Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 75 by Blackball Media

REPORT: discovery CONCEPT STEALS NEW YORK SHOW

Issue 75 | June 2014

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SUZUKI’S FIRST DEALER MARKS 35 years of business

joy riders WE PUT SHOWROOM SHOWPIECES THROUGH THEIR PACES

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL EDITOR James Batchelor

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PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

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head of design Graeme Windell

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ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Manager Duncan Chappell

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Advertising EXECUTIVE Cliff Culver

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CREDIT CONTROL & ADMINISTRATOR Pippa Marsden

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SUITS MANAGING DIRECTOR James Baggott

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OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

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Contributors Tim Naylor, Nick King, Mike Jones, Julian Rance, Jonathan Such, Mal Hay, Leon Poultney, Daljinder Nagra, Gareth Bethell, Jon Reay, John Bowman, Becca Chaplin and Danielle Bagnall.

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HAVE a few friends in the Welcome. Ijournalism world who also have a wonderful life writing about products. Every day they arrive at their desks to find them piled up with free stuff. Organic butter from Sussex? Certainly. Handpicked cherries from a nun’s back garden? Oh yes. Limitededition crisps from Sardinia? Of course. And that’s not forgetting the phone calls they receive all day, every day, touting free stuff in exchange for a few words in the Budleigh Bugler. In the motoring press, it’s slightly different. Car manufacturers guard the keys with a firm hand and you have to come up with a compelling case for them to deliver a shiny car to your door complete with a full tank of fuel and your name on the insurance document. It’s not an easy thing even for the most hardened of motoring journalists. And as you know from Car Dealer, you can be struck off the ‘friends’ list in an instant should you dare to be honest. But I digress. Coming up with the tempting pitch for this cover feature was one of those hard jobs. I mean, what actually is a driver’s car? A driver’s car to one person could mean something entirely different to someone else. We wanted to get together some of the best driver’s cars to have appeared or which are currently sitting in dealers’ showrooms across the land. It took a good few weeks of to-ing and fro-ing, I can tell you. We finally managed to get together what I consider to be a sensational selection of machinery. The cars in this issue can all lay claim to be a driver’s car in one way or another – it just depends on your idea of a driver’s car, really. This type of car is a strange one, however. Just think about it for a moment. Unlike a sports car or a family hatchback, a driver’s car doesn’t really have a specific purpose. Sure, it can do the school run and travel across Europe, but the type of people who buy them probably use them as a second or even third car, depending on how flushed with cash they are. They are, then, treasured possessions. They have to be just right; the right spec, the right colour and give off the right feeling. That’s a very different buyer than, for example, the type a Mazda dealer faces when someone has walked into their showroom

wanting an MX-5. For our cover feature, we’ve brought together what we consider to be the best cars of this genre, to try to decide which one is best. It was a tricky task but I hope you enjoy finding out what we thought – flick to p52 to read our argument. CAR DEALER CONFERENCE ROCKS WHEN we launched the Car Dealer Conference 2020 Vision we had no idea of the interest it would generate. We have received so much that, in fact, it gives me great pleasure to announce that we have had to move it to a larger venue. Rockingham Motor Speedway is now the home for this year’s conference. The date is still the same – June 20 – but now there will be a larger expo and an exciting, dynamic element to the day. I don’t want to give it all away here though, so turn to p22 for all the details. BANGERS IS BACK OUR annual charity run returns this year – and what a year it’s going to be. Taking inspiration from the classic caper movie The Italian Job, B4B 2014 will see us travel to the Fiat factory in Turin, Italy, taking in sights and delights such as the Stelvio Pass and Lake Como. Turn to p18 for more information, but let me say this here: If you want to come to Bangers4BEN 2014, you NEED to come to the Car Dealer Conference, as that is where we will be signing people up. There are only 37 places available, so if you want to come, make sure you’re at Rockingham for our conference. GAME OF TWO HALVES I’M told there’s a certain football-based event taking place this summer, so we have produced a special wall chart to help you keep track of all the fixtures – it’s included with this magazine. Come on England! (I think that’s what you say, isn’t it?) Enjoy the issue.

James Batchelor, editor

Winner: Best Business ‘This magazine brings its readers an insightful, engaging overview of their industry which Publication of the Year entertains as well as informs’ - award judges CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

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INSIDE. ISSUE 75 I JUNE 2014

Dashboard

Feedback

Top 100 Twitter Influencers

Bangers4BEN Used Car Awards

Driver’s cars debate

Car Dealer Conference 2014

A mouth-watering line-up of power and performance – but which one was our favourite? Car Dealer’s writers deliver their verdicts.

Interview: Colin Appleyard New York Auto Show Car Dealer Power Big Mike Baggott Real Deals

Bangers4BEN is back! Find out how you can get involved

An exciting new venue for this year’s Car Dealer Conference

‘‘

Forecourt Alfa Romeo 4C

Colin Appleyard on bringing Suzuki cars to the UK

‘I can’t believe this takes place, particularly with the “nuggets” that are walk-on customers’

Such

Porsche 911 Lexus IS 300h

Features Driver’s Cars Trading Up Focus on: Paragon Car Finance

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

CarDealer

POWER Alfa Romeo 4C: Behind the wheel of firm’s mid-engined two-seater

OUR AWARDS...

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

WINNER

Is Money USED CARAWARDS

Time CarDealer

46 48 49 52 69 72 74 76 79 80 81 83 84 86 87 90

SPONSORED BY

2013 WINNER ea arD le

As voted for by dealers, the Car Dealer Power Awards are unique in the industry. Go to cardealerpower.com to fill out this year’s survey

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

GEN-3 GLASSCOAT

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

WHEELER DEALERS

Workshops

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All suppliers to Car Dealer Club are approved by us. Learn more about the exclusive benefits of becoming a member by flicking to p10 for details. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

Good warranties make the world go round. And your customers come back for more. In the past 12 months, Car Care Plan has paid out over 250,000 claims â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no fuss, no delay. Small wonder we help more dealers to make more profits than anyone else. Find out how easy it is to switch to us. Call 0844 573 7591 or visit carcareplan.co.uk Car Care Plan Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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What you’re saying on Car Dealer Forum

Childish scrawl is hardly first-class

A taxing question Somehow I’ve lost the log book I am in a little pickle. Customer is collecting his Golf at 6pm this evening. I am gathering all my bits to get all the tax discs for the due-outs... but have misplaced the Golf’s log book. Is there a way or are there forms I can use to get the tax before he picks the car up? jamslug

Since when did they start employing two-year-olds at the DVLA? This is actually a REAL envelope that arrived at our address containing cherished transfer tax discs and documents from the DVLA. Can you imagine what would happen if we filled in the forms in this state? jimreidvehicle Loving the envelope. This, in a nutshell, is the net result of 21st-century education in the UK. Without a spell or grammar checker and no way of prettying up the font, the numpty who filled that in didn’t stand a chance... Green Giant That envelope is crazy. How could they even let it out of the building? I lost a sale today thanks to the DVLA. My customer comes back tomorrow to get his deposit back because I can’t tax his car. I could have taxed his car if the local DVLA office was still open. The post office can’t do it. I phoned the DVLA but the previous owner hasn’t put it into trade and it’s still registered in his/her name. I was told ‘Sorry sir, there’s a four-to-six-week wait.’ In other words, ‘We don’t care.’ Used car seller There’s nothing like a simple phone call with the DVLA. Press 1 for this, 2 for that, 9 if you want to be held in a

queue or, the best one yet, ‘All of our 270 operators are currently busy, please call back later.’ Most frustrating organisation in the motor trade. Chris DVLA never stops amazing me. Last month, I sent a cherished transfer off and forgot to put in the cheque. A silly mistake, but I’m sure I’m not the first. So I phoned them up and explained, offered to pay over the phone, but they claimed there was no way of linking a payment to the forms. I asked if they would call me as both my telephone number and the customer’s number were on the forms once the forms got processed. . . no, they just send them back. (Why bother to ask for phone number then?) The cherished transfer before that was rejected because the car the plate was going on already had a private plate (it had had two owners since). I had to write a letter on behalf of the customer declaring they had no interest in the plate. Yet again a simple phone call would have sorted this and saved time and postage. It’s an organisation that seems stuck in the Dark Ages and which seems to have no interest in engaging with independent dealers. Gavin@Rousdon

We’re very happy to have been named the 38th most influential car dealer on Twitter by @CarDealerMag! Well done to all named on the list. @AlanDayVW

Go to this website: www.taxdisc.directgov.uk. Choose ‘Vehicle Enquiry’ on the left-hand side of the page. Enter the vehicle reg and make. It will then show if the vehicle can be taxed at a post office without the V5. If it can you will need a V62 and it will cost an extra £25. Hope that helps. Gavin@Rousdon Didn’t know you could do that, thanks! Chris

Tyre trouble Vandalism after bidding battle Had a bit of a bidding battle with someone the other day on a BMW convertible – I won the bid. However, upon collecting the car, one of the tyres was slashed in the car park. Was it my rival bidder? Who knows. No other cars were damaged, so it seems a bit of a coincidence! Anyone else had problems like this? TML Cars Limited Surely the auction would have CCTV? sparky

Picture of the month

Twitter threads of the month When we published our list of the 100 top Twitter influencers last year, it caused quite a stir. And when we published the all-new list online at the start of May this year, there was exactly the same reaction – as these tweets show. Turn to page 12 to find out who topped the list this time around...

Allow yourself an hour to ring the DVLA and eventually get through to the right person and find out if the car is in ‘trade’. If it is then it can be taxed at a post office with a V62. Chris

Just been named the 29th most influential Twitterusing car dealer in the country by @CarDealerMag. Congrats to everyone named in the top 100. @CriteriaCars Great to see we have been named in the Top 100 most influential car dealers on Twitter thanks to @CarDealerMag @WestEndMotors Thank you to @CarDealerMag and all of our followers for putting us on the podium of the Top Influential Dealers on Twitter! #podiumfinish @MB_Retail

We go to a lot of effort to bring you a top-quality cover feature every month – and a lot of expense too! On the right are a few of the fuel expense receipts incurred during our ‘Driver’s Cars’ photoshoot. Turn to page 52 to find out more about the models we put through their paces. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

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DASHBOARD.

Citroen UK MD Jackson is appointed CEO of brand Linda becomes the first non-French national to be given the top job by BECCA CHAPLIN @believebecca

itroen UK MD Linda Jackson has been appointed CEO of the brand – the first non-French national to be given the role. Jackson, pictured right, will replace Frederic Banzet, who is taking up a senior role in FFP Société Foncière, Financière et de Participations, with effect from June 1, 2014. With more than 35 years’ experience in the motor industry and nine years with Citroen, Jackson is also believed to be the first woman to take the leading role in the company. She began her career in various finance roles with MG Rover before being appointed its European finance director in 2004. The following year, she joined Citroen UK as its finance director. In 2009, she moved to Citroen France as finance director before becoming MD for the UK & Ireland in 2010. Yves Bonnefont, currently director of strategy for the group, will also move to CEO for the DS brand on the same day. They will both be implementing Citroen’s ‘Back in the Race’ strategic plan. Citroen will be announcing Jackson’s replacement in due course.

City Status’ and get a share of £35m to make changes and £32m will be invested in charging infrastructure, including plans to install rapid-charge points across the motorway and A-road network by 2020. Clegg said: ‘Our economy is growing, thanks to sectors like our thriving automotive industry. ‘The UK has the potential to emerge as a world leader in the development, design and manufacture of green vehicles. Manufacturers are turning to this technology to help motorists make their journeys green and clean.’

McLaren set for fourth UK site MCLAREN has confirmed it will be opening its fourth UK location later this year. The retailer will offer the full range of McLaren sports cars in Glasgow, joining existing sites in London, Birmingham and Manchester. Park’s Motor Group in Bothwell Road in Hamilton will operate it and McLaren Glasgow will become the brand’s 19th retailer in Europe. Ross Park, director at Park’s Motor Group, said: ‘We are really excited and proud to join the McLaren family and represent the brand in Scotland.’

EXPERTISE

Jensen pledges to protect brand

£500m ultra-low emission Five more dealers sign up boost from the government to join SsangYong network THE government will invest £500m to boost the ultra-low emission vehicle industry, the Deputy Prime Minister has announced. Nick Clegg says the investment between 2015 and 2020 will create jobs, reduce emissions and set the agenda for the industry. Under the new scheme, the £5,000 Plug-In Car Grant will be extended to 2017, or until 50,000 grants have been claimed. After that, he said, the government will review the subsidy to ensure it is at the right level. Towns and cities will be able to gain ‘Ultra Low

OPENING

A FURTHER five new dealers have signed up to represent SsangYong, Korea’s oldest car brand, bringing to 10 the number of new dealers appointed since January. The new appointments are: n County Specialist Vehicles, Bicester, Oxfordshire n Grant & McAllin, Holbrook, Sheffield n Howards of Carmarthen, south Wales n Mid Cornwall Cars, Roche, St Austell n Witham Vehicle Solutions, Witham, Essex Paul Williams, CEO of

SsangYong Motor UK, said: ‘We warmly welcome these five new dealers to the SsangYong franchise, two of whom – County Specialist Vehicles and Howards of Carmarthen – formerly represented Chevrolet. ‘Confidence in the SsangYong brand is growing, and our business proposition for dealers is increasingly being recognised. Every car in our four-model range has been refreshed for 2014: facelifted Korando, new Rexton W, improved Korando Sports pick-up and the recently-launched Turismo.’

SLADES Garage in Buckinghamshire has become the first official Jensen classic car dealership. Jensen Motors Ltd has pledged to protect the brand by offering top craftsmanship, expertise and bespoke services and says Slades Garage will be able to provide this. Slades, in Penn, was established in 1922 and specialises in premium classic car brands, such as Aston Martin, Porsche, RollsRoyce and Ferrari.

CLOSURE

An offer that it couldn’t refuse HUNT’S Motor Garage, the longest-standing car dealership in Bishop’s Stortford, closed its doors for the last time in April. Hunt’s, which was established in 1924, became the fifth garage in Bishop’s Stortford to close in recent years. Director Paul Snare said: ‘Things are difficult and an offer came in that we couldn’t refuse.’ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

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 bought a car from one of the online auctions for motor dealers. The description on the website seemed to match what I wanted, but when the car was delivered it needed a lot more spending on the bodywork than they quoted to make it a retail car, and there was a worrying noise coming from the gearbox. What are my rights?

When you sign up to use ‘trade’ online auctions you will generally need to ‘tick a box’ when joining up to get an account which will signify you have accepted certain terms and conditions. Those terms and conditions will limit you to purchasing vehicles without rights under Sale of Goods law. The transactions will be considered ‘trade sales’, so there are no preconditions that the vehicle will be of any particular quality or fit for any purpose. However, you may have limited rights and you need to check the auction terms and conditions. This particularly applies when a vehicle is ‘sold as seen’ or has ‘no major mechanical defects’. Remember that under ‘trade sales’ you do not have the normal full Sale of Goods implied rights regarding satisfactory quality and fitness for purpose. This not only applies in online auctions but also traditional auctions, and straight ‘trade-to-trade’ deals. What you can do, however, is to try to move the potential claim away from the quality/fitness for purpose issues to a claim for misrepresentation. Remember – it doesn’t need to be negligent or fraudulent misrepresentation

– action can be taken in the case of innocent misrepresentation. There is usually an opportunity to email the seller. Use this opportunity to ask clear questions about the vehicle, for example: n How many keepers are on the V5 including the one who sold it last into the trade? (There is still a widespread practice of missing off the last keeper when describing the number of former keepers.) n What service history is available? Has it been carried out within manufacturer-recommended intervals? n Has it been carried out by a franchised dealer? n Is there any evidence of accident damage (even though it may be HPI-clear)? n What faults are evident, albeit minor? n Does all instrumentation, including in-car entertainment, sat-nav, Bluetooth connectivity etc, work satisfactorily? n Are there any fluid or air-conditioning leaks apparent? n Is the upholstery free of cuts, etc? These are just examples but build up your own list for a standard email. The replies from the seller will be representations which, if incorrect, can be actioned. If the seller becomes wary then there may be a reason. A seller is still obliged to not misrepresent the vehicle by way of any statements used. So if, say, in the above case, the seller said ‘£200 spend to bring the bodywork up to retail standard’ and an independent report gave clear evidence that this was way off the mark, then it is possible to either reject the vehicle or claim compensation to adequately repair it. Always give the other person the opportunity to inspect the vehicle before carrying out any repairs.

Statutory amounts raised

Q A

Has there been an increase in statutory amounts this year? As per standard practice, the following statutory amounts have been raised from April 6, 2014: n Statutory sick pay has increased from £86.70 per week to £87.55 per week. n Statutory maternity, paternity and adoption have increased from £136.78 to £138.18 per week.

.com

n The lower earnings limit has increased from £109.00 to £111.00 per week. n The compensatory award for unfair dismissal has risen from £74,200 to £76,574. n The weekly limit for calculating compensatory and redundancy payments has increased from £450 to £464 per week.

What if potential employees have a criminal past?

Do employees have to disclose any criminal convictions prior to commencing employment with me? The time scales in which employees have to disclose criminal convictions to you are being reduced. Under the Rehabilitation

of Offenders Act 1974, most criminal convictions become ‘spent’ or discharged after a certain period of time. Prior to the expiry of this period, employees and potential employees seeking employment from you will have to disclose any criminal convictions. After this period is over, spent convictions no longer

ADVICE

have to be disclosed. However, the period of time that has to elapse before a conviction becomes spent has been reduced from 10 March 2014. This will include fines as a result of any criminal prosecution as well. Go online to bit.ly/reoffending for more information.

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WHY I JOINED car dealer club When a supplier delivered faulty parts, Taylor’s turned to Car Dealer Club for the right advice

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TAYLOR’S Service Centre in Essex prides itself on providing a great service to its customers, so when one of its suppliers didn’t offer it the same courtesy it was glad to have the support of Car Dealer Club and Lawgistics to turn to. Taylor’s is a family-run business with more than 25 years’ experience in the service and repair industry, so it knows how important it is to keep the customer happy. Paul Jones works for Taylor’s and was involved in the case where the company used its free legal advice worth £195 on offer to all Car Dealer Club members. He explained that the problems started when it received some faulty parts. ‘We had goods supplied to us, which were defective due to a flaw in the reconditioning of the unit, and we removed and refitted the components several times. ‘We were ill-advised at the time, so we spent a total of 20 hours, which we couldn’t charge the customer for, and the supplier wouldn’t honour the parts under warranty.’ It looked like it would be losing this battle – but it was able to call Lawgistics lawyers for their expert advice.

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.

Luckily, the owner of Taylor’s Service Centre had previously joined Car Dealer Club, which Paul explained was because ‘the legal support you get for the price makes it such a good deal’. Taylor’s pursued it through Lawgistics under the Sale of Goods Act, handing everything over to the Car Dealer Club lawyers, and was able to recoup all of its losses. ‘Being part of Car Dealer Club made life a lot easier,’ said Paul. ‘We supplied Lawgistics with the basic details and they pursued it for us. ‘They came back to us several times with updates about the case and they made the whole legal pursuit very easy.’ Hundreds of Car Dealer Club members have used their free legal advice from Lawgistics. Worth £195, members get a free telephone consultation worth £100 and Lawgistics’ basic membership worth £95. Along with the legal advice, members also have access to a raft of exclusive special offers from a number of the motor trade’s best suppliers – and a free subscription to Car Dealer Magazine. It costs just £39.99 – join by following the easy steps, adjacent to this panel.

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DASHBOARD.

Now Perrys tops Twitter Results of second survey by Car Dealer Magazine published as more and more dealers get tweeting

errys has been revealed as the UK’s most influential car dealer on Twitter. The dealer group came out on top in our exclusive poll of the top 100 dealers in the UK, while independent trader Caroline Shield of Simon Shield Cars beat many more established names and finished in second place. MercedesBenz Retail Group, meanwhile, was ranked third. It’s the second poll of its type carried out by Car Dealer Magazine, which rates dealers on their ‘influence’ on the social media platform and uses trusted analyst Klout.com to create the top 100 list. Perrys, previously ranked in second place, topped the list with a Klout score of 66. Digital marketing manager Lee Manning said: ‘Twitter is a great way of communicating with our customers, providing great customer service and entertaining our followers with interesting content! ‘We combine humour, professionalism and a little “petrol-headedness” with a real desire to be “social” within our community.’ Manning added:

‘It’s not just been about our customers though, we’ve had a lot of fun using Twitter to showcase the amazing people working within Perrys.’ Caroline Shield’s performance was particularly impressive, however. With a Klout score of 64, she moved up from seventh and beat some of the UK’s largest dealer groups in the process. ‘Simon and I are thrilled to be the second-most influential car dealer in the UK,’ she said. ‘Social media is a big part of our marketing strategy and to be recognised for this is tremendous. ‘Engagement, brand awareness, building up relationships, having fun and meeting new people has brought Simon Shield Cars Ltd prominence. Thank you Car Dealer Magazine for collating the list.’ New entries included Motorpoint, Peter Cooper Volkswagen, Mike Brewer Motors, Ridgeway Mercedes, Audi City London, Autoecosse and HR Owen Aston Martin among others. All figures correct at time of going to press.

The 100 most influential dealers on twitter ers e ut ollow hang F C

low Fol 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Perrys Caroline Shield Mercedes-Benz Retail Newmarket Motor Co. Imperial Cars T.C. Harrison Ford Harwoods Group Ridgeway Benfield Motor Group Evans Halshaw Specialist Cars of Stoke Jay at Swann’s Philip Raby Porsche Sandicliffe Bristol Street Motors Motorpoint Porsche Retail Group Dews Motor Group Stoneacre Motor Group Arnold Clark Jim Reid Vehicle Sales Hendy Group John Clark Motors Robert Forrester JCT600

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Klo @perrysmotors @simonshieldcars @MB_Retail @NewmarketCars @Imperialcar @TCHarrisonFord @HarwoodsGroup @RidgewayGroup @DriveBenfield @evanshalshawuk @specialistcars1 @SwannAutomotive @RabyPorsche @Sandicliffe @BristolStMotors @motorpoint @PorscheRetail @DewsMotorGroup @stoneacremotors @ArnoldClark @jimreidvehicle @hendygroup @johnclarkmotors @vertumotors @jct600

66 64 64 63 62 62 61 61 61 60 57 57 56 56 55 55 55 54 54 53 53 53 52 50 50

5,012 +1 3,680 +5 2,519 STATIC 2,895 NEW 1,733 NEW 884 -2 5,436 +10 5,336 +6 5,259 +18 7,345 -9 2,747 -6 1,815 +16 3,051 -7 1,984 +11 4,437 STATIC 2,746 NEW 2,353 +2 2,301 +52 1,445 +16 7,189 -10 2,464 -13 1,940 +10 465 -3 3,673 -11 3,216 -15

Key:

26 Wessex Garages 27 Vantage Motor Group 28 Peter Vardy 29 Ben 30 Ling Valentine 31 Daksh Gupta 32 Stratstone 33 Bowker BMW 34 Sturgess Motor Group 35 Hylton Motor Group 36 Benfield Skoda 37 Sytner Group 38 Alan Day Volkswagen 39 RMB Automotive 40 Peter Cooper VW 41 Ridgeway Mercedes 42 Aston Martin Works 43 Quirks Car Company 44 Imperial Commercials 45 Westover Group 46 Lookers 47 The Colbornes Group 48 Ingram Motor Group 49 Devonshire Motors 50 HR Owen

Position change on 2013 survey @wessexgarages @VantageMotorGp @PeterVardy @CriteriaCars @LINGsCARS @MarshallMotorGP @stratstoneuk @BowkerBMW @SturgessCarsLtd @HyltonMotors @BenfieldSkoda @Sytner @AlanDayVW @RMBAuto @PeterCooperVW @RidgewayMerc @AstonMartinWork @Quirkscarco @ictruckandvan @westovergroup @LookersGroup @ColbornesGroup @Driveingram @DevonshireMotor @HR_Owen

50 1,682 STATIC 50 852 +42 49 3,178 NEW 49 957 NEW 48 4,030 -14 48 2,869 -13 48 1,591 -3 48 1,523 +4 48 1,506 STATIC 47 10,500 -14 47 7,436 NEW 47 1,569 +1 47 1,203 NEW 47 1,029 +1 46 2,813 NEW 46 2,635 NEW 46 2,028 NEW 46 1,881 -21 46 1,826 +7 46 751 +17 46 739 +34 46 545 +16 45 4,034 -33 45 3,624 -7 45 3,609 -26

influencers list INFLUENTIAL MOST

TOP

MOST

TOP

DEALERS ON TWITTER

INFLUENTIAL DEALERS ON TWITTER

How does Klout work?

To get interactive versions of the Most Influential lists, scan the QR code or go to cardealermagazine.co.uk/ publish/category/ most-influential

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61

Quest Motor Group Stan Palmer Ford Simon James Cars Sinclair Audi Autofarm 1973 Ltd KS Motors West End Motors Hartwell plc Vindis Group Johnsons Cars Dick Lovett

@QuestMotorGroup @stanpalmerford @simonjamescars @SinclairAudi @Autofarm @KSMotorsSales @WestEndMotors @Hartwell_co_uk @vindisgroup @johnsonscars @dicklovett

45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45

2,358 +42 2,232 NEW 2,052 +4 1,577 NEW 1,542 -10 1,498 -13 1,449 -14 1,412 -5 1,233 -20 1,172 -1 1,126 -15

76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75

Butlers Vehicle Jardine Motors Group Arbury Motor Group Bramley Motor Cars Hawkins Motor Group Portland Autos RRG Fleet Audi City London Cloberfieldauto.co.uk Mike Brewer Motors Phoenix Car Company Sinclair Mercedes Sinclair Volkswagen Stebbings Cars

@ButlersVehicle @jardinemotorsuk @ArburyGroup @BramleyGarage @HawkinsMG @PortlandAutos @RRGFleet @AudiCity_London @Cloberfieldauto @mikebrewermotor @PhoenixCar @SinclairMerc @SinclairVW @StebbingsCars

45 45 45 44 44 44 44 44 44 43 43 43 43 43

965 NEW 792 +9 721 -4 2,239 NEW 2,097 -32 1,609 -37 1,538 NEW 699 NEW 463 NEW 6,230 NEW 3,703 -16 1,956 -23 1,852 NEW 1,838 -11

87 James & Jenkins Garages 88 Pentagon 89 Harratts 90 Rybrook 91 Macklin Motors 92 Swain and Jones 93 Lotus Silverstone 94 Heritage Automotive 95 Swansway Group 96 Anthony Lapatrie 97 Simon Bailes Peugeot 98 Haywards Motor Group 99 Derek Bennett 100 HR Owen Aston Martin

Lookers Mercedes Inchcape Used Cars Robins and Day Peugeot West London Motor Agnew Group Vospers Motors Thames Motor Group Halliwell Jones BMW John Biggar Smiths Motor Group Autoecosse

A Klout score is a number given between one and 100, which takes into consideration a user’s interaction on Twitter to work out their overall influence – the higher the number, the more influential the user. For our Top 100, where Klout scores were the same, follower numbers were taken into consideration.

@LookersMercedes @InchcapeUsedCar @RandDPeugeot @Westlondonmotor @AgnewGroup @VospersMotors @ThamesMotor @HALLIWELLJONES @johnbiggar @SmithsMotorGrp @autoecosse

43 1,592 NEW 43 1,579 +17 43 1,153 NEW 43 951 NEW 43 867 -69 43 839 NEW 43 808 -33 43 683 -35 43 353 NEW 43 352 NEW 43 164 NEW

@JamesandJenkins @JimatPentagon @Harratts @rybrookcars @MacklinMotors @SwainandJones @LotusUKdealer @Heritage_Autos @swanswaygroup @grangecarsales @sbpeugeot @HaywardsMotor @JBarclayBentley @HROAstonMartin

42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 41 41 41

5,082 -64 1,687 -47 1,628 -14 1,593 -38 1,532 -26 1,186 -25 1,027 NEW 980 -26 763 -24 510 -41 484 NEW 6,754 -61 2,541 NEW 1,662 NEW

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

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DASHBOARD. SALES FIGURES

A great month for Motorpoint

Jennings Seat has a hit with its ‘King of Leon’ entry JENNINGS Seat in Middlesbrough has won the first ‘King of Leon’ contest, set up by Seat UK to see which dealer could concoct the most striking Leon using genuine Seat accessories. The quest to find the UK’s most eyecatching Leon began in March, with dealers given a month to complete their cars and present them to Seat UK through the company’s online dealer portal. After the entry deadline closed

in April, the dealers were then invited to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of three, selected by Seat head of service and parts Nigel Griggs. And with a resounding 61 per cent of the vote, Jennings Seat was the runaway winner, with its special Leon FR ‘S-Tech’ beating finalists from Croyde Motors Seat and Letchworth Seat. The winning car was a Leon FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS finished in Alor Blue

and including parts from the new Seat Sports Styling Kit plus an iPad, as pictured above with Jennings Seat franchise manager Craig Johnson. Jennings’ S-Tech makeover will cost £2,000 over and above the price of the car to a customer, including the iPad and the black wheels and stripes. Jennings states that this represents a £1,500 saving on the cost of all the individual parts.

Fiat plans fresh assault on market with EIGHT new cars Range of budget vehicles will begin with new saloon model in 2015

ew plans recently announced by Fiat suggest that the European market is set to receive eight new vehicles over the coming years, including a range of budget Dacia rivals and a new MX-5 based sports car. Originally destined to be a joint venture between Alfa Romeo and Mazda, the rear-wheel-drive, twoseater sports car is now set to wear the Fiat badge. It’s not all doom and gloom for Alfa fans, though, as the marque is also set to unveil eight new models, all of which will be based on key

by LEON POULTNEY @blokesincars attributes that include perfect 50-50 weight distribution, impressive powerto-weight ratios and a distinctively Italian design. According to documents released by Fiat, its range of budget vehicles will begin with a new saloon model in 2015, followed by hatchback and estate versions the following year. The first model to hit showrooms will be a compact crossover dubbed the 500X, which is rumoured to be based on the recently released Jeep Renegade model and could see Fiat take on the likes of Nissan and Renault in the compact SUV market. Fans of Fiat’s fiery side will have to wait until 2015 when a ‘speciality model’ is slated for release. This is likely to be the Mazda MX-5 rival that

could wear the 500 or Abarth badge. Fiat hopes to sell some 1.9 million vehicles globally by 2018 and sees the Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions as the most important in terms of growth, with these markets receiving eight and nine new vehicles in the next four years respectively. Sister company Alfa Romeo admits that sales will remain relatively low but wants to shift its focus to the sports car market by becoming a ‘skunkworks project’ that will be run by two senior heads from Ferrari. Prospective Alfa customers can expect a new four-door coupe in 2015, followed by two compact cars, another mid-size model, a full-size model and two crossovers. A sports car to slot above the Alfa 4C is also slated to arrive sometime between 2016 and 2018. First drive: Alfa Romeo 4C, p46

MOTORPOINT has announced its best month of sales since the company was founded in 1998. The UK’s leading car supermarket sold 3,738 new and nearly new cars in March, smashing the previous record of 3,271 from last August. It is also celebrating a record-breaking financial year, during which it sold 36,000 cars – up by 21 per cent on the previous financial year. Managing director Mark Carpenter said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to have completed our best trading month ever.’

NETWORK

Subaru arrives in Stoke-on-Trent STAFFORDSHIRE-based dealer Pinkstones has joined the Subaru retailer network. Pinkstones, which was established in 1986, is a family-owned business and has franchises with Toyota, Lexus and MG. Its Newcastle Road showroom will house the full range of All-Wheel Drive Subaru vehicles. Steve Wild, dealer principal at Pinkstones Subaru, said: ‘We are delighted about bringing Subaru to Stoke-onTrent and Staffordshire.’

PEUGEOT

New system to be rolled out PEUGEOT is developing iSell – an iPad-based system that will enable customers to find their new car through either a product request or budget limit. The aim is for iSell to be rolled out this summer for UK Peugeot dealers and they will pay £2,400 a year for the system, which includes dedicated broadband and four iPads. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

If We Don’t Send You Any Of These...

Whether your cars are listed on SunMotors.co.uk, Driving. co.uk or both; unless they generate leads, we won’t charge you a penny to list your stock. You only pay for the leads you receive and nothing else. It’s that simple.

www.sunmotors.co.uk ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

www.driving.co.uk

...You Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Pay One Of These.

To visit the most advanced used car sites in the market, go to www.sunmotors.co.uk and www.driving.co.uk. Combining over 130,000 dealer only used cars with news, reviews and reviews from award winning motoring journalists such as Clarkson, Leno, Humphrey and Gibson. Start generating leads today.

Increase your reach, not your risk. Call the Dealer Team on

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 17

DASHBOARD.

Hang on a minute, lads Our annual charity run Bangers4BEN returns – and this year it takes the theme of the classic caper movie The Italian Job. Read on to find out how you can take part

HOW TO REGISTER FOR BANGERS4BEN If you want to join us on Bangers4BEN 2014, you need to come along to the Car Dealer Conference (turn to p22) at Rockingham Motor Speedway on June 20. There are 37 spaces available and places will be given on a first-come first-served basis. After this date, we cannot guarantee places – so if you want to come, make sure you’re at Rockingham on June 20.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

CarDealer

CONFERENCE 2014

– I’ve got a great idea... G

et your hands in your pockets and get those feelers out – it’s that time of year again where you need to bag a banger for our annual charity event. Bangers4BEN returns for the seventh year running and 2014 takes on a classic caper theme – The Italian Job. We’ve always tried to make our annual charity run as much fun as possible and this year we’ve worked doubly hard to make sure you have a fabulous time. There’s a good dose of fun and frolics that have characterised previous events, but with a huge dollop of car stuff as well. The much-loved 1969 big-screen hit will be the inspiration for this year’s event and will take in instantly recognisable locations from the film. Bangers4BEN 2014 is a FOUR-day event starting in Dover on Saturday, October 11, with our final destination being the Fiat factory in Turin, Italy, before heading home on Tuesday, October 14. Along the way we’ll be heading along one of the world’s best driving roads, the Stelvio Pass, and drop by Lake Como. Once the rally has ended, the car you made the trip in will be sold at a special auction at BCA, with all the proceeds handed over to BEN. This year, there’s a hike in the car budget. You have £750 to spend on your banger, but as BEN

Get your glad rags on for this year’s B4B makes its money from the sale of these cars, spending a trifle more than £750 doesn’t really break the rules — it all goes to helping BEN raise more money! As in previous years, the entry fee is £500 for a team of two — a small price to pay for such a large amount of fun. The £500 covers hotel rooms, evening meals, breakfast and your ferry crossings — you’ll have to pay for fuel, tolls and the overpriced food you find in continental service stations. Once again the AA is kindly providing two

patrol vans just in case anyone breaks down, and we aim to have three Minis as pace cars – naturally decked out in red, white and blue livery. To register for Bangers4BEN you NEED to attend our 2020 Vision Conference on June 20. There are 37 places and they are on a first-come first-served basis. If there are any places left these will be opened up after the conference. In previous years, spaces have filled up in a matter of weeks – and we expect this year’s allocation to fill up at the conference – so be there so you don’t miss out. We hope to see you on October 11.

THE PLAN Day one, October 11

The teams will meet in Dover to catch the ferry across to France. We’ll then be heading to Mulhouse, eastern France, which lies next to the Swiss and German borders. Total mileage is around 450 miles.

Day two, October 12

We’ll make the 200-mile schlep to Lake Como, via Switzerland and one of the world’s best driving roads – the Stelvio Pass. Our night stop will be at the picturesque Lake Como.

Day three, October 13

If day two wasn’t impressive enough we’ll really be reliving The Italian Job today, as day three will see us travel 125 miles to Turin – and not just to Turin but the Fiat factory, the place where the classic roof-top chase happened. We’ll then be driving back to Mulhouse – 280 miles north.

Day four, October 14 We pack our bags and point our bangers in the direction of home... and hopefully reach the UK.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

Sell your stock quicker with an AA Mechanical check from just £45

Nothing reassures customers more than an endorsement from someone they know and trust. That’s why using AA Mechanical Checks will help to sell your cars faster on the AA Cars network. Eight out of ten drivers (81%) are more likely to choose a dealer that has its cars independently mechanically checked. Your customers will have real peace of mind knowing that every car on our site comes with a free history check and also includes complimentary AA Breakdown Cover. AA Cars. Providing the AA trusted brand to help your customers buy with confidence

To find out more email cd@theaacars.com or call 01920 252474 *AA Populus poll of 21,201 drivers April 2014

Cars

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DASHBOARD.

Awards bash will be another Christmas cracker of an event!

CITNOW

New challenge for Alistair Jeff ALISTAIR Jeff, previously commercial head of B2B trade solutions at Auto Trader UK, has been named CitNOW commercial director. This is part of the current growth plan for the personal video presentation service. It currently works closely with 16 OEM brands and leading dealer groups, and Nissan has recently used its workshop application under its own eVision brand. Jeff has more than 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry.

NEW DEALERSHIP

There may still be a few months to go but preparations are under way

t’s free and easy to enter – and promises to be one of the best nights in the automotive calendar. And although it’s still a few months away, preparations are well in hand for this year’s Used Car Awards ceremony, to be held in London. This will be the third such event organised by Car Dealer – and will follow on from the two stunning successes we have already staged – in 2012 and 2013. As we reported last month, host and compere Mike Brewer recently prepared a new video explaining why you should be getting involved with this year’s event – whether you’re a dealer or a sponsor. Brewer, pictured above, says: ‘Last year’s event was absolutely epic – that’s the only way to describe it. It’s one of the best nights of the year and

by JAMES batchelor @JRRBatchelor is very quickly becoming the most popular awards ceremony of the year. In 2013, we had 400 people squeezed into The Brewery in London, with a live band, fantastic food, lots of drink and lots of awards in all sorts of categories being handed out to the great and the good of the used car industry. ‘All too often, we are used to the new car industry patting itself on the back, with used cars often being overlooked, but no more. ‘Car Dealer Magazine and I will once again be celebrating this vital part of the industry at The Brewery on December 1, 2014.’ So how do you enter? It’s FREE and easy. Simply type bit.ly/UsedNoms14 into a web browser. Enter for as many

award categories n Used Car Dealership of the Year (Under 50 vehicles) n Used Car Dealership of the Year (50-100 vehicles) n Used Car Dealership of the Year (Over 100 vehicles) n Used Car Dealership of the Year Group n Dealers’ Dealer of the Year n Used Car Sales Team of the Year n Used Car Sales Manager of the Year n Used Car Dealer Principal of the Year

categories as you wish. All 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 it blank. Do get your thinking caps on, though, as we are counting on you to nominate yourself or others! Anyone can book a table. Sponsors get tables as part of their packages, but there’s nothing to stop other suppliers to the industry taking a table for £1,995 to entertain clients. All tables get unlimited beer and wine from the party opening at 6.30pm with a welcome drink. We politely ask you to find your carriage at 12.30am. Don’t delay in nominating yourself or others – get cracking now. And good luck!

n Upsales & F&I Performance of the Year n Best Used Car Customer Care n Used Car Product of the Year n Outstanding Achievement of the Year n Lifetime Achievement Award n Manufacturer Used Car Website of the Year n Dealer Used Car Website of the Year n Social Media User of the Year n Service and Repair Outlet of the Year n Manufacturer Used Car Scheme of the Year n Used Car of the Year n Best Performing Used Car of the Year

Norwich Infiniti centre opens INFINITI has officially opened its latest outlet. Infiniti Centre Norwich, located in Vulcan Road North, was declared open on Thursday, May 1 at a glamorous launch party that was attended by dozens of guests and VIPs. Centre of attention was the awe-inspiring Infiniti Red Bull racing car driven to glory by reigning Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, which remained on display at the dealership afterwards. Watch the opening at bit.ly/ InfinitiNorwich

ACQUISITION

Vertu gains first Jaguar franchise DEALER group Vertu has expanded its operations by acquiring Hillendale Group Limited. The deal, which includes a Land Rover dealership in Nelson, near Burnley, Lancashire, and a Jaguar dealership in Bolton, Lancashire, is estimated at £8.2m. The acquisition marks Vertu’s first franchise with Jaguar. Vertu results, page 30 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

DASHBOARD.

Our new conference

The date’s the same but Car Dealer’s FREE-to-attend 2020 Vision event has moved to a new

t’s always nice to be popular – and this year our Car Dealer Conference is certainly proving to be quite a draw. In fact, because of higher-than-expected demand from attendees and exhibitors, Car Dealer has moved its 2020 Vision Conference from the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon to Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby, Northamptonshire. The date remains the same – Friday, June 20 – but the change of venue has enabled us to add some great new features to the day. As well as the speakers and exhibitors we’ve already been proud to announce, there is even more reason for dealers to join us. Among the main reasons is the excitement and status of Rockingham itself ! The circuit hosts a range of races each year, including the British Touring Car Championship, British F3/GT and the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. And it’s ideally equipped for our event too, with first-class facilities that will provide the perfect setting for the conference.

CarDealer

CONFERENCE 2014

THE SUPERB SPEAKERS n Google will be giving a presentation on the future of intelligent search and how customer research is changing. You’ll find out how you can stay ahead of the competition by offering better search options on your website. n Lawgistics will be giving you advice on how changes to the Sale of Goods Act will affect car dealers. It will also be putting you in the picture and advising you how not to get caught out by the distance-selling directive when selling vehicles online. n Performance Communications will be hosting a session on how to counter the threat of negative PR and how to manage your business PR in a crisis. In the world of social media, negative PR

FIVE EASY STEPS TO get your FREE tickets ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

FANCY ATTENDING THE 2020 CONFERENCE?

can ruin a company such as a car dealership. Performance Communications will be giving advice and guidance on how to address and counteract this potentially destructive problem. n CAP will be sharing its vision of why data will be even more important in the industry in the future and explaining how you can make the most of this. Data is king and will always remain so. However, customers’ use of that data is changing. You’ll be able to discover what data is important to car dealers and how you can ensure you make this work for your business. n Kia president and CEO Paul Philpott will explain how the company turned its operation around in the UK. As a brand, Kia has made great strides forward in only a few years. You’ll be able to find out how the company did this and how

this can be applied to help your business expand. n Sun Motors will be sharing its vision on the future of online car advertising and why the venture has been launched. Find out how the landscape will change for consumers and dealers in the next few years when they’re selling and buying online. AN EXCELLENT EXPO We will have more than 40 exhibitors in the expo, sharing their latest innovations and products, all designed to save you time and money or improve your business and bottom-line profits – not just the big names from the industry, but also a number of companies that offer services you may not have heard of before. These exhibitors all offer something to help

3 BIT.LY/ CONFERENCE14

Scan the QR code

venue really rocks!

location: Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire

insightful speakers

Our impressive line-up . . .

Google

Introducing ‘intelligent search’ and explaining how the customer’s online research journey is changing.

Lawgistics

Changes to the Sale of Goods Act and how these affect you. Also – how to make sure you’re not caught out by the distance-selling directive.

CAP

Why data is going to become even more important to dealers in the future.

Sun Motors

What does the future hold for online car sales?

improve your business, be it cost reduction, service improvement or enhanced revenue. Make your time work by seeing all the big suppliers to the industry in one place. FREE LEGAL ADVICE Lawgistics will have the Car Dealer Club lawyers available to help advise on legal issues. Do you have a legal question that needs answering or just need general advice? Lawgistics will have fullyqualified lawyers on its stand available to talk to you on a one-to-one basis. GET NETWORKING You will have the opportunity to network with more than 200 colleagues from around the country, sharing stories, advice and best practice.

FILL IN THE REGISTRATION FORM

NEW VEN ROCKING UE: MOTOR S HAM PEEDWA Y SAME DA FRIDAY, J TE: UNE 20

Kia Motors UK

How did Kia turn itself around and how can dealers learn from the car company’s success in the UK?

Performance Communications

Disaster management: How to counter negative PR and handle your business’s PR in a crisis.

Expo exhibitors Among those confirmed so far . . .

The conference is designed to be a relaxed environment with a dedicated networking area to catch up with colleagues throughout the day, Breakfast and lunch will be provided, as well as a constant supply of coffee and tea.

WAIT FOR YOUR TICKETS TO ARRIVE

ealer CarD E ENC FER CON 2014

1. Ivendi 2. 4Com 3. Road Angel 4. Traka 5. Key Tracker 6. Plus Point 7. Scent Air 8. Karcher 9. BEN 10. Lawgistics 11. Car Delivery Network 12. Traffic Master 13. CAP 14. Manheim 15. Powerflow Ltd. 16. Dragon2000 17. FLA 18. Sun Motors

19. WhoCanFix MyCar 20. Newspress 21. AA Cars 22. Gemini Systems 23. HPI 24. Vii Networks 25. CarTakeBack 26. CDL 27. Drive Development 28. The Prospect Factory Ltd 29. Wraptition 30. National Car Cleaning Company 31. InAutomotive

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

INTERVIEW.

Most important deal of Colin’s career: Bringing Suzuki cars to the UK He was about to let Lada into his new showroom in the 1970s – but sensed the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to his motorbike connections and hasn’t looked back since. Colin Appleyard talks to Car Dealer editor JAMES BATCHELOR.

‘

hey called me the deal-maker back then because of my drive to buy and sell.’ Colin Appleyard, now 78 years old, smiles as he recalls a compliment that dates back to the early part of his career in the motor trade. These days, he can reflect on a busy and successful career and is justifiably proud of the business he started 35 years ago. It has a turnover of more than £30 million and is routinely the best-performing Suzuki dealer in the country. But the story could have been very different. Appleyard grew up in Guiseley, a small town near Leeds, and despite his family ‘having no money and no transport – let alone an interest in cars or motorbikes’, he developed an intense passion for motorbike racing. ‘Near where I lived was a park that held road races,’ he tells me. ‘I could hear these motorbike races in the distance and I started to go along to them – and that’s where I think my fascination with motorbikes really began.’ By his own admission, Appleyard never really had an interest in studying and performing well at school. He walked out of the school gates not destined for a life in the civil service or as a bowler-hatted provincial bank manager, but had a taste for something more daring. ‘All I wanted to do was something concerning motorbikes,’ he recalls. ‘So I went to work as an apprentice mechanic in 1951 and earned £1 7d (roughly £1.03) a week, giving me the ability to start racing ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

From top clockwise: Colin Appleyard’s Keighley showroom; the same site 35 years earlier; and where it all began

motorbikes. I was only a modest racer, taking part in a few races. I stopped after I suffered a nasty accident in the 1969 Isle of Man TT.’ At that point, Appleyard, now married and with two children, was ready for the next challenge in his life. ‘I started up my own business on January 1, 1971 in a tiny shop in Keighley, West Yorkshire,’ he says. ‘The motorcycle business was good back then and I managed to save up enough money to buy 28 second-hand motorbikes. I took them home and my wife cleaned them up. She did such a good job that I nearly doubled my money when I sold them.’ Three and a half years later, Appleyard ran out of space and started to look for larger

premises for his fledgling company. ‘I found a large disused mill, managed to get planning permission and I put every penny – and more – into the development to create a building with two levels: a showroom on top and a workshop at the bottom. The business took off like a house on fire, and we started to call ourselves the best motorcycle dealer in the north of England, thanks to the fact we were selling 1,496 bikes in a year. ‘I was known back in those days as a bit of a deal-maker. Over a period of three or four years I bought 280 Suzuki PE 250 enduro bikes – I couldn’t really afford them, but thanks to a very trusting bank manager I managed to purchase them. They were obsolete by this point but I

Suzukis were good cars to sell to a growing customer market

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

INTERVIEW.

‘We survived the recession and things are picking up . . .’ managed to sell them really quickly and this led me to buying more than 900 bikes in the following years. ‘This made me some proper money and I invested it in a derelict Datsun garage and opened for business on March 29, 1979.’ However, it wasn’t to become another motorcycle showroom in Appleyard’s empire but Suzuki Cars’ first UK dealership. ‘I heard about Suzuki wanting to sell cars in the UK very easily,’ he says. ‘I became very friendly with many of the Suzuki managers and in particular Maurice Knight, the then sales director of Suzuki. ‘Maurice and I were going on a trip to America and I spotted an advert in the Evening Standard while we were waiting for our flight. The advert was recruiting for Suzuki staff and I said to Maurice that I had just bought this new garage. I was thinking of putting Lada in it but we agreed I’d take the first Suzuki franchise. ‘We’d got quite far down the line with Lada and I hated telling them I didn’t want the franchise any more. But at that time I was new to the motor car trade and so was Suzuki so I thought it was the better option and we could grow together. We got Lada later on but by that time the brand was very much past 12 o’clock – its heyday had gone.’ With its already firmly established reputation for excellent customer service in the local area and changing consumer attitudes towards Japanese cars, it was a good time to be selling Suzukis – especially being the UK’s first dealer. ‘We had eight vehicles delivered for the showroom’s opening night and they all sold. They sold like hell that night. I was anxious because I was totally new to the motor car trade – I was a ducker and diver, not a car salesman. ‘Selling Suzukis wasn’t easy – I don’t like that term – but they were good cars to sell to a growing customer market – a market that wanted quality cars and thought Japanese brands acceptable. They were also cheap – they went from around £2,900 to £3,200 – and they were quality cars. Selling Suzukis has always been good; back then and today.’ Over the next 35 years, Colin Appleyard Cars expanded to five car dealerships, has welcomed ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Subaru, Isuzu and only last year Nissan to the business, and continues to sell motorbikes. Now, though, the man in day-to-day charge is Colin’s son Robin – and unsurprisingly it’s like father, like son. ‘I’ve been involved all my life, starting out as an apprentice mechanic, then moved into both motorbike and car selling,’ Robin tells me. ‘I eventually managed the motorbike part of the business, did a bit of motorcycle racing and became managing director of the whole business in 2005. ‘My father was always worried we had all

Son Robin is the man leading the business into the future

our eggs in one basket, but what with Subaru now performing steadily and our new Nissan franchise, we have a very strong business. We’ve managed to get through the recession unscathed and it’s now on it’s way again.’ Last year saw the business achieving a record year for car sales – more than 1,650 Suzukis were sold to retail customers, accounting for roughly five per cent of Suzuki’s total UK sales – and the business is set to turn over more than £31m and sell its 30,000th car this year. Robin is the man leading the business into the future. ‘Here’s to the next 35 years,’ he says. [CD]

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Why YOU need to be at this year’s Used Car Awards The Car Dealer Used Car Awards celebrate every part of the used car industry. Hosted by Mike Brewer, they’ll be held on December 1. What’s the venue? The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London. How do I enter? Entry is FREE and easy. Simply type bit.ly/UsedNoms14 into your web browser and enter as many categories as you wish. How can I sponsor an award? There are a number of sponsorship packages. Contact us for details. How can I book a table? Full tables cost £1,995. Contact us to book.

For more information, contact the Car Dealer team on (023) 9252 2434 We are taking bookings now ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Scan the QR code to watch the video of last year’s event

DASHBOARD.

Steve calls it a day after half a century as a Ford technician â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It would be impossible to work out how many motorists he has helpedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

technician who has clocked up 50 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; loyal service has called it a day. Steve Singh retired recently after working as a Ford technician in Taunton for half a century. He started as an apprentice with Ford dealers White Brothers in Taunton on August 10, 1964 straight after leaving school. Staying with the car brand throughout his career, Singh progressed through the bodyshop before returning to Eastreach. He then moved to the Rapid Fit centre in Cornish Way before moving to the Taunton Ford main workshop at Priorswood. Kevin Graves, service director of Foray Motor Group, parent company of Taunton Ford, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare to find such exemplary loyalty from an

employee with regards to both the company he works for and the customers he serves, although we are lucky to have a good number of longserving employees across the group. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Steveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success is down to his thorough knowledge of the product and his ability to connect with people. Even now, I have a running joke with him when he pretends to find a loose

thread on my tie. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a certain degree of informality but, at the same time, we all know that Steve has the ability to solve service problems and keep customers on the road. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It would be impossible to work out how many Somerset motorists Steve has helped during his half-century but there must be a considerable number who owe him an unknowing debt of gratitude for keeping them mobile. We will all miss him.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Singh, who received an engraved watch from Taunton Ford on his retirement, will now be working with a different type of horsepower â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at his stables. He said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t made any real plans for retirement but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to spend more time with my wife Jackie, our two daughters and the horses, so it will be a great time.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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A prestigious award for Andy NISSANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S chief planning officer, Andy Palmer, has been appointed as a Companion of The Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace. The prestigious award, which was given in recognition of services to the British automotive industry, highlights the important role he has played in championing the UK as an automotive manufacturing base for Nissan. Palmer said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m deeply moved to receive this prestigious honour in my native country, where I was educated, where my career in the automotive industry started as a 16year-old apprentice, and where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been privileged to contribute to Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to the UK for more than 22 years.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

DASHBOARD.

Vertu Motors surges ahead during ‘transformational year’ Revenue, retail volumes, profits and margins all show healthy increase

ertu Motors plc more than tripled its profit before tax in the year ending February 28, its annual results revealed. The company published a very healthy set of figures at the end of what boss Robert Forrester described as a ‘transformational year’ for the group. The numbers revealed: n Revenue was up 33.8 per cent to £1.7 billion with like-for-like revenues up 13.1 per cent. n Like-for-like new retail volumes rose by 19.7 per cent, with the group gaining market share. n Like-for-like used vehicle volumes rose 7.1 per cent, with stronger margins recorded. n Higher margin service revenues rose 6.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis – the fourth successive year of growth. This all led to a 96.7 per cent

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

increase in adjusted operating profit and a 259.1 per cent leap in profit before tax, which rose from £4.4 million to £15.8 million. Operating cash inflow rose to £47.4 million from £13 million and the dividend was up 14.3 per cent for the full year, rising from 0.7p to 0.8p. Vertu chief executive Robert Forrester, pictured, said: ‘This has been a transformational year for the group, during which we have expanded significantly and sustainably, gained our first major premium franchise and developed scaled operations with both Land Rover and Volkswagen, and delivered record profits

at every level. This growth has been driven by both like-for-like growth from our core business and acquisition. The board looks to the future with confidence as reflected in our increased dividend. ‘The new and used car markets remain strong, with our core business growing. We have a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities and the financial firepower to execute them.’ Vertu currently has a network of 108 sales and aftersales outlets across the UK, with its dealerships operating predominantly under the Bristol Street Motors, Vertu, Farnell and Macklin Motors brand names. Insight, page 83

DEALER FINED

Service history was falsified AN Essex car dealer has been ordered to pay £5,000 for selling a car with a false service history. Presley Ogbondah, director of MPH Cars in Billet Lane, Hornchurch, sold a car to a customer whose subsequent investigations revealed that its service history had been falsified – although not by Ogbondah. The new owner of the car heard knocking sounds coming from the engine. The buyer contacted the main dealership mentioned in the service log – but they had never been involved in looking after the vehicle. Ogbondah admitted engaging in a commercial practice which was a misleading action. He was fined £1,000 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, as well as being told to pay £4,000 in costs and compensation.

Around the world

CANADA

A FERRARI F40 was involved in a collision on its way back to a car dealership in Canada. A mechanic at Ferrari of Ontario was returning from a road test when the accident happened. As he took a left turn, the driver of a Dodge Dart went through a red light, and ploughed straight into him. Neither driver was hurt but both vehicles sustained significant damage.

Dealer news from somewhere other than here

CHINA

USA

A LAMBORGHINI dealership in America has made a little boy’s dream come true. Lamborghini North Los Angeles received a message on its Facebook page from the seven-year-old’s father asking if anyone would help his son with a very special request. In response, the dealership organised a special birthday parade of Lamborghinis and gave the lad – identified only as Jacob – a ride at the front of the convoy in a 700bhp Aventador.

UAE

THE UAE has confiscated fake car parts worth a total of £5.6 million in the past two years following 440 raids, it has been reported. The suppliers of the counterfeit parts, which were subsequently destroyed, received fines totalling £56 million as the UAE authorities continued their clampdown on the illegal practice.

INDIA

BMW is on the hunt for new customers in China – and is venturing into some remote areas of the country to find them, according to the Financial Times. Around 100 people recently attended an ‘open course’ at a BMW dealership in Nanning in the country’s south-west. These hour-long sessions typically feature an automotive expert and attract both BMW owners and potential buyers, according to the FT.

VOLVO is opening four new showrooms in cities across India: West Delhi, Surat, Chandigarh and Kolkata. Tomas Ernberg, MD of Volvo Auto India, said: ‘VAI is confident of expanding its market share and creating more patrons for its brand. We will continue to grow as we start sales with 15 functional dealerships generating a strong brand eminence.’

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• Workshop Controllers • Service Managers • Aftersales Managers • Parts Managers • Bodyshop Managers • Estimators • Paint Sprayers • Smart Repairers • Panel Beaters • General Managers

Upload your CV at: www.carrecruitment.com Tel: 0333 700 3030 • Free CV Advice • Candidate Marketing • Job Alerts by Text • New Jobs Daily

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

dashboard. new york motor show 2014

A spaceship launch for Land And there was an intergalactic message too as two of Britain’s most iconic brands revealed an exciting new partnership

Smart Glass

Land Rover said it can make all glass panels smart so that they can display information. Augmented reality can make it look like satnav instructions are projected on to the road in front of you, while other useful information can be displayed where owners want it.

Panoramic roof

A glass panel the length of the car can display whatever you want it to – so if it’s dark and grey outside, you can change it to display a beautiful blue sky instead.

t was as if Land Rover had asked a fiveyear-old boy how it should launch its new Discovery concept car. It needs to be on an aircraft carrier! Check. It needs to be in a cool city like New York! Gotcha. Oh, and there needs to be a spaceship there too! Roger that. And so it was: The world’s motoring media assembled on the flight deck of the USS Intrepid, moored up next to the Manchester City FC owner’s £400m superyacht on the Hudson River, ready for the unveiling of Land Rover’s allimportant new Discovery Vision Concept. The doyen of farmers and yummy mummies across Britain has long been in need of replacement, and with this huge stunt, Land Rover pulled out all the stops to ensure the 4x4 cast one big British-built shadow over the New York Motor Show that would open two days later. And it wasn’t just the new car the manufacturer was revealing – nope, there was an intergalactic message in there too. Before we even saw the new model, Land Rover announced that it had become the official partner of Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial space explorer. Land Rover says the tie-up is a ‘marriage of two of Britain’s most iconic brands’, while Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson, noticeable by his absence at the launch, seemed content the two firms’ exploratory spirit had been combined into one. Cynics suggested this was simply a way of launching a car next to a spaceship – but then what most five-year-old boys want, most five-year-old boys get... Land Rover’s group marketing director, Phil Popham, told Car Dealer the partnership was more than just a car supplier though. ‘That’s the easy bit,’ he said. ‘Virgin Galactic passengers’ experiences will start and end in a Land Rover, and many of them will be or have the potential to be our customers. ‘There is also a collaboration to be had in technology too. They have to be experts in lightweight technology, so do we; they have to be into durability and safety just as we are in the automotive industry. The potential is endless and I see this as a long-term partnership. The cars are the easy part. To really leverage this we need to work closely together over a long period of time.’ Those technological innovations that Popham ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Remote control

Using a smartphone or tablet, drivers would be able to get out and remotely control their car. This could be used to navigate a particularly tricky off-road section or simply drive your car through a gate so you can close it behind you.

Freelander becomes Discovery Sport Land Rover had one more surprise up its sleeve at the New York Motor Show – when it revealed the name of the replacement for the Freelander, which will be called Discovery Sport. Gerry McGovern told a packed motor show stand that the longawaited replacement will be the first model in the extended Discovery ‘family’ and will go on sale next year.

Social seating

The seats in the Discovery are extremely clever. All can fold flat to create a huge load space, the middle row can be squashed up to give the rear occupants limo-levels of leg room, or individual seats can be collapsed as fits the owner’s needs. alludes to were showcased in style on the Discovery concept car. As you can see from our annotations, the car is debuting some exciting new tech – but how much of it will make it into production? Popham told Car Dealer: ‘All of these innovations have engineers working on them and money invested in them. At the end of the day they have to provide a benefit to the customer – and be something they are willing to pay for. ‘Let’s take the transparent bonnet. When you first look at that you think it’s a bit of a gimmick, but the technology is about cameras to aid safety and visibility, then we add to that

Rover’s latest star Transparent bonnet

Using cameras and a clever head-up display, Land Rover has been able to effectively create a see-through bonnet that shows the driver which way the wheels are turning and what’s underneath the car. For off-roading, this would be particularly useful.

Apple CarPlay

Land Rover also announced that it would be the latest manufacturer to offer Apple’s CarPlay integration system with its new models.

Phil Popham on… …the story of the launch Land Rover has a history of being creative. If you look at the combination of Virgin Galactic, pioneers, space, air, USS Intrepid, the Enterprise Shuttle, there are a lot of obvious things that worked for the Discovery Concept launch. I am simplifying what was an incredibly creative idea that wasn’t mine, but I think it was the perfect location and the perfect time for a whole host of reasons. …why big launches work for us We’re a fast-growing company, but in automotive terms we’re still fairly small. Investment has to be a good investment. So sweating our assets is important. Whether that’s the technology we’re developing or the PR of our launches, we have to be creative and punch above our weight. …why growth is a challenge We are very fortunate in having Tata ownership and they’re a long-term player. They’re a nurturing parent who allow us to make the decisions that control our destiny. They’re very ambitious for us – and are encouraging us to grow quickly. …why we don’t want to be a volume brand We have ambitions to grow and grow significantly, but we have no aspirations to be in the volume segment. Ultimately, it’s about long-term sustainable profit. A sign of success for me would be all other premium car makers seeing Jaguar Land Rover as a principal player.

Gesture control doors

In the Discoverys of the future you will be able to open the doors or control instruments such as the indicators simply with hand gestures. The idea is to clean up interiors that are littered with clutter – and we all know designers hate clutter... a head-up display – link the two and we have something quite cool. ‘This is a real safety aid and it is something people will pay for. We will sweat the asset too – the technology isn’t just being designed for Discovery. I’m excited about the way we are pushing boundaries.’ Look past the space race marketing strategy and in the shadows and you’ll find the real star – the new Discovery. Designer Gerry McGovern explained that this concept points towards the future direction the Discovery ‘family’ will take. No longer will the Disco be a sole diva, but in the years to come

Terrain scanning

Lasers scan the car’s surroundings to warn you of areas you can’t tackle, while Discoverys of the future will be able to tell you how deep the water is ahead of you as you wade. further models will join the range as the Evoque did in the Range Rover model line. ‘It will start off being two rather than one like Range Rover with the Sport,’ explained Popham. ‘What families do in nature is share DNA, they’re siblings, so they share the same basic structure. In the Discovery’s case that is versatility. They may sit in different segments but they will be the most versatile cars in the segments in which they compete. ‘Range Rover is about luxury, Discovery is versatility, and then our more utility vehicle is Defender. That will get our attention next – three distinct families that share attributes.’

…why dealers are having to invest like us Volume is coming, but dealers need to invest in this and we’re being quite prescriptive. We want absolute consistency. We have spent a lot of time talking to our partners and they’re up for investing, and if they’re not they are exiting the franchise. We have to have partners that share our vision and ambition. In New York, we got the chance to have a peek round the media scrum at the Discovery concept and we were surprised at how large it is – Range Rover-large, in fact. It debuts some beautiful design touches at the front too, suicide rear doors and a luxurious interior. We especially love the tailgate that drops down to create a bench for when ‘one is at the races’. McGovern explained that the car is currently billed simply as a concept, but rumours strongly suggest this is very close to production-ready – and with sleek looks like this there are few that’d bet against it being another stellar hit for Land Rover. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

dashboard. new york motor show 2014

‘I’m not someone who’s satisfied with just taking part’ Chief executive of AMG Tobias Moers talks to Leon Poultney about the future of Mercedes’ performance arm Can you give us some background on your showstopping S63 AMG Coupe? I think it’s an outstanding car, looking at the styling and everything. It stays true to the exclusivity of the S-Class model yet it has a 5.5litre Bi-Turbo engine in it that produces 584bhp and 900Nm torque. It will be a 4x4 in the US and Germany but rear-axle-driven in the UK. It also features the innovative Active Body Control with curve-tilt functionality, never seen before on a performance vehicle like this. It’s the next level of driving dynamics in an S-Class. What’s the biggest challenge when placing that much performance in a luxury limousine? There will always be a compromise between comfort and performance. People who buy that car want something more than luxury, they want a car with perfect handling on the country roads but they don’t accept compromise on comfort. It’s always hard to meet the point between comfort and driving dynamics. Were you tempted to strip it bare and create a hardcore AMG machine? We have such a wide portfolio here at AMG, ranging from the A45 all the way to the G65 offroad vehicle – there is room for everybody and everything. Yes, maybe I was tempted to strip it back, but that car without the luxury interior and electronic gadgets wouldn’t appeal to anyone. It’s part of its personality. So you always have to have perspective. The package of the car must be feasible for the market. Who do you think will be the typical customer for this car? I think it will be car aficionados. They are usually slightly older, but it really depends on where it is being sold. In the Asian countries, it will likely be a younger audience buying that car, especially with the new styling and driving dynamics. But I think you will have to be a real car guy to want this machine. What is it like to drive? We have the brilliant new 4Matic system in this car that offers a different torque split. It’s a very rear-biased layout compared with previous ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

models. You can hang the tail out and have a drift…. in an S-Class. It’s hard to imagine a customer drifting that car… We do! You have also released details about an AMG GT model. What can you tell us about that? We’ve written the first chapter with the SLS AMG, an iconic car that was received very well. It was the perfect introduction to the book of the AMG sports car. Chapter one is done; now we step into chapter two, which is a new model, in a different segment. We already have the supersports model covered with the SLS, so the GT will sit below this. What will it be like? When AMG steps into a new segment, we do it properly. Personally, I don’t like ‘Olympic thinking’; I’m not the ‘just taking part’ guy. We are always very competitive at AMG. Most of us have some roots in racing, so we want to go for the podium with this car. We take apart, not take part. What does the future hold for AMG? We are very strong; we are the best-performing performance brand so far this year. We have the widest portfolio, and sales are increasing. It’s a huge success story. It’s a very important year now as our two main driving cars – the C63 and the upcoming GT – will be revealed. The A45 AMG, CLA 45 and other compact models have allowed us to tap into a new buyer group for the first time. They are buying into the brand and it has been very successful – we still can’t fulfil demand for the A45 AMG. What about electric and hybrid drive? We are still working on that, but we showed what is possible in the SLS Electric Drive model. To this day, we have set the benchmark in terms of performance and handling. We proved that four different drivetrains can work in one vehicle and nobody else has tried that until today. Some tried but they struggled. We gained a lot of experience and skills from that project, so it would be stupid to waste that experience.

STARS OF THE SHOW

EDITED BY JAMES BAGGOTT AND JAMES BATCHELOR

Chevrolet Z06 Convertible Chevy has got all eco-friendly. It’s replaced the old 7.0-litre V8 Z06 with a car bearing just a 6.2-litre V8 unit. Still, it serves up 625bhp and will come as standard with a very Porschelike seven-speed manual gearbox. There’s no word on whether it will come to the UK like its hardtop Stingray brother. That’ll be priced from £61,495

BMW M4 Convertible Convertible? Cabriolet? We’re not sure which term the Germans prefer – and frankly we don’t care – all we know is the BMW M4 looks absolutely stunning with its roof chopped off. It’ll go on sale in September, costing £60,730, and boasts a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder with 425bhp. The new car is 60kg lighter than the old drop-top M3 and gets to 60mph in 4.6s.

Jeep Renegade

Kia Sedona

Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV

This compact SUV may look a bit Fisher Price – and that’s because it is. With chunky panels and plastic trim, it’s not the best-looking model the firm has released in recent years. Behind the showy styling it’s a 500XL and will come with a choice of three petrols and two diesels. Jeep will serve left-hand-drive markets first and the UK will get it eventually – if that’s a good thing.

Up until recently, Kia’s bold models such as Cee’d, Rio, Sportage and Optima contrasted dreadfully with the boxy and unspiring Sedona MPV. Kia UK quietly axed that car a while back and although a brand new version was shown off at New York, it’s very unlikely to be coming to these shores. That’s a shame, because it’s probably the best-looking MPV we’ve seen.

If you thought the BMW X6 was visually challenging, then this Merc takes things to another level. It uses the M-Class as its basis and is set to rival that aforementioned BMW. Thankfully, it won’t wear that contradictory name, with Mercedes probably plumping for the MLC badge. Knowing UK buyers, it’s likely to fly out of showrooms when it arrives next year.

Nissan Murano

Ford Mustang

BMW X4

First it was Qashqai, then refreshed Juke, new X-Trail and now it’s Murano. Nissan is spending a large amount of time and effort in reinvigorating its SUV line-up and the range-topping Murano was Nissan’s star at the show. It continues the model’s traditional trait of extrovert styling. It’s likely to be coming to the UK too with hybrid power and a price tag of £35k.

Ford was quite understandably making a big noise about its Mustang. Along with putting one on top of the Empire State Building, Ford used the show to reveal a special 50th-anniversary model. It has a number of styling cues which nod towards the 1964 Mustang and comes in a retro colour shade – ‘Wimbledon White’. Only 1,964 will be made.

There were a number of cars that didn’t make this list, and this X4 very nearly was one of them. Let’s face it, the crossover fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Borrowing engines from the X3, the X4 will go on sale priced from £35,590. But we like car makers being brave – and revealing this with a straight face was certainly that...

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe The world’s chief executives can worry no more about making their next meeting on time, thanks to this luxury missile. With 577bhp under the bonnet, the monster S63 AMG Coupe can hit 60mph in just 3.9 seconds – and shave precious seconds off the dash to the office. It has a 5.5-litre turbocharged V8 engine that produces 40bhp more than the CL63 AMG it replaces, and an interior that’ll please those used to five-star hotels and private jets. Air suspension, an imaginatively-titled Magic Body Control system and other technological trickery helps keep caramel lattes from spilling on Savile Row suits too. The S63 will go on sale in November and cost a finance directorbothering £100,000. [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

SURVEY.

June 30 deadline looming! Entries for Car Dealer Power are flooding in – but if you haven’t entered yet you’d better get a move on. Time’s running out!

here are just a few weeks to go if you want to get involved in this year’s Car Dealer Power survey. Hundreds of dealers across the UK have already told us exactly what they think of the manufacturers and suppliers with whom they do business – and you could do the same. If you haven’t got involved yet, read on to discover why it’s worth taking part.

variety of levels. Last year, Toyota just pipped Kia and Hyundai to the top gong. Suppliers feature just as prominently as the manufacturers, and for 2014 you’ll see there’s ample opportunity to name the suppliers with whom you like to do business. We’ve split a number of the categories to give the smaller firms more chance of recognition in these important awards, and this year we’ve added Tyre Provider of the Year, Motor Factor of the Year and Trade Insurance Provider of the Year to the line-up. We want you to rate the firms you use in all areas of your business so we can celebrate the very best – and invite them to our special Car Dealer Power awards night to be held at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower on July 31.

What is Car Dealer Power? NOW in its fifth year, Car Dealer Power firmly puts you – the dealers – in the driving seat and gives you the chance to tell manufacturers and suppliers exactly what it’s like working with them. It’s your opportunity to recognise the very best companies that help you do business. Car Dealer Power is the survey that aims to find the best car manufacturer in the UK to award by quizzing its dealers about how it performs on a Marsh_142x190mmAdvert_AW.pdf

WHY SHOULD I FILL IT IN? WE know for a fact that manufacturers and

18/12/2013

12:32

suppliers take your views very seriously and have made changes on the back of your comments. Don’t be worried about any repercussions, as Car Dealer Power is 100 per cent confidential – we don’t even ask for your name, only your mobile phone number so we can let you know if you’ve won a prize. We want to know the good and bad things about what it’s like to represent your car manufacturer, so please feel free to give your most honest opinions. Filling in the Car Dealer Power survey shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes. You can do it by logging on to CarDealerPower.com – it’s very straightforward. And if you want to be in with a chance of winning one of the prizes, don’t forget to add your mobile number. The deadline for submitting your survey is June 30. But remember – surveys need to be at least 50 per cent complete to count. Get voting!

Dealer Direct is brought to you by Marsh Finance, the first choice non-prime finance provider for many large Dealerships and Car Supermarkets.

We do not have standard terms for Dealerships. We listen to your requirements and develop a bespoke solution to meet both your needs and ours customising PCP, HP and Premium Credit products & services to you. We provide quick finance options whilst your customer is still in your showroom helping you to close the deal.

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Marsh Finance Ltd. 2 Chichester Court, Milnrow Road, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL16 1UG

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The venue for the awards ceremony â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Portsmouthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spinnaker Tower

The bribes: Fill in the survey and you could win... Suzuki GoodIE bag

This latest rucksack from Suzuki is packed with goodies aimed at keeping you warm when the cold months return.

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FINANCE. NEW HOME

Moneybarn on the move to a bigger base FINANCE provider Moneybarn has relocated to a smart new office in Hampshire. The new 20,000sq ft building in Petersfield, known as The New Barn, is now home to all 95 members of staff and will allow for an enhanced focus on customer service delivery and for the continued expansion of the business. Moneybarn says the move has been made because of ‘an ongoing period of outstanding growth’. Managing director Peter Minter said: ‘Our rate of growth in the last three years has been outstanding and is set to continue. Our staff levels have increased by more than 100 per cent in the last two years and, as a result, we’ve outgrown our two existing sites. ‘I’m particularly excited at the opportunity that The New Barn presents. The office space has been specifically designed to suit the flow of our business to allow for optimum interaction between teams. ‘This will allow us to even further improve the service that we are able to provide to our customers and to our business partners.’

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Healthy growth in the level of motor finance shows no signs of weakening New car figure for March was 21 per cent up on the same month last year

he number of cars bought on finance in March rose by more than 20 per cent over the same month in 2013. Latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer new car finance volumes were up by 21 per cent in March compared with the same month in 2013, and by 23 per cent year-on-year for the first complete quarter of 2014. The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members in the 12 months to March 2014 was 74.8 per cent. The consumer used car finance market reported its strongest growth so far in 2014, with new business volumes 29 per cent higher in March than the same month last year. As a result, volumes were up by 24 per cent in quarter one. Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: ‘Growth in the consumer motor finance market showed no sign of weakening in March. ‘Personal contract purchase remains

the most popular finance option when consumers buy a new car from dealerships. ‘It has also grown in popularity in the used car market, but the majority of used cars financed in the showroom are on hire purchase.’ Meanwhile, asset finance new business grew by 17 per cent in March compared with the same month last year and was 13 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2014 than in Q1 2013.

Finance for plant and machinery and business equipment saw the strongest growth in quarter one 2014, up by 21 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Growth in commercial vehicle finance remained robust at 19 per cent. Kilkelly added: ‘In Q1 2014, the asset finance industry returned its best first quarter performance for five years, and the pattern of growth suggests a broad-based recovery in business investment.’

Dedicated workers at thriving DSG FS enjoy Spanish treat FORTY members of staff at DSG FS enjoyed an early May bank holiday weekend with a difference by going on holiday to southern Spain. The company took workers to Benalmadena in Malaga, where it held its annual awards event and thanked them for their dedication during a record-breaking year.

The bank holiday treat followed DSG FS recording a 25 per cent increase in its volume of business and turnover last year. The finance provider, which works across the UK with offices in Stockport, Leeds and Glasgow, took 40 of its 50 staff on the trip. The remaining 10 offered to stay behind to hold the fort.

DSG FS managing director Richard Hoggart said: ‘The awards recognise people’s attitude, progress, the impact of new employees, reliability and sales – aspects that play such an important part in our success. Investing in our people and making it a happy place to work has been an invaluable part of our success and growth.’

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Meldrum

VOLKSWAGEN UP

Improving their abilities

VOLKSWAGEN’S latest city car, Up, is economical, spacious and easy to drive. Although it’s slightly more expensive than other cars in its segment, VW claims to have put together a more luxurious and upmarket supermini. What Car? described

it as stylish, comfortable and fun with enough power for urban driving, and all the equipment you’d expect. VW is offering the Move Up for £99 a month over 35 months. The Move Up is the mid-range model with 1.0-litre 60PS manual engine. It comes with air conditioning, central locking and electric windows as standard, as well as splitfolding rear seats for when you need some useful extra space. A deposit of £2,814.82 is required and there’s a final payment of £4,099.49. The total amount payable is £10,805.31 but free insurance for a year is available as part of the offer.

MAZDA 2 THE Mazda 2 Tamura is billed as a seriously stylish car that’s great fun to drive around town. The Tamura model comes with 16-inch alloys, air conditioning, a CD player and iPod connectivity as standard. Awarded the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP safety ratings for adult occupancy, this compact car was World Car of the Year in 2008. Not only that, it’s fuel-efficient, with CO2 emissions as low as 115g/km. Mazda is currently offering the Mazda2 Tamura with no deposit and 0% APR representative. This five-door supermini is currently available for 42 monthly

payments of £190. On top of Mazda’s deposit contribution of £400, buyers can add their own contribution, reducing monthly payments to just £120. The total amount payable is £12,295 after the optional final payment of £3,888.75.

SKODA CITIGO CUSTOMERS looking for great value in a supermini should certainly consider the Skoda Citigo. The Citigo is just as practical as the Volkswagen

Up and interior space has been very cleverly maximised. Plus, with twoand four-door models available, as well as low monthly payments, a very attractive deal is currently on the table. Buyers can get behind the wheel with payments from just £89 a month over 34 months. Skoda is also offering servicing for just £12 a month on top of this. The total amount payable is £10,173.90, with a deposit of £2,791.24 and a final payment of £4,171.66.

time is money

hen was the last time anyone from your organisation attended an external training session, listened to a CD or read a book that would help them improve their sales performance? This month I want to highlight the need for frequent, structured training opportunities for all front-line staff and the benefits to you of delivering quality training material to your managers and your sales people on a regular basis. I truly believe the primary role of every manager is to develop the skills of their staff so that they can do the very best job that they are capable of doing. Funnily enough, this conviction helps to develop my own skills because as one of my favourite management gurus, Peter Drucker, once said: ‘No one learns as much about a subject as one who is forced to teach it.’ Just so you know, I listen to personal development CDs every day on my drive into work and I read at least one book on improving selling skills, business processes or some aspect of people management every week. This continual commitment to my own development not only keeps my own skills up to date and helps to focus my time and effort on the positive action I can take to increase business levels, but it’s also a constant reminder of all the successful things that I used to do but had somehow stopped doing. First Response sets aside around three hours per week for staff development, and the outstanding results we achieve can speak for themselves. Maybe it’s time to take stock of how much you’re helping your staff to improve their abilities and see whether you’re actually giving them all the necessary tools they need to be brilliant at their job, because the desire to succeed exists within every single one of them.

‘Take stock of how much you’re helping your staff.’

Who is Jim Meldrum?

Jim is regional sales manager for First Response Finance. Call him on 07917 460 111 or email Jimm@frfl.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

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big mike.

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

How my Land Rover man let me into a few money-saving secrets

here are many secrets in the car industry, and sometimes all it takes is a bit of expert knowledge to crack some of them open. Car dealers are good at that. By nature, we’re frugal individuals. Every penny we spend bringing a car up to sale standard is money off our margins, and given that it’s often the customer, and not the dealer, that is guilty of dishonesty it’s a far from infrequent occurrence that we get landed with other people’s problems. I’ve been in this industry long enough to know that such a thing is fair game. After all, why get rid of a car if you like it? If someone is part-exing their wheels, they’re either the type of person that feels a consumer-led need to get behind the wheel of something newer or smarter (one of the reasons I like to buy main dealer PXs at auction), or they’re so sick and tired of their old car that they get rid of it. This second group are, all too often, the cars I end up with! Just last week, for example, I took in a 12-year-old Land Rover Discovery in an extremely presentable condition, clearly never off-roaded, and with a fairly nice spec including air suspension and leather. It had three obvious problems. One was a leak from the ACE suspension system, the second was a faulty sunroof and the third was a non-functioning electric window. The owner’s local specialist had quoted more than £1,200 to get the work done, but as he no longer needed such a big vehicle, he instead came to me and bought a six-year-old Golf. I, in return, gave him £1,500 for the Disco, knowing full well that with the faults all sorted I could sell it for close to £3,500. Both of us were happy. That was at least until I started getting some quotes to get the ACE fixed. For those who don’t remember (or simply don’t care), ACE is Land Rover’s ‘Active Cornering Enhancement’ system, and uses hydraulic pressure to stop the Discovery’s tall body from leaning over in corners. To put it more simply, Land Rover does horizontally what Citroen likes to do vertically. The leak was coming from the end of one of the pipes where it meets the main valve cylinder, so looked easy enough to fix. Except it wasn’t, because when Land Rover first built the Discovery they attached the ACE pipes to the chassis before they put the body on top. To replace them properly requires taking the entire bodywork off. Suddenly, the £1,200 quote from the specialist didn’t look too bad. Pondering what to do next, I phoned a local Land Rover breaker I’d used a couple of times before to see if he could

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

help me get the bits I needed to mend the window and the sunroof, both of which, from his phone manner, were clearly extremely common problems on the model. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t have any window motors left in stock, a fact backed up by the fact that the cheapest ones on eBay were going for almost £100 – not funny when you can pick one up for a more conventional car for the price of a couple of beers. ‘As you’re in the trade, mate, I’ll let you into a little secret…’ he went on. ‘I can’t help you myself, but have a look for a window motor from a 1996 to 2003 Renault Megane. It’s exactly the same part.’ Sure enough, I went online and £5.50 later a Megane window motor was in the post to me. When it arrived, it was indeed the very same Valeo part, with an identical part number. But that wasn’t all that ‘Land Rover Chris’ saved me. My next query was about the sunroof motor…

‘Main dealers used to make a fortune out of replacing these’ ‘You don’t need one, mate. Main dealers used to make a fortune out of replacing these, but all that happens is they get a bit damp and the mechanism gets rusty and jams. ‘Just take the cover off, and using a 12mm socket turn the mechanism by hand a few times to loosen it up. Once there’s a bit of movement, just hose a load of WD-40 into the motor mechanism and it’ll work like clockwork – trust me.’ I did. And he was right. Amazed at his seemingly endless knowledge, I braved the ultimate question – what about the ACE pipes, and was there a cheap and effective way out? ‘Yeah, it’s dead easy that one, mate. You just buy a couple of scrap pipes off me and some compression connectors from a plumber’s merchant. Cut the rusty bits off the end of the old pipes, cut good metal out of the new pipes which you push into the valve block, and then connect them back together. I’ll do it for you myself if you like for £150.’ Quite frankly, given how much he’d saved me in one quick phone call, I’d have been rude not to have given him the work. Chris – you’re a legend. And as for me, I might start to specialise in old Discoverys, now I know how to get them fixed on the cheap…

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 | 41

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bAGGOTT.

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I’m hoping to korma the market with my new kind of takeaway

ight, pretend you’re Duncan Bannatyne, or one of the other mythical BBC beasts, and listen to my latest business idea. I have lots of stupid ideas, just ask the poor Blackball Media team when you see them next. Some disappear into Baggott’s Book of Failed Business Ventures (now telephone directory-sized), such as the time I thought we should start selling T-shirts. Don’t ask… Some do work out reasonably well, though. You wouldn’t be reading this award-winning motor trade publication if I hadn’t stuck my neck on the line a few years back and taken out a personal loan to fund it. But that’s another long story. So back to my latest money-making scheme… and you’ll need to stick with me on this one because it’s a bit different. It’s a new-fangled takeaway, called a Chindian. And before you think I’ve come over all politically incorrect, bear with me, because this is a half-sensible idea and there’s a reason for that name. Let me paint the picture: You and the good lady wife are sat down on a Friday night, you’ve bought her some Pinot Grigio blush, you’ve cracked open a bottle of beer, the little ones are in bed. All is good with the world, but then things take a turn for the worse. It starts with the movie choice – you want to watch a zombie apocalpyse, she wants to watch something with Ashton Kutcher. After settling the DVD dispute, the second drinks are poured, only for the takeaway tussle to begin. You want an Indian. She wants Chinese. Neither of you wants pizza. It’s the centuries-old (probably) Friday-night row, but a row no longer – thanks to my new Chindian venture. It’s a culinary fusion of Indian and Chinese dishes, prepared by the best chefs from both cultures all in one kitchen – where you can order everything you want in one place! No longer do you need to row about whether it’s chicken shashlik or chicken chow mein – you can have both. Naan bread and prawn toast? No problem. Onion bhajis and chicken balls? Consider it done, sir. And it’s not just the culinary culture combination that’ll be all new. There’d be some new rules and clever technology to make customers’ lives easier too. For a start, there’d be a limit to the amount of orders we could take on Friday and Saturday nights. We’d work out how many we needed to be profitable, and stick to that – not be greedy and take as many orders as we could and hope we could get the food out ‘within an hour’. And while we’re on the subject of times, we’d use some clever tech to keep the customer updated on

James Baggott *EDITOR’S NOTE: MAKE MINE A CHICKEN VINDALOO AND EGG FRIED RICE

exactly when their food will arrive. Customers would only be able to order via an App (for Apple products only, obviously) which would let them choose, pay for and track their order all in one place. Back in the kitchen, orders would have QR codes that kitchen staff would scan when they started to prepare them, automatically giving the customer a notification on their App that the food was being cooked. When it was bagged up and collected by the delivery driver, the QR code would be scanned again, notifying the punter the food was on the way. And that’s not all. There’d be a discount for ordering before 7pm when the shop was less busy, food would come in those cool cardboard tubs you only seem to get in movies, and hot boxes in our delivery cars would keep the food piping hot. Oh, and there’d be a loyalty scheme in the App that gives you the 10th meal free. Sound like simple little tweaks don’t they, but they’d

‘You’ll need to stick with me on this one because it’s a bit different’ make my Friday nights a hell of a lot simpler. And by this point you’re probably wondering why I’ve filled nearly my whole column with food chat and not cars. Well, there was a point – you see the only reason I think I know how to make improvements to the takeaway business is because I’m on the customer’s side of the fence and constantly annoyed at my local eateries. What if you asked someone – completely removed from the business of selling cars – what they would do to improve your car dealership? Would they make sensible suggestions that you could implement to improve your business? When we’re doing the same thing, day in, day out, we assume that it’s right and that our customers like it because they’re still coming through the doors, right? But what about those customers that haven’t come back – was that because they didn’t like what you did? I’m sure they’re not planning on opening up a rival showroom, but they might still have some sensible ideas that could improve your business. While you’re pondering that, I’ll be doing some market research into whether ‘Chindian’ is offensive or not – if it is, just like most of my other business ideas, it could get shot down just as quickly as I thought it up…

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 | 43

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In mint condition – a Jag with a sporting pedigree Currently available on autotrade-mail.com is this Jaguar X-Type SE – and it’s a car in a league of its own, as Becca Chaplin reports

n 2002 this Jaguar hit the headlines, but apart from its bright phoenixred exterior you probably wouldn’t take a second glance at it if you were walking down the street. Take a closer look at the details on this car, though, and you get a sense that it’s something more special than at first might appear. This Jaguar X-Type SE’s first owner was none other than footballer Michael Owen, pictured below with the car. Jaguar gave him the car in 2002 while he was playing for Liverpool, and after just 700 miles behind the wheel he auctioned it for Sport Relief, raising £25,850. The footballer’s signature has been etched into the dashboard and rear window of this top-spec Jag. The car also has a one-of-a-kind gearknob shaped like a football with Owen’s name and shirt number on it. After 12 years, most cars with this colour scheme would be shamed by a sun-faded paint job and seats that had been white once but had turned to a grotty shade of grey. However, this Liverpool-red exterior, contrasted by an ivory-full leather interior with red stitching, looks as factory-fresh as the day it was delivered to the legendary striker. The auction winner was a celebrity car specialist who sold it on to the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. The club then gave it away in its Christmas prize draw and the winner of that draw has owned it until now. Now up for sale from Moordown Prestige

Cars, in Bournemouth, the Jag has only accumulated 26,000 miles in the past 12 years and because of this it is in fantastic condition. The dealership is a Jaguar, Land Rover and Bentley specialist that knows what it’s looking for in a great X-Type. Moordown’s Marc Cohen said: ‘The previous owner had the car pretty much from new, as Michael Owen only drove it for just over 700 miles. We’re selling the Jag for £9,950 based on the extremely low mileage for a car of its age.’ Jaguar launched the X-Type in 2001 to rival the BMW 3 Series and it was the cheapest car it had made for decades. It became a popular executive car, with a refined driving style, plenty of space and all the desirable mod cons of the time. This Jag, as you would expect with any gift to a celebrity, was given all the optional extras. These included air conditioning, x-sport alloy wheels, electric windows, remote central locking, a radio and CD player, heated door mirrors and Jaguar Traction-4 full-time all-wheel drive. Visit autotrade-mail.com to start your free 14-day trial

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

forecourt.

Alfa Romeo 4C

Ivan Gibson, head of brand for Alfa Romeo UK, talks to Leon Poultney about the arrival of the 4C – and its likely impact on the dealer network

How is Alfa Romeo performing as a brand in the UK at the moment? The past 12 months or so have been relatively challenging but a lot of that is down to the fact that we are currently in transition in terms of product. The 4C has arrived at a great time as a halo product for us, just as some of the older models – such as Giulietta – have received a refresh, and just as we ready ourselves to launch more.

Are there any plans to increase the dealer network with the introduction of new product? We have 57 dealers officially in the UK now but there are more in the pipeline, which are due to come through over the next few months. We will see another influx of dealers next year.

How important is the 4C to the brand? Hugely important because it instantly gives us a great deal of added exposure with the extra

INSIDE

Don’t expect the 4C to be the lap of luxury – it’s stripped out like a Lotus. That means a smattering of leather but a mostly hard plastic driving environment

STYLING

4C uses design cues from a number of classic Alfas, most important of which is the 8C. Overall, it looks like a shrunken supercar

on test It bills itself as the first driver’s Alfa Romeo for years, but does it deliver? What is it? Alfa’s long-awaited halo model that sees a return to pure, unadulterated driving thrills. This low-slung, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive performance machine joins a model range that has erred on the side of caution for too long. It offers 236bhp, minisupercar looks and a breathtaking driving experience in a fairly affordable package.

What’s under the bonnet? A reworked version of the 1.7-litre turbocharged engine that could and still ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

can be found in more potent Giulietta models. The lump has been fettled and now boasts an all-aluminium casing and improved directinjection turbo performance. This unit is mated to a new TCT dual dry-clutch gearbox, while all 236bhp is pumped to the rear wheels via an electronic differential.

What’s the spec like? This is where the seductive Alfa falls down slightly as the interior is fitted with a surprising amount of hard plastic. The seats are comfortable and feature an Alcantara covering for extra grip but adjustments are limited to just rake and reach. It feels very much like a tarted-up

PR it generates. We’ve also not simply used it as a showpiece that is out of the reach of the person on the street. Technology from the 4C will start to filter down into other products; you’ll see the powertrain from it appear in the QV (Quadrifoglio Verde) Giulietta soon and other QVbadged models are in the pipeline. How do you select where the 4C is placed at a dealer level? The dealers become recognised as a 4C centre or

specialist. In terms of training and standards, there are certain things we require of the dealers but the option is there for the entire network to apply and train up to that standard if they wish. You sold out of the Launch Edition in seven days; do you not have dealers biting your hand off to be part of it? We sold 60 Launch Edition models here in the UK in just a few days, with customers handing deposits upfront and contracts signed straight off the back of the Geneva show. I can imagine it’s a very attractive proposition for a

number of dealers but the setting and training has to be right. What sort of customers did you attract into the showroom with the 4C? We managed to entice a few new customers into the showroom with this product, but I also think that we had customers who had owned Alfa products previously but, due to personal circumstances, were lucky enough to be able to indulge in other supercars. 4C finally allows us to get those guys and girls back into the brand.

ENGINE

Alfa’s rather uninspiring 1.7-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol is used – but a lot of work has been done to it to boost power to 236bhp.

the knowledge Model: Alfa Romeo 4C Price: £53,470 (as tested) Engine: 1.7-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol Power: 236bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 160mph 0-60mph: 4.3s MPG (comb’d): 41.5 Emissions: 157g/km Residual values (three years): tbc

target buyers:

True petrolheads after a sports car that delivers fun in spades

Lotus Exige in the way it ditches the mod cons for a stripped-out racer ambience, but customers do get airconditioning, a small entertainment system and a few cubbyholes for wallets and drinks. Prices start at £45k.

What’s it like to drive? Thumb the little starter button that is placed on the short but neat centre console and the angry fourcylinder engine barks into life. The shapely Alfa’s racing intent is made very obvious in the first few seconds of driving – the chassis is taut, the ride firm and the steering completely unassisted. This is no school-run taxi and that’s affirmed when the first corner is taken in anger. The front end is so keen to turn in, it’s almost impossible to miss a visual marker point.

What do the press think? Evo said: ‘Beautiful, and beautifully put together, it feels worth every penny of its £45,000 asking price. We suspect Alfa Romeo will sell all 3500 4Cs it hopes to build annually based solely on its styling.’

What do WE think? Driving enthusiasts will likely fall head over heels in love with the 4C: it’s noisy, it’s surprisingly quick (did we mention launch control?) and it handles like a true thoroughbred. This is the sort of car that will have certain members of society instantly hooked for that reason. But the noise and the drama is one thing – we know from the experience that if the 4C is to be a success, it has to offer more than that.

the rivals:

Porsche Cayman/Cayman S, Lotus Exige S

Key Selling Points: 1. Baby supercar looks 2. Stripped out – focused on driving experience 3. Great handling

Deal Clincher: The 4C is the first Alfa Romeo that puts driving thrills first for decades CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

forecourt. the knowledge Model: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet Price: £110,867 (as tested) Engine: 3.8-litre, six-cylinder, petrol Power: 400bhp, 440Nm Max speed: 182mph 0-60mph: 4.1s MPG (comb’d): 30.7 Emissions: 217g/km Residual values (three years): 47 per cent

target buyers:

The wealthy; supercar buyers after a useable and everyday car; traditional 911 owners

the rivals: Jaguar F-Type Convertible, Mercedes SL63 AMG, Audi R8

Key Selling Points: 1. Subtle looks 2. High levels of comfort 3. Superb build quality – highquality plastics and leathers

Deal Clincher: The four-wheel-drive system makes the C4S Cab a practical, everyday, every season car

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet Can drop-top 911 be an everyday car? James Batchelor reports What is it? It’s the convertible version of the very popular 911 Carrera 4S – so it gets the coupe’s swollen bodywork, all-weather usability and the traditional light strip at the back. Packed with technology such as torque vectoring and active suspension management, this is a supercar and not a poser’s mobile.

What’S UNDER THE BONNET? Porsche’s very familiar 3.8-litre flat-six that pumps out 400bhp. It’ll gargle its way to 182mph, and when fitted with the seven-speed PDK transmission it’ll hit 60mph in 4.1 seconds – best enjoyed with £1,700 sports exhaust. Fuel consumption is a respectable 31mpg – but turn on Sport mode, flip the paddles and drive the car like it wants you too and fuel consumption drops quite considerably.

What’S THE SPEC LIKE? Unsurprisingly, everything is an option. Our test car’s base list price was £96,964 but once equipment such as metallic paint, upgraded red leather, Sport Chrono Plus, a sports exhaust, Bluetooth, front parking sensors and an ultra-clear Bose sound system were added, the list price rose to an eyewatering £111k!

What’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? It’s incredibly easy to drive in all environments – it really is an everyday supercar. With that four-wheel-drive system and direct steering, the C4S Cab is a tremendously confidence-inspiring drive. Even though our car had the optional 20-inch alloys, the ride is good and well damped and when you factor

in decent (for a car of this type) luggage space, roomy too – it’s a proper car to lope across continents in.

What DO THE PRESS THINK? Auto Express said it’s ‘very hard to fault’, but with their test car also costing more than £100k said customers ‘may be better off considering the Carrera S.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? It’s a sensational piece of kit. Our test car (pictured) may have been a little bling, but it’s a glamorous and tasteful car to use everyday – and that’s its key strength; how easy it is to use.

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the knowledge Model: Lexus IS 300h Premier Price: ÂŁ39,105 (as tested) Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol & electric motor Power: 220bhp, 221Nm Max speed: 125mph 0-60mph: 8.1s MPG (combâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d): 60.1 Emissions: 109g/km Residual values (three years): 43 per cent

target buyers:

Predominantly fleet and company car drivers interested in running costs

the rivals: BMW 320d ED, Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI, Audi A4 2.0 TDe

Key Selling Points: 1. Striking and unique styling 2. Good to drive 3. Interior is nicely built and dashboard is stylish

Deal Clincher:

Can Lexus finally take on the daddy: BMWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 320d? James Batchelor got behind the wheel on UK roads to find out What is it?

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE SPEC LIKE?

Unlike its chief rivals, Lexus doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe in diesels for its small executive saloon. Instead of opting for derv power, Lexus has fitted two petrol engines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a V6 and a hybrid â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in its drive to steer buyers out of German machinery into its new IS.

Prices kick off at ÂŁ29,495 for the SE, which comes with switchable driving modes, dual-zone climate control and 16-inch alloys. The range tops out with the racy F Sport and luxurious Premier at ÂŁ33,495 and ÂŁ38,495 respectively and come packed with kit such as electric seats and a 15-speaker stereo.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UNDER THE BONNET? We tested the IS 300h â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the IS fitted with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor. The important bit about the unit is that it delivers class-leading CO2 emissions of 99g/km (depending on spec) . Apart from this, the engine does its business in a no-nonsense manner: 0-60mph takes 8.1 seconds while the top speed is 125mph.

DRINKS STATIONS AVAILABLE

Best-in-class CO2 emissions are a major trump card in this competitive sector

Lexus IS 300h

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Lexus has worked hard to make the IS a credible rival to the BMW 3 Series in the driving

department. The IS is close to the mark but is let down badly by the CVT gearbox, which whines away. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a button that introduces fake engine noise and gear changes to the cabin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a gimmick which just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t needed.

What DO THE PRESS THINK? Car Magazine said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you like driving, the faster, roomier and simply more entertaining BMW retains its crown.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

WHAT DO WE THINK? Lexus has produced a strong car here that is easily a worthy rival to anything German in this sector. But we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but feel having a petrolonly policy is a bit short-sighted.

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FEATURE.

built to

thrill

Any car-maker can make a fast car, but a driver’s car is something different. We gathered together some new and some old showroom favourites in Wales to find our very best

Jaguar xfr–s

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

bmw 1m coupe

Porsche 911 Carrera S

PICTURES: PETER SPINNEY

James Baggott (boss)

James Batchelor (editor)

Daljinder Nagra (DJ)

‘With the sports exhaust fitted, this Porsche sounded utterly brilliant, almost a rival for the Maser’s V8’

‘I have a few wrinkles – amazing, I know – my joints are playing up and my hair is getting a bit thinner’

‘It’s a mixture of hooligan thrills and cold fear, and you really have to concentrate to make sure the big cat doesn’t bite’

Mercede-Benz E63 amg S

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

FEATURE.

TOP facts maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale Baggott: Yes, that is Wales. Glorious, traffic-free, twisty-roaded, sheep-littered Wales. And yes, they are some of our favourite driver’s cars. We know they’re an oddball bunch. Italians, Germans, Brits – they don’t usually mix. You only need to visit a Spanish allinclusive holiday resort buffet to realise that. But then we don’t expect this fivesome to play nicely. We’ve brought them together – some old, some new – to decide which is our favourite driver’s car. And which you should be most proud to be serving up in your dealership. But before we ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

OTR

If you added all the options up, the total OTR price would be in excess of £132,500

get cracking, as is customary in these proceedings, we need a system. And just as he keeps his hair perfectly coiffed, he likes to keep points in order too – so it’s over to Batch to explain how we’ll work out our winner. Batch: I was wondering when you’d bring up my hair. Let me bring things back to terra firma though and put my maths hat on – but you have to bear with me as I was in the bottom set for maths at school. We’ll be marking these driver’s cars by the following criteria: looks, handling, performance, wow factor and value-for-

£15k

Most expensive option is matt paint at £15,000

money – and a score out of 10 should be given for each category. But that’s enough now – I’m boring myself to tears. The cars. And first up is a Maserati – not any Maser though but the fastest and meanest car the wonderfully-named Italian car company makes: the 442bhp GranTurismo MC Stradale. It’s also the most expensive car we have here by quite some margin at £110k. And flying the flag for Blighty is Jaguar’s super-saloon for caddish types – the 80-grand supercharged XFR-S. But there’s more, isn’t there Deej... DJ: Yes indeed. We couldn’t have a gathering

the knowledge

BIANCO

eldorado

(aka white) is the most popular colour

of our favourite driver’s cars without a strong showing from Germany. First up from the Fatherland is the limited-run BMW 1M Coupe, a car that gave the rather effeminate 1 Series some serious performance credentials, thanks to its searing straight-six engine and propensity for lairiness. It’s BMW’s last bastion of analogue hairy-chestedness in an increasingly digital (and anodyne) motoring landscape. Joining it is the Mercedes E63 AMG S – all svelte and demure on the outside, but with a tyreshredding 5.5-litre engine putting out 585bhp. However, proving that power isn’t everything is

-inch machine polished Trofeo design forged alloy wheels at £1,200 are the dearest wheels on offer

Model: Price: Engine: Power: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG (comb’d): Emissions:

the Porsche 911 Carrera 2S. The Stuttgart marque has form here, winning our road test of the year in 2012. Will its tried-and-tested formula win our hearts in the same way as the heavy-hitters? Only one way to find out… Baggott: Figghhhhttt! Or something along those lines. Right, now we’ve got a system from the man with a maths hat and a rundown of what’s here – to business! I was really looking forward to driving the Maserati. Having never had the chance before, it was somewhat of a pinnacle moment for me. Sadly, it let me down. Inside,

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale Auto Coupe £110,110 4.7-litre, V8 petrol 442bhp, 509Nm 188mph 4.3s 19.5 337g/km it’s a tight squeeze, despite being longer than an InterCity train. I found the driving position positively cramped. And the interior tech feels like it’s powered by an Amstrad from 1984. The media screen boasts Atari levels of graphics and the buttons under it look like they’ve been stolen from a Citroen C8. On the road, it feels big too and there’s no doubt it’s fast. However, on the twisty Welsh roads its bulk showed it up – and the brakes, well they didn’t inspire confidence. But you forget most of its flaws as soon as you hear it fire into life. Oh the sound. What a sound... CarDealerMag.co.uk | 55

FEATURE.

the knowledge Model: Price: Engine: Power: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG (comb’d): Emissions:

BMW 1M Coupe £40,020 (2011 price) 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, twin-turbocharged petrol 335bhp, 500Nm 155mph 4.9s 29.5 224g/km

Batch: ...the noise from that 4.7-litre Ferrari V8 is really quite sensational and dominates the entire driving experience. It gets even noisier when you thumb the ‘Race’ button and use the beautiful carbon-fibre paddles to change gear. James is right in the fact that it is quite a dog to drive on twisty roads. While it may have super-direct steering, the brakes really lack bite when you’re on it, and the whole cabin really isn’t up to scratch for a £50k car let alone one that costs more than double that. But I adore flawed cars and the Maserati delivers character in buckets – that and the fact that the name ‘Maserati’ is extremely seductive. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

TOP facts bmw 1m coupe

Maserati is trying to make its model range more appealing to ‘non-Maser’ owners by introducing the new Ghibli small saloon and there’s also a new SUV on the way. As long as they still keep building cars like the MC Stradale, Maserati dealerships won’t become anodyne and will emanate sheer glamour. DJ: Good looks – and I should know – can only get you so far. While the Maserati certainly has all the Italian character and charm that an owner could ever wish for, a car that shouts the shout like the MC Stradale should be far better resolved.

Just 2,700 units were to be made globally, but due to high demand, BMW built 6,700

The Tarmac-kissing front-splitter and trussed-up rear-end aerodynamics count for nothing when the basics, namely the steering, brakes and that woefully lethargic and jerky gearbox, aren’t up to scratch. The whole car feels disjointed and as such it’s better for being seen in than actually driving. Which only makes the £18k price premium for this Stradale version even more ludicrous. Worse still, there’s a hatchback-based BMW that shows this Ferrari-engined coupe the way when it comes to driver thrills. Baggott: And my word Deej, for once, you’re

1.1

1M was branded as the successor to the BMW M3 E30. In fact, 1M is only 1.1 inches longer than the E30

actually right. This Beemer is arguably one of the most driver-focused cars ever to come out of the German makers’ factory gates. I drove one on the launch and was intoxicated by it then and have been ever since. I love its springy controls, its lightweight gear change, its near-perfect driving position, and its looks are just so right, so in proportion, so spot-on that’s it’s hard not to love. In fact, in that respect it’s like the complete opposite of Batch, but I digress. Every time I jumped behind the wheel of this little BMW I couldn’t help but raise a smile – whether it’s chasing down the Maserati, annoying

TURBO

First ever BMW ‘M-car’ to be turbocharged

450

the Porsche or loudly laying rubber across corners, it’s a hoot. And what more can you wish for from a driver’s car? Batch: We had a brilliant orange 1M for Road Test of the Year three years ago, and with a full tank of fuel and a Welsh hill to navigate, it was a pure dream for a fresh-faced university graduate. But now I have a few wrinkles – amazing, I know – my joints are playing up and my hair is getting a bit thinner, so you’d think the 1M’s sparkle would be lost on me second time round. In fact, its appeal is even stronger. Possibly because I’m now

was the UK allocation. After rave reviews in media and on TV shows such as Top Gear, dealers sold the lot

a bit older and therefore a bit nearer to middle age (Baggott is well past it), the 1M seems so delicious it’s hard not to come to the conclusion is this the most perfect driver’s car for decades? It introduces a traditional work ethic to proceedings – fat wheels, fat arches and a fat engine all in a small car. It’s adorable and it does bite if provoked. But why is that interior so dreadfully unimaginative? DJ: As much as I hate to admit it, I must agree with my colleagues – the 1M is simply a sensation. I feared I’d missed the CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

FEATURE. chance to drive it, not having the opportunity to do so when it was first launched, and it certainly lived up to its hype and the praise lavished upon it in road tests at the time. Its small footprint means you have the space, even here on our Welsh testing ground, to exploit its rear-biased balance, and everything, from the suspension to the steering and gear change, is taut, beefy and ready for action. On the road it feels as solid as a rock. However, it isn’t quite as fun (predictably) as the industry’s darling, the Porsche 911.

the knowledge Model: Price: Engine: Power: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG (comb’d): Emissions:

Porsche 911 Carrera S 3.8 PDK £85,835 3.8-litre, six-cylinder petrol 400bhp, 439Nm 187mph 4.1s 32.5 205g/km

Baggott: Right, I’m ignoring your age-based jibes – for now – and moving on to the Porsche. Another Road Test of the Year stalwart – and a worthy winner of our annual test in 2012. We were offered a Turbo for this test and actually turned it down, preferring instead to plump for the purest of them all, the two-wheel-drive Carrera. Our test car came with the brilliant Sports Chrono Pack – a must upsell for any dealer – and PDK transmission for glorious launch control starts. With the sports exhaust fitted, this car sounded utterly brilliant, almost a rival for the Maser’s V8. The much-moaned-about steering was sublime, the gear change lightning fast and kidney-moving and the speed at which this thing can shift is incredible. It’s quite close to being the perfect sports car in my eyes. Now you’re out of nappies and old enough to drive one Batch, what do you think? Batch: I’ve never really understood the whole ‘911 thing’. Why do people bow down to the Stuttgart altar and heap praise on a car that is so illogically designed and hardly differs from generation to generation? But, oh my word, now I understand. Once you slip behind the wheel of a 911 for the very first time, you’re hit by this strange sense you’re in something very special and as good as it gets. It’s taken 50 years to get to this point, I kept telling myself. In this Carrera 2S spec, it’s probably the most sorted sports car out there for this kind of money, and the Porsche press office has an annoying habit of ticking all the options in the brochure, making the urge to buy one so tempting. Goodness knows how many customers Porsche has attracted to its dealerships by speccing its demonstrators right. If it were my money I’d plump for the 911 in a heartbeat. But talking of hearts, the F-Type Jag is my favourite sports car – I’m a Jag man at the end of the day. So why have we got a tarted-up saloon car from Jaguar for this feature then, DJ? DJ: Because, my unenlightened friend, this is no ordinary Jaguar saloon. But firstly I must place an early bet for the winner being the 911. This is the first time I’ve driven one on the road and – not wanting to gush – it’s quite simply unlike anything else I’ve ever driven. Like most, I greeted the cult-like fanboy-ism surrounding the 911 with scepticism. I mean, how can a car with its roots planted squarely in ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

TOP facts porsche 911 carrera S

the last millennium possibly hold a candle to its cutting-edge rivals? However, just five minutes behind the wheel is enough to realise what all the fuss is about, which is just as well, given the competition for the keys. And while some bemoan a lack of fresh design, I personally think the 911’s iconic shape has got better with age. As must Baggott, who’s emulating its silver-fox paint scheme with his hair. Baggott: Blimey DJ, that was almost poetic – did someone else write that for you? You see, I think

Every 911 since 1963 has been designed to have a five-dial instrument layout

On the current generation 991, 90 per cent of the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s components are new or revised over the previous 997

SILVER

is the most popular colour, followed by black then grey

A typical 911 customer spends approximately 10 per cent of the list price of their new car on options

ÂŁ9,387

Most expensive option on C2S is the Powerkit Carrera S

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

FEATURE. How can a car with its roots planted squarely in the last millennium possibly hold a candle to its cutting-edge rivals?

ďż˝ďż˝| CarDealerMag.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

FEATURE.

the knowledge Model: Price: Engine: Power: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG (comb’d): Emissions:

Jaguar XFR-S Saloon £79,995 5.0-litre, supercharged petrol 542bhp, 680Nm 186mph 4.4s 24.4 270g/km

– and this will sound weird coming from me – that the Jag is just too powerful. Yes, you read that right. There was one point during our test when I was on a straight bit of road, traction control off and it was still spinning its rear wheels enough to mark the Tarmac in third gear at 70mph (ahem). I know because I actually turned round to go back and check. The black lines were about a quarter of a mile long. The power this thing generates is ridiculous. It’s intoxicating but frankly over the top. I love the sound it makes and that interior is getting on a bit but still lovely. However, I found the steering ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

TOP facts jaguar xfr–s

too light and the driving position too country club and not enough club racer. It’s an impressive bit of kit, but doesn’t sum up a driver’s car for me. Batch: I’m struggling to accept the idea that you think a car has too much power, James. It’s probably something Jaguar dealers aren’t complaining about, though, as there’s no doubt that by transplanting Coventry’s wonderful supercharged 5.0-litre engine under the bonnet, it has spiced a model range that really lacked sparkle. The XF was a lovely car when it launched but that magic has dropped off a little. However,

is, unsurprisingly, the most popular market for XFR-S Saloon, followed by USA

that sparkle is well and truly back. There’s a menace about this car that the Merc simply cannot rival. It’s a seething anger that is so potent it literally scares you when the XFR-S appears in your rear-view mirror. DJ: What we have here is Coventry’s answer to the German dominance of the performance four-door sector: the XFR-S. With a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 firing 542bhp at the rear wheels, it’s on a par in terms of performance but has a balance and response that gives it an edginess completely missing from its Teutonic rivals. It’s

UK buyers spend around five per cent of the total car’s list price plundering the options list

an intoxicating mixture of hooligan thrills and cold fear, and you really have to be concentrating to make sure the big cat doesn’t bite. What I like most of all is the fact that it shares its basic shape with a 2.2-litre diesel and that they’ve painted it grey, meaning Audi R8 drivers won’t know what’s just demolished them until they hear the machine-gun noises coming from the tailpipes, isn’t that right Baggott? Baggott: I’m not rising to this. Let’s move it on to the third German offering here – the frankly bonkers Mercedes E63 AMG S. As if the

CARBON

Most expensive option is carbon engine cover at £1,295

BLUE

standard one wasn’t fast enough, those boffins have decided an S with even more power would be a sensible offering for dealers to sell to those punters with a serious power craze. This thing has something stupid like eight million horse power and can hit 60mph faster than a Harrier Jump Jet. Probably. And has more tech secreted in it than Apple’s One Infinite Loop HQ. That last bit is possibly true. If your customers like gadgets they’ll love this thing. Massaging seats with inflating bolsters for heavy cornering were my favourite. Oh, and on the road? Well, this is more motorway-mile-

French Racing Blue is the most popular colour for the Saloon – a shade that’s unique to R-S cars

muncher than Welsh-road-attack-dog, but it coped admirably with both. It’s retina-dislodging quick and sounds Spitfire-throaty. I liked it a lot, but it’s not my favourite here... Batch: Sounds like a Spitfire? What are you talking about, man? Saying a Merc sounds like a Spitfire would be punishable by death in Batchelor’s Britain. And speaking of that utopian vision, there would be far more cars around like the E63 AMG S. Mercedes has deleted the optional Performance Pack and instead created a model in its own right. Called CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

FEATURE. ‘S’, it’s more of everything – more power, more attitude, more environmentally-unfriendly. I like the way Mercedes has realised that the modern AMG buyer wants to have the bragging rights in the power stakes and just gone ahead and given the car’s already-potent 5.5-litre turbocharged V8 a slug of power – seven bhp to be precise. There’s no doubting it’s a very impressive package, but – and I can’t believe I’m saying this, bearing in mind how I began this a few seconds ago – it is all a bit too much, especially the styling. It’s really quite obscene.

the knowledge Model: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 585 Price: £84,110 Engine: 5.5-litre, V8 twin-turbocharged petrol Power: 577bhp, 800Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 3.9s MPG (comb’d): 28.5 Emissions: 232g/km

DJ: Nothing wrong with a bit of bling, Batch. Though, yes, while AMG’s styling regime breathes life into Merc’s lesser models, the effortlessly handsome E-Class didn’t need quite the same level of meddling and looks a bit OTT with all of its go-faster jewellery. However, there’s no doubting the hardware underneath. Whereas AMGs of old were great for fast autobahn work, they never really had the same panache as their BMW M rivals in the twisty stuff. This new E63 changes all that. It feels delicate and light to the touch in a way you’d never believe if you’d taken in the sheer size of it, and it flows with the road in a manner its rather pointand-squirt forebears could never match. This is the car to give BMW dealers sleepless nights, and – as a huge fan of AMGs – it gives me great pleasure to say Mercedes finally has a proper answer to the domination of the BMW M5. Baggott: Yeah, yeah, yadee-yada. I’m bored of your wittering now, let’s wrap this up the Batch In a Maths Hat scientific way – with POINTS. Bear with me while I scrawl on a bit of paper... OK, the working out is done. Last place for me is the Mercedes. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed driving it, but it’s no out-and-out driver’s car. Fourth is the Jaguar, followed closely by the extremely loud Maserati in third. My second and first place were separated by just one point. The brilliant BMW falls into second place, beaten by the allconquering 911. It’s such a good car to drive, to look at, to listen to. If I was running a Porsche dealership right now I’d be feeling pretty smug, that’s for sure. Batch: This is quite momentous – for the first time in four years we actually agree on something James. This is hugely worrying. No matter, because I think you’re right. We’ve scored these cars in a variety of categories but – and I hate this phrase – at the end of the day, it is down to the way they drive. And for that reason the Mercedes has to come last, as it is a bit of a blunt instrument in this company. Scoring two points more is the Jag – it has a bit more respectability than the German saloon so it earns a leg up the table. The Maser sits in third. I liked this car more than I thought I would but, while I love flawed cars, in this company its flaws were too bad to overlook. In second is the 1M – a fabulously awesome package, it deserves high praise and makes me think if only BMW had built more of them, ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

TOP facts mercedeS-benz E63 amg S

£7k

dealers would still be selling them now. First is the 911. It’s a sheer triumph in every area. DJ: I’m going to get some stick for this I’m sure, but I have to award the wooden spoon to the Maserati. It held so much promise when it roared into the car park, but the dynamic experience just hasn’t matched up. It’s hugely disappointing that this purpose-built race-car for the road can be trumped in the entertainment stakes by the luxurious XFR-S and E63 AMG S, which take fourth and third place respectively. That these barges are even in the running is testament to the

£7,090 is the cost for the very powerful AMG high-performance composite braking system

AMG S is outselling the ‘regular’ E63. The UK is one of the only markets worldwide to have the RWD E63 AMG S

£1,790

The cost of the optional 19-inch AMG five, twin-spoke design wheels

200

Last year in the UK, 320 saloons and estates were registered – a rise of more than 200 per cent

BLACK is the most popular colour

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

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FEATURE.

AND THE WINNER IS? Looks 1st PLACE

Porsche 911 2nd PLACE

BMW 1M 3rd PLACE

Maserati GT MC Stradale 4th PLACE

Jaguar XFR-S 5th PLACE

Mercedes E63 AMG S

Handling Performance Wow factor

Value

Total

Combined Total

8 7 9

9 9 9

8 9 7

7 5 8

41 39 42

122

9 9 8

9 8 9

8 6 8

7 7 6

7 8 6

40 38 37

115

9 9 8

6 6 5

8 7 7

9 7 9

5 5 4

37 34 33

104

7 7 7

6 6 7

9 8 8

7 5 6

36 31 34

101

6 6 7

6 6 8

9 7 9

8 5 6

5 5 6

34 29 36

Batch (editor)

James (boss)

engineering genius of the people behind them, and means the need for four seats and a big boot needn’t be an obstacle to achieving driving nirvana. Second place goes to the BMW 1M. Quite why the Bavarians didn’t put it into series production I’ll never know, as they’d be laughing all the way to the bank. The only fault is the rather low-rent interior, and that has little bearing

in this test. All of which just leaves the fabulous Porsche 911. As fit for daily use at it is, it never feels anything less than an event each time you slip behind the wheel and rewards drivers with oodles of feedback. It is a towering achievement and we hereby declare it our winner. Predictable? Maybe. Deserved? Most definitely. [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

FEATURE.

TRADING UP

Thanks, Harwoods! Tremendous efforts of Chichester main dealer are sure to help us break the £5,000 barrier in our supercar quest

A GOOD MONTH OF PROGRESS TO REPORT Well, another month has passed in our quest to trade up to a supercar for charity – and I’m pleased to report that we have made some impressive strides forward lately. You can check out the first two deals we did in the panel on the right – and thanks to the wonderful efforts of Jaguar main dealer Harwoods of Chichester, I’m confident that another sale will have been made before long. The 1995 Jag we obtained, and which we’ve written about in previous editions of the mag, spent about six weeks in its workshop. Incredibly generously, the guys there spent more than £1,600 on improving the car, with the money going on suspension work, a good service, an MOT and some welding, along with some final fettling. They then had the car valeted for us before we picked it up. This work would have cost a regular punter more than £3,000, so it must have added some good value to our vehicle. Big thanks need to go to Brett Ward and the team at Harwoods Jaguar in Chichester.

STORY SO FAR... Toyota Rav4 Paid: £2,000 Spent: £200 Sold: £3,000

Suzuki Vitara Paid: £1,500 Spent: £300 Sold: £1,950 The car is now back at Car Dealer Towers, where we have a couple of small jobs to do before we put it on to Auto Trader. We think an asking price of £3,995 should make it a compelling buy, and we’ll be prepared to take an offer very close to that figure. In the meantime, we haven’t been sitting back. We’ve managed to get our hands on a very late mark one Mazda MX-5 just in time for summer. This is a UK car and is rare in that it has a full service history and is surprisingly tidy, with a new set of alloys and a lovely mohair hood. It’s mechanically sound

too. What we do need before we can trade this on, though, are a couple of seats. At some point it’s been fitted with aftermarket leather seats, which were lovely when new but have become very faded and worn. If anyone reading this can help us with a couple of seats, or maybe knows a trimmer who can sort these out, please let us know. Once these two are moved on, we should be comfortably over £5k and edging towards our supercar goal for Great Ormond Street Hospital. andy@blackballmedia.co.uk

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

focus on.

Paragon Car Finance

Paragon’s back – and in W: paragoncarfinance.co.uk T: 0845 149 7777

PARAGON CAR FINANCE

ook up the word Paragon in any dictionary and the meaning is abundantly clear: a beacon of excellence. And now that Paragon Car Finance, part of Paragon Bank, has re-entered the market, dealers large and small can once again tap into a superb range of competitively-priced hire purchase and lease schemes to support their customers’ new and used car requirements. Of course, all these are backed up by the traditional values Paragon abides by and the simple yet crucial ethos of doing things properly. Paragon Group was an active lender in the car finance market between 1998 and 2008, originating more than £900 million of business via 2,100 dealers and, in doing so, funding over 100,000 cars. When the credit crunch devastated the British economy, Paragon was forced to withdraw from new lending but was careful to exit the car finance arena in a controlled and fair manner. Now though, Paragon Car Finance is back in the game – and it’s clear the company is determined to reassert itself as the economic upturn gathers pace. Available across the market via car dealers and finance brokers, the new, core product range from Paragon offers maximum flexibility on a range of key product terms, including asset age at the beginning and end of the finance contract, deposit amount, loan duration and final payment. This all-important flexibility means that dealers can tailor terms to suit each individual customer’s requirements and budget. As well as being great news for car buyers themselves, dealers should be pleased by the reappearance of Paragon Car Finance. There’s certainly been a positive reaction so far. Julian Rance, Head of Car Finance at Paragon Bank, said: ‘We’re delighted with the way things have been going in the first couple of months. I think it’s fair to say we’ve been well received and we’re certainly glad to be back. ‘We had particularly strong relationships with large UK brokers when we were in operation before and when we exited the market, we maintained relationships with those introducers even though we weren’t lending. ‘Broadly speaking, our market is the same as it was before. We’re keen to get involved with the top 200 dealer groups in the UK but we’re also looking at medium and smaller franchised dealers and used ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Julian Rance

‘‘

We can identify gaps in a dealer’s market, suggest different types of product they might like to try, or build in flexibility so dealers can sell more cars. dealers too. We realise that manufacturers are very good at providing finance for new cars. With this in mind, we compete where most of the independent lenders do, which is on the used car playing field. ‘And we’re particularly capable of doing that. We have the products that can do that and we have the pricing and capacity to do it as well.’ So what can dealers expect in terms of systems and support when they get involved with Paragon Car Finance in 2014? ‘Well, as opposed to buying an off-the-shelf

system in the run-up to our launch, we developed our own in-house online system – and again, the feedback has been very good,’ said Rance. ‘The key for us is that it’s easy to use. We’ve not provided user guides on purpose, because if you have to provide a user guide the system can’t be that straightforward. ‘In fact, the biggest change for us since we left the market is the actual development of online systems. A lot more business these days is transacted online. A lot more of the dealers who we were dealing with manage their proposals themselves as opposed to wanting somebody within their showroom. ‘They just don’t need that any more. They just want support down a telephone line. And that’s where we excel.’ With Paragon Car Finance, support and help are on offer to dealers every step of the way. ‘When we sign up a new dealer, we’ll make welcome calls, we’ll hold that dealer’s hand through that first deal and make sure they know what they’re doing. There will also be friendly and professional support moving forward. ‘It comes back to the traditional values that are the core of our business. Our aim is that our name becomes synonymous with good service. We want to be a respected and well-regarded lender that does the right things.’ Paragon Car Finance re-entered the market at a time of change in the regulatory framework governing the industry. On April 1, the Financial Conduct Authority assumed control of consumer credit regulation. That date also marked the advent of CONC, the accompanying consumer credit sourcebook, which puts the fair treatment of customers at the centre of the car finance market. Rance acknowledges that although change can be daunting, the new arrangements will turn out to be beneficial for everyone concerned. He said: ‘We most certainly welcome the new consumer credit rules, and, in particular, the increased focus on treating customers fairly. ‘As a lender, it is important that we develop products that are easy to understand, retain visibility and control over the pricing of our products to the end customer, and ensure robust checks are in place within our application systems to assess affordability. Needless to say, our products are compliant with all the relevant regulations and fit within the CONC regime.’

better shape than ever

Sealing the deal: Paragon Car Finance can suggest new ways for dealerships to do business

Helping dealers manage their finance products more effectively and identify new opportunities where finance may deliver more car sales is another stated aim of Paragon Car Finance. Rance takes a refreshingly no-nonsense approach to what his company can offer. ‘To a large extent, the car finance market has been established for so long, we aren’t going to have a long list of USPs,’ he acknowledges. ‘But what we can do, instead of just competing against our rivals on price, is suggest ways forward

for a particular dealership to do business. ‘We can identify gaps in a dealer’s market, suggest different types of product they might like to try, or build in flexibility so dealers can sell more cars.’ And what of the future for Paragon Car Finance? Rance says: ‘The key for us over the next 12 to 24 months will be to build our distribution base. I think we will look to expand – predominantly into markets that are close to the car market, such as LCVs, motorbikes, motorhomes and so on.

‘And I think we’d also look at product development. We don’t have a PCP at the moment. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense for us to compete with manufacturer PCPs, but there are areas within the PCP market where I think we can add value and do things slightly differently.’ It all adds up to excellence in the present and excitement in the future. Paragon Car Finance is back. By Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave) CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

DATA FILE.

Thestatistics n

SMMT Sales Data

Taking Stock

We’ve now had 26 months of growth, reports the SMMT Another rise in number of registrations as consumer confidence grows

ew car registrations rose by 8.2 per cent in April to 176,820 units, according to the latest figures from the SMMT. The April figures marked the 26th consecutive month of growth. Volumes for the year-to-date reached 864,942 – an increase of 12.5 per cent. Continuing improvements in economic conditions are continuing to bolster consumer confidence, which in turn is fuelling the rise in new car registrations, according to the organisation. The healthy April figures prompted the SMMT to revise its 2014 market forecast from 2.3 million to more than 2.4 million registrations. Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘After the bumper plate-change month of March, the UK car market returned to more modest but still

positive growth in April. This marks 26 consecutive months of growth as GDP continues to pick up, inflation falls and wage levels improve. ‘As UK economic confidence improves still further and the market continues its upward trend, we have revised our 2014 forecast up from 2.3 million to over 2.4 million registrations. This represents an increase of more than six per cent versus last year.’ Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays, said: ‘The UK car market remains in rude health, as improving consumer confidence and strong finance deals continue to rev the market. The recent news that the Government’s plug-in car grant has been extended to 2017 is also welcome news and will encourage sales of electric vehicles – great for the environment and consumers’ wallets.’

KPMG’s UK head of automotive, John Leech, said: ‘The market continues to be supported by cheap finance offers from car manufacturers, PPI claim payouts and fuel cost savings from switching to a new car, but these do not explain the year-onyear improvement. ‘Rather, it is the improving consumer sentiment which has unlocked demand pent up during the recession. ‘Recent surveys of UK consumer demand such as the authoritative GfK UK consumer confidence index have painted a consistent picture – people are reporting a dramatic improvement in their own personal finance situation in the past year and expect this to continue over the next year. ‘Importantly, UK consumers see a dramatic improvement in their ability to make major purchases.’

Fiesta in top spot AGAIN – breaking the 10k barrier THE usual suspects topped the sales charts in April – with the Blue Oval grabbing first and second place ahead of models from manufacturers such as Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Nissan. Top seller was the all-conquering Fiesta, recording 10,250 units, with the Focus in second place (6,772). Then came Volkswagen’s Golf (5,302 units) in third, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa (3,949) and Audi A3 (3,754) in fourth and fifth places respectively. In sixth place was the Nissan Qashqai (3,753), seventh was Vauxhall’s Astra ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

(3,562) and in eighth place was VW’s Polo (3,449). The top 10 was rounded off with the ninth-placed Nissan Juke

(3,053 units) and the Fiat 500 (2,928). The top two held the same positions in the year-to-date chart, with 49,490 and 31,531 units shifted respectively. The rest of the top 10 is as follows: Vauxhall Corsa (27,788), VW Golf (24,462), Vauxhall Astra (21,027), VW Polo (17,080), Nissan Qashqai (16,690), Audi A3 (15,337), Fiat 500 (14,613) and BMW 3 Series (13,523). The healthy state of the UK car market means it is now firmly established as the second-largest new car market in the European Union.

SMMT sales data April/year to date

Top

Most-improved manufacturers in April MG

+1600%

Maserati +664.71% SsangYong +75% Jeep

+43.97%

Lexus

+35.76%

Bottom

Worst-performing manufacturers in April Proton

-100%

Chevrolet -92.25% Perodua -83.33% Infiniti

-67.65%

A/Martin

-40.82%

MAZDA +23.13%

A/MARTIN -40.82% 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

April 2014

2014

114 377 58 12,958 108 10,484 85 154 6,028 1,979 4,760 25,843 3,043 6,122 22 1,209 203 5,966 4,381 691 13 130 2,177 8,736 221 0 2,992 925 9,446 4 7,245 914 0 3,454 0 3,637 6,053 367 84 129 2,193 6,838 17,052 16,590 2,889 70 76 176,820

% market share 0.06 0.21 0.03 7.33 0.06 5.93 0.05 0.09 3.41 1.12 2.69 14.62 1.72 3.46 0.01 0.68 0.11 3.37 2.48 0.39 0.01 0.07 1.23 4.94 0.12 0.00 1.69 0.52 5.34 0.00 4.10 0.52 0.00 1.95 0.00 2.06 3.42 0.21 0.05 0.07 1.24 3.87 9.64 9.38 1.63 0.04 0.04

April 2013

2013

101 445 98 10,823 117 8,866 1,097 137 6,527 2,016 4,394 22,178 3,042 5,772 68 1,080 141 5,628 3,483 509 16 17 1,768 7,631 13 0 3,350 888 8,083 24 7,203 735 3 2,980 2 3,983 5,050 402 48 118 1,681 6,500 17,645 16,096 2,404 101 94 163,357

% market share 0.06 0.27 0.06 6.63 0.07 5.43 0.67 0.08 4.00 1.23 2.69 13.58 1.86 3.53 0.04 0.66 0.09 3.45 2.13 0.31 0.01 0.01 1.08 4.67 0.01 0.00 2.05 0.54 4.95 0.01 4.41 0.45 0.00 1.82 0.00 2.44 3.09 0.25 0.03 0.07 1.03 3.98 10.80 9.85 1.47 0.06 0.06

% change 12.87 -15.28 -40.82 19.73 -7.69 18.25 -92.25 12.41 -7.65 -1.84 8.33 16.53 0.03 6.06 -67.65 11.94 43.97 6.01 25.78 35.76 -18.75 664.71 23.13 14.48 1,600.00 0.00 -10.69 4.17 16.86 -83.33 0.58 24.35 -100.00 15.91 -100.00 -8.69 19.86 -8.71 75.00 9.32 30.46 5.20 -3.36 3.07 20.17 -30.69 -19.15 8.24

2014 534 1,953 315 56,724 580 48,421 2,646 744 30,206 8,800 23,542 120,719 21,308 29,225 138 6,683 919 27,574 21,479 3,731 56 317 14,664 42,535 767 5 12,759 3,652 47,254 16 39,678 3,054 1 21,110 1 17,660 26,360 1,657 513 799 13,713 34,570 91,344 72,861 12,798 272 285 864,942

Year to date (YTD) % market share 0.06 0.23 0.04 6.56 0.07 5.60 0.31 0.09 3.49 1.02 2.72 13.96 2.46 3.38 0.02 0.77 0.11 3.19 2.48 0.43 0.01 0.04 1.70 4.92 0.09 0.00 1.48 0.42 5.46 0.00 4.59 0.35 0.00 2.44 0.00 2.04 3.05 0.19 0.06 0.09 1.59 4.00 10.56 8.42 1.48 0.03 0.03

2013

479 1,931 357 49,085 379 40,188 4,124 862 28,714 3,994 19,271 106,525 21,186 25,758 188 6,058 647 24,832 22,248 2,770 58 104 10,843 36,633 94 0 15,284 3,931 42,014 122 38,463 2,395 15 12,786 3 14,440 20,554 1,866 211 787 11,637 32,565 86,872 65,356 11,330 287 309 768,555

% market share 0.06 0.25 0.05 6.39 0.05 5.23 0.54 0.11 3.74 0.52 2.51 13.86 2.76 3.35 0.02 0.79 0.08 3.23 2.89 0.36 0.01 0.01 1.41 4.77 0.01 0.00 1.99 0.51 5.47 0.02 5.00 0.31 0.00 1.66 0.00 1.88 2.67 0.24 0.03 0.10 1.51 4.24 11.30 8.50 1.47 0.04 0.04

% change 11.48 1.14 -11.76 15.56 53.03 20.49 -35.84 -13.69 5.20 120.33 22.16 13.32 0.58 13.46 -26.60 10.32 42.04 11.04 -3.46 34.69 -3.45 204.81 35.24 16.11 715.96 0.00 -16.52 -7.10 12.47 -86.89 3.16 27.52 -93.33 65.10 -66.67 22.30 28.25 -11.20 143.13 1.52 17.84 6.16 5.15 11.48 12.96 -5.23 -7.77 12.54

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

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 . . .

Hold on tight – used car values across the board rise to all-time record new levels says Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK network operations director

ood news – our latest Pulse report shows that the headline average value increased in March, rising by £57 compared with February to record the highest monthly value this year and the third highest on record. There were sizeable value rises to record levels in the fleet and lease and dealer sectors, while nearly-new values improved for the first time this year. Our data shows that average values improved in March by £57 (0.7 per cent) to £7,387, compared with the previous month. Average performance against CAP Clean fell by half a point to 98.36 per cent. Year-on-year, March 2014 was ahead by £387 or 5.5 per cent, with average age up by a month at 62 months and average mileage falling slightly at just over 56,000. CAP Clean performance was up on a year ago by half a point. Despite volumes remaining significantly higher than we have seen in recent months, demand was very strong across the range of stock on offer at BCA in March. We saw greater volumes from

Headline average value up

£57

‘The uplift in the retail new car sector is generating good-quality part-exes.’ dealer part-exchange sources and a small increase in fleet/lease volumes. This shift in the model mix meant the headline figure could have been even higher as the individual product sectors saw quite significant value uplifts. As I said last month in Car Dealer Magazine, used car demand remains very strong, particularly for retail-quality vehicles. But the market is showing early signs of softening and, with the March new registration figures being the highest in a decade, this will generate more volume into the used car arena. If supply starts to outstrip demand, there will inevitably be some downward pressure on average values, particularly for less attractive or poorly presented vehicles. Corporate sellers should keep close to the

market and work with their remarketing partner to ensure their vehicles are sensibly appraised and realistically valued to sell first time. Fleet and lease cars averaged £9,572 in March, a rise of £381 or 4.1 per cent compared with February, and a new high point for the sector. Values were up by a significant £838 (9.5 per cent) year-on-year. CAP performance fell marginally over the month to 98.49 per cent but was ahead year-on-year. Retained value against original MRP (manufacturer’s retail price) was up by nearly a point at 43.81 per cent compared with February and was up by 1.3 points year-on-year. The uplift in the retail new car sector is generating a wide variety of good-quality partexchange vehicles into the remarketing arena. We are seeing plenty of interest in well-presented retail quality vehicles and here values continue to outperform price guide expectations. The premium and luxury end of the market remains very strong, with buyers happy to invest six-figure sums for the right vehicles. [CD]

Average car sold at BCA for

£7,387

Average mileage down to

56,000

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Buyers’ guide

Audi TT

Mk1 ’98-06

We help you choose the best stock for your forecourt. This month, the Audi TT is the model in the spotlight What is it?

What CAN GO WRONG?

The Audi TT went from concept to reality with remarkable ease. First shown at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, the production TT of September 1998 bore little difference to the striking prototype’s design. It quickly became the must-have fashion accessory towards the end of the ’90s and the early Noughties. A very unfortunate series of deaths on German autobahns during 1999 led Audi to quickly recall the car and add ESP, a rear spoiler and suspension modifications. It did little to affect sales in the UK, however. Over the years, there were various versions. Being loosely based on the Golf, it was of no surprise the TT got the Golf GTI’s 1.8-litre turbo. There were front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive quattro versions (the latter available in 222bhp or 237bhp) along with a convertible. The range really spiced up with the addition of a 3.2-litre, 247bhp V6 in mid-2003 that came with DSG as an option. A limited-edition quattro Sport appeared in 2005.

It’s generally well known in the trade that the 1.8litre turbo petrol can go on for ever if it’s been well looked after, with odometers reading more than 200,000 not being uncommon. TTs needed the cam-belt and tensioners replaced at the 80,000 or five-year mark. If a car hasn’t had this done, it will need a £2,500 engine rebuild. The manual gearbox in TTs is also pretty robust, needing only a new clutch between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. However, the Volkwagen Group’s clever DSG gearbox can suffer from problems. A failing mechatronic unit will result in less-thansmooth changes or even complete reluctance to engage gear. A failed unit will need replacing but there are many specialists around who can offer reconditioned units. Meanwhile, suspension problems are common on all TTs, thanks to the car being surprisingly heavy. Bangs, creaks and knocks over small road imperfections indicate tired front wishbones. Interiors not only look smart even by today’s

THE PERFECT TT

Entry-level 1.8-litre TTs in silvers, greys and blues will appeal. Avoid convertibles in colours such as non-metallics or greens.

PROBLEMS

Generally sound but take care with cars fitted with DSG, and make sure the car has had its cam-belt and tensioners replaced. standards but they last well too. But even here there can be a few problems. Look for malfunctioning dials and the dot-matrix data panel missing some pixels.

What’s the perfect TT? It’s hard to come up with a definitive TT that will be desirable to your customers, but it’s fair to say you can’t really go too far wrong by stocking a TT Mk1 on your forecourt – they’re just as desirable now as they were then. 1.8 manuals will always be popular in silvers, greys, blues and blacks, as will powerful V6 quattro DSGs. The rare quattro Sport – limited to just 800 – are better in bright colours such as red. Avoid convertibles in miserable colours such as non-metallics and greens. [CD]

UNDER THE BONNET

A number of options on offer. 1.8-litre turbo petrols are strong and will always appeal to a larger variety of customers.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 77

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Dealership uses Facebook to make seven-year-old smile bit.ly/FB-smile

A tough April, but used car values still increase

Henstock

Demand remains strong for the best-quality retail cars, according to BCA

Beat summertime blues

he headline average value of a used car increased in April by £166 compared with March to £7,553 – the highest monthly value this year and the second highest on record, according to BCA’s latest Pulse report. The average value for April 2014 bucked the trend of the past three years, when significant falls were recorded during the month. For the second month running there were value rises to record levels in the fleet & lease and dealer sectors and an improvement in nearly-new values. BCA’s data shows that average values improved in April by £166 (2.2 per cent) to £7,553 compared with the previous month. However, average performance against CAP Clean fell by two and a half points to 95.77 per cent, suggesting that sellers were being pragmatic about performance compared with guide values. Year-on-year, April 2014 was ahead by a significant £1,051 or 16.6 per cent,

auction stations

with average age down at 61 months and average mileage falling to 55,500. CAP Clean performance was up on a year ago by a point. Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK network operations director, commented: ‘While average values continue to surge ahead, the market was much tougher in April than we have seen so far this year. Buyers were presented with greater choice as volumes rose and conversion rates came under pressure as a result. As in previous months, demand remains strong for the best-quality retail cars, but less attractive or poorly-presented vehicles must be valued competitively and in line with condition in order to attract buyers and sell first time.’

Part-exchange values on the rise, says Manheim prices within the dealer sector AVERAGE part-exchange values have continued on the positive continued to rise in March, Manheim’s price trajectory that the market has latest Market Analysis shows. experienced since August 2013. Values during the month reached £3,285 – a £69 increase when compared Values during this period have with February. Manheim says the figure increased by £656, which is reflective has been fuelled by a fall in age from of a fall in age of one month and in 101 to 100 months and a reduction of average mileage by 1,748. average mileages from 77,747 to 75,592 When comparing year-on-year during March. values, Manheim found the average The figures have once again selling price in March was £55 (1.7 per highlighted the average cent) higher Car dealer that cowboy ads selling 28/8/13 15:49 Pagethan 1 in March 2013.

No cowboys. Just Just trade trade professionals. professionals.

fter a strong start to the year, the market is now moving into a period over the summer months when we expect values to remain relatively flat. When business slows, it is important to identify the profit opportunities in part-exchange stock and this is where BCA’s Dealer Pro tools can help. Dealer Pro from BCA is an online and iPad tool, designed to help dealerships control and manage vehicle appraisals, provide accurate valuations and profitably manage partexchange inventory and vehicle disposals – and as a result, sell more vehicles relative to the market conditions. The system has been adopted by many leading dealer groups and has transformed the processing of part-exchange appraisals and valuations. Dealer Pro helps them achieve a more efficient used car operation by removing administration and providing a consistent process for appraisal and valuation on any number of vehicles. Incoming partexchange vehicles can be processed fluidly and allocated to retail or trade as appropriate. The system can integrate with dealers’ existing processes, is auditable, transparent and doesn’t rely on subjectivity at any stage. Most importantly for large groups, the Group Stock management feature means all stock is visible all the time, including PX vehicles and those allocated for forthcoming remarketing. Filters can be introduced to identify and flag up retail-quality vehicles, and individual dealerships within the group can have the option to ‘buy’ these. Maximise your profit opportunities by making the most of your PX vehicles. It’s one sure way to beat the summertime blues!

‘Dealer Pro helps to achieve a more efficient used car operation.’

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 | 79

TRADER TALK.

..in association with AutoTrader

This Billy CAN be a hero to car dealers . . .

Like innovators in the sporting world, you can move towards growth by tracking performance

he way professional sports are played and coached has changed dramatically, driven by the true story of baseball manager Billy Beane, a man who used data and metrics to buy players and manage his team. His winning formula inspired a book, then a film and created a new breed of sports boffin, analysing data in sports from baseball to bobsled. Football has taken time to join the party, but some managers have blazed a trail. Before his fall from grace with Manchester United, David Moyes won a top-eight spot in eight consecutive seasons with Everton, keeping the club profitable through intelligent player transfers. His achievement came through working with Opta, a sports statistics company that tracked 1,500 key data events from every match, helping to identify transfer targets that were underpriced and devise strategies to nurture young players through the ranks which he could sell profitably. On match days, football and rugby managers may also use data to track players in real time, responding instantly if performance declines. Fatigue levels can be determined by measuring total distance covered, average sprint distance and top speeds. Tactical substitutions can be made based on data not merely gut instinct. This statistics-based approach is being applied

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Winning formula: Billy Beane

by the best car dealers. Today, millions of online consumers are leaving a vast trail of data about the vehicles they are searching for. Every competitor’s stock is also listed online, while price changes and days in stock can be tracked. And, like the successful football manager, all this data can be collated and intelligently analysed to bring competitive advantage to the user. Most dealerships track their own sales performance and carry out some research on the competition, searching online portals for vehicles in the market place, but that’s only part of the story. Usually, the missing metrics are consumer demand information, competitor analysis and wholesale availability. Some may look to a bespoke solution to fill the gaps, building a custom database scraping the internet for competitor details. But remember – settling for a cheap and smaller data set results in mistaken analysis that can cost your business dearly. Deltapoint’s i-Control solution, on the other hand, works with the most compelling and comprehensive data set and presents a simple-to-use interface for users. Overlaying used car metrics against current business strategy exposes the biggest opportunities to improve performance. Dealerships can tweak their stock profile to

‘Settling for a cheap and smaller data set results in mistaken analysis.’ be more closely aligned to regional demand or change their pricing strategy to drive lower days to sell. Whatever strategy is chosen, the important thing is that metrics are defined and measured so you can move towards growth. Like football players, cars won’t give you the best results unless you continually monitor their performance online. The final step is therefore to track each stock item against live data metrics, checking online response, consumer demand and price, then making tactical changes accordingly. If you remain sceptical, consider Billy Beane’s rallying cry: ‘I should trust my eyes more than the stats? I don’t buy that. I’ve seen magicians pull rabbits out of hats and I know the rabbit’s not in there.’

Who is Nick King?

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

MONEY MATTERS.

..in association with Paragon

Will new regime suppress growth and innovation? No! Products will be closely tailored to the specific needs of each dealer’s markets.

he UK car market has got off to a strong start in 2014, boosted by great new models, a more optimistic economic outlook and supportive finance packages. New car registrations alone were up by over 17 per cent in March 2014 and all the signs point to another year of good growth. Car finance has expanded sharply in support of this market development. The FLA reported a 24 per cent annual increase in manufacturer and lender advances to consumers in 2013 to £21bn, and this looks to be very much part of a long-term trend, with 75 per cent of new car purchases in February funded by some form of car finance – a record high. There can be no doubt that product innovation has played an important role in driving this change in consumer behaviour. The flexibility of PCP, for example, has revolutionised the way dealers approach new car sales, bringing the benefits of car finance to a much wider audience. The second quarter of 2014 sees the transfer of consumer credit regulation to the FCA and with it a much sharper focus on ensuring products and processes put customers firmly centre stage. For car finance lenders, there are some very specific requirements to ensure customer communications are clear,

affordability checks are robust and that financial incentives do not offer differential commission schemes focused solely around volume or profitability measures. While there may be fears that the new regime will suppress further finance growth and innovation, I predict the opposite. In particular, I believe that lenders will start taking a much more proactive interest in each individual dealer’s proposition and customer base and

begin offering product parameters that are more closely tailored – through deposit amounts, payment terms, pricing and balloon values – to the specific needs of each dealer’s most important markets. Why should this be the case? Well, in general, a tailored solution, by its very definition, is going to take a more customer-centric view than the onesize-fits-all finance solution so prevalent today. Additionally, it will become more important for lenders to retain control over the pricing of their products and to have visibility of the cost of the finance to the end user. This, in turn, is likely to lead to more uniform commission payments, putting the onus on lenders to provide products that result in more efficient stock turnover. Finally, I think lenders need to prepare to offer a much higher level of underwriting support as they move forward under the new regime. Online application systems are essential and absolutely great for dealing with straightforward cases efficiently. However, as dealers begin to gather more background information on their customers and lenders develop the ability to apply their products flexibly, it’s only through skilful underwriting that we can expect to deliver the next generation of customercentric products.

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

Ladies and gentlemen... start your engines

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MARKET INSIGHT.

..in association with ASE-global.com

So are investors looking for further growth? There aren’t many clues from share prices Lookers is the big recent mover following announcement of strong set of results

Share price performance The past month has produced a variance in motor dealer share price performance, with no clear direction as to whether investors are looking for further growth in the sector or not. The positive financial and registration news has already been digested by the market, with the direction of share price movements being down to feelings on individual companies and their acquisitions. The number of listed motor groups looks set to reduce by one, with HR Owen continuing along its path to delisting from April 15. By the time this article hits your desks the delisting will be complete, with no roadblocks foreseen to this taking place. Pendragon has continued to fall back from its opening position for the year and it remains the only stock that has gone backwards during the year. After making initial gains, Caffyns and Vertu have now given these up and practically returned to the share price they opened the year on. In light of the delisting, HR Owen has, as expected, remained stable for the month. Lookers was the big mover during the month, with the market reacting favourably to a strong set of results and the acquisition of Colborne Garages. Whilst the amount of goodwill paid on the transaction surprised many, the market has responded positively, confirming current sentiment that it is favouring acquisitions which

Pendragon

Share price movement from January 1 to March 7, 2014

Share price movement from January 1 to April 3, 2014

91.8%

88.3%

Vertu

108.4%

101.3%

Lookers

109.4%

122.2%

Inchcape

101.1%

109.0%

Cambria

112.0%

113.0%

HR Owen

114.8%

113.8%

Caffyns

103.2%

100.9%

are immediately earnings enhancing. Inchcape’s share price rise was assisted by the continuation of a share buy-back programme, with the company purchasing small volumes of shares for cancellation on a daily basis over the past month. Financial performance There was a lull in financial announcements this month, with the March new car registration figures being the most significant announcement. Whilst these figures were very positive, this was expected by all and as a result did not have a significant impact on share prices. In the medium term the increased size of the vehicle parc should be positive for retailer

profitability, particularly with some of the listed companies having strong aftersales divisions and good service plan penetrations. Transactional activity There was an expected lull in transactional activity during March as retailers concentrated on delivering results for the most important month of the financial year. Things may pick up once the Q1 financial results have been finalised, with vendors looking to bank strong profits in March before selling out. We would expect further acquisitions from the listed motor retailers as we progress through the second and third quarters with some groups having significant funds available for transactions. This coincides with a time where facility investment requirements are prompting a number of private motor dealer owners to consider selling on the back of record profit performance in 2013. Broker forecasts The brokers have continued their positive outlook on the sector, with the vast majority of the dealer groups rated as a ‘buy’. This is likely to continue unless there is an indication that the UK market is being heavily forced with dealer groups retaining a large number of pre-registered vehicles.

Who is Mike Jones? He‘s a partner at ASE Global. You can read ASE Global‘s column here every month. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

data file.

James Litton

TRADER TALES

Dealer groups should adopt local strategies

he beady-eyed amongst you may have noticed that I have recently moved from the Sandown Mercedes group in Guildford to the City West Country group in Taunton. I had a great time at Sandown, and my decision to leave was based purely on the fact that I have met the woman of my dreams. Sadly, I am not the man of hers, but as she is getting on a bit, she has had to compromise. Anyway, I digress… My experience in Surrey was certainly eye-opening. I had heard that shoppers from the south-east were a different breed to what I had been used to, and although I was initially sceptical, there are some obvious behavioural idiosyncrasies particular to that region. Very few customers offer any form of pure loyalty; there are certainly customers who continue to patronise the same dealership, but very few will roll over without having visited an online channel or another dealer. The fact that the dealerships are so much closer together will naturally create more competition, but regardless of how well a customer has been treated, there is a tendency for the customer to shop around. Customers in the south-west value the concept of ‘their local dealer’. One of the reasons could be the demographic for our brand in this area, that more Mercedes owners are older and less transient than their younger counterparts in the south-east. There is also the physical location of other dealerships. Should a customer be embarrassed or disappointed with the service of their local retailer, there is typically an hour or so’s drive to visit an alternative, resulting in inconvenience and further cost. Whilst nothing here is a revelation, I am concerned that the dealer groups who have sites in many locations do little to tailor their dealership marketing strategies to their local customers. Would a dealership in the south-east be better served communicating price-led offers, whereas a dealership in the south-west could focus on service plans or loyalty programmes?

‘South-west customers value the concept of their local dealer.’

What do you think? Share your views on our brand-new forum – it’s easy to sign up. Type cardealermagazine.co.uk/forum into a web browser to get commenting.

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

Suppliers’ If you’re looking for a motor trade supplier you can find App development

Auctions

Finance

AppCreatives

Newark Motor Auctions

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First Response

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Info: UK’s leading provider of showroom management/CRM systems, manufacturer/dealer data hubs and now a revolutionary new iPad sales app.

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Automotive data

Insurance

Aston Barclay

HPI Spec Check

Think Insurance

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Insurance Unicom

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W: bca.co.uk T: 0844 875 3480 E: customerservices@bca-group.com Info: BCA offers more vehicles and more ways to buy them with physical sales, Live Online and Bid Now/Buy Now.

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Auctions Manheim Remarketing

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offer. Signing up is simple. Type CarDealerClub.com into a web browser to find out more information and pay online. Alternatively, you can send us a cheque for .com £39.99, payable to Blackball Media Ltd, to Car Dealer Club, Blackball Media, Haslar Marine Technology Park, Haslar Road, Gosport, PO12 2AG and we’ll do the rest.

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your real stories

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iVendi

Carcom

Car Care Plan

Online trading

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Autotrade-mail.com

Keytracker Ltd

W: ivendi.com T: 0845 226 0503 E: info@ivendi.com Info: Award-winning motor finance calculators and highly-qualified lead generation. See why over 600 dealers now work with us.

W: carcom.co.uk T: 0800 019 1299 E: enquiries@carcom.co.uk Info: Carcom is the UK’s new dealer-dedicated online vehicle remarketing service which links buyers and sellers of used vehicles across the UK.

More Sales For You

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GlobalOASys

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AutoProtect (MBI) Limited

Paint protection

Valeting services

Warranties

Supagard

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W: supagard.co.uk T: 0141 633 5933 E: info@supagard.co.uk Info: Still the UK’s number one after 24 years and the preferred choice of the AM Top 100 and major vehicle manufacturers.

National Car Cleaning Company

W: nationalcarclean.co.uk T: 01268 565050 E: sales@nationalcarclean.co.uk Info: With 30 years of excellence in vehicle valeting, we have an unparalleled reputation for quality on-site vehicle preparation.

WMS

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GEN-3 Glasscoat

HPI Check

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How I ended a spell of dodgy behaviour

few years ago, I worked in a dealership where the dealer principal had, shall we say, a reputation for sexual indiscretions. Despite being married, he revelled in his reputation as a bit of a ladies’ man. He tried it on with all the women who worked for him and the general rule of thumb was that if you wanted to keep your job, and didn’t want your working life to be made too difficult, you put up with a bit of unwanted attention even if you didn’t succumb to his advances. Unfortunately for me perhaps (yes, this is a woman writing this!), I was not the sort of person to put up with this sort of behaviour. Nothing was particularly serious, it must be said, just the odd bit of inappropriate physical contact, dodgy lingering looks, that kind of thing. The worst thing about it from our point of view was that we all knew his wife was putting up with his awful behaviour. She was the one suffering far more than us! Anyway, there was one summer a while back when everything completely changed. After years of being known as the dodgy DP, he seemed to lose his mo-jo, mooching around the office looking depressed, not attempting to flirt with any of the female staff. In actual fact, he was just behaving appropriately really, but as we were so used to the seedy stuff it took a bit of getting used to! Now, it just so happened that one day I was getting my hair done at a salon not far from the dealership and couldn’t help but overhear the conversation the customer in the next chair was having with her stylist. (The hairdryer was on and I don’t think she realised how loudly she was talking.) Turned out her husband was having a few problems in the ‘bedroom department’. And with our DP’s slightly unusual name, there was no chance of mistaken identity – yes, it was his wife right next to me! Now, I’m not proud of what I did next, but I got a smallish cardboard box and posted it to the DP at our showroom, clearly marked for his attention and labelled up in an official-looking way. Not much wrong with that you might suppose. But it was marked ‘Urgent delivery – Viagra supplies’. Mr Dodgy definitely didn’t give us any trouble after that!

‘There was one summer when everything changed.’

Tell us your story

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 | 85

workshops.

Want to be included in this section? Call (023) 9252 2434

Big jump in number of people looking at service plan options O

ver the past 12 months, there has been a large uplift in the number of consumers considering service plans with their local franchised dealer, according to new research from motoring.co.uk. This is due in no small part to the fact that car manufacturers and their dealer partners are creating awareness of the benefits of using franchised dealers for servicing and MOTs. According to the research, consumers are 40 per cent more likely to purchase a service plan agreement at the point of sale if they are buying a new or used car and when picking the car up after a service or MOT. Customers who are on service plans that match their finance or PCP term are also on average 25 per cent more likely to purchase that brand from the same dealer again. Other recent research shows that in 2013 24.8 per

cent of motorists last had their car serviced at a franchised workshop, the same proportion as in 2012. This is the first year since 2005 in which franchised workshops haven’t witnessed a decline in servicing numbers. Chris Green, sales director of motoring.co.uk, said: ‘We are seeing an upward trend in consumers looking to use franchised dealers for servicing and MOTs. There is much better consumer awareness of what service plans can offer and an increase in uptake of service plans, as they offer a monthly payment plan to spread the cost. ‘The recent move by Audi to launch a new fixed-price servicing package for older cars to align pricing structures with independent repairers is great for consumers. The Audi service plan is aimed at retaining out-of-warranty cars aged between three

and five years, which are being lost to independent outlets, and should most definitely help with its current 40 per cent retention rate, which currently sits 20 per cent below BMW and Mercedes. ‘Over the past 12 months, we have been running highly successful aftersales campaigns for around 12 of the top 25 car manufacturers. This has involved targeting the exact type of consumer (orphan car owner) within our engaged community of motorists that the OEM has lost sight of when the car has changed hands,’ said Green.

Reach new heights...

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...with a career at Vertu Motors

Welcome to Vertu Motors PLC, the largest growing motor retailer in the UK

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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.

To apply or to explore all our exciting career opportunities, visit...

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the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET . . . New arrival:

Fourth report:

SeatLeon Cupra 280 A

s brilliant as family-friendly cars are, they aren’t exactly spine-tingling to drive. We’ve had a lot of this sort in to test at Car Dealer – Kias, Peugeots, Fords and Renaults all doing a sterling job of transporting occupants with grace and comfort but doing little to have hairs standing on end. It’s time to change all that. It’s time we injected a molten hot hatch into a car park full of lukewarm wagons. It’s time we introduced the Seat Leon Cupra 280 2.0-litre TSI PS DSG-auto. The vehicle itself is Seat’s resurrection of the fabled Cupra badge – a car that we showered with praise after driving it for the first time in Barcelona earlier this year but questioned its slightly softer ride and ‘everyman’ approach to the performance hatchback market. Only time will tell if it lives up to the feisty reputation of its predecessors, but after a few early drives we can happily report that the 276bhp produced by its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is more than enough to induce hearty chuckles from the driver. The belly laughs only subside after taking a look at the price list. Our model came with a Driver Assist Pack, which adds High Beam and Lane Assist functions, a Leather Pack that introduces some cow-hide seats with a rather cheap nylon trim, a Safety Pack (tiredness recognition and seatbelt reminder in the rear) and the all-important Seat Sound System, with ten speakers and a boot-mounted subwoofer. We’d instantly get rid of the Safety Pack (boring!) and the leather seats aren’t necessary – in fact, the white nylon flash reminds me a little bit of Kappa tracksuit bottoms – but that doesn’t change the fact this is a £30,000 car (test car price: £30,735). It will certainly have its work cut out convincing the team it is worth the £10k premium over a Ford Focus ST.

the knowledge Model: Seat Leon Cupra 280 Price: £30,735 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre TSI Power: 276bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 5.7s Emissions: 149g/km Mileage this month: 913 This month’s highlight There are few better feelings than a delivery driver dropping off the keys to a factory-fresh Cupra Leon Poultney (@blokesincars)

MitsubishiASX We say farewell to a capable crossover

AFTER spending a few months on the fleet at Car Dealer Towers, our example of Mitsubishi’s refreshed ASX was reclaimed by its rightful owners recently, and the manner of its departure was similar to its arrival. There was little fanfare, no fuss or bother, and everything went pretty much according to plan. Quite apt really, as the manner of its leaving us matched the lasting impression I’ll have of the car. It performs without needing to draw attention to itself, but ‘does what it says on the tin’ so to speak and is always a pleasure to pilot. The car was perhaps the wallflower of the magazine’s fleet during its time with us. Not necessarily in high demand or the most glamorous model we’ve ever run, but always willing and able to cope with whatever demands were placed upon it. And it certainly was put to good use... whether on long runs to farflung corners of the UK, short-haul trips around town, or delivering my daughter and her pals to the centre of town for nights out. Farewell, WP63 EAW, you’ll be much missed. Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

the knowledge Model: Mitsubishi ASX 4 4WD Automatic Price: £23,899 (as tested) Engine: 2.2-litre diesel Power: 147bhp, 360Nm Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 10.8s Emissions: 153g/km Mileage this month: 1,061 This month’s highlight Finding out how to turn the sat-nav voice off. My fault it took so long! CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET . . . Farewell:

Second report:

FordMondeo

Peugeot3008 VWCalifornia

We racked up 15,000 miles in our Mondeo but now we have to wave goodbye to it

Cracking crossover has Roof problem proves just two minor snags to be a costly matter

AFTER six months and nearly 15,000 miles, it’s time to put our long-term Mondeo estate to pasture, and for the popular load-lugger it’s a welldeserved break. During its time with us, it’s been a valuable fourth member of the video team, traipsing up and down motorways and carrying large amounts of recording equipment. It’s easy to see why the Mondeo is one of the most popular family cars in the country. It’s spacious, comfortable, well built and easy to drive, and it does all that in a car that’s wrapped up in a package that is competitively priced against its main rivals. Inside, the cabin has been put through its paces by the team, with all sorts from trips to the tip, carrying bikes, fallen trees and, of course, filming gear, but it’s stood up to everything and doesn’t look worn or tired. The only major criticism would be the rather out-of-date satnav system, which is fiddly to use and is in desperate need of a refresh. The big surprise I found was the amount of space there was in the Mondeo estate. Without going all Alice in Wonderland, I once ran a Skoda Superb as a long-term test car and found there was just too much space, and it wasn’t as engaging to drive as the Ford. I’ve also driven more compact estates, which have ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

been more fun but lacked the space. In reality, the Mondeo seems to fit just right. On the road, it proved a hit there too, especially when lined up alongside the other estate in the fleet, the Volvo XC70. Now, it’s not really a fair comparison, as the Volvo is more of a premium offering and premium price tag. But the principles of load-lugging still apply, and for a lot of jobs the Mondeo was more popular. The Mondeo is verging on seven years old, and despite its age it still manages to hold its own on the styling front against many of its rivals. However, the next generation is due towards the end of 2014, and while a lot of hype surrounds it, it really does have big shoes to fill. There’ll be more emphasis on lower emissions and better fuel economy, but I really hope it maintains its superb handling characteristics. Nigel Swan (@motoringnut)

the knowledge

Fifth report:

I CLIMBED behind the wheel of KM63 SHV after a stint in a pick-up – so, as you might imagine, it was something of a culture shock. To start with, I felt a little hemmed in by the high centre console and comparatively compact dimensions of the cabin. However, it didn’t take me long before I began to appreciate my new surroundings. Everything really does seem to have been designed with comfort and safety in mind. The car boasts a super little gearbox and, as Jon said last month, a fab 1.6-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. I’d just like to mention two minor niggles about what is in essence an excellent offering from Peugeot. The first one is this: Why have none of the ‘stalk-based’ controls (Bluetooth, cruise control, etc) been designed into the actual steering wheel ? I’m faced with a featureless expanse of black plastic when I look at it, which represents a lot of wasted space in my humble opinion. And I’m sure it’s just me but the infotainment screen seems to be rather a long way away. Any further forward and it would be on the other side of the windscreen!

LAST month we reported that the roof on our beloved VW California had spectacularly given up the ghost on a trip to Devon. In fact, it pretty much self-destructed as we tried to bed down for the night. Following the incident, the Cali was collected by Volkswagen specialists and thoroughly investigated to attempt to reveal the cause of the failure of the electrically operated hydraulic roof system. The most likely theory involved general misuse of the electronic roof by a previous customer/journalist/ numpty (delete where appropriate). Although it’s easy to blame someone else, we will admit that the roof can be at best fiddly, and at worst temperamental. Regardless, the California spent around three weeks with a Volkswagen specialist, with the hydraulic pump also being replaced. The parts cost £547 but the labour was the real stinger. Volkswagen took care of this issue, but had we gone to our local VW Commercial Vehicle Centre, the total would have gone up to £1,447. Luckily, the hydraulic pump was under warranty, otherwise we’d be grovelling to our bank manager right now.

Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

Leon Poultney (@blokesincars)

the knowledge

Model: Ford Mondeo Estate Titanium X Price: £29,490 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharg’d diesel Power: 161bhp, 340Nm Max speed: 137mph 0-60mph: 8.7s Emissions: 119g/km Mileage this month: 3,043

Model: Peugeot 3008 Allure HDi 115 Price: £23,095 (as tested) Engine: 1.6-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 115bhp, 270Nm Max speed: 112mph 0-60mph: 13.4s Emissions: 127g/km Mileage this month: 331

This month’s highlight Pleading with Ford to give us another car

This month’s highlight Comfort and refinement better than the pick-up I had been driving

the knowledge Model: Volkswagen California SE Price: £56,440 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 138bhp, 340Nm Max speed: 104mph 0-60mph: 16.6s Emissions: 206g/km Mileage this month: 1,674 This month’s highlight Not having to spend a small fortune on repairing the roof

longtermers

Sixth report:

Fifth report:

Seventh report:

Eighth report:

RenaultZoe

VolvoXC70

NissanQashqai KiaCarens

Look to the future now The perfect partner for Editor: It may be old, – it’s only just begun motorway cruising but it’s a great car

Spanish eyes caught us breaking the limit

SO, as our tenure with Zoe comes to an end, my mind wanders to what kind of impact electric cars will have for the used car dealers. Residuals are, of course, going to be the big question mark. No one knows how they will perform at present, and with most used electric vehicles going back into the franchised network, this means they have been able to keep supply and demand balanced, keeping used values very healthy. The main question is that of the batteries. Will your warranty provider cover an expired battery pack or is this going to be considered wear and tear? Some manufacturers will be getting over this scenario by leasing the batteries to the owner. This has some benefits but also some pitfalls. The benefits mean that when the batteries eventually need replacing this will be done by the manufacturer. However, it does mean that the owner will have to pay a monthly fee. I’m starting to see that electric cars are the future, at least in the short term. The following is increasing and they will be a talking point that can only be good for business.

WHOEVER said the Kia Carens wasn’t quick clearly didn’t tell the Spanish police, who clocked it doing the wrong side of 90mph on a motorway. Fortunately for driver and cameraman Nick, he just got hit with a 50 euro fine and a slap on the wrists – not to mention a barrage of abuse on social media. The Kia was on its way to Portugal for a month-long video shoot, and the Carens was roped in to help, mainly because of its rather large boot. Most of the journey was done by ferry, but once in Bilbao it was a case of hitting the motorway for the 550-mile drive to Lisbon. All the kit, and trust me there was a lot, did weigh the Carens down a fair bit, giving it a bit of a lowered ‘pimp-my-ride’ look, which didn’t do it any favours going over dips in the road at pace. Space-wise, there were absolutely no issues. This was one of the biggest shoots of the year for the video team, and being on location for the best part of a month meant more kit than normal, plus three occupants. It was a bit snug for the rear passenger, but never at all uncomfortable.

Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

the knowledge Model: Renault Zoe Dynamique Intens Price: £19,393 (as tested) Engine: Electric motor Power: 88bhp, 219Nm Max speed: 84mph 0-60mph: 13.3s Emissions: 0g/km Mileage this month: 92 This month’s highlight Knowing that exciting times lie ahead for electric vehicles

MOVING house is one of the most stressful things you can do, never mind when you’re relocating 200 miles away and drive a moderately-sized hatchback. So, thinking I needed a bigger car, I decided to take our XC70 home to Stoke-on-Trent for the big move. Initial impressions were mixed – I sat in the driver’s seat and waited for what felt like a lifetime for my seat to adjust electronically (such a pointless feature if you ask me). Having made myself comfortable, I set about making my way to Stoke. I quickly found out, though, that the XC70 really doesn’t like the hustle and bustle around town. It is comfortable but it borders on being far too soft. With a ridiculous amount of body roll and sponginess, it becomes quite tedious over a short journey. But although it may seem I don’t like the Volvo, I do – very much! It is the perfect motorway cruiser – ideal for long journeys or day trips – and its boot space at 575 litres (increasing to 1,600 with the rear seats folded flat) is more than enough reason to buy one, but at its current price, I’m not so sure… Danielle Bagnall (@DanniBagnall)

the knowledge Model: Volvo XC70 D5 AWD SE Lux Geartronic Price: £43,545 (as tested) Engine: 2.4-litre, five-cylinder diesel Power: 213bhp, 439Nm Max speed: 127mph 0-60mph: 7.8s Emissions: 169g/km Mileage this month: 1,987 This month’s highlight A luxurious cruise up the motorway to sunny Staffordshire

A FEW magazines back, I had the chance to drive the new Nissan Qashqai on some of the smoothest roads Spain could muster. It was a very lovely thing: refined, comfortable, well built and very good looking – but there was something missing. The sparkle. Naturally, second time round, the Qashqai wasn’t going to be as ground-breaking as the first one, but I wished it was a bit more daring like its predecessor. This month, I managed to get hold of the keys to our longterm first-generation Qashqai. In comparison to the new car, much has changed, most notably the spartan dashboard making way for a quality product, but our car’s clever 360-degree camera is a very welcome bonus. Our car also feels a tad more cramped compared with the new one – but that’s hardly a major problem. When this version appeared in 2008, it really shook up the marketplace, and rival carmakers have been copying it ever since. While the new one is less of a game-changer, it carries on from where this car left off. And that’s not a bad position to be in. James Batchelor

(@JRRBatchelor)

the knowledge Model: Nissan Qashqai 360 Price: £22,090 (as tested) Engine: 1.6-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 128bhp, 320Nm Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 10.7s Emissions: 135g/km Mileage this month: 4,132 This month’s highlight The first-generation Qashqai is still a great car

Nigel Swan (@motoringnut)

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: 4,130 This month’s highlight Getting off quite lightly in a brush with Spanish law-enforcers CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

data fiLe.

You shouldn’t judge by appearances and miss a keen customer!

n an age when receiving a customer’s details electronically is the norm before actually seeing their face, maybe it’s a little naïve of me to expect decent service when the opposite is the case, particularly on a Sunday afternoon at 3.40pm after deciding to pop into a local premium-branded dealership to browse for a new car. To make this experience even more strange, I had not used the internet to look at what stock this dealership had – it was just a proper old-fashioned ‘walk-on’ to see if anything fitted the bill. Fortunately, it was easy enough to locate the make of car which was of interest, and it was also easy enough, courtesy of the ‘silent sales sheets’ located in the windows, to gain information about the cars in order to establish if I wished to find someone to discuss this further or return to my car and head home. When deciding I would like to talk to a salesperson to gain further information (and I must add I was in a purchasing mind-set for some reason!), I subsequently approached the first salesperson to walk out of the building, who was holding a clipboard and making notes. I began the encounter by saying: ‘Excuse me, what time do you close please?’ being conscious it was possibly near to closing time and could impact on somebody’s willingness to want to speak to me. ‘Four o’clock’ was the blunt response as he carried on writing his notes! My next move was to enter the showroom to see if there was a ‘willing’ salesperson who actually wanted to sell a car and would seize the opportunity of talking to somebody in a buying mind-set, albeit dressed in a casual jacket, trainers

Jonathan

Such TIME IS MONEY

and jeans and it now being 3.45pm on a Sunday afternoon. I waited for around five minutes, received a smile from the receptionist plus a couple of glances from other people who, I presumed, worked there, and after no single approach or inquiry was made asking if I needed help, I decided to leave the premises and pursue my options elsewhere. Hopefully next time I’ll find a dealership that places a greater emphasis on customer satisfaction and ensures that my visit to their site is a pleasurable one. Returning home, I was beyond dissatisfied, and was actually in disbelief, that this kind of practice still takes place, particularly with the ‘nuggets’ that are walk-

‘I decided to leave the premises and pursue my options elsewhere’ on customers. The whole experience intensified my determination to locate a suitable vehicle and I have since made arrangements with somebody else. The best advice I can give to anybody who is reading this is simple: Do not judge by appearances, don’t assume the customer is a time-waster when the time is fast approaching closing time, and do not miss any opportunities from anybody who has made the effort to visit your pitch. You never know when you will have a prospective purchaser. Unfortunately, they do not come with sticky notes giving you a clue, therefore you have to take the time to understand them individually.

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

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