dealers and car supermarkets stocking more than 100 cars. Used Car Dealership of the Year Group Aimed at those with more than one site, this award marks the best used car groups. Dealers’ Dealer of the Year There’s nothing like recognition from your peers in any industry, which is why this award is so special. We’ll be taking nominations from dealers

as to which of their peers they feel is truly deserving of this special gong before Mike and the judging panel help to decide the winner. Used Car Sales Team of the Year Always a fiercely fought category, this award is likely to be a tough battle again. Behind every great dealership there is a great team – and it’s that team that this award is for. Used Car Sales Manager of the Year Good salespeople don’t necessarily create the best managers – but some do manage to make the transition. This award marks those brilliant managers who juggle the pressures from on high while ensuring that their teams are doing their jobs superbly. Used Car Dealer Principal of the Year Running a successful used car dealership isn’t easy. This award will recognise those that not only manage it but absolutely excel in this competitive arena. We’ll take nominations from

Used Car Awards in association with... ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

their teams and peers to ensure we find the best of the best. Upsales & F&I Performance of the Year Selling a used car is only one part of a great salesperson’s mission. With every sale there is the opportunity for selling other products and services – and it’s often these add-ons that make the real difference to a dealer’s bottom line. Our winner will be a salesperson who truly excels in this area. Best Used Car Customer Care Canny dealers know that cultivating a used car customer can create a punter for life – a loyal supporter who’ll return time after time for a new car. But it’s only the dealers who look after their customers who succeed here. This award recognises those dealers who manage this with every sale. Used Car Product of the Year This award is for the used car suppliers out there.

Nomination form Please fill out the following details, or alternatively visit bit.ly/UsedNoms14 to enter online My name:......................................................................................................................................................... Preferred contact telephone number:.................................................................................................... My email address:......................................................................................................................................... The category/categories Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to enter: ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... My reasons for winning are: ..................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................... Want to enter in more categories? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just photocopy this form. Please send your form to Blackball Media, Haslar Marine Technology Park, Haslar Road, Gosport, PO12 2AG. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to send supporting information, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine too.

Whether thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a brilliant online sales portal or a clever warranty scheme that helps dealers sell more cars, this award will celebrate the very best. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll look closely at nominations from dealers to help find our winner. Outstanding Achievement of the Year This special award looks to recognise the dealer or dealership personality who has achieved something truly remarkable. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing sales figures, brilliant upsales or outstanding customer service, this award will be handed to a truly talented individual. Lifetime Achievement Award Previous winners include John Tordoff of JCT600 and Ray Sommerville of Perrys. For 2014, the judging panel will once again be looking for a motor trade big-hitter to reward for their lifetime of service to the used car industry. Manufacturer Used Car Website of the Year This award will recognise the car manufacturer

with the most innovative used car section on its website. It has to do the job for its dealers but, more importantly, serve customers brilliantly too.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be looking for the garage that specialises in repairing and maintaining used cars and truly excels.

Dealer Used Car Website of the Year This award is focused on the car dealers who present their used cars perfectly online. Our judges will look for the ease of use, design and functionality of the website before handing over this coveted award.

Manufacturer Used Car Scheme of the Year This award honours the best official manufacturer-backed Used Car Scheme of the Year. Nissan and Kia are previous winners of this special gong.

Social Media User of the Year Social media websites, such as Twitter and Facebook, are getting more and more important in the car-buying process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but not every dealer uses them well. This award looks to mark the achievements of a dealer who has mastered their digital direction. Service and Repair Outlet of the Year Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the sales side of the used car business that we will be celebrating at these awards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our light shines on the service department too.

Used Car of the Year Using data from the industry trade bibles as well as advertising portals, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll reward the most popular used car. Residual values, popularity, profit opportunity and more will be considered by Mike and his judging panel when choosing the winner. Best Performing Used Car of the Year Again, using data from the trade price guides as well as other sources around the remarketing industry, this award will mark the bestperforming used car.

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Cars described as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fantasticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; were actually unroadworthy Dishonest dealer sent to jail after complaints made to trading standards

West Yorkshire car dealer has been jailed for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a catalogue of fraudulent behaviour in order to get extra profitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Christopher Christoforou, who traded as Sandmoor Motors of Leeds Road, Birstall, was sent to prison for six months by a judge at Leeds Crown Court. He had pleaded guilty to 26 breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations. The charges he admitted related to falsely advertising vehicle mileages; misdescribing unroadworthy vehicles as being in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;absolutely fantastic conditionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; blanking out advisory items from MoT certificates and not declaring insurance write-off statuses to potential customers. A proceeds of crime

investigation is under way, the Wetherby News reported. The court heard that trading standards officials had received a number of complaints about Sandmoor Motors. One concerned a Renault Clio which had been advertised as having 60,000 miles on the clock when the actual mileage was 76,000 miles, the newspaper said. In addition, the customer had not been told that the vehicle was a category C insurance write-off and

that six advisory items had been blanked off the MoT certificate. Sandmoor Motors was subjected to a three-pronged investigation involving trading standards, VOSA and West Yorkshire Police. The Wetherby News reported that Recorder Simon Batiste told Christoforou that he â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;had chosen to ignore the warnings given by trading standards and had committed a catalogue of fraudulent and dishonest behaviour in order to get extra profitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Afterwards, David Lodge, head of West Yorkshire trading standards service, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This case illustrates that some traders are prepared to act dishonestly and make thousands of pounds by doing so. This service will take legal action against that minority who flout their legal responsibilities.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

CARCRAFT

Colin named as new CEO CARCRAFT has appointed Colin Houlihan as its new group chief executive officer. Houlihan joined from Cool Milk Europe. He takes over from Robin Bridge who resigned from the business to seek a new challenge. Carcraft believes the appointment will â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;consolidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;improveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; its position in the market. Alan Greenough, nonexecutive director, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It is the appropriate time for us to have a proven corporate leader with fresh perspectives, a new profile and the hunger to lead the business to the next level. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Colin Houlihan brings a wealth of consumer experience and expertise in business strategy, change management, brand development and customer value.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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Revealed: The models that bit the dust under scrappage Lots of favourites reached the end of the road while scheme was running

he Government has released details of the cars that most commonly reached the end of their lives under the 2009 scrappage scheme – and, sadly, some muchloved models have made the list. In total, close to 400,000 cars were scrapped. The most scrapped car, with more than 20,000 of various ages chucked in for a discount off a new car, was the Ford Fiesta. The cars next in line to the crusher were the Nissan Micra and Vauxhall Corsa, which were both ditched more than 10,000 times. Any car that was first registered in the UK before February 29, 2000, could be traded in for a £2,000 discount off a new vehicle under the scrappage scheme. This was as long as it had been registered with the

current owner for the past 12 months, was insured and had a current tax disc and MOT certificate. Along the way there were many cars people might be glad to see the back of, such as Reliant Kittens and Vauxhall Cavaliers. Tragically in our view however, 45 Rover Mini Coopers and two Peugeot 205 GTIs, like the car pictured, also met the crusher. This month, Mayor of London Boris Johnson backed the call for another scrappage scheme for the most polluting diesel cars, which could see even more cars hitting the scrap heap.

He said: ‘I’m backing the call for financial incentives to help motorists scrap the most polluting diesels. With the support of Government and the EU, we can accelerate the pace to meet legal limits for NO2 and ensure Londoners live in a healthy, thriving environment.’

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COURT

Trader sold a dangerous car A SOMERSET used car salesman, who pleaded guilty to an offence of supplying a car in a dangerous condition, received a £500 fine and was ordered to pay costs and compensation totalling £2,350.75. Peter James Thorner trading as PT Car Sales, Leighton Lane, Evercreech, was sentenced on September 9 at Yeovil Magistrates Court for an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988. He supplied a Citroen Picasso in an unroadworthy condition to a member of the public. During an investigation by Devon and Somerset trading standards, the car was examined by an independent engineer who reported serious faults in the vehicle’s steering system.

CCR Mitsubishi supports WellChild annual awards bit.ly/well-child

Two minutes! Sales success doesn’t come much quicker Motorpoint’s new online operation attracts a ‘fantastic’ response

otorpoint sold a car within two minutes of launching a new online sales centre in Birmingham. The car supermarket opened the purposebuilt centre on the site of its existing branch in Lichfield Road and sold a Ford Focus at 8.02am. The 2,000 sq ft state-of-the-art premises have been specifically created to meet unprecedented demand from customers looking to buy their next car online. Motorpoint currently sells more than 1,000 cars a month via its website. Motorpoint revolutionised the way in which motorists bought their cars when it launched its first online sales centre in 2000. Today, Motorpoint receives over 120,000 calls a year from

people across the UK and Ireland looking to save an average of £5,000 on over 4,000 new and nearly-new, low-mileage cars from 30-plus different manufacturers. The Motorpoint website receives over 700,000 unique visits a month – equivalent to 20 per cent of all visits to car supermarket websites across the country. Jon Baird, general manager of Motorpoint Online Sales, said: ‘The continued success of our online sales division over the past decade has meant that we have outgrown our existing premises. This has been the

driver behind our decision to invest in a second online sales centre on our site in Birmingham to ensure we have sufficient resources to meet the everincreasing demand. ‘The response since we went live has been nothing short of fantastic – highlighted by the fact that the new team sold a car within two minutes of opening for business.’

GROUP LOTUS

Hundreds of jobs set to go GROUP Lotus has announced a proposal to restructure their workforce which could result in the loss of 325 jobs. Lotus employs 1,215 people worldwide, of which 1,032 are employed at the brand’s headquarters in Hethell, Norfolk. The proposal would see their staff cut by up to a quarter globally. Jean-Marc Gales, chief executive officer of Group Lotus, said: ‘We understand the concerns that this proposal will create. We deeply regret the potential impact any reshaping of the business may have on our employees and their families. We have worked very hard to avoid the need to make the proposal, but do believe that it is now essential. ‘It is in no way a reflection on our employees.’

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Digital decisions Hyundai is opening a car dealership in a store in Bluewater that will have no salesmen and transactions will all take place digitally. James Baggott reports on this remarkable project ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

yundai is claiming that its new digital dealership will be a ‘global first’ in motor retailing when it opens in the Bluewater shopping centre at the end of October – without a salesman in sight. Customers will be able to buy their cars purely on iPads dotted around the store, completing the entire transaction – from part-exchange price to finance application – using the Apple devices and not once interacting with a salesman. ‘Product Angels’ will instead be on hand in the store to help if they get stuck, but they will categorically not be selling to the walk-in customers.

‘This is all about the customer,’ explained Hyundai UK president and CEO Tony Whitehorn in an exclusive chat with Car Dealer magazine. ‘This is not to do with a salesman – this is driven by what customers want. ‘There are lots of people who will never go into a shop or buy online because they want to go to a dealership, and that’s fine, but this new offering is for those who want an alternative.’ The store has been opened by Rockar, which was founded by Simon Dixon. He was the man behind Dixon Motor Holdings and previously Jam Jar Cars, and Whitehorn explained that he approached the car firm two years ago with a

This is an exciting retail journey I have been working with a dedicated team on this exciting customer proposition for the past two years. It has been driven not only by our automotive retail experience but also by extensive customer research and a deep understanding of the evolving retail environment. It is clear from research that customers buying a new car can find it an intimidating process. Rockar’s vision is simple – to ensure that the customer is truly at its heart and feels empowered throughout the process. I am delighted that Hyundai and Bluewater have had the foresight to partner with Rockar on this exciting retail journey. Simon Dixon, founder of Rockar.com

‘kernel of an idea’ that the two have been working on ever since. ‘Simon came to us wanting to sell our cars online but we said no to that – if we were going to do it then it had to be clicks and bricks,’ said Whitehorn. ‘This is not a pop-up store. Simon has taken out a nine-year lease at Bluewater and that is hugely expensive, but this is completely revolutionary. It is a whole new way of buying a car.’ Tony Whitehorn thinks it is Whitehorn

extremely important for the industry to develop the way that cars are retailed and believes this could be the perfect solution for buyers who fear walking into a traditional dealership because they think they’ll be sold to. ‘Will everybody buy a car in 50 years’ time the same way they buy a car today? The answer is probably no,’ Whitehorn said. ‘There will be some people who will want to buy online, there will be some who want to buy their cars in shopping centres, and there will be some who want a traditional

relationship with a traditional dealer. ‘What we have to do in this industry is offer a blended approach. We need to offer alternatives. At the moment, all we offer is dealerships and we have to listen to the customer. ‘We are quite happy to offer customers a variety of methods of propulsion for their car but then only offer them one way to buy it. That has to change. This is not about a panacea, it is about an alternative. It really is a step into the unknown, but I see it as a milestone and watershed moment in our industry.’ The Bluewater store will allow customers to walk in, input the details CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

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Not a salesman in sight. Is this the showroom of the future?

‘There will be 27 million people walking into that shopping centre and walking past the word Hyundai’ Continued from previous page of their part-exchange into the iPad and then be given an instant price for it. Prices of cars are displayed as a cost-per-month figure, and as they opt for extras, such as alloy wheels or service plans, the monthly price is adjusted. Once they are happy with the monthly price, they simply input their details for the finance proposal and hit Send – and it then immediately tells them whether they’ve been accepted. Their new car can even be delivered to their home or they can pick it up from Bluewater. In addition, Rockar can offer potential customers the chance to test-drive cars from a fully-branded area of the shopping centre. ‘The test-drive facility is all Hyundai-branded and it is permanent,’ explained Whitehorn. ‘Customers can simply turn up and try the cars. Every year, 27 million people go to Bluewater, so if the wife wants to go off shopping and the husband wants to test-drive a new car then they can. The “Product Angel” doesn’t even have to go with them either. All the cars are fitted with trackers and the customer is left to their own devices. This is all about what the customer wants, not about what the salesman wants.’ But isn’t there the danger that without a salesman to close the deal customers might just get up and walk away? ‘What will happen for definite is people will walk in there, get a price for the car then take it to their local dealer and ask them to beat it ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

– and there’s nothing to stop them,’ admitted Whitehorn. ‘There is no negotiation at this dealership either. This is a big risk.’ Buyers won’t even have to visit the Bluewater store if they don’t want to, as they’ll be able to purchase just as easily from Rockar’s website. Many will be wondering why Rockar needed the store in the first place if it can do it all online, but reading between the lines, the insistence for the flagship location sounds like the carrot that Dixon had to dangle in front of Hyundai to let him do it. It will also placate other dealers who may be worried their huge investments were misspent. ‘Any dealer can set up and sell online – we can’t stop that,’ said Whitehorn. ‘Do I think they should? Well, I can’t stop it, as that’s illegal, but if it is a seamless and great experience then that’s all I care about. ‘This store will be a great experience. We understand that there are some buyers who like haggling and the relationship part of buying a car from a normal dealership. This isn’t about that sort of relationship, this is about a transaction.’ Customers will be able to service their cars with Rockar too. That aforementioned branded area of the car park will take delivery of customers’ cars for servicing, which then takes place in a facility just half a mile away. They really do seem to have thought of it all. Whitehorn doesn’t yet know whether the

Has this been done before? Hyundai insists this is a world first. You may remember that Fiat tried something similar when it attempted to sell cars online. However, customers couldn’t buy finance or deal with their part-exchanges on the site, but they will be able to with Rockar. Tesla is the closest to the Hyundai set-up, as it has similar dealerships in shopping centres, but it has salesmen in place, as does the Audi City London store in Piccadilly. Hyundai is insistent that the ‘Product Angels’ will not be selling, only helping customers when they get stuck – a bit like those assistants that help at the self-service checkouts in supermarkets when your milk won’t scan – which is why it is claiming this as a world first.

model will be rolled out in other parts of the country, but it is clear he’s extremely excited about the proposition. ‘When you look at the details, there will be 27 million people walking into that shopping centre and walking past the word Hyundai,’ said Whitehorn. ‘That’s going to be incredible for a brand that suffers from poor awareness – in fact, awareness is our biggest issue at the moment. ‘We are in a position with this revolutionary store where we will be at the leading edge of doing something new across the world. ‘No one has ever done anything like this globally. It is a major risk, but my word is it an exciting one.’ [CD]

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DASHBOARD.

Car dealer is asked to remove his bunting bit.ly/bunting-blow

AUTO TRADER

‘Consumers are more confident’ GROWING demand for newer cars is a reflection of improving consumer confidence, according to data released by Auto Trader. Search volumes from May to August this year, cross-referenced against the same period in 2013, reveal a rise in the proportion of searches for cars under three years old. In August, the proportion of such searches rose from 24.3 per cent to 33.5 per cent. The figures suggest that more consumers are prepared to buy a newer and more expensive car, a message supported by soaring new car sales.

NEW CEO

Aston Martin’s warm welcome ASTON Martin’s workforce paused production to welcome new CEO Andy Palmer on his first day on the job. As the new chief executive officer of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, Palmer, 51, assumes operational responsibility for all aspects of the Aston Martin business. He will lead the company in its next phase of technology and product creation.

HR OWEN

Chief executive stands down HR Owen chief executive officer Joe Doyle has stepped down from the role. The board has appointed an executive committee, led by the chairman, to run the business while long-term arrangements are considered. Doyle said: ‘I believe it is the right time to move on. The performance of the company has markedly improved in the last three years due to the marvellous commitment of all of my colleagues.’ ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Thieves swipe Audis worth more than £100,000 TWO new high-performance cars worth more than £100,000 were stolen from an Audi dealership in Aberdeen. The Audis, a red RS5 worth £60,000 and a blue S5 worth £43,000, were taken from the John Clark Motor Group in Abbotswell Road at about 11pm on September 12. The S5 is said to be distinctive because of its black panoramic sunroof and two-tone black-andsilver sports interior. Both cars were unregistered and didn’t have number plates when the theft took place.

The Aberdeen Press and Journal reported that the thieves broke a large concertina doorway to gain access to the cars in the main atrium of the dealership. Chris Clark, business development director for the dealership, was on holiday at the time of the theft and told the Press and Journal: ‘I was very disappointed and somewhat shocked but you have to look for the positives and at least they were new vehicles and had not already been bought by customers. ‘We are looking for any help

from the public and we are working with the police to help with their investigation. We want the cars back, no matter what condition they are in. ‘If they have been sold on to a customer, clearly they will not be damaged, but if they have been used for another job, that might not be the case.’ Police are appealing for anyone who has seen the vehicles or may have any information regarding the incident. They would also like to speak to anyone who may have been near the garage at the time.

Cargiant powering ahead as pre-tax profits hit record £30.2m Managing director praises hard work and expertise of company’s staff

he performance of Cargiant has continued to power ahead this year after it delivered record profit and sales in 2013. Turnover at the world’s largest used car dealership has already increased by 20 per cent over the eight months to August 31, 2014. Managing director Tony Mendes said: ‘We are pleased that sales in the first eight months accelerated ahead of what was a very strong performance in the same period last year.’ London-based Cargiant saw record sales last year. Its pre-tax profit rose by 69 per cent to £30.2 million on turnover that was up by 31 per cent

by Becca Chaplin @BelieveBecca

to £398 million. Sales of used cars, including vehicles sold at auction, also rose by 16 per cent to a record 47,600. Mendes added: ‘The record annual results of Cargiant were a testament to the hard work and expertise of our staff, many of whom are from the local community. ‘Their commitment to delivering first-class service across all departments – along with our substantial investment in IT and commitment to value pricing – enabled Cargiant to attract many new,

and welcome back lots of existing, customers throughout 2013.’ The company stocks up to 7,000 cars, including 2,000 on display, at its site in north-west London that also houses its large and wellequipped car preparation facility. Cargiant also delivered a strong increase in its operating margin, which rose from 6.2 per cent to 7.7 per cent last year. To help it further achieve its growth objectives, Cargiant has also submitted planning permission for the construction of three multistorey car parks at its Old Oak Common site in London for the storage of vehicles.

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DASHBOARD. HYUNDAI

Special award is ‘huge honour’ BRISTOL Street Motors Hyundai in Peterlee has been recognised for excellent customer service with a prestigious European award. The Mill Hill dealership based at North West Industrial Estate was presented with the award by The Frontier Dealer Club which is a European initiative from Hyundai to acknowledge highperforming dealerships. General manager Billy Taylor was presented with the award at the dealership by franchise director Rob Keenan. Taylor said: ‘It is a huge honour to receive such a prestigious award.’

NEW DEALERSHIP

Bentley Motors’ Vietnam outlet BENTLEY Motors launches its first dealership in Vietnam next month. The new operation is situated in Vietnam’s commercially dynamic and fast-growing capital city of Hanoi, known as ‘the city of lakes’. It will offer customers the full Bentley model range as well as aftersales service and the company’s branded luxury goods.

RESEARCH

Warning over pricey repairs USED cars made by MG, Rover or Daewoo are the most likely to need expensive head gasket repairs, according to new research from Warranty Direct. On average, this repair costs £770 and tends to strike cars over three years old. Head gasket failure – every used car buyer’s nightmare – can hit nearly six per cent of three- to 12-year-old vehicles. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE: Top 10 tips for getting the best from Google Analytics We’re all well aware of the vital role the internet plays in our businesses these days. But have you heard of ‘web analytics’? Put simply, it’s something that every dealership that has a website should be using. There are many paid and free analytics tools available, including Google Analytics. In a nutshell, a web analytics tool is an online service that generates detailed statistics about a website’s traffic and allows you to analyse that data and understand the impact and effectiveness of your website. Clever stuff! Did I hear you say it’s free? Google Analytics is one of the most powerful and widely-used analytics tools on the market. As well as being free, it also offers marketeers, business executives and web developers the opportunity to learn what marketing objectives are driving business value, how the website performs as a sales channel, and what features are being used most frequently by visitors.

So how do I get started? Getting started only requires an email address to create an account. Once you have logged in, you then need to get yourself familiar with the interface, the reports and the insights it can provide you. Our top 10 tips for getting started with Google Analytics have been compiled by Google’s Scott Sinclair.

Get tagged up In order to capture your user data, you first need to copy and paste a piece of code on to your website. Simply log into Analytics, go to admin and copy the tracking code. Ask a web developer to put this on every page of the website in the header section.

Link to AdSense

(if you have an AdSense account) If you have an AdSense account and are using your website to earn incremental ad revenue, then you should also link this to Analytics. This will allow you to understand which pages are working well with ads on them and are generating you most revenue.

Upgrade to Universal Analytics

(only appropriate if currently using Google Analytics) If you are already using Google Analytics, you will want to upgrade to the latest version so that you can benefit from some exciting new functionality, including user journey flows and multi-device tracking. Multi-device tracking allows you to track activity from users across both desktop and mobile websites.

Link your Analytics account to ecommerce performance Ecommerce tracking will require an additional piece of code to be added to the website. However, once this has been added, you will be able to see financial information within AdWords. You will then be able to measure the return on investment from your digital marketing activity.

VOLKSWAGEN

10m cars sold... four years early!

Goals allow you to measure ‘completed actions’ within Analytics. For example, knowing how many customers went to your ‘find-a-dealer page’ is a valuable thing to know about customer behaviour.

There are many reports in Google Analytics including viewing your conversion rate to understanding what countries your users are visiting from. Once you have some data in Analytics, the best thing to do is have a play around and understand what kind of information is available to you.

Linking Google Analytics to your Google AdWords account will allow you to understand the end-to-end journey of customer behaviour. For example, you will be able to see what Google search ad made a visitor click on your website, and what he or she did from when they first arrived on your website right through to conversion.

Set up conversion goals

Segment your traffic Segments allow you to isolate and analyse subsets of sessions and users on your website. For example, a dealer might want to analyse all the aftersales customers who visited the website and booked in for a service. By creating this subset of data, you can start to understand the effectiveness of just the aftersales online booking system.

Understand the reports and what they mean

Set up regular email alerts Google Analytics lets you set up regular email alerts. For example, the marketing department might want to schedule regular reports to go to different directors that give them a custom overview of how traffic to their section of the dealer group website has performed, how many people booked services, and how much parts revenue was generated.

VOLKSWAGEN will sell 10 million vehicles this year, it has announced – putting it an astonishing four years ahead of target. The German car-maker’s chief executive, Martin Winterkorn, said at the Paris Motor Show that Volkswagen had already sold more than 7.5 million passenger cars and heavy trucks in the first nine months of this year. The Volkswagen boss explained that it was ‘well on the way’ to achieving a target of 10 million vehicle sales by the end of the year, four years earlier than originally planned.

SUZUKI

Link to AdWords

Download the mobile app

In today’s fast-moving world, you might not always have the opportunity to log into Analytics from your desktop. Thankfully, there is a mobile app that lets you keep up-to-date with how your website is performing while you are on the go.

Network grows to 149 outlets SUZUKI has appointed the Stoneacre Motor Group to operate its new dealership in Lincoln. It’s the sixth Suzuki site to be added to Stoneacre’s portfolio, and sees the vehicle manufacturer’s retail network expand to a total of 149 locations across the UK. The Lincoln team includes a Motability specialist and a business finance manager.

VAUXHALL

Big investment in ‘green’ tech NORTHERN IRELAND’S largest locally-owned Vauxhall car dealership, Ballyrobert Vauxhall, has invested £75,000 in the installation of renewable technologies. The initiative feaures an 80-panel solar system and a biomass boiler. The company is confident that the investment will substantially drive down operating costs as well as help the environment. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

DASHBOARD.

Vauxhall warranty shake-up sees end of lifetime cover Dramatic turnaround due to ‘changing ownership landscape,’ says firm

auxhall will no longer offer its vehicles with a lifetime/100,000-mile warranty. From January 2015 all new cars and vans will instead only be covered for three years or 60,000 miles. The dramatic turnaround comes just four years after the brand launched the warranty scheme and follows the company’s recent announcement that Corsa and Adam owners should not drive their cars because of a steering wheel fault. Vauxhall’s chairman and managing director Tim Tozer has credited the change of warranty policy to the changing ownership landscape and significant investment in new technology. Tozer said: ‘In today’s market, 65 per cent of retail sales are

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

supported by a finance package and within that, more than 60 per cent are PCPs. This has dramatically changed ownership patterns, resulting in fewer customers retaining their cars beyond three years. ‘Couple this with a €4 billion investment in high-technology powertrains and state-of-the-art new products and it no longer makes business sense to invest in 100,000-mile warranty cover. We will

continue to focus our investment on providing our customers with a high-quality and satisfying experience, both at dealer and company level, throughout their purchase and ownership period.’ Existing vehicles with a lifetime warranty will still be covered for up to 100,000 miles while the vehicle remains with the first owner, subject to annual validation. Vauxhall has said that the new three-year/60,000-mile warranty will be transferable though. They’ve sweetened the deal with AA roadside assistance in the first year and the warranty is available with cost-effective extension options up to four and five years. James Baggott, page 37

COURT

Dealer in £23k benefit fraud A CAR dealer who also worked as a church pastor has been convicted of stealing more than £23,000 in a benefit fraud scam. According to the Watford Observer, Anthony Oggunaike, 43, appeared before St Albans Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to the charge of illegally receiving £23,769 in Housing & Council Tax Benefit between 2008 and 2012. He was given a 14-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and will have to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 in costs on top of an £80 victim surcharge. Oggunaike will have to pay back the money he obtained to Watford council too. The court was told he had admitted the offence early on and had co-operated fully with the investigation.

Around the world Dealer news from somewhere other than here

FRANCE

THE French car market saw substantial growth last month with the French Car Sales Federation reporting that vehicle sales were up 11.9 per cent on August. PSA Group recorded a 16.1 per cent increase in sales after providing 56,846 new cars, while Renault registrations advanced 5.3 per cent. VW posted a 3.5 per cent decline.

CHINA

A CHINESE car dealer had only just waved goodbye to a ÂŁ50,000 Porsche Boxster when its new owner crashed it into a queue of cars. Ping Châ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ang was driving up to a set of traffic lights in Shenyang when she accidentally hit the accelerator pedal instead of the brake and caused ÂŁ150,000-worth of damage to her pride and joy.

USA

American billionaire investor Warren Buffett is getting into car dealing, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just dipping a toe in the water, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jumping in head-first by buying the Van Tuyl Group â&#x20AC;&#x201C; made up of 78 dealerships in 10 states. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fifth largest dealer group in the US and has a hefty annual turnover of $9â&#x20AC;&#x2030;billion.

GERMANY

German carmaker Daimler has pledged to build 20 hydrogen-fuelling stations in the coming years and substantially raise its offering of fuel-cell cars by 2017. The manufacturer is joining forces with German energy company Linde and will invest ÂŁ7.9â&#x20AC;&#x2030;million with the aim of getting half of them up and running by 2015.

INDIA

The launch of the Tata Zest has led to a turnaround in the Indian carmakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s domestic sales fortunes. Launched on August 12 this year, the company sold 2,671 examples in the remaining days of the month, a quarter of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total sales in India (10,975) and helping the company outsell the previous month by a significant 1,808 units.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

FINANCE. PARTNERSHIP

Santander’s new deal has a sporty feel SANTANDER Consumer Finance has struck an exclusive deal to help people looking to buy Bombardier motorised recreational and power sport vehicles. A range of retail finance options will be available through the Bombardier Recreational Products dealer network on vehicles including Can-Am’s Spyder range, all-terrain and side-byside vehicles as well as its market-leading Sea-Doo personal watercraft. Paul Munns, national sales manager (leisure finance) at Santander Consumer Finance, said: ‘We are delighted to be working alongside BRP, another premium manufacturer. This partnership enables us to continue to develop our unique approach within the automotive leisure industry.’ The agreement marks a further diversification of SCF’s activities beyond its core motor vehicle business. It already has agreements to provide finance for motorcycle brands KTM, Gas Gas and Husqvarna, and Munns added: ‘As we continue to build strong working relationships with leading motorcycle manufacturers, this exciting opportunity allows us to learn about new leisure products, in particular the personal watercraft.’

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Finance team go all out for cancer charity partnership CLOSE Motor Finance has raised more than £20,000 for Cancer Research UK during the first three months of a new charity partnership. The sum was raised by its 400-strong team between May and July through activities ranging from bake-offs and ‘curry in a hurry’ business lunches to marathons and squash tournaments,

silent auctions and raffles. James Broadhead, managing director of Close Motor Finance, whose HQ is in Doncaster, said: ‘Our employees really got stuck in to lots of different events. We’ve been running marathons, organising sponsored walks, cycling the length and breadth of the country, playing in charity football matches

and taking part in quizzes – and that’s not even half the list!’ Maria Haslam, from Cancer Research UK, said: ‘We’ve enjoyed fantastic support from Close Motor Finance from day one and have been impressed with their energy, dedication and innovative approach to fund-raising for Cancer Research UK.’

VW financier marks £10bn balance sheet milestone Managing director of group leasing division hails record-breaking total

olkswagen Financial Services UK has recorded a milestone £10 billion balance sheet total. The figure means Volkswagen Financial Services AG remains the biggest automotive financial services company in Europe. As a wholly-owned subsidiary, Volkswagen Financial Services UK, which provides finance, leasing and insurance on new and

used car sales across its UK network of Group Brand dealerships, has seen its funding and insurance caseload more than double over the past four years. As well as being a major lender to the fleet and business sectors, it now finances six out of 10 Volkswagen Group car sales to private consumers, with sales volumes rising from 40,000 15 years ago to 160,000 today. In addition, Volkswagen Financial

Services has seen its used car finance increase by a third in the past four years, giving it just over a 19 per cent share of the automotive finance and insurance market in the UK. Graham Wheeler, managing director at Volkswagen Group Leasing, said: ‘I joined Volkswagen Financial Services 19 years ago and we were reporting a portfolio of £1.3 billion. Over the years, we have increased our lending by nearly 10 times and this clearly shows how our offerings have proved to be competitive and flexible.’

..in association with

DEALFINDER.

Garside

VAUXHALL MOKKA

Ignorance may cost you

Latest finance deals on COMPACT CROSSOVERS

THE Vauxhall Mokka is stylish and practical, although not quite as refined as the other crossovers in our list. The manufacturer says it is refined, advanced and capable in any environment, as well as being rugged and adventurous,

and the Mokka certainly isn’t without its attractions. The most attractive aspect, though, is that it’s currently being offered with 2.9 per cent APR and the option of the customer paying a deposit from zero to 30 per cent for it. This deal is based on the customer putting down a deposit of £4,105.65 and Vauxhall paying a deposit contribution of £713. Monthly payments are then only £199 on the entry-level Mokka Exclusiv 1.6i over a 35-month plan. There is then a final amount payable of £7,425, making the total amount payable for the vehicle £18,933.65.

SKODA YETI THE Skoda Yeti is a surprisingly capable car and hugely popular in the crossover market. Inside, it’s really spacious and practical, with a higher ride height, while on-the-road steering is sharp and body roll is kept to a minimum – making it a dream to drive. It combines the practicality of a hatchback with visibility and flexibility that are both impressive. The four-wheel-drive model is even impressive off road. So what more could buyers want from Skoda to sweeten the deal? Customers will have to put down a deposit of £4,794.84 for the Yeti S 1.2

TSI model. However, this means 35 low monthly payments of just £179 for this five-seater family car at 4.9 per cent APR. The final amount payable is £6,953.36, with the total amount coming to £18,073.20.

RENAULT CAPTUR RENAULT reported strong sales of the Captur in September and it has been one of its most successful models of the year so far. The French brand has also reported that in the first nine months of 2014 it

had already surpassed last year’s sales. The Captur is refined and stylish. It offers some great tech and attracts a younger crowd, moving on from the smaller, sporty Clio. Renault’s bold Captur is currently being offered for £169 a month at 8.3 per cent APR over a 48-month plan. Customers will need to supply a £1,855 deposit with an additional dealer deposit contribution of £1,000. With the final optional payment of £5,841, the total amount that is payable on the Captur is £17,056.

time is money

ollowing the FCA’s review of financial promotions for consumer credit products, dealers are failing to meet the current regulations. When speaking to dealers about where they fall short, I have noticed a running theme in discussions: The questions: Why don’t you have an APR? Why do you state guaranteed finance? The answers: Because I didn’t know it needed one. Because the dealer up the road does. I was shocked to hear that many dealers were not aware of these regulations. As a financiallylicensed motor trader it is not only your duty to be compliant but also necessary to your dealership and your brand. I’ve been reading through a lot of social media channels and have witnessed comments from angry consumers complaining about the use of the word ‘guaranteed’ or lack of a ‘representative APR’ in financial promotions. The FCA states that all financial promotions must be clear, fair and not misleading. You must adhere to the regulations, otherwise you risk misleading consumers and providing them with a bad customer outcome. We must remember that financial promotions are often the first contact a consumer has with your financial product or your dealership and this area is clearly a focus of the regulator in its pursuit of reducing detriment to consumers. Communicating financial promotions that do not comply with the regulations carries significant criminal penalties. If you aren’t fully up to date with the regulations, the FCA has informative guidance documents and content on its website. These are really beneficial to whoever is producing any financial promotions, whether it’s website content, press advertising, sales literature or on social media.

‘You risk providing consumers with a bad customer outcome’

Who is Ben Garside?

Ben is marketing manager for First Response Finance. Call him on 07817 518739 or email ben.garside@frfl.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

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big mike.

All Big Mike’s columns are on our website. Enjoy them here bit.ly/bigmike

Perks and privileges disappear in DVLA’s dumb tax decision

or the first time in my self-employed life, I’ve gone and bought a car. Now, before you think I’ve gone completely barmy, especially considering how I’ve made a living over the past few decades, I can tell you it’s a very long time since the name ‘Big Mike’ has appeared on a V5. Like every motor trader I know, my daily transport since I established my own site in 1990 has been whatever is in stock and has tax on it. Or moreover, whatever’s in stock, has tax on it and is completely unsaleable to any normal punter, hence why my usual chariot of delight is a scruffy, thirsty, elderly executive car. The very type of car that, today, has suddenly become no more than scrap. And that’s down to the DVLA’s new and, in my view, stupidly ill-thought-out new vehicle tax regulations. Okay, so I understand getting rid of the tax disc. I appreciate how it keeps things relatively simple for ordinary punters, and I understand how a mid-month vehicular transaction can result in a nice and tidy backhander for the government by virtue of buyer and seller both having to pay full vehicle tax for any given month, but for traders, the whole process has become particularly difficult. First, it reduces the budget in a buyer’s pocket – while I never really factored in remaining vehicle tax as something that increased a car’s value, there are many times I used it as a sweetener when selling a car. For example, if something still had three months’ rent in the windscreen, then it’d be another three months before the buyer even had to think about forking out for the vehicle tax. Now they have to factor in an extra couple of hundred quid before they can drive the thing away, and I can guarantee you they’ll be knocking it off my margins – it’s a bitter pill to swallow when you’re selling cars in volume. Sentimentally, though, I’m going to miss the variety. Because traders can now only drive stock vehicles on trade plates, and no longer can a vehicle be held ‘in trade’ with a valid tax disc – the balance gets refunded to the vendor – the days of popping home in the (insert name of ridiculous car/comedy banger/Rolls-Royce here) just to sample it are gone. Along with them, I suspect, will be the garage perk of keeping a tired and creaky old Jag in stock just so we can nip up to the local motor factors in comfort, or swank over to the buttie van on the industrial estate pretending to be 1990s lottery winners. It probably won’t be great for my stock, either, because

Big Mike Our man on the inside spills the beans on the car business...

in days when cars came in with vehicle tax, I used to make a point of driving them around for a week or two before retailing them. That way, I could pick up on any problems that might bring the punter back squealing and get them fixed before sale, and it’d also give me a good understanding of a car, which I could then talk to the customer about with absolute confidence. Plus, if something had been static on the lot for two or three weeks, I could give it a run just to keep the cobwebs off and stop the brake discs going rusty. Technically, the above is still possible as I’d be driving the car ‘for motor trade purposes’, but because trade-plate laws prevent you from making any non-essential stops, it means you can’t then use the same car to pop out to Asda in the evenings. Or anywhere else for that matter. The DVLA argues that it was never the case that traders

‘For traders, the whole process has become particularly difficult’ could use stock vehicles, held on yellow slips, for personal use. But that’s in direct contradiction with the terms and conditions of my motor trade insurance policy, which says that’s perfectly acceptable providing the car is recorded on the Motor Insurance Database – a process that takes all of two minutes online. So I’m now utterly confused and have had to break the habit of the past quarter of a century. Luckily, though, just before the changes were introduced, a customer came in and part-exed a 2001 Vauxhall Omega 3.2 V6 with just 55,000 miles on the clock. It had seven months’ tax left in the window, and I got the paperwork through the DVLA’s stupid hoops just in time to beat the October 1 deadline. It’s registered in my own name, and I can park the notion of worrying about vehicle tax until April. The sad part of it, though, is that by then the Omega will be utterly worthless. I won’t be able to incentivise someone to buy it if they know they need to pay £285 upfront to tax the thing, and as a lifelong car nut it saddens me greatly that the most rational thing to do with a lovely old car like that is to throw it in the crusher...

Who is Big Mike?

Well, that would be telling. What we do know is he’s had 30 years in the car trade and picked up some terrific tales along the way. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

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bAGGOTT.

Have you got our FREE iPad app? Download it here bit.ly/CDMiPad

It’ll take me a lifetime to understand this warranty decision

or those regular readers of this monthly diatribe, there is a danger that this is starting to look like a one-man crusade against a multi-national car corporation. So, for fear of sounding a little repetitive, I promise not to mention the firm – which sounds like a stop on the Victoria Line – by actual name, so bear with me as the metaphors may get a little stretched. You probably couldn’t fail to notice this month that the aforementioned car company (or not, as the case may be) has canned its Lifetime Warranty. Launched with a huge fanfare back in August 2010, the move, billed ‘the biggest thing the industry has ever seen’ by the former MD, has been axed. Unceremoniously chopped from covering the first owner for the ‘lifetime’ of the car, which really meant the first 100,000 miles, to a rather standard three years, 60,000-mile cover. The reasons cited by the car firm that’s regularly outsold by Ford were that more buyers now purchase on three-year PCP deals meaning owners rarely hold on to their cars beyond that. Sounds like baloney to me; for a start if they’re only keeping the cars three years and the warranty is not transferable, where’s the problem? Delving into the archives of Car Dealer and the finance pages within, the Finance and Leasing Association reported in the summer of 2010 (the summer the Lifetime deal was launched) that 57 per cent of cars were bought on PCP. The warranty-killing car company’s own press release about the demise of their cover said that figure is now 65 per cent. So a change of just nine per cent led to it wielding the axe? I don’t think so... The majority of buyers keep their cars for three years – whether they’re on PCP or not – so citing this as a reason for giving it the chop sounds like pretty poor PR spin to me. The press release went on to claim a $4bn investment in power trains and ‘state-of-the-art products’ meant it ‘no longer makes business sense to invest in 100,000-mile warranty cover’. If you can make any sense of that then you’ve got a PHD in nonsense too. If a car company has invested more money in making products more reliable, then surely extending a warranty to unlimited mileage instead of 100k miles would have sent out the right message? Or making it transferable to the second owners, like rival car firms? In a straw poll I asked followers on Twitter what the decision by the car-company-that-made-a-car-thatClarkson-refused-to-test to revert to the lesser warranty said to them. I was deluged with comments, not one

of them positive. One said: ‘[It says] that they have no confidence in their product and warranty repairs must have proved what we suspected – they don’t last.’ Another added: ‘It says that my next company car probably won’t be a V*******.’ While another said it sounded like ‘the marketing team hadn’t spoken to dealers before they decided to launch their campaign’. I won’t twist the knife by publishing any more, but needless to say it made for grim reading. You see this is the problem. No matter how hard you try to spin it, an announcement to reduce a warranty can say little more to consumers than a lack of confidence in your product. It’s either that, or an admission you haven’t got the cash to cover claims. Whichever it is, both are pretty grim. Especially if you’re telling owners, in the same week, to categorically NOT drive their cars because of a worrying steering fault. Doesn’t look good, does it? When the news broke that the Bedfordshire-based car seller was making a hefty retreat from the top of the

James Baggott ‘It can say little more *EDITOR’S NOTE: I’M TOTALLY CONFUSED TOO! (AS USUAL)

than a lack of confidence in your product...’

warranty pile, a provider of aftermarket cover issued a statement claiming the news could lead to a ‘domino effect’ of other manufacturers making an ‘exodus’ from long-term warranties. I very much doubt that’s the case, though. I had a quick chat to the new leaders of warranty cover in the UK, Kia, and asked them if they had any plans to reduce their offering. After the laughs subsided a spokeswoman said: ‘We’ve made a big deal about hammering home our seven-year warranty. If we reduced it now it would give people the wrong impression – it would say we haven’t got trust in our cars, which we have. Everyone would deem it as a negative – there’s simply no way to spin it as a positive.’ Sort of says it all, doesn’t it? If you’re a dealer representing the brand that loves to hate us, I’d love to know what you’re saying to customers to spin this. What do you say to a customer who walks in, interested in your soon-to-belaunched super mini, and asks: ‘Why have you reduced your warranty to three years?’ Is there a way of turning that into a positive? Perhaps the top brass in Luton are up for explaining. There’s a doublepage spread in the next issue with their name on it if they want to. I’m not holding my breath that I’ll get a call…

Who is James Baggott?

He’s the founder of Car Dealer Magazine and managing director of parent company @BlackballMedia, an automotive services provider. He now spends most of his time on Twitter @CarDealerEd and annoying the rest of us. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

REAL DEALS.

To Australia and back! Well-travelled Jag is in wonderful condition Mark II example was fully restored after spending time Down Under. ANDY ENTWISTLE reports

aunched in 1959, originally with either a 2.4, 3.4 or 3.8 engine, the Mark II Jag was visually an evolution of the Mark I, but mechanically it was a significant step forward, with disc brakes all round, improved suspension and more modern instruments and cabin heating. The Mark II has a far stronger following than the Mark I as a result. There are reportedly only 699 Mark II Jags left on the road... we assume most have been wrecked by train robbers and gangsters while trying to escape ‘the filth’ back in the 1960s! Being number 856 built, the car we feature on the Real Deals page this month surely has to be one of the oldest left and with only 21,000 miles on the clock, it’s a low-mileage example too. Granite Auto Solutions are selling it on behalf of a close friend of the owner who inherited it from their father. This is no normal Jag though. Built in 1959, it was exported to Australia in the early sixties where it was modified and then raced, eventually returning home to the UK in the early 2000s. When it came home it underwent a full

Mark II Jaguars enjoy a loyal following. Right and above right: Inside the vehicle ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

restoration. A bespoke interior was fitted, using modern XJ seats as the base, but covered and restored to look as though they were original. Mechanically, the car has had the larger and more powerful 4.2 engine fitted. This was bored out to 4.3 litres, then balanced and a set of upgraded racing cams fitted. Along with three double-choke Webber carburretors and a bespoke exhaust, this Jag really is something special. To help put the extra power down and ensure it can keep up with more modern fare, a limited slip diff has been fitted, as well as power steering and a modern five-speed box along with upgraded brakes to make sure it stops as well as it goes. The bodywork was subject to a full overhaul too, which included restoring all the woodwork which makes the Mark II such a great place to be. Apparently the body needed no welding at all,

having spent most of its life in a dry climate. With a guide price in the low £20,000s, this may not be the cheapest Mark II out there, but with its provenance, upgrades and restoration it must be one of the best. It’s very similar to the one in our picture below and if it floats your boat, contact David at Granite Auto Solutions. [CD]

+44 (0)1522 698911

enquiries@gemini-systems.co.uk

www.gemini-systems.co.uk CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

Feelgood factor to the fore at a VERY positive Paris show by JAMES baggott @JCarDealerEd

23-page ial spec

Show stars

Some are still twinkles in the eye, others are raring to go. Here are 10 cars we loved and think that you will too!

he Paris Motor Show had an air of confidence wafting around its packed halls this year. That could quite possibly have been the motoring press corps’ socks, or the brie they were gorging on for lunch, but whatever the whiff – people were smiling, new cars were debuting and smart-suited bosses looked happy. Car Dealer’s team pounded the halls and chatted to a huge number of managing directors, chief executive officers and other powerfullytitled people to bring you all the gossip. As production editor Dave Brown, staff writer Chris Lloyd and I ran from stand to stand we did so in the knowledge that just 20 minutes sat chatting to the top brass was worth its weight in gold to you, our readers. And you’ll be pleased to hear that positivity was resonating around the stands of all the manufacturers we visited as we chatted to the chiefs. Sales are up – in some cases two years ahead of schedule (Nissan, p57) – and new models are arriving across the board at a healthy rate. Dealers certainly have a lot to look forward to. VW stole the show, at least in my opinion, with its cool XL Sport concept (p60), while Hyundai showcased its extremely important i20 (p48), and Ford’s chief designer let it slip he’s desperate to see a Capri get the green light (p42). So are we! We’ve packed a lot of news into these 23 pages so grab yourself a cup of tea, put the mobile on Do Not Disturb for half an hour and catch up with all our exclusives from one of the biggest motor shows in the world. Au revoir!

Jaguar XE

Ford S-Max

Arguably one of the most important cars at Paris, the XE is Jaguar’s long-awaited return to the compact saloon sector. Powered by a new range of ‘Ingenium’ engines and built from a cocktail of lightweight alloys, the XE is in prime position to steal sales from BMW and Audi when it goes on sale in the new year. Oh, and it’s something of a looker, too.

Low-slung performance machinery is little more than eye-candy for most, with budgets, children and everyday driving demanding a far more practical vehicle. Thankfully, Ford’s new S-Max seven-seater proves that family motoring needn’t be dull. Starting at about £25,000, the handsome people carrier goes on sale next summer and will eventually be available in Ford’s ‘Vignale’ trim.

Mazda MX-5 Mazda hasn’t messed about with its hugely successful sports car formula, and so the new Mazda MX-5 will still be rear-wheel drive and feature a folding roof. It’ll be offered with a choice of two petrol engines featuring Mazda’s efficiency-boosting SkyActiv technology. Expect it to become an instant hit with keen drivers and valueconscious sun-seekers alike.

Ferrari 458 Speciale A Anyone with fuel running through their veins will have been hugely excited by Ferrari’s new 458 Speciale A, as they’re unlikely to ever see one on the road. Only 499 of these convertibles will be made, meaning they’ll be as rare as Ferrari’s current flagship hypercar, the LaFerrari. It’s powered by a 597bhp, 4.5-litre V8 engine and will crack 62mph in just 3.2 seconds, all the while singing the song of thoroughbred Italian speed through its exhaust pipes.

inside

paris ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

VW XL Sport Volkswagen steals the show with sportscar p60

Capri’s son? Ford chief designer wants to bring back Capri p42

in association with

Bentley Mulsanne Speed

Skoda Fabia

Volvo XC90

With most manufacturers sinking millions into the development of electric vehicles and alternative powertrains, it’s heartening to see one who doesn’t have to bother. Instead, Bentley has just turned the wick up on its flagship Mulsanne limousine to create this new Speed edition. Now boasting 530bhp from its 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 engine, the 2.7-tonne Mulsanne Speed will crack the 0-60mph sprint in 4.9 seconds. If you need to ask how much, you can’t afford it...

A Skoda supermini might not seem like something to get excited about, but given the strides made by the Czech brand under Volkswagen ownership, we’d wager the Fabia will cause chiefs at Ford and Vauxhall to have sleepless nights when it goes on sale early next year. As well as the usual improvements to quality and refinement, a new ultra-frugal model will be offered, capable of returning a claimed 91mpg.

Another manufacturer determined to upset the status quo is Volvo, which has moved its new XC90 upmarket, getting in the face of premium SUV manufacturers Land Rover and BMW. Aside from being the best-looking Volvo in ages, the new XC90 features a raft of safety technology, which will not only look after you and your loved ones but any unfortunate pedestrian or cyclist who’s meandered into your path. It’ll be outside a school gate near you from May.

Infiniti Q80 Inspiration Concept Premium Japanese marque Infiniti has struggled in Europe against its established German rivals, but it is hoping this swoopy four-door coupe will change all that. This design study previews a forthcoming flagship model for the brand, which will go head to head with the likes of the Porsche Panamera and BMW M6 Gran Coupe. Expect to see it on the roads by 2018.

Honda Civic Type-R Concept At the more affordable end of the performance scale – though arguably just as visually arresting – is the new Honda Civic Type-R. While it is officially still just a design concept for now, expect this car to be a fairly accurate representation of what the new hot hatch will look like when it reaches UK showrooms next year. A 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and around 300bhp are also highly likely from this winged monster.

Mercedes AMG GT It wouldn’t have been a motor show without a brand-new sports car for everyone to drool over. And Mercedes’ performance division, AMG, chose Paris to give its new baby its first public airing. The AMG GT is a replacement for the sublime SLS and, in typical AMG style, features a large (4.0-litre) V8 engine as well as an exhaust note to wake the dead. It goes on sale early next year, priced from around £95,000.

Hot Hyundais New i20 will lead performance range p48

TT Sportback Why concept Audi isn’t far from reality p59 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

23-page ial spec

If it was up to me, I’d look to replace Capri FORD: It’s the European Mustang, says firm’s chief designer, but it doesn’t fit our product plan right now

ord’s chief designer has admitted to Car Dealer that if he was at the top of the Blue Oval tree, the first car he’d put into production would be a replacement for the Capri. In an exclusive interview at the Paris Motor Show, Ford’s chief designer Moray Callum – brother of Jaguar’s celebrated design chief Ian Callum no less – revealed he’s got plenty of sketches in his notebook of what a new Capri could look like. Although he wouldn’t share them with us, despite our pleading, it was still clear from the way Callum spoke that a Capri was very much at the forefront of his and his designers’ minds. ‘The first-generation Capri is one of my favourite cars we’ve ever made,’ said Callum. ‘One of my teachers had one of those cars when it first came out and it made an impression – it’s the European Mustang in my mind. ‘If I had a pound for every time I’d been asked if a Capri would fit in the line-up, I’d be very rich indeed! In my mind there’s always room for cars in our line-up, but a Capri just doesn’t fit into the product plan at the moment.

by JAMES baggott @CarDealerEd

‘There is certainly a design for one in my sketchbook and probably in all our designers’ sketchbooks too. ‘It was a very iconic car and I think it did a lot for the Ford brand as well. It’s the one car I would put into production if I was the boss of Ford – but they’ll hate me for saying that.’ For now Ford buyers will have to ‘make do’ with the Mustang, below – a right-hand-drive version of which will be on sale for the first time in the UK next year. And Callum is confident this will sell to UK buyers. ‘People will buy it,’ he said. ‘It will sell as much as we need it to sell. There are 10,000 planned for the whole of Europe. Mustang has eight million Facebook followers and more than 50 per cent of those are outside the US. That’s a lot of pent-up demand for Mustang. ‘We’ve given Mustang real credibility as it’s a true driver’s car and a legitimate sports car. It’s great value and great to drive.’ Callum couldn’t

resist a cheeky jibe at his brother either. When asked who he thought was doing the best job in terms of design in the industry, other than his own brand, he said Jaguar Land Rover – but Land Rover in particular. ‘It’s a tough question,’ he said. ‘I think Jaguar Land Rover is doing it really well. It pains me a little to say it, but I think probably Land Rover are doing it slightly better. ‘I’ve been a fan of Jaguar all my life and it’s refreshing to see it come alive again, just as it is

Q&A: Moray Callum The chief designer of Ford is based in Dearborn, Detroit and leads a global team of 1,100 Ford designers. Here he speaks exclusively to Car Dealer

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Mondeo is a very important car for the UK. Do you think the looks are good enough for it to sell here? Yes. We’ve lived with the design as the Fusion for a few years already in the States and I still see them every day and think they’re good-looking cars. It’s a car that people appreciate the design of and in the States the design is still one of its selling points.

Have there been any challenges? There were in getting everyone on board and facing the same direction. The thing with designers is they all have their own opinions, so the challenge there was not just to get a line, but one in the right direction. The idea is we can now take work from any one of our design studios around the world and we’re all now talking with one voice.

Is the One Ford strategy working in your mind? Yes because people are buying the cars. I do think it makes sense, though. It took Alan Mulally to come on board and to question what we were doing. For many years, those in the US wanted cars with more European designs so it was a natural progression.

Do you pitch studios against each other? Yes we do. We want those studios to challenge each other but within the same design parameters. We have competition – that’s great because it helps raise the bar. What distinguishes a Ford right now?

in association with

Designs old and new... Evos Concept and the classic Ford Capri

with Land Rover, and it’s particularly nice to stick one up the Germans. ‘Some of the German companies have lost their shine in my opinion – especially Audi.’

It’s the face. We’ve worked very hard to give Fords a unique and recognisable face. We also talk about the silhouette being recognisable. Then the surface language is important too. Where do you take your influences from? I take mine from all around me. Sometimes it comes from the past, but I hope it comes from the future too. I look to other technology and how you we can communicate that technology to customers. What’s your favourite current Ford model at the moment? It would have to be the Mondeo. It encompasses everything we stand for and is a good-looking car.

What non-car brand do you admire? That’s a wide area! It always comes back to Apple for me because Apple understands the importance of design. It has showed design can really help sell a product. What’s your favourite car? It depends what day of the week it is. I answer that question differently every time. Today, I don’t know… it’s wavering between a Citroen DS, an E-Type Jaguar and a Mini. The original Mini is a brilliant car and I like the ingenuity behind that car. Will we ever see another Puma? I’m probably not an expert, but that doesn’t mean

it isn’t something that isn’t in our sketchbook. Puma will be a type of product we’d love to develop as we like to develop our current platforms. I think it might just have been another Callum that worked on that car, so I’d love to do a better one than he did, of course! Which cars do you love working on? Well, obviously the sports cars are enjoyable, but the more run-of-the-mill cars with regular formulas are more rewarding because the challenge is bigger.

The secret of our success? Paranoia, says Mark Ovenden, over the page CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

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FEATURE.

in association with

paris motor show 2014

23-page ial spec

The secret of success? A feeling of paranoia

Mustang, the jewel in Ford’s crown

FORD: We wouldn’t be where we are today without our global approach, says UK chief Mark Ovenden

aranoia helps keep Ford at the top of the sales charts in the UK, according to the company’s MD in Britain, Mark Ovenden. The Blue Oval consistently rides high with its best-selling double act of Focus and Fiesta whenever the monthly registration figures are released by the SMMT. And the company is convinced its One Ford global product policy is the way forward – and that the sheer range of vehicles on its stand at this year’s Paris Motor Show just wouldn’t have come about without that approach. Ovenden is certain where the foundations of the company’s success lie in the UK. Speaking to Car Dealer at Paris, he said: ‘People, process and product, you’ve got to have all three. ‘There are always challenges. It’s a very, very competitive industry. The moment you think you’re doing it right is when you start going backwards, so we’ve got to stay completely paranoid. We keep pushing it, keep bringing out great product, keep working with our dealer partners, and if we keep doing that we’ll be OK. ‘I know some of our competitive friends have talked about leadership as a strategy. We never look at things that way. We take a view that we’ll do everything right and the market share will be what the market share will be. ‘Most times we get it

by dave brown @CarDealerDave

right, sometimes not so right, but you’ve just got to keep working at it.’ Looking out at the array of vehicles on display in front of him, Ovenden continued: ‘What you see out here now is One Ford in action. With the economic challenges that there have been in Europe, we never would have had this product range if we’d carried on operating regionally. ‘In fact it’s interesting to see the different Ford families coming together. Clearly we’ve got our volume cars, the Fiesta and the Focus, but we also have the performance range. You’ve got the STs; you’ve got Mustang, which is clearly the jewel in the crown; then you’ve got the Max family, S-Max, C-Max, B-Max; then the SUVs with EcoSport, Cougar and Edge; and then we also have Vignale. And the

commercial vehicles aren’t even here! I was talking to an ex-Ford employee earlier. He told me he simply could not believe the sheer range of product we’ve got. ‘The fact that we operate as One Ford is great news for our dealers because now we are pulling the best from all of our capability across the world.’ Ovenden continued: ‘If you had to pick out something that was the crystallisation of everything that One Ford was about, there is absolutely no way Mustang would be here without it. Instead, not only is it here, but in Britain it will be a right-hand drive. That kind of car is never going to give us colossal volume. ‘It’s not going to make a difference to our market share but in terms of giving the brand a real polish and a halo, it’s fantastic. It will have two engines, the EcoBoost and the five-litre. We’ll let the customer decide which is the most popular. I know which one I want!’

S-Max was on show at Paris

Committed to Britain? Of course we are! FORD is as committed to Britain as ever, according to the company’s UK boss, Mark Ovenden. And that’s despite a double jobs blow that affected workers in Essex and Hampshire last year, with the closure of a stamping and tooling plant in Dagenham and a Transit factory in Southampton. In Dagenham, 750 employees either took voluntary redundancy, early retirement or were redeployed within the company, while more than 500 people were affected on the South Coast. Ovenden is quick to point out that the Blue Oval is still a major player in terms of providing employment in the UK, however.

He told Car Dealer at Paris: ‘As part Ford party. About two thirds of of a European plan, we had to take Ford engines anywhere in the world tough decisions with Southampton and were designed and engineered in Dagenham but we said two things. Britain and about one third were ‘One, we said there would be no manufactured in Britain too. compulsory redundancies because we ‘In total we have got about were very aware that the workforce 14,700 employees in Britain which had done absolutely nothing wrong. makes us the second biggest Mark Ovenden It was just the way the economics automotive employer with the worked and we lived up to that promise. second biggest R&D expenditure. We’re still ‘We also made it clear that Britain’s role in hugely committed to Britain and as a market One Ford would be in the design, engineering it’s Ford’s third largest in the world after China and manufacture of low-carbon technologies. and America in terms of sales, so in every way That’s the bit Ford in Britain brings to the global Britain is still vitally important to us.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

dashboard. paris motor show 2014

23-page ial spec

New kid on the Jaguar block is packing a powerful punch JLR: UK managing director is brimming with confidence about how the XE will be received

hat we’re doing with the XE at a by CHRIS LLOYD crude level is like a kid walking to the @christoferlloyd playground, picking the three biggest kids and thumping them smartly on we weren’t in’ – meaning the chance for greater the nose. So says Jaguar Land Rover UK managing sales volume and a real opportunity for dealers to director Jeremy Hicks. boost their profits. If one thing is clear, it’s that Jaguar is hugely Signifying a shift from previous Jaguars, the confident about the impact that its XE compact XE should make a big dent in the corporate sales executive saloon is going to have against sector, thanks to its car-tax-dodging 99g/km CO2 established models from BMW, Audi and emissions and claimed economy of 75.0mpg for Mercedes. With rear-wheel drive, striking looks the most frugal 2.0-litre 161bhp diesel, and extremely low emissions, which which can still hit 60mph in less than should particularly grab the attention eight seconds. At the other end of the of company car users, you’d be unwise range, the XE S packs the supercharged to bet against the company. 3.0-litre V6, which features in the Hicks continues: ‘We’ve been F-Type, and is capable of catapulting the absent. The good thing about XE is saloon to 60mph in under five seconds. that ground up it’s brand new, from The key to the XE’s appeal, though, the whole platform, engines, fantastic is threefold, states Hicks. ‘The car looks interiors. It looks good, it drives well stunning. And it drives better [than and we already know it will have Jeremy Hicks the competition]. Believe you me, we strong residual values. We’re targeting know we’ve got a winner on our the German premium brands and we think we’ve hands from a driving got every right to do it because we think we’re point of view. deserving of our place in that playground.’ And the result of this new addition to Jaguar showrooms? Hicks predicts that dealers are going to see ‘twice as many inquiries as they see today, because we’ve opened up a huge sector of the market that previously

‘And the third USP is that we are competitive in the marketplace. Not just from a retail price, because we’re bang on with the competition. We expect strong residual values, we know we’ve got good whole-life costs, we’ve put service plans behind the car, so we know that from a monthly payment point of view we’re really going to be right in there.’ The final trick in the XE’s armoury is the inclusion of ‘All Surface Progress Control’, which should allay potential buyers’ fears of being marooned should the slightest amount of snow settle on the roads. This sophisticated traction control is ‘phenomenal’, according to Hicks. ‘It’s a piece of technology which starts to answer people’s concerns. The traction control and gearbox configures the car so it pulls away smoothly without wheelspin.’

The Jaguar XE compact executive saloon is new from the ground up ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

in association with

discovery sport’s launch is given real welly Jaguar Land Rover really pushed the boat out – literally and metaphorically – for the launch of the new Discovery Sport. It’s a seven-seat, more upmarket replacement for the Freelander (although Land Rover refuses to describe this as replacing the compact SUV, which has been in its showrooms since 2006). True to form, this off-road car had a very off-road unveiling – appearing from within an 80-metre-long barge on the Seine in Paris, within view of the French capital’s iconic Eiffel Tower. Also making a surprise appearance on Land Rover’s floating runway – fresh from the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week – was supermodel and actress Rosie

Huntington-Whiteley. Playing a starring role in the unveiling, Huntington-Whiteley posed alongside a pair of 4.5-metre-tall Union Jack-patterned boots. This publicity stunt featured seven giant pairs of brightly-coloured Wellington boots to represent each of the Discovery Sport’s ‘5+2’ seats. Showcasing the new model’s off-road prowess, two Discovery Sports negotiated a steep ascent and crossed a deep strip of water before stopping to let the amassed 300 journalists from around the world take in the new car’s lines. After its first appearance in front of the world’s press, this premium compact SUV continued along the Seine, cruising past landmarks including the

Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame cathedral. Showing the importance of this car in Land Rover’s line-up, the Discovery Sport was the only model on the company’s stand at the motor show, alongside a number of Jaguar XEs, the only model displayed by sister company Jaguar. Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern said: ‘Designed and engineered to be the world’s most capable and versatile premium compact SUV, this is a vehicle that will appeal not only to existing Land Rover customers but to a whole new group of people who may never have considered Land Rover before.’ It will go on sale in 2015 across more than 170 markets worldwide.

EXCELLENCE EXPECTED FROM DEALERS

Jaguar and Land Rover dealers have a lot to look forward to this year, although providing good customer service is critical, said Phil Popham, Jaguar Land Rover’s group marketing director. ‘I think the significance of the two cars on the stand today [Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport] is massive for the dealer network, because it’s two volume products we’re introducing and clearly that is going to give them serious revenue throughput and a new customer base as well.’ It’s not just increasing sales that dealers have to look forward to, however. Popham added that these new models will see a huge proportion of first-time Jaguar and Land Rover customers flood into showrooms. ‘The XE is going to be 90 per cent conquest to the brand, and even though we’re already present in the compact premium SUV segment, I think a lot of people are going to be conquest on the Discovery Sport as well. ‘So, the dealers are going to be seeing new people to the brand and new people to their dealership.’ As a result, Popham reckons that dealers should benefit from increased revenues, although he is keen to stress that both Jaguar and Land Rover have adjusted their expectations of dealers to match. ‘We will be very vigilant with standards as we develop our brands. ‘We want absolute consistency. We’ve just had a global dealer conference in London and we were very specific about that. ‘We’ve delivered our commitments in terms of this relentless product introduction and we expect dealers to absolutely deliver excellence in terms of service.’

Getting an eyeful of the new Discovery Sport on the Seine

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

23-page ial spec

Some like it hot... and that’s why ‘N’ models are coming hyundai: Dealers need to get ready for a year that will see the arrival of a LOT of new product by JAMES baggott @CarDealerEd

yundai will soon launch a performance range of cars badged ‘N’ models – but the manufacturer hasn’t yet decided but with an ST-type car we’d get a similar halo just how hot they need to be. effect and sell the volume. That’s the dilemma The manufacturer has confirmed it will when you get into the debate about going for a introduce the sporty models to its range but ‘‘warm’’ or ‘‘hot’’ car.’ it is currently deciding whether they need to Whitehorn admitted that the N range would take on Ford’s ST line or its faster and harderhave to stand out and added Korean chiefs were edged RS line-up. listening carefully to what he had to say as the UK N badges will first appear on the market, alongside Germany, would be i30 C segment hatchback and the new one of the biggest for such a model. i20, which was launched at the Paris Currently the UK chief is Motor Show. It hasn’t yet been decided concentrating on preparations for what whether it will be rolled out further will be an extremely busy 2015 when across the range. the manufacturer will totally revamp Hyundai president and CEO Tony its range. By the end of next year the Whitehorn, speaking exclusively to Car oldest car in the Hyundai range will be Dealer magazine in Paris, admitted new i10, which was launched this year. that the Korean firm was currently in He said: ‘The dealer network needs Tony Whitehorn a bit of a dilemma. to get ready for a bow-wave of vehicles. ‘Our N range needs to be a seriously powerful ‘Back in 2012 it was the same when we had type of vehicle,’ he said. ‘Everyone would want eight new vehicles all coming on to the market at us to do an RS equivalent, but we’re not actually once. Then we had a facelift in 2013 and one new going to sell that many RS-type models, so we model in 2014, but next year it takes off. We’ll have to balance out the pure economics. have facelifts and all-new models. The biggest ‘With an RS variant, we’d get a halo effect will be all-new i20 and ix35 but the rest will be across the range but probably wouldn’t sell many, face-lifted too.’

New Hyundai i20 and ix35 are on their way to the UK next year And if Hyundai’s network thought that was good news, Whitehorn said next year was just the start. ‘The dealer network needs to get ready for this,’ he explained. ‘It’s a big year next year but that’s just the beginning as we have 22 new models arriving by 2017. We’ve got another 19 models coming through between 2015 and the end of 2017 including whole new models. We will go

Genesis triAl rolling out in 2015 Hyundai boss Tony Whitehorn will be happy if the firm manages to sell just 25 luxury Genesis models next year as he trials the flagship car in the UK. Six specialist dealers will be set up to sell the 5 Series rival which costs more than £40,000 and is powered by a 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine. He said: ‘We’re not looking to sell loads of them as it’s more about showing people what we can do. It’s a showcase of the technology that will

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then cascade further down through the range.’ Key locations in London, Manchester and Edinburgh will be first while pop-up stores at Bluewater will also showcase the car, which was originally designed with Korean and American buyers in mind. ‘If we sell 25 I’ll be happy,’ added Whitehorn. ‘I

don’t really care how many we sell. It’s not about volume. Most people think of us as a price proposition and this is about changing that.’

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New i20 will change buyers’ perceptions

into new sectors.’ Most likely of those will be a B-segment SUV – to rival the Nissan Juke or Ford EcoSport – which the manufacturer has been planning for some time. Although Whitehorn remained tight-lipped as to whether it will happen or not, he admitted the firm was closely monitoring the segment. ‘I think there’s an opportunity in the B SUV market,’ he said. ‘I see it as an opportunity. We’re talking about it. We’re being a little bit cautious because we are worried it’s a fashion thing at the moment. C SUVs will be around for ever, but B SUVs are a bit more of a fashion statement. That’s why we are cautious. We’re monitoring it very closely and if it has some sustainability then we will be very interested about getting in there.’ Hyundai has sales ambitions of 100,000 units a year. In 2014 the manufacturer will finish between 80-85,000 and Whitehorn believes it is the raft of new product that will drive that growth with a renewed focus on fleet sales. He’s also looking to increase his dealer network

from the current level of 160 dealers – which has grown by 30 in three years – to around 170-175 in the mid- to long-term. Wigan, Crawley and the Scottish Borders are the open points he’s most keen to fill. ‘We’re keen to talk to ambitious dealers that want to join the franchise,’ he added. Hyundai hopes its N range will help it capitalise on WRC exposure

The new i20 will be sold less on price, more on style and design. Hyundai UK boss Tony Whitehorn told Car Dealer that the firm is aiming to change buyers’ perceptions of the car, just as it believes it did with the i10 city car. ‘The old i10 was sold predominantly on price and reliability, whereas the new one is sold on style and the value buyers get,’ he said. ‘We did some research and now style is the number one reason for buying the i10. We can see that happening with the new i20.’ Whitehorn said the manufacturer is working closely with residual value setters to get the price right, which will help make it a compelling proposition on PCP finance. He added: ‘The i20 is still a price proposition at the moment and doesn’t have a stylish look or quality feel to it. Now we have something that is in this new model. We are looking to go head-on now with the Fiesta and Polo.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

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Excitement in a hybrid SUV form? Don’t rule it out! MITSUBISHI: Boss offers hope to those missing performance models from Japanese marque

ans of performance Mitsubishi models by JAMES baggott who fear the manufacturer’s days @CarDealerEd of excitement are dead and buried have reason to be cheerful, believes Mitsubishi UK managing director Lance Bradley. The only way we could do that was to get Even though the Evo name may be currently everything right and we planned very carefully resting – and unlikely ever to return in its current for 12 solid months for this car as we knew how guise – Bradley said there were still some exciting good it was.’ models planned for those Mitsubishi fans with The PHEV has been a remarkable success for petrol coursing through their veins. the firm since its introduction in June and the ‘I can give you hope,’ he told Car Dealer when sales rate is rising every month. we asked about future performance model plans. Bradley added: ‘We’ve only just started with ‘It’s a question I ask whenever I go to Japan. PHEV. We are having a fantastic time and dealers There’s no reason hybrid SUV technology can’t are making more money than they have for a mean exciting cars to drive. On the stand outside long time, possibly ever. Our sales rate is climbing there’s a cross-Asia rally Outlander. There’s no every month and we’ve only just seen reason plug-in hybrid and excitement the momentum from that car begin. can’t work together. Another Evo in its ‘We don’t know how long that will current format is unlikely, though. go on for. We monitor order take and ‘However, I can possibly see registrations and we will see if that performance versions of our SUVs. It’s starts to tail off but it isn’t, it is still early days though and the priority now increasing. The run rate is just under is establishing PHEV in the market and 10,000 units for this year and it is an people’s minds. almost straight upwards curve from ‘Once we have done that it’s a when the car went on sale in June. We relatively short step to producing a Lance Bradley are certainly still in the growth phase.’ performance version of the car. As to This success has led to incredible whether it would have an Evo badge on it, well, numbers for the firm’s dealer network, which is I don’t know. It would have to be an Evo to wear enjoying sales that are up 90 per cent this year, that badge, but there’s no reason why it can’t.’ but that hasn’t been without its problems. Currently, Bradley and his dealer network are Bradley said: ‘It’s a very big change to the very much focused on the recently introduced business. We knew it would happen, but not Outlander PHEV, which he has lauded as by 90 per cent. We knew there would be good the ‘most successful launch ever’ for the growth though. We started talking to the dealers manufacturer. last year and some reacted quickly and took on In an exclusive one-on-one interview at the extra people, some didn’t react as fast and they’re Paris Motor Show, he told Car Dealer: ‘For the last finding it really hard.’ 10 years L200 was our biggest-selling product by a This unprecedented sales surge, combined with factor of nearly double the next closest model, but an increase in marketing spend that has seen the it will be outsold by a factor of two by Outlander. brand return to TV advertising for the first time in In one year! years, has resulted in the need for more dealers. ‘To come straight in and probably do around A steady stream of new dealer launches has 10,000 PHEVs and 3,000 diesels is extraordinary. taken place in 2013 and 2014, with the network ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

now 120 strong – but Bradley is still looking for more. He added: ‘With today’s volumes we probably need 130 dealers, so we’re still looking for very good retailers. ‘In the majority of cases we are getting a choice of dealers where we have an open point. In some areas we’ve had someone really good and ones who we’ve had to turn down because there was someone better, and that means in some cases we’ve been kicking ourselves. But that’s a nice position to be in. ‘However, we are still looking to fill 10 open points – Liverpool, Manchester needs another, smaller parts of Scotland, Yorkshire, the far southeast of England, all have opportunities. We’re keen to hear from anyone who is interested.’

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New L200 is on the way A replacement for Mitsubishi’s sales-charttopping L200 pick-up is on its way next year – and bosses are very excited about what it will bring to the party. ‘It will be arriving in the summer,’ said UK managing director Lance Bradley. ‘We’re in a good place with L200 at the moment. Final September figures show we have taken leadership of that segment, which is a coup

for a car that is in run-out. In terms of what comes next, the new L200 will be here around July. We’re just finalising spec and pricing and I hope to announce that to dealers at our conference in March. I am excited about it. It’s an interesting time for the pick-up market. For the last 10 years it has been our best-selling model and it is still a huge model for us, so to launch a new one is very exciting.’

What’s next for PHEV? The new ASX will be the next model in the Mitsubishi line-up to get PHEV technology. Mitsubishi UK boss Lance Bradley is hopeful he can continue his aggressive pricing strategy for PHEV models too. The Outlander PHEV has been a huge success largely because of the fact it is priced the same as the equivalent diesel model. ‘The pricing seems to have worked, so it would absolutely be our intention to carry it on with the next PHEV model,’ admitted Bradley. ‘I

think it made a huge difference for the Outlander and we worked very hard to get that price. We got some big support from people at MMC. The volume is likely to be the biggest volume for PHEV in the world for Mitsubishi and that’s absolutely about having it at the right price. ‘The next PHEV product we launch will be the next-generation ASX, which is a couple of years away. The Outlander is a D-segment car, which

is a small segment compared to the C segment, and in two years’ time we’ll launch a hybrid in the C segment with the ASX. If dealers think they are busy now, wait until they get the PHEV ASX.’

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FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

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Out with the old and in with the new for 2015 SUZUKI: Celerio and new Vitara will be occupying positions at opposite ends of the motoring spectrum

ll change! That sums things up for the by dave brown Suzuki network as we head rapidly @CarDealerDave towards 2015. Car Dealer caught up with the other brands move towards very funky, designmanufacturer’s UK sales and marketing director orientated small cars that are aimed at younger Dale Wyatt in Paris and he was keen to talk about people. However, all of our research, the model range overhaul the company and all of our sales history with is planning for the new year. Alto and Splash, says older people On their way out are Alto, Splash, buy small cars. What older people SX4 and Grand Vitara, four cars that want is a high driving position, represent more than 50 per cent of ease of access and a big boot to put Suzuki’s volume in the UK … and on shopping in. Those things don’t their way in are two new models at turn on designers. They’re not sexy opposite ends of the motoring spectrum. things, but they’re tickets to sell The changes will come after a an A-segment car. That car will be successful 12 months for Suzuki, and, in Dale Wyatt launched in February in the UK. fact, a spell of sustained progress over ‘At the other end of the spectrum, we’re the past few years. launching a brand new Vitara. It’s an old name Wyatt recalled: ‘In 2011 we were having a tough but a brand new car. It’s a very emotional-looking time and selling 20,000 cars. and design-orientated car. It will be aimed ‘Over the past three years, we have grown, at people in their 30s and 40s who want to however, and this year we will hit 37,000 units. personalise their product and we think it will do We’ll break our all-time sales record this year in very well in the fleet marketplace. the UK too. ‘The two cars are at opposite ends of the ‘We’ve just sold more cars in a quarter than we spectrum. One is a rational purchase, the other ever have in our history. We’ve got a network that one very much an emotional purchase.’ are happy, they’re motivated, they’re profitable, Wyatt explained that the introduction of the they’re all facing the right direction and they’re new models would see the company’s saying good things about us. ‘We’re having a good period at the moment, but just when everything has come together for us, everything must change. ‘A lot of the products that delivered our recent growth are coming to the end of their life Suzuki Vitara cycle. The challenge now is to make sure that our new cars do equally well.’ So what exactly is coming from Suzuki in 2015? ‘We’re on the cusp of some new things and we’re about to launch two new products in the first quarter of next year,’ Wyatt told us. ‘We’re launching a new A-segment car that will be called Celerio. The design concept is the extralarge small car. It will be an A-segment car that can carry five passengers, carry their luggage, is low CO2, is very easy to drive, and is designed for the audience that buys A-segment cars. We’ve seen a lot of ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

IT’S ALL ABOUT VALUE NOW The change to Suzuki’s line-up means dealers will be focusing more on ‘value’ rather than ‘price’ when talking to customers, explained Dale Wyatt. He told us: ‘With small cars it’s very difficult for dealers to make money out of accessories and personalisation whereas our new products are much more likely to have customers wanting to personalise their cars. There’s a margin opportunity in the personalisation of products. ‘The combination of higher invoice values and more accessories should drive good success. ‘Having said that, the network is already very profitable. At the half-year point, the average return on sale for an average solus Suzuki dealer was three per cent, which has always been the industry benchmark of excellence. If we can hold on to that for the full year, I’ll be a very happy man. ‘The dealer challenge going forward is that we have been price-led. Going forward we’ll be value-led. What I mean by that is that when you’re selling a £23,000 car, cheapest doesn’t win. When you’re selling a £5,999 Alto, cheapest definitely wins. ‘We need our sales team to slow down the sales process a bit and sell the value of our products.’ ‘centre of gravity’ move. He said: ‘Most of our sales over the past three or four years have been small cars. Half of our volume going forward will be crossovers and SUVs. There will be a big change in the dynamics of our sales mix.’

Will Celerio be able to grab some sales from rival A-segment cars in 2015?

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Chris Evans hates it, but British public love it! TOYOTA: The radio DJ delivered a devastating verdict on new Aygo but his review hasn’t affected sales

hris Evans famously hates it. But it seems as though he’s in a fairly small minority. For the new version of the Toyota Aygo has proved such a hit in its first few weeks on sale in the UK that the biggest problem has been keeping up with demand. In a review for The Mail on Sunday earlier this year, Radio 2 DJ Evans described the car as ‘appalling’ and, in a reference to the marketing tagline Go Fun Yourself, wrote: ‘This car doesn’t look fun, it doesn’t feel fun, it doesn’t drive fun.’ All of which must have made pretty unpleasant reading for the team at Toyota HQ. As it turned out, they needn’t have worried. Car Dealer caught up with Matt Harrison, Matt Harrison president and MD of Toyota GB, in Paris and he told us: ‘The car has had an incredible response. From the first moment it created a wow effect and it’s clearly very different. It’s bold and stands out. ‘It’s been a success with existing Aygo customers, where we have a lot of equity and a lot of loyalty, but it’s also been a hit with a younger, conquest audience. ‘We’ve carried a big order bank into the fourth quarter and supply is our biggest headache – getting enough cars to meet demand. That’s a nice problem to have though, frankly.’ Although it’s questionable whether many outside the motor trade will be aware, Aygo has

by dave brown @CarDealerDave

two siblings, the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1, similar-sized cars that share many components and even the same production facility in the Czech Republic. Harrison is confident Toyota’s offering is the most distinctive of the three. He agreed that the first-generation Aygo bore plenty of similarities to its sister cars but added: ‘With generation two, the cars have been pulled apart significantly. We think our car is quite cool and it appeals to a much younger group of customers. ‘We laid our stall out from the first day with the new car to stand out and be a bit bolder. With Peugeot and Citroen, they have taken a bit more of an entry-level approach, saying this is the access point to our range.

Toyota’s Fuel Cell Sedan and popular city car Aygo

‘I think Aygo has always had, dare I say it, a bit more personality and attitude than the Peugeot and Citroen derivates.’ One of the key selling points for new Aygo is the customisation options available and in Paris, this approach was taken to another level with the involvement of a trio of top French street artists who used an example of the city car to create some special works of art. Starting each day with a plain white vehicle, the threesome recruited ideas from visitors to the Toyota stand to design designs to cover its bodywork and windows. New Aygo joined the hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Sedan and, making its world debut, the C-HR crossover concept, on the Toyota stand.

Eye-catching: C-HR crossover concept

New limited-edition GT86 on its way to the UK A NEW limited-edition Toyota GT86 is on its way to the UK next year. The car will have a special yellow paint job and an ‘aero pack’ involving modified bodywork, Car Dealer has been told. Companies such as Cosworth have already produced tune-up packs for the affordable two-seater coupe, and much engineering data has been shared with other similar outfits, especially in Japan. The car is fully intended by Toyota to be a base model for aftermarket tuning modifications.

‘It’s a real watermark for Cosworth, a UK company, that they have produced a special set of tune-up packs for that car. They’ve never done that for a Toyota before,’ we were told at

the Paris Motor Show earleir this month. Discussing the GT 86 variants currently available to buyers in the UK, president and MD Matt Harrison added: ‘Volume is a little bit behind what we would have originally anticipated but that’s partly because the segment in which it sits is in decline. ‘People buying in that sector buy across premium and mainstream as well but it’s still doing a lot for the brand. That’s the role for that car – it’s not just about sales, it’s about what it says in terms of excitement and the coverage that it generates for us.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

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We didn’t say so, but we were surprised! VOLVO: Swedish manufacturer’s online sale of 1,927 special XC90s proved quite a draw

hey didn’t admit it at the time, but the bigwigs at Volvo were genuinely surprised when almost 2,000 limitededition XC90s were snapped up in less than two days last month. A total of 1,927 individually numbered cars sold out online just 47 hours after they were released at 3pm on September 3. Most were reserved within the first hour and at the peak of activity, seven cars were bought every minute. The quantity of 1,927 cars was chosen to commemorate the year Volvo was founded and the top-of-the-range models had a price tag of £68,000. UK versions will be powered by a highperformance four-cyliner D5 twin turbo diesel engine which has 225hp and is teamed with eight-speed automatic transmission.

by dave brown @CarDealerDave

The whole sales process was stunningly successful but the official line at the time had Alain Visser, senior vice-president for marketing, sales and customer service, saying: ‘We are very pleased, but not really surprised.’ When we caught up with him in Paris, however, he smiled: ‘Although the press statements said it didn’t take us by surprise, I have to admit that it did! When you have a new idea, you have no idea how it will turn out. ‘Selling a car in that price range that nobody has ever seen via the internet is not without risks. However, we thought it was a calculated risk so we said, ‘‘let’s try it’’. ‘We gave ourselves 10 weeks to see how it evolved,

so hearing that they had all gone after 47 hours – and it would have been earlier if it hadn’t been for people queuing online – was a nice way to start. ‘We even had some emails and messages from people afterwards offering us higher prices. We had to say sorry, they had all been sold out.’ It’s difficult to overstate the importance of the all-new XC90 to the Volvo brand. Put simply, it represents a global relaunch of the whole company, and it was the only car the Swedes displayed in Paris. ‘It’s the first step of our new phase,’ confirmed Visser. ‘We have our own platform, new powertrains, our own design – it’s a Volvo-made car from A-Z which is the first time ever. ‘For us there is an element of pride. This is us now and not a collaboration. It’s also a bit of a statement that we want to become a true premium brand. ‘In a new Cartier showroom, you would have a single diamond ring on display, not 10 of them, and in the same way, we didn’t want to create a car park in Paris but just have our one jewel here. We’re making a statement that we have the ambition and commitment to get on track with our premium competitors.’

XC90 represents a relaunch of the Volvo brand

Autonomous driving has a key role to play in the safety stakes If Volvo cars have a reputation for anything, it’s safety. And the company has gone on record to say that no-one will be killed or seriously injured in or by a Volvo by the year 2020. Visser told us: ‘I feel very proud about that claim because it’s the soul of the brand. Our true target is that you can’t have an accident with a Volvo. Even now, our fatal accident rate compared to any other brand is shockingly better.’ ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Autonomous motoring fits in well with Volvo’s safety ethos… and it’s an area in which the company is doing a lot of work. Visser said: ‘We’re very convinced about it. According to statistics I have seen, 30 per cent of European city traffic is people looking for a car-parking space. And if you consider the amount of time people spend in traffic jams – not necessarily experiencing the fun of driving –

we want to create ease during that period – and a safe ease during that period. ‘We’re not saying that when you’re driving on a great British road you should put your can on autopilot, but we believe there’s quite a high percentage of driving hours when you’re not enjoying the ride because of external circumstances. We want to make those times better and safer.’

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‘IT’S PERFECT... FOR SOME PEOPLE’ Kia is making a foray down Electric Avenue with its upcoming Soul EV, and it’s ‘a fantastic piece of technology,’ according to Paul Philpott. It seems that the manufacturer isn’t alone in holding the car in high regard with the New York Daily News describing it as a ‘compelling alternative’ to the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, and Fiat 500e and praising it as ‘funky and functional’. ‘It is absolutely right for a certain group of customers,’ Philpott told us. ‘The range is 120 miles. It drives beautifully, with very smooth acceleration. But EVs are not for everybody. We want to start with relatively limited volumes, through a select network of dealers who are EV specialists and who will provide the right level of service and understanding to potential customers. ‘We should never get into a situation where we’re forcing people into new technology if that new technology is not right for them. Unless you do lots of short journeys, the technology is not right for you. ‘We’ve got to preserve the integrity of our first foray into the EV market with Soul EV by keeping volumes low to start with and progressively building them up. Next year we’re only looking at a volume of between 100 and 200 units. ‘If demand takes off beyond that, and the satisfaction from customers is very high, then we’ll go into battle to get some more. But I’d much rather start low, build up an order bank and supply to order, rather than have very ambitious plans that lead us fighting to find the right customers and trying to squeeze people into something that’s not right for them. ‘If we did that, we’d damage the reputation of EVs generally and there are some manufacturers who have done that over the past year.’

New Sorento shows how far we have come KIA: Interior quality sets it apart from its predecessor Kia Sorento had its European launch in Paris

ant to become a Kia dealer? Join the by dave brown queue. As the Korean manufacturer @CarDealerDave has rapidly increased both the number of dealers it has in the UK Philpott told us: ‘Obviously, it’s our top-of-theand the number of cars it sells, a waiting list has range halo product and demonstrates just how developed of people keen to join the franchise. far our range is developing, particularly in terms It’s a remarkable transformation in the of interior quality. When you put current Sorento, manufacturer’s fortunes and one of which UK which is a good car that has done very well, president and chief executive Paul Philpott is alongside the new car, you can see what a leap justifiably proud. forward we’re making not just in terms of exterior Philpott has become something of a Car Dealer design but in terms of interior quality as well.’ regular this year. He was the keynote speaker at We asked Philpott about the GT4 Stinger our hugely successful conference in June, and a concept, unveiled at Detroit in January. few weeks later was at Portsmouth’s He told us: ‘For a number of years Spinnaker Tower to pick up the gong now we have discussed Kia having a for Best Manufacturer in the Car dedicated sports car. We are trying to Dealer Power awards. take our brand down the youthful, ‘Yes, that was a very good night,’ he sporty, dynamic route. We always smiled when we caught up with him said we had to fill the mainstream in Paris. ‘We work really hard with segments first with highly competitive our dealers to build a really strong cars, which we have now done. partnership. We listen to their views ‘We would like to turn the testing and we’re very clear that a profitable Paul Philpott that we’ve done at various motor network is a happy network. shows with concepts, first with GT and then with ‘We’ve grown the business from 29,000 units in GT4 Stinger, into reality. There’s a real will across 2007 to 78,000 units this year – that’s tremendous our organisation to make it happen but I can’t yet growth. And we have grown the network during define when. that time from 140 dealers to about 180. The long‘We obviously launched Cee’d GT as a top-end, term plan is to get to 200, or approaching 200.’ sportier version of Cee’d last year. It’s been a great Kia was debuting its impressive new motor success for us. Not only are we selling an eight to show stand in Paris. And on that stand, the 10 per cent mix of Cee’d as GT, but the halo main draw was the new seven-seat SUV Sorento, effect it has on Cee’d as a model range and making its European debut. It will launch in the the credibility it gives is very positive.’ UK at the back-end of quarter one next year. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 55

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014

The only way is upmarket, says chief

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PEUGEOT: New UK boss acknowledges importance of strong brand image as he looks to mix things up by JAMES baggott @CarDealerEd

ragging the Peugeot brand further upmarket to rival the likes of Volkswagen is the number one priority of new UK chief Stephane Le Guevel. The Frenchman has taken over from Tim Zimmerman and, like his predecessor, has arrived directly from running Peugeot’s China operation. It was in China where he saw just how important a strong brand image is to the manufacturer and it’s these lessons that he’ll be drawing upon as he looks to mix things up here. ‘One of my priorities for the UK is to improve the brand perception of Peugeot,’ he told Car Dealer. ‘Rather than just launching one model after the other we need to build the brand. It used to be very strong, but we need to reshape it. ‘I was in China for three years and there the brand is very important, just as it is in the UK. Quality needs to be improved, and the way we talk about the brand needs improving. There is a lot to do, including with the dealers.’ Le Guevel admitted that Peugeot had made compromises in the past in terms of quality, but he is convinced that those days are past. ‘We may have compromised in the past but we don’t compromise any more,’ he confirmed. The new UK boss is convinced that Peugeot is now more of a rival for the likes of Audi and Volkswagen and boldly claimed the firm’s new 308 is ‘better than a Golf’. When asked who he thought Peugeot’s customers are these days, though, it took Le Guevel an awkward amount of time to give us an answer. Finally, he said: ‘We are generalist, so we talk to a wide range of customers. ‘We have a higher proportion of women because of our design. ‘We are selling to a younger audience with the cars we’ve recently launched. The average buyer ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Paris Dakar special COULD BE ARRIVING HERE NEXT YEAR Exciting performance models are still key to the Peugeot strategy and we can look forward to a Paris Dakar-inspired 2008 possibly arriving next year, said boss Stephane Le Guevel. Taking pride of place on the stand at the Paris Motor Show was the 2008 DKR, which is a V6 bi-turbo diesel with 340bhp and 800Nm of torque. The UK chief said that with exploits in rally and big events such as the Paris Dakar Rally, it made sense for the manufacturer to capitalise on them with road-going versions as well. ‘If there is a market in Europe where these sorts of cars can work it is the UK,’ he said. ‘RCZ sells in the UK more than anywhere else.’

coming too from A3. We have said we’re moving upmarket and we can see that proven by what customers are part-exchanging.’ The UK MD added that big improvements to the firm’s website were in the pipeline and that he would be working with dealers to ensure his brand aspirations were delivered on the front line, but on the whole he is very happy with his network. ‘Overall, it is very good,’ he added. ‘It is not an easy network to work with compared with other markets, as it is concentrated by big dealer groups that hold 15-20 franchises in their portfolios. ‘Having said that, being big groups, they are very professional and well structured and we have age is starting to come down, especially with cars good business relationships with them – we talk like the 108.’ the same language.’ He remains convinced that Peugeot’s success However, it’s not all good news. lies in driving the brand further Despite some dealers making decent upmarket too and admitted that left returns, there are a similar proportion a gap to be filled by other brands. who are not – and Le Guevel is working He categorically ruled Peugeot out of on chopping the worst performers out creating a budget alternative to fill of the network. this space, as Renault has done quite ‘The top 75 per cent of dealers are successfully with Dacia. making 1.4 per cent,’ he explained. ‘We will not rival Dacia,’ he said. ‘The bottom 25 per cent are losing ‘As far as Peugeot is concerned, this minus one per cent. is definitely not something that we Stephane Le Guevel ‘In this bottom 25 per cent we have are looking at. two types of dealer – those we are ‘We compete with brands like Ford, which working with and who I am confident will get is strong in the UK and an unusual competitor better and then there are others that will not. For compared to other European markets. them we will make difficult decisions. Volkswagen, clearly, is another. A product like 308 ‘We have 230 dealers, so 20 or so are seriously is taking us towards VW. under-performing, and it is here where we will ‘We see more and more VW owners coming have to change those partners.’ to us and buying the 308. Even Audi drivers are

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Leaf sales double as EV message gets through NISSAN: Renewed strategy pays off after dealers are gathered for a ‘good talking to’ by JAMES baggott @CarDealerEd

he battle to get electric cars accepted by the British public is finally being won, but the war isn’t over just yet – at least that’s according to Nissan GB managing director Jim Wright. In an exclusive interview with Car Dealer at the Paris Motor Show, Wright revealed that Leaf sales had doubled in September compared with last year, proving that a renewed strategy for sales introduced in April was paying dividends. Overall Leaf sales in 2014 will be more than double 2013’s total too, and with other manufacturers introducing all-electric models, the public are finally starting to accept EVs as a serious alternative. ‘We did 851 Leafs in September, compared with around 300 in September 2013 – that’s hot news,’ said Wright. The UK chief explained how Nissan got all dealers together in April this year and told them where they were going wrong with Leaf. ‘We gave them a good talking to,’ he said. Wright added that following this, 30 to 40 per cent of the network had ‘run with the new strategy’ and it’s paying dividends. ‘We’ve still got 30 per cent who are a bit frightened of it, but if we change that then it’s job done,’ added Wright. ‘It has helped other manufacturers who have launched their electric cars. I do think the battle is being won – well, we’re at least a good proportion of the way there.’ With 96 per cent of the UK motorway network now served by rapid chargers, it is certainly becoming easier to run an electric vehicle, and Wright believes it’s becoming an easier sale too. ‘From the economics point of view of it, Leaf is becoming an easy sell,’ said Wright. ‘When the dealer gets the sales process for it right then it becomes easier. ‘We’re not going to start selling 20,000 a year, but last year we did just over 2,000 and this year we’ll be close to 5,000. That’s a big difference. ‘We’re supporting dealers with Leaf-dedicated sales people, we’ve got Leaf public-sector sales people, we’ve got specific Leaf training people and we’re throwing a lot of resources at it – Jim Wright

Finger on the Pulsar

IDX concept not dead

Nissan unveiled a Pulsar Nismo concept at the show that would take on the Golf GTI. It would join the 370Z, GT-R and Juke, which have all had the Nismo treatment. GB managing director Jim Wright said: ‘If the Juke Nismo is anything to go by, I remember when we introduced that we sold our year’s allocation in the first four months. ‘I think it’s a credit to the brand that it can take this and an illustration of how the brand has come on.’ No decision has yet been made to put the Pulsar version into production, but we wouldn’t bet against it happening.

Nissan was showing the IDX sportscar concept cars again at Paris – despite rumours the product had been canned. The fact it was there, said a spokesman, meant that it wasn’t off the agenda, but Jim Wright doesn’t seem entirely convinced. He said: ‘If you asked me would I rather have more Nismo models or the IDX I would probably say Nismo. The segment the IDX would be in is tiny. It’s an enthusiast’s car, not mass market. The fact it is here means it has not been kicked into the long grass, but as a business case it’s really difficult.’

but it’s working.’ The good news with Leaf comes at a particularly positive time for the manufacturer. It had originally planned to sell 150,000 cars a year by 2016, but Wright revealed it will do that in 2014 – two years early. He admitted that his network had felt some ‘growing pains’, but his ambitious plans to steal a six per cent market share were well on course. ‘We will continue to grow a bit as some of our products haven’t had a full year-on sale yet, but it will be nothing like what we’ve seen in the past couple of years. We still have a share ambition of six per cent. ‘We’re currently at 5.1 year-to-date,

and at the end of the fiscal year we should be 5.5. We aim to get to six per cent by 2016. If you look at the development in the past couple of years our growth has come from everywhere. We have the highest level of conquest compared with the mass-market brands. ‘We need to make sure we’re doing the same job in terms of loyalty too. If you put the two things together – that is, attracting a lot of new people in, driven by the product, and looking after them when they’re in the franchise – then they’ll come back again. ‘If conquest and loyalty rates are above 50 per cent then you will naturally grow your share. It’s mechanical. That’s what we’re asking the network to concentrate on – when customers are in, we need to ensure they stay in.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

FEATURE. paris motor show 2014 WHY MX-5 IS THE ICING ON THE MAZDA CAKE

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‘We need to get all we can out of every drop of fuel’

The all-new Mazda MX-5 was the main draw on the Mazda stand in Paris. Arriving 25 years after the original was unveiled at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, UK managing director Jeremy Thomson described it as ‘the icing on the cake’ for Mazda dealers and the marque’s ‘iconic car’. The most recent batch of registration figures from the SMMT azda is a manufacturer often described revealed that Mazda sales were up as ‘unconventional’. And that description exactly 10 per cent year-on-year in could certainly be applied to the firm’s September and Thomson told us: thinking on electric motoring. ‘From my point of view, the network is As more and more automakers make forays into performing very well in terms of overall the development of EVs, the innovative Japanese volume performance and growing the company is taking a decidedly different stance. brand. Financially, it is probably around Car Dealer caught up with Jeff Guyton, Mazda the industry average and I’d obviously Motor Europe’s president and CEO, and he told like that to be better. It will be as we put us: ‘Yes, we’re ever the opposite! more scale through their businesses – ‘I don’t want to sell electric motoring more quality retail business in particular. completely short because I think we all believe ‘MX-5 really is the icing on the cake for somehow in the future there is most likely an a lot of dealers because it’s the iconic car electric solution, certainly as part of the mix of that’s going to draw people to the brand. mainstream vehicle sets. ‘You need a halo car like MX-5 to attract ‘So we’re not ignoring the technology, people to the Mazda brand. Take Mazda6 and we’ve done quite a lot of nice work for example, it now outsells Mondeo and in Japan on it, but our view is that it’s not Insignia at retail. And we’re seeing cross commercially viable for, let’s say, society. shoppers coming from BMW, Audi and ‘And before it is commercially viable we Mercedes to our new range of cars.’ need a huge breakthrough in the creation He added: ‘We’re going through a major of electricity and a huge breakthrough in refresh of the look and image of our dealers. the capacity of batteries to store the power, By the end of March next year, 80 per cent of and until that point, what we’ve got to do our dealers will have our new look and style, is improve the CO2 output of the cars that which has tremendous kerb appeal and a really we are driving. strong look.’ ‘Our target is by the end of the decade to have a Mazda 6-sized vehicle with the performance of today’s 2.5-litre gasoline

MAZDA: Are plug-in hybrids ‘a bit of a game’? European president and CEO certainly thinks so

Stalwarts of the Mazda range: MX-5 and Mazda6

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

engine, and to have the CO2 output of that car equal to that of an electric vehicle.’ An interesting approach, and Guyton continued: ‘In most countries around the world we burn a lot of fossil fuel to get electricity, so our tax schemes at the moment don’t look at that, which I think is misguided. When you really peel back things like plug-in hybrid and see that the fuel tank in the plug-in hybrid of model X is the same size as the non plug-in hybrid, it’s a fancy way to dodge a bunch of tax. ‘I live in the middle of a city in Germany and unlike most of the people around me, I rent a garage. Even there I would have nowhere to plug in an electric car, so what I would do is drive to the petrol station like I normally do and save my tax. It’s a bit of a game and it’s a very expensive one, and at Mazda, we think differently about these problems. ‘We might all wake up tomorrow and find somebody has invented the greatest way to create electricity and the greatest way to carry it around with you. But in the absence of that, we are taking what we think is the most rational approach, which is to get the most out of every drop of gasoline.’

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One for the user-choosers, Audi’s TT Sportback sparks excitement Audi’s TT Sportback turned heads at Paris this year

AUDI: When are we launching this car? No decisions have been made yet...

udi had a world debut on display at by dave brown Paris: the TT Sportback concept. @CarDealerDave Adding 29 centimetres to the length of the ‘standard’ TT to incorporate cars have been very well received, at least that’s rear doors, the aim of the full four-seat car is to my impression. Interest [in the TT Sportback] is take the car’s recognisable style and silhouette really strong, especially from the UK, because TT in another direction. is of course something really special. And that direction will lead straight to the ‘Anytime we present a TT derivative there is garages and driveways of the UK’s company car always a lot of excitement around and people are drivers, Audi hopes. always asking when you are launching the car, The second-generation TT sold 10,000 more but of course it is not decided yet.’ models thanks to a diesel engine Audi is certainly not a brand to rest being offered for the first time – and on its laurels. Konsbruck told us: ‘It has many of these went to fleet buyers. been officially announced that we are However, several company car lists ban going to expand our product portfolio coupes so Audi has developed its new from 50 to 60 models, so there is much concept – a compelling proposition for more exciting stuff that you can expect those fleet user choosers. for the future.’ ‘It’s still a concept at the moment He explained that production but if it gets the go ahead we’ll clean capacity was a big topic for the up,’ Car Dealer was told. Andre Konsbruck company, with investment underway That’s not to say the brand’s not in a factory in Mexico to keep up with demand. performing strongly with the hugely extensive ‘I think this year will again be our most model range it currently has. Although the successful year,’ he said. ‘I think dealer most recent set of registration figures issued by profitability is really strong now in the the SMMT show the actual number of Audis network so they are really happy. We being sold in the UK was down year-on-year for have a complete network. The only September, the company still enjoys a healthy thing which we have to see now is market share in excess of six per cent. how we are going to cope with capacity, Car Dealer caught up with brand director especially on the used car front.’ Andre Konsbruck in Paris, who told us: ‘Our show

DIGITAL DASHBOARD ON THE WAY One notable feature of the TT Sportback concept is the virtual cockpit which dominates the elegant interior of the car. The screen provides high-quality graphics and enables the driver to choose between various display options. Sometimes referred to as the ‘digital dashboard,’ it is something that will be rolled out across Audi’s model range in future. ‘Yes, you will see it on the new A4 by the end of next year,’ Konsbruck told us. ‘We can’t fit it in existing models because the dashboard is just completely different but with all the new-generation cars it will be part of our DNA. That’s part of our ‘‘Vorsprung durch Technik’’. It’s definitely the future and the TT Sportback shows the ongoing evolution of having everything on one screen. ‘Infotainment will play a major role in the future; the connectivity of cars is a big topic on our agenda.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

dashboard. paris motor show 2014

New Fabia aims to appeal across the generations ŠKODA: Style and the right finance deals are seen as equally important

23-page ial spec

German giant has about from Sport VOLKSWAGEN: XL1 is a ‘technical masterpiece’ and Passat GTE plug-in hybrid is big news as well by CHRIS LLOYD @christoferlloyd

The new Škoda Fabia should appeal to older customers plus a wave of younger buyers, says Škoda brand director Alasdair Stewart. The upcoming supermini should grab the attention of buyers who wouldn’t have previously considered the Fabia, thanks to its sharp new look and the option of contrasting colour roofs, he added. It’s not just style that’s going to attract people to Škoda showrooms, however. ‘What’s really important in this part of the market is that we also get the right finance programmes running, the right PCP terms and make sure that’s there’s value left in the car for the customer after the end-offinance deal with strong residuals.’ Stewart continued: ‘We might not be 0 per cent but we’ll certainly be looking at attractive interest rates. After all, it’s a new car. We understand that it’s necessary to launch with offers and particularly with good finance support, but we’re hopeful we’re going to get a good surge of orders on the new car.’ The Fabia isn’t the only new model in the pipeline. Stewart revealed that next year’s new Superb will be ‘radically different. We’ll have to see if that attracts some of the hybrid technology.’ The Škoda boss also noted that 2014 sales to date were running at 21 per cent above last year, with profitability currently standing at around two per cent return on sales and dealers putting away £185,000 to £190,000 profit on average per retailer – up by nearly 60 per cent from 2013. The top 25 per cent of the network are earning around 3.5 per cent return on sales, continued Stewart, although dealers are having to spend £150,000 to £200,000 on average to update their showrooms to Škoda’s new format. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

olkswagen’s 313mpg XL1 may be all about economy but the German company made the shock move of unveiling a one-off, low-slung XL Sport in Paris, which adds a hefty dose of power to the brand’s most economical car of all. The longer, wider XL Sport concept can sprint to 62mph in a scant 5.7 seconds, thanks to the addition of a rear-mounted V2 engine from the world’s most powerful two-cylinder motorbike – the new Ducati 1199 Superleggera. This 197bhp creation can rev up to a stratospheric 11,000rpm and hit a top speed of 167mph through its seven-speed DSG transmission. While the one-off XL Sport may not make it to showrooms, the allocation of XL1s is ‘going fast’ says Alex Smith, director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. ‘The XL1 is a technological masterpiece: 313mpg. And it’s on sale and available in the UK. There’ll be 30 in the UK and 200 globally, and since we announced the prices many of those production slots have now been filled. ‘XL1 is extremely important to our retailers, not commercially in the near term but in terms of demonstrating to Volkswagen customers just what we are capable of technologically.’ Much more relevant for most buyers Alex Smith – and dealers – is the Passat GTE plugin hybrid, which will be introduced in the third quarter of 2015, according to Smith. ‘This is a seriously usable, seriously relevant vehicle across both the retailer and the fleet market. ‘We can provide a technological masterpiece in XL1 and we can follow it up with something

which is hugely relevant.’ The eighth-generation Passat is a very big step forward from its predecessor in terms of interior quality, with a much more premium feel and a sportier stance on the road, claims Smith. Another hybrid in the pipeline is the Golf GTE. ‘We’re very much looking forward to bringing the Golf GTE to the UK in the early part of next year, because as a plug-in hybrid vehicle it stands a fantastic chance of getting real mainstream acceptance as it has the power of the GTi and extremely frugal economy. With it being a plug-in hybrid vehicle, it gets over some of the rangeanxiety issues which have slowed the adoption of alternative powertrain cars. ‘I’m not sure it will leapfrog the GTD but I think it will be a major step on from where we’ve previously seen alternative powertrain vehicles.’

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plenty to shout to fuel-busters

Off-roaders are firmly in focus of sporty brand SEAT: Leon X-Perience paves the way for an SUV to rival Nissan’s Qashqai

Above: The Passat GTE Left: The XL Sport

The Volkswagen XL1

With off-roaders creeping into every corner of the market, Seat has introduced its first 4x4 model in the Leon X-Perience. This off-road estate follows in the tyre tracks of the VW Golf Attrack, adding fourwheel drive and a boost in ride height over the standard Leon. The X-Perience is not the only off-roader on Seat’s radar, however. Seat UK director Neil Williamson told us: ‘In 2016 we’ll have an SUV of Qashqai size – our first time in that market. Just that one car alone gives us access to 15 per cent more of the market. Who knows what might come beyond that?’ A new Ibiza is also in the pipeline, although no details have been released. And Williamson revealed that not long after the Ibiza facelift a brandnew car will arrive. ‘What I’ve seen of that car’s early design work we are being quite adventurous. It’s really quite impressive.’ One model that is soon to be killed off without a replacement, though, is the Altea people carrier. ‘It’s probably got another year or so in it. Then it will be phased out as X-Perience takes over. Then we go into SUV.’ The company is also updating its showrooms for the first time in 14 years. Williamson said: ‘Some of our sites look a little bit old-fashioned. Neat and tidy, but old-fashioned. So we’ve got a look and feel which is like our motorshow – very white and red. Dealers are obviously nervous about the cost but we’ll pay for signage and half the interior work. ‘So, roughly speaking, it’s about £40,000 per dealer.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

dashboard. paris motor show 2014

23-page ial spec

inside

infiniti

Our new studio can shake up the premium sector by JAMES batchelor @JRRBatchelor

INFINITI has declared it aims to cause disruption in the premium sector in an attempt to win more customers. The company has bigger plans than ever before to take on established premium brands by offering models that ‘push boundaries’. The bold statement was announced at the opening of Infiniti’s brand-new design studio in London. Infiniti Design London is based in the dramatic ‘Battleship’ Building in Paddington. It’s already the home of Nissan Design Europe, but the creation of a dedicated Infiniti design studio will allow the brand to concentrate on producing cars that take on premium brands head-on. Infiniti executive design director Alfonso Albaisa said: ‘Infiniti has of course had an international design presence since the beginning. But the creation of a dedicated Infiniti design environment is new. ‘It is an acknowledgement that the premium sector is extremely competitive and requires 100 per cent focus.’ The London base will be a chief component of Infiniti’s plans to expand its model range by 60 per cent by 2020. The new cars – one of which will be the Sunderland-built Q30 hatchback – will make Infiniti’s offering richer as it aims to appeal to younger customers looking for ‘unconventional’ design. ‘Infiniti is a challenger brand that needs its own space to create the breakthroughs and cause the

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Infiniti has shown it has designs on a successful future

disruption in the premium sector that we must deliver. The dedicated design studios will allow us to push the boundaries of our passion and imagination further,’ said Albaisa. The facility has a staff of 20 people, a design studio, a 3D modelling area and engineering facilities. Infiniti Design London director Simon Cox added: ‘This studio is our own Infiniti world to concentrate on Infiniti and

nothing else, but with the back-up of a multinational’s resources next door if we need them. It is the right environment to develop products that come with the specific Infiniti feeling.’ Car Dealer, along with a handful of other UK journalists, saw the unveiling of a brand new concept car which got its official debut at the Paris Motor Show.

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‘Come and join us, we’re all set to take off in a big way’ INFINITI: Challenger brand has aspirations for volume, but only wants a network of 25 or so dealers

The Q30 concept

issan’s premium brand Infiniti is about to take off, says the company’s vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Francois Goupil de Bouille. ‘What we want to tell the investors is a very simple message. Nissan has decided to make Infiniti a global premium brand and we will do it. There is a huge potential. And

The Infiniti Q80 Inspiration concept was debuted at the Paris Motor Show

by CHRIS LLOYD @christoferlloyd

if you want to be part of this journey, it’s time to join us in the boat. ‘In the UK we are really now close to taking off. We are very encouraged by the figures from July, August, September. Definitely we are growing. However, the tactics that Infiniti is using to ensure this growth are very different to most mainstream manufacturers: ‘We will look to more dealers, but we are not going to copy what the Germans or Volvo do. ‘We want to have much more limited numbers of dealers, very well located in the right place. ‘In the UK, Infiniti sees 25 as the right number of dealers. That’s where we’d like to stop,’ commented Terry Steeden, the company’s PR communication manager. ‘We don’t want hundreds on each street corner.’ Steeden told us: We’ve got volume aspirations, but we’re not trying to replicate Audi or BMW. They can do their mass market, we need to be exclusive and get to a level where we are comfortable to retain that exclusivity.’

FUSION IS THE FUTURE The C segment Q30 is the car which will thrust Infiniti into the mainstream car market, says Francois Goupil de Bouille, Infiniti’s vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ‘Definitely the success should come with the Q30 because the Q30 we want to multiply by five our sales in west Europe,’ said Goupil de Bouille. According to Infiniti this striking new model ‘deliberately challenges categorisation’ and is ‘not a coupe, not a hatch and not a crossover but a fusion of the three’. Arriving in October/November next year, this new Ford Focus-sized model should grab buyers’ attention in a way that current Infinitis have failed to do. Goupil de Bouille adds: ‘I’m absolutely convinced that the car is going to be very appealing. We are extremely motivated and enthusiastic about this car. We are an outsider, we are a challenger. There is a lot of potential for us.’ Infiniti’s vice-president says that the company’s upcoming car would be considered a success ‘if we sell 10,000 in the UK by 2017’. [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

forecourt.

Infiniti Q50

STABILITY

Ero-lift aerodynamics manage airflow to ensure the Q50 is balanced while the car is in motion, helping maintain exceptional stability at speed

the knowledge

Model:

Infiniti Q50 2.0T Sport Automatic Price: Price: £34,125 Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol Power: 208bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 152mph 0-60mph: 7sec MPG (comb’d): 43.5mpg Emissions: 151g/km Residual values: tbc

target buyers:

Tech lovers, execs who want to move away from the traditional Teutonic trio (see below!)

the rivals:

BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-class and Audi A4

Key Selling Points: 1. New petrol engine is more refined, smooth and quiet 2. Tech that’s fun to use, not frustrating 3. Super interior quality

Deal Clincher: Luxury motoring without following the herd. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

SAFETY

Predictive Forward Collision Warning technology can warn drivers of a possible crash, even when the cause is outside his or her field of vision

EXTERIOR

The LED headlights are designed to complement the sculpted design of the Infiniti Q50 and turn heads. They also turn to shed light on where the driver is steering

on test

Infiniti aims to deliver excellence in design and quality What is it? The Q50 is an alternative option for those who might naturally be drawn towards a sports saloon from the all-powerful manufacturers who reign supreme in this part of the market (you know who we mean). It’s an interesting proposition for those who want to be a bit different. Its oilburning sibling in the range has been criticised for being a little rough around the edges but that can’t be said when it comes to this new, and far more refined, arrival, equipped as it is with a twolitre petrol engine.

What’S UNDER THE BONNET? A modern, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine designed to bring further power and

economy to the Q50 range, with 208bhp and 350Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission. The fuel economy figures (43.5mpg combined) are impressive, thanks to the engine’s turbocharger and direct fuel injection. The car joins the Q50’s 2.2-litre direct injection turbo-diesel and flagship V6 hybrid models.

What’S THE SPEC LIKE? Well, we’re talking the premium end of the market here, so not surprisingly, there’s no shortage of equipment and technology. We could rabbit on for ages but will restrict ourselves to a few highlights, so here goes: A clever ‘zero-lift aerodynamics system’ manages the airflow to

Nissan’s premium offshoot, Infiniti, is still very much a minnow in the UK automotive pond – but it’s working to raise its profile. Stephen Oliver, regional director for northern Europe, chats to Dave Brown What stage is Infiniti at in terms of its development at the moment? Obviously, our vision is to become established as a premium brand. This is something that other brands have been working on for decades of course. We’re in that early gestation period. When we launched in the UK and Europe generally, we did so at a time when the financial crisis hit so it wasn’t the ideal time to be launching a premium car brand. Very much now, across Europe and the whole world in fact, we’re very much more on the front foot. What targets do you have in mind for Infiniti? We want to become an established player and we will be targeting through to 2020 the sale of 500,000 units globally. We need to be clear about what the brand stands for and and be clear about our marketing planning. What we are very passionate about is that we do need that sporting lineage in what we do and the vehicle dynamics have to be very, very strong to help us compete in the premium sector. This new Q50 is clearly key to you... The more people realise what it’s like and the level of sophistication that’s in it, we will again make more progress. One of the car reviews I read recently said, ‘we stepped out of the Infiniti and into the reassuring environment of an A4.’ Well, the A4 is a known quantity, a bit like a BMW 3 Series. I used to drive a BMW 3 Series so I know what the dashboard is like. You know what you’re going to get, whereas with us, you don’t, and if we tried to do a minimalist BMW, it would fail. They have a way of doing the interiors

which works fantastically well for them. If they’re zigging, we have to zag. It’s part of what you have to do. We need to get Q50 properly established, then people might start to notice QX70. There are fewer of them but once they get a handle on the scale of the car and the style of the car, they might start to understand Q50 and then when Q30 comes, and QX30, we will be broadening what we offer and there will start to be some sort of recognition. So Q30 will be important too... Massively. When you see the customer reaction to the car, it’s very positive. This is a car that looks premium, feels premium and looks different to the competition – all the things that we need. Again, as we get a network established, we start to cover more of the country and more sites some on board, things will change for us again. Would you say standing out from the crowd is very much what you’re about?. Yes. In some respects, because our brand message has been formatted in Hong Kong, we need that level of definition. In America, Infiniti is up and running. What we need is slightly different to what America has. We need to explain the story from an earlier base to get to that level. In general terms then, would you say things are going according to plan at the moment? I don’t think you can ever say things are going according to plan! But we are making progress. There will be people who will ask, how serious are Infiniti or the Nissan group about us

being in Europe? The answer is that there is a fundamental commitment. If you are going to be a truly global brand, then, yes, you’ve got to have a presence in America, of course – and over the next few years we are going to be heavily focused on China – but you have to build a solid business in Europe and the two places where you need to do that are the UK and Germany. We report in Car Dealer this month that the aim is for Infiniti to have a relatively small number of dealerships in the UK. The plan now is to have 25 Infiniti centres across the UK. These days, customers operate online, with things very much at their fingertips. We think that from a customer’s perspective 25 will give us suitable coverage. Of course, we do offer our VIP collection and delivery service for servicing vehicles and that is something we will be rolling out. Another key part of your development will be when Q30 production gets under way in Sunderland next year... That will be a step change for us in the way people perceive Infiniti. When Nissan opened the plant in Sunderland, the car that transformed their fortunes was Qashqai. The car that will transform our world is Q30. There’s now a team of people that are Infiniti people there. Our family just keeps getting bigger and bigger. So the overall mood is a positive one, would you say? We have a massive journey to go on in terms of brand awareness. But people in the network are incredibly positive. They can feel the change.

that customers can touch and feel. Does this new Q50 live up to that? ensure the car is balanced when in motion while double-piston shock absorbers continually adjust damping forces to maintain ride quality. On the inside, Infiniti’s Intouch software integrates your digital life, including apps, using a touchscreen system. We really liked this. And Intouch navigation offers an intuitive three-dimensional view and a simple interface to make negotiating

unfamiliar roads easier. Intelligent cruise control slows you down when traffic in front stops.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Pretty much every part of the driving experience can be adjusted to suit the preferences of the person behind the wheel thanks to the car’s Drive Mode Selector system. We had no trouble organising ourselves with a set-up we liked. New owners will need a couple of outings to fully familiarise themselves with the technological side of things, but it’s

not difficult to find your way around. As well as being economical, the engine provides a refined ride with a sporty feel.

WHAT Do THE PRESS THINK? Autocar said: ‘The interior is neatly trimmed, well-equipped and ergonomically sound, if short on style. Space is good, though rear headroom is borderline for six-footers.’

WHAT Do WE THINK? This new petrol-powered Infiniti is pretty much everything a luxury car should be and is worth a look if you don’t want to follow the herd. Infiniti have their work cut out if they’re to make any meaningful inroads into a crowded sector though. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

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forecourt. INSIDE

It’s been stripped out to be like a 911 Cup racing car, but ‘Club Sport’ package takes things to another level with a half roll-cage

ENGINE

It’s a development of the 3.8-litre flat-six as found in the Carrera S but with bespoke crankshaft and valve train

LOOKS

Porsche 911 GT3

Like previous GT3s, the front and rear end are specific – the front has extra vents while the rear track is 44mm wider than Carrera S

The arrival of a 911 GT3 version is always big news. But is the new one as good as previous cars? James Batchelor reports What is it? It’s what happens when Porsche’s white-coated motorsport division gets hold of a 911 – strips it, adds racier parts and fits a much-fettled engine. There’s a simplified interior with carbon-fibre bucket seats, aluminium pedals, a different PDK dual-clutch gearbox and adjustable dampers – and that’s not mentioning the aluminium wings, roof, doors and engine lid, or the rear-wheel-steering system. The result is quite possibly the finest 911 ever made.

What’s under the bonnet? It’s the 3.8-litre flat six you’ll find in the 911 Carrera S but there’s a specially-developed crankshaft and valve train for instance. Porsche has also given its PDK dual-clutch gearbox a makeover – the changes are just as smooth but seem more definite somehow and there’s ‘paddle neutral’ too. Pulling both paddles behind the wheel while in gear puts the car into neutral by opening the two clutches.

Total power is 468bhp and there’s 440Nm of lovely torque, while 60mph from a standstill comes up in an ear-splitting 3.3 seconds. Top speed is 195mph.

What’s the spec like? Well, 911 GT3 buyers will be forking out £100,540 for their cars and for that they’ll be getting carbon-fibre bucket seats trimmed in Alcantara and leatherette, automatic climate control, and bi-xenon lights. But for those really hardcore trackday fans, Porsche does offer a Club Sport package that includes a half roll-cage, multi-point harness belts, fire extinguisher and a battery cut-out switch.

What’s it like to drive? Oh, it’s magnificent. It’s a total triumph. I know it sounds like Porsche has paid for this review so far, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that because of my lashings of high praise, but it really is very excellent. Gun the throttle and the revs rise

to an ear-splitting howl and all the time the PDK ’box is banging through the gears with total precision. The steering is deliciously weighted and precise and you wouldn’t even know that the rear wheels turn – it’s so beautifully harmonious.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Autocar said: ‘Its breadth of ability is quite remarkable and very much at the root of its appeal. It is one of Zuffenhausen’s all-time greats.’ Car said: ‘All the trademark GT3 entertainment values are still present. The bonus is that the GT3’s appeal is broader than before.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? Well, it’s pretty obvious isn’t it? In any model series, the 911 GT3 is always heralded as the best 911 you can buy, so I should have been ready for it to be good. But I wasn’t. Porsche is apparently readying a 911 GT3 RS but this one will do just fine. It’s a titan of modern sports-car engineering.

the knowledge Model: Porsche 911 GT3 3.8 Price: £100,540 Engine: 3.6-litre, six-cylinder, petrol Power: 468bhp, 440Nm Max speed: 195mph 0-60mph: 3.3s MPG (comb’d): 23.0 Emissions: 289g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers: Mostly trackday aficionados, but also previous GT3 owners and fans of hardcore Porsches

the rivals:

Jaguar XKR-S GT, Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

Key Selling Points:

1. Racing car styling 2. It’s light: 70kg lighter than the 911 Turbo S 3. New ‘paddle neutral’ feature will impress trackday drivers

Deal Clincher: For now it’s the closest a customer can get to a racing 911 for the road and track CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

forecourt.

Lexus NX 300h Richard Balshaw, Lexus’ UK director, says the manufacturer might be a bit late to the crossover party, but that NX will help provide a lower entry point to its range. Firstly, just how important and significant a vehicle is the NX for Lexus? It’s important for us, as it’s entering a new segment and we want to grow. The best way for us to grow is to enter new segments, like we saw with the CT hatchback. It’s also important for us, as structurally within the range we don’t have an easy way into our SUV proposition. The RX is a bigger, more expensive vehicle, so it’s important to bring in more people to the range, in the same way the CT brings new buyers into the hatchback/ saloon side of the range. It’s a big step to enter the brand with RX, so the NX gives us a real linear path to the SUV range. It’s important in terms of conquests as it lowers the entry point into the brand.

commercial decisions on which vehicles to develop at which time. We’re just happy we’ve got it now!

GS450h – so we do already to it with some models, but there are no plans to do so with the NX currently.

How important do you think the NX’s hybrid drivetrain is to the UK’s dieselloving crossover buyers? I think it’s very important to give people a choice. We are a challenger brand and an alternative choice, and we don’t want to do things exactly how everyone else is. We think we’ve got a great proposition with the hybrid and we’re the first to offer that opportunity. We don’t think we’ll be the last, but we’re the first with the technology in the segment.

Why has Lexus waited so long to introduce a crossover? Do you think you’re a bit late to market? We’re certainly later than I’d like to have been but I guess the reality of that is that we compete for engineering resources to develop new cars. TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation) has to weigh up where best to allocate engineering resources and the car’s been under development for three or four years. Up until that point, there simply wasn’t the decision to plough resources into this segment. In the UK we would have liked to have seen the NX earlier, but the reality is we are part of a global company, which takes global

Are you targeting a particular demographic? And do you think the NX will attract a new type of customer? What we’re seeing with CT – which is 70 per cent conquest for us – is that it’s bringing a lot of new people into the brand. It’s a more accessible proposition. I think the NX will be the same, in that we’ll see more younger buyers and young families. We don’t really chase particular demographics, I just want people to put Lexus on their shopping lists by broadening its appeal.

Do you think the lack of a diesel option will hurt the NX’s chances? I’m sure it’ll put some people off, but I’m equally sure it will attract people to the brand. That’s what we find with our hybrid models – we’re not trying to convince everyone to buy a hybrid, but increasing numbers of people are persuaded to try it as an alternative to diesel. Do you think we will see the NX range – or indeed any forthcoming Lexus model line – offered with more than one hybrid powertrain option? We don’t have any plans at the moment. We do it with the GS line – the GS300h and

What do you expect the sale split to be between the hybrid NX 300h and the petrol NX 200t? The hybrid model is projected to make up 90 per cent of sales. What’s next for Lexus? We’ve got new products coming in all the way up to 2018 at the moment, some of which are replacements for current offerings, and some of which are brand new. Lexus will be remaining in the segments that it’s already in. We’ll be renewing those cars in the normal way, and we’ll be entering new segments as well.

on test

It’s a car that dares to be different, and Lexus hope it will attract younger buyers and

What is it? Like most cars of its ilk, the NX is styled to look like a full fat off-roader, though it’s shrunken down to be better suited to the urban use that most will inevitably never escape from. Indeed, Lexus makes no mention of any off-road ability, with the four-wheel-drive system presented as more of a safety aid in poor weather conditions. Instead Lexus has focused on what is a much more pertinent issue to the majority of European customers: running costs.

What’s under the bonnet? For now, there is just one engine option: the familiar 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit mated to an electric motor, from the IS 300h saloon. Its ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

combined 195bhp power output is adequate at best, particularly when you consider the NX’s rather portly 1,905kg kerb weight. Consequently, its claimed performance figures stand at 9.2 seconds for the 0-62mph sprint, and a top speed of 112mph – figures more often associated with a small city car, rather than a supposedly sporty, premium SUV. A regular 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol model, badged 200t, will join the range next year, though this is likely to be a niche choice.

What’s the spec like? The NX is offered in no

less than five different trim levels, though you’ll have to slum it in base spec ‘S’ models if you’d prefer economy-maximising front-wheel-drive over the stability and security of the four-wheeldrive system fitted across the rest of the range. That said, even this entry-level version is well equipped, coming with 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, DAB digital radio, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and adaptive cruise control with crash mitigation technology. Step up to ‘SE’ and, aside from four-wheel-drive, the NX is further bestowed with automatic wipers and heated front seats. ‘Luxury’ trim is expected to

INSIDE

The quality and gadget count are a match for the best, but some borrowed Toyota switchgear spoils the effect slightly

the knowledge

Model:

Looks

Slashed styling will divide opinion. Bonus points for being different, we say

Engines

2.5-litre hybrid big on parsimony, less so on performance

families. But is it any good? Daljinder Nagra reports be the UK bestseller thanks to the inclusion of choice toys such as parking sensors, keyless entry, tinted rear windows and electrically adjustable front seats finished in leather. Of the two top-end trim levels, ‘F Sport’ is aimed at those who want a more sporting experience, while ‘Premier’ maxes out the gadget count.

What’s it like to drive? Our test drive of the most overtly dynamic, F Sport model, with its upgraded suspension and extensive drive modes, initially brought about some confusion. While the NX exhibits all of the strengths usually associated with a Lexus: supreme refinement, and top-quality engineering and construction, it feels heavy and lethargic, and exhibits roll at even moderate cornering speeds.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

Lexus NX300h F Sport AWD Price: £36,995 Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, electric hybrid Power: 195bhp Max speed: 112mph 0-60mph: 9.2s MPG (comb’d): 54.3 Emissions: 121g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers:

Young, active urbanites with a love for technology and a hatred of car tax

Autocar said: ‘The performance does feel a good match for a car of the NX’s size and weight; there was never a situation where we needed more shove. At motorway cruising speeds it’s quiet and comfortable.’

the rivals:

WHAT DO WE THINK?

Key Selling Points:

Provided you look past the NX’s sporting pretentions, it is a highly competent and likeable car. Its bold looks will certainly prove to be divisive, but it wins points from us for daring to be different. Certainly, it will help drivers stand out on the school runs it will inevitably be used for. And it is in this daily grind that the small Lexus excels; its vast array of toys and the urban serenity of its hybrid drivetrain taking the sting out of even the most hellish drives.

1. The only hybrid in its segment 2. Design that dares to be different 3. Generous standard specification

Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLA

Deal Clincher:

Lexus brings the hybrid to the luxury crossover market in tech-laden style CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

forecourt.

Mini 5-Door Cooper D Mini UK managing director Chris Brownridge talks to Chris Lloyd about how the brand is moving the game on Why was there no five-door Mk1 new Mini? It’s an obvious question, but actually in the meantime we’ve been launching quite a lot of other derivatives. And I think we’ve now got to the point where we’re looking at the opportunities and the 5-Door obviously represents quite a big one for us, particularly in the UK, where a significant amount of the marketplace is five doors. What proportion of brand sales do you think the new 5-Door will make up? I think it will probably make up about 25 to 30 per cent of our sales. The 5-Door hatch will see us grow as a brand. Certainly, in 2015 we expect to grow because, of course, we’ve suddenly got a car that half of the UK market, which is fleet and business, will wake up to because a five-door car with five seats is almost the heartland. What is the allocation for the new 5-Door? At launch every retailer will have three demonstrator cars and a set allocation of product. Although we haven’t actually launched the car and had any customers seeing it, we have more than 1,000 orders and currently we have never had such a big order bank. How big is the Mini order bank? We went into September with an order bank of more than 12,000 cars for a brand that will sell

looks

Still unmistakably a Mini, though its inflated size makes it look a little on the chubby side ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

just over 50,000 over the year. This month alone we will have 10,000 customers picking up new cars. We’re experiencing extreme demand, which is great, but also our network has invested in facilities and people to make sure they’re really looking after their customers. Is there scope for a larger Mini model? The concept car we showed in Geneva last year, the Mini Clubman concept, is 4.25m long [the same as the VW Golf] and gives a clear indication there is a space in the Mini range. We’re looking closely at that. The press and customers like that concept so let’s keep our fingers crossed. What can dealers expect over the coming year? We expect to grow next year by approximately 15 per cent as a brand. One of our key focus areas within

the franchise is growing the used car business, because currently we have a ratio of used to new of 63 per cent and a quarter of those customers become new car customers, so it’s in our business interest to grow that part of the business. What was the key objective with the 5-Door? Mini as a brand is very innovative and with the new car it was really to move the game on in terms of quality, refinement and technology. If you look at the car against its peer group there’s nothing that can really compete with the combination of those. Has Mini lost customers by not offering a five-door until now? We have very loyal customers, but equally there were gaps in our range. So with the 5-Door it’s a great opportunity to keep those customers for longer, but also bring a lot of new people into the

on test

The Mini 5-Door offers two extra doors, but does it manage to maintain the three-door’s sense of fun? What is it?

brand. If you look at our key competitor set, the majority of their sales are in five-door, not three. What’s the secret to Mini’s huge success in the UK? I think the majority of our customers look at how much it costs to own it, and because we’ve got strong residual values and low servicing costs that’s why Mini has been so successful in the UK. Mini styling harks back to a different era. Are there any imminent plans for more contemporary designs? From the Superleggera but also the Clubman concept, we’ve shown the brand can go in different places and there’s certainly a lot of demand for that. So, can we see Mini in different formats? Yes, I think we can and I think we will.

inside

Just as quirky as its three-door sibling, but form does rule over function in some areas

The Mini 5-Door does what it says on the tin. It’s a five-door version of the standard hatchback and offers up more space for a reasonable £600 premium. Going on sale on October 25, this latest Mini is billed as a premium small car, with upmarket equipment such as a heads-up display and active cruise control. The 5-Door is 16cm longer than the standard car and the wheels are more spread out to free up extra interior space. As a result, the new car will be far more appealing to young families.

What’s under the bonnet? The 5-Door gets the same engines as its sibling and is available in One, One D, Cooper, Cooper D, Cooper S and Cooper SD versions. Petrol models consist of the 101bhp One, the 134bhp Cooper and 189bhp Cooper S. The least powerful model can scoot to 60mph in 9.9 seconds and returns 58.9mpg, while the Cooper S can hit 60mph from a standstill in a scant 6.7 seconds and is capable of 47.9mpg. As for diesels, the 94bhp One D can get to 60mph in 11.2 seconds and has a claimed fuel consumption figure of 80.7mpg. Meanwhile, the 168bhp Cooper SD zooms past the 60mph mark in just 7.2 seconds, although official economy is still strong at 68.9mpg. The best-seller, however, is expected to be the 114bhp Cooper D, which takes 9.2 seconds to hit the benchmark speed and returns an official 78.5mpg. Automatic gearboxes are available on all engines bar the One D.

What’s the spec like? All 5-Doors include a digital radio, six-speed gearbox and front and rear electric windows. Also included on all cars are three ISOFIX mounts for child seats – two in the back and one on the passenger seat – plus heated mirrors, Bluetooth and a USB connection for charging phones. Prices start at £14,350 for the Mini One 5-Door and £15,490 for the One D, rising to £19,255 for the Cooper S and £20,050 for the Cooper SD.

What’s it like to drive? Unsurprisingly, the 5-Door feels very similar to its smaller sibling on the road. Despite the increase in size the new car darts around the

road with equal enthusiasm and should put a smile on keen drivers’ faces. All the controls feel suitably meaty, with well-weighted, direct steering, a slick, satisfying gear change and firm, but mostly smooth, suspension that ensures the car is very controlled around corners. Other superminis may provide a softer ride but the 5-Door remains comfortable.

What do the press think? Auto Express said: ‘A Mini will never offer the most space in its class, but for potential buyers who want a touch more room, it scores well.’

What do we think? This fun, distinctively styled machine should fly out of showrooms thanks to its combination of style and substance. The seats are comfortable, the interior feels well built and there’s just about enough room for a small family, or alternatively four adults. Some ergonomics are flawed, with a starter switch in front of the gear stick for instance, but it offers a convincing option for those after a chic small car with potent yet frugal engines and an extra helping of practicality.

the knowledge Model: Mini 5-Door Cooper D Price: £17,050 Engine: 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged diesel Power: 114bhp Max speed: 126mph 0-60mph: 9.2s MPG (comb’d): 78.5 Emissions: 97g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers:

Style-focused supermini drivers who need two extra doors

the rivals:

Audi A1, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208

Key Selling Points: 1. More space than three-door 2. Punchy but frugal engines 3. Good handling around corners and a smooth ride

Deal Clincher: under the bonnet

Punchy turbocharged engine lineup offers strong performance and impressive economy

It’s more fun to drive than rivals, with an increase in practicality over the three-door

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

forecourt.

Volvo V40 INTERIOR

Comfortable and clever, the V40 is kitted out with the latest tech in a subtle way. We particularly like the clear and easy-to-read thin film transistor instrument display

the knowledge

Model:

Volvo V40 D4 SE Lux Nav Price: £27,770 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre, 4 cylinder turbo diesel Power: 187bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 143mph 0-60mph: 7.4s MPG (comb’d): 74.3mpg Emissions: 99g/km Residual values: tbc

target buyers:

Young families and company car buyers

the rivals:

UNDER THE BONNET

LOOKS

Curved and sleek, and with accents of brushed aluminium this V40 is attractive and understated. It’s bulldog stance makes it imposing on the road too

on test

Volvo has introduced a range of super-efficient engines What is it?

1. Great handling 2. Competitively priced 3. Stylish yet practical

The Volvo V40 is a five-door, five-seat hatchback ideal for a young family looking to move on from a small fast car to something still fast, but practical and economical. Volvo has transformed itself in recent years and what you get with the V40 is a powerful, exciting car to drive that feels like a coupe but has all the practicality of a fivedoor hatch.

Deal Clincher:

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?

New engines mean classbeating emissions whilst not compromising on power and performance.

The latest V40s are the first to be fitted with Drive-E – the umbrella name for Volvo’s new range of powertrains. They come either with a D4 diesel or petrol turbocharged T5 engine. Incredibly, the D4 engine has 190hp but it is still

BMW 1-series, Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Volkswagen Golf

Key Selling Points:

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

A two-litre, four-cylinder engine with up to 245hp. The 190hp diesel’s emissions are less than 100g/km making it road tax exempt

capable of 74.3mpg and less than 100g/km CO2, meaning road tax exemption under the current rules. The T5 engine has 245hp but also promises mileage of 47.9mpg and emissions of 137g/km CO2. These figures are something other cars in the V40’s class can’t get near. Volvo says they will be rolling out these engines across their range of cars in the near future and that Drive-E is their proof that performance can be combined with low emissions.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Probably the most attractive part of the Volvo, particularly for family buyers, is its top safety features. The V40 received the highest score ever recorded by NCAP and it includes safety features

Iain Howat, head of product at Volvo UK, tells Becca Chaplin that V40 is ‘absolutely right’ for its segment and that its best-in-class power and emissions mix makes it a compelling proposition How important is V40 to Volvo’s overall sales success? I think V40 is a genuine alternative to the established brands, so whether you’re a mainstream buyer looking at Focus or Astra or Golf, I think V40 is a very affordable step-up from those products. Stronger residual values and a premium brand mean it’s a relatively straightforward walk-up. And I think for customers who are maybe buying an A3 or a BMW (you know the ubiquitous choice), I think it’s a credible alternative that they should consider. Why does the V40 sell so well in the UK? The V40 is the first five-door hatchback that we’ve produced for many, many years and it is absolutely the car for the UK market. The UK is all about hatchbacks and the biggest segment is the B-class, ie, the Fiesta, the Corsa size. The second biggest is the five-door C-segment so V40 is absolutely right for the segment and I think that the fact we’ve sold close to 20,000 this year reflects its suitability for the UK market and the attractiveness of that product for the consumer at large. What is the most important characteristic of Drive-E for Volvo? I think for us the fact that it is unique and it’s best-in-class. Nobody can match 190hp and 99g. For Volvo to be class-leader in the most competitive segment in the UK is absolutely fantastic and I think we need to leverage that because of course the market won’t stay still, but

for now we’re top of the tree. The more people we can make aware that Volvo is credible, then there will be greater demand and increased sales from that perspective. We still have the D2 and the D3, albeit the previous-generation powertrain, so the D4 helps because it’s new and class-leading but the bulk of our sales volume will still be on the previous engine – the D2 in particular, because it’s a lower price and it’s also under 100g. The point about the D4 is really a signal of what’s to come because we can deliver under 100g with decent power as well. It’s not just low price, low power which can be efficient. It can be a more powerful, performance-related car. You’ve been with Geely for four years now, has that enabled Volvo to be more creative as opposed to the Ford days? V40 was signed off and developed before Ford sold us, so it was very much developed under our previous ownership. I think the SPA platform and the Drive-E powertrain are specific examples of us being nimble and able to do our own programmes. Whichever way you look at it, if you’re part of a global company and the platform is being used for multiple products, more compromises need to be made and development times will be slower because you’re having to meet and agree so many different needs. The fact that Geely is now supporting us as an independent, standalone company means we can be nimble. Our platform is ours, it’s nobody else’s. The Drive-E powertrains are ours and nobody else’s

so we can get on and do things in a different way than perhaps we have done before. Where can Volvo go from here? The D4 engine and V40 is just part of the strategy for completely replacing our powertrain line-up, so over the next few years we will replace every engine with a Drive-E powertrain. So on V40, you can expect every diesel to be under 100g, so consumers will no longer be compromised by having to have a low-powered engine for low emissions. They can have performance and excitement, with low emissions at the same time. Our focus on V40 will be to broaden and strengthen the powertrain line-up and to optimise the CO2 and performance at all price bands. You’ve said the the V40 has been built so an electric engine would fit in it – do you think this will happen? Never say never, but I wouldn’t say it was on our short-term radar. I think that the future of alternative fuels is still unknown. Is it hybrid? Is it electric? There is talk of CNG coming back again and LPG. I don’t think there is an overall vision as to what the future will be. If it makes economic and commercial sense to put a battery powertrain into V40 then we’ll do it. Our focus in recent years has been the V60 for the electric market. We did build a limited number of C30 battery vehicles, again to test the market. The XC90 is being launched with a petrol hybrid, to see what the market will take. I think it will be a number of years before we finally determine what the future will be. Whatever that turns out to be, we’ll then focus on delivering.

to the V40, but can it convince buyers to try Swedish instead of German? such as City Safety, the brand’s autonomous braking system, and the world’s first pedestrian airbag as standard. The entry-level D4 model is priced at £23,965 but still kitted out with cruise control, rain sensors, plus chrome and aluminium trim. The SE Lux Nav model we drove, priced at £27,165, adds leather upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED day running lights and self-cleaning headlights. All Nav models also feature a seven-inch screen, Sensus Connect, with high-performance sound, which can connect to the internet, play DVDs and store music. Volvo also has the sporty R-Design V40, which is lower, offers sports seats and twin exhausts, and starts from £24,740.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? This Volvo handles fantastically. The V40 driving position plants you close to the road and you feel completely in control. It gives you the feeling that it is capable of anything you throw at it, with a secure, sure-footed feeling in the bends. Given some open road it would have you thinking twice

about whether its German rivals merely talk the talk when it comes to having fun at the wheel.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? What Car? said: ‘This new 2.0-litre diesel responds with the kind of shove that would embarrass plenty of seemingly more sporting hatches.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? When you factor in the excellent fuel economy, low emissions and entertaining driving dynamics, the new V40 makes a very compelling argument for itself. If you’re the sort of motorist that strives for individuality, appreciates classy design and wants one of the best diesel engines around, then the V40 Drive-E line-up is for you. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

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$VLGH IURP RQO\ SD\LQJ IRU WKH TXDOLÂ¿ HG OHDGV \RXU VWRFN JHQHUDWHV did you know that we also place an agreed cap on your monthly invoice, regardless of how many leads your stock may generate thereafter? This way you only pay for what you get, and you never pay more than you expect. With no monthly listing fee, no stock limits and no hidden extras, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve no reason not to promote your stock to our growing audience of car buyers.

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They say never go into business with family or friends, but something told me that the chaps at Caralot didn’t really adhere to the norm. I mean, having a meeting about used car sales DQG RQOLQH FODVVL¿ HGV ZKLOVW SOD\LQJ GDUWV LV not what you’d exactly call normal. Founded by two childhood friends, Jamie Caple and Nick Donald, Caralot has enjoyed huge success since it’s launch just over four years ago. Starting out with just seven cars, the pair now have an average stock of over PRWRUV DQG D WHDP RI ¿ IWHHQ SHRSOH “We want everyone to leave here having had the best possible experience of used car sales, whether they buy a car or not.” says Caple.

Caralot are clear advocates of the Internet and scooped this year’s Click Award (AutoTrader) for ‘Best use of Social Media’. “Social proof is a key part of the buying process in today’s used car market.” says Caple. With a Google+ score of 4.7/5, and a huge following on both Twitter and Facebook, Caralot clearly put a great deal of value on the growth in peer-to-peer recommendations via such sites.

Caple continues “And if choose to buy a car from us, we want to make sure that buy their next one from us

they then they too.”

Jamie and Nick put the company’s success down to their mindset. “We’re living the dream each and every day, and if a little bit of that dream rubs off on our staff and customers, then that’s great.” “We’re old school sales people embracing the new rules of selling used cars. We’re also closet superheroes, but that’s another story.”

“We want everyone to recommend us to their friends and family, it’s that simple”

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0843 178 6157 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro

road test of audi s1

porsche macan TURBO

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caterham 160 Page 88

vw golf r Page 96

mercedes s63 amg Page 92

Jaguar f-type R coupe Page 102

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the year 2014 seat leon cupra 280 Page 100

rolLs-royce wraith Page 90

bmw m4 Page 104

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FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro Our annual celebration of the best of your showrooms is a unique opportunity to experience automotive greatness. Before we delve into the cars in detail, James Baggott gives a personal take on 2014’s RTOTY festivities

rilliant cars, incredible roads and the luxury of quality time to enjoy every last litre of super unleaded splashing around in the tanks of nearly three quarters of a million pounds-worth of metal – as privileges go, a ticket to a Road Test of the Year is a Blackball Media lottery win. As we assemble on a clammy Sunday morning at Car Dealer HQ in the early September sun, the team are Christmas morning five-year-old kid excited. And I’m the biggest kid of them all, face all stupid-grinhappy, bouncing around the car park like I’ve eaten too much Haribo. It doesn’t matter how many amazing experiences I’ve had working in this pinch-yourself-because-it’sreal job, because there’s still nothing quite like the moment I get to pick which car from our exalted RTOTY few I’m going to pilot to Wales first. Every year the choice gets harder, as each new model from competitive manufacturers pushes the boundaries of progress that little bit further. Their hard work; our enviable gain. This year our line-up is as impressive as ever. But before I go on, you’ve probably got a few questions. Why these cars? Well, RTOTY criteria is pretty simple. It needs to have been launched in your showrooms in the past 12 months and float our boat with excitement. A simple formula, but one that’s served us pretty well. Obviously there’s a few other hurdles to leap. Not least the fact that our chosen cars need to be available for us to borrow. That’s why there’s no i8 here. Despite our pleading, BMW simply couldn’t let us have one for three days. We had an Alfa Romeo 4C booked in too for months before departure day – that was until some Italian berk binned it at Goodwood, ruining our upcoming loan in the progress. Those carbon-fibre tubs are pretty tricky to fix, by all accounts... Ferrari still isn’t talking to us since we wrote some honest things that it didn’t agree with. Shame, as we’d have loved a 458 Speciale here. McLaren was reluctant to part with a 650S too as ‘it’ was ‘already booked’. We’re not that stupid that we can’t spot press office code for ‘you’re not worthy’. Oh, and there’s no Vauxhall here because they still aren’t talking to us either... ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 79

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro

WANTED Planning for RTOTY started in March. Our wanted lists drawn up, press officers pleaded with and slowly the confirmations trickled through. A 911 GT3 was the first on the White Board of Want, but the engine-replacement saga that has blighted what is, by all accounts, a truly standout machine was still blotting the Porsche copybook come test time and thus ruled out our loan. However, all that said, our RTOTY line-up still gleamed. Positively glistened even. A Rolls-Royce Wraith, all £219k of it, took centre stage. BMW proffered an M4 to make up for the missing-inaction i8, while Jaguar did what it always did and came through with an intoxicating F-Type Coupe R. Mercedes served up its NASA-spec S63, Volkswagen suggested the extremely capable Golf R and we brought along our brilliant long-term Seat Cupra 280 because no car has ever won the whole office’s admiration quite like it has over the past four months. Everyone, too, has wanted to try Caterham’s three-cylinder Suzuki-engined baby 160 since it was announced – so that was quickly added to the growing list – while the giant-slaying Audi S1 and GT3 substitute Porsche Macan Turbo completed our 2014 glitterati. Choosing our location was easier than picking which car to drive there first. Our favourite slice of north Wales, encompassing the Black Mountains and the famous ‘Evo Triangle’, would be our proving ground, helped no less by former Evo staff snapper now freelance and long-time friend of the mag Dean Smith playing photographer and human sat nav. First car stint decisions didn’t take long, I considered the Caterham for all of three seconds before coming to my senses and grabbing the jewel-like Wraith key. It takes less than 10 miles to realise this is a truly remarkable machine. It’s a magnet for ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Above: Jaguar F-Type R combines stunning looks with a monstrous engine that'll ruin tyres faster than Ken Block Left: Audi S1 packs an almighty punch for its pint-sized proportions, although we think our test car may have been fettled

attention, a feat of beautiful engineering and a testament to the skills of British hand-crafted manufacturing taking place just a few miles down the road from our office. Rolling up the A34, wafting past inconsiderate lorry drivers, it’s the Roller’s refinement, the

luxury and the comfort that are truly memorable. Never have so many miles behind the wheel felt so relaxing. It’s so good you can forgive it the dent it makes on crude oil reserves – and the large number it adds to my expenses – as it consumes the pricey stuff at a positively greedy 18mpg.

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Power delivery is kidney-exploding in its attack, punching low from the rev range

Above: Don't you just hate it when you get stuck behind a string-back-glove-wearing Jaguar driver? Below: Despite the fact the Rolls-Royce Wraith weighed slightly more than that mountain in the distance it was still a lot of fun to hustle along

TEST DAY After an evening soaked in corner shop cancooled lager and punctuated by a pile of poppadoms, we’re up and raring to go before the sun starts to pierce its way through the low-slung clouds that are draping a duvet over the moors in the distance. As keeper of the keys, I get to pick which fuel tank I’m depleting the contents of first and, surprisingly, the keyfob isn’t Jaguar- or BMWbranded but four-ringed. I’ve heard some great things about the Audi S1 and a first stint in the quad-piped quattro seems only appropriate. We head north out of Denbigh, our RTOTY base camp, to the precipice of the Triangle and I’m immediately shocked by quite how good the fiery Audi is. Pace is on par with its big brake horsepower-boasting contemporaries, its grip surprising, its poise sublime. It’s a great start to an incredible day of driving and makes an indelible mark on my synapses that I find hard to rub out

all day. Next up is the Jaguar. From flighty hot hatch to throaty sports car, the difference is stark. Power delivery is kidney-exploding in its attack, punching low from the rev range, building to an orchestral crescendo that sets hairs tingling and imprints a permanent cheesy grin on my face. As we head north along the B4501, the undulations of the road compress suspension like a fall from the sky, but still the F-Type thunderclaps forward. It’s rapid, addictive and overpowers every sense. This is sports car drama at its BAFTA-award-winning best, so much so it manages to mask its shortcomings with its own PR. Light steering aside, there’s little not to like – at least I think that’s the case, anyway... As Dean is snapping away trying to bag a stunning cover shot, I take the chance to lap the Triangle in a few of the other cars sitting quietly in the gravel car park, their engines tick-tickticking as they cool from the fair-paced run down to our location. It’s the Golf that’s closest, so I jump in that. The northern loop of the Evo Triangle is a harsh ribbon of asphalt that crosses an open, barren moor. It dips and dives, bends and CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro weaves its way past bemused sheep and driedup reservoirs over adverse cambers, around ever-tightening corners and knot-your-stomach blind crests. It’s a challenging stretch of road that highlights any flaws in a vehicle in minutes. I’m struggling to like the Golf R – until I get behind the wheel. Inside, it’s familiar, comfortable and conservative. The seats are adequate, the dash layout nondescript. Driving position is generic – suitable for all, but perfect for none – and there’s little to stir the soul. At least that is until you start moving. The combination of the R’s turbocharged 2.0-litre and frighteningly-quick DSG gearbox is a heady cocktail for the emotions. Acceleration is blistering, cog swapping almost instantaneous. On these challenging Welsh stretches it’s a hoot, as its four-wheel drive saves my bacon on more than one occasion. Say what you like about conservative Golf choices, the R is well and truly the UKIP option... and one you certainly wouldn’t be embarrassed voting for. With a quick-lapped loop of the Triangle under my belt, I step up the RTOTY arsenal and opt for some time in the weapons-grade Mercedes S63 AMG. Inside, it’s quantum-physics-complicated, stuffed to the leather-lined roof with more kit than America used to get Neil and Buzz to the Moon. It certainly takes some time to get used to, and as this is a mere taster on roads you can’t drop your concentration for a second. It’s all a little overpowering. Even DJ admitted it took him three hours to work out how to lower the rear blind on his way here. It’s all a little quiet too. With an AMG badge stuck to the rear you expect Harrier jump jet wrath when you depress your right foot, but inside this luxury liner it’s whisper-quiet. There’s no doubt it’s rapid, though – the merest prod of the power pedal puts traffic in your mirror in reverse. What’s more, it’s impressively composed on this challenging black top, soaking up tough crests and camber changes with little drama. That’s more than can be said for my passengers – I’ve given two colleagues a lift and their green gills and requests to lower velocity say it all. I return to base at PC-pleasing speeds and park up. While my teammates attempt to contain their brunches, I head back out. This one is the one I’ve been waiting for, ever since a beaming DJ, all six foot eight of him, came back to Blackball Media base from the launch with a smile that would embarrass Zippy from Rainbow. It’s M4 time. I was never convinced when I heard BMW was splitting its model range. In fact, I staunchly refused to believe the rumours were true until I saw the pictures. But then I never believed it’d make a front-wheel-drive car either and look how that turned out... Anyway, now I’m a convert to the evennumbered models – so much so that I think the M4 is one of the best-looking BMWs ever. All angular slants, cut grooves, bumps and bulges on a wide-tracked body that just sits right. Even without all this M chintz in simple 420d guise ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The sound is incredible; low, guttural and distinctive, it builds to a rifle-crack gear change at maximum revs

Left: Hairpin, BMW M4 and a handily-placed spotter further up the road. Bliss! Below: It might not have the most outrageous looks but the four-wheel-drive Golf R had thrills by the bucketful. S-Class driver still fiddling with the 45-way adjustable seat

it still looks great, and in this M4 derivative it’s positively perfect. As I settle down into a seat DJ has lowered into the boot, a comfortable driving position is easy to find. Within seconds I’m settled, in minutes in love. The M4 may have ditched that characterful V8 for turbo-charged downsizing but even the diehards will be singing its praises after mere miles. The sound is incredible; low, guttural and distinctive, it builds to a rifle-crack gear change at maximum revs, every increase in RPM heightening petrolhead pleasure further. This thing is positively pornographic. After a day laying wads of rubber on Welsh asphalt, we bail before we run out of light and luck. Our final location for the day is an emptying reservoir where the sun is painting the sky 50 shades of red as Dean lines up our assembled greats for our opening-spread shot. It’s while our follically-challenged snapper is positioning the cars that I take stock: Now is a truly great time to be a motoring writer – and an even better time to be a car dealer... CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro

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On roads like this, on days like today, at times like these, the Caterham is perfect

DAY TWO Over bacon and runny-egg butties, washed down by enough coffee to wake the dead, our final day is planned. Cover, centre spread and details in the bag, it’s action that Dean wants next, so we head off to some of his favourite stretches of Wales to push our luck just that little bit further. I play first stint safe and opt for the Macan. I missed the launch of this seminal car for Porsche and this is the first time we’ve had some quality time together, so I’m looking forward to a blast across the moors. I’m not disappointed. Yes, the inside might seem like a butterscotch Angel Delight, boasting more beige than a road test lunch served up by our operations director, but it’s instantly comfortable, immediately familiar. Turbo spooled up, the Macan might not be true to its ancestral sports car bloodline but, my word, it’s rapid. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Horizons come thick and fast as its 395bhp is delivered to the Tarmac with maximum efficiency and destructive ferocity. There’s one corner of the Triangle that combines sharp turn with roller coasterdownward G force like no other and it’s here where snapper Smith wants to capture the Macan. In two passes it’s bagged – a shot that looks like a spring-compressing, front-tyre-chafing nightmare that from behind the wheel feels no worse than a (fast) lap of a Tesco roundabout. The Macan might not be my cup of tea but there’s no doubt that a) you’d pick it over an Audi Q5 every single time and that b) it’s one hell of a competent machine. From comfort to Caterham. I’ve avoided the little three-cylinder-powered fun machine for long enough but now Dean wants some derring-do for his megapixels. Squeezing myself into the tiny two-seater, Batch along for the ride, my knees lose layers of skin on the bulkhead and I have to remove my shoes to avoid pressing the brake at the same

Above: Lift off! Caterham 160 is trimmed back to basics but still sets pulses racing on Wales's finest humps and bumps Below: Porsche Macan Turbo combines muscle-car looks and blistering pace that will soon have drivers forgetting they're in an SUV

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time as the clutch. This thing is coffin-cosy. My Caterham experiences of past have mostly been in mad machines, most recently the sequential gear-boxed slice of insanity that is the 620R. That was all sense-bashing, face-removing, brain-cell-destroying lunacy on a Hollywood scale. The 160R is at the other end of the petrolpowered periodic table – chaff cut back, lightness installed, this is soapbox-racer-simple. With just 80bhp, skinny little tyres and a purity of mineral water, it’s a refreshing slice of automotive fun at its most scaled down. Dean wants to capture the Caterham’s fun side with a leap in the air, and after three passes it lifts, all four wheels free from traction, floating for a millisecond before it creases back under landing and scampers away. It’s an absolute blast and one the 160R takes ably in its stride. I love these little sports cars... in isolation. On roads like this, on days like today, at times like these, this Caterham is perfect, a nirvana, a hedonistic dollop of motoring greatness. On a wet M25 on a Friday night, it’s

hell. Like a machine gun, a Caterham is singleminded in its existence, and for that reason it’s not the one for me. Which brings me to familiarity. Our Cupra. The faithful family friend. Seat’s feisty 280bhp hot hatch has been wooing the team back at base for months. Rarely does a Monday morning pass without a colleague declaring their undying love for the Spaniard. I’ve had my fair share of brilliant drives in it. From twilight motorway blasts to back road attacks, WWD and I have form. On the best blacktop Wales has to offer, she certainly doesn’t disappoint. Settled in, comfortable, familiar driving position adopted, the little Seat darts off into the distance with an unmistakable pop-popping exhaust as the DSG gearbox dispenses yet another ratio. The steering may be a little light but the well-worn Michelins still serve up dollops of grip, as the Spanish contender reminds me just how much fun and just how quick a hot hatch can be. This feels no slower than the slightly more

powerful Golf, but then it’s also refusing to shake what I’m convinced is a cheekily-tweaked press office S1 on my tail. Cupra cooling in the corner of a commandeered layby, I regroup with the team. After three days, nearly 1,000 miles and enough litres of unleaded to make my accountant spit his morning tea over his monitor, I still can’t choose a winner. Fortunately, I’m not alone. Each one of us has our nine challengers in different orders. We decide on a system. A simple scoring chart that’s mathematical and scientific. It requires a spreadsheet, which pleases our lunch-sourcing ops director greatly. Back at base we cast our votes, crunch the numbers and let The System crown the worthy. Meanwhile, I can’t help but crack a wry smile at the realisation that if it takes science to pick a RTOTY winner, I’ve been truly fortunate to sample an incredible moment in time for the development of the motor car. I can’t wait for next year... CarDealerMag.co.uk | 85

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | intro

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Now is a truly great time to be a motoring writer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and an even better time to be a car dealer... CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | caterham 160

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The Caterham is what it is. It’s not pretending to be anything else but a car for driving

THE KNOWLEDGE:

Caterham 160 Price: £17,995 Engine: 660cc three-cylinder turbocharged Power: 80bhp Max speed: 100mph 0-60mph: 6.5s MPG (comb’d): 57.6 Emissions: 114g/km ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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hen you look at the line-up of cars you might think we’re mad for even considering one with just 80bhp for a road test of the top cars released this year. Luckily for the Caterham 160, you don’t buy one because you want luxury or unbeatable speed; you buy one for the pure driving pleasure. Yes, the Caterham 160 has fewer than 10 buttons on the dash, a tiny three-cylinder engine and a top speed of 100mph, but if you’re driving along winding roads in the Welsh countryside anything else would just be obscene – surely? Driving solo or in a group of like-minded Caterham owners the answer would, most definitely, be yes. Keeping up with the rowdy bunch of cars I was with, however, was not so easy. Competing on the roads against these motoring giants was never going to be a fair fight but it did make it blindingly obvious how underpowered the 160 was in comparison and I found myself willing it up hills and round corners to keep the rest of the pack in sight. Where the Caterham did have the advantage was in its size. While the oversized Mercedes and Roller were slowing down to avoid well-placed Welsh walls, the Caterham, with great visibility and a very skinny profile, made light work of tight bends. These little tin cans with wheels are renowned for being wild and unruly. If you’re looking for that, this tiny Suzuki-powered model isn’t the car for you. This is the baby of the family that offers back-to-basics driving. That’s not to say there weren’t moments where I didn’t feel like replacement underwear might be needed. You are, quite literally, flying by the seat of your pants in the 160. There is not a lot between you and the road, you’re exposed to the elements and shielded only by some questionable plastic doors with wing mirrors so flimsy they might as well not be there. If you’re feeling brave and are willing to go great guns, the Caterham becomes a bit more unpredictable, but if you’ve driven one of the British marque’s more powerful models it’s likely you’ll be nothing but disappointed in the 160. The Caterham’s biggest flaw is its price. It’s the cheapest car in our line-up but it still feels expensive. There are two prices for the 160: £17,995 or save yourself three grand by ordering it in kit form (£14,995). Pure and simple, the Caterham is what it is. It’s not pretending to be anything else but a car for driving. You don’t need a destination and you don’t need a route. You just need a road, this car and probably a woolly hat as your only defence against the elements. I loved it.

Becca Chaplin Editorial assistant @BelieveBecca CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | rolls-royce wraith

his is surreal. I’m wrapped in the finest leather, staring at some of the most ornate materials I’ve ever seen inside a car and yet still I’m wafting along the challenging A543 at a pace that is leaving the rest of the RTOTY crowd lagging behind. Surfing on a gloriously torque-filled surge of V12 goodness, delicately light steering guiding this two-tonne luxury monster across the Welsh moors, I’m opening up a gap on the cars behind me as my relationship with the Rolls-Royce Wraith finally clicks. For the past two days I’ve been living in fear of harming the £219,480 brute, every wayward sheep tying my stomach in knots, every oncoming tractor making me wince at the impending doom that never happens. You see, driving the Wraith is quite some responsibility. With a price tag that wouldn’t look out of place in an estate agent’s window, piloting the curvy-rear-ended British beauty – the sportiest of Rolls-Royces – really is a nerve-racking experience. Well, at least at first it is. In time, as the miles rise, fear eases, and you finally begin to gel with the giant – and it’s then, at this moment, that the wonder of this incredible feat of engineering is finally hammered home. It’s here, now, on this stunning piece of Tarmac that’s twisting across the dew-dipped Welsh countryside that the Wraith truly comes alive. The 624bhp V12 may be whisper-quiet on the motorway, where the dash tells you there’s still 90 per cent of power in reserve (there’s no gaudy rev counter in here), but in kick-down it growls, bellows deep and powers off towards the future like a Bullet Train. The first time I let the Roller scamper off, it shocks with the speed with which it adds digits to the head-up display. Make no mistake, this big girl has serious pace. There’s no hiding the Wraith’s girth, though.

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The 624bhp V12 may be whisper-quiet on the motorway, but in kick-down it growls It’s absolutely huge – and feels it. Most of the team who got behind the wheel exited with a huge grin on their face, not just because it was such an event to drive but also because they were handing back the jewel-like key with the Wraith unscathed. Everyone also agreed that it was simply a very special place to spend time in. Driving the Wraith is an event. From the automatically-closing suicide doors, to the inchdeep lamb’s wool carpets, to the glass buttons on the dash and beautifully-machined solid metal vent pulls and piano black dash, everything inside feels five-star-hotel, Ritz-like perfect. All it needs is a butler on the options list to retrieve the umbrellas from inside the flanks of the two front doors to be truly palatial. Driving it to and from Wales for our shoot, I was staggered at how comfortable, relaxing and

easy it is to clock up hundreds of miles with so little effort. Yes, the 327g/km emissions and 20.2mpg might worry the wallet, but it’s a small price to pay for spa-like levels of luxury. Rolls-Royce insists its cars are bought by owner drivers – and after a week behind the wheel of the Wraith I can well believe that. Yes, sitting in the back might be a pleasant place to spend time but the Wraith is aimed squarely at the driver, and after shelling out close to a quarter of a million pounds I for one know exactly which seat I’d be occupying.

James Baggott The Boss @CarDealerEd

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THE KNOWLEDGE:

Rolls-Royce Wraith Price: £219,480 (as tested) Engine: 6.6-litre, twin turbo V12 Power: 624bhp, 800Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 4.4s MPG (comb’d): 20.2 Emissions: 327g/km CarDealerMag.co.uk | 91

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | mercedes-benz s63 amg

THE KNOWLEDGE:

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Price: £119,835 Engine: 5.5-litre, twin-turbo V8 Power: 576bhp, 899Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-62mph: 4.4s MPG (combined): 28.0mpg Emissions: 237g/km CO2

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Out on the road, the extent AMG has wrought its magic on this big bruiser simply beggars belief

ry-stone walls litter the more technical sections of our chosen stretch of Welsh B-road, but I hadn’t noticed them until I’d climbed aboard the S-Class. Whereas the more diminutive members of our convoy simply weave their way through the sinewy veins of asphalt that cover our Snowdonian playground, the S63 feels more like a roadblock. Lining up in our convoy, Mercedes’ flagship car looks something of an incongruous selection, like the dad who’s tried to sneak into the club behind his son’s mates. The never-ending bodywork, statesmanlike design and old-school Mercedes roundel standing proud on the bonnet would look more at home outside a wedding reception than in the windswept Welsh countryside. Our S-Class, however, doesn’t look quite so statesmanlike, being finished in a very drug-dealer-esque matte white with black wheels combo. No one’s in a hurry to grab the keys. More fool them.

Objectively, the S63 does little to justify its £31,000 price premium over its lesser sibling, the S500, which itself is arguably all the car you could ever wish for. Both feature huge, turbocharged V8 engines, a leather-lined interior filled with toys as varied as fully reclining rear seats, night vision cameras and heated door panels (yes, really), and both are equally at home taking the sting out of the everyday, pampering their lucky passengers. The difference, though, is in the details, the subtle AMG bodykit giving a visual menace completely missing from the regular model.

Behind the wheel, this fiery supersaloon presses home its advantage further. Some of the sumptuous ride quality has been lost to firmer suspension, although this translates into greater body control, with the S63 more eager to change direction and lighter on its feet. Out on the road, the extent AMG has wrought its magic on this big bruiser simply beggars belief. The S63 has a schizophrenic personality: one moment ready to soothe away your worries with its massaging seats, the next it’s a hard-charging monster that can be thrown about like the M4. A 5.5-litre, two-tonne, 5.2-metre car may be as relevant in today’s motoring climate as Vauxhall’s ‘lifetime’ warranty, but it shows that as manufacturers obsess themselves with saving the world one gram of C02 at a time, there is still the desire for fun and outrageous performance. It’s a phenomenal motor, the S63, and the world is a better place for it.

Daljinder Nagra Senior staff writer @DJonMotors CarDealerMag.co.uk | 93

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | Porsche Macan Turbo

here wasn’t an ounce of snow. Or a droplet of water. Just fine, unbroken days of sunshine. Quite often on these types of trips to Wales, the weather forecast says one thing but the country decides to do something quite different. So when Porsche said it couldn’t honour the loan of a box-fresh 911 GT3 – because the UK press office’s car still had its engine in Stuttgart – and instead offered a Macan Turbo, I didn’t really mind. There had to be one day out of the planned three where we would take comfort in the safe environs of Porsche’s four-wheel-drive system. But that never happened – something much better did. For all of that dry weather showed off the Macan’s greatest party trick. It can actually drive like a sports car. I know, I know. That last sentence sounds as though I’ve swallowed the artificial-sounding press pack, but I haven’t. The Macan takes performance-minded SUVs to another level in ability. But more of that later. It was good to get back behind the wheel of the Macan. I’d been on the UK launch of the car at Goodwood Motor Circuit in May – and, what with there being no off-road course and 2.3 miles of West Sussex Tarmac to use instead, it’s clear to see that Porsche thinks of the Macan as a highriding sports car. After laps and laps at Goodwood, I came away impressed. Who wouldn’t? But I had my doubts as I pulled shut the driver’s door and got reacquainted with an interior lavished in leather just a few shades lighter than butterscotch. Surely on twisty Welsh roads the aura would be lost… How wrong. If anything, the Macan got better in a more natural environment. All that press pack puff of it being a proper sports car-cum-SUV is true as soon as you point the angular bonnet down a twisting and bending escarpment. Quite apart from the gargantuan power figures the 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 musters – 396bhp if you’re wondering – it rides, handles and steers with such magnificent confidence that it writes a new rule book for what SUVs can achieve. The Turbo is designed for the type of buyer who can no longer run a 911 as an everyday car. It’s the more sensible Macan S and Macan Diesel S that will balance dealers’ books nicely – not this hot-headed version. Those cars’ more reasonable asking price of £43k and easier-to-digest fuel consumption figures would sway most buyers’ cheque books. But as we pulled into a lay-by to take a breather before taking on a mountain road, it’s the Turbo that steals the heart.

James Batchelor Editor @JRRBatchelor ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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All that press pack puff of it being a proper sports car-cum-SUV is true

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THE KNOWLEDGE:

Porsche Macan Turbo Price: £67,423 (as tested) Engine: 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged petrol Power: 396bhp, 550Nm Max speed: 165mph 0-60mph: 4.6s MPG (comb’d): 31.7 Emissions: 208g/km CarDealerMag.co.uk | 95

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | volkswagen golf r

THE KNOWLEDGE:

Volkswagen Golf R Price: £39,235 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol Power: 296bhp, 380Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-60mph: 4.7s MPG (comb’d): 40.9 Emissions: 159g/km

wasn’t looking forward to driving the Volkswagen Golf R. I’d read great things about it in other magazines – their journalists were more ready to let the racy German five-door impress them. But as were heading up on the M42 in our long and rather strange-looking convoy, I, in the Jag, wasn’t ready to hop into the Golf. It sat at the back with Dave Brown at the wheel – a safe pair of hands for a supposedly safe car. It looked like a bored rep had joined our fleet. It was just a Golf in a sea of exotica. But come day two, I accepted the reality that I would have to taste this car’s offering. And I’m glad that I did. We’d spent the day doing all of the action shots for the cars. It had been a whirlwind – hopping in and out of different cars in order for snapper Dean to take those arty shots. But we’d taken too long, and if we were to have any chance of bagging a halfdecent opening-spread picture while the sun was still setting, we would have to hot-foot it the 30-or-so miles to the planned lakeside location. This was the Golf’s one and only opportunity to impress me – and it didn’t let itself down. Pootling through small Welsh villages and sticking to the speed limits despite our rendezvous with the setting sun, the Golf was awfully anodyne. It did exactly what a Golf does brilliantly – and that’s just being a very good car. But once we turned off the main road and hurtled past the stone walls that run on either side of the first part of the Evo Triangle I opened up the Golf and it shone. Graeme was ahead in the Macan and the R’s sheer breathtaking grip allowed me to casually stick to the Turbo’s rear apron. If I were to use a cliché here I’d would offer up: ‘Like glue’. With 296bhp and a four-wheel-drive system that is constantly moving all those brake horse powers to the tyres that need it the most, the grip is astonishing. Fantastically astonishing. While I could see the Cupra in my rear-view mirror having to back off through several undulating curves, the driver warned off by the Seat’s angrily-flashing traction control light, I was pressing my right toe harder around the aluminum throttle pedal and revelling in the next bend. Once parked up and letting Dean do his special thing with a Nikon, thoughts again turned to the Golf. While dealers can sell them for under £30,000, our car was nudging £40k. And while the 19-inch wheels, the darkened rear lights and mean four exhaust pipes are all deliciously desirable, £40k for a Golf is a lot. But then I remembered that Mercedes charges nearly £50k for an A45 AMG. And then I remembered the fun in chasing down the Porker. I was looking forward to driving the Golf R home.

James Batchelor Editor @JRRBatchelor ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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I was pressing my right toe harder around the aluminum throttle pedal and revelling in the next bend CarDealerMag.co.uk | 97

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | audi s1

n roads like these, size matters. If I were in the Rolls-Royce codpiece right now, I’d be be a sweat-sodden mess; wincing at every passing tractor and unseen pothole as I attempt to navigate its barge-like girth on our charge towards Betws-y-coed. Instead, I’m in the dinky Audi S1, and, as it should be with a supermini, it’s all just that little bit easier. There’s room to breathe, room to adjust your line and room for your brain to think of something other than the horrendous cost of kerbing a wheel on one of the many jaggedy rocks that line our test route. But why is there a gaudy red shopping car sitting like a pimple in the midst of our awesome road-test line-up? Because behind the fashionista accessorising and upmarket/downsizing branding, this particular Audi could just be the one to finally appeal to the keen drivers among us. It starts with that oh-so-delicious combination of small car, big horsepower. The S1, particularly in this company, is truly diminutive; its short overhangs adding to its stubby looks and making it a doddle to place on the road. All of which makes the fact that it has a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine under the bonnet all the more surprising. What’s more, being an ‘S’ Audi, this tiny hatchback gets the brand’s famous Quattro fourwheel-drive system, which – as I’m alive to tell you – works brilliantly, and endows this pocket rocket with huge grip and an incredibly stable feeling at speed. It all adds up to one devastating package. Following our convoy as we steam through the Welsh countryside, the S1’s compact dimensions and four-square stance mean it can be driven to the edge, whereas the larger and more powerful cars, even the likes of the Golf, have to be piloted ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

“

The S1 offers performance on a par with its larger hot-hatch rivals in this test in a more considered manner. Better still, Audi has seen fit to bestow the S1 with a proper manual gearbox, which only encourages you to wring every last revolution out of the zingy four-pot motor. Slow things down and you begin to notice just how well Audi has transferred the ambience of its luxury saloons into such a small package. The cabin is wrought from high-quality plastics, and there’s subtle design detailing everywhere you look – including a heater control panel lifted straight from the R8 supercar. Granted, there isn’t space to stretch out, and taller pilots may find the driving position a tad restrictive, but among its supermini peers, the S1 holds its head high, managing to recreate the solid, damped feeling of a much bigger car on the move. If you’re tired of bloated luxo-barges, it’s a compelling proposition.

It seems that while we were all busy wondering whether Audi really had it what it took to take on the might of BMW’s M division with its vastly more expensive saloon offerings, its team in Ingolstadt stole a march on its rival by bringing a truly entertaining small car to its showrooms. The S1 offers performance on a par with its larger hot-hatch rivals in this test, and as it’s smaller and more involving, it’s far more exciting. Overall, it is the complete hot-hatch package.

Daljinder Nagra Senior staff writer @DJonMotors

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THE KNOWLEDGE:

Audi S1

Price: Â£24,905 Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged 4-cylinder Power: 228bhp, 370Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-62mph: 5.8s MPG (combined): 40.4mpg Emissions: 162g/km CO2

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 99

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | SEAT LEON CUPRA 280

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It’s a heady mix of capability, excitement and usability that makes this car so exciting

here’s a kink on the Evo Triangle, just before it blisters past the glistening Llyn Brenig Reservoir, that’s a downhill left-right-left crested S-bend that’s awkwardly off camber and incredibly fast. Hit it wrong and things get pretty tricky, pretty quickly. And I’ve just hit it fast. You see, I’m in old faithful, our tried-andtrusted long-term Seat Leon Cupra, which we’ve brought along to take on the big boys, and familiarity has caught me out. The trouble with the Leon is it’s bonkers quick. Ours is the 280bhp uprated version, with rapid-fire DSG gearbox, and over the six months she’s spent on our fleet she’s won over the hearts and minds of anyone who has been lucky enough to steal a weekend away with her. She’s done so mostly by catapulting

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those in the driver’s seat forward at such great momentum that it’s all too easy to forget this is a humble hot hatch. And it’s because of these wicked charms that I’m currently scrabbling at the steering, two wheels off the ground, about to land pointing the wrong direction to the upcoming right-hander. Just as I begin to think of a good excuse to tell my colleagues for being embedded in the hedge, nestled next to the sheep, old faithful sorts things out just as the Cupra always does, landing with a chirp and sprinting on, turbo whooshing, exhausts breathing deeply as it slingshots me on towards the next corner. That’s the thing about this Cupra. It’s hugely entertaining and incredibly capable. On the road, grip levels are on a par with the four-wheel-drive Golf R we have here too, and it feels every bit

THE KNOWLEDGE:

Seat Leon Cupra 280 Price: £31,540 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre TSI 280 Power: 280bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 5.7s MPG (comb’d): 42.8 Emissions: 154g/km as quick and as powerful. It’s in the mid-range where the stomp really makes the 2.0-litre turbocharged lump belie its size, pushing hard from mid revs to the red line. It’s a heady mix of

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capability, excitement and usability that makes this car so exciting. What’s more, with a combined fuel economy of 42.8mpg, it’s staggeringly efficient too. How did they manage that? We think she’s a looker as well. Those sharp angular Seat lines are distinctive, the daytime running lights hard to miss, and with twin exhausts at the rear and even more chiselled looks, few would deny it’s a hot hatch that turns heads. We also love the equipment. Our test car has a brilliant multimedia system that connects faultlessly to stream your music from your phone, a smart sat-nav unit that can be a little fussy to use but is full of detail, while the dashboard display can be adjusted every which way you please to show all manner of vehicle, audio and sat-nav stats. And who doesn’t love stats? The options on our test vehicle total £2,675 –

that’s a tenth of the cost of the options ticked on the Rolls-Royce Wraith spec sheet – and most of that on the Seat has gone on the leather and undeniably brilliant upgraded sound system. All factored in, the £31,540 price tag does look a little steep, but when you take into account just how capable, entertaining and frankly goodlooking this Cupra 280 is, it’s really rather hard to ignore. The Seat is by far and away our favourite hot hatch on the market today, and even in this illustrious company it held its head high. We really can’t recommend it highly enough.

James Baggott The Boss @CarDealerEd CarDealerMag.co.uk | 101

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | jaguar f-type R coupe

f any car really didn’t have to justify its place in our Road Test of the Year line-up, it’s the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe. After the aristocratic Rolls-Royce, the Bavarian accountant’s S-Class and the student-donegood Audi S1, the F-Type is pure rock star. Since the launch of the convertible model last year, the F-Type has worked its way into the hearts of car fans everywhere. And it’s not hard to see why. Here is a car finally worthy of being a successor to the hallowed E-Type. But beyond the show-stopping good looks, supercar power and a very British sense of pomp and circumstance, there’s one very good reason the F-Type has made it into our RTOTY shortlist: it feels alive. Cliched perhaps, but in a world of turbocharged ecoism, the F-type – particularly in this snarling, supercharged V8 R guise – feels like a car from the old school. The faint supercharger whine underlying sporadic bursts of overrun gunfire from the exhausts harks back to a time when motoring was altogether a more exciting prospect. And it’s this feeling of excitement that runs through the entire car. Compared with the rather clinical BMW M4, the Jaguar is far more nimble, the feel through the steering more organic and, when pushed, it’s far easier to drive like a hooligan... All of which makes driving through the multitude of sleepy villages that line our test route a rather unsubtle affair. This is not the car to buy if you like to remain incognito. The rumble and crack from the tailpipes even at walking speed is enough to make you the centre of attention, and it elicits more than a few concerned looks from pedestrians. That said, Jaguar, like Aston Martin, is one of ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The rumble and crack from the tailpipes at walking speed is enough to make you the centre of attention those manufacturers that EVERYONE seems to like, and that you can pretty much get away with murder in. Never mind that you’ve just driven down the high street sounding like a Spitfire on a strafing run, you’re in a Jaguar, carry on. Try that in a BMW. And much like an Aston Martin, the baby Jag really is up there when it comes to the feel-good factor. Cocooning you like a soft leather glove, the snug interior is a joy to be in. Classy and restrained (bar the heater vents that rise up from the dash), it makes even the most mundane of drives an event. There is one sticking point, though, and that’s the price. At more than £100,000, our test car really is in the company of some very talented rivals. Sure, you could save some cash by foregoing much of the carbon-fibre trinketry

that adorns this model, but the fact remains, compared with the likes of the sublime Porsche 911, the F-Type demands quite a premium for those movie-star good looks. But there are some things you can’t put a price on. Sitting in that low-slung cabin, watching the epicness of Snowdonia unfold before me to the sound of a force-fed V8 – it’s the stuff of dreams. The BMW M4 – the closest-matched to the Jag of our RTOTY line-up – may be technically more brilliant, more efficient and better value but, frankly, life is just too short.

Daljinder Nagra Senior staff writer @DJonMotors

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THE KNOWLEDGE:

Jaguar F-Type R Coupe Price: Â£85,000 Engine: 5.0-litre, supercharged V8 Power: 542bhp, 678Nm Max speed: 186mph (limited) 0-62mph: 4.0s MPG (combined): 25.5mpg Emissions: 259g/km CO2

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 103

FEATURE. RTOTY14 | BMW M4

THE KNOWLEDGE:

BMW M4

Price: £56,650 Engine: 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged petrol Power: 425bhp, 550Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-60mph: 4.0s MPG (comb’d): 32.1 Emissions: 204g/km

here’s a long left-hander before the road snarls right, past a gravel car park and then the Tarmac threads its way gradually downwards. Of course, this is only true when you tackle the Evo Triangle in reverse – like we were on day three – and it’s surely the best way to do it. For the previous two days, the keys to the M4 had been pinched by the others who insisted they hadn’t driven the Bavarian bruiser enough to satisfy their inquisitive minds. But on this slightly chilly morning, with the dew lolloping in the valley around us, the car was left for me to explore and I was feeling pretty happy with life. Just slipping into the cockpit of the M4 was enough to know that this, surprise surprise, was another special car from that German car company that is just so good at creating surprisingly adept machines. As we trickled out of the gravel lane belonging to our overnight bed and breakfast and pointed our convoy to the hills, I knew that the next 50-or-so-minutes would be my time to work out whether this car deserved all the fine words my colleagues had heaped upon it in the dingy pub the night before. Past that gravel car park on the left and now I’m heading down the Tarmac. Boss James ‘Biggles’ Baggott is in the lead in the flying Rolls and ‘Red Baron’ DJ is right on his tail in the Merc. They’re a good half a mile out in front of me, tearing along a short asphalt straight before the road rises to a peak and then disappears. I let the dogfighting duo plough on and stick to my own pace. Now is the right time to switch the adjustable suspension from ‘comfort’ to ‘sport’ and press ‘M1’ on the steering wheel. Do this and the whole experience moves up a gear in terms of dynamism and the heads-up display ditches its elegant typography and instead switches to a Gran Turismo 6-like affair. All of that fuss from purists complaining of BMW’s decision to replace the 4.0-litre V8 with a twin-turbocharged straight-six is forgotten as the M4 lunges towards that peak James and DJ had reached just minutes ago. Now the M4 has changed from a comfy GT car to a full-blooded racer – and it has won my heart for its sheer driving thrills. And it’s that feature alone that raises the M4 to the top of the pile in this road test. There are other cars that do some things far better than the Bemmer, but the M4 is such a top performer in all areas for such a reasonable price, it wins the day for most of us.

James Batchelor Editor @JRRBatchelor ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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The M4 is such a top performer in all areas for such a reasonable price

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FEATURE. RTOTY14 | VERDICT many were rejected, but this little three-cylinder roller skate still made the grade. Looking at our panel’s scoring, it was woeful comfort and practicality scores that sealed its fate. The latter is understandable, but even our miniature road tester Rebecca struggled to get settled, let alone six-footers DJ and I. Shockingly, the wonderful Wraith finishes eighth. In stark contrast to the 160, we adored its luxurious interior, giving it top marks for comfort, while its desirability score fared well too. However, against spirited performance-car competition it missed out. That’s not to say it’s a bad car – far, far from it – but it’s simply a little out of place here.

So here we are. Hundreds of pounds spent on explosive liquid, thousands of frames captured, copious cans of Red Bull consumed, three days enjoyed and one verdict reached. After our numbers have James been crunched, the panel has Baggott decided and our Road Test of the Year crown goes to Germany, and the incredibly capable BMW M4. But before I go there, let’s start at the bottom. Placing the Caterham 160 last makes it sound rubbish, but this isn’t a result to be negative about. A place at RTOTY makes it part of an illustrious few already. Many were considered,

The Mercedes S63 finishes seventh. Packed full of technology and with a blistering nuclear missile under the bonnet, it scored well for comfort and practicality. However, the panel weren’t won over by its looks or value for money. In sixth, there’s another German offering but this time SUV-shaped and Turbo-badged. The Macan shocked with its pace and scored highly in the fun factor stakes. However, fairly average scores across the board resulted in this mid-table placing. We admit it’s a very accomplished car, though, and it’s hard not to see why Porsche retailers are having it away at the moment. Volkswagen’s spicy Golf R offering takes fifth. We all had some cracking drives in this better-

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9. Caterham 160

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than-expected hot hatch, with strong scores for fun factor and practicality shining out in this test. However, our panel didn’t feel it offered the strongest value for money, which let it down. One of my favourite cars here, the Audi S1, takes fourth and narrowly misses out on a podium position by just three points. Despite our concerns that this particular example may have been subjected to some press office tinkering, our panel loved the way it drove and performed, and when combined with smart looks and those quad exhausts they thought it was really rather desirable too. So to our bronze medallist and a car we know very well indeed: the Seat Leon Cupra 280. Such a high placing in such talented company proves just how good this Spanish hot hatch is. Strong scores for performance, styling, comfort and practicality all helped, but it was the smile that it put on our testers’ faces that sealed its place on our podium. So to the tough top two. For the entire test I failed to put a cigarette paper between the Brit and the German – so much so we had to shoot the verdict shot for this page in two different formats. We

all knew it would be a close call between the Jaguar and BMW, but it wasn’t until those mathematical score sheets were filled out that we knew which would finish top. It’s the wonderful Jaguar F-Type Coupe R that just misses out on our RTOTY crown. Despite our panel thinking its good looks and addictive soundtrack make it more desirable than the M4, poor scores for practicality – the boot is rather petite – and that whopping price tag saw it just miss out on the spoils. And so to our winner. The blokes from BMW have done it again. Thanks to its aggressive styling, wonderful exhaust note, pin-sharp precise handling and veritable bargain price tag, when stacked up against the competition the German bruiser barged its way to the top. A worthy winner. I just can’t help thinking if BMW had let us have that i8 to test too, could we have ended up with the first manufacturer one-two in RTOTY’s history? We’ll never know... [CD]

WRITERS' VERDICTS

James Batchelor

Batch’s verdict: It’s a jolly good way of doing things you know, our chart on the left. Just one look at the table will show you that our winner is the BMW M4. Its place in pole position is well-deserved too – it’s a perfect all-rounder and you get a lot for your money. But although I voted it top, my heart really belongs to the Jag. I’m captivated by its style, looks, power, noise and the fact that it’s a Jaguar at the end of the day – and that’s rather cool at the moment. Yes, the F-Type does have some flaws – I’m not especially keen on the design of the multimedia system and the steering lacks precision – but when a car looks this good and wears an R badge, who really cares?

Batch’s scoring: 1. BMW M4 2. Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 3. Seat Leon Cupra 280 4. Volkswagen Golf R 5. Porsche Macan Turbo 6. RollsRoyce Wraith 7. Audi S1 8. Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 9. Caterham 160

Baggott’s scoring: 1. BMW M4 2. Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 3. Audi S1 4. Seat Leon Cupra 280 5. Volkswagen Golf R 6. Rolls-Royce Wraith 7. Porsche Macan Turbo 8. Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 9. Caterham 160

Daljinder Nagra

DJ’s verdict: For me, there was never really any doubt of the M4’s triumph in this year’s showdown. When it comes to creating truly engaging – and yet completely everyday usable – performance cars, BMW really has it licked. The M4 is so slick, so polished and honed in the way it goes about its business, it feels like a machine worth twice as much as its £55,000 sticker price would suggest. Taking a close second place, it had to be the Mercedes S63. I have a soft spot for big, overpowered barges, but this hefty AMG threw up the biggest surprise of the test. Push it hard and it’s a match for a well-driven sports saloon, never mind the bloated limousines it counts as rivals. A Germanic one-two for me then, I’m afraid. The Jag takes the bronze.

DJ’s scoring: 1. BMW M4 2. Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 3. Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 4. Seat Leon Cupra 280 5. Audi S1 6. Volkswagen Golf R 7. Porsche Macan Turbo 8. Caterham 160 9. Rolls-Royce Wraith

Becca Chaplin

Becca’s verdict: It was a very tight competition but by just one point the Jag has turned out to be my favourite – which is good, because it was. It had one critical thing that the others didn’t: sex appeal. The cars were all technically brilliant with good looks and great toys inside, but the Jaguar could roar from that fantastic exhaust, it looks incredible and, let’s face it, it’s got that flair of British eccentricity that you can’t beat. I’ve got to give credit to the M4, though. It was a strong contender and definitely the best to drive. It’s clinical and perfect, but that’s not what I want in a car; I want crazy, wild and passionate, which the F-Type has heaps of.

Becca’s scoring: 1. Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 2. BMW M4 3. Audi S1 4. Rolls-Royce Wraith 5. Porsche Macan Turbo Equal 6. Seat Leon Cupra 280, Volkswagen Golf R, Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 7. Caterham 160

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 107

FEATURE.

TRADING UP

We need your part-exes It’s time to take stock and check on our charity project’s progress so far, says ANDY ENTWISTLE

o, just over six months in to our Trading Up endeavour, I thought it was worth catching our breath and working out exactly where we are. We started with the princely sum of £2,000 earlier this year, with the intention of turning this into a large enough amount to buy a supercar, which would then be sold and all profits handed to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Our idea was to use our industry contacts and you, the readers, to help us secure cars cheap enough to be able to make a handy profit, which would then be put into the next car. It’s not gone as smoothly as we’d hoped. We’ve had some great wins and thanks go to Jim Reid

who helped us kick off by giving us a Rav4 for a bargain, which made us £1k. Since then, we’ve been relying on the normal channels for stock, and although that’s given us plenty of exposure to the day-to-day issues everyone sees, it has meant slower progress than we’d have liked. Where we’ve needed to get suppliers involved, some have been only too happy to donate their time or services for free. Thanks go to Unicom insurance, Auto Trader, AutoProtect, Harwoods and Pete Jones at Thompsons for all their ongoing time and help. Some people have been a bit, well, less accommodating, still charging us a fair

whack for their services! (No names mentioned.) With the current cars in stock sold, we’re around the £5k mark, and embarking on a renewed effort to get some cheap (or free) stock. This is a bit of a beg. If you have any part-ex stock around the £2k to £5k mark and you’d like to help us reach our goal, please drop me a line. So, back to the progress we’ve made to date. With the last of our loss-making cars gone (I hope), Trading Up has a distinctly 80s feel with our royal Rover Coupe having been joined by a very tidy 1988 XR2. The Rover is busy having its bodywork tidied, so in the meantime I’ve taken ownership of the Fiesta.

is happy to support

AUTO TRADER ARE PROUD TO SPONSOR TRADING UP AND GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL

#Tradingup and Great Ormond Street Hospital. AutoProtect encourages all readers to support the Car Dealer #tradingup campaign and help them reach their goal of purchasing a Super Car. All proceeds from its sale to be donated to GOSH.

trade.autotrader.co.uk

What drives us is you

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��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

www.autoprotect.co.uk

THE STORY SO FAR...

Having been owned by a friend, I’ve known this car for a few years and Dan finally relented and let us have it. In the time he’s had ownership of it, he’s spent thousands and it’s had a complete strip and respray, engine overhaul, new suspension and rebuild. It’s rot-free and looks fantastic, drives spot-on and the drive home took me back to my yoof. Well, almost; it’s not magic! She has a full year’s MoT now and is a lovely thing. It’s hard to price these, with ropey examples fetching just over a grand and mint ones now being offered at £5k-plus. If we can get £2,750 for ours that will help bolster the kitty. She’s currently ready and waiting for someone else to relive their youth. You know you want to..!

Suzuki Vitara Paid: £1,500 Spent: £300 Sold: £1,950

Toyota Rav4 Paid: £2,000 Spent: £200 Sold: £3,000

Mazda MX5 Paid: £1,500 Spent: £200 Sold: £1,900

Jaguar XJS Paid: £2,200 Spent: £0 Sold: £2,600

Audi A6 Allroad Paid: £2,250 Spent: £500 Sold: £2,650

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 109

focus on.

ShowPower

Battery packs supply volt of showpower

W: Showpower.uk.com T: 0208 523 0303

ith every new car launch there seems to be an advance in the technology it uses. Clever gadgets that make lives easier for drivers are appearing in ever-bigger droves, pushing the envelope of what’s possible. Just take a look at the Mercedes-Benz S-Class featured elsewhere in the magazine and you’ll realise that there’s no end to the development of nifty things. But while this technology is brilliant news for buyers, for dealers it can be a real headache. It’s fine if your stock-in trade is £6,000 hatchbacks, but what do you do if you stock luxury cars or take in part-exchange a posh motor that has as many electronic gizmos as Buzz Aldrin used to get to the Moon? If you can’t show off all that wizardry to an inquisitive customer you’ll have lost a sale and that punter will pop along to a dealer that can. This is exactly how ShowPower can help. Haven’t heard of it? Well, now is the time to take notice, because the company could be the aspirin to those techie headaches. The Essex-based business supplies battery packs to power showroom demonstrators. It has some of the largest car brands on its books and works with dealers large and small all around the world. Its parent company – Media Electrics – has been working with car manufacturers for years, supplying them with all of their electrical needs. ‘Our core business is following some of the biggest car manufacturers around the world to install their electrical systems,’ says ShowPower’s director, Scott Cutmore. ‘We work with Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Mazda and Aston Martin – among others – and help with the installation of their glamorous show stands. ‘As the size of show stands got larger, the car manufacturers were finding that the cars used for display were running out of power. ‘Those cars have to show off the technology in the car and the manufacturers were finding that they were having to replace the batteries constantly. ‘We started producing and supplying 12-volt power packs, giving constant power to the cars and taking away the element of recharging.

‘‘

‘It started off low-key but as things progressed Jaguar Land Rover approached us to talk about the MY10 Range Rover.’ The British brand wanted to show off the breadth of technology on the car – so much so that the company went to great lengths to produce sales literature to train staff and to get dealership staff to demonstrate the technology to the customer while in the showroom. JLR found that the battery lasted approximately 30 minutes, so the company came to Media Electrics to create a solution for its dealerships – and hence the creation of ShowPower. ‘The problem was our battery packs were industrial and not suitable for selling to Land Rover dealerships,’ says Cutmore. ‘We went away and within a two-week period we came up with a far more suitable power pack. We took one of our bare power pack units and modified it to sit into the space where the car battery sat. When the dealer opened the bonnet to a customer there was nothing special to see, as our power pack took the place of the car’s normal battery. And then the deal was done that every Land Rover dealer globally would buy these packs from us.’ Media Electrics was in the right place at the right time, as Land Rover’s product offensive had just

Our products help to keep customers inside the showroom – in that regard it’s one of the best sales tools you could have. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

begun – and it doesn’t look like it will stop. ‘We immediately began work on producing battery packs for the Range Rover Evoque, the new Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport, and have begun work on the new Land Rover Discovery Sport. Our products were also being used at the Jaguar XE reveal at Earls Court last month. It’s an exciting time!’ says Cutmore. ShowPower’s products aren’t just for Jaguar Land Rover dealerships, though – far from it. Any dealer and showroom in the world can use the company’s technology. There’s a whole portfolio of power packs available and they can sit under the bonnet or can be positioned underneath the car, neatly and efficiently. They plug into a 13amp socket in the showroom floor and allow dealers to show off a car to its full potential, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Quite simply, if a car needs power, ShowPower can power it. For the dealers who are using ShowPower power packs, it has revolutionised the way they demonstrate a car’s technology to a customer. ‘We’ve heard of dealers who, before using our products, were having to take customers out of

confidence the showrooms and into the car park to show off the technology on the cars,’ explains Cutmore. ‘Sales people would have to have the engine running just to make sure the battery was charged, or, even worse, during the test drive. It was a nightmare in the winter. ‘Our products help to keep customers inside the showroom – in that regard it’s one of the best sales tools you could have.’ The company has just started to supply power packs to Ford and Toyota for their motor show stands and to Hyundai for its Training Academy workshops. And it is open to discussions with dealers of all sizes to create a bespoke solution for them. In addition, the company has agreements with a number of manufacturers to supply

interior lighting through its ShowLight brand. ‘We do have one competitor but our products are far and away better engineered,’ says Cutmore. ‘All our products have the very best Taiwanese and Japanese hardware, which makes them ultra reliable. Since 2010, we have only heard of one pack failing – and that was only because it had been exposed to water!’ [CD]

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 111

Don’t slip up on safety, clean up with Kärcher! According to the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation, IOSH, slips and trips are the most common causes of work accidents, accounting for over 40% of major injuries at work. More than 90% of slips occur when floors are wet or contaminated with food product. Kärcher floor cleaning machines are packed full of innovations to ensure maximum safety goes hand in hand with optimum cleaning results. Used in conjunction with the appropriate detergents, a diverse range of disc or roller brush types leaves all floor surfaces spotlessly clean and free from grease, whilst powerful vacuum motors and efficient squeegees ensure floors are left bone-dry in a single pass. What’s more, with battery versions available on many models, the potential trip hazard of trailing cables is eliminated.

To give you a helping hand maintaining a clean, safe working environment, Kärcher is pleased to offer up to £200 cashback on compact scrubber driers purchased between 1st September and 31st December 2014.

For further details and full terms and conditions, please visit www.karcher.co.uk. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

£200

UP TO CASHBACK

focus on.

Karcher

Sure-footed showroom success karcher

W: karcher.co.uk T: 01295 752142

Don’t slip up on safety!

Seasonality of major injuries caused by slips and trips

Slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work

Cost to industry

22%

Workers suffered serious injury because of a slip or trip

Number of slips and trips by sector

23%

27%

Cost to health service

28%

Slips & trips account for over 1/3 of major workplace injuries

members of the public were killed in slip or trip accidents

£133 £512 MILLION MILLION PER YEAR PER YEAR

95% OF MAJOR SLIPS RESULT IN BROKEN BONES

Figures cover 2012 and partial 2013. Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.

ccounting for 1.3 million lost working days annually, the HSE estimates that slips and trips in the workplace cost UK employers £512 million per year – yet the simple act of implementing an effective cleaning regime can drastically reduce the risks, helping to protect both your employees and your business. All businesses have a duty of care to employees and visitors encompassing their entire premises including forecourts, reception areas and workshops – plus any roads and pathways they maintain. As we progress towards winter, slippery leaves, wet floors, sleet and snow walked in by employees and visitors – alongside regular dirt, dust and oil – can cause damage indoors as well as out. Over 40 per cent of workplace accidents reported are caused by slips and trips and historical records show these figures spike sharply during harsh winters. Kärcher scrubber driers such as Kärcher’s award-winning BR 35/12 C make it easy and quick to keep your showroom floors clean, dry, safe

and in pristine condition. Elegant and discreet in appearance, the BR 35/12’s phenomenal agility makes it perfect for use in the narrow, awkward spaces between vehicles in car showrooms. And because the BR 35/12 uses a roller brush instead of a disc, the machine is very easy to push and stays in a straight line. Its quiet, cable-free operation means there are no trip hazards and allows for use during opening hours, making it ideal for both full-floor cleans or quick water pick-ups. The vacuum function can be switched off for deeper cleaning, and the eco-efficiency mode reduces water and power consumption as well as noise. Indeed, due to this efficient use of water, the BR 35/12 – as well as many other Kärcher Scrubber Drier models – qualifies on the government’s Water Technology List under the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme. Designed to help encourage more efficient use of resources in

business, this scheme allows businesses to write off the purchase cost of qualifying technologies against the business’s taxable profits in the financial year the purchase was made. Adopting efficient cleaning technology in the workplace doesn’t only mitigate the risk of costly slips and trips for employees and members of the public alike, it can vastly reduce cleaning man-hours, freeing up personnel to focus on core business activities. To give businesses a helping hand to maintain a clean, safe working environment, Kärcher is pleased to offer up to £200 cashback on compact scrubber driers purchased between now and December 31, 2014.* [CD] n To find out more about how Kärcher can make a difference to the safety of your business, and for full details of how to claim cashback or ECAs, please visit www.karcher.co.uk, email cleaning@karcher.co.uk or call 01295 752142.

* Terms and conditions apply, see www.karcher.co.uk for details. This article contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 113

Premiering 1 November 2014 The Funding Corpora*on Motor is proud to present Inisium, an alterna*ve Hire Purchase product that can o er you a li le bit more.

Featuring

• Same day payout • Same day commission • Real people here to help • Partners set up within 24 hours • Flexible underwri*ng – 7 days a week

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01244 200566 or email us: inisium@ cmotor.com

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��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Motor dealers o ered new lending package for credit impaired customers Experienced motor nance lender The Funding Corpora on (TFC) has announced the launch of Inisium – a new alterna ve loan package intended to help motor dealers expand their customer base. The company says that Inisium has been structured specically for credit challenged buyers, including those whose higher incomes don't limit their choice solely to budget vehicles. It will, believes TFC, meet an important and growing need for loans which recognise that many customers with a poor credit history have now overcome their previous nancial di cul)es. TFC says that Inisium marks a fresh commitment by the rm to partnering with independent motor retailers, dealer groups, car supermarkets and nance brokers.

Give us a call today to nd out more or to become a partner.

01244 200566 or email us: inisium@ cmotor.com

Inisium Features • • • •

Same day payout Same day commission Real people here to help Partners set up within 24 hours • Flexible underwri ng – 7 days a week Inisium is a Hire Purchase product which o ers a level of borrowing consistent with the person's ability to a ord the repayments, plus terms of up to ve years with no ini)al deposit. According to TFC Managing Director David Challinor, above, the facility will benet all borrowers: "A decade or so ago, mainstream lenders

New TFC alterna ve loans set to drive up dealer sales tended to overlook minor credit blemishes – but since the credit crunch, it's been almost a case of one strike, and you're out," he said. "This leaves a large number of people with comfortable earnings and secure employment whose purchasing power is capped by restric)ons on how much they can borrow. "Inisium will enable car retailers to promote themselves to a much wider market," said Mr Challinor. The facility will be available with full on line management, and same day loan and commission payments.

"Responsible Lender of the Year" accolade from Credit Today magazine – a )tle it won outright in 2011. Mr Challinor says TFC is keen to develop a close partnership with dealers which o er Inisium, and to become an invaluable ally in their business objec)ves. "The retail motor industry is constantly changing, and Inisium will similarly evolve as a lending product to help our partners improve their bo om line whilst ensuring that their customers get a product that suits their needs and circumstances." added Mr Challinor.

TFC was formed in 2001 and was nominated once again this year for the

InisiumTM is powered by The Funding Corpora)on (2) Limited trading as The Funding Corpora)on Motor. Authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (IP number: 546772). Registered in England number 4757277. Registered O ce: Interna)onal House, Kingseld Court, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9RF. CA475/10/14

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 115

DATA FILE.

Thestatistics n

SMMT Sales Data

Taking Stock

Now we’re 64, with the best September figures for 10 years Fiesta and Focus maintain Ford’s lead over Volkswagen and Vauxhall

ew car registration figures rose 5.6 per cent in the key plate-change month of September, the latest figures from the SMMT reveal. A total of 425,861 cars were registered during the month, bringing the number of cars registered so far this year to 1,958,196. The figures make September 2014 the 31st consecutive month of growth in the new car market – and the biggest September since 2004. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘September’s strong performance underlined the continuing robustness of the UK new car market, particularly in the context of last September’s bumper volumes. ‘Demand for the new 64-plate has been boosted by intensifying confidence in the UK economy, with consumers attracted by a wide range of exciting, increasingly fuel-efficient new cars.’ But he added: ‘In the months since March – which saw an 18 per

cent jump in registrations – the growth has shown signs of levelling off as the market starts to find its natural running rate.’ September and March – the two annual months of the plate change – together account for a third of the year’s registrations. The best-sellers during September were the perennial front-runners from Ford. A total of 23,266 Fiestas were registered, as well as 13,508 examples of the Focus. Making up the rest of the top 10 were Volkswagen Golf (13,011), Vauxhall Corsa (12,506), Volkswagen Polo (10,312), Fiat 500 (9,122), Vauxhall Astra (8,861), Audi A3 (7,317), Peugeot 208 (6,968) and Nissan Qashqai (6,847). Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays, said: ‘The heady cocktail of a new plate change, great finance deals and the appeal of increasingly fuel-efficient cars resulted in September being another strong month for new car sales. ‘Consumers are also benefiting from stable residual values, enabling them

to trade in their old cars for shiny new models at a similar monthly cost. While the market is likely to balance out over the final few months of the year, 2014 is destined to be another success story for dealers and manufacturers.’ David Raistrick, of Deloitte, said: ‘With the UK new car market having contributed nearly 30 per cent of the absolute growth in new car sales achieved across Europe by the end of August, relief will be felt across the industry as the new car sales figures for the UK continue to provide a consistent good news story. ‘The latest results would suggest that 2014 will deliver total new car sales in line with industry predictions.’ David Bruce, director of AA Cars, the AA’s online used car platform, said: ‘The September high for new car registrations means that many more cars are filling used car forecourts. ‘As a result, there are some good deals to be done for those seeking a newer used car.’

Jeep enjoys a year-to-date rise of 95 per cent AMONG the brands with reasons to be cheerful was Jeep. The 4x4 manufacturer had its best September in the UK since 2007, with the iconic brand registering 762 sales last month, the 13th consecutive increase comparing year-on-year, and up 134 per cent when compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, the year-todate figure of 2,844 means the brand is up ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

95 per cent when compared with the 1,458 units it had sold year-to-date in 2013. Damien Dally, the head of brand for Jeep UK, said: ‘We are delighted that more and more people are now turning to Jeep for their new car, and are doing it just as the brand really starts to ramp up its activities in the UK again. ‘We’re confident that these sales figures will continue to climb.’

SMMT sales data Sep/year to date

Top

Most-improved manufacturers in September Infiniti

+756%

Maserati +464.3% MG

+243.3%

Lotus

+170%

Jeep

+133.7%

Bottom

Worst-performing manufacturers in September Proton

-100%

Chevrolet -99.9% Perodua

-84.6%

Chrysler

-38.1%

Porsche

-18.1%

DACIA +27.69

ALFA ROMEO -14.93% Figures supplied by SMMT

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

Sept 2014

2014

331 1,014 144 25,535 206 24,891 3 390 14,270 3,523 12,147 54,322 9,642 14,865 214 3,173 762 13,292 10,915 2,131 27 158 8,066 23,382 357 0 9,996 3,527 22,550 2 17,865 1,022 0 12,993 0 9,594 10,991 802 363 617 8,070 17,232 41,175 37,852 7,230 63 157 425,861

% market share 0.08 0.24 0.03 6.00 0.05 5.84 0.00 0.09 3.35 0.83 2.85 12.76 2.26 3.49 0.05 0.75 0.18 3.12 2.56 0.50 0.01 0.04 1.89 5.49 0.08 0.00 2.35 0.83 5.30 0.00 4.20 0.24 0.00 3.05 0.00 2.25 2.58 0.19 0.09 0.14 1.89 4.05 9.67 8.89 1.70 0.01 0.04

Sept 2013

2013

276 1,192 119 25,829 147 27,308 2,083 630 12,682 2,759 11,667 51,084 10,442 14,479 25 3,183 326 12,728 9,531 2,013 10 28 7,189 21,256 104 0 10,382 1,813 20,119 13 19,160 1,248 3 9,045 0 8,498 10,380 913 161 522 7,037 16,912 41,310 33,104 5,258 76 92 403,136

% market share 0.07 0.30 0.03 6.41 0.04 6.77 0.52 0.16 3.15 0.68 2.89 12.67 2.59 3.59 0.01 0.79 0.08 3.16 2.36 0.50 0.00 0.01 1.78 5.27 0.03 0.00 2.58 0.45 4.99 0.00 4.75 0.31 0.00 2.24 0.00 2.11 2.57 0.23 0.04 0.13 1.75 4.20 10.25 8.21 1.30 0.02 0.02

% change 19.93 -14.93 21.01 -1.14 40.14 -8.85 -99.86 -38.10 12.52 27.69 4.11 6.34 -7.66 2.67 756.00 -0.31 133.74 4.43 14.52 5.86 170.00 464.29 12.20 10.00 243.27 0.00 -3.72 94.54 12.08 -84.62 -6.76 -18.11 -100.00 43.65 0.00 12.90 5.89 -12.16 125.47 18.20 14.68 1.89 -0.33 14.34 37.50 -17.11 70.65 5.64

2014 1,286 4,464 695 126,487 1,160 113,520 2,764 1,673 66,542 18,583 53,781 262,754 44,102 65,564 591 14,627 2,844 62,538 45,483 8,629 180 921 31,373 99,096 1,840 5 36,584 11,162 106,890 27 85,418 6,483 1 50,732 1 42,611 60,386 4,016 1,215 2,140 31,431 76,055 210,357 168,662 30,784 624 1,115 1,958,196

Year-to-date (YTD) % market share 0.07 0.23 0.04 6.46 0.06 5.80 0.14 0.09 3.40 0.95 2.75 13.42 2.25 3.35 0.03 0.75 0.15 3.19 2.32 0.44 0.01 0.05 1.60 5.06 0.09 0.00 1.87 0.57 5.46 0.00 4.36 0.33 0.00 2.59 0.00 2.18 3.08 0.21 0.06 0.11 1.61 3.88 10.74 8.61 1.57 0.03 0.06

2013

1,114 4,496 725 114,261 941 105,313 9,982 2,237 63,773 11,631 47,587 249,017 45,494 61,210 305 13,256 1,458 58,307 43,916 7,050 141 239 26,027 86,624 273 0 40,264 7,416 94,541 193 86,019 6,021 18 32,320 3 35,468 49,576 4,316 505 1,757 27,187 72,831 200,357 154,536 24,851 644 724 1,794,924

% market share 0.06 0.25 0.04 6.37 0.05 5.87 0.56 0.12 3.55 0.65 2.65 13.87 2.53 3.41 0.02 0.74 0.08 3.25 2.45 0.39 0.01 0.01 1.45 4.83 0.02 0.00 2.24 0.41 5.27 0.01 4.79 0.34 0.00 1.80 0.00 1.98 2.76 0.24 0.03 0.10 1.51 4.06 11.16 8.61 1.38 0.04 0.04

% change 15.44 -0.71 -4.14 10.70 23.27 7.79 -72.31 -25.21 4.34 59.77 13.02 5.52 -3.06 7.11 93.77 10.34 95.06 7.26 3.57 22.40 27.66 285.36 20.54 14.40 573.99 0.00 -9.14 50.51 13.06 -86.01 -0.70 7.67 -94.44 56.97 -66.67 20.14 21.80 -6.95 140.59 21.80 15.61 4.43 4.99 9.14 23.87 -3.11 54.01 9.10

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 117

TAKING STOCK. Remarketing specialist BCA gives its thoughts on matters that are important to dealers for the months ahead. Here’s what it has to say . . .

Turn up the volume! Pricing strategy might need a review as buyers get more choice says Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK network operations director

verage used car values fell in September from the record levels achieved over the summer months as volume began to return to the marketplace, according to our latest Pulse report. The headline average value of a used car fell by £572 (7.1 per cent) to £7,429, with performance against CAP Clean falling slightly to 97.5 per cent. Model mix was a significant factor in the drop in the headline figure, as there was a notable percentage increase in the share of dealer partexchange cars sold over the month, compared with higher-value fleet and lease cars. However, year-on-year values remained ahead by £422, equivalent to a six per cent uplift, with both average age and mileage falling over the period. CAP Clean performance was down by a point year-on-year. Fleet and lease cars averaged £9,445 in September, on a par with the average monthly price performance over the previous six months, while dealer part-exchange values increased slightly over the month to £4,059 – the second highest monthly figure on record. Nearly-new values declined from the record level seen in August, although model mix has a significant effect in this low-volume sector. As expected, there was some price pressure in September as a result of rising volumes and a

Sept yearon-year ahead

£422

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘Demand remains strong and the best-quality cars continue to achieve often exceptional prices.’ shift in the balance between part-exchange cars and fleet and lease vehicles. These factors typically exert some pressure on average values and conversion rates, although demand remains strong and the bestquality cars continue to achieve often exceptional prices. There is still plenty of volume in the pipeline due to arrive over the coming weeks and with greater choice for buyers in the marketplace, volume sellers should review their pricing strategy to reflect this changing dynamic – particularly when considering the ‘less attractive’ vehicles on fleet. Cars in poor colours, with a high mileage, or requiring paintwork and repairs should be valued realistically to sell, reflecting their condition and grade.

As I say, fleet and lease cars averaged £9,445 in September, a fall of £148 (1.5 per cent) compared with August’s near-record figure. CAP Clean performance was static at just under 97.5 per cent. Year-on-year values were ahead by £263, equivalent to a 2.8 per cent uplift. The retained value against original MRP (Manufacturer’s Retail Price) was virtually static at 42.42 per cent when compared with August and was down half a point, year-on-year. Average dealer part-exchange values improved slightly compared to August, rising to £4,059 – the second highest value recorded by us since Pulse began reporting in 2005 – despite a noticeable uplift in volume. Year-on-year values were ahead by £299 (7.9 per cent) with average age continuing to rise and mileage falling over the year. CAP Clean performance fell slightly compared with August and was down over a point, year-on-year. Nearly-new values declined from the record level seen in August, falling by £1,408 (6.1 per cent) although model mix has a significant effect in this low-volume sector. CAP Clean performance improved marginally to 100.56 per cent.

Headline average value down to

£7,429

Performance against CAP Clean down to

97.5%

Buyers’ guide

Nissan Juke

2010-present

We help you choose the best stock for your forecourt. This month, the Nissan Juke is the model in the spotlight Now four years old, the Nissan Juke still divides opinion. The Marmite looks were a brave move for Nissan but the car has proved a huge success. The elevated driving position helps give a commanding view of the road and the build quality has so far proved to be good.

The Range The Juke has a trim and engine level to suit most tastes, from small petrol to diesel. The Nismo petrol version, which although not quite up there with the best of the hot hatches, still manages to provide some fun along the way. You can also spec the car in two- or four-wheel drive. It’s important to make sure you know if the car you are buying is 2WD or 4WD. Although an HPI check will generally pick this up, this is reliant on the correct details being entered at first registration, and there are plenty of stories around of mistakes being made in the drivetrain classification (not just for Juke). The easiest way to find out is to check the VIN. Character 8 will be an S or a U for 2WD and a T, Y or W for 4WD. At launch there were three trims, Visia, Acenta and Tekna, with n-tec introduced

fuel leak

The fuel rail pressure sensors of some vehicles may have not been correctly tightened to the fuel rail of the engine and may loosen gradually. If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, in extreme cases, fuel leakage may occur.

in April 2013 to sit between Acenta and Tekna. In September 2011, improvements were made to the gearbox to improve economy and emissions, and an update to the 1.5 dCi diesel engine in 2013 improved economy and power. Apart from the 1.6T, All Jukes need a service every 12 months or 18,000 miles. The dCi has a cambelt which needs renewing every five years or 90,000 miles. The Juke is proving mostly reliable; however, a few issues are cropping up. The DIG-T has a timing chain and there have been reports of issues with these. Although mostly limited to the US, it would be as well to check for excessive noise or a lack of power. The diesel engines are Renault units and suffer from some of the same issues that Renault do. Specifically check for DPS issues on cars that have driven only a few miles or been used locally. It is not uncommon for the air conditioning to fail. If the air conditioning is not blowing out cold

BRAKES

It is possible that the vehicle’s brake fluid may be contaminated with mineral oil. This can cause the seals within the system to swell. This may require drivers to apply extra force to the foot brake and could increase stopping distances.

air, then the usual cause is a broken pipe to the air-conditioning pump. If the car feels underpowered or the engine management light has come on, this is likely to be due to a problem with the O2 sensor. It has been known for the fog lights to get condensation inside the lens. This can be a particular problem on colder mornings.

The Right Buy As with all cars in this class, the small diesel engines will always be popular. However, the 1.6 petrol is also a capable unit and, although not very powerful, returns good mpg and is quite refined. Buyers of Jukes tend to be looking at style as much as anything, therefore well-specced cars are more popular, with the base vehicles less easy to shift quickly. Petrol Acenta models are the most popular, which have a good level of equipment and return good mpg. At this time of year a 4WD Tekna will also make a good buy at the right price. Don’t pay significantly over the odds for a 4WD version, however. In this class most buyers don’t need 4WD and therefore won’t pay extra for it. By Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

engine stall

The Turbocharger boost sensor bracket may separate from the air inlet tube. The boost pressure may then be measured incorrectly causing the engine warning lamp to come on. In an extreme case, and while at low speed, the engine may stall. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 119

auctions.

BCA creates 200 new jobs in the West Midlands bit.ly/jobs-boost

Manheim promotes Michael to UK CEO

Henstock auction stations

Digital revolution grows

Recognition given for 20 years of ‘significant contribution’ to firm

anheim has promoted its chief operating officer to the role of chief executive officer over its operations in the UK. Michael Buxton, pictured, will continue to report to John Bailey, whose responsibilities at the global automotive services company have been expanded, as he recently became executive vice-president of international operations within parent company Cox Automotive. Bailey said: ‘Michael’s promotion to chief executive recognises his significant contribution over 20 years in Manheim and I know that our UK operations and customers will greatly benefit under his leadership. I will still be actively involved with Michael in the UK domestic market and look forward to working closely with him as our businesses go from strength to strength.’ Cox Automotive president Sandy Schwartz said: ‘I’m delighted that Michael has been appointed CEO. ‘He is a proven and capable leader and his guiding hand will ensure we achieve our UK growth objectives at this very

exciting time.’ Cox Automotive is the world’s largest provider of automotive services to fleets, motor dealers, vehicle manufacturers and traders across cars, motorcycles, plant and commercial vehicles. Manheim UK, which employs more than 1,600 people, operates a network of physical and online auctions – including 18 physical auction centres and growing online sales channels, inspection and asset management, transport and logistics, and retail digital marketing solutions. Sister companies in the UK include classified site Motors.co.uk, tradeto-trade online platform Dealer Auction, dealer stocking plan provider NextGear Capital and consumer trade-in portal WeWantAnyCar.com

AutosOnShow and Tradeouts are acquired BCA has acquired AutosOnShow and Tradeouts and says the purchase will boost its digital strategy and valueadded services. AutosOnShow – which already powers BCA’s Video Appraisal service – recently launched a new inspection tool and picture repurposing service. This is on top of a large portfolio of products that serve major dealer groups, OEMs Car dealer cowboy and remarking firms. ads 28/8/13

Cardiff-based AutosOnShow was set up in 2010 by Adam and Rachel Price and won a Car Dealer Power award in 2013, while Tradeouts – which was founded in 2012 by David Brown – is based in Daventry and has more than 4,500 dealers using its website. BCA chief executive Jon Olsen said: ‘BCA is continually developing its roadmap of innovative digital solutions 15:49 Page 1services.’ to offer premium

No cowboys. Just Just trade trade professionals. professionals.

he use of digital channels to remarket used vehicles is now so well-established that it is hard to imagine how we ever got by without them. BCA introduced the Live Online concept to the UK market in 2000 and, since then, the volume sold by BCA to digital bidders has gone from a few hundred selected cars a year to thousands of vehicles every week. However, the next stage of the digital revolution is already here. The use of business intelligence data and analytics – ‘Big Data’ – is becoming more widespread and will revolutionise the used-vehicle sector. This includes looking at a wider range of data to inform reserve price setting, such as daily condition-adjusted vehicle valuations, vehicle performance by remarketing channel and using consumer information such as retail market pricing, regional trends and economic data. By improving data consistency and capturing extra details, online buyers have more confidence to bid. Highly targeted digital marketing ensures the right buyers know when the vehicles they want are available. Improved tools, such as BCA’s new Auction View, make stock location quicker and easier across an even wider range of search criteria. More accurate appraisals and grading tools deliver higher quality images and more concise condition reports. Predicting demand patterns and matching these with future stock availability benefits buyers and sellers as it shortens the remarketing chain and means dealers can get the right cars at the right time to meet the needs of their retail customers. The critical factor for digital success is to have the tools and processes that make buyers feel as comfortable buying remotely as they do seeing the vehicle ‘in the metal’ and BCA leads the way in developing the digital marketplace for used vehicles.

‘The use of “Big Data” is becoming more widespread.’

Who is Simon Henstock?

Simon is UK network operations director for BCA. Visit british-car-auctions.co.uk or call 0845 600 6644.

Strictly Trade only (VAT No. and verified bank details reqd). Purpose built 12 acre auction complex . Enclosed and heated auction halls. Fleet Car Sales every Monday & Thursday. Excellent variety of weekly stock from premium sources. Collection of vehicles 24 hours a day. Fixed cost buyer’s premium. Excellent on-site restaurant. Call now for account applications. Brindley Road, Stephenson Industrial Estate, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3HG T: 01530 833535 email: info@fleetauctiongroup.com www.fleetauctiongroup.com

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

MONEY MATTERS.

..in association with Paragon

Watch out: ‘Generation Rent’ could be on its way Society is seeing an increasing general trend away from ownership

he growth of car finance lending in the UK is well documented, with lending to consumers topping £201bn in 2013 and forecast to grow strongly. Up until now, the common assumption underlying car finance products in the UK has been that the consumer will want to own or, at the very least, have the option to own the vehicle at the end of the finance agreement. However, with a younger generation increasingly attuned to the flexibility of renting over buying, could all this be about to change? What is ‘Generation Rent’? In England and Wales, almost 36 per cent of the population rent their accommodation from private or social housing landlords rather than buying. Renters tend to be young: 87 per cent of people aged 16-24 and 60 per cent of those aged 25-34 rent their homes. For many, renting is synonymous with flexibility. Young people often start renting while students and then carry on as they move around to build up their careers. Outside of the housing market, the rental model is also on the up. Mobile phones, entertainment and gym membership all come with monthly subscriptions, and as more of the population get used to the subscription model as a means of funding their lifestyle ambitions, surely some will start to question whether ownership of a depreciating

asset such as a car is something they want at all. In its report ‘Why Buy?’, market research firm Mintel explored the phenomenon of consumers choosing to rent or share products instead of buying and owning them outright. Interestingly, it found that around a fifth of people quizzed who had used credit to buy a car agreed with the statement that they would be happy not to own a car if it meant that they could drive a car they would not otherwise be able to afford. In other words, ownership was a secondary consideration. What’s different when you lease? In the UK, hire purchase, lease purchase and PCP agreements all allow for the customer to take ownership of the vehicle at the end of the

finance contract once they have made their final payment. PCP starts to move away from this model in that the PCP customer is under no obligation to make the final payment and can, if they wish, return the vehicle without penalty. It would be logical to assume that the PCP customer will choose to make the final payment and keep the vehicle if the market value is above the amount of the final payment. If not, it would make more sense to return the vehicle – great for the customer but potentially leaving the finance provider nursing a loss. In the US, an alternative model has taken hold that is much closer to renting. Under this model, the customer simply pays a monthly amount to lease the vehicle with no obligation, expectation or intention of ever owning it outright. The finance agreement takes the form of either a personal lease or a personal contract hire. Once the last monthly payment is made, the vehicle is returned to the finance house, leaving the finance provider with a range of cars, some worth more than their current market value, some worth less. Today, 20 per cent of US car finance is arranged under leasing arrangements. The attractions are clear. For a fixed monthly payment, the customer gets to drive a better car than they might be able to if they had to fund ownership at the end of the contract. The dealer has the opportunity to build in an after-sales or servicing component, encouraging regular contact with the customer. And the finance provider should enjoy a more even risk exposure. Watch out: it might catch on in the UK!

Who is Julian Rance? Julian is head of car finance at Paragon Bank. You can read his column here every month.

:H GRQ·W always blow our own trumpet...

...but with Paragon Car Finance you do get direct access to our underwriters! 0845 149 7777

pcf@paragonbank.co.uk car finance

BPCF9672 - Car Dealer Advertorial & Strip OCTOBER.indd 1

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 121 15/09/2014 09:35

TRADER TALK.

..in association with AutoTrader

In the picture about how to present stock It’s very easy to give prospective customers the wrong impression of a vehicle – but it’s equally simple to make sure that you give them an appealing one

eptember’s Car Dealer is one of a number of trade publications on my desk as I write this month’s column. Its cover features the front profile of a car, predominantly in shadow apart from headlamps and light reflections that dance across a grille, windscreen and bonnet. A deep claret that bleeds into glossy black frames the image. Car Dealer is alone among its peers to include a car – let alone a carefully composed image of a car – on its front cover. Yet this is far more appealing to the eye than a building, CEO or a front page laden with text, however interesting the content within may be. As a consequence, I am far more inclined to pick it up during quieter moments. Of course, those searching for their next car online may not have petrol flowing through their veins like we do. But that’s not the point. Like us, their attention will be caught by well-composed, quality images that draw them deeper into the online showroom experience. So this month I want to reiterate the importance of image quantity and quality to win more business for your dealership. Let’s start with some buyer behaviour insight. More than nine in 10 respondents surveyed during a single month said it was very important to be able to view images of a vehicle for sale. No surprise there. But drilling down a little further revealed some more interesting findings. Fortythree per cent said they would disregard an advertisement entirely were it to be accompanied by fewer than three images, while 49 per cent said they would like to see 10 or more images for a vehicle presented on the Auto Trader site. Finally, 67 per cent of consumers said they would not click on an advert that was accompanied by poor-quality shots. This all points to two action points: first, make sure you upload as many images as possible of your stock, preferably 10 or more for each car. And second, make sure images are of sufficient quality to reflect the impression that you wish to project as a professional business. There are some basic rules. Consistency is key and all photography should be taken in the same location, marking where front and rear wheels are positioned. Using a tripod will avoid camera

Who is Nick King?

‘Upload as many images as possible – preferably 10 or more for each car.’ shake, ensuring clear, sharp images throughout, and interior preparation is just as important as ensuring the exterior is properly detailed. Auto Trader has a dedicated team of imageenhancement specialists that work with dealers to improve image presentation online and their tips include the following: The dos: n Do ensure that the vehicle is fully prepared

before taking any photographs. n Do ensure that the background is neutral. and free of clutter – for example, use a natural background, wall or hedge. n Do use tyre shine to enhance tired-looking wheels. n Do use a tripod to bring uniformity and to avoid blurry images. n Do switch on satellite navigation and other interior equipment to highlight in images. n Do add selected images with unconventional angles and close-up detail shots. The don’ts: n Don’t take pictures that show rows and rows of forecourt stock. n Don’t take pictures of dirty vehicles. n Don’t take pictures of damaged wheels. n Take care to avoid camera angles, heights and orientation. In the past, forecourt presentation may have been the priority. Today, however, all the evidence points to a direct correlation between strong imagery, lead generation and greater sales. Professional photography and image enhancement can therefore help realise the potential of stock in your online showroom.

Nick is market research director of Auto Trader, the UK’s number one digital market place for new and used cars. Visit autotrader.co.uk ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

MARKET INSIGHT.

..in association with ASE-global.com

Resignation of Inchcape’s CEO shook up what is traditionally a quiet month for transactions Doubters were forced to eat their words about outsider who proved to be a great success

ntil the resignation of the CEO of Inchcape, September was a phenomenally quiet month among the listed motor retailers. This is not surprising, with all operational performance focused on maximising performance in the key Q3 period and hitting manufacturer registration targets. It is also a traditionally quiet time for transactional activity, with vendors wanting to bank September profits before any transaction. The most significant move during the month was the announcement of the resignation of Andre Lacroix, the CEO of Inchcape. While there were initial doubts over the ability of someone outside the industry to lead a motor retailer when he was appointed in 2005, he oversaw the company’s market capitalisation more than double and the growth into new markets. While Lacroix will remain in position until March 2015 after the publication of Inchcape’s 2014 annual results, the search for his replacement has now commenced. It will be interesting to see whether Inchcape continues the trend of recruiting from outside the industry or whether we will see movement from another of the listed companies. September produced drops across the board for the listed motor retail stocks

Share price movement from January 1 to August 29, 2014

Share price movement from January 1 to September 29, 2014

Pendragon

91.82%

95.62%

Vertu

96.22%

92.02%

Lookers

113.26%

107.19%

Inchcape

109.85%

109.11%

Cambria

103.00%

102.00%

Caffyns

106.48%

102.78%

with the sole exception of Pendragon. On the back of recent positive publicity and a return to the acquisition trail, the share bounced during the month to return to within touching distance of its position at the start of the year. Pendragon was replaced by Vertu at the bottom of the league table, with Vertu’s share price giving up nearly all of its recent gains, as management have appeared to be less confident over current financial performance. Financial performance The one significant announcement during the month was a pre-close trading statement from Cambria. This was a bullish announcement, with management expecting the results for the year to August to come in ahead of current market expectations. While we will not see the

preliminary results until the end of November, the business reported growth in volumes and margins. During October we will see Vertu release its half-year results. Given that its latest announcement indicated performance in line with market expectations rather than ahead of them, it will be interesting to review whether this has a further negative impact on the share price. Transactional activity There were no transactions during the month. However, we expect a raft of acquisitions over the next six months as the listed motor retailers spend some of their strong current profit levels on new ventures. Broker activity/directors’ holdings One of the original Cambria investors through the Promethean venture capital business sold nearly half of their remaining shares during September. Sir Peter Burt, a non-executive director, took his personal holding down to just over one per cent of the business. This also had the effect of reducing his family holding, through the Burt Concert Party, to 4.3 per cent. While Cambria remains an illiquid stock, this may free up some shares to the market. Inchcape continued its share buy-back programme during the month, a general policy that appears to be going down well with investors. Meanwhile, Vertu has shuffled its covering brokers, removing Panmure Gordon and continuing its association with Mike Allen at his new firm, Zeus Capital.

Andre Lacroix has stepped down as CEO of Inchcape

Who is Mike Jones? He’s the chairman of dealer profitability specialist ASE plc. You can read ASE’s column here every month CarDealerMag.co.uk | 123

data file.

James Litton Trader tales

Simple ‘yes’ could cut your marketing spend

y contribution to Car Dealer last month focused on the mantra ‘treating customers fairly’ as outlined by the FCA. What would happen if you ran your business or your department with the positive extremes of TCF at the heart of every decision you made, not just those relating to finance or insurance products? In 2005, Danny Wallace published a book called The Yes Man, a non-fiction work about a year in his life saying yes to every question he was asked. It is a great read, with lots of funny moments, and the message of the book was so strong for me personally, it actually became a seminal part of my life. At the time, I was a single man, working as a sales manager for a BMW dealership, but often found reasons not to do things. As soon as I said yes more often, life started to take a more interesting and diverse path. In the motor trade, it is hard to say yes to everything. ‘Will you give £2,000 off?’, ‘Will you replace my tyres under warranty?’, ‘Will you fit my second-hand engine?’, However, if you said yes more in line with treating customers fairly, I would argue that in the long run you could reduce your marketing spend. Most dealerships have big marketing budgets and pitiful goodwill budgets. What about swapping them over? I accept that you need a budget for web presence and perhaps used-car advertising portals, but do you need to do off-site events, sponsorships or brand advertising? I would wager that every day in dealerships throughout the land, customers are having requests for goodwill turned down, which result in that retailer losing their long-term business. This extends to paying goodwill towards other dealer mistakes or customer mishaps. I have to confess to struggling with this idea but am open-minded enough to see a benefit. The manufacturers also have a role to play. Customers do not distinguish between different retailer groups, instead seeing the ubiquitous logo above the dealer door and making their own judgments of what standard they expect. Manufacturers should force dealers to use goodwill budgets to benefit the brand in addition to the specific site. In my opinion, treating customers fairly equals the best customer experience and not worse commercial outcome.

‘I would wager that every day in dealerships throughout the land, customers are having requests for goodwill turned down.’

Who is James Litton?

James is sales manager at Mercedes-Benz of Taunton. He always has something to say about the industry he loves. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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W: carfleetwholesale.co.uk T: 0151 356 1200 E: sales@carfleetwholesale.co.uk Info: We are the number one supplier to the trade, providing the cheapest nearly-new vehicles in the country.

A drawerful of daddy longlegs did the trick

assume that we are all experiencing the alien-like invasion of daddy longlegs? Well, if you’re not, then you’re lucky. They are stupid things. They bumble around looking for a way out of a room that they have no business in being in anyway. I mean, why don’t they just stay outside? Anyway, they annoy me, but they scare the hell out of my colleague. He is literally petrified of them and will run away if he sees one anywhere in the dealership. We all find it hilarious, but apparently it’s a ‘real problem’ for him. Yeah, right. Grow up! So, one recent Sunday morning, I was greeted by about 15 of these things flying around the sales office. The window had been open all night and the light must have attracted them. See? Stupid! Now, on the Saturday, my scaredy-cat colleague had blatantly stolen a customer I was dealing with and thought it was funny that he made over £200 commission on the deal. Basically rubbed it in my face for the afternoon. I needed to get rid of these flying idiots and I wanted to get my own back on this customer thief. I had a plan. It took me well over an hour, but I managed to collect up all of the bugs and put them in his top drawer. Thinking that he would open it and scream, we’d all laugh and I could feel better about the day before. No harm done. So, on the Monday, I was in early to see his reaction. But he never opened his drawers. Well, not until he had his first customer sitting in front of him anyway. I watched as he opened the drawer to get a pen. It was quiet for about two seconds before he let out the most almighty scream – about 10 seconds of language that 50 Cent would wince at – then collapsed to the floor. By the time he came round and settled a bit, he had a big lump on his head from the fall, a large moist patch on the front of his trousers from wetting himself and his customer had made a formal complaint. He received a verbal warning and was told to go home and change. My work here was done.

‘It was quiet for about two seconds before my colleague let out the most almighty scream.’

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Have you something to confess? We’d love to hear your tale of woe. Email the editor (you can find our details on page three) or post them on our new forum – simply type cardealermagazine.co.uk/forum into a web browser and get confessing! CarDealerMag.co.uk | 125

workshops.

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Noose tightens around unlicensed mechanics Major company backs national campaign urging government to create minimum UK standard in line with continental European counterparts

essex Garages has joined a national campaign to protect motorists from car mechanics who are unlicensed. The company, which has dealerships across south Wales and the south-west of England, is supporting the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) which is urging the government to create a minimum standard for all UK garage technicians. ‘Unlike many parts of Europe, the Wessex Garages managing director UK doesn’t regulate entry into the Keith Brock, pictured, explained: profession, which means unlicensed ‘According to a recent poll by the NFDA and poorly trained mechanics can run and Trusted Dealers website, 84 per cent a garage without breaking the law.’ of people are unaware that there are He said: ‘We are supporting the no minimum qualifications needed for NFDA’s campaign to call for the someone to work as a car mechanic. government to do more to protect 

Only

Marshall Motor Group is part of a unique family owned group of companies with a turnover approaching £1bn (35% growth), with interests also in the aerospace and ground systems sectors. We celebrated our Centenary in 2009 and we are still growing in size. At Marshall, wherever we work, we all play a big part in ensuring that our sales and profit targets are met, not least by providing our customers with a fantastic level of service which means identifying their needs, and responding to them quickly. With our strong customer centric and people focus it is not surprising that we have received some enviable accolades including "Dealer Group of the Year" and being shortlisted for "Employer of the Year" and we are committed to building on our achievements to date.

marshallweb.co.uk

Servicing until 2am is offered NORTH-east car dealer Lookers Volkswagen Teesside is taking an ‘open-all-hours’ approach by opening a late-night carservicing facility. In a bid to serve customers in a way that’s more convenient for them, the Middlesbrough dealership’s Newport Road workshop will stay open until 2am from Monday to Thursday. Simon Horabin, franchise director for Lookers Volkswagen North-East, said: ‘Late-night servicing is already available in the commercial vehicle sector, and we realised it would be brilliant to provide this to car owners. ‘These extended hours will help us deliver good oldfashioned customer service above and beyond what is normally expected.’

Reach new heights... need apply!

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motorists by creating a minimum standard for all UK garage technicians. ‘There are excellent independent garages with very high standards out there, but because the industry is unlicensed there is no way of knowing whether the person taking a spanner to your car knows what they are doing.’ The initiative would bring the UK into line with countries in continental Europe where automotive mechanics are subject to minimum standards of training. For example, in Germany all garages must have a ‘master technician’ who has reached a minimum level of proficiency. All garages are also licensed to protect motorists and to guarantee high standards.

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...with a career at Vertu Motors

Welcome to Vertu Motors PLC, the largest growing motor retailer in the UK Whether you’re starting your career or changing jobs, it is important that you apply to join a company that is right for you, one that shares your values, will appreciate your work ethic and reward your achievements. It is not that different from buying a car. Get it right and you’ll feel good every time you make a journey. Get it wrong, however, and you’ll never feel satisfied. Choosing an employer is similar but, considering how much time we spend at work, it is far more important to get that choice right. After all, this is a decision that will literally change the course of your life. You need to know, however, that we are equally choosey when deciding who will make this journey with us. You would expect no less.

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the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET... New arrival:

MitsubishiASX

It’s certainly got plenty going for it... but is still described as automaker’s ‘best kept secret’

s one car door shuts, another one opens. Or in this case, after saying goodbye to the Mitsubishi L200, along came its younger, trendier brother, the ASX, for us to put to the test. The sporty-looking ASX, which stands for Active Sports Crossover, might not have the best name for a car but it’s certainly got plenty going for it. It’s in one of the fastest-growing segments in the UK market, up against the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35. The big thing the Mitsubishi has over those three is price. Our model costs £23,249 – about £3,000 less than the comparable models of its competitors. And the entry-level vehicle is a bargain at £14,999, again cheaper than the other three. There are three trim levels with the ASX and even the most basic model comes with alloy wheels, keyless entry and Bluetooth.

Ours is the top of the range, which means we also get a DAB radio, panoramic glass roof, a reversing camera and loads more. The latest incarnation of the ASX has seen the addition of LED day-time running lights and auto-levelling xenon super-wide headlights, which make it feel like you’ve got a lighthouse showing you the way. It’s also been updated with some pretty nifty-looking

the knowledge Model: Mitsubishi ASX 4 Manual Price: £23,249 (as tested) Engine: 1.8-litre diesel Power: 114bhp, 300Nm Max speed: 115mph 0-60mph: 10.6s Emissions: 136g/km Mileage this month: 1,286 This month’s highlight Keeping warm with a heated seat on a 6am drive up to Newcastle.

black and chrome alloy wheels. The five-star Euro NCAP safety rating should appeal to the family buyers Mitsubishi are targeting. And while it’s not going to be driving up mountains, the 4WD offers peace of mind with the increased torque giving better traction – good to know in case the Daily Mail turns out to be right and we are covered in six feet of snow this winter. It’s efficient, with low C02 emissions and impressive fuel consumption (combined mpg is 54.3) and while it’s beaten by the Qashqai on these fronts it’s better than both the Korean models. The ASX could be described as Mitsubishi’s best-kept secret but they’re determined to change that, with ambitions of increasing the sales volume by 50 per cent. And while that might seem high, there’s no reason why they can’t do it. This is a car that most certainly deserves to do well. Gareth Bethell (@garethbethell)

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 127

the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET... Farewell to:

Second report:

VolvoXC70

DaciaDuster

Well-loved and well-travelled, we’ll miss AJ13BPX. Volvo’s superb all-rounder was just perfect for long trips and has seen a LOT of Tarmac

Value-for-money car is a big talking point

XC70 is so big it’s even capable of swallowing a fridge freezer

s long-term tenures go, the Volvo XC70’s has been a tough one. Not because she’s been abused or mistreated – far from it – but because AJ13BPX has been so well-loved by the entire team that’s she’s clocked up an incredible amount of miles as a result. The problem is, we’re not exactly sure how many. You see the clever Volvo’s dash can be adjusted in so many ways that finding the option that displays the mileage proved a little confusing even for the most technically minded Blackball Media personnel. It wasn’t until ops director Andy and I used the brilliant off-roader for a trip to see the SMMT in Westminster that I managed to clock just how many miles we’d put on her, er, clock. Worryingly, for Volvo at least, the five-digit figure started with a three – and our hazy memories seem to recall it was under 10,000 when it arrived. Suffice to say, BPX has seen ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

her fair share of Tarmac. And that’s because it’s such a brilliant car on long distances. With a smooth auto gearbox, silky 2.4-litre economical diesel engine and the comfiest seats this side of DFS, grabbing the keys to the mighty Volvo just made sense for long trips. It managed to make them easy and, despite our country’s road network making one journey to Leeds from Gosport last nine hours, I still arrived feeling reasonably fresh. It’s a superb all-rounder. Easy to drive, it had an excellent multimedia system that boasted a TV, built-in Spotify and a really simple-to-use Bluetooth streaming system. BPX’s tenure wasn’t without its hiccups, though. During one trip laden with more camera kit than the BBC, a box fell off a precipice and landed on the door card, causing a slight rippling. And during a shopping trip, a neighbouring bargain-buyer quite clearly hadn’t got all they wanted in the store so decided to take it out on

our door, ripping off a tiny piece of plastic trim in the process. Sad face. But all in all, the XC70 has been by far and away a favourite of the fleet. So much so, I’m convinced I saw DJ sobbing into his breakfast bap when the man from Volvo turned up for the keys. There is some good news – she’s been replaced with another Cross Country, albeit a slightly smaller one, but we’ll introduce the XC40 next month. For now, we’ll bid BPX a fond farewell. She’ll be missed. James Baggott (@CarDealerEd)

the knowledge Model: Volvo XC70 D5 AWD SE Lux Price: £43,545 (as tested) Engine: 2.4-litre, five-cylinder turbocharged diesel Power: 213bhp, 439Nm Max speed: 127mph 0-60mph: 7.8s Emissions: 169g/km Mileage this month: 883 This month’s highlight Relishing long trips in the most comfortable seats imaginable.

I’VE got a confession to make. I’m letting down my little corner of suburbia – and all because of a certain reasonably-priced car. You see, whenever I venture outside with my trusty Qualcast, ready for a bit of general lawnmowing and tidying up, my neighbours wander over for a chat about the Dacia Duster we currently have on the fleet at Car Dealer. I’ve just notched up three years as an automotive journalist so they’re well used to seeing me hop in and out of all sorts of cars. But it’s safe to say that none has sparked as much interest as NJ14PFD. They’re intrigued by the amount of bang you get for your buck and at least two have said they’ll be embarking on test drives in the near future. They certainly won’t be alone. Dacia’s phenomenal success in the UK has even attracted the attention of national newspaper hacks, who have pointed out that the brand is outselling more established marques such as Jaguar and Mitsubishi. You certainly progress very quickly up the gears when driving it, and our Duster will never win an award for ‘most refined car of the year’ but, seriously, what’s not to like? Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

the knowledge Model: Dacia Duster Laureate dCi 110 4x4 Price: £16,380 (as tested) Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 109bhp, 240Nm Max speed: 104mph 0-60mph: 12.3s Emissions: 137g/km Mileage this month: 765 This month’s highlight An uninterrupted afternoon when I did manage to cut the grass.

longtermers

Second report:

Third report:

Thirteenth report:

Farewell report:

NissanQashqai AudiA3

KiaCarens

SeatLeon

Capable crossover helps with DIY work

Coffee-time trouble is the only minor snag

Sat-nav issues, yes, but Departure has left us the brakes are spot-on with real sense of loss

MY spare time used to be spent doing fun things with cars. The hours between Friday and Monday might have been spent building a car, going racing, going to the pub or even a combination of all three. However, now I officially seem to be a grown-up, my weekends are now filled with ‘family time’ and DIY. It was lucky then, that I took our Qashqai to my local branch of Wickes (other DIY stores are available) to pick up what would become my weekend’s work, as there was more of it than I thought. Once the parcel shelf was removed and the rear seats folded down, I was pleasantly surprised at just how easily it swallowed the loft flooring panels, insulation and all the other ‘fun’ stuff I’d bought. Aside from DIY chores, the Qashqai and I have been munching the miles. The 1.2 DIG-T engine is fantastic on the motorway. However, if I catch it when the turbo isn’t spinning, things can get a little tricky. Off boost it literally goes nowhere, fast. This is a particular problem when pulling out of junctions and forgetting that it needs a few more revs. But it’s all part of getting to know a car.

I WAS a little anxious when I was asked to write this review. Everyone at Car Dealer seems to love this car, and no-one seems to have a bad word to say about it. As I got ready to set off for a day of meetings, I made a mental note to be as objective as possible. Right, first impressions. Did the Audi look good? Check. Was the interior stylish? Check. Was the seating position comfortable? Check. Was the sat-nav easy to use? Eventually! OK, I am certainly not a technophobe, but this just seemed overly complicated. Mind you, I should have read the instructions. Once I got the navigation sorted and hit the road I could see why everyone has been raving about the A3. The drive was effortless and this is a car that certainly has enough power to please most people. With every passing mile it was getting harder and harder to find any faults. That was until I stopped to get a coffee and spotted a tiny flaw in the car’s design. The cup holder was tricky to get to as it’s behind the gearstick and there was so little of the cup above the rim of the holder, the lid nearly popped off every time I went for a sip.

THERE is a key component of all cars that should always work flawlessly, but all too often never seems to be quite right. This is, of course, the sat-nav. Unfortunately, all you can do is put your faith in it. I’ve found over the years you usually pay the price if you don’t follow the instructions and dare to think you know better. Clearly, these problems only really arise due to human error, poor planning, or when you really need to be somewhere on time. Early one Wednesday, driving along the A32 (or thinking I was on the A32) I was running a bit late and found some critical flaws in the Kia Carens’ tech. I ended up heading along roads you could call ‘rustic’. We’ve all done that slow creep up to a turning the sat-nav recommends and thought, ‘really? You want me to go down here?’ I decided to gallop down the mystery road, which was fine until I was presented with three turnings, no idea which one was correct and no advice from the sat-nav. Aaargh! I couldn’t fault the brakes, however, as I turned the corner and was greeted by a tractor on the wrong side of the road.

THE mood in the Car Dealer office after we say goodbye to a member of the long-term fleet is always a good indication of a car’s desirability. And it was a very depressing day when a man in an immaculate Seat-branded gilet turned up to deprive us of our Cupra. Six months have passed far too quickly, and we’ve been left with a genuine sense of loss. We were keen to have the handsome Seat on our fleet, and quite rightly, if a tad predictably, went for the more powerful 280 edition, and garnished its 276bhp motor with the optional DSG automatic gearbox. Seat’s Cupra models have always boasted headline-grabbing power figures, but have lacked the final degrees of dynamic polish that set the best hot hatches apart. However, our car’s adjustable suspension and limited slip differential promised much, so hopes were high. It didn’t disappoint – well, once we got past the rather drab cabin. The new Cupra doesn’t just wear a smarter, grown-up suit, it serves up a driving experience to match. And it stands with the very best of the current crop of megahorsepower hatchbacks.

Ben Morley

Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

Becca Chaplin (@BelieveBecca)

Daljinder Nagra (@DJonmotors)

the knowledge Model: Nissan Qashqai Tekna Price: £23,670 (as tested) Engine: 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 115bhp, 190Nm Max speed: 115mph 0-60mph: 10.9s Emissions: 129g/km Mileage this month: 632 This month’s highlight A very impressive load capacity. Easy to forget it’s a 1.2 engine.

the knowledge Model: Audi A3 Sportback S line 2.0 TDI 6-speed manual Price: £31,130 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel Power: 182bhp, 380Nm Max speed: 145mph 0-60mph: 7.2s Emissions: 110g/km Mileage this month: 691 This month’s highlight Sorting out the navigation and hitting the road in style.

the knowledge Model: Kia Carens ‘3’ 1.7 CRDi Price: £23,895 (as tested) Engine: 1.7-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged diesel Power: 134bhp, 330Nm Max speed: 119mph 0-60mph: 10s Emissions: 132g/km Mileage this month: 409 This month’s highlight Arriving at my destination just a few minutes behind schedule.

the knowledge Model: Seat Leon Cupra 280 Price: £30,735 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 276bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 5.7s Emissions: 149g/km Mileage this month: 705 This month’s LOWlight Saying goodbye to a truly astonishing machine. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 129

data fiLe.

It’s vital to make sure you’re memorable and not mediocre

could hear the exhaust before I saw the car and, soon after the initial roaring sound, there followed the beautiful dark grey Lamborghini Gallardo, which turned the corner and pulled up in the waiting bay at the airport where I awaited my taxi. Unfortunately for me, this wasn’t the vehicle that would be taking me to the office, as I forthwith received a text message advising me that my family saloon taxi would be with me shortly! Having also arrived by taxi at East Midlands Airport before my flight, which involved walking through a crowded car park full of cars, and having walked out of the terminal building upon arrival at the destination airport and making my way to a further taxi, it came to mind (and this is purely assumption-based) that I must have seen well over 100 cars before that little beauty caught my eye. The really interesting point is if you were to ask me how many makes and manufacturers of cars I remember seeing on my commute, the answer would be just one! I find it quite incredible, on considering this commute in further detail, as I imagine – and you would have thought – that I would have noticed more cars than this. But when analysing this example I would say the same could be said for many things that we come into contact with, where they are in that mass population and existence: they all seem the same or they fail to have an impact on us. Consider supermarkets and how many there are to choose from when purchasing our groceries, etc. Just on my own journey home from work I have a

Jonathan

Such TIME IS MONEY

choice of at least six different ones to visit, all of which are fully stocked with the normal daily amenities needed, such as milk, bread, vegetables, et al. The point is, I have no special affiliation with any particular supermarket. As long as I can purchase what I need, it is irrelevant to me whose pint of milk or loaf of bread I purchase, as they all appear similar, with none standing out from the other. While being ever more challenging and difficult, making sure that both your business and the products that you offer stand out to potential customers is of paramount importance if you want to build a successful business.

‘ The same could be said for many things that we come into contact with ’ You can no longer rely on people giving ‘word of mouth’ referrals, sending e-mails or monthly communications to previous customers expecting them to come back to you, as the volume of choice and the number of competitors doing the same thing as you makes it hard for customers to remember you. Referring back to the number of cars I can remember from my visit, you can use this as a starting point to begin looking at whether your products and business stand out to new and old customers. If the answer is no, you don’t stand out, then start doing something about it instead of accepting mediocrity, as nobody else will!

Who is Jonathan Such? Such is head of sales for First Response Finance. You can contact him on 07917 781608 or email jons@frfl.co.uk

Coming next month

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