Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 88

TESTED: why ford’s posh vignale is a step too far

Business Publication of the Year

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fire fighters

the manufacturerS fighting back after dealers’ complaints

Come join us on the F1 trail

full details of our rally

Issue 88 | July 2015 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £3.50

e: top of the rang owerful tp we test the mos . and get er.. range rover ev he law t h it w r e t a w t into ho

how we bagged awards & cash

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL EDITOR Colin Channon

colin@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @colinchannon

PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

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head of design Graeme Windell

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STAFF WRITER Rebecca Chaplin

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @BelieveBecca

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

james@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerEd

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

Contributors Tim Naylor, Nick King, Mike Jones, Jonathan Such, Daljinder Nagra, Chris Lloyd, Nigel Swan, Stephen Hall, Sophie Williamson-Stothert, Jonathan Fleetwood

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This Apple watch tells the time and EVERYTHING...

been a funny old time Welcome. It’s here at Car Dealer Towers.

We may have mentioned (just once or twice) in the past few months that we were staging a Conference & Expo at Silverstone... and that left us with a bit of a dilemma.

Bearing in mind our deadlines, did we rush through the coverage and get it into this month’s magazine, and not have time to do the event anywhere near the justice it deserved? Or wait until the next mag, and do it properly?

After much discussion (and most of the discussion took place over pints and pies on expenses at the Dog & Duck, because that’s where the best company decisions are taken – and it took, oh, several meetings to finally come up with an answer...) we decided to wait. Act in haste, repent at leisure, my old mum used to say (normally when I brought home my latest girlfriend and thought she was THE one, but that’s another story) so you’ll get all the news, interviews, behind-the-scenes stuff and everything else next month instead. We’ve given a taste of the event on Page 11 – but we’re saving all the goodies until Issue 89. wonders of technology It was good to meet lots of dealers at Silverstone and to get feedback about the magazine. Some mentioned how much they liked it when we took the mick out of Baggott – and I heard the same people telling Baggott how wrong it was that ‘that old bloke Channon’ was constantly taking the micky out of him in print...

But you Baggo fans out there would have changed your tune if you’d seen him last week. He’d taken delivery of his new Apple watch. Very loudly and very publicly taken delivery, that is – the whole world knew he had the latest must-have gadget on his wrist. It does Facebook and Twitter, he said. You can get emails on it. It tells you how fit you are, and how far you walk every day.

Great, I said. Sounds fun. So what’s the time?

Cue much fuss, shaking of the wrist, fiddling with buttons, swiping the screen upwards, downwards, left to

right and right to left, and pinching of fingers. ‘Dunno,’ came the answer. ‘Not sure how to do that...’

Several says later, our tech wizard had mastered it. If you push this button this way, and that button that way, it’ll tell you the time on a fancy 24-hour clock. Funny, but if I quickly glance at my little Timex, I instantly know what time it is. Don’t have to push a single button. And it even has a little window that tells me the date.

Technology is a wonderful thing. In the right hands. And dangerous in the hands of Neanderthals.... fat chance of staying slim...

You’ll see on Page 37 that I jetted off to New York to drive the new Range Rover and all-wheel-drive F-Type (I know, lousy gig, but someone has to do it...) We were wined and dined very nicely – and because we were in America, we even stopped at a pie place and had a rather large slice of fruit pie. At 9.30 in the morning. Just over an hour after having waffles, fresh fruit, salty bacon and maple sauce for breakfast (yes, all on the same plate. It WAS America, after all... and to be honest, it tasted rather nice).

The day after I got back, I met an old friend and he remarked that I’d got a bit... errr... stockier since I joined Car Dealer. But it’s something that happens to all motoring journalists. On my first trip abroad to drive a posh new car, I was warned by a fellow hack that I’d get the dreaded Launch Paunch. I now feel I can be classed a PROPER automotive reporter....

As ever, I hope you enjoy the pages that follow. If you think we’ve missed something, or you have a story worth telling, email me at colin@blackballmedia.co.uk or tweet me @colinchannon

Colin Channon, editor

WINNER

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

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INSIDE. ISSUE 88 I JUly 2015

Dashboard Feedback Car Dealer Conference & Expo

61

Around The World Big Mike

Devonshire delight

Trading Up

We visited an award-winning Mitsubishi dealership to see what makes it such a success – and found a remarkable turn-round had taken place.

Finance

Forecourt Range Rover Sport SVR BMW i8 Ford Mondeo Vignale

55

The bosses at Peugeot and Citroen talk turkey.

37

Our editor has a brush with the US law on a JLR launch.

84

‘‘

Peugeot 208 BMW M6 Convertible A Ford Cougar to put you in a spin.

It’s so important to have data on your side to help you make the right decisions.

Nick King

Renault Kadjar

37 Manufacturer chiefs on the spot 55 Inside an award-winning dealership 61 A car launch with a difference

Car Dealer Club The Statistics Taking Stock Real Deals Auctions Market Insight

42

40 42 45 47 49 53

Features

88 Data File

Suppliers’ Guide with Litton Key Notes with Traka The i8 is straight out of Star Wars. James Baggott takes it for a spin to see whether it lives up to the hype. And it’s fair to say he was impressed.

06 11 26 29 31 32

Long-termers James Baggott

78 80 82 84 86 89 90 92 95 98

OUR EVENTS...

As voted for by dealers, the Car Dealer Power Awards are unique.

For full coverage of this year’s event, call 023 9252 2434 to get hold of a copy of the results issue

The Car Dealer Used Car Awards, sponsored by Black Horse, celebrate the used car industry.

Find out how to enter this year’s awards on page 25

This year’s event, held on June 9 at Silverstone, was a huge success. Full coverage in the next issue – but for a sneak preview turn to page 11 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

feedback.

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

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

We DO sell via Facebook I know there are LOADS of sceptics out there but we ARE selling cars via Facebook!

It’s been hard work and persistence but it’s fun, easy to carry out and paying off !

I recently sold a GTD Golf at £14,999 from a post on our Facebook page after many direct messages with a follower (who had never dealt with us before) and a Subaru WRX at £28,499 which we posted on FB a few weeks back with a GoPro video road test by myself – again to a new customer to us!

Not bad for two ÂŁ13 promoted posts! But before you start logging on to FB to post a few adverts you need to get your strategy right! jimreidvehicle I totally agree with what you say about people just posting a few statuses. I’ve been watching dealers ‘do Facebook’ and it’s certainly a lot more than a couple of pictures every couple of days...

Chris I’m switching my website provider, and as part of the new whistles-and-bells package it comes with

Picture of the month We like to get out and about here at Car Dealer Towers (well, apart from editor Colin, who’s rather old and likes to stay indoors watching Deal Or No Deal). One of our most recent forays was to some of our favourite roads in north Wales for some road-testing you’ll be able to read about in future issues of the magazine. And although you might have thought that at the end of May it might be, if not exactly tropical, at least nice and mild, things didn’t turn out that way. Check out DJ on the right, doing his best to keep warm.

This natty line of headgear might catch on! the ability to upload adverts to Facebook.

It goes against my better wishes but I guess it’s a case of if you can’t beat them, join them.

There is a dealer on Facebook I’ve been following for a year now who has a pitch that holds about 40 cars. Their Facebook stats are amazing – more than 77,000 likes – and I can’t see them advertising anywhere else online. Their stock profile has improved, and judging by the

number of new cars they list on FB they are doing the business. I’m amazed by this. sparky It’s a lot cheaper than any other platform. As Jim has said, though, it’s not just about blasting stock on there, it’s about clever marketing of the stock and targeting! umesh

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– and we

Forum: CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

that!

Manheim gets to grips with issues over new website Is it just me or does anybody else think Manheim’s new website is a case of one step forward and two back? No doubt the old website needed a facelift, but the beauty of it was that it was quick and easy to use and you could scan through a catalogue in no time.

Although the new website looks the part with some nice features, I find it painfully slow and a bit frustrating when it comes to going through an entire sale. sparky I agree. The old one worked well but now each page takes ages to load. You know the saying ‘If it ain’t broke...’ Sometimes simple is best.

Phil H

I quite like it, but for certain complicated searches it totally loses the plot and states ‘No cars found’!

I’m hoping it’s just a case of ‘teething troubles’ that they will get over.

KS Motors Thank you for your feedback. The website team are working to resolve known issues and you will see improvements very soon, with the website providing a much improved user experience.

If you have any feedback or want to report any issues, email social.media@ manheim.co.uk and we will pass on your suggestions to the team.

Manheim

More and more of our readers are joining the debate.

Sign up to our forum at CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

Top tweets from #CDX15 Thanks to all our Tweeters at the Top 150 Dealers on Twitter session. We love you all. #CDX15 @CarDealerMag Well made it thro the networking last night and now here at @CarDealerMag #cdx15. It’s gonna be good.

Caroline Shield @simonshieldcars Well, all the hard work was worth it, officially the biggest UK Auto Retail expo ever, 1500 through the door. @CarDealerAndy Had an amazing time at #CDX15! @CarDealerAndy @CarDealerMag @CarDealerCliff @CarDealerDunc @CarDealerEd - I <3 You! Criena @CrienaLDavies More #CDX15 tweets on page 11

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DASHBOARD. WESTAWAY MOTORS

Firm signs up with Mitsubishi A family-run car retailer has opened the UK’s newest Mitsubishi dealership in Northampton.

Westaway Motors has opened the doors to its Mitsubishi dealership at the company’s site in Boughton Green Road, Moulton Park.

The independent firm was founded in 1945 in Naseby

by Eric Westaway. Today it is run by Eric’s son Derek and employs 60 people across three sites.

He said: ‘We are extremely excited to join the Mitsubishi franchise and we think it will be very successful in the area.

‘We are the oldest 4×4 dealers in the county, having sold them since 1945, so our experience fits very well with the renowned 4×4 vehicles in the Mitsubishi range.’

Benfield ploughs £1m into new-look VW showroom Investment includes creating a new waiting area plus space for 12 cars

T

he north-east’s largest independent motor group has continued its £20m programme of capital investment with a newlook £1m Volkswagen showroom.

Benfield’s contemporary car showroom at Silverlink, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is set to create a huge wow factor for its customers and follows a sustained period of growth across its four north-east dealerships.

The investment includes a new 12-car showroom, improved customer services facilities, new-car configurator through iPad and Apple TV, a new waiting area and a more up-to-date and modern customer environment.

Mark Squires, the chief executive of Benfield Motor Group, pictured below right with VW brand director Alex Smith, said: ‘We have seen a significant growth in Volkswagen car sales and popularity of the brand in recent years.

‘We are delighted with the new showroom and its advanced customer service facilities, which will allow us to keep pace with the growth of this prestige brand and products and help us provide the highest levels of customer service. 2015 has already started well, with the launch of the new award-winning Passat and the muchanticipated hybrid Golf GTE coming into the UK, and there is growing

excitement around the Volkswagen brand and a lot for our customers to look forward to.’

Smith said: ‘We are delighted that a family business like Benfield has shown further commitment to our brand in the north-east region with this significant investment. The new showroom and facilities will help provide further opportunities for future growth and success of the Volkswagen brand in the region.’

Benfield’s three-year capital investment programme at its network of dealerships has already seen the completion of a £6.7m Audi dealership in Newcastle and a £5.7m Ford dealership in Sunderland.

The Benfield Group has a turnover of £500m-plus, employs more than 1,500 staff and represents 12 franchises. n Top 100 listing – see Page 13

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DASHBOARD. what you were saying...

What a fantastic event – and we’re looking to make 2016 even better A

s the dust settles on the Car Dealer Expo for 2015, our thoughts are already turning to how we can make next year’s event even bigger and better. More than 1,500 delegates attended the UK’s largest motor trade Expo at Silverstone where they were treated to an action-packed day. I am incredibly proud of what we pulled off and am already looking forward to May 24, 2016, when we’ll do it all again.

We couldn’t have pulled off this unique event without the fantastic support of the motor trade’s supplier network – suppliers like our headline sponsors GForces – all of whom put in huge amounts of effort into making their stands look fantastic.

The Expo halls had an air of motor shows I’ve covered all around the world, with huge video walls, car displays and plenty of fun and games for delegates to enjoy.

I have been inundated with emails and tweets from those who attended delighted at how the day went and have received nothing but positive feedback.

I always knew there was a demand for a

NADA-style conference and Expo for the motor trade in the UK, and this event proved it.

We are currently planning how next year’s Expo will look – to be known now as simply the Car Dealer Expo, or CDX for short – and will be releasing details soon. Exhibitors can register their interest with the Car Dealer team now on (023) 9252 2434 or email me directly and we’ll make sure they get the information as soon as it is released.

If you have any ideas or feedback on CDX15 I’d love to hear them. Email me or tweet me @CarDealerEd. JAMES BAGGOTT

DON’T MISS NEXT MONTH’S CAR DEALER MAGAZINE FOR special coverage of CDX15 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

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RESEARCH

Dealers tell of paperwork fears

Mark Gibson, aftersales director of Vertu, left, with Tia Saddique, general manager of Skoda Darlington

Great news for Vertu as first Skoda outlet joins firm VERTU Motors has added the first Skoda dealership to its portfolio with the acquisition of MSB Skoda in Darlington. Vertu Motors, based in Gateshead and the UK’s sixthlargest motor retailer – and the parent company of Bristol Street Motors – has bought the business on McMullen Road for £1.5m.

The acquisition brings the total number of sales outlets operated by

Vertu to 117 and increases its northeast outlets to 18. The current team will remain in post at Bristol Street Motors Skoda Darlington, headed up by experienced Bristol Street Motors general manager Tia Saddique.

Robert Forrester, CEO of Vertu Motors, said: ‘It is great news that we have added Skoda to our group. We are continuing to develop by adding to existing franchise relationships as

well as exploring new manufacturer partners. This acquisition will enable us to generate further profitable growth for our shareholders and wider choice to our customers.

‘Vertu Motors is proud to have its central support centre in the north east and to grow its dealership base in the region. This is a vibrant region with a growing economy and one we are delighted to be a part of.’

Family-owned Benfield group joins prestigious top 100 list Sunday Times rankings also include firms such as Clarks and Dyson

T

he north-east’s largest independent motor group, Benfield, is the only company based in the region which features in the latest Sunday Times Top Track 100 table.

Newcastle-headquartered Benfield is ranked at 83 and features on the table for the first time, increasing sales by 13 per cent to £700m for the year to December 31, 2014.

The league table ranks Britain’s leading private companies by sales in their latest available accounts.

The family-owned business is

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

delighted with its leading position.

Chief executive Mark Squires said: ‘As a family-owned business founded in Byker on the East side of Newcastle in the 1950s, we are immensely proud to be represented for the first time among the largest private companies in the land.

‘Our growth over many years is a testimony to our people who number over 1,500 and the family values we

strive every day to live by.’

Benfield features on the table alongside a number of high-profile national brands, including Clarks, Dyson, JCB and Virgin Atlantic.

Benfield Motor Group is an independently-owned family business founded in Newcastle in 1957 by John Squires Snr and developed by John Squires Jnr, the present chairman.

The company has 30 retail outlets throughout the north east of England, Yorkshire, Cumbria and south-west Scotland across a portfolio of 12 car retail brands.

Fuel for thought: why are petrol pumps so unhygienic?

WE all try to avoid germs where we can. But if you’re a motorist, it would seem to be impossible…

According to a study in America, one of the ‘germiest’ items we ever

handle is… a petrol pump. The Los Angeles Times reports a study by Kimberly-Clark which looked at suspected germ hot spots as part of the company’s Healthy Workplace

Project. Seventy one per cent of petrol pump handles sampled were ‘highly contaminated’ with the kinds of germs most associated with a high risk of illness.

NEARLY half of car dealers (44 per cent) expect the amount of paperwork handled by car dealerships to increase over the next three years – with 12 per cent anticipating a dramatic rise here.

Already, 57 per cent of dealers say over half of their work is paper-based, and one in five (20 per cent) say that 75 per cent or more is.

These are the findings of new research from EDM Group, the information management specialists.

EDM Group generates around 10 per cent of its UK revenue from the automotive sector.

APPOINTMENt

Chris is group’s sales director CHRIS HEALY has been appointed sales director of the Southampton-based Freeborn Group.

Chris, who joined Freeborn Citroen as its sales manager in Southampton during 2009, has gradually taken responsibility for overall sales performance across the group’s four dealerships (the other three are in Winchester, Godalming, and Wokingham).

ON THE MOVE

New role for Craig Stevens CRAIG STEVENS, a former executive director of Auto Trader, has joined The Motorist’s Organisation as a non-executive director.

Stevens was integral in taking Auto Trader from a print media group to a £2billion online publiclyquoted business and has a proven track record in accelerating growth in digital businesses. He has vast commercial experience.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

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Bangers4BEN 2015: We’ve signed up 23 teams already!

This year’s charity rally will have an F1 twist – and is sure to be another cracking adventure Last year’s Bangers4BEN rally was a huge success... and raised more than £40,000 into the bargain!

T

he lights are out and B4B is go… go… go! The reason? This year, Bangers4BEN does Formula One. And what’s more, we have 23 teams already signed up, having opened up bookings at this year’s Car Dealer Conference & Automotive Expo on June 9.

Following last year’s epic Italian Job trip, trying to make this year’s Bangers4BEN even better was always going to be a challenge. But we think we’ve done it. Not only have we got another unique event planned, but this year we are upping the number of places on the event to 50.

We raised more than £40,000 in 2014 with 40 cars, making it the largest individual fundraising event for BEN behind their annual ball.

So the challenge for this year is to raise more than £50,000. So, all importantly, what are the plans? Well, as has become de rigueur, we like to offer you something you won’t be able to do anywhere else – and this year we’ve definitely achieved that.

We’ll be gathering on Saturday, October 10 at Silverstone. Meeting point is in the Paddock, where we’ll have our own garage area, and you’ll get your first chance to meet fellow Bangers and check out the other cars.

Following our welcome and briefing, we’ll be led on to the track at 8.30am for a full lap of the British Grand Prix circuit behind the official pace car. You’ll follow in the footsteps of Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton and get to complete a lap of a circuit that few get to drive.

From here, we head south and down to the

No increase in costs for 2015 We’re keeping costs the same as last year, so it’s a £500 entrance fee. This covers all your accommodation, ferry crossings, breakfasts and evening meals. All you need to supply is the fuel and your refreshments on the road.

On top of this, of course, you will need to buy your car, which will be donated to BEN at the end of the event. The car cannot cost more than £750.

Of course, we don’t care what the car is worth, as long as the receipt shows you paid no more than £750 for it.

However, let’s try to keep to the spirit of coast where we will cross the Channel to drive on to the historic town of Reims.

The following morning you will have the chance to drive a lap of the historic Reims-Gueux circuit. These days they are public roads and no longer used for racing, but in their day the 2.2km straights were some of the fastest in the world.

There will be a chance to visit the Musee Automobile Reims Champagne, the fifth-largest motor museum in France with more than 200 vehicles on display, dating from 1908 to today.

From here we embark on a journey to Munich, where you will get the chance to visit the BMW Museum and take a beer or two – after all, the Munich Beer Festival will be in full swing when we arrive, and it would be rude not to join in…

the event. There is no fun in doing it in a 2007 Audi TT – where is the challenge, the do-ordie, or the ‘will I or won’t I make it’ worries if you’re in something too good?

This year we will be encouraging everyone to raise a few quid along the way, too, so if you were going to buy a more expensive car to help the cause, buy a banger and put the rest into the fundraising pot.

There will be prizes for the best themed car, the car that makes the most money for BEN, and the team that raises the most money through fundraising.

The next morning it’s a trip north to the worldfamous Nurburgring, where you will get a chance to put your steed through its paces at arguably the world’s most famous public racetrack (the cost of this isn’t included – if you want to do it, it’ll cost about €15 for a lap).

After an overnight stay near the track, it’s a short hop to what is the piece de resistance of the event – Spa Francorchamps. Arguably the best track on the F1 calendar, you will get a very rare opportunity to put your car through its paces with a lap of Spa behind the official pace car.

Spa are normally very picky about who gets to drive their circuit, so this is an opportunity not to be missed!

After those thrills, it’s a short drive back to the ferry before departing for home. Last year’s event sold out in just a few weeks and we had a lot of disappointed teams. So don’t hang about !

To sign up for Bangers4BEN 2015, please email Kelly Neal at BEN and Andy Entwistle at Car Dealer Magazine. The addresses you need: kelly.neal@ben.org.uk and andy@blackballmedia.co.uk CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

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DASHBOARD. Audi cars crash into workshop STAFF had a lucky escape when 20 cars crashed through into a workshop after a roof at Milton Keynes Audi gave way.

The cars had been parked above the workshop when part of the roof covering it collapsed. No-one was hurt.

Jason Cranswick, commercial director of Jardine Motors Group, which owns the dealership, said: ‘There was a bang, at which point one of the managers set off the fire alarm, and it was after everybody was evacuated that the collapse occurred.’

Cranswick said the part of the roof that collapsed, at the back of the building, had been built as a car park.

The cause of the collapse is being investigated.

Engineers propped up what remained of the roof.

Salesman who faked service histories avoids going to jail Little remorse shown over ‘serious offences’ and blame laid elsewhere

A

salesman who sold cars with false service histories at his roadside dealership has escaped jail.

Gordon Angelo, pictured, who traded as Part X Motors in Gosport, Hampshire, was told by the judge at Portsmouth Crown Court that he had shown ‘little remorse’.

Angelo, 45, pleaded guilty to two offences of fraud, by making a false representation in relation to four cars for selling vehicles with false service histories, and received an eight-month suspended sentence.

He had advertised his cars on AutoTrader and his own website.

The News, Portsmouth, reported Recorder Nicholas Atkinson QC as telling Angelo: ‘It is clear there isn’t a great deal of remorse on your part.

‘You have difficulty accepting the

THE NEWS, PORTSMOUTH

ROOF COLLAPSE

blame and distribute the blame to others. These are serious offences.

We cannot say you are of previous good character but I have taken into consideration the fact you have kept out of trouble for a number of years.’

Recorder Atkinson sentenced Angelo, of Pettycot Crescent, Gosport,

to 12 months but reduced the sentence to eight months for his early guilty plea. He was also sentenced to complete 84 hours’ unpaid work and to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

At a previous court hearing, it was established that Angelo sold cars with false service histories and fake service stamps. A Renault Scenic had three fake stamps and was sold for £4,780 while another, a Ford Fusion, had false stamps put in for 2010, 2011 and 2012.

A Saab was also sold for £2,926 but the buyer got just £200 when she returned it after it had faults.

A Hampshire trading standards investigation found that another customer bought a car with three stamps reported by the previous owner to be false. There was no suggestion Angelo had sold cars that were in a dangerous condition.

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DASHBOARD. HEARING

Dealer in court over £10m heist A SECOND-HAND car dealer has been charged over the £10m Hatton Garden heist.

Brian Reader, 76, was one of nine men charged with conspiracy to burgle following the Easter weekend raid on the vaults of the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company in London. He was arrested at his Dartford home, near his second-hand car dealership Pentire Cars & Commercials.

The nine initially appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and were remanded to Belmarsh Prison. They then appeared at Southwark Crown Court via video link and will appear again on September 4.

KIA

It’s hats off to new flagship!

A NEW flagship Kia showroom is to open on the Great West Road in Brentford.

Kia says the 41,000 sq ft dealership – due to open in August – will be operated by Norton Way Group and trade as GWR Kia. The dealership will take centre stage on one of the UK’s busiest commuter roads.

NUMBER PLATES

Record sum paid for KR15 HNA THE registration KR15 HNA has set a new British record after being auctioned by the DVLA for more than £233,000.

An unnamed Londonbased businesswoman fended off fierce competition from global bidders to secure KR15 HNA at the auction held at the Casa Hotel in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

The previous record for a current-style personalised registration was £100,000 for MR51 NGH in April 2006.

Mobile devices are the way ahead, says iVendi. bit.ly/ivendi-mobile

Some people just have cars in their blood. Meet Gary... ...and after 45 years of selling Volvos, he still can’t stay away from it all!

by COLIN CHANNON @ColinChannon

T

here’s not a lot about Volvo that Gary Millar doesn’t know. After all, he’s been selling the cars for the past

45 years...

Millar started work as a salesman with Rover 47 years ago. Two years after that, he joined a Volvo dealership... and has never wanted to change.

He has become part of the fabric of Strathmore Motors in Perth, and when he celebrated his 65th birthday he had no intention of retiring – so he stepped down as sales manager, a role he had been doing since 1977, to be a member of the sales team. Four years on, he has decided it is time to retire – although don’t expect him to leave the dealership entirely...

He says: ‘When I first started with Volvo, I was selling 121s and 140s, and that was about it.

‘I think in all that time my favourite car has to be the XC70 – it’s a great car, and I have been driving it for years myself and become very attached to it. That said, the XC90 is a fantastic car.

‘In all my time, I have found Volvos very easy to sell, especially because of the safety aspect. People these days are very much into safety. The Volvo image has changed dramatically through the years – we are attracting a younger generation that we never had before.

‘Previously, although people thought Volvo was heavy but safe and boring, we sold a lot of cars.

Now people like the low emissions and cheaper road tax and great

Gary Millar has loved his time with Volvo – and has been a fine brand ambassador fuel consumption – and, of course, reliability, which has always been a great thing with Volvo.

‘The way cars are sold has changed a great deal in the past 45 years – in the old days, we’d shake hands and that was the deal, and you wrote the details on the back of a cigarette packet! People came into the dealership to buy a car and to thrash out a deal. There was no internet to check out one dealership against another. These days people do their homework at home and then come

into the showroom and tell us what they want.

‘I’m still selling to customers I first met in the 1970s. There’s one customer I’ve sold 30 cars to – he’s changed his car on average about every 18 months. I have customers who come to see me from way down south – it’s lovely. Volvo is a lovely brand and customers tend to stay very loyal to the cars – once they drive one, they stay with them. They might say they want to try another make, but nine times out of 10 they come back for another one – they try another one and they’re not so keen.

‘I’ve loved working with Volvos and I’ve had a great life. I’ll still come back for weekends and I’ll help at the Highland Show – and I might come back as a car cleaner for them sometimes...’

Ahh, the cars of yesteryear...

These beauties were among the models Gary has sold over the years – and has had as company cars. It’s fair to say the look of Volvo’s vehicles has changed quite a lot in that time...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

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DASHBOARD. BCA

SMA bought in £43m deal BCA is to buy auction and services group SMA Vehicle Remarketing Ltd for £43 million. SMA sells vehicles online and through its auction sites in Kinross, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle and Leeds.

BCA executive chairman Avril Palmer-Baunack said: ‘We are delighted to have completed this value-accretive acquisition so soon after listing BCA and to be delivering on our previously-stated intention to pursue organic and nonorganic routes to accelerate growth of the auction exchange and support services.

‘We welcome the SMA management team led by Bob Anderson to the BCA Group and look forward to working with them.’

More auction news, p86

Revolutionary Rockar centre is a major success for Hyundai It’s raising brand awareness and has attracted over 100,000 people

H

yundai’s ‘revolutionary’ new way of selling cars, with the digital car retailer Rockar Hyundai in Kent’s Bluewater Shopping Centre, has been hailed a huge success.

It recently celebrated its 100,000th visitor to its flagship store after opening its doors six months ago.

Because of its unique location, Rockar Hyundai’s store can have more visitors on a single Saturday than many traditional dealerships would expect to see in a whole year. The rockar.com website has also received 78,000 visitors since it was launched in November 2014.

Rockar Hyundai allows customers to choose to complete the entire process online or in store. Rockar allows them to research, test-drive, sell their old car and purchase a new

Hyundai at the touch of a button.

Rockar’s pricing policy is transparent and appeals to people who don’t want to negotiate for the best deal, and the entire buying process can be completed in less than five minutes.

For those customers who want advice before they purchase, Rockar Hyundai’s in-store team of ‘Angels’ are there to help. These are not salespeople on commission, they are product experts there to advise and lend a helping hand, should

customers need one. Tony Whitehorn, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK, said: ‘We are delighted Rockar Hyundai has experienced such a successful start. It’s raising brand awareness and importantly interrupting people who are not shopping at Bluewater with the intention of buying a new car.’

Simon Dixon, CEO and founder of Rockar, said: ‘Rockar is challenging every preconception about how buying and selling a car should be.

The average age of a new-car buyer is 56 years, but the average age of a Rockar customer is just 37.

‘What’s also interesting is that on average 60 per cent of buyers, and 54 per cent of visitors to the Bluewater store, are female – Rockar’s key demographic. The brand conversion rate is impressive too.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

DASHBOARD.

Our Andy’s a judge at the inaugural CitNOW awards bit.ly/awards88

After success at Seat, Neil Williamson is set for a new challenge

NISSAN

Dealership’s van gesture A CAR dealership in Cardiff has helped a social enterprise try out a new eco-friendly 100 per cent electric van to see how it could benefit its organisation.

Wessex Garages has provided the Nissan e-NV200 to Bron Afon Community Housing in Cwmbran to help enhance its green credentials.

Alec Travillian, electrical vehicle specialist at Wessex Garages on Hadfield Road, said: ‘The Nissan e-NV200 is the most economical, commercial vehicle ever produced.’

HONOUR

Neil Williamson is on his way to Jardine Motor Group

SMMT stalwart receives MBE SMMT stalwart Janet Wilkinson has been appointed an MBE for her services to the motor industry and charitable services. Communications director Wilkinson has worked for the SMMT for 40 years, and gets involved in charity work in her spare time.

She told the Surrey Advertiser: ‘I am a bit wobbly about the whole thing – excited and apprehensive.’

ANALYSIS

Europe new car sales up 6.4pc NEW car sales in Europe were up 6.4 per cent in April 2015 compared to the same month of 2014, while year-to-date sales were 8.5 per cent higher than a year earlier, according analysis from JATO Dynamics.

The Volkswagen Golf maintained its lead, with sales up 4.2 per cent year-to-date, ahead of both the Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

FORMER Seat UK MD, Neil Williamson, is to become chief executive of Jardine Motor Group next month.

The current CEO, Mark Herbert, is moving to Asia to take up a new leadership role within Jardines.

Herbert has served eight years within Jardine Motor Group UK, the last two-and-a-half as the group’s CEO. Williamson will take up his role on July 9 after an induction period of a month.

During his two-year spell in charge at Seat UK, Williamson oversaw the most successful period in the company’s history, with market share and sales volume increasing. Seat’s 2014 market share was a record 2.16 per cent, compared to 1.9 per cent in 2012, the year he joined from Mercedes-Benz Retail Group.

Previously, he spent 13 years with Nissan in senior UK and European roles in sales, marketing and franchising.

A statement issued by Jardines about the move said: ‘We believe Neil is ideally positioned to build on Mark’s vision for the group to be the best retail motor group in the UK, as measured by our customers, employees and brand partners by delivering an unparalleled level of customer service.’

Jardine Motors is one of the UK’s largest independent dealership groups with a portfolio of franchises such as Aston Martin, Audi and Volkswagen.

Hefty fines for two dealers after car’s serious defects discovered ‘We’re pleased magistrates appreciated the severity of the offence’

T

wo car dealers have each been fined £5,000 after selling a dangerous vehicle.

Nigel Rees, of Carnwidden Livery, Longdowns, Penryn and Ian Lewis of West Trevarth Barn, Lanner, Redruth, were convicted of selling a dangerously unroadworthy car, contrary to the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, the Western Morning News reported.

Truro magistrates heard that Rees and Lewis had an arrangement under which Rees would buy salvage vehicles from insurance firms and sell them on, the newspaper said.

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

Lewis was sometimes involved in carrying out repairs and helping to make the sale. The case at Truro Magistrates’ Court related to the sale of a Mitsubishi Pajero, which had been advertised on the side of a road.

Someone paid £650 for the vehicle but later found it had ‘serious defects’.

The Western Morning News said the car had to be scrapped after a several serious faults were discovered.

The car had defective hoses and severe chassis corrosion.

Rees and Lewis denied they had been responsible for the sale but both were found guilty and fined £5,000 each. They were also ordered to pay costs of £3,400, compensation of £400 and a £200 victim surcharge.

Gary Webster, a senior trading standards officer in Cornwall, told the Western Morning News: ‘I am pleased that the magistrates appreciated the severity of the offence, which was reflected in the level of the fines imposed. I hope this sends a clear message to those in the motor trade that safety is of paramount importance, irrespective of the value of the vehicle.’

Top-end Range Rovers being stolen to order, say police TOP-END Range Rovers with keyless ignition systems are being targeted by thieves. It is believed gangs can unlock the cars using a hand-held

device, and are stealing the highend cars to order. According to the Metropolitan police, more than 300 RangeRovers have been stolen in

London since January. That compares to 63 BMW X5s and Series 3 models.

In Brighton, 10 Range Rovers have been stolen recently.

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Ask HPI your questions answered

Selling a clocked car is causing me problems

I

Renault’s modest sales targets for Kadjar crossover If 17,000 drive out of showrooms, they’ll be happy

S

urprise sales successes don’t come much bigger than the Nissan Qashqai, a hatchbackcum-off-roader mutant which found nearly 50,000 homes in 2014 alone, eight years since it first burst on to the scene. Nissan partner Renault is itching to steal some of those sales, though, with its closely-related Kadjar, due in UK showrooms later this year.

The company is hoping to sell around 17,000 Kadjars next year, which may put it behind the Qashqai in the sales charts, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it blasts past this figure, such is the popularity of economical small off-roaders. We quizzed Yann Le Graet, Renault’s UK product manager for the new model, on what is going to make crossover buyers sign on the dotted line for a Kadjar over the immensely popular Nissan.

‘The Kadjar is all about the design, because it’s the first reason to buy a car,’ Le Graet commented at the launch of the new car. The new Renault may share the same platform as the Qashqai, but the Kadjar has Renault DNA, Le Graet added.

‘It’s anything but a square SUV. All the money saved on creating a platform has been reinvested in the design and all the materials you will touch in the car.’

The company is believed to be targeting modest first-year sales of 15,000 to 17,000 units, but Le Graet said a large proportion of Kadjar buyers will be completely new to the brand.

‘If you look at the figures, the C segment

SUV customers come from the D segment sedan and some segments where we have no offer currently. We expect to conquest a lot of customers and increase our market share.’

Retail sales are also likely to contribute to around half of sales, partly thanks to the Kadjar’s class-leading residual values cutting leasing costs.

Kadjar may be a new name for Renault, but it’s not the first car the company has sold in this class, with the Koleos offroader being on sale from 2008 to 2010.

This machine made little impact on the UK market, though, being predominantly built in Korea for Korea, says Le Graet.

Explaining why it never took off here he said: ‘The Koleos didn’t have the right engines. It had the bigger output engines, high CO2, it wasn’t for the UK fleet market.’

The new car, however, is likely to share the Kadjar’s economical turbocharged petrol and diesel motors and similar design themes, lining up alongside the related Nissan X-Trail. As a result, buyers are likely to have the option of seven seats – something not available in the Kadjar.

Le Graet also revealed we can expect to see a new Megane at the Frankfurt motor show in September along with a new Scenic next year, with the Koleos off-roader following in 2017. The UK is unlikely to see the new version of the Espace, though, ‘at least not for this year’.

Instead, the French company is ‘trying to concentrate on a reduced range compared to what you can find in France or Spain’.

bought a 2005 Golf GTI from a young girl about six months ago. We carried out a check to make sure it wasn’t on finance or written off and it all came back clear. The last three years’ mileages were on the MOT and all looked fine. It was a nice low-mileage car, with 50k on the clock, so we decided to retail it. It was sold a few weeks later. However, the car started to play up and came back for various bits of work. The new owner then discovered the car had been clocked and had covered nearly 90,000 miles. He is now demanding his money back. Where do I stand?

Many people think clocking is now on the way out – but it’s making a real comeback and these days it is the owners who are doing this, not the dealers. More than 40 per cent of dealers have sold a car innocently that was later discovered to have been clocked. This can have a massive impact on your reputation, even if this is done innocently.

Of course, these cars will likely to have far higher costs associated with them, which it sounds like you are finding out now. First, how can you cover yourself against this? If you have used effective due diligence, then you are in a much stronger position should this happen. It is also worth remembering that if the customer can find this out, it is probably not that hard for you, either. Don’t just rely on the MOT mileages – this may show the last few MOTs are okay, but you should also delve deeper back. An NMR check will look at a variety of types of mileage data to give you a bigger picture. It protects you and gives you an added piece of provenance to help you when selling.

In this situation, it sounds like the car is a money pit and you may want to consider reversing the deal and taking it on the chin. You could be putting thousands into the car if it has still got problems. Trading Standards would look at what steps you have taken to ensure the car wasn’t clocked, and if they feel you did not use effective due diligence, it is possible they could take action against you. They will look to see what steps you took to verify the information you were providing was accurate and not taken at face value. A mileage check is considered an acceptable form of due diligence. If this happens again, Trading Standards do investigate.

In our view, the best course of action would be to take the car back and save the customer relationship, dispose with known mileage discrepancies via auction and take the hit as a lesson learned.

‘More than 40% of dealers have sold a car that was found to have been clocked’

Who are HPI?

HPI are the experts in provenance and vehicle data.

Every month they will be helping answer questions from you relating to finance, write-offs or car scams.

If you have a problem and need some help email us at HPI@blackballmedia.co.uk and we’ll do the rest CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

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DASHBOARD.

Enter the Used Car Awards here! carawards.co.uk

Now’s the time to enter the Used Car Awards!

We’re making plans for another GREAT evening . . .

A

re you a dealer who really is the business when it comes to used cars? Do used cars form an important part of your business?

Do you want industry recognition for your hard work? Well, the Car Dealer Used Car Awards are perfect for you, so read on.

For the past three years, the event has become THE awards for the usedcar industry with winning dealers and sponsors proud to shout about their successes – and keen to have a party, too!

And winning a Used Car Award is a big thing. The awards celebrate and recognise all the different areas of this vital backbone of the motor industry. From the smaller independents to the larger groups, every dealer who has an involvement with the used-car business can take part.

On the night we will be handing out gongs in a variety of categories (full details can be found online). If you reach the final shortlist, you will be invited to our sparkling awards night, hosted by TV’s Mike Brewer and held at The Brewery in London on November 30. You’ll be able to enjoy a great meal, free drinks and, if it’s your thing, plenty of dancing.

The awards will be sponsored by Black Horse for the third year. Managing director Chris Sutton said: ‘We are delighted to be headline sponsor again.

‘The Car Dealer Used Car Awards are

Your questions answered Where is it?

At The Brewery. It’s an amazing venue that oozes class and sophistication and has provided the perfect setting for the Used Car Awards for the past three years. It’s simply stunning.

When is it?

Once again this will be an excuse for a Christmas party you can put on expenses. It’ll be held on Monday, November 30.

quickly becoming THE awards for the used car sector. All too often, this vital part of the industry is overlooked, but the Car Dealer Used Car Awards rightly give it the recognition it deserves.

‘Like last year, 2015’s Used Car Awards will be a superb networking opportunity and cause for celebration.’

Colin Channon, the editor of Car Dealer, said: ‘If you missed out on last year’s event – and if you did, you missed something really special – don’t delay in entering 2015’s Used Car Awards.

‘Last year, tickets and sponsorship packages sold out so quickly we had to tell some of you that unfortunately there was no space left. Don’t let that happen this year... after all, it’s the dealers’ biggest party of the year!’

What’s the running order of the night?

Guests are treated to welcome cocktails and wine. Then we take our seats for the first half of the awards. Mr Brewer does his stuff then it’s time for dinner. After that, we announce the final winners, then it’s time for dancing, with the night topped off with a disco. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the night with industry colleagues and get busy with some networking in a relaxed environment.

How do I enter?

Entry is FREE and easy. Simply visit carawards.co.uk and enter as many categories as you wish. There’s no limit to the number of categories you can enter. The only thing we ask is that you provide as much detail as you can to support your nominations – make your entry really stand out, and make the judges sit up and take notice...

How can I book a table?

Anyone can book a table at the Used Car Awards. Sponsors get tables as part of their packages, but there’s nothing to stop other suppliers to the industry taking a table to entertain clients. Car manufacturers and dealers can come along too – bring your staff, your customers, anyone you’d like to wine and dine. It’s a great chance to launch the festive season in fine style! Everyone is sure to have a ball.

Enter the Used Car Awards 2015 now at carawards.co.uk To book a table, call 023 9252 2434

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

dashboard.

Around the world Dealer news from somewhere other than here

RUSSIA

Bentley has opened a third showroom in Moscow, bringing its total in the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest country to five. Bentley sales chief Kevin Rose hailed it as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;another key step in our growth plansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the federal semi-presidential republic, although a recession is looming there. Car sales in Russia plummeted by 42 per cent in April.

USA

Tesla has suffered a setback in its bid to be allowed to sell its cars in Texas. The company doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have dealerships, preferring to sell direct, but manufacturers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed to do that in the Lone Star State.

CEO Elon Musk wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to lobby again to reverse the law for two years now.

FRANCE

Sales of new cars fell by four per cent last month, according to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s automaker association, the CCFA. The decline â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to 143,059 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is the first since December and is being attributed in the main to fewer working days than in the same month in 2014.

If an appropriate adjustment is made as regards working days then sales actually went UP by 7.3 per cent.

CHINA

Sinomach Automobile Co has become Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest dealership group in terms of revenue.

It specialises in luxury imports, and sales last year generated 90.5bn yuan (ÂŁ9.5bn), according to latest figures from the China Automobile Dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association.

China Grand Automotive Services Co shifted more vehicles but lagged behind Sinomach as far as revenue is concerned.

INDIA

Soaring BMW sales are prompting the prestige marque to open 10 extra outlets to add to the 40 showrooms it already has there. The German brand saw a 40 per cent sales increase in the first quarter. Eight BMW models are made at its Chennai plant, and 15 will be rolled out this year.

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big mike.

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

A result that was just the ticket – and I didn’t have to catch the bus H

onour among thieves, band of brothers, call it what you like, but in the motor trade there is, for the most part, a certain amount of respect between traders, even when we’re direct rivals.

I was reminded of this the other week at my local auction house, to which I’d made a special journey (on the bus, as I was planning to drive home) because there was a car coming through that was right up my alley – a very clean, servicehistoried 2002 Jaguar XJ6 V8.

Cars like this are always dirt cheap at a conventional auction, and my regular customers are very much the type of punter who, like me, love a big, old, wafty Jaguar in lovely condition. I knew as soon as I saw it that, providing the bidding didn’t go silly, I’d be cruising back to Solihull in supreme comfort.

Finished in unusual ‘Seafrost’ metallic (light green, to you and me), and with less than 100,000 on the clock, a receipt for a significant engine rebuild just two years ago and good quality, branded tyres all round, it was clear that the Jag wasn’t an unloved old shed, and had seen some serious dollars over the years, even in its later life.

If ever there was a candidate for a ‘future classic’, this was it, and that was the very wording I planned on using in my eBay description.

I’d mentally valued it at about £1,800 on the hammer, which would translate to a forecourt price of £2,995 (and cheap at that!), so I had £2,200 of crisp foldies in my jacket pocket to cover my absolute top bid.

It sold for £1,750. But not to me.

Why? Well, it comes down to that aforementioned honour. Just before the Jag rolled into the meat market, a long-standing rival of mine, who we’ll call Les (because that’s his name) wandered over.

‘You want that, don’t you?’ he said.

‘You know me,’ I replied. After all, you never come right out and say it.

‘Only I have a buyer waiting, and I’ve come to look at it especially for him. The deal’s as good as done, if you see what I mean?’

I did.

So, I retired from the bidding and watched, with a little tinge of envy, as Les bagged himself the bargain of the sale.

Before you think I’m going soft in my old age, perhaps I should elaborate. The auction houses don’t like this practice, but I’m pretty sure it goes

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

on at sales all over the country, week-in, week-out. If, for example, Les and I had entered into a bidding war and I’d have gone all the way up to my £2,200 ceiling, then whichever of us had the balls to go all the way would have spent a fair old chunk of our profit margin on a car that was lovely, but no longer had quite as attractive a return attached to it.

And while Les and I are absolute rivals, with car lots across town from each other that specialise in exactly the same kind of vehicle and price level, neither of us wants the rich to get richer at the expense of our small businesses.

The Jag had come from a very large dealer group as a part-exer. I’m guessing, but I reckon its stand-in value

‘It was clear that the Jag had seen some serious dollars . . .’ against a brand spanker, because that’s what the car’s only previous owner would have treated himself to, was marginally more than £1,500, or perhaps two grand if they’d managed to get him close to list price on the new car. Either way, the last thing either of us would have wanted would be for it to sell for more than it was worth ‘in trade’. Les knew what he could sell it for, and I knew what I could sell it for, and while I don’t know for definite, I think we’re close enough in profile to have achieved pretty much the same result.

Besides, Les had agreed to pay my bus fare home.

‘Bus fare home,’ incidentally, turned out to be the difference between the car’s sale price and what Les was planning to pay for it anyway. So it came as no surprise to me that, shortly after the Jag went through the block, Les beckoned me outside to join him for a cheeky smoke. I wandered back into the hall £150 better off. Not as much as I’d have earned from selling the Jag, but not a bad return on precisely no work whatsoever, and all conducted with a gentlemanly handshake.

Of course, no car trader worth his salt catches the bus home from an auction. So instead, I waited for the next bargain. Anybody in the market for a 2001 Volvo V70, dark blue with 110,000 on the clock and a decent service history? An oldie but a goodie, first £1,000 cash drives it away…

Who is Big Mike?

Well, that would be telling. What we do know is he’s had more than 30 years in the car trade and picked up some incredible tales along the way.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29

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trading up.

Bread and water for me after this...

STORY SO FAR...

Good job ANDY ENTWISTLE doesn’t sell cars as his day job – he’d be hungry and homeless by now if he did...

B

y the time you read this, the Car Dealer Conference & Expo will have happened – and I’m delighted to say it was the huge success we were all hoping. Organising an event of this size is no mean feat and my wife was starting to forget what I look like (not that she was complaining).

All that conference work also meant Trading Up has taken a bit of a back seat recently, too. Despite this, we’ve managed to sell our Mk1 Clio 16v.

She came back from the bodyshop looking great and after a sunny Sunday spent giving her a thorough valet she looked fantastic, reflecting

the fact she was a oneowner car with a wad of history.

If I didn’t already have something in the garage I would have been sorely tempted to keep her myself, but a lack of space meant she had to go.

We cleared a profit of only £250 on her after all the costs were taken into account – that’s not enough to put food on the table, and if this was my only source of income I’d be on a diet of bread and water.

But for Trading Up it all goes into the Great Ormond Street coffers and

slowly we’re starting to claw back the big losses from earlier this year.

This does mean that for the first time in 12 months, the Trading Up cupboard is bare. In reality I’m unlikely to have the time to do much sourcing until all my post-conference work is out the way, but after that I intend to get my head down and try to get a few quick deals in place to get us back on course.

In the meantime, if you have anything you can deal us in on that will be easy for us to turn around quickly for Great Ormond Street, please drop me a line. With a hole in the Trading Up parking space, anything will be considered!

Renault Clio Paid: £1,600 Spent: £400 Sold: £2,250

Suzuki Vitara Paid: £1,500 Spent: £300 Sold: £1,950 Toyota Rav4 Paid: £2,000 Spent: £200 Sold: £3,000 Mazda MX5 Paid: £1,500 Spent: £200 Sold: £1,900 Jaguar XJS Paid: £2,200 Spent: £0 Sold: £2,600

Audi A6 Allroad Paid: £2,250 Spent: £500 Sold: £2,650 Ford Fiesta XR2 Paid: £1,900 Spent: £250 Sold: £2,650 Land Rover Discovery Paid: £3,600 Spent: £1,500 Sold: £3,500 Subaru Impreza Paid: £1,600 Spent: £650 Sold: £2,250 Rover Coupe Paid: £600 Spent: £0 Sold: £800 Peugeot 307 Paid: £500 Spent: £50 (on a battery) Sold: £700

Total £950

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• Uninsured Driver Cover CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

FINANCE.

Team will go to extremes in three-part charity challenge Eight motor finance organisation employees aim to raise £12,000 for cancer research with amazing feats of physical endurance

From left, key accounts manager Rob Richardson, Adele Heatlie from sales, business intelligence analyst Sam Harrison, and sales manager Neil Richardson

A

team of eight enthusiastic employees from Close Brothers Motor Finance is taking on an extreme three-part challenge to climb Ben Nevis, cycle 25 miles and then canoe across Loch Lochy to raise vital funds for charity partner Cancer Research UK. The dedicated octet have already been hard at work training for the challenge due to take place on June 20. In total, they are aiming to raise £12,000 to support the charity via online and offline donations.

Team captain Rob Richardson said: ‘We are all very excited about taking part in the Ben Nevis challenge.

‘However, the prospect of climbing the highest mountain in the British Isles then cycling 25 miles and canoeing across a loch is quite daunting and will certainly push us to our limits.

‘We’ve also organised a number of fundraising activities in the run-up to

the challenge, including a static bike ride covering the distance “from York to New York”, donation stations and dress-down days.

‘We’ve been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of everyone so far, including Trust Ford, who have kindly supplied us with a nine-seater minibus to transport the team to and from the challenge.’

The team is made up of employees from across the UK and comprises Rob from Northampton, Adele Heatlie, Sam Harrison and David Grieve, who are based at the company’s head office in Doncaster, Nick Delaney from Sheffield, Neil Richardson from York, Laura Frak from Swindon and Mareta

Davies from Northern Ireland.

Close Brothers Motor Finance CEO James Broadhead said: ‘It’s great to see everyone getting involved and challenging themselves to support this very worthy cause.

‘We’ve been charity partners with Cancer Research UK for just over a year now and so far we’ve raised more than £33,600.

‘We also took part in a Close Brothers Group charity week in May, organising a host of activities from a silent auction to win extra holiday days to a group-wide charity quiz, and it was a great success.’

To donate online, visit www. justgiving.com/teams/CBMF2015

Financial boss charged over accounts and with theft THE financial controller of a Nissan dealership in Wincanton has been charged with manipulating the accounts and stealing more than £60,000 belonging to his employer, F J Chalke Group.

Nathan Edward Osborne, 41, of Maunder Close, Wincanton, appeared at Somerset Magistrates’ Court.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

It is alleged he falsified management accounts by altering customer accounts, with a view to gain for himself or cause loss to another.

He is also accused of stealing £66,119 belonging to the group.

Prosecutor Adrian Maxwell said Osborne allegedly diverted customer deposits into his own

account between January 1, 2013 and December 8, 2014. Osborne didn’t enter pleas and will face trial at Taunton Crown Court after JPs said the offences were so serious.

No pleas were taken and the case was adjourned for a preliminary hearing. Osborne was released on unconditional bail.

CLOSE BROTHERS

Amy appointed as account head

MOTOR finance provider Close Brothers Motor Finance has boosted its offering in the Portsmouth and Isle of Wight area with the appointment of account manager Amy Bridges.

She initially joined Close Brothers as a branch administrator but it wasn’t long before senior management recognised her potential and she was promoted to the sales team.

In her new role, she is responsible for maintaining and building relationships with dealers and helping them increase their business.

She said: ‘I’m thrilled with this opportunity.

‘It’s been a steep learning curve but the whole team has been really supportive.’

iVENDI

Paying monthly is the top search Offering a monthly payments search has become the key trend for used car websites in 2015, according to dealer technology specialist iVendi.

The company says that finance sales penetration can reach 50 per cent higher on dealer websites and car portals that provide this facility.

James Tew, CEO at iVendi, said: ‘We very much live in a pay monthly consumer culture, and where the monthly payments search is an option, the vast majority of customers opt to use it.’

..in association with

Complacency could cost you custom and give competitors lead I

n the 2014-15 Formula One season – the 65th season to be precise – we saw Lewis Hamilton take the F1 world championship and he did it in magnificent fashion with a 67-point advantage over Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes took the F1 World Constructors’ Championship title in the same vein that year, being significantly ahead of any other constructor.

As we went into the current season we looked at it thinking “more of the same?”.

Hamilton took the first race and both Mercedes drivers lead the pack, achieving the one-two. However, it quickly changed with Ferrari’s new boy Sebastian Vettel taking the next win. A Ferrari winning a GP. Yeah, it had been

‘Just remember, there’s always someone wanting what you have’ a while since this last happened! Since that Malaysian Grand Prix, the recent races have seen variation with Lewis & Nico being first to third in most races and the Ferrari not being too far off the pace, mounting a significant challenge for the first time in a few seasons.

Mercedes has by no means become complacent, nor has it taken its foot off the gas.

In fact, it is probably working harder than at any previous time, investigating tyre pressures, looking at airflow and fixture weights. What is the wheel jack doing at a certain time in the pit stop? Where can they gain any advantages in future races?

The reason I am talking racing is because we all love motors and it’s easy to use F1 as a reference tool, and

Ben

Garside TIME IS MONEY

competitive advantage is an important area as a motor dealer. You have many competitors – some small, some large. You may be the biggest franchise group in the country or the biggest independent dealer in your region – either way, there will be a Ferrari (so to speak) chipping away at your lead and taking some of your customers.

But unlike in a race, you cannot see the time frame/ gap between you and your competition.

You have to get really clever about the way you measure this and be aware of what you’re working harder on.

Just as Mercedes will currently be looking at the intricacies, maybe you could look at yours.

How quick is a query dealt with and how can you speed it up?

If you have a speedy vehicle prep and vehicle turnover

Turn over page for more finance stories you may find that speed here is counter-productive. How many come back? If you look at the returns, could this have been mitigated, meaning you have more time to sell more cars?

I wonder what your competitor is doing right now to gain an advantage over you?

Maybe nothing, but if not, then you should spend time increasing that lead at the front of the pack so that when they do click on to their development it takes them longer to catch you up.

Just remember, there’s always someone wanting what you have and coming around the corner, and the way you prepare, plan, initiate and review needs to factor this competition in.

Don’t get overtaken too easily in your own field.

Who is Ben Garside?

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

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

DEALFINDER.

FINANCE. YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO...

ESTATE CARS AUDI A6 AVANT

BMW 3 SERIES TOURING THE BMW 3 Series Touring appeals because of its strong performance figures, economic credentials, great handling and luxurious feel while still remaining practical.

BMW are currently offering the 3 Series Touring with a deposit contribution from its dealers of £1,905.39, plus a further £2,750.00 from BMW themselves. This knocks a total of £4,655.36 off the deposit, meaning the customer has to pay only £5,079 of the £9,734.39 deposit total. The on-the-road cash price would be £31,975 for the BMW 318d M Sport Touring but on a 48-month term, monthly payments are just £309. This is based on 5.4 per cent APR representative with interest fixed at 5.38 per cent.

The option-to-purchase fee is £1 and the optional final payment is £11,268. This makes the total amount payable £31,180.

THE Audi A6 Avant has a real premium feel and offers generous space for four people plus their luggage.

Customers are currently able to get hold of an Audi A6 Avant with a deposit of only £6,470.71 for this car with a recommended on-the-road price of £37,545, thanks to a £4,500 deposit contribution from Audi.

This makes monthly payments, based on the Audi A6 Avant 2.0-litre TDI Ultra S line with a manual gearbox, £389 over 35 months with representative APR at 5.8 per cent and interest fixed at 5.5 per cent.

The optional final payment is £16,569.90 and the total payment works out at £36,846.31 including acceptance and purchase fees of £125 and £60.

Online motor finance specialist rebrands to reflect changing times Car Loan 4U becomes Zuto as growing firm now offers far more than when it began

L

eading online motor finance specialist Car Loan 4U has rebranded to Zuto.

Pronounced ‘Zoo-toe’, the new brand identity signals the changing shape of the business and has been developed to reflect the firm’s unique support to the UK car-buying public, while also elevating the brand against competitors, says the company.

At the heart of the brand, it says, is a distinctive positioning solely focused around delivering customer support at every point of their car-buying journey, from securing finance right through to driving away in their new vehicle. James Wilkinson, CEO of Zuto, pictured, said: ‘When we started out in 2006, we wanted a functional name that described accurately what we did. Car Loan 4U worked perfectly. However,

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @BelieveBecca as time has moved on, so have the services we offer. Buying a car can often be a stressful experience because there are a lot of unknowns.

However, we don’t just help in finding a finance solution, we also offer a car-finding service, free vehicle history checks, free valuations and help with the paperwork – and it is these services that reassure customers.

‘No-one else is doing this and the name Zuto offers us a real point of difference, just like our services. Zuto offers a blank slate for us to set about our ambitions for the future.

‘We’ve grown 100 per cent year-on-year in the

past four years and in the coming year will be investing over £15m in our marketing to continue to grow our business.

‘Being only four letters also helps enormously with customer recognition, as we found out in extensive customer research.

‘We want to make a real dent in the industry, educating car buyers so they can take complete charge of what is one of the biggest purchases they may ever make – and make Zuto into a household name.’

Announcement of the rebrand follows the company’s recent expansion into central Manchester, opening a new 6,465 sq ft office and creating 50 new jobs in addition to its 12,000-plus sq ft at Winterton House on Lyme Green Business Park in Macclesfield, where the firm already employs more than 250 people.

..in association with

Higher res column advert.pdf 1 12/05/2015 09:45:32

Looking for a Non-prime finance company with a difference?

VOLVO V70 THE spacious Volvo V70 is currently available with a £500 deposit contribution from the Swedish manufacturer. To buy the D3 Business Edition Powershift that comes with Black Stone paint, which has an on-the-road price of £26,345, customers will need a deposit of £4,866 and monthly payments will be £349 over three years.

However, those opting for the D3 with SE Nav specification will also be eligible for a dealer contribution of £4,250 with a customer deposit of £6,071.25. This reduces the on-the-road price from £32,620 to £28,370 and the monthly payments are only £10 more expensive at £359 over 36 months.

APR remains at 6.9 per cent and buyers will also have to pay an optional final payment of £12,430. The total amount payable works out at £31,925.25.

First Response Finance offer Non-prime finance with a Prime service

C

TRIBUTES

FLA

Arnold Clark Finance MD dies while taking part in charity walk in Spain

New record set as latest consumer figures released

THE managing director of Arnold Clark Finance Ltd has died while taking part in a fund-raising event.

Hugh Wallace, 66, had been a director of Arnold Clark Automobiles since 1978 and MD of Arnold Clark Finance Ltd since 1983.

He had only ever worked for the company, beginning his career there while a student at the University of Glasgow.

In a statement, the company said: ‘We are saddened to share the news that Hugh Wallace passed away peacefully on Tuesday May 19, while on a charity walk in Spain.

‘Hugh, who was with the group for over 40 years, was an incredibly well-respected member of the automobile industry and a key figure within Arnold Clark.

‘His passion and dedication extended far beyond the automobile industry, touching many, from the charitable organisations he supported to the wider sporting community.

‘This is a tragic loss and we offer his family our deepest sympathy.’

Hugh fell ill and died soon after finishing a walk on the Camino de Santiago. He leaves a wife and five children.

LATEST figures from the FinanceCMY & Leasing Association (FLA) showK point-of-sale consumer new car finance up 11 per cent by volume and 17 per cent by value in April, compared with April 2014.

The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through dealerships reached 77.3 per cent – a new record. Point-of-sale consumer used car finance saw continued strong growth in April, up 15 per cent by volume and 19 per cent by value. Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: ‘In April, the consumer car finance market grew at its strongest rate since September last year.

‘This contributed to growth of eight per cent in new business volumes in the first four months of 2015, which is in line with market expectations for growth in 2015 as a whole.’

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Get in touch today!

0115 946 6317

Registered in England No. 03560611. Registered Office: Chetwynd Business Park, 5 Regan Way, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6RZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

HPI. So much more than a check.

40 30 20

50

6 0 70 8 0

10

90

10 0

110 120

130 140

HPI Checks have been the lifeblood of the used vehicle market for years.

But HPI offers you so much more than the peace of mind these provide.

We are constantly developing products designed to help your business.

From ensuring the cars you sell are fit to sell as described, to helping you clinch the deal, we’re there to drive your business.

In a nutshell – No HPI. No buy.

Check for yourself at hpi.co.uk/trade or call us on 0845 300 8914

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Feature.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER: a car launch with a difference

’Ello, ’ello, ’ello, what’s goin’ on ’ere then...?

HANNON to New We sent COLIN C w Jags and the York to try out ne nge Rover ever. most powerful Ra resting trip...

And it was an inte

T

here we were, travelling sedately along a quiet New Jersey road in a Jaguar F-Type. Yes, sedately. We’d been warned the local plod were out on the prowl and, seeing they wear a gun on their hip, we weren’t out to antagonise. And as we turned a corner, there he was. A young State Trooper, standing by the road with three F-Types already pulled over.

We soon became the fourth.

‘Is there a problem, officer?’ we asked sweetly.

Well, yes, apparently there was. Because another three F-Types behind us were also swiftly summoned to the edge of the road.

Journalists from around the globe, invited to America by Jaguar Land Rover to drive their new supercars, were reduced to blubbering wrecks. Didn’t these people know we had a ferry to catch, to go and take a close-up look at the Statue of Liberty?

But we were blubbering wrecks with smartphones in our hands, taking pictures to let

social media know what was happening to us…

Apparently, said the young New Jersey stormtrooper, we should all have international driving licences, not our pretty ones with EU stamped all over them. And didn’t we know that in New Jersey all vehicles had to have licence plates on the front and back? Err, no, we didn’t.

And aren’t our driving licences valid everywhere?

Only we didn’t say that. Oh no. After all, he was wearing a gun…

Another State Trooper arrived, blue and red lights flashing on his Crown Vic. And a third.

And they soon told the journalists to take

themselves and their smartphones back into their cars instead of milling around.

Apparently they felt a little intimidated – and they could always book us for jaywalking…

We felt like arguing – a free press, and all that. But have I mentioned, we weren’t the ones wearing guns…

Then along came our saviours on their trusty steed. Or rather, JLR executives in a Land Rover SVR. The licences are fine, they said, and proved it. International licences are recommended in some states, but not mandatory (apart from Florida – you need one there. Apparently, the permit is mandatory in Florida, although it’s not enforced. So is that confusing or what?). And the licence plates are fine, because they’re trade plates, and need only be on the back of the car. Five minutes later, we CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

Feature.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER: a car launch with a difference

“

That sound – it’s distinctive, it’s passionate...

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

were waved on our way. So we left. Very, stage. And the sound it makes. It’s pure very slowly in our £94,000 supercars… sports car.

On many car launches, this would Michelle Mortiboys is the grandlyhave been the highlight – something very named vehicle line director of Special different to take the attention away from Vehicle Operations. An engineer, she has yet another new car. But this one had been working on the car since its concept, already been a good occasion – the launch and admits it’s her ‘baby’. And she knows of the first Range Rover with an SVR badge. it’s something special.

JLR launched its Special Vehicle ‘The fact it goes from 0-60mph in four Operations unit in a blaze of publicity and and a half seconds sets it apart,’ she says. has been working feverishly to come up ‘And that sound – whether you like it or with its first car worthy of the name. And not, it’s distinctive, it’s passionate, it has a the Range Rover Sport SVR is that car. purity about it.’

On paper, it shouldn’t work.

Ah yes, the sound. It makes A bit like hearing Aston Martin a roar like a lion. Deep and and Rolls-Royce are entering the throaty. Like every supercar SUV market. Why, when things should. are going so well, would you At around £100,000 it’s never want to open yourselves up to going to be a big seller. But any potential flak by moving so the chances are it will be very far out of your comfort zone? popular with those people Range Rovers are already well with spare money in their Michelle Mortiboys liked. They’re big, burly beasts pocket. Mortiboys adds: ‘It will that will go any place, any time. obviously be a lot lower volume Why turn it into a supercar? What’s the than, say, the Range Rover Discovery Sport, point? but we have been overwhelmed by the So it shouldn’t work. But that’s on interest in the car so far – and not just in paper. On the road, it does. It is an utterly the UK, but globally and particularly in the amazing, breath-taking monster of a car.

American market.

All the technical stuff appears in the ‘But we think it will do well in the UK.’ review on pages 40-41. But whatever I say The SVR is a special car. So we can won’t do it justice. I had the opportunity expect to see more SVRs in the future, to drive the car in New York, in traffic, on then? Yes, says Mortiboys. But she’s not winding roads through old America, offsaying what model will have an SVR road through a forest, and on a race track. version, or when. ‘There will be more SVRs, And it is, quite simply, superb. and the next one is likely to be a Jaguar, It handles like a sports car. The but we’re not going to roll out SVRs on acceleration, either from a standing start or every single model. It needs to have the while cruising, is sensational. No wonder appropriate DNA and it needs to have the JLR took journalists to the Big Apple to performance characteristics of an SVR.’ show off its car – it deserves that kind of And is the Range Rover the right type

of car to launch the new badge? ‘Oh yes,’ says Mortiboys. ‘I don’t think people would have expected it, so it’s a bit different, but we have managed to create an SVR on a Range Rover, and that has been a massive talking point.

‘I’d say to dealers that the key is to get people behind the wheel, because once they drive it, they’ll love it. It’s a distinctive, eye-catching car in a lovely colour, and there’s that noise… I’d be surprised that once people have been in it, they don’t buy it.

‘When I started down the SVR road, we envisaged this car – and I have to say, the finished product is better than we ever imagined. Seeing all the elements come together has been a really proud moment.’

It IS a special car. On the track, it hurtles around corners and has speed to spare on the straights. It’s 2.3 tonnes of supercar. Off-road, it tackles anything and everything. Okay, the most off-roading any of the owners will do is bumping over the school playing field to park up to watch junior playing football. But if snow falls during the game, or there’s a rock fall, or there’s a flood of Biblical proportions in injury time – or all three at once – you can be safe in the knowledge you’ll still be home in time for tea.

So what about those F-Types? What are they like? If you’ve been behind the wheel of the

rear-wheel-drive model, you’ll wonder what the fuss is about. That car is very tail-happy – take a corner in the Tesco car park too quickly and you’re fighting to keep control.

But the all-wheel-drive F-Type is a different proposition entirely. It sticks to the road like a new-born’s regurgitated milk sticks to a new suit.

(Not that I’m bitter – it was a very nice suit, and okay I used some bad language, but I’m sure we’ll be talking to those proud new parents next door again one day...)

The F-Type on the race track was a revelation. I drove the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS on a racetrack in Malaga the other day (shamelessly namedropping, I know, but come on, you’d boast too if it were you, wouldn’t you?) and the 5.0-litre, V8 supercharged Jag was its equal.

And I’d use the F-Type to pop to work and to go to the shops, too. Well, I would if I had a spare £90,000 or so to buy one.

It’s a great car. The acceleration has to be seen to be believed, and it’s very, very comfortable.

And the engine crackles and pops and roars – if there’s a finer sound in the automotive industry, I haven’t heard it yet.

So, quite an occasion. Driving supercars and getting up close and personal with gun-toting State Troopers.

Not your normal car launch at all… [CD]

International Driving Permits Don’t worry – the American police got it all wrong (but we’re not telling them – have we mentioned that they carry guns?).

The IDP is not mandatory across America. The permit can be obtained by giving the Post Office £5.50 in return for one (or the AA and RAC £8.50, because apparently it costs £3 to send it via Postman Pat).

In reality, it’s a worthless bit of paper, because you need to show your UK licence to get it. So what’s the point of it? No, we don’t know, either.

It seems that the authorities in Florida were worried about the number of Spanish drivers on their roads and they couldn’t read their licences – so they decreed that everyone in the state had to have an IDP, as it was in English and they could read it.

They passed the law, but forgot to tell anyone. So everyone turned up with just their national driving licence. Chaos resulted. So much chaos that the Florida mandarins decided their idea was a daft one and they told the police not to enforce it. So although it’s Florida law, it’s not enforced. Confusing or what?

The advice from the AA and RAC is if you’re travelling abroad it’s worth getting a permit, just in case. It’s better, they said, than getting pulled over by the police – and did we know that in America the police carried guns and could be quite intimidating?

Yes, we had found that out for ourselves…

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

FORECOURT.

Range Rover Sport SVR LOOKS

It has muscular and rugged good looks.

With the finesse of a ballet dancer...

UNDER THE BONNET

It’ll leave other traffic miles in its wake. It’s quick – and that sound. Ooh, that sound.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Range Rover Sport SVR Price: £93,450 Engine: 5.0-litre, V8, supercharged Power: 550bhp 680Nm Max speed: 162mph 0-60mph: 4.5 seconds MPG (comb’d): 22.1mpg Emissions: 298g/km

TARGET BUYERS: Those after a comfy upmarket saloon with strong economy

THE RIVALS:

Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5M, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. It’s VERY quick – and a lot of fun to drive.

2. Comfort, luxurious touches, and great handling.

3. Did we mention the sound of the engine....?

DEAL CLINCHER: The sound, the sound, the sound, the sound..... ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

on test

It’s the first car from JLR’s new Special Vehicle Operations WHAT IS IT? It’s a Range Rover Sport, so very luxurious and excellent in the sort of terrain that would kill most performance cars. This new hardcore range-topping model, however, is very fast. And we mean VERY fast.

It’ll crack zero to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, which puts it on a par with the mighty Porsche Cayenne Turbo. It’s 2.3 tonnes of SUV, with the speed and acceleration of a nimble little sports car. And, with 550bhp on tap, it’s the most powerful Range Rover ever produced.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The same thunderous 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine you’ll find in an F-Type R, which gives the car exceptional power and that terrific burst of speed.

The eight-speed automatic box is smooth, and

is at its best as the car speeds through the ratios, accompanied by more snap, crackle and pop noises from the exhausts than all the Rice Krispies cereal packs in your local Tesco lumped together. It’s worth changing up and then easing off just to hear the engine growl and then roar into life. Who said SUVs couldn’t be properly exciting?

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Well, it’s a Range Rover, so expect a leather-lined ode to luxury inside. The SVR has unique sports seats and eye-catching turned aluminium interior trim details.

Owners looking for a more sporting edge can specify carbon fibre trim for the door panels, centre console, dashboard and steering-wheel bezel. In terms of kit, it has everything you’d expect in a car that costs

INTERIOR

It’s all leather and glinting aluminium – a quality look and feel. You’ll feel pampered!

unit. Colin Channon goes to the USA to see whether it has been worth waiting for... £93,450 – a bombastic sound system, a full suite of electronic driver aids and even remote control of various functions through a smartphone app – all wrapped up in a craftsman-quality cabin.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? One word: magnificent. It has thunderous pace, yet is nimble enough to be entertaining in the bends. We got to drive it in the New York rushhour, along almost-deserted old American roads, and then to a racetrack with billiard-table smooth surfaces, and it was superb on all. On the track it was seriously quick and stuck to the Tarmac like glue – big it may be, but cumbersome and unwieldy it certainly isn’t. Stopping at speed takes a bit of getting used to, but with a full load, it’s

close to 2.5 tonnes and even the optional ceramic brakes can’t stop a thing that size on a sixpence.

It’s off-road abilities are worthy of its Land Rover badge, too. Weaving between trees and splashing through puddles and mud and piles of stones, the SVR felt in its element. It may now be an over-large sports car, but it has lost none of its versatility. The stop-start system won’t save many trees, though, given that you’ll get 20mpg only if you drive carefully, but it may save a leaf or two.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Auto Trader says: ‘Compared with other performance SUVs from the likes of BMW and Porsche, the SVR isn’t quite the last word in dynamic excellence. However, it’s every bit as

enjoyable as its rivals, and probably a bit more likeable, too. If you can afford to even consider buying a car like this, then you can probably afford to run it. And if your pockets are deep enough, you’ll absolutely love it.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? The first SVR from the JLR stable was certainly worth waiting for. It’s a superb driving beast of a car that will do anything you want it to. Track days, pulling the caravan or boat, popping around town… it’s a car for all occasions. It’s a lot of car for a lot of money, but it’s fun and won’t let you down. And the sound it makes – the neighbours will know exactly when you leave for work in the morning,…

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

forecourt.

BMW i8

the knowledge

Model: BMW i8 Price: £86,508 Engine: 1.5-litre,three-cylinder, turbocharged plus electric motor Power: 357bhp, 570Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 4.4 seconds MPG (comb’d): 134.5mpg Emissions: 49g/km

target buyers: Technology fans

the rivals: Porsche 911, Audi R8, BMW M4

Key Selling Points: 1. The low emissions 2. The performance 3. The economy

Deal Clincher: It looks like nothing else on the road in a very cool way ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

COST

You could buy two BMW M4s for the price of one i8, but at £100k (with toys added) we still think it’s a bit of a bargain. Buyers seem to agree.

It looks like something from Star Wars, drives like a supercar and What is it?

It’s rare a genuine landmark car arrives on the scene, but BMW have pulled it off with the simply staggering i8. Not only does it look like something from a science-fiction movie, it has the technology from one, too – but the good news here is this car is very real indeed. This is the German firm’s stake in the ground in the electric car market and proves supercars don’t necessarily need V8s to stir the emotions. Apparently.

What’s under the bonnet?

Okay, concentrate now, because this is a little bit more complicated than usual. The i8 features a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-pot engine that’s hidden behind the

rear seats. Doesn’t sound very exciting, we agree, but there’s also a 129bhp electric motor which combines for an overall power output of 357bhp and 570Nm. That’s plenty of punch and enough to help it crack 60mph in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

But the really interesting thing is it does all that while returning an incredible 134.5mpg and emitting just 49g/km.

What’s the spec like?

Well, first up it’s worth noting this is a 2+2 so if you’ve got kids, or small adult friends, you can slot them in the back and take them along for the ride. There are also those awesome dihedral gullwing doors to marvel

tECHNOLOGY

A combination of a three cylinder 1.5-litre engine and electric motor offer startling performance. It sounds great too.

LOOKS

We haven’t driven a car like this that makes people stop and talk to you more often.

Those amazing dihedral doors are an event every time they open.

costs £100,000. James Baggott finds out if the i8 is the car we’ve all been waiting for at every time you get in and out. Don’t expect to enter a petrol station and leave any time soon.

Specification includes all the usual niceties you’d expect – things like sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth, heated seats and leather. Lovely.

What’s it like to drive?

It’s like driving the future. From the moment you squeeze yourself through those funky doors across the wide carbon fibre sills to the minute you notice it glows blue inside at night, you feel like you’re starring in your very own Back to the Future movie. It makes an incredible noise as you power on, much of which is piped into

the cabin via the speakers, but it’s still exciting nonetheless. It feels quick, too. You sit low in the cabin and with a rapid six-speed automatic gearbox that changes so fast you feel like it’s constantly accelerating, the sensations are heightened even more.

What do the press think?

Auto Express praised it for its ‘stunning looks, low running costs and strong performance’.

However, they said the seats were cramped and the boot was small. Autocar added: ‘BMW would have you believe the new i8 is the sports car of the future – and it’s a believable claim.’

What do we think?

If you’re looking for something that will stand out from the crowd and is packed with clever technology, the BMW i8 really is the supercar for you. It’s great to drive, turns heads like few other machines on the road and offers amazing eco credentials to boot. But at £100,000 it’s not cheap and we can’t help thinking a BMW M4 would offer just as many thrills in the driving department. But that’s not the point of the i8 – this car is about showcasing new technology and highlighting BMW’s electric car range, and it does that job very well indeed. And, if we’re honest, we’re very glad it’s here.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

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forecourt.

INTERIOR

Very plush with a luxurious look and feel – just a shame about those awful vents...

UNDER THE BONNET

It’s a bit sluggish in the heavier estate body style, but there’s no hint of jerkiness.

Ford Mondeo Vignale Ford is going premium – or at least its new Vignale sub-brand is. Jon Reay takes a trip to Rome to find out more...

What is it?

The first model in Ford’s premium Vignale range, set up to offer a more premium ownership experience. The new Mondeo is the first model to receive the treatment, and the S-Max will follow next year. It’s not just a poshed-up model, though – Vignale customers get a dedicated plushlyfurnished area within new flagship FordStore dealerships. Owners will get a dedicated Vignale relationship manager, collection and delivery of the car around service bookings, and even free monthly car washes (yes, really). To help keep residuals from plummeting, Ford won’t be doing much in the way of discounting.

What’s under the bonnet?

Two 2.0-litre diesels (178bhp and 207bhp), one 2.0-litre petrol (236bhp) and a 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid (184bhp). All are borrowed from the standard Mondeo, bar the 207bhp diesel, while Vignale customers also get the option of four-wheel-drive

on the 178bhp diesel. We drove just that – with all-wheel drive and PowerShift automatic gearbox – and it was perfectly acceptable. It’s not a terribly quick combination, but power delivery is smooth and gear changes are instantaneous.

What’s the spec like?

What sets the Vignale apart from the standard Mondeo are the little additions – its leather seats are said to be of a much higher quality, for example, and feel very supple indeed. In addition to heating up, they now cool down too – and do a pretty convincing 11-way massage.

Dash surfaces have been gratuitously clad in leather, with mixed results – we’d rather Ford had sorted out the cheaper-looking silvery bits around the vents and centre console.

Interestingly, Ford has introduced active noise cancellation – a system that uses the stereo speakers to magically drown out engine and road noise – and double glazing is standard across the range.

What’s it like to drive?

Funnily enough, it drives like a Mondeo – a comfortable long-distance cruiser. It’s not bad, but electric power steering isn’t precise enough to make the experience worthwhile. The noise cancellation and additional sound deadening have made the Mondeo a fantastically refined car to be in, though.

What do the press think?

Auto Express said: ‘At this price point, Ford is looking at some seriously accomplished opposition – and extra kit simply won’t cut it.’ Autocar said: ‘We love the Mondeo, just buy a Titanium’

What do we think?

There’s plenty to like about the Mondeo Vignale. It’s relatively wellpriced given its kit levels, drives as well as the standard Mondeo and has some really nice touches. What it’s not, though, is a rival for the 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.

the knowledge Model: Ford Mondeo Vignale Estate 2.0TDCi Powershift i-AWD Price: £33,310 Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel Power: 117bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 137mph 0-62mph: 9.5 seconds MPG (comb’d): 52.3 Emissions: 141g/km

target buyers:

Existing Mondeo customers tempted by more premium kit, business users who’ll benefit from more convenient servicing and ownership experience

the rivals: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, Volvo S60

Key Selling Points:

1. Drives as well as standard Mondeo 2. Superb refinement and comfort levels 3. Wow factor buying and owning experience from dealer

Deal Clincher: Ford’s most luxurious and refined Mondeo yet CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

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forecourt.

STYLISH UPGRADES

The new-look 3D-effect grille, updated headlights and the option for new personalisation packs have given the 208 a fresh look.

UNDER THE BONNET

New Active City Brake system makes the 208 safer than ever by braking for you when it detects a collision.

LOOKS

Peugeot has added best-in-class engines with incredible claimed economy figures of 94.2mpg.

Peugeot 208

French firm’s best-seller has been spruced up in a bid to make it more efficient and better looking. Becca Chaplin reports What is it?

The 208 is the most popular car in Peugeot’s range and it’s been given a timely freshen-up. Those who’ve liked the shape of the 208 but dismissed it because it’s not efficient enough or of high enough quality might be pleasantly surprised. Not only has the Peugeot been given a wider grille with a new 3D pattern, two-tone headlights and reworked chrome, but it’s also received engine updates that provide best-in-class economy.

Plus, there’s Peugeot’s new textured paintwork, which truly makes the 208 stand out.

What’s under the bonnet?

The new engines claim better efficiency for this little car and the 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel boasts not only best-in-class economy but bestever emissions figures of only 79g/ km. All the diesel engines fit into the sub-100g/km of CO2 band, meaning there’s nothing to pay when it comes to taxing your car. Even better, the

74bhp engine with Stop/Start offers claimed fuel economy of 94.2mpg.

The 208’s petrol counterparts are also impressively efficient, with the most frugal being the new 1.2-litre model which achieves 67.3mpg in the official economy test and emits only 97g/km of CO2, again meaning no car tax.

What’s the spec like?

On the outside, the new 208 gets some special features, such as textured paint and two special colour personalisation packs – menthol white and lime white. The personalisation packs are available on mid-range Active and Allure specifications, and include coloured markings on the 3D grille in either white or green, colour trim on Peugeot badge and a black grille and mirrors.

What’s it like to drive?

We took the 208 out on the rural roads of Austria, which it lapped up without fuss. Climbing the steep

hills around the vineyards, even the smallest engines were able to cope – just. The grunt of the diesel was needed in some situations and the automatic gearbox fared better.

What do the press think?

Auto Express says: ‘Peugeot is treading a brave path by aiming its facelifted 208 at the likes of Mini and DS. The personalisation options aren’t as extensive, but they do inject new appeal.’ What Car? says: ‘The changes Peugeot has bestowed on its 208 aren’t dramatic, and as a result the model continues to be a decent, if slightly underwhelming car next to the class best.’

What do we think?

Fortunately for Peugeot, the 208 has retained the characteristics which won it fans in the first place. It’s pleasant to drive, has great kerb appeal with the funky new extras and, even in the lower specification models, quality is good.

the knowledge Model:

Peugeot 208, 1.2-litre PureTech 110 Price: £15,495 Engine: 1.2-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol Power: 108bhp Max speed: 118mph 0-62mph: 9.6 seconds MPG (comb’d): 62.8 Emissions: 103g/km

target buyers:

Young, first-car buyers or city drivers.

the rivals:

Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Hyundai i10.

Key Selling Points:

1. A huge amount of kerb appeal thanks to its funky exterior.

2. Great economy figures.

3. Excellent handling and road manners.

Deal Clincher: Fantastic all-rounder and slightly cheaper than the popular Fiesta.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

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forecourt. interior

High quality materials cover the interior, but it’s not as big as you’d think

looks

Long, low and menacing sums up the M6 Convertible’s butch looks

BMW M6 Convertible Can the new M6 Convertible successfully blend cabriolet style with sports car performance? Christofer Lloyd reports What is it?

The BMW M6 Convertible takes the title as the most expensive BMW you can buy – barring the hightech i8 hybrid supercar. Helping to warrant its near £100,000 price tag, the M6 is the performance version of the upmarket four-seater 6 Series Convertible and packs a mighty 553bhp twin-turbocharged motor under its long snout.

What’s under the bonnet?

The M6 Convertible boasts an immensely-powerful 4.4-litre V8 motor under the bonnet, and thanks to a pair of turbochargers, punches out more than 550bhp. With the two turbos boosting power across the engine rev range, this heavyweight machine has the muscle to sprint from a standstill to 62mph in a rapid 4.3 seconds and doesn’t run out of puff until the electronic limiter cuts in at 155mph.

What’s the spec like?

True to its hefty price, the M6 Convertible includes plenty of kit as standard. All models include an

automatic gearbox, 19-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav and heated leather sports seats in the price, along with front and rear parking sensors and adaptive LED headlights. The 6 Series also includes a heads-up display, carbon fibre interior trim and uprated speakers in M6 form.

What’s it like to drive?

Slide behind the wheel and the M6 Convertible feels just as sporty as its hardtop sibling. However, slicing the roof off has done no favours to the ride or handling of the M6. The steering relays little of what the front wheels are up to, while the car feels very big and heavy around corners and the ride is jittery over rough Tarmac. This is no agile sports car.

The power on tap, though, is undeniable, with a NASCAR-style bellow coming from the exhaust under hard acceleration. The automatic gearbox also shuffles smoothly between gears, though it becomes jerky when asked to change gear more quickly. The brakes require plenty of force to stop this heavy machine, too.

Refinement levels are very high, even with the roof down, reducing the sense of speed you feel in the cabin, making the M6 a more pleasant machine to be driven in than to pilot for yourself.

What do the press think?

Carbuyer wrote: ‘The BMW M6 convertible is a hugely powerful and impressive addition to BMW’s range, but offers little in the way of extra excitement over the cheaper 650i.’

What do we think?

The M6 Convertible may add windin-the-hair motoring to the M6’s talents, but cutting the roof off has dramatically eroded the coupe’s appeal as a driver’s car. Those who value the ability to lower the roof are likely to be put off by the bumpy ride and enormous price tag of the M6 Convertible, while those looking for a sports car are likely to be disappointed by the Convertible’s inert handling. As a result, the lesser 6 Series Convertibles or the 640d Coupe are likely to be more appealing prospects to potential buyers.

the knowledge Model: BMW M6 Convertible Price: £97,300 Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8, petrol Power: 553bhp, 680Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-62mph: 4.3 seconds MPG (comb’d): 27.4 Emissions: 239g/km

target buyers:

Well-heeled sun lovers who want a drop-top muscle car

the rivals: Porsche 911, Jaguar F-Type Convertible, Mercedes SL

Key Selling Points: 1. Brutal performance from potent engine 2. Offers wind-in-the-hair motoring for four 3. Real presence on the road with bold styling

Deal Clincher: Butch looks and rorty engine make this BMW a true head-turner CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

forecourt.

Honda Civic Type R LOOKS

It looks mean and moody – and fast, even when it’s standing still.

the knowledge

Model: Price: Engine:

Honda Civic Type R £32,295 2.0-litre VTEC turbocharged petrol Power: 306bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 167mph 0-60mph: 5.7 seconds MPG (comb’d): 38.7mpg Emissions: 170g/km

target buyers: Fast and the furious fans but also a more mature fast car market thanks to accessible monthly payments for power output.

the goodies

Pay the extra for the GT version, and there’s hardly a toy not included...

on test

Honda promises the new Type R will bring the ‘racing DNA’ What is it?

1. Over 300bhp 2. Road to track capability 3. Ultimate hot hatch status

For those buyers looking for a road car that could happily roll straight on to the track, this is it. If you studied the exterior of the standard Civic, you’d be hard pushed to find a panel that hasn’t been modified to make this thing go faster. It might all look like it’s for show, but every fin and air intake has been added for a reason. Unlike nearly all its similarly-powerful rivals, it’s front-wheel-drive, too, which only a few years ago would have been a laughable proposition.

Deal Clincher:

What’s under the bonnet?

the rivals: Renault Megane Trophy R, VW Golf R, Seat Leon Curpa R

Key Selling Points:

Honda says it’s all about accessibility, more than 300bhp for just £300 per month. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

The Type R develops 306bhp from its VTEC engine.

However, some purists might find themselves disappointed with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit

being paired with a turbo for the first time. In reality it has the grunt you’d expect in a Type R and keeps the rev-hungry characteristics Honda fans love. Plus, its roar sounds fantastic. There’s no fakery here, just a pair of finely-tuned dual-tipped exhausts. The turbocharger also means the economy figures for this car aren’t too bad, with Honda claiming it will do 38.7mpg combined.

What’s the spec like?

The Civic Type R comes packed with standard kit, including 19-inch alloy wheels, red sports seats that are still comfortable enough for distance driving, an alloy gear knob and pedals plus a red and black leather steering wheel. There’s also Bluetooth, a rear parking camera, LED headlights and Honda’s

We spoke to Leon Brannan, the head of cars at Honda UK, about the manufacturer’s hopes for the newest Type R As a niche car, how important is the Civic Type R to Honda?

We haven’t had a Type R in the range for five years and we’ve missed that racing DNA that is synonymous with Honda in the UK range. Of all the launches we’re doing this year, this is the most important for us and exciting because Type R is really what Honda stands for. The reason it’s so important, though, is Swindon – not just because it’s Type R but because it represents Civic and the £2million investment we’ve made in Swindon.

Why do you think now is the right time to launch the Civic Type R after such a long wait?

The market for high-powered, over200PS cars has been in quite a decline.

It took a big hit in 2007, as you can imagine, after the financial crash. Now things are starting to pick up and the market is coming back. Now is the right time for us to bring the Type R back in.

How well are you expecting the Type R to sell?

Type R isn’t going to be a major volume car for us, but what it does is give us a halo over Civic. Our plan is for around 6.5 to seven per cent market share, and we plan around 1,500 units between now and the end of March 2016, depending on supply.

How long will the wait be for those ordering a Type R now they can see the finished product?

We’ve already sold the first few hundred. If you ordered today there will be around a five-month wait because the issue is going to be how many we can get.

What is going to be the key selling point for the Civic Type R? The most important thing about the Type R, apart from the performance, is the price. This is £30,000, but as we know 90 per cent of people in the UK don’t buy cars with cash – they buy them on finance. We’re selling 85 per cent of our cars on PCP, so what’s important is that monthly payment. With a 30 per cent deposit, customers can get this car for £300 a month. This is a car for absolutely anyone who wants a performance car. It’s a highlyaccessible product.

What options do you believe buyers will go for?

We reckon half our buyers taking a standard car – they just want access to the look, the design, the performance and they’re not worried about the extra kit on the GT pack, even if it is fantastic value.

back to their brand. Rebecca Chaplin goes to Slovakia to see if it lives up to the hype Connect media system. For an extra £2,300 on top of the £29,995 asking price, buyers can get the GT specification. This furnishes the Type R with an upgraded audio system, Garmin navigation, front and rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, and ambient lighting. Most importantly, the GT pack gets Honda’s full suite of safety systems, which includes blind-spot warning, a cross-traffic monitor, forward collision and lane-departure warnings as well as traffic sign recognition.

What’s it like to drive?

The Civic Type R is impressive on road and track.

The electric power steering is quick to react and isn’t fazed by the 306bhp coursing through

the front wheels. A standard-fit limited-slip differential has given the car extra grip that really powers it through corners, while torquesteer – the curse of powerful front-wheel-drive cars – has been minimised with a clever new front suspension set-up. It’s very impressive when you’re in the mood for a good drive, but it won’t save your back if you hit a pothole. For more performance there’s the ‘+R’ button, which not only turns all the dials red, it also makes the engine more responsive, with more torque available, less power assistance to the steering and firmed-up suspension for the track.

What do the press think?

Evo says: ‘The new Type R stands shoulder

to shoulder with the best, sharpest and most extreme hot hatches of all time.’ Auto Express says: ‘The new Honda Civic Type R is a return to form for the Japanese brand’s performance arm.’

What do we think?

After such a long wait, we were completely prepared to be disappointed with Honda’s offering, but it has managed to produce a car that’s astonishingly good. The Civic Type R is quite simply a weapon on road and track, and has the aggressive styling to match its muscle. Honda has really gone to town with this car and it’s paid off. It may not to be all tastes, but the Civic Type R holds its head high in a hot hatch market crammed with talented rivals.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

Chris is a 37 year old construction manager from Birmingham. He lives in a three bedroom semi, is married and has two children under five. In his spare time, he likes to watch West Bromwich Albion and walk his Labrador.

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forecourt.

INTERIOR

The Kadjar sits a rung above sister model, the Nissan Qashqai for quality.

UNDER THE BONNET

LOOKS

Engines aren’t the most powerful, but economy figures are strong.

The Kadjar’s curvy shape makes it stand out from boxy off-roaders.

Renault Kadjar

Can the Renault Kadjar topple the all-conquering Nissan Qashqai? Christofer Lloyd pops to Spain finds out.

What is it?

The Kadjar is a medium-sized family off-roader that offers a practical interior and car-like road manners.

Buyers have a choice of petrol and diesel models, with the most powerful diesel engine being available with the option of four-wheel drive, too. With sleek, curvaceous styling and a practical interior, the Kadjar looks likely to grab the attention of buyers after a high-riding off-roader, but without the normal boxy styling.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Kadjar is available with three engines. Most affordable is the turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol with 128bhp, followed by a 1.5-litre diesel with 109bhp – which is expected to be the bestseller, courtesy of its 74.3mpg claimed economy and low enough CO2 emissions to warrant free car tax, when fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels. Topping the range is a 1.6-litre diesel that matches the petrol for power with 128bhp,

with both accelerating to 62mph in around 10 seconds. While the petrol returns claimed fuel economy of around 50mpg, two-wheel drive 1.6litre diesel buyers can expect to see approximately 65mpg.

What’s the spec like?

All models include a digital radio, front fog lights, digital dials, electric windows front and rear and Bluetooth, along with a reasonable sound system. Stepping up to Dynamique Nav adds a touchscreen sat-nav system, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, dualzone climate control and updated speakers. Meanwhile, Dynamique S Nav adds 19-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, leather and cloth seats plus electric, heated wing mirrors and a height-adjustable driver’s seat – kit which would typically be standard on entry-level models. Range-topping Signature Nav adds a panoramic sunroof, along with LED headlights and unique off-road style trim.

What’s it like to drive?

True to its family car billing, the Kadjar is both easy to drive and comfortable, with a slick gear change, an easy-to-balance clutch and direct steering. Refinement levels from both the petrol engine and more powerful diesel motor are strong, with little engine noise making its way through the cabin.

What do the press think?

Top Gear wrote: ‘It’s less money than a similarly equipped Qashqai.

Standard spec is generous, too. If you’re after a family bus, you could certainly do a lot worse.’

What do we think?

With striking styling, a comfortable, plush cabin and refined engines on offer, the Kadjar should sell in its droves. Thanks to punchy, smooth engines, good comfort levels and spacious rear seats and boot, the Kadjar should prove a wise buy.

the knowledge Model: Renault Kadjar TCe 130 Signature Nav Price: £21,695 Engine: 1.2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol Power: 128bhp, 205Nm Max speed: 119mph 0-62mph: 10.1 seconds MPG (comb’d): 48.7 Emissions: 130g/km

target buyers:

Those after a comfy off-roader with sleek styling

the rivals:

Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, VW Tiguan, Skoda Yeti, Hyundai ix35

Key Selling Points:

1. It looks very striking in the flesh 2. Tax-free diesel model available 3. Smooth, comfortable ride

Deal Clincher: Diesel emits low enough CO2 levels to warrant free car tax CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

We’ve developed the Black Horse Roadmap to help you navigate the changes the industry is facing and use them as a catalyst to grow your business.

The steps we take today will help build a sustainable platform for point of sale automotive finance.

Let’s navigate the future together.

YOUR FUTURE. OUR ROADMAP. Find out more about our Roadmap for point of sale finance at blackhorse.co.uk/dealerportal or contact your Account Manager. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Feature. peugeot/citroEn/DS: manufacturer chiefs on the spot

So, why are your dealers such an unhappy lot?

B

n If current dealers don’t shape up they’ll be terminated n We’re looking for more dealerships to join our brand n Customer service is a key priority – it has to improve

osses at Peugeot and Citroen have given a spirited defence of their brands in the wake of their disappointing showing in the Car Dealer Power Awards. In the annual awards, hundreds of dealers voted for their favourite suppliers, as well as marking their manufacturers in 13 categories.

The survey was confidential, so we were confident that dealers were telling us the true state of the market. Out of the 28 manufacturers featured in the Power survey, Peugeot languished in 25th place – down 11 places from a year ago – while Citroen showed an improvement of eight places but was still only 17th.

Car Dealer was invited to meet with a highpower panel comprising: n Arnaud Leclerc, the deputy managing director of Peugeot Citroen Automobiles UK and the DS brand development director in the UK n Neil Moscrop, brand director of Peugeot UK n Bek Hassan, brand director of Citroen UK n Stuart Hodge, director, quality and network development n Richard Dyson, director, parts and service, and n Andrew Didlick, director of communications, events and partnerships.

Why, we asked, are your dealers so unhappy?

They said they were disappointed with the results, but there were mitigating circumstances.

We were told: ‘If you look at the profitability for the past four years, it has improved every year.

Turnover is up, and profitability is

These two manufacturers had a disappointing set of results in the Power Awards. So COLIN CHANNON popped along to meet the suits to discuss it – and then they just got chatting... and chatting... up, and customer satisfaction is improving. We wouldn’t describe them as “very unhappy” – everything is relative. The retail franchise motor trade has been through a very, very positive period of results – Lookers and everyone is posting record profits. I just don’t think it’s an unhappy place to be.

‘One thing to bear in mind is that we have just gone through a quite significant reorganisation, and nobody likes change – and we know that has had an impact on them.

‘We’re sure that hasn’t helped. We’re not absolutely sure the Power results are totally representative of our one-to-one relationships with our dealer network. Our relationship with dealers has been really quite good – yes, they’re challenging at times, but constructively so.

‘The fact is, our organisation has gone through some massive change. It’s very difficult for our dealers to have kept track, and as yet we haven’t communicated clearly to them what our structure looks like. We’ll be

doing that very shortly.’ But they admitted that the Power results mirrored disappointing results in the NFDA survey.

‘We can apply the Power results to the NFDA surveys. We shouldn’t hide away from the fact the NFDA survey was incredibly disappointing and, as a consequence, we are sitting down to discuss what can be done, what can’t be done, and what might be the cause of that.

‘We’re planning a number of dealer forums to ask dealers to come along and sit down and talk to us honestly and openly.

‘We believe having that open dialogue will help us, if appropriate, to make changes around communication, and allow them the chance to share their views.

‘Seventy five per cent of our dealers are profitable, and reasonably profitable at that. We’ve just been through this reorganisation, we went through a reorganisation

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 55

Feature. peugeot/citroEn/DS: manufacturer chiefs on the spot

Arnaud Leclerc

Bek Hassan

Neil Moscrop

Stuart Hodge

two years ago, and we went through a reorganisation two years before that. But with Peugeot we have taken the average new car profit per unit from £800 four years ago to above £1,200 today. We have a clearly-stated objective to get the average of our dealer network to 1.5 per cent return on sales. We think we are becoming more demanding as a brand. We have had product improvement and design improvement, and we want the same improvement out of customer service, so we are being more demanding of our dealer network. Inevitably, people don’t like it.

‘We have to think of the long-term ambition we all have, which is to improve our performance in the UK. The network is split into four quartiles – 75 per cent are profitable, they’re the ones who normally hit their targets and achieve the profitability and volume levels that are required.

Inevitably, we have 25 per cent of our network who don’t. In the short term what we have to do is help that fourth quartile to improve. How many of those 25 per cent will be with us in two years’ time? Hopefully most of them, because we want to improve them.

‘It’s great to be talking about finding new dealers, but it’s a real challenge. We work with what we’ve got and what we know – working with people who understand the brand and the philosophy is the easiest way forward. Inevitably, we won’t be with all of them in two years because that’s not the way it works – some people will naturally fall away, some don’t have succession plans and will depart from the industry, and we will bring some new people in to replace those people.

‘Our ambition will be to retain our network – they buy into our brand and our heritage and where we want to go.’

But, they said, the ultimate sanction for dealers who do not improve was to terminate the relationship – and that has happened several times in the past few years. They discussed that openly at the meeting – and other issues.

The dealer academy

Richard Dyson

Andrew Didlick ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘We need to focus on the people within the business. The Peugeot franchise definitely needs to catch up a bit in how we work with our dealers and to invest in the coaching and training of their staff, in sales and after-sales. We have put a lot of investment and work into developing the academy, our training arm. We have reshaped all our courses, to make them more customer focused.

‘We have moved some of the margin structure into training, which probably isn’t a great idea for any NFDA surveys, but it is the right thing to do.

I’m not sure how much we spend on it – it runs into millions of pounds a year. If we wanted to save money we would stop it today, but it’s clearly the wrong thing to do. We’re investing for tomorrow.

‘We actively encourage – we almost insist – that our dealer principals come on our training activities. We mystery-shop our dealers, and they absolutely appreciate having that as a tool to see what happens in real time in their dealership, and

to make adjustments if they feel it’s appropriate.

We do it via email, by telephone, and by a physical mystery shop.

‘We also call all customers who have come into the showroom but haven’t bought from us – we want to find out what stopped them buying; was it the product, the service levels, the ambience?

‘We have some very proficient dealers who clearly excel in the way they manage their customers. But overall the results are mixed. We have shared with dealers at our forums some very good examples and some of the less good examples. Some of them shock you and some make you proud and happy. But we are working with our network to improve. We’ll work with them on a number of measures – CSI will be one measure, profitability will be another, penetration into the market another, and we balance all that and highlight those we are not happy with, and ask them to come and have a conversation with us.

‘We try to manage and help them. If ultimately that doesn’t work, and we’ve tried very hard, we need to be adult about it and say it’s not working

“

Our challenge is to work with our dealers in a profitable, sustainable fashion for either party, and we would be prepared to part company. We have done that in the past but it’s not our preferred route. We don’t want to lose partners, we want to do everything in our power to retain them. It’s a last resort.

‘We have terminated some Peugeot dealers – in the past two years, half have been mutual and half have been us. It’s an indication of how we work with dealers. While it is a last resort, at the end of the day we have improvement plans, for financial, after-sales, sales or customer service. We’ll work hard for a couple of years to try to improve a dealer, but at the end of the day it’s a business partnership and we expect to have a relationship with our business partners.

‘On the Citroen side, the initial results of the mystery shop have been very favourable, with something like an 80 per cent pass rate – so 80 per cent of our dealers are looking after customers well.

Clearly we’re back to that 20 per cent who fall into that bottom quartile, and we hope through the next phase that those dealers will improve.

Numbers game ‘We have 185 Citroen dealers and 221 Peugeot dealers at present. We’d like to fill the open slots for both our brands – we have 14 available for Citroen and 20 for Peugeot.’

The future ‘It’s an exciting time to be part of PSA at the moment, because as a group we are making a lot of constructive progress in terms of the three key objectives we have – that’s improving profitability, ours and our network’s, improving the quality of our products and improving customer service.

Those three things link across Europe.

‘It’s about throwing the challenge down to our dealers to be as good as our cars – certainly, the market has recognised our cars have changed, and our challenge is to work with our dealers in a profitable, sustainable fashion to achieve market share growth while improving customer satisfaction growth based on the tremendous cars we are producing these days.

‘It’s an exciting time as we develop three dedicated brands. DS is important in the UK – this is the second biggest market after France, so for Europe it’s really key we clearly position DS on our long-term plan.

‘In the first quarter of this year, revenues were up and we feel we are back in the race. We’re really confident about the future – we have the best products we have ever had, and now we need to take it forward through our dealer networks.

We’re excited about the next few years – we have a fabulous future, some great new products to come and some brilliant new products in our range already.’

The state of the market ‘The market has been interesting – it is very much driven by fleet and that is very strong, and the retail market is up, but moderately up. We feel the retail market will strengthen. The demand for the fleet market is a great sign for the economy, as that reflects confidence in the future. Retail is up on last year but moderately so. A lot of it happens at the end of the month – you can draw your own conclusions from that – but the market is strong.

‘The van market is really strong – it’s 20 per cent up this year and it was 13 per cent up last year. I think the biggest-ever van market was 370,000 units, and I think we’re going to get very close to that.

We’re number one in Europe for van sales. This is good news for dealers.

We don’t have a separate, unique van network – we distribute all our vans through all of our dealers, and all our dealers service van customers, which to

me is a real strength. In general terms, dealers make more per unit out of selling a van than they do with a car.’

The PCP explosion ‘The reason the UK market has been so strong over the past few years is because of rentals and PCPs and personal lease.

‘About 50 per cent of Citroen customers are on PCP, while it’s 60 per cent for Peugeot. On DS, it’s closer to 90 per cent.

‘Honda say their penetration is around 85 per cent – and we know they have restricted the offers dealers can make – but we can’t see that.

Look at the profile of the market – PCP isn’t for everybody. If you look at the more mature drivers who like ownership, they are definitely more into instalment credit and nought per cent, and so on.

It’s unrealistic to expect that 80 per cent of the market will go for PCP. We think our 60 per cent is a good benchmark, but it’s unrealistic to expect too much more than that.’

Customer service ‘We are rolling out a new programme to help with the way we look after and manage our Citroen customers. It started in after-sales and will now move to the sales side of things. It’s about delivering a series of promises to our customers – for example, your car will be washed, we’ll get back to you within 24 hours if you have a problem, and it culminates in our Trip Advisor site, which we have cunningly called Citroen Advisor… It’s encouraging in that rather than just having systems and processes – which still sit in the background – it looks at the customer and says we will treat each one as an individual, which is critical to delivering a customer experience. If a customer wants to drop off a car

at 10am and pick it up at 3pm and they need a vehicle that will carry two pushchairs, then we’ll recognise that, instead of saying, “So, you need a courtesy car, it’ll be a C1 and you need to organise your life around it…”

‘There’s an important balance between the product we offer and the experience we can give our customers that is tailored to their individual requirements. If you go to Sainsbury’s or Tesco, most of us spend fortunes in there and they never once say ‘Hello’ – they take your money, they smile and the next time you go there you deal with someone different.

‘We want a more personal experience as we realise that’s what customers want. They want to be acknowledged as an individual – they are spending a lot of money and we have to provide a feeling that individually they are important to us.’

Problems with DMS ‘One of the biggest single challenges manufacturers face with their dealer networks is the integration of systems. I think there are 26 different DMS systems in Europe, and as far as communicating seamlessly with a customer is concerned, as if the franchisee and car manufacturer were the same business, it’d be a lot easier if we had just one supplier and our systems could link seamlessly with dealers.

‘There has been an enormous amount of investment in the PSA group to transform the ability for us to communicate with customers in a seamless way, whether that be sales or service.

I think we recognise customers are prepared to buy cars online today, and if we want to be in the market we must have systems that enable them to achieve just that in a sophisticated, customerfriendly, business way.

‘We guess the group will ultimately publish a list of the preferred DMS systems we want to work with. There has got to be data migration so when the customer comes in they feel as if they’re dealing with Citroen – not a Citroen dealer or Citroen the manufacturer, but Citroen.’ [CD]

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

02392 448 500 www.tcfcdealers.co.uk

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360 Degree Lap Of Le Mans Will Make You Feel A Bit Sick

Idiot Ruins Porsche In Homage To Porsche

Nissan loves doing things a bit differently. You only need to take one look at their entry to Le Mans this year. Or its DeltaWing. Or the Juke.

Now they’ve made this bonkers video...

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The man in this video has decided to ruin his Porsche Cayman – one of the best sports cars – to make it look like Porsche’s flagship, the 918 Spyder. Suffice to say it hasn’t worked.

Visit: sprunl.de/z10ly

Car Maker Swallows Marketing Key On New BMW 7 Series Babble Book, Inserts Junk Is Cooler Than Cool Bless the little Google-translating white-sockwith-sandals-wearing people over at Mitsuoka Motors, but they appear to have taken some hallucinogenic mind-wobbling drugs...

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BMW has gone next level with the new 7 Series. They’ve introduced a key fob which does away with that fundamental part of driving – getting in the car.

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Say Hello To The World’s Coolest Campervans

Sutil Drives Bonkers Koenigsegg With Boring Competence

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Forget Ferrari, forget Lamborghini. If we’re honest, forget about Bugatti too – if you want the ultimate in eye-swivelling automotive lunacy, the Swedes have the answer.

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Quarter Of Speed Cameras Are Switched Off

TVR Is Making A Comeback And We’re Pretty Excited

Some 25 per cent of those pesky yellow cameras aren’t even on. However, it turns out the static cameras aren’t the real problem – it’s the mobile vans that are snapping more of us...

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TVR is returning to the market, bigger and better than before. Britain’s much-loved car brand has announced its new sports car will be designed and built in the UK. Visit: sprunl.de/7eokq

Feature. award-winning dealershipmystery

What makes an award-winning dealership?

Since becoming dealer principal of Devonshire Motors in 2011, Nathan Tomlinson has seen the business win numerous awards and sales go from strength to strength. Car Dealer spent the day in north Devon to find out what goes into making a successful dealership.

Dealer principal Nathan Tomlinson

T

he showroom at Devonshire Motors might open at 8am but the hard work starts long before then. By the time we meet on a bright Monday morning, dealer principal Nathan Tomlinson has already been up since 5am, having spent two hours catching up on emails at home and, in his slightly ominous words, ‘making sure things that should have happened, have happened’.

Someone had tweeted the dealership at 3am and by 5am Nathan had replied, much to the tweeter’s surprise.

He arrives at the showroom for 7.30am, along with other key members of his team: sales controller Peter Starbuck, senior sales executive Chris Chapple, after-sales manager Phil Wells, senior service advisor John Harding and parts manager Mark Martin. ‘Chris often beats me in getting here,’ he says with a smile.

It’s a sunny day in north Devon and together CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

Feature. award-winning dealership they get the place ready for business, opening the boots of the cars, making sure the fleet of demo vehicles are lined up out at the front with their decals facing the busy passing road, putting the flags up, turning on the TVs, organising parking and making sure the site is looking good.

‘I chip in with this too because it’s important I am a part of everything that happens,’ explains Nathan as he inspects the cars outside to make sure they’re clean.

‘If you get out and do things your team respect you and that breeds a culture where everyone is willing to get stuck in.’

Between 8am and 8.30am Nathan is back at his desk, updating the daily operating controls for sales, service and parts. ‘It’s important to have a real-time snapshot of where the business is in the three key departments,’ he says. ‘One of the first things I learned as dealer principal was

“

Nathan and the award-winning Devonshire Motors team

One of the first things I learnt as dealer principal was that you have to manage the basics

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

that you have to manage the basics – on time, every day and without exception.’ He cites the leading motor industry expert and founder of ASE, Trevor Jones, as a key influence on how he works.

At 8.30am sharp the team gather, coffees in hand, for their morning meeting. For half an hour Nathan, three sales staff and the head valeter review the previous week and get ready for the day ahead. ‘I like to make sure, first hand, that the guys are following up every lead and exploring every angle for a potential new or used-car sale,’ Nathan says.

Part way through the meeting, sales controller Peter has to leave as a customer has arrived first thing. ‘We can have customers here from 7.50am,’ Peter says. ‘They like to beat the traffic.’

By 9am Nathan is checking emails. ‘If someone has contacted me I try to get back to them as quickly as possible. Level of service is

paramount and that cascades throughout the business.’

There are 45 people employed at the dealership and one of Nathan’s challenges is keeping them all happy and making sure he recruits the right people, particularly at a time when Mitsubishi Motors UK is asking its dealers to take on more staff to meet a rise in sales.

Each morning he spends 30 minutes around the site, talking to staff and customers: ‘Management by walkabout,’ as he calls it.

‘Working here means long hours and it’s not easy to find people who are competent and prepared to work the hours we do under the pressure,’ Nathan says.

‘To a degree we attract the right people by our reputation – as a good dealer – but I am a big believer in doing whatever is necessary to make sure each individual person enjoys being with us. For some, that will be about money, for

others, it might be about having flexible hours to fit with a family. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they enjoy coming to work and want to be part of the team and share in our success.’

As we talk, Nathan has one eye on a used-car auction as he’s after a particular vehicle for a customer.

He tries to buy two or three used cars a day to maintain a stock of more than 40 at any time.

This involves looking at what the dealership has sold over the past 12 months as well as keeping a check on what deals his sales team have in the pipeline and then buying accordingly in order to plan.

‘The used-car stock takes up a lot of my day.

Dealers who really focus on used cars get the best results and to get the best results you have got to plan. There’s a spreadsheet for everything.’

Devonshire Motors has just been named Dealer of the Year by Mitsubishi Motors UK,

List of awards 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Dealer of the Year 2013 Car Dealer Magazine, Used Car Awards: Used Car Dealer Principal of the Year

The impressive used car stock at Devonshire Motors

2013 Motor Trader Industry Awards: Dealer Principal of the Year Award 2011 Motor Trader Industry Awards: Aftermarket Innovation Award

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

Feature. award-winning dealership along with Firs Garage in Oxfordshire. For 2014 the dealership had a 5.98 per cent market share in its territory, which is almost 12 times the national average for a Mitsubishi dealer. ‘I put that down to our reputation and the amount of marketing we do,’ says Nathan.

‘I spend a lot of time on new and used-car marketing, trying to keep our offerings fresh and competitive, trying to always be creative and looking at which media channels we’re going to push it through.’

The dealership is in the midst of planning for a sales event.

Nathan says: ‘When you say you’re planning an event people think you just pick a date and everybody will turn up, but it’s surprising how much work there is. Attention to detail and timing is everything if you’re going to get the best possible return.’

As we’re talking, one of the sales team comes in and asks Nathan to prepare an offer sheet while he takes a customer for a test-drive in an ASX. ‘Whatever I’m doing I tend to get interruptions like that but it’s always welcome,’ he smiles.

We join senior sales executive Chris Chapple just after he’s carried out a handover of a new car to a local couple in their 60s. It’s part of the job that Chris, who joined the motor trade straight after leaving school in 1984, enjoys the most.

He says: ‘Once you’ve done the paperwork with them it’s nice to get out to the car and explain all the controls. You can see how excited they are and that’s great.’

For Chris, there are two things that set Devonshire Motors apart from other dealerships he has worked for. ‘The first is the structure,’ he says. ‘Everything is very well structured here so it’s all formalised and you know what you’re doing every day. The second is the attention to detail to make sure the customer gets treated really well. It’s not a hard-sell business and I wouldn’t be here if it was.’

Throughout the day there’s a steady stream of customers into the showroom and to make sure they get a warm welcome, the dealership employs a showroom host in Nic Brayley.

Nic is the newest recruit at Devonshire, having joined last August, but he has 20 years’ experience in the motor trade and previously ran an aftersales department at an independent garage. For him it’s the feel of the dealership that sets it apart from other places where he has worked.

‘It’s much more of a family company,’ he says.

‘I know it sounds like a cliché but it doesn’t feel like you’re coming to work, because it’s such a good atmosphere. There’s a great variety, each day is different and I enjoy the interaction with customers.’

Nathan spent 10 years in after-sales before becoming the DP and it’s an area he still stays very close to.

After-sales manager Phil Wells, who joined from BMW, says a big factor in the dealership’s ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Nathan’s career

Nathan Tomlinson joined the motor trade in 1994, aged 21, as a technician at a Peugeot dealership in Barnstaple. After five years in the role he became a service advisor before joining Devonshire Motors as service manager in 2001.

He was made after-sales manager in 2005 and joined the board of directors in 2008.

In 2011 he became dealer principal after the company’s worst financial performance.

Since then he has taken the company from a six-figure loss to six-figure profit by adding nearly £100,000 to the bottom line for each of the years he has been in charge.

other members of staff

The immaculate showroom at Devonshire Motors

“

The processes we have here ensure everything gets done to a high standard and we are always looking at how we can improve success is sticking to the processes that have been put in place. We catch up as he is going through a pile of reminders for customers whose MOTs and services are due. ‘The focus here is very much on customer satisfaction and customer retention, which is good,’ says Phil.

‘The processes we have here ensure everything gets done to a high standard and we are always looking at how we can improve.’

Back with Nathan, and as we talk his laptop pings with a calendar reminder – one of up to 30 a day he gets to make sure he is on top of things.

The dealership closes at 5.30pm but Nathan spends another hour making sure the team have

achieved what they set out to in the morning and planning for the next day.

The sales staff also stay late because as Peter puts it: ‘It’s much easier to get hold of people after 6pm than it is in the day.’

The team leave together and they’ll be back again at 7am tomorrow, ready to do it all again.

As Nathan locks up, he says: ‘I find the more you can get done in the evening, the easier it makes the next day.’

It’s a philosophy that’s certainly working wonders, and having seen how well the Devonshire team work together, it’s no wonder the dealership is a winning success. [CD]

Chris Chapple

Peter Starbuck

Nic Brayley

Phil Wells CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

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Gtechniq

A boon for all customers – Gtechniq

G

W: gtechniq.com

techniq’s freshly-launched Platinum dealer system offers the latest in polishing and surface protection, and is now being offered by Lotus Silverstone, RPM Technik and Dove House Motor Company.

As the established name in ultra-durable, highly-functional aftermarket coatings in the fast-growing niche of vehicle detailing, Gtechniq have found themselves in high demand.

Customers turn to Gtechniq for the very best in product performance, and features such as the swirl resistance and dirt repellency – the brand’s paint protection offers – have seen referrals for Gtechniq details soar.

Building on the success and experience of their work with detailers, Gtechniq are now offering the very latest in total surface protection and vehicle preparation to new and used car dealers. Their proposition is to provide a massive boost to customer satisfaction and dealership revenue, through the most cohesive, well-judged, new and used vehicle preparation and protection system.

Rob Earle, Gtechniq’s managing director, says: ‘We offer something different to other paint protection systems – something that really works and is based on rigorous real-world and

‘‘

T: 01327 811 015

laboratory testing. Platinum has been created to stun dealership customers, making them see how fantastic their car can look for years to come and how easy it is to maintain its as-new look.’

Platinum is the first dealership system that gives customers protection for the paintwork, glass, wheels and a car’s interior, at no added cost. A ceramic nano coating for the exterior of the car forms a chemical bond with a car’s surface to become the functional surface of the vehicle, making it a dream to maintain – high-gloss, UV repellent and scratch resistant.

Matthew Haskins, Lotus Silverstone brand manager, said: ‘By using Gtechniq we are now able to offer our customers a quality paint protection that actually makes a difference.’

As innovators in Smart Surface Science, Gtechniq has teamed up with BioCote®, global leaders in antimicrobial technology, to make the inside of every dealership Platinumprotected car more hygienic by killing 99.9 per cent of bacteria.

Dr Richard Hastings, BioCote technical director, said: ‘Many of the micro-organisms you would find in a car are harmless. However, some can cause illness, and others cause unpleasant discolouration of materials and foul odours.

‘Our technology, combined with Gtechniq interior protection, creates surfaces inhospitable to microbes such as bacteria and mould.’

Simon Lenton, director of Dove House, the first independent dealer to be certified using Gtechniq Platinum, said: ‘Gtechniq is highly regarded among detailers as being one of the leading paint protection products in the world.

‘This, combined with the added antibacterial benefits of the interior protection, has made Platinum a must-have for the majority of our customers.’

We offer something different to other paint protection systems – something that really works and is based on rigorous real-world and laboratory testing. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

and dealers

Gtechniq Platinum can be offered in three ways...

First is for the vehicle to be prepared and coatings to be applied by one of Gtechniq’s 36 accredited detailers on a cost plus basis.

Second is for Gtechniq to train, at their expense, a member of the dealership’s valeting staff to prepare vehicles ‘the Gtechniq way’ and to apply the Platinum coatings – this is referred to as ‘certified’. third, if a dealership already has a detailer, Gtechniq will simply provide training on coating application.

As part of Gtechniq’s certified training programme, the brand have teamed up with Rupes, the global leaders in polishing technology, to ensure the best paint finish is achieved on every car protected with Platinum.

All three options take more time than many dealers are used to when it comes to preparation and coating application. This is because Gtechniq and their network of accredited detailers believe that to prepare and coat a car properly it should take between four and five hours.

With price points between £550 and £1,200 and a five-year guarantee, this is both achievable and good value for new and used car customers.

Rob Earle, Gtechniq’s managing director, says: ‘All consumers like choice, and

when faced with a simple yes or no, tend to lean towards the no. Now represented with three options, they are more likely to find something that will suit their needs.

‘We know our approach is completely different to the current business model for paint protection, but you have to remember customer service is key in this. Providing customers with great service, choice and quality products means customer satisfaction will be high and this, in turn, will have a positive impact on profitability.’

Independent Porsche specialists RPM Technik are Gtechniq certified, and use the system to their advantage to help push all sales. Platinum is applied to each car in the dealer’s stock as part of an inclusive service to customers.

Darren Anderson, commercial director at RPM Technik, said: ‘We detail all our sales stock so it was a natural progression to incorporate a complete car-protection system into our routine sales preparation.

‘Although there are many products on the market claiming to provide vehicle surface protection, we believe Gtechniq is a premium brand that can add value to our used Porsche sales cars, as well as a great add-on to [CD] customers’ vehicles.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

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Paragon Car Finance

What’s changed in motor finance under the FCA? PARAGON CAR FINANCE

W: paragoncarfinance.co.uk T: 0845 149 7777

W

e’re now more than 12 months on since responsibility for consumer credit regulation, and with it motor finance, transferred to the auspices of the FCA. As the 50,000 consumer credit providers across the UK navigate their way through the FCA’s exacting authorisation process, we consider how the sharper focus on fairness, transparency and accountability is impacting the industry.

New principles for those who want to network The FCA’s authorisation process and its conduct principles and rules are much more comprehensive than anything that has gone before. At the outset, it was feared smaller dealers would simply not have the resources to implement the requirements and obtain authorisation.

For many, it looked like the choice was essentially get authorised or prepare to stop offering point-ofsale finance.

Twelve months on and the landscape looks quite different. Dealers who don’t want to take on the challenge of authorisation have the option to affiliate with a network where an authorised principal takes responsibility for the heavy lifting on regulation and finance provision, leaving the dealer free to get on with the main job of matching cars to customers.

Conduct-focused commission deals Commission deals that emphasise the importance of good customer outcomes have moved centre stage.

Traditionally, lenders have offered straightforward, volume-based accelerator schemes, with bonus payments linked solely to the value or volume of finance arranged.

Today, the thinking is much more broadlybased. Many lenders are moving towards capped commission payments based on APR with

‘‘

bonus incentives dependent on hitting a range of TCF (treating customer fairly) targets. While these measures might include, for example, the percentage of dealer complaints or the proportion of agreements arranged online, they all add up to encouraging a sharper focus on making sure customers understand and are comfortable with the finance agreement that they’re entering into.

Clearer customer information This emphasis on making sure customers understand the terms and implications of a potential finance arrangement is and will continue to drive improvements across the industry.

Many lenders are moving towards capped commission payments based on APR with bonus incentives dependent on hitting a range of TCF (treating customer fairly) targets. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Lenders and dealers are thinking hard about how best to get their information across to customers.

Moves to encourage a more consistent approach across lenders on issues such as affordability could help customers further by ensuring dealers retain a wide panel of lenders to choose from when placing new business.

Broadly speaking, as the authorisation process progresses, it seems that we’re seeing new structures emerge to support dealers of all shapes and sizes, commission models that reward good customer outcomes and a much greater emphasis on making sure customers better understand the specifics of their finance arrangements.

So, while the changeover in regime is undoubtedly demanding, overall it is working well, accommodating dealers with the full range of finance operations and encouraging customer confidence in point of sale motor finance.[CD]

by Julian Rance head of car finance at paragoncarfinance.co.uk

Available on iPad free app download free subscription interactive content

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

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Technological advances

Welcome T

o members of the younger generation, technology comes as second nature. In fact, that’s not entirely accurate. Most of it is pretty familiar nowadays even to those of us who are (ahem) slightly older.

However, only those of us who are of a certain vintage will really appreciate how far things have advanced over the past five, 10, or even 20 years. After all, there was a time before the internet, when the only ways of communicating with colleagues, customers and partners were landline, fax, or maybe even a letter!

You don’t need us to tell you that with the advent of emails, mobiles, the web, social media and everything else, life for the most part has got a whole lot easier. And the automotive industry has been pretty quick off the mark, for the most part, in adapting to the new ways of working. When did you last get a text or email from your solicitor, for example?

Anyway, we now seem to be at a stage when everything is moving to the next level. Many dealerships are discarding the bulky, traditional PCs of the ‘computer says no’ era and moving towards tablets and smartphones. After all, they are far more flexible and as well as being capable of doing what a desktop computer can do, can be used for video and photography.

Whichever direction you’re heading in when it comes to technology, the advertisers on the right are sure to be able to help – they have some fantastic and exciting new products.

Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave) Production Editor

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Coming up..

Force Manager

P71

Company offers a speedy, intuitive and useful mobile app, perfect for busy sales people on the move.

AUTOi

P72

Bringing appraisals into the 21st century – with a method that’s far better than pen and paper!

BCA Dealer Pro

P74

Managing your inventory, capturing retail-ready stock and carrying out appraisals made easy.

Gemini Systems

P76

Helping you save money, drive sales, increase your profitability and be more competitive. What’s not to like?

focus on.

Technological advances

Save time, build connections FORCE MANAGER

W: forcemanager.net/automotive

N

o-one enjoys completing administrative work, which results in loss of time and efficiency. For something that’s designed to monitor productivity, traditional Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software systems can seriously slow it down, but managers need reports to run a business strategically and efficiently.

This has been particularly true for field sales representatives in the automotive trade who have been asked to complete their admin tasks on CRM systems designed for desktop computers, which are poorly optimised for the mobile devices they typically work on. As a result, sales staff have to take time between meetings to boot up their laptop and key a report into the CRM system: time that could be spent doing what they do best – selling. As such, field sales staff tend to do all their CRM reporting at the end of the day, week, month or even quarter, severely degrading the quality and value of the data entered. To compound the problem, that data then becomes difficult to use while on the move.

However, all that could be about to change.

Jaime Lucea, head of business development at ForceManager, believes his company has an answer to the problem and that its innovative app holds the key to unlocking the reporting and CRM headache.

With a focus on CRM, ForceManager allows sales representatives to access all the relevant information they require to pitch to new clients or during meetings with existing customers, which has been consolidated into one simple mobile app.

The mission Founded in 2011 by two business entrepreneurs from Barcelona, ForceManager has grown into an international organisation, opening new offices in London and Bogota, Colombia.

The company was created with the mission of improving sales force teams, to make their sales activity more professional, with a strong focus on mobile technology and sales analytics to help monitor the performance of the sales staff within an organisation. ‘The proprietary system provides a mobile app that can be accessed on any tablet or smartphone – and is user-friendly,’ said Lucea. ‘It works offline and is very simple to use. It allows the sales professional, who often spends a lot of time working outside the office, to have access to all the information they need to fulfil their sales activity, including relevant information about customers and prospects.’

As well as helping the sales representative to do his or her job, this mobile software automatically

reports every interaction between the sales rep and customers and prospects, including phone calls, emails and physical visits, while the comments from the sales representative can be quickly collected while working on the road. Lucea continued: ‘The whole point of the app is to create mobility for the sales rep, by reducing the time they spend filling in spreadsheets and filing paperwork.

‘So the app features voice recognition, which enables staff to complete paperwork by simply speaking into the device while on the go.’

Improving sales Following the input of information, which is mostly generated automatically, the system uses all this data to generate smart analytics, which measure the intensity and the quality of the interaction that the sales team, as a whole, has had with the market.

‘We can then make sure that absolutely any dimension you can imagine, from a conversion by product line, conversion by sales rep or the number of visits per week, is monitored and analysed,’ explained Lucea. ‘The information can be accessed via a dashboard by the sales director, and also shared with the sales representative.’

Revolutionising car dealership sales For car dealerships, CRMs have become more and more complex over time as the motor trade has evolved. However Lucea is convinced the ForceManager solution can streamline processes, reduce complexity and boost sales for dealerships.

‘Looking specifically at dealerships, there will always be a sales team that mostly needs to be based in the office. On the other hand, there will be another team that needs be out in the field.

‘This is the same story for the automotive industry as an entirety,’ he explained. ‘The mobile app allows the sales team to access all the information they require about a potential customer there and then, and with the voice recognition function there is no time wasted on filling in reports.’

Lucea believes car dealers who use the ForceManager app will be able to better set and monitor KPIs to inform decision-making, enabling them to choose the information they give to the sales representatives when they’re out of

the field to make their jobs easier.

‘Sharing too much information and asking them to input too much information could prove to be too complicated,’ Lucea argues. ‘It’s important to always keep it simple. CRMs tend to fail upon user adoption, by overcomplicating the system.

ForceManager is laid out in such a way that there should never be any danger of overloading the information provided.’

ForceManager say its customers tend to see a 20 per cent increase in the interaction that happens between the sales rep and potential customers.

Lucea says this not only ultimately boosts sales but also provides managers with better metrics to assess and improve performance.

‘Sales leaders, who are perhaps based back at the dealership, have access to a more complete application, which works across any system, where they can monitor all the interactions sales representatives are having with customers, from the initial meeting through to sealing the deal,’ he explained. ‘The dashboard they access will contain all the data analytics they require, from sales representative activity through to lead conversion.

‘They can see global performance indicators, team-based indicators or individual-based indicators, which allow users to monitor the progress of an entire team or one single person.

‘The directors can then track opportunity generation, which focuses on customers who visit the dealership, leading to enhanced sales conversions.’

by Sophie Williamson-Stothert @1Sophie_W

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

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Technological advances

Bringing appraisals into the AUTOi

W: autoi.co.uk

T: 0845 862 0415

A

ppraising cars is not always the most appealing task at a dealership.

After all, it involves walking round a vehicle with a piece of paper, painstakingly checking out the paintwork and examining the interior.

The mileage needs to be recorded, scuffs or scrapes needs to be added to little diagrams and an appraiser needs to establish the correct specification or trim level of the vehicle they are looking at – not always easy.

And then, of course, that piece of paper has to be taken into the showroom while you sit at your desk and re-enter all the details into your DMS, maybe stick the car through some provenance checking software and wait for someone else to value it (unless you’re qualified to do that yourself).

Basically, it’s a pain. And to younger members of staff, and to many of your customers, it probably seems like a very old-fashioned way to operate.

Well, that’s because it IS old-fashioned. But the task of appraising vehicles can be brought very rapidly up-to-date, and made quick, convenient and even enjoyable – simply by using a smartphone. All you need to do is use the software developed by AUTOi, on a phone or tablet you already have in your possession, and the process of appraising vehicles is instantly brought into the 21st century.

AUTOi is proud to say that their Digital Vehicle Appraisal System puts detail, transparency and auditability into one of the most fundamental parts of automotive retailing.

In a nutshell, their system allows dealerships to capture, store and share highly detailed appraisals anywhere, anytime through the use of iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android smartphones and Android tablets.

And they say that embracing this technology will provide your business with a professional system, accurately appraising any used car or part-

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exchange. This information can then be stored on AUTOi’s server for access at any time.

Car Dealer recently caught up with the company’s managing director, Sebastien Duval, who explained some of the other benefits of the system. He told us: ‘One of the key things that makes us a bit different from a lot of companies is that we build native applications – native to the devices they are running on. We build them for iOS – the Apple platform – and we build them for the Android platform.

‘We design them for smartphones and tablets.

By doing that, dealers have a smaller outlay on equipment when they use us.

‘And it means that virtually every member of a sales team, as well as the managers, has a device in their pocket that’s capable of running our application to do an appraisal. This applies whether they’re at the dealership, at an auction,

One of the key things that makes us a bit different from a lot of companies is that we build native applications – native to the devices they are running on. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

or at a customer’s house – as long as they have some kind of internet connection.

‘What we focus on is imagery. Lots of highquality pictures of a car can be taken, and appraisers can do videos of up to two minutes in length with audio descriptions. The salesman or appraiser can actually go around the car and highlight any damage that’s on it. Clear evidence of that nature avoids any discrepancies in describing a car.’

Duval explained that the system also incorporates electronic signatures so an appraiser and customer can both verify that an appraisal has been done properly. And AUTOi software can integrate with systems run by companies such as HPI, CAP and Glass’s.

Duval said: ‘Whatever a dealer uses for data, for doing provenance checks or valuations, we can pull their existing account directly into AUTOi. ‘There are two parts to our system. The appraisal application is for anyone to use to carry out the actual appraisal and capture all the imagery.

‘This can then be uploaded to a dealership’s online portal where anyone can log in. All the checks and valuations can be run from that.’

Although the AUTOi system is designed with dealership staff in mind, appraisals can be

21st century

EFFECTIVE AND POPULAR

A system that looks 10 times more professional

distributed to those outside the business. This level of functionality can come in handy if, for example, some work is required on a car, in which case an appraisal can be sent to a bodyshop.’

Duval added: ‘The system also has an address book built into it. We have one dealer, for example, who has 10 different traders who take cars up to a value of £10,000. So… a car comes in, it gets appraised, the sales manager values it, and at the click of a button, he can send it to that group of 10 trade buyers.’

If you’re wondering how the AUTOi system might fit in with your current partners and suppliers, the answer is . . . very easily.

Duval told us: ‘We integrate with a variety of different manufacturer systems, DMS providers and CRM partners. One thing I’d like to stress is that we’ll integrate with any third party.

Ultimately the aim is to streamline the process as much as possible for dealers.

‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re an independent, a franchised dealer or a car supermarket, our system can be used with any of them, really.

‘They say that a picture paints 1,000 words, well, video does even more than that and we provide both in an application that’s easy to download from the App Store. There’s nothing

complicated about it – it’s just a question of going to the App Store and downloading it on to an existing device.’

Another great feature of the AUTOi system is that all user settings can be fully customised by a dealership, allowing different levels of access for different members of staff.

And the system can also analyse a dealership’s activity… in terms of what cars are most commonly bought; who in the business is doing the appraising; what various conversion rates are, and so on.

AUTOi is a young, vibrant outfit and the fact it has relationships with some of the biggest players in the UK automotive arena shows it is highly thought of. Although the company employs only a handful of people directly, it operates in partnership with HPI. Duval explained: ‘We do all the software and HPI use their account managers to go round the country and provide demonstrations. They take care of the sales side of things for us.

‘And as more and more people hear about the benefits of our system, and realise what it can do for them, we’re finding that more and more people are getting involved.’

by Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

The best way to judge the effectiveness and popularity of any system or piece of software is simply to find out who has decided to use it.

Sebastien Duval told us: ‘Currently, we do a lot of work with small independents.

We have car supermarkets that use us. And we also work with a number of well-known dealer groups, such as Spire Automotive and HR Owen.

‘The way Spire Automotive uses our system demonstrates its flexibility.

‘They’re a multi-franchise company, representing makes such as Mini, BMW, Audi and Peugeot.

‘The Peugeot guy might deal on a Mini, for example. Information about that car can be made instantly available to all the Mini branches that are part of the Spire Group.

That’s quite a powerful feature of our system and helps to speed up stock turn.’

We asked about the levels of training and support available to dealers getting involved with AUTOi for the first time.

Duval said: ‘Yes, we can deal with training and there’s always someone to talk to. Our system might sound complicated and it’s packed with functionality but it’s pretty easy when people get going with it – it’s intuitive.

We’re all used to using smartphones and apps these days, after all.

‘Another key point is that if a salesman is carrying out an appraisal electronically with a customer at a vehicle, it looks 10 times more professional than writing on a scrap of paper.

‘It’s a lot easier for a dealer to justify the price when the customer has seen that they have taken the time to take the video, do the photos and mark up the damage.

It adds a lot of credibility to the whole process.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

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Technological advances

Control and manage your part BCA DEALER PRO

W: bca.co.uk/dealerpro T: 0845 600 66 44

E

ver thought your part-exchange process could do with a bit of fine-tuning? Or maybe even a thorough overhaul?

If you have part-ex cars at your dealership that tend to get forgotten about once they have been taken in, or have a sales team that can be a little optimistic in order to clinch a deal, there is an exciting product from BCA that might be just what you need.

In fact, it can resolve a whole host of problems and issues – and help you make great strides in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, as well as keeping the exchange process operating at optimum profitability.

Called Dealer Pro, it is a cloud-based iPad tool designed to help dealerships control and manage every aspect of taking in and handling part-exchanges.

As well as helping car dealers standardise their vehicle appraisals in a professional and customerfriendly manner, it provides accurate market valuations, captures retail-quality photographs to be used across various sales channels and manages a dealership’s part-exchange inventory and vehicle disposals.

Car Dealer recently caught up with Guy Thomas, head of product for BCA, who told us the fundamental aim of the system was to help dealers sell more cars. Good news!

He explained: ‘Dealer Pro helps dealers properly control and manage their part-exchange appraisal process and provide the right level of valuation data. Once they have all that information, they are able to re-use it wherever they can as Dealer Pro gets rid of all unnecessary re-keying of data across the process.’

Whether the car is being retained for retail, transferred within the group or sold through BCA, the dealer has control of the process.

A key element of BCA Dealer Pro is its ability to help dealer groups identify and retain retail-

quality vehicles within their companies. Thomas explained: ‘Dealer groups can use the system to tailor the buying process to meet their needs.

‘A group can specify that any P/X franchise vehicle, under seven years old and 70,000 miles, with a full service history and grade two or above should be seen by the group buyers.

‘So Dealer Pro alerts the group buyers to instantly see those vehicles. It automatically filters the vehicles and shows that dealers on average could retain between seven and 10 per cent of vehicles that might otherwise be traded.’

Thomas was keen to stress that Dealer Pro is very simple and straightforward to introduce at a business.

It integrates seamlessly with a multitude of other systems from manufacturers, finance firms, valuation providers and provenance checkers.

Products from companies such as CAP, Glass’s, HPI, Auto Trader and many more can all be seamlessly tied into the wealth of functionality Dealer Pro offers.

The valuations side of Dealer Pro is a key part of the system. Thomas told us: ‘Using BCA’s highly-accurate and reliable market price data, when a salesman appraises a vehicle, that appraisal automatically links to the NAMA grading standard. But we don’t present that to the sales person, so they don’t have any visibility of that. All the salesperson is asked to do is go round the car with an iPad and note and image the damage they see. Dealer Pro automatically works out the grade and from that, the value of the car is calculated.’

There’s no question that BCA Dealer Pro has been very well received since its introduction around two years ago, winning several industry awards and garnering a big user base.

Stock turn is key to a dealership’s success. And Dealer Pro can undoubtedly help here because cars that are due to be traded in a couple of weeks down the line can be appraised and valued through the system in advance, when a customer first arrives at a dealership.

And then, of course, there’s the potential to Dealer Pro is all about getting information line up a buyer so the out there as early as possible to help the car in question might be profitably sold in a very whole disposal process. short time timescale.

Of course, not all cars ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘‘

are retailed by the dealer who takes them in. But Dealer Pro can help dealerships know about suitable cars that are arriving at sister sites. For example, an Audi traded in at a BMW showroom can be transferred to the Audi site across town quickly and easily, with all the information about the car transmitted instantly and electronically.

Thomas added: ‘If a dealer does make a disposal decision, then Dealer Pro links directly into BCA’s remarketing channels, both online and physical, and also to our transport system so a car can be collected as soon as possible.’

Although Dealer Pro is essentially a tool to help a dealership or dealer group run more smoothly, it is seen by many as a customerfacing tool to add trust and transparency to the part-exchange process from the point of view of a customer.

Thomas told us that Volkswagen were very keen on the system, with around 50 per cent

exchange process

of the UK dealer network now up and running with it. And Volkswagen’s approach makes full use of its value as a customer-facing application, integrating seamlessly into their Blended Retail programme, which integrates all their digital tools into the physical touch points of the customer experience of buying a car.

Volkswagen find it incredibly useful in terms of letting a member of the public see what the salesperson is doing, particularly in terms of building trust and transparency with the retailer.

And of course, iPad technology builds confidence with the retail customer in a way traditional pen and paper never could.

It’s much quicker, too. Once the vehicle is appraised, photographed and valued, it is possible

to post it to BCA’s online catalogue with one simple click. ‘Dealer Pro is all about getting information out there as early as possible to help the whole disposal process,’ emphasised Thomas. ‘This system speeds things up by around five days when compared to the way things used to be done.’

Need to know more about BCA Dealer Pro? Well, we’d need more than a couple of pages to explain everything it can do.

But data analysis is another aspect of the system that’s definitely worth a mention.

‘We can track a sales person’s efficiency and accuracy,’ said Thomas. ‘For example, you might have a fantastic sales person selling lots of cars but what he’s actually doing is not appraising

traded-in cars correctly. In turn, this means the sales manager is not valuing cars correctly – and probably valuing them too highly because he’s not aware of damage that’s not picked up.

‘Then when it goes to auction – and here it might go from a grade two to a grade four – you have the potential for a sizeable trading loss. Big dealer groups are really starting to pay attention to this and Dealer Pro gives them a huge opportunity to control the whole process.’

Speed, control, accuracy and transparency and a professional approach with a profitable result – maybe BCA Dealer Pro could revolutionise the part-exchange process at your dealership!

by Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave) CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

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Technological advances

New software products offer GEMINI SYSTEMS

H

W: gemini-systems.co.uk T: 01522 698911

ow can ‘technological advances’ really help a dealer to save money, drive sales, increase profit and provide a competitive edge?

It all sounds very plausible and sensible, yet it is often difficult for dealer personnel to identify examples from their real world operations that have a profound positive impact on their business and the bottom line.

The historical need for implementing a DMS was all about automating the customer invoicing, ordering, stock control, etc. and ensuring that company financials are accurately and efficiently reported.

A management system generally supports the administration very well, but many are not ideally suited to integrate with the new digital/social media requirements for driving business, in a seamless and intuitive way.

The variability of process and system utilisation across dealerships is often extreme and the resultant customer impact and the customer experience is equally variable. The resources within DMS/CRM systems offer a massive opportunity for digital-savvy dealers to save money, drive sales, increase profit and provide a competitive edge for their business.

Early in 2014, Gemini Systems met with a group of customers to discuss this challenge, listen to ideas and offer solutions to maximise the opportunities that technological advances might offer the industry.

Their brief was simple enough - ‘as our main supplier of systems and technology, help us to sell more cars, parts and services’!

Gemini Systems’ managing director Simon Harrod explained: ‘Clearly a system in isolation was not going to address and resolve this requirement. However, working in partnership with a number of customer representatives, we looked at our DMS/CRM systems, dealer process, best practice and the latest digital technologies

‘‘

that are available to dealers. What we were actually discussing was, to quote from our own corporate vision statement, implementation of solutions “beyond the DMS”.

‘This led to the development of two of our most recent and advanced software products, Campaign 365 and TechMate.

‘Campaign 365 is one of our all-encompassing business accelerators that is fully integrated with the Evolution DMS data – customer, vehicle and history information. It manages customer contacts, reminders, marketing campaigns, customer newsletters and much more, via traditional media and social media channels.’

‘The TechMate App is another business accelerator that introduces new efficiencies and dealer cost savings in the service department.

It utilises existing technician eVHC tablets and replaces older technology such as barcode clocking stations in the workshop.

‘All scheduled and non-scheduled tasks can be managed by technicians and service advisors with real-time integration to the Evolution DMS. Clocking on/off tasks are made simple, without the need to move away from the service bays or the local work area.’

Harrod goes on to say: ‘A one-size-fits-all approach for dealers is often hard to achieve with any system, so it was clear at the start of the project that flexibility, ease of use and dealer-specific requirements from an operational perspective must form the very basis of Campaign 365 and TechMate. Staff can then be fully engaged and appreciate the simplicity of the technology, for it to be 100% utilised and successful.

‘We decided that an important measure of the success of Campaign 365 is whether it is used effectively and can be shown to contribute to the financial performance of any dealer.

Therefore one of the key features throughout the system is the visualisation of vital information

Working in partnership with a number of customer representatives, we looked at our DMS/CRM systems, dealer process, best practice and the latest digital technologies that are available to dealers. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

such as retention rate, return on investment and penetration through powerful dashboards, allowing management to easily monitor real-time financial contribution from their selling initiatives and then dynamically measure/modify sales actions accordingly.’

Jon Skinner, head of business development at Gemini Systems, describes some of the benefits that dealers will experience by employing these new business accelerators as an integral part of their Evolution DMS. ‘The main focus of these new business accelerators is to reduce administration overheads and wasted resource while also increasing profitability and efficiency. It sounds like a utopian notion, but we believe we’ve delivered on all fronts with these modules.’

Going into detail, Skinner added: ‘Marketing is one of the most important functions that any business carries out, yet many dealers find they don’t have the skills or resource to carry out campaigns on a perpetual basis.

‘With Campaign 365 we’ve made the whole process completely automated, so once a campaign is created it will run either indefinitely, such as service, MoT and eVHC letters, or at a desired time for a specific offer period, such as new model launches or a summer health check.

‘We’ve also made the creation of these campaigns simple so that department managers can create them rather than relying

twin solutions

on a marketing expert within the business.

‘There’s a simple seven-step wizard to guide the user through the creation of the campaign.

It’s possible to import HTML templates or create content-rich graphical emails on the fly, and a previous campaign can be cloned if it is to be repeated or a similar one is required.

‘For each campaign you can set targets for invoice values and penetration that are linked to the ROI reporting, and this allows dealers to accurately and easily see which campaigns have been effective and profitable.’

He further explains the benefits of their workshop clocking offering: ‘TechMate brings what is, in theory, the simple process of clocking technicians on and off into the modern age via an

intuitive yet powerful Android app.

‘TechMate allows the technician to switch between jobs quickly, record notes, take photos and much more all from a tablet PC at their area of work. In terms of increasing efficiency this removes the need for the technician to walk backwards and forwards to a clocking machine to swap between a service and the changing of brake pads, for example.

‘This may seem a small amount of time - we’ve estimated around 20-30 seconds, not factoring in the conversations they will invariably get involved with on the journey. However, multiply that by the number of operations they clock on to each day, then again by the number of technicians in the workshop, and you have a chunk of lost time

per day. Rationalise that up to a year, apply the average hourly technician’s wage and, based on five technicians, there is an annual saving of more than £1,000 in lost time.’

Skinner’s final point is regarding integration: ‘The obvious benefits of integration are there for all to see, no double entry, reduced chance of user error and elimination of the chance of information being missed altogether.

‘However, the real beauty of having these modules integrated with the DMS is that everything is live and the information is available instantly, on demand, so management have full visibility and can react immediately to maximise every opportunity or cover off any potential problems.’ [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 77

DASHBOARD. FEATURE.

Ask Lawgistics

Will the court favour me or the customer?

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

Q

I have an employee who is expecting the birth of his first child shortly but is no longer in a relationship with the mother. She now has a new partner with whom she lives. He says he will be involved in the upbringing of the child but is not living with the child. He is claiming entitlement to Shared Parental Leave. Do I have to allow him leave?

New mothers must take the first two weeks immediately following the baby’s birth as leave, but the remaining 50 weeks can now be split between the parents. Statutory payment will be paid for 39 of these weeks.

To claim Shared Parental Leave the mother must be entitled to maternity or adoption leave, ie, have been continuously employed for 26 weeks at the 15th week before the baby is due, or, in respect of an adopted child, calculated as at the week in which the adopter is notified of having been matched with the child.

They must also have a partner who will share the parental responsibility.

That partner must be either the mother’s/adopter’s partner at the date of the child’s birth or placement and share the main responsibility for the care of the child with the child’s mother/adopter, and be in continuous employment at the week of the birth.

The leave can only be shared by two parents and, as

A

Q

such, in your employee’s case, he will need to have a discussion with the mother as to whom she wants to share the leave with.

Even though he is the biological father of the child, the regulations make it clear the leave can be shared with the partner of the mother at the time of birth, whether they are biologically the father or not, providing they are to be responsible for the child’s upbringing.

As the regulations are fairly new, there is no case law to state whether a biological father takes precedent over other ‘partners’ and it would seem at present to remain the mother’s choice with whom she shares the leave. If, of course, the person the mother is living with isn’t entitled to the leave, then your employee should have no issues in sharing the leave with the mother. If this is the case, he will need to give you formal notice that he intends to take leave and how much leave he wishes to share with the mother.

It will then be a case of liaising with the mother’s employer to agree which periods each parent will have off and whether this is in one continuous block or separate blocks. More information is available on Lawgistics’ website, along with the slides used in our employment law workshop at the Car Dealer Conference & Automotive Expo.

.com

We did the work but have been left with car

Q

We have carried out some mechanical work on a customer’s car and they are now refusing to come and collect it and pay for the work we have done. Is there anything we can do?

Good news for this question.

If you are facing a difficult customer who is refusing to collect their goods, there is something that can be done.

If customers refuse to pay for the work you have carried out on the vehicle, you will have a lien over the vehicle until they pay for it. This

A

means you don’t have to give the vehicle back to them until they pay.

Obviously this isn’t an ideal situation, as you are stuck with a vehicle that is not yours and your bill is still unpaid.

However, you can move the situation forward.

This right is derived from Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977, which can give you (the bailee) the power to sell the vehicle to pay for your bill.

To action this, you need to send

a notice that is compliant with the above act requiring them to collect the vehicle and pay the outstanding monies. You should also send with this a compliance notice informing them of your intention to sell the goods after a specified date if they fail to do this. You must give them reasonable notice to act.

The act also allows for customers you cannot trace, so all is not lost if you don’t know where the customer lives.

ADVICE

I have a customer threatening to take me to court over the vehicle they bought. I believe I have a good case but as a used car dealer what chance do I really have?

In the oft-repeated words of my law lecturer, ‘it depends’. In court there are no guarantees. I have been in front of enough judges in my time to know that sometimes judges can make perverse decisions but, generally speaking, their decisions will be reasonable.

Unfortunately, reasonable does not always equate to fair or just and it certainly may not meet your own idea of reasonable if you are a losing party.

However, if you have a good case and prepare it well, there is no reason why you shouldn’t win.

For example, recently we had five cases in courts around the country. In one, we prevented our client from being made bankrupt (win); in three cases the customer received less than 30 per cent of what they had claimed for (win, win, win); and in the other, we had the customer’s claim dismissed as our evidence was much stronger than theirs (big win).

So, yes, it can be a bit of a lottery and there may be some initial bias for the ‘poor’ customer against you as the ‘nasty’ used-car dealer, but if you have a good case which is well managed and presented from the beginning, then there is nothing to stop you winning!

A

JOIN CAR DEALER CLUB AND GET all these BENEFITS worth

App Creatives ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Loop Fobs

WHY I JOINED car dealer club WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP?

Classic and prestige cars specialist Brett Casswell got peace of mind, thanks to advice from Lawgistics

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 £695) – 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.

Brett Casswell is in no doubt that Lawgistics is a fantastic ally B Casswell Ltd offers a bespoke service drawing on its extensive contact base to source and sell new as well as used prestige and classic cars.

It was established in Thornby, Northamptonshire, in 2009 by Brett Casswell, who runs the business with wife Katie. They then moved to Devon, where another base was opened near Exeter.

Casswell had cause to use Lawgistics’ expertise after selling a Mercedes E-Class with 130,000 miles on the clock. Despite its high mileage, there was a full MercedesBenz service history as well as a transferable roadside recovery warranty, which he’d negotiated from the previous owner and which covered the engine and gearbox.

Three months later, though, he had a call from the customer to say that he’d been to a Mercedes specialist who had diagnosed the gearbox needed replacing – the 7G ’boxes can have issues, Casswell subsequently learnt – having driven more than 6,000 miles in it.

The customer had contacted the warranty firm, but it said that because he hadn’t broken down on the roadside it wouldn’t repair the gearbox.

‘In essence, it refused the claim based on the customer not reading the small

print,’ said Casswell. The customer ended up spending £2,500 on a new gearbox from the specialist and Casswell told us: ‘After a month or so, the customer came back to me to ask for a large contribution towards the cost of the gearbox under the Sale of Goods Act and because he believed all motor traders needed to cover faults for up to six months after purchase.

‘I used my free call to Lawgistics who put my mind at rest. They said the gearbox was really a fair-wear-and-tear item, and that given the high mileage and the fact that he had driven more than 6,000 miles in it I didn’t really have to do anything. However, they said I could make a goodwill payment to keep the customer happy, but that it must be stated as being goodwill only and no reflection of my acceptance that the car was faulty when it was sold.

‘I did this, making a payment of £250 towards the repair, which he was really pleased with and helped me feel better too.’

Casswell is in no doubt that Lawgistics is a fantastic ally. ‘They allowed me to give the customer a really firm and appropriately legal answer to his request. By having Lawgistics on side, it not only gives me reassurance as a car dealer but it also means you look more professional as a business.’

£1,000s AND ALL for just £39.99

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DATA FILE.

Thestatistics n

SMMT Sales Data

n

Taking Stock

Power to the people!

Plug-in cars getting ever more popular ... and latest figures from the SMMT reveal a 39th monthly jump in registrations

F

igures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show there was a steady 2.4 per cent growth in the UK new-car market in May, accompanied by a strong surge in demand for ultralow emission vehicles (ULEVs).

A total 11,842 ULEVs were registered between January and May – a four-fold rise on the 2,838 registrations in the same period last year. The growth is further evidence of UK car buyers’ increasing awareness of the significant benefits of driving a ULEV, as they look to reduce their running costs and the environmental impact of their motoring. Motorists can now choose from a diverse range of around 20 ULEVs, compared to just six in 2011.

The rise in overall new-car registrations, meanwhile, marks the 39th consecutive month of growth in the market. More than one million cars have been registered in 2015 as a range of new products and attractive finance deals with low interest rates continue to draw buyers to showrooms.

With many purchases on a three-year replacement cycle, new cars bought as the recession ended are now being replaced.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘The remarkable growth in demand for plug-in vehicles is expected to continue as the range of ultra-low emission vehicles on sale increases.

Meanwhile, we anticipate a natural levelling out of the overall new car market to take place throughout the remainder of 2015.’

Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays, said: ‘Forecourts continued to buzz in May despite it being a traditionally quieter month for dealerships. The underlying trend remains positive and, bar any

unforeseen bumps in the road, I cannot see sales slowing dramatically in the month ahead.’

John Leech, head of automotive at KPMG UK, added: ‘May was another good month for new-car sales, up 2.4 per cent, as the carmakers continued to support the market with cheap credit.

‘With rising consumer sentiment and a strong pound it looks likely the market will continue to perform well over the summer. It is still possible UK new-car sales will break the all-time record of 2.58 million cars sold in 2003.’

The best-sellers for May were: Ford Fiesta (9,349); Ford Focus (7,355); Vauxhall Corsa (6,513); Volkswagen Golf (5,897); Vauxhall Astra (4,916); Mini (4,095); Volkswagen Polo (4,028); Audi A3 (3,999); Nissan Qashqai (3,978); and Nissan Juke (3,897).

The best-sellers for the year to date are: the Ford Fiesta (59,447); Vauxhall Corsa (40,564); Ford Focus (35,989); VW Golf (30,686); Nissan Qashqai (27,361); Vauxhall Astra (23,538); VW Polo (23,523); Audi A3 (22,338); MercedesBenz C Class (20,726); Fiat 500 (18,449).

‘The UK could be a world leader in a greener future’ THE National Franchised Dealers’ Association (NFDA) is urging the government to urgently review the funding and infrastructure plans associated with low-emission vehicles to make them a viable option for mainstream motorists.

The trade body, which represents 85 per cent of the UK franchise dealer network, says more needs to be done to give consumers the confidence and ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

ability to make the shift to AFVs. There are currently three options for motorists considering an alternative to petrol or diesel vehicles – hybrid, electric, or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Sue Robinson, director of the NFDA, said: ‘Manufacturers are making a significant investment in enhancing the choice, range and distance electric cars can travel, but to encourage a genuine shift in consumer behaviour the

government needs to do more to make electric cars an attractive choice.

‘Increasing the existing grant for plug-ins and introducing one for hydrogen cars, while also developing the recharging infrastructure, would likely see a significant increase in sales of alternative fuel cars. With extra investment from Westminster, the UK has the potential to be a world leader in a greener future.’

SMMT sales data May/year to date

5

Top

Most-improved manufacturers in May Jeep

+210%

Infiniti

+127%

Smart

+75%

MINI

+64%

Abarth

+54%

5

Bottom

Worst-performing manufacturers in May Perodua

-100%

Chevrolet

-99%

Chrysler

-97%

Bentley

-28%

Peugeot

-14%

ABARTH +54.70%

BENTLEY -28.16% Figures supplied by SMMT

Marque Abarth Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Dacia DS 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

May 2015

2015

181 447 68 13,802 74 12,206 1 4 6,301 2,046 26 4,370 24,273 3,624 7,045 98 1,579 1,109 6,133 4,966 959 18 122 2,718 11,355 269 0 5,239 1,608 11,561 0 6,922 1,136 0 5,453 0 4,595 5,914 705 189 249 2,589 7,300 20,698 17,316 3,192 62 184 198,706

% market share 0.09 0.22 0.03 6.95 0.04 6.14 0.00 0.00 3.17 1.03 0.01 2.20 12.22 1.82 3.55 0.05 0.79 0.56 3.09 2.50 0.48 0.01 0.06 1.37 5.71 0.14 0.00 2.64 0.81 5.82 0.00 3.48 0.57 0.00 2.74 0.00 2.31 2.98 0.35 0.10 0.13 1.30 3.67 10.42 8.71 1.61 0.03 0.09

May 2014

2014

117 434 73 13,534 103 11,649 90 128 6,610 2,245 0 4,865 23,459 3,809 6,309 43 1,351 357 6,015 4,513 824 17 113 2,523 10,131 241 0 3,184 1,082 10,151 3 8,066 820 0 4,677 0 4,607 6,339 403 125 271 2,695 7,644 21,961 19,151 3,137 97 66 194,032

% market share 0.06 0.22 0.04 6.98 0.05 6.00 0.05 0.07 3.41 1.16 0.00 2.51 12.09 1.96 3.25 0.02 0.70 0.18 3.10 2.33 0.42 0.01 0.06 1.30 5.22 0.12 0.00 1.64 0.56 5.23 0.00 4.16 0.42 0.00 2.41 0.00 2.37 3.27 0.21 0.06 0.14 1.39 3.94 11.32 9.87 1.62 0.05 0.03

% change 54.70 3.00 -6.85 1.98 -28.16 4.78 -98.89 -96.88 -4.67 -8.86 0.00 -10.17 3.47 -4.86 11.67 127.91 16.88 210.64 1.96 10.04 16.38 5.88 7.96 7.73 12.08 11.62 0.00 64.54 48.61 13.89 -100.00 -14.18 38.54 0.00 16.59 0.00 -0.26 -6.70 74.94 51.20 -8.12 -3.93 -4.50 -5.75 -9.58 1.75 -36.08 178.79 2.41

2015 868 2,184 403 71,985 584 63,121 3 110 38,017 11,895 26 26,114 144,095 23,259 38,539 505 7,682 4,436 34,541 31,120 5,689 153 645 20,062 61,748 1,436 0 24,138 11,048 67,652 0 47,333 5,188 0 30,186 0 22,278 31,333 2,716 976 1,422 14,598 44,144 112,412 96,394 16,839 323 872 1,119,072

Year-to-date (YTD) % market share 0.08 0.20 0.04 6.43 0.05 5.64 0.00 0.01 3.40 1.06 0.00 2.33 12.88 2.08 3.44 0.05 0.69 0.40 3.09 2.78 0.51 0.01 0.06 1.79 5.52 0.13 0.00 2.16 0.99 6.05 0.00 4.23 0.46 0.00 2.70 0.00 1.99 2.80 0.24 0.09 0.13 1.30 3.94 10.05 8.61 1.50 0.03 0.08

2014

651 2,387 388 70,258 683 60,070 2,736 872 36,816 11,045 0 28,407 144,178 25,117 35,534 181 8,034 1,276 33,589 25,992 4,555 73 430 17,187 52,666 1,008 5 15,943 4,734 57,405 19 47,744 3,874 1 25,787 1 22,267 32,699 2,060 638 1,070 16,408 42,214 113,305 92,012 15,935 365 355 1,058,974

% market share 0.06 0.23 0.04 6.63 0.06 5.67 0.26 0.08 3.48 1.04 0.00 2.68 13.61 2.37 3.36 0.02 0.76 0.12 3.17 2.45 0.43 0.01 0.04 1.62 4.97 0.10 0.00 1.51 0.45 5.42 0.00 4.51 0.37 0.00 2.44 0.00 2.10 3.09 0.19 0.06 0.10 1.55 3.99 10.70 8.69 1.50 0.03 0.03

% change 33.33 -8.50 3.87 2.46 -14.49 5.08 -99.89 -87.39 3.26 7.70 0.00 -8.07 -0.06 -7.40 8.46 179.01 -4.38 247.65 2.83 19.73 24.90 109.59 50.00 16.73 17.24 42.46 -100.00 51.40 133.38 17.85 -100.00 -0.86 33.92 -100.00 17.06 -100.00 0.05 -4.18 31.84 52.98 32.90 -11.03 4.57 -0.79 4.76 5.67 -11.51 145.63 5.68

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

TAKING STOCK. Remarketing specialist BCA finds demand strong in May, despite it traditionally being a slower month for the used vehicle sector

Record levels reached for the second month running There’s still a dearth of stock of good retail quality, and vehicles really need to be valued competitively and sensibly to sell first time, says Simon Henstock

T

he latest BCA Pulse report shows the headline average value of a used car fell by £69 to £7,803 in May – a drop of 0.8 per cent. Despite this, both fleet/lease and part-exchange values reached record levels for the second month running, suggesting a changing model mix was largely responsible for the small drop in the headline value. Performance against CAP Clean was almost static.

Year-on-year values were up by £206, a 2.7 per cent rise, with average mileage falling and age static over the year. Performance against CAP Clean was little changed over the year.

Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK operations director, said: ‘May is typically a slower month for the usedvehicle sector, with the two bank holidays often proving disruptive to trading patterns and the impact on demand as consumers begin to focus on paying for their summer holiday.

‘However, demand was strong in May with average values for fleet/lease and dealer partexchange continuing to rise to record levels.

‘The market remains short of good retail-

‘Sellers should look closely at appraisal reports and condition ratings’ quality stock and it is noticeable how the best grade and specification cars in attractive colours often outperform the rest of the market by some margin. We continue to see plenty of vehicles in poor condition and at above-average mileage, however, and sellers should look closely at appraisal reports and condition ratings when setting reserve prices.

‘These vehicles must be valued competitively and in line with condition to attract buyers and sell first time.

‘It is worth investing in pre-sale Smart Repairs for vehicles that have sustained minor cosmetic damage, particularly for otherwise high-demand, well-specified examples that have picked up the

odd car-park dent or bumper scuff during their working life.’

Fleet and lease cars averaged £9,719 in May, rising by just £19 compared with April but establishing a new record monthly average value. Retained value against original MRP (manufacturer’s retail price) fell by half a point to 41.95 per cent over the month, with age and mileage broadly static. Average values were up by £182 (1.9 per cent) compared with May 2014, with performance against CAP Clean up by half a point and retained value down on 2014 by half a point.

For the second month running, average dealer part-exchange values reached a record level, improving by £49 (1.1 per cent) to £4,397. Year-onyear values remain ahead by £349 (8.6 per cent), with CAP Clean performance ahead by half a point compared with a year ago.

Nearly-new values improved for the second month running, although model mix has a significant effect in this very low volume sector.

CAP Clean performance improved by half a point to 99.5 per cent.

BCA dashboard Value month-on-month All cars vs April 2015

£7,803

Part-ex

vs April 2015

£4,397

0.8%

1.1% Variance year-on-year All cars vs May 2014

£206 2.7%

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Average age

Avg value fleet/lease

60.88

£9,719

All cars vs May2014

0.03

vs May2014

1.9%

Mileage

All cars vs May 2014

55,029

754 Fleet/lease

Retained value against MRP

41.95%

Avg value nearly new vs April 2015

£21,039 1.8%

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

REAL DEALS.

Ford Cougar will make the purr-fect flight of fancy for Bangers4BEN Short-lived coupe had poor reputation but this customised model is well worth owning, enthuses ANDY ENTWISTLE...

I

t’s my favourite time of the year. We’ve just announced Bangers4BEN 2015

(details on Page 15) and now I’ve been joined by a bunch of like-minded fools in trawling the internet for inspiration and cars to use for this year’s event.

Many will turn up with a fairly decent chariot (for the price) with a few bits of branding or a bright wrap. Then there are the stalwarts, who every year try to go one better than everyone else and win the exalted car of the event trophy.

It’s this search that brought this ‘unique’ Cougar to my attention.

Normally, a Ford Cougar is so far down my list of vehicles to consider that root canal work or having my spleen removed with a spoon would be more preferable. It’s from that rare time when Ford lost its way a little.

Thankfully short-lived, the Cougar was sold only from 1998 to 2002. Intended as a Mk2 probe (and a spiritual replacement for the Capri) on paper, the Cougar had a strong showing. Based on the Mondeo, it did actually handle fairly well and, for a coupe, space was relatively generous.

But much like the original Sierra,

You can just see this on Bangers4Ben – but you might want to remove the nose for the MOT... ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

its ‘new-edge’ styling was too much for the public.

It was one of the first of this new styling direction and the public didn’t take to it.

What also didn’t help the Cougar was the fact it was built in the USA – never renowned for putting together the best cars – and then ‘finished’ in Germany, where it was converted to right-hand drive.

The last nail in the coffin was the poor engine line-up – base spec came with a 2.0-litre Zetec, which was not a bad engine but not overly refined. The range-topper was the 2.5 Duratec V6, kicking out just over 165bhp.

What Ford needed was something to take on the 3 Series coupe and this wasn’t it, with a 0-60 sprint of 8.6 seconds.

The Cougar never really managed to shake off a poor reputation, which was largely unjustified – it just wasn’t very exciting…. or quick…. or pretty...

But it handled well and was comfy, which is perfect if you are doing Bangers4BEN – and it so happens this car could be perfect for that.

Richard at Charles James Cars in Stoke picked up this car a few months ago, and being based in a former Second World War RAF base, he couldn’t not buy it really, could he?

He’s been using it for promotional purposes,

racking up 1,500 miles in the process – and it gets a fair amount of attention. It’s even been on the radio (no, I can’t work that out, either!).

The car was created by a team of ex-RAF personnel for a charity event and has been driven all over the UK, so you know it’s going to have been done well. They’ve even built a motor to make that propeller on the front end spin!

In Richard’s words, although the base car is a Ford Cougar – and they rattled from new, but this one is as quiet as a mouse (must be the Airfix paint holding it together) – the only problem is a fuel gauge that works in reverse. Was that down to US build quality or did the RAF do this as a cunning anti-theft trick? It has an MOT until August, but we reckon you may need to remove that propeller for a test and then replace it.

I think this car really needs to come with us on this year’s Bangers4BEN event, so anyone who wants something different but doesn’t have the time to create it should give Richard a call at Charles James Cars on 01782 395153 (www. charlesjamescars.co.uk).

You never know, with a bit of negotiating you could see it yours for Bangers money.

He’s displacing water like he’s on Bridgestone tyres

Bridgestone Touring tyres KDYH EHHQ VSHFLƂFDOO\ GHYHORSHG DQG GHVLJQHG WR FROOHFW VXUIDFH ZDWHU LQ FLUFXPIHUHQWLDO JURRYHV WKHQ GLVSHUVH LW WR KHOS \RX VWD\ LQ FRQWURO LQ ZHW FRQGLWLRQV ,WpV LPSRUWDQW EHFDXVH RXU W\UHV DUH WKH RQO\ SDUW RI \RXU FDUpV VDIHW\ V\VWHP WKDW DFWXDOO\ WRXFKHV WKH URDG

Bridgestone UK For your nearest Bridgestone Authorized Dealer, visit our website

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 85

auctions.

Lotus dealership opens in London. bit.ly/lotus-88

City Auction Group invests heavily in new online bidding system ‘It is vital our customers have a good experience when they interact’

Michael Tomalin

C

ity Auction Group has completed a six-figure investment in technology, with the installation of a new online bidding system, revamped website and an enhanced mobile app.

City Auction Group has retained BPI to install the new technology, which will ensure the online bidding system runs to maximum capacity during the fortnightly auctions. Based on Dell servers and using fibre-optic technology for faster throughput of data, the new system enables online customers to have the same opportunity to buy vehicles as those in the hall.

The new-look website features a contemporary design, with improved navigation and functionality. It went live on June 1 and features a new auction calendar, making it easier for dealers to see upcoming events. The website is also mobile friendly. The improved mobile app will enable buyers to view crucial vehicle data in a more uniform manner to enhance pre-sale event activity and the online bidding opportunity.

Michael Tomalin, managing director

of City Auction Group, said: ‘We have invested heavily in leading-edge technology to improve the service we offer vendors and buyers. It is vital our customers have a good experience when they interact with the group and that is why these improvements are so important.

‘In a technology-driven world, every business relies heavily on their IT infrastructure. For us at City Auction Group Rockingham, it’s even more crucial as our online bidding platform constitutes 30 per cent of all our sales. We will continue enhancing the website, as well as developing and improving other parts of the business through continued investment in technology.’

BPI is based in Leamington Spa and has been providing digital services and support for more than 20 years.

Hints that part-ex demand on the rise PART-EXCHANGE values have remained April 2015 values stand at £3,367, which consistent in April as new car registrations is £351 or 11.6 per cent higher than values soar, according to Manheim’s monthly in the same month of last year. With no dealer Market Analysis. noticable difference between age and The research also revealed that units sold mileage across the two years, it could be in April were younger and had less mileage a sign that demand for vehicles in the Car dealer May 2015 24/4/15 10:53 Page 1 than their March counterparts. part-ex sector is on the rise.

No cowboys.

Just Just trade trade professionals. professionals.

Henstock auction stations

Any colour you like – as long as it finds a buyer

A

nyone who has sold cars for a living will know that even a well-specced popular model can be a difficult proposition if it is finished in a poor ‘non-retail’ colour. We quickly learn the subtle differences between very saleable metallic blue and trade favourite ‘doom blue’, which never appears on a colour chart but somehow stays on the forecourt for a 60 or 90-day stay, depending on your stocking policy.

The point is, cars look great when they are in the right colour and become far more saleable as a result. This hasn’t been lost on the manufacturers who continue to flex their artistic muscles and fashion sensibilities to deliver a bewildering choice of colours and shades. If you take the individual shades according to the manufacturer data, there are well in excess of 2,000 colours – although it would take a very experienced salesman to know the difference between Auritius Blue and Jazz Blue without a colour chart!

In the wholesale market, whatever the age and mileage, the most important factors are condition, specification and presentation. Colour is important to professional buyers once the other factors are satisfied and while there are no hard and fast rules, the colour needs to match the car.

As used-car buyers cannot specify the colour they want, they choose the best combination of model, specification, age, mileage and condition for their budget and get the most attractive colour they can. It is a major issue for anyone operating in the used-car market.

It’s about choice and the remarketing arena has the upper hand for buyers. A typical BCA sale will offer not only a wide range of makes and models, but a choice of colours as well – a one-stop shop for stock fulfilment.

There is of course an element of the self-fulfilling prophecy when it comes to the colours of used cars. But motorists can – and do – choose between different colours on similar models when buying used. That’s the colour of money!

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

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

TRADER TALK.

..in association with AutoTrader

Information that could help you sell more cars Having data on your side can help you make the right decisions, explains Nick King

W

hen it comes to Auto Trader insight, you’ll forgive me for getting a little excited sometimes. Particularly when I find something in a set of figures that clearly illustrates a point I talk about during my dealer education master classes.

One of these stood out like a beacon on a hill last month when I was looking through data on the fastest-selling cars in April, by region.

Without telling the PR people, I’d already trailed one of the key stats via my LinkedIn discussion group. Quickly glancing through the raw data, I’d noticed the Citroen DS3 was Yorkshire’s fastestselling car, but that nationally it was well down the league table – in 173rd position.

Later that week, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to run the same analysis on the rest of the top 10 regional best-sellers.

But this time, I also cross-referenced league

Top seller by region April 2015 Region

Make and model variant

Position nationally

Average ‘days to sell’ Locally

Nationally

East of England

2012 Nissan Qashqai Hatchback Diesel Manual

62

25

29

4

East Midlands

2012 Vauxhall Astra Hatchback Diesel Manual

472

24

43

19

London

2012 Ford Focus Hatchback Petrol Manual

145

16

34

18

North East

2007 Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback Petrol Manual

220

17

37

20

North West

2012 Peugeot 208 Hatchback Petrol Manual

106

18

32

14

Northern Ireland

2014 Seat Leon Hatchback Diesel Manual

506

37

44

7

Scotland

2012 Nissan Qashqai Hatchback Diesel Manual

62

15

29

14

South

2012 BMW 1 Series Hatchback Diesel Manual

23

22

26

4

‘You don’t need Nick King to tell you that desirable cars sell quickly.’

South East

2014 Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback Diesel Automatic

1,163

23

59

36

South West

2012 Nissan Qashqai Hatchback Diesel Manual

62

24

29

5

Wales

2014 Ford Fiesta Hatchback Petrol Manual

75

30

30

0

positions with average days to sell. I’ve reproduced my table on the right so you can see the figures for yourself.

Firstly, a little context on speed of sale (that’s the average ‘days to sell’ column in the table).

We know from Auto Trader research that the average time taken for any car to sell anywhere across the UK is 55 days. So anything under that is potentially quite good.

Secondly, we should be clear just how many variants of car there are on sale so a position in the 100s in the national table, while interesting, is not altogether surprising.

What should be more interesting is the difference in average days to sell regionally and nationally.

Look at the south-east’s best seller in April – the 2014 Mercedes-Benz A Class diesel hatch. Yes, it was languishing in 1,163rd place nationally, but it’s the difference in speed of sale that should really catch your eye.

While taking an average 23 days to sell in the south east, nationally the car moved – on average – in 59 days. That’s 36 days more slowly than in

West Mids

2012 Nissan Qashqai Hatchback Petrol Manual

22

15

26

11

Yorkshire

2012 Citroen DS3 Hatchback Petrol Manual

173

18

35

17

Who is Nick King?

its local hot-spot. And don’t forget, 59 days is four days slower than the average for all cars for sale on Auto Trader today.

There are two morals here. Firstly, there are huge variations in the desirability of cars by region, so clearly illustrated by the A Class above.

We know from Auto Trader research that 52 per cent of cars on forecourts are not well matched to local demand and that’s why we say it’s so important to have data on your side in helping you make the right decisions.

Not to tell you what to do, of course, but to support every decision to choose the best stock in your location, cars that will sell quickly and make a positive contribution to your bottom line.

The second moral relates to pricing. When we ran a comparison for the fastest-selling cars in March and April, we found a remarkably close correlation between the top 10 best-sellers and price position. On average, the fastest-selling

models in the national top 10 were 99 per cent aligned to their optimum price position, based on Auto Trader’s actual retail price data – the market as it really is, rather than as it could, should or might be.

But perhaps there’s a third lesson here, too.

And it’s one about common sense. You don’t need Nick King to tell you desirable cars sell quickly and you don’t need me to tell you pricing competitively attracts more searchers and drives more buyers to your forecourt.

You’re selling cars every day after all. But could you sell even more – and more quickly – if you had the tools that give you the sort of information you’ve just read about above instantly and for any car you intend to buy or sell? At the touch of a button?

For dates, venues and to sign up for free Auto Trader dealer education masterclasses, visit: https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/master-classes/

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

Difference

MARKET INSIGHT.

P

lenty of activity this month with full-year results announced at Vertu Motors, an interim statement at Cambria Automobiles and first-quarter announcements from Pendragon, Inchcape and Lookers.

There was a strong performance on the share prices, with practically all companies showing positive movements compared to April and outperforming the FTSE 100 index. No doubt buoyed by the positive results announcements, and the strong performance of the new entrants, the sector shares continue to perform well and are relatively undervalued compared to the market.

Vertu Motors enjoyed a nice increase on the back of their results announcement mid-month and closed the month trading 9p (16 per cent) higher than the start. Consistent with the other listed players, they also announced an increase in dividends, and will be paying 1.05p per share, 31.3 per cent higher than the prior year. The meteoric rise in the Inchcape share price continues, with another all-time high of 894p during the month, some 274p (44 per cent) higher than the May 2014 price.

The share price of Marshall Motor Holdings has steadied following the strong gains seen in April, but still closed the month 38p (25 per cent) higher than the float price.

Analysts maintain the share prices are relatively undervalued for such cash-generative businesses on the acquisition trial and which have a good track record for delivering growth in recent years.

Financial performance Vertu Motors announced their final results to February 28, 2015 which exceeded expectations.

Turnover passed £2billion for the first time, and like-for-like total units sold were 10.1 per cent higher at 129,653. Profit before tax at £21.0m was 32.9 per cent higher than 2014. Net cash balances reduced by 50 per cent to £15.7m, with operating cash inflows of £26.1m being invested in business acquisitions (£17.4m), dealership developments (£14.3m) and other capital expenditure projects (£4.9m). Banking facilities were refinanced post year-end, with £40m earmarked to finance further acquisitions. Trading in March and April was ahead of the current year plan and significantly ahead of the previous year.

..in association with ASE-global.com

Shares continue to rise on back of strong results

Sector shares remain relatively undervalued, says Mike Jones Share price movement from Jan 1 to May 29, 2015

Share price movement from Jan 1 to April 30, 2015

Pendragon

116.9%

113.1%

Vertu

106.3%

91.1%

Lookers

125.6%

120.4%

Inchcape

118.1%

114.8%

Cambria

126.6%

121.3%

Caffyns

113.1%

96.4%

Marshall

125.5%*

127.8%*

*movement since admission to AIM on April 2 Cambria Automobile’s half-year results reported sales up £38m (18.5 per cent) to £242.8m, generating a profit before tax of £3.3m, an increase of £1.3m (65 per cent). New vehicle sales volumes increased by 15.6 per cent, or 8.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis.

Used volumes were 2.9 per cent higher at 7,106, with gross profit increasing 11.2 per cent to £9.9m.

Cash generation continues to be strong, with an operating cash inflow of £4.8m generated in the period. The interim dividend was increased by 50 per cent to 0.15p. Trading post year-end in March was both ahead of the current year plan and the previous year.

Pendragon issued a positive trading statement for the three months to March 31, 2015 which showed profit before tax increasing by 10.4 per cent and operating profit 8.5 per cent higher than the previous year.

They continue to grow their online presence, with visits to the three main websites up over 25 per cent.

In the trading statement for the quarter to March 31, 2015, Lookers reported a strong trading performance, particularly in March. Gross profit from new cars was four per cent ahead of the previous

year, and used cars 10 per cent higher. They consider trading to be in line with current market expectations.

Inchcape also issued a trading statement for the first four months ended April 30, 2015 which saw revenues 4.1 per cent higher using constant currencies, and 4.9 per cent higher on a like-forlike basis. They report strong revenue growth in the UK, with margin improvement in new vehicle sales, although they acknowledged pressure in used vehicles.

Outlook The share price performance appears to be gathering momentum and continuing to outperform the broader FTSE index.

Manufacturers continue to see the UK as a safe pair of hands for new vehicle growth, however this will place strain on the dealerships as they are faced with ever-increasing and bullish targets.

This will undoubtedly increase the pressure on self-registrations, which will tighten margins in the medium term. It will be interesting to see how the EU referendum will impact confidence in the sector, and whether the major European brands start to comment about the implications of a potential UK withdrawal.

Transactional activity No significant deals this month following the Land Rover acquisitions by Vertu Motors and Cambria Automobiles last month.

There remains significant appetite for acquisitions among the listed and private company sectors, and further deals are expected in the coming months.

Board composition and activity / Directors holdings Vertu Motors announced Kenneth Lever will be joining the board as a non-executive director with effect from June 1, 2015 and that David Forbes, who has been a non-executive director for the past six years, will not seek re-election at the annual general meeting in July.

Inchcape plc continues with its share buyback programme and announced in the trading statement that it would be continuing.

Who is Mike Jones?

He’s the chairman of dealer profitability specialist ASE plc. You can read ASE’s column here every month CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

data file.

James Litton Trader tales

Another trick we can learn from baseball

I

love baseball. Those of you who read my column on a regular basis will hopefully remember a piece I wrote about Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland As, who was the subject of a film called Moneyball starring Brad Pitt.

The essence of the article was how Beane’s radical use of statistics helped revolutionise the sport; moving from traditional scouting methods to unearth talent to player reports using complicated algorithms.

I believe we can learn another trick from America’s most popular pastime.

During games, the managers will change players depending on the circumstances facing them at that particular time. For example, if a team has a slim lead with a number of right-handed hitters left to bat, they will introduce a left-handed pitcher.

Left-handed pitchers have a historically superior performance statistic against right-handed batters. It’s by no means a guarantee, but just increases the odds. This is known as ‘situational’ baseball.

One of the biggest challenges affecting any franchised sales department will be new-car performance. Many retail groups have tried split teams in an attempt to increase focus and effort at new cars, but the pay plans are tricky to get right, and in my opinion offer inconsistent customer experiences.

I would love to see a new kind of situational split team. Many retailers have a customer call centre handling outbound and inbound prospecting. Some extend this to handling live chat enquiries, but in most cases any lead generated is handed over to an existing sales force. Why do we do this?

Surely it makes sense for us to recruit specialists who can take these enquiries from start to finish.

Similarly, during my career, many of the most literate salesmen I have known have been great on the phone, quick on the keyboard, but could not close a deal when the customer came in.

Traditional closers still have a place, but let them deal with the walk-in customers and service referrals.

With strong management using the right sales person for the right customer, situational selling could improve our closing ratios to new highs...

‘Many salesmen I have known have been great on the phone, quick on the keyboard, but could not close a deal.’

Who is James Litton?

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

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Insurance

AppCreatives

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DNA Insurance

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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.

Mapfre Abraxas

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DP Publicity

Think Insurance

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Friendly welcome for all.

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Call now to find out more.

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the details of selected companies here Lead Generation

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Car Care Plan

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GlobalOASys

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How could he fall for stupid phone prank?

I

’m a bit of a joker, to be honest. If I’m not negotiating with a customer or moving cars (something I try to hide away from anyway) I like to have a bit of fun. Especially if it’s at the expense of my colleagues.

Mobile phones have played a big part in playing jokes on the guys here. Hiding them, calling and hanging up at the most inappropriate moments are all part of my repertoire. But the best joke I played was on my boss. He was having a stressful time of it as his wife was expecting their first child any second, so I thought I’d cheer him up and pay a little prank on him. Nice, aren’t I? We had a customer call in and wanted us to take a car to him for a test drive. Apparently he was very persuasive and ‘would spend money if we could deliver on this request’. Asking a bit much if you ask me!

Anyway, my boss took it upon himself to do the test drive. ‘He’s a tough one, so I’ll deal with it, boys,’ he said.

So, off he went on the 30mile trip. He had an hour to get to him as the guy was very busy.

After about 15 minutes, I called him on his mobile and said, ‘Boss, you’ve left your mobile here, mate.’

Stupid joke, right? Usually, the victim doesn’t bat an eyelid and tells you where to go and ‘try harder next time’. But as my boss already had his mind on other things – plus the fact he knew he couldn’t be without his phone at this time in case his firstborn decided to show up – he took it a bit more seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that his response was, ‘Oh god!

I’ll be back in a bit. I am so forgetful at the moment!’ and hung up.

We sat there and waited for him to call us back to say, ‘Very funny, ha bloody ha,’ or the like.

Instead, after about 10 minutes, we heard a screech of tyres as he flew into the car park.

It wasn’t until he got into the showroom and saw us all with a look of shock that he realised what he’d done.

‘You absolute…’ He missed the appointment with the customer, but as it happens, his wife called about 10 minutes later. In labour.

So, I was out of danger of getting a telling off as it all worked out. And his missus had a bouncing baby boy.

‘Usually, the victim doesn’t bat an eyelid and tells you where to go.’

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 | 91

key notes

..in association with Traka

The heart of the matter Paul Smith celebrates the end of heavy-handed finance and insurance sales tactics

T

he Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) officially took over consumer credit regulation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on April 1, 2014.

New Year’s Day this year saw the first batch of ‘landing slots’ close for automotive dealers, giving them three months to complete licence applications. So by the time you read this, most of you will have already completed and submitted your applications to the FCA. Key to this application is your ‘regulatory business plan’.

This plan should demonstrate your dealership has the background and resources to undertake the business activities with which it is involved, both regulated and unregulated. In addition, you must show your firm is staffed with people with the required skills, knowledge and experience, as well as having clear reporting lines that make it obvious who has responsibility for which

elements of the customer journey. It must also demonstrate compliance and risk management and give details how this is implemented and monitored.

The FCA defines business risk as a factor that may have a negative impact on the operation or profitability of your firm. For a full application you need to list all risks and provide details of how you have mitigated or limited those risks. For limited permission applications it is sufficient to state there is a risk management and mitigation plan in place.

You also need to lay out a compliance manual.

The FCA application form details what should be in this manual. But a number of additional elements need to be considered, including business continuity planning, prevention of a financial crime and employee responsibility.

All this is before you get into FCA’s principlesbased regulatory tenet Treating Customers Fairly (TCF). The over-riding consideration for TCF is putting the customer at the heart of everything you do as a business. For some dealers this may be a big cultural shift.

At the very least it means examining all interactions with the customer to see if they are in the best interests of the customer. In terms of car finance sales it will mean ensuring that any product sold to a customer is suitable for them.

It is important to carry out an affordability test if you are selling a car via a PCP for example.

It is also important to provide alternative finance options. Any risks or limitations of the finance product must be communicated effectively.

All this will require a tightening of business processes and improvements in the provision and clarity of paperwork given to the customer.

It will also mean new training for customerfacing staff.

Now that nearly 75 per cent of all new cars sold by franchise dealers are being bought with the aid of car finance packages (largely PCPs), getting TCF right in this area is not an option.

In summary, the FCA has outlined six core consumer outcomes it wishes to see as a result of TCF: n Consumers can be confident they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corporate culture; n Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and targeted accordingly; n Consumers are given clear information and kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale; n Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances; n Consumers are provided with products that perform as firms have led them to expect, and the associated service is of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect; n Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.

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the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

First report:

AudiS7

Luxury on wheels – and very fast wheels at that

First report:

Mazda6 Mazda have always made good cars. And If they can sort out the infotainment system, they’ll make our man Andy REALLY happy...

O

ur long-term Mazda 6 has been replaced with a new one – and you don’t need to be a Mazda fan to spot the difference.

The lack of a large loading area at the back is the most obvious change as our new car is a saloon rather than an estate – and I think that’s a shame. The 6 Estate is a great load lugger and, personally, I think a better-looking car, but then I am a fan of estates. We’ve changed cars because the 6 has just gone through a mild facelift and Mazda wanted us to see what they’ve done. The most obvious difference is the interior, with a revised dash and new entertainment system.

There are a lot of positive things to say, but let’s start off with the negative. Mazda have gone the way of more and more manufacturers by replacing the handbrake with an electric parking brake – and I just don’t like these, because they give us all more complications and cost where they’re not needed.

By the time this model hits the used-car lots, we’ll be looking at replacement parts. At up to £400 each side to replace, this makes them an expensive fix.

That aside – which, in fairness, is a general gripe and not aimed at Mazda – the interior is a significant improvement. Not that the old one was bad, but the quality of the facelift has really elevated the cabin quality. The leather dash and quality of plastics are of significantly better quality than a few of the ‘premium’ cars on the fleet and it feels well built and that it’s going to last well.

the knowledge Model: Mazda 6 Price: £23,295 Engine: 2.2-litre diesel six-speed manual Power: 173bhp Max speed: 130mph 0-60mph: 9.1s Emissions: 107g/km Mileage this month: 829 This month’s highlight Two passengers being so impressed by the car that they’ve only gone and ordered their own!

There are more functions available on the all-new entertainment system and the phone interface is a little easier to use, but the sat-nav and the radio are more complicated than the old one. For instance, the nav system has ‘fast’, ‘short’ or ‘easy’ for route guidance. Set to ‘easy’ it tried to take me 45 miles up the M3, M25 and down the M4 instead of a four-mile cross-country jaunt. Who would use that?

Mazda continues to be one of the manufacturers that impresses me the most with their build and design, and the new 6 is no different.

After a couple of weeks she feels well built and comfortable and already two passengers in her have placed their own orders. Now that’s praise indeed!

Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

The Audi S7 is a surprise addition to our fleet, but one that I’m rather glad is here. How it arrived is a long story. My own car was in with Audi for some repair work and the nice chaps and chapesses at head office decided to send me some wheels to tide me over.

Thankfully those wheels are attached to this stunner. I’ve always been a big fan of the A7.

Ever since I borrowed one for a long drive and used the radar-controlled cruise control in a massive traffic jam to drive me along almost autonomously I was hooked.

The S7 is even better. For a start, it looks great.

Quad exhausts, deep front grille and aggressive stance see to that. But this is all about the engine and it’s an absolute corker. The 4.0-litre V8 has twin turbo charging and is good for 60mph in 4.7 seconds – but it hides that speed well. Inside it’s so well insulated that you can often creep into figures that you can’t quite believe are being displayed on the head-up display. Whoops.

I’ve done nearly 2,000 miles in the S7 already and love the way it makes long journeys breeze by. Even to Devon. And I hate driving to Devon.

It’s so comfortable, and the multimedia system is so good that it makes those long hauls a pleasure.

There are a couple of things that bug me, though. The automatic boot is a little slow to respond and the stop-start system takes a fraction too long to fire back up. But apart from that I’m loving my time with this luxurious cruiser.

Hopefully Audi won’t come and get it any time soon…

James Baggott (@CarDealerEd)

the knowledge Model: Audi S7 Price: £61,995 Engine: 4.0-litre, V8 twin turbo Power: 414bhp Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 4.7s Emissions: 225g/km Mileage this month: 1,767.

This month’s highlight Belting along the motorway at... at... well, 71mph, officer...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 95

the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Third report:

Fifth report:

VWTransporter

Lexus IS300h

Sixth report:

You can get a whole Expo in the back of this bad boy...

Penning an encouraging review was a piece of cake...

Annoying? Not at all? Dave and his daughters hit the road

Don’t know if we’ve mentioned it much, but we’ve just organised an Expo... and this van was the designated hod carrier. I loaded it with 2,100 pre-printed (and painstakingly alphabetised) badges, a giant black balloon, a tank of helium, 1,200 goody bags, 1,500 brochures, 22 walkietalkies, eight banners, 10 flags, six Apple Macs – essentially the past four months of my life in the back of the van… To be honest, I didn’t think I’d be able to squeeze in all the events kit – and me and my suitcase – but it all fitted rather nicely.

The drive to Silverstone was a delight. Our model is equipped with a stunning body kit and is powered by a 2.0litre BiTDI power plant.

Turns out if you stamp on the throttle it goes like stink, even up the notoriously steep inclines of the A45. Comfortable, practical and quick – which, when you have a huge event to get off the ground, makes life that little less painful. If only the entertainment system had been, well… more entertaining and less frustrating. I just about managed to get some music to play via my iPhone but couldn’t for the life of me work out much else – and I’m relatively techie. It had a plethora of buttons either side of the screen, which in itself was touch screen… MORE BUTTONS! But I don’t want to come across as a dismal Debbie as overall it is a ruddy brilliant motor and I would be happy to wave goodbye to my B2 super-mini in exchange for this bad boy...

Emelye Dwyer (@CarDealerEmelye)

It’s been a busy time at Car Dealer Towers (did anyone mention a conference and expo at Silverstone?) and we’ve been beetling all over the country. Car Dealer Graeme needed to embark on a cross-country trek, and as he asked me ever-so nicely (and bought me a cake, and I’m a sucker for cake) he disappeared in the Lexus. But once I’d eaten the cake (apple, fresh cream and flaky pastry, as you’re asking) I told him I needed feedback for this column...

It turned out that was no hardship, as he quickly became a big Lexus fan. His trip involved a fair bit of motorway driving, and he loved the way the 2.5-litre hybrid engine just ate up the miles – and in comfort, as he snuggled down in the luxurious seat.

He was a tad disappointed with its speed from a standing start (although to be fair, he had been driving a Porsche Cayman earlier that week, so had been rather spoilt) but once it got up to speed, it cruised beautifully. And the car is quiet – very quiet, especially as he eased off the drive at sparrow’s fart o’clock and the electric motor ensured the neighbours weren’t disturbed.

He was smitten, though, by the sat-nav. When so many manufacturers mess up something that should be so easy, the Lexus nav system was easy to operate and very informative – and highlighting which gantry on the M25 had a speed camera attached was a real bonus.

Colin Channon (@colinchannon)

A BIT noisy, a bit thirsty and perhaps a little bit annoying in other ways too. But that’s enough about me. That’s what I’d been told about our long-termer Kia Procee’d before I was given the keys for a weekend stint with the car.

As it turned out, LG64MPF and I were together for a little bit longer than that, and I must say that after our time together, I would probably agree with the first of the two points made above.

The fuel gauge does seem to go down a little too hastily (I know I’m not the first person to have pointed that out in these pages) and the 1.6litre petrol unit perhaps isn’t as refined as it could be – particularly when worked hard – but in truth, they would be my only two gripes.

I particularly like the front-end appearance of the car with the distinctive ‘ice-cube’ daytime running lights a particularly appealing touch. And the cabin is a nice place to be too, the tone of the interior matching the car’s sporty credentials and with first-class build quality throughout.

One thing I hadn’t been expecting is the level of practicality afforded by the car. Four adults really can be accommodated in comfort, with space for bags and belongings too.

And two of those adults were my daughters, who after expressing misgivings about a long-ish journey in it, emerged with smiles on their faces at the end of the trip. (They’re the ones who find me annoying, by the way...)

Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave)

the knowledge Model: VW Transporter Sportline 60 LWB Price: £37,306 (as tested) Engine: 2.0-litre BiTDI 180PS 7spd DSG Power: 178bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 119mph 0-60mph: 10.2s Emissions: 211g/km Mileage this month: 853 This month’s highlight Cramming in all our events stuff for Silverstone – and still having room for me and my case ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

the knowledge Model: Lexus IS300h Price: £38,495 (as tested) Engine: 2.5-litre 4cyl, 178bhp, plus electric motor Power: 178hp, 300Nm Max speed: 125mph 0-60mph: 8.4s Emissions: 109g/km Mileage this month: 1,236 This month’s highlight Eating up those motorway miles in comfort – and doing it so, so quietly...

Kia Procee’d GT

the knowledge Model: Kia Procee’d 1.6 T-GDi GT Price: £22,495 (as tested) Engine: 1.6-litre petrol Power: 201bhp Max speed: 143mph 0-60mph: 7.4s Mpg: 38.2 (combined) Mileage this month: 1,054 This month’s highlight Delivering my daughters for a weekend with their auntie – she’s welcome to them!

longtermers

Eighth report:

Tenth report:

VolvoV40

DaciaDuster

MitsubishiASX

Sensible and practical, yes.

But it’s also fun and fast...

I can’t believe how much rubbish fits in the back...

Our holiday romance is over and I’m shedding a few tears

When you think about Volvos, in the traditional rectangular style of old at least, it conjures images of these sturdy beasts commanding sweeping roads of Sweden. So this month I did the best I could to replicate that this side of the North Sea – I took our beloved Volvo V40 Cross Country to Wales.

It’s easy to forget amid the doldrums of daily driving that the V40 is actually great to drive. Even though it has a reputation for being a sensible family car, that’s practical and economical, it still manages to be fun under the right circumstances.

When it was out on the roads of north Wales it really came into its own. Having the ability to really put your foot down and feel the 190bhp forcing this car down the road. It’s got some real grunt that can soon become forgotten as it makes cruising around town effortless. The handling is also equally impressive when negotiating sweeping corners, but slightly less so as it wallows around tighter ones…

I’ve moaned before about the V40 not getting the recognition it deserves as a fantastic driver’s car, and I promise I won’t get into that. But it is certainly one of the favourites on our fleet. The proof for me was when I almost witnessed a fight between our Colin and Sophie for the keys.

I can only assume Colin called rank because he left comfortably cruising in the Volvo, and we all know if it came to blows, Sophie has the edge...

Becca Chaplin (@BelieveBecca)

I sweet-talked Car Dealer Dave into lending me his treasured Dacia Duster for the weekend because I needed a bigger car to help me move my housemates and I out of our old house. With a quiet word from Dave to look after his baby, I jumped in the Duster and drove it back to sunny Southampton.

The 4x4 Dacia had been treated well, but I had plans to really put it to the test, as it became sole vehicle to help move my fellow housemates out.

With the rear seats down, the Duster gobbled up anything we threw at it, which included a sofa and two years’ of rubbish which we took to the recycling centre.

I must admit the Dacia surprised me by how much we could fit in the back and how well it dealt with it on the road. The heavy load didn’t make it sluggish at all and it pulled along happily.

Another thing I quite liked about the Duster was the equipment which includes cruise control, Bluetooth and a good sat-nav.

There is a big BUT though. The diesel engine is horribly noisy and the gears are stupidly short, especially gears one and two. And don’t get me started on the annoying light that flashes up at 2,000 revs telling me to change up a gear.

That said, I owe the Dacia Duster a large thank you. It isn’t the most desirable SUV by a long shot, but it did everything I required of it... and a little bit more.

Harry Boucher (@HarryBoucher)

It was almost time to say goodbye to our trusty ASX so as a final send-off we packed it full to bursting and headed off on holiday in Cornwall.

As we were staying in a carbon-neutral house (above – nice, eh?) it might have been more appropriate to have travelled in an Outlander PHEV but the ASX was more than up for the job. Whether you’re racking up the miles on the motorway or winding along tight country roads the nimble ASX is a decent companion.

We’ve had this vehicle for a while now and it has proved itself to be a versatile member of the fleet. The ASX starts at a reasonable £14,999 and while our top-of-the-range model is nearly £10,000 more, they all come with a good level of equipment as standard. Alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric windows and keyless entry are some of the perks included across the range.

Ours also comes with Bluetooth, leather upholstery, a straight-forward satellite navigation, a reversing camera and heated seats that warm up in seconds.

It’s a practical, reliable and safe vehicle with a five-star NCAP rating but it would be harsh to paint it as purely a sensible option. It’s a stylishlooking car and the addition of the panoramic roof is a nice touch.

As with all good holiday romances though our time together has come to an end and I for one will miss the ASX. Gareth Bethell (@garethbethell)

the knowledge Model: Volvo V40 Cross Country D4 Price: £36,045 (as tested) Engine: 1969cc, 4 cylinder, turbo-charged Power: 190bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 130mph 0-60mph: 7.1s Emissions: 104g/km Mileage this month: 906 This month’s highlight Watching a fight for the keys. And a wimp pulling rank to get his way...

the knowledge Model: Dacia Duster Laureate dCi 110 4x4 Price: £16,380 (as tested) Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 109bhp, 240Nm Max speed: 104mph 0-60mph: 12.3s Emissions: 137g/km Mileage this month: 939 This month’s highlighT Turning the car into Boucher Removals – and it was very much up to the task.

Farewell report:

the knowledge Model: Mitsubishi ASX 4 Auto Price: £24,649 (as tested) Engine: 2.2-litre diesel Power: 147bhp, 360Nm Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 10.8s Emissions: 153g/km Mileage this month: 1,027 This month’s highlight Heading off on holiday with a week’s worth of stuff packed with ease CarDealerMag.co.uk | 97

bAGGOTT.

I

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

Okay, Pamela Anderson was hot. But the Escort Cosworth was hotter...

’ve come to the sad conclusion the hot hatch as we once knew it is well and truly dead.

It’s buried. Gone. Consigned to the past like Grange Hill, Ed Miliband (hopefully) and Nokia mobile phones. Now I need to declare a bit of an interest here. I’m a child of the 90s. Well, a teenager of the 90s, a child of the 80s, but I won’t let facts get in the way of making me look a little bit younger.

That means my car-wanting days were filled with the sights of baseball-hatted, McDonald’s-eating, Ebeneezer Goode-listening youths flying past the end of my road at runway take-off speeds in various states of hot hatch.

Far from being appalled – which I’m pretty sure my dad was, but then he was appalled at most things, most of the time – I was rather impressed. I had a wanton desire to join their band of shell-suit clad comrades, to fit large exhaust pipes to enhance the mating call of the car further and laden down its parcel shelf, not with parcels, but with speakers so heavy they needed two fully-formed adults (of which I wasn’t one) to lift them in.

And the cars I coveted most were hot hatches. I always had a soft spot for Fords. Probably thanks to my dad’s default car purchases always featuring a blue oval badge.

Granted, these weren’t quite as sprightly as the Fords I had my eyes on (Cortina, Sierra Sapphire, gold Granada) but they did enough to spark my interest in Dagenham’s finest other models.

It was the Escort Cosworth I wanted the most. All whale tail, flared arches and angry vents, it was my bedroom wall pin-up far before Pamela Anderson got any wall real estate (to be fair, she did get quite a lot). But I digress. I’ll always remember being down the pub with the rest of school at the age of 17 – InBetweeners last-day-of-term-drink style – when in pulled one of our contemporaries in an L-reg, white Escort Cossie. He was 17 too and rumour had it his dad was paying more for his insurance than the car itself.

Despite the fact he was probably bankrupting his old man, he was quite possibly the coolest person any of us (sort of) knew. That day he rolled into the car park, in that car, will forever be imprinted on my mind – and many of my friends’, too. Fortunately (for my dad) my hot-hatch desires were slightly less ambitious. At the upper end of the scale was an Escort RS Turbo (Series 1 or 2) to the just-about-attainable Fiesta XR2 (which I eventually bought).

In between were many others. My older brother had three Renault 5 GT Turbos. One blew up, one was

Who is James Baggott?

smoked in so much the council took it away (at least that’s what I think happened) and the third had an Ali G body kit on it so ghastly that I can only assume Renault took legal action and forced my brother to destroy it. It was that, or he crashed it and didn’t tell me…

Then there were the GTIs. Even back then the Golf GTI MK1 was cooler than cool. However, I was reading Max Power and Fast Car and they were all about big bumper, slammed to the floor, smooth MKII GTIs. And then there was the 205 GTI. I don’t remember any of my friends having one, but we all desperately wanted to. The 1.9 was the hero, the 1.6 the one within reach. We didn’t care that they were French, back then all that mattered were those badges of distinction sitting proudly on the C pillars.

Earlier this month the Car Dealer team and I spent a week in Wales reminiscing about these hot hatches of old.

James I love the peaky engines, Baggott the terrible heating, the EDITOR’S NOTE: oh no, he’s getting old – now he’s getting all nostalgic on us...

wind-up windows...

We were there to shoot a series of features which you’ll be enjoying over the rest of the year. The idea was to pitch old versus new so the line-up included my own 205 GTI 1.9 against the new 208 GTI 30th edition and a MK1 Golf GTI against the latest model. We were also lucky enough to have a Renault 5 GT Turbo, the first ever Clio Williams, a Clio V6 and the original Ford Focus RS. All were wonderful reminders of days gone by – some when mobile communications involved a pager and you had to get up to change the channel on TV. Remember that? Anyway, what really struck me was the fact that in an industry that develops and improves its products at such a scary rate, the latest models may have been quicker, they may have been faster and they sure as hell were a damn sight safer, but they simply weren’t as charming as their forefathers.

I love old hot hatches for their faults, their torque steer, their flighty handling and heavy steering. I love their peaky engines and terrible heating, their wind-up windows and AM-only radios. They feel alive, special, intoxicating, and the new versions simply don’t. They’re good – boy, they are good – but they’ve lost their personality, their charm and their ability to make teenagers want them more than a blonde in a red bikini. And that makes me rather sad indeed.

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

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 99

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