Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 93

IAN CALLUM: I KNEW I WANTED TO BE A CAR DESIGNER WHEN I WAS THREE

Business Publication of the Year

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INSIDE: HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR LOGISTICS AND RECRUITMENT

BANGERS4BEN 2015 BIG BIRD MIGRATES TO EUROPE ON OUR MADCAP RALLY

RENAULT SPECIAL:

FRENCH

BLISS

WE CELEBRATE BRAND’S HOT HATCH HISTORY WITH A LOOK AT FOUR LEGENDARY MODELS PLUS: DEALERS & MD ON ICONS

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

HEAD OF DESIGN Graeme Windell

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STAFF WRITER Sophie Williamson-Stothert

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Laura Thomson

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jack Evans

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ADVERTISING ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Cliff Culver

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EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR Leslie Slater

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SUITS MANAGING DIRECTOR James Baggott

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OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

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Contributors Tim Naylor, Nick King, Jo Symes, Mike Jones, Nigel Swan, Phil Riley, Jon Reay, Oliver Harry, Jon Fleetwood, John Bowman, Ben Garside, Big Mike, Andrew Evans, Chris Jervis, Richard Washbrooke

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something I’ve never WELCOME. It’s taken part in but I definitely want to go next year! I’m talking about Bangers4BEN, our annual fund-raising rally that sees dozens of teams from dealerships and automotive companies all over the UK head across the Channel, travel to some iconic motoring destinations in mainland Europe and have a lot of laughs along the way.

All the while they are doing this, they’re raising as much money as possible for BEN, of course – the charity for members of the automotive industry.

This year, the Car Dealer team comprised ops director Andy Entwistle, reporter Laura Thomson and photographer Jonny Fleetwood – and the car in which they travelled was the now-famous ‘Big Bird’, a canary-yellow Fiat Cinquecento, covered in feathers.

By all accounts, our intrepid trio had a fantastic time, as did everyone else – and we think Jonny’s pictures really demonstrate that!

Laura told me that the highlights for her were taking Big Bird around Spa Francorchamps and Silverstone – and she, Jonny and Andy loved the camaraderie among the various team members during the evenings. They were busy updating the Car Dealer website in hotel bars en route, so everyone could see the words and pictures being uploaded.

Unfortunately, Bangers4BEN is behind us for another year now – the final task involves keeping track of the fund-raising total as the last bits and bobs of cash arrive at BEN HQ. With any luck, we’ll break last year’s fund-raising record. You can read all about this year’s Bangers4BEN adventures from page 56.

October. Having said that, however, the fall was perhaps a little more sizeable than had been forecast, with the TV news bulletins the night before predicting a decline in the region of eight per cent.

A little more unexpected, perhaps, was the fact that several brands not caught up in the emissions scandal posted figures preceded by a minus sign rather than a plus.

Dacia was down by 31 per cent, Citroen was down by 18 per cent, Vauxhall 16 per cent and Mini 21 per cent. It all made for some pretty depressing reading. You can get the full details on pages 98 and 99 and read James Baggott’s take on the issue on page 114.

THE BIG NIGHT IS NEARLY HERE! In a small break with tradition (and also because it might not be me writing this bit next month!) I’d like to look ahead to the January 2016 edition of Car Dealer. It will contain full reports and pictures of the Used Car Awards, to be held once again at The Brewery in Chiswell Street, London. I enjoy all the events we run here at Car Dealer – despite the stress that sometimes creeps in during the organisational stages! – but the Used Car Awards is without doubt my favourite.

By the time this edition of the magazine reaches you, there will be just a few days to go to the big night. At the time of writing, tickets were selling fast, but if you’re quick you might still be able to grab a couple! Call the team on (023) 9252 2434 – it’s a great night. You’re probably thinking, ‘They would say that, wouldn’t they?’ but I kid you not. It’s fab – and I hope to see you there.

Enjoy the issue.

WRONG DIRECTION If there was one story recently that few were surprised by, it was the 10 per cent drop in the level of new car registrations recorded by Volkswagen for the month of

Dave Brown Production Editor

WINNER

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INSIDE. ISSUE 93 I DECEMBER 2015

Dashboard Feedback Six of the best from Tokyo

30 18 22

Ian Callum interview

Showroom of the future Looking forward to a world of 3D car configurators and virtual car dealerships...

Brayleys interview Ask HPI Around the World Big Mike Trading Up Finance

Forecourt The dealership aiming to be a premier league employer

And still it goes on... continuing our analysis of the emissions row

50

‘‘

Audi R8 Nissan Leaf Can Sunderland-built Q30 help Infiniti conquer the C-segment?

All of a sudden, my Golf has become somebody else’s bargain, which is rather annoying.

Big Mike

DS4 Crossback

Features Bangers4BEN Renault’s hot hatch heritage

37 Data File Car Dealer Club The Statistics Taking Stock Auctions Market Insight Recruitment

56

Suppliers’ Guide with Litton Key Notes with Traka Long-termers Bangers4BEN: Our madcap mixture of cars and craziness was a huge hit this year, with dozens of teams taking part in our annual charity rally

James Baggott

06 11 12 18 29 34 37 39 40

44 46 52

56 68

96 98 100 102 104 105 108 110 112 114

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.

Full coverage of this year’s awards appears in the next issue.

Next year’s CDX will be held at Silverstone on Tuesday, May 24. If you want to get involved, call us on 023 9252 2434 to register your interest.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

FEEDBACK. Your comments via email to dave@blackballmedia.co.uk

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

Any advice? I’ve decided So, after 20 years stuck in an office job but with a passion for cars and racing, I’m going to take the plunge. I have £5k capital so where is the best chance of a return? Should I start with, say, four £500 cars (but probably sell 10 a month as bargain buys) and sell at £850 – or buy at £1,200 to sell at £1,800 approx but sell less a month?

Daft question probably, so be gentle! simon Hi Simon. For once in my life I’m going to be blunt. Don’t do it. Keep the boring job. A £5,000 investment is only going to get you bogged down with scrappers or a big, expensive lemon. Put the £5,000 into an ISA. Mine made me £134 – or buy a car you can run and sell at a later date. s and b There are some major costs incurred with setting up, including the fact that at some point you will have to register for VAT. But even if you do manage to keep under that threshold, £500 cars are the cars we move through the auction for a reason! If there was some type of profit in them

Picture of the month It was on day three of Bangers4BEN that the trip began to take its toll on snapper Jonny Fleetwood.

Here he is pictured somewhere in Munich with his Elmo onesie on inside out and his face a matching shade of red. Fleetwood and reporter Laura Thomson went on to pilot the feathery Fiat almost 2,000 miles across Europe in our annual charity rally.

Miraculously, the car stayed intact during the epic journey, which included laps around Silverstone and Spa. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about Fleetwood’s nerves after a number of near misses on the autobahn with Laura behind the wheel... without customer comeback then we would all be doing it. Sorry, in my humble opinion you either ‘do something right or don’t do it at all’! jimreidvehicle

profit, unless you’re lucky – and don’t forget the customers who will try to beat you down with a big stick.

J&K Vehicle Sales

With lots of overheads, and a lot of time and money going into a car to bring it to retail standards, it’s not as cut and dried as just buying it for £500, selling it for £850 and – bingo – £350

Think about going in with someone you trust.

This will halve the profits but two heads are better than one.

Phil H

THE MOTOR TRADE SPECIALIST LY’S HUR DNA-

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to take the plunge Prep then sell, or sell then prep? What’s best?

You have to decide what you want to do, I guess. I prep all my cars ready and pretty much every car is ‘ready to drive away’ instantly! Most want to drive away – especially if they are travelling some distance. I think you still need to prep them and if you trade them, you have to point out the benefits of them being ready to retail and hopefully get your money back/ make profit moving them on in the trade. umesh I always have my cars fully prepped before sale, mainly because you can allocate all your recon charges against the car. That way you know exactly how much margin you’ve got before you decide on overwrite

or discount. Also it eradicates any noises/ clunks on test drives, dirty oil etc.

Beautiful South Martin Prep then sell is better for fast turnover and also so you can tweak margins on certain cars. But, one thing I have always found is that if you prep it 100 per cent, ie MoT, service and all marks removed, this can work against you as some customers just want stuff thrown in and won’t deal until they get something on top. This is where sometimes if you haven’t MOT’d and serviced you can manoeuvre the deal so it appears you are ‘throwing it in’ but in reality you would have done it anyway.

See Cars, Derby

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Top tweets Super-cities demand a super-car: the #BMWi8. Geared up for the future.

BMW i @BMWi @UKVolkswagen may be getting a bad press but can’t fault their dealer network for service and courtesy, top job guys.

Ian Hargrove @har155 @har155 We’ll be sure to let the management team at Inchcape Bolton know of your comments, Ian. We’re sure it’ll make their day! @UKVolkswagen Buyers not turning their backs on diesel cars just yet, says CAP. @CarDealerMag @CAPAutomotive #dealers Philip Nothard @PhilipN_CAP We’ve been shortlisted for 6 @CarDealerMag Used Car Awards. We couldn’t be happier, great start to the weekend.

Alexis @PrestigeDiesels

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Car retailing technology designed for today and tomorrow

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DASHBOARD.

Mazda unveils new concept sports car. bit.ly/mazda93

ACQUISITION

Endeavour buys Hyundai outlets ENDEAVOUR Automotive has announced its acquisition of Haddocks Hyundai in a share capital deal. Haddocks operates the Hyundai dealerships in Colchester and Frinton-on-Sea. John Caney, Endeavour Automotive managing director, said: ‘I am delighted to have strengthened our relationship and geographical spread with Hyundai UK. ‘The Haddocks business is a fantastic opportunity with a great territory, loyal team of staff and produces a positive set of results.’

MITSUBISHI

Sales manager marks milestone A MITSUBISHI sales manager has celebrated reaching the 30-year milestone, admitting: ‘I still love coming to work.’

Nick Hodge, 54, joined Gallaghers of Sandycroft, situated in Deeside, near Chester, as a sales executive in 1985. He rose quickly through the ranks, being promoted to sales manager a year later and has stayed with the family-run showroom ever since.

SURVEY

Dealers tell HPI of clocking fears MORE THAN 70 per cent of dealers are concerned about damaging their reputation by inadvertently selling on a clocked vehicle, according a survey carried out by HPI, the automotive technology solutions provider.

With one in 20 cars checked with HPI recorded as having a discrepant mileage, dealers are right to be fearful. Also high on the list of concerns are the safety risks dealers expose customers to by selling on a clocked car.

Ask HPI, p29

Brian Gilda, chairman of Peoples Ford, with Nicola Gilda, group strategy and operations director at the company

Power to Peoples! Ford-only business is a record breaker Company says: ‘We have loyal customers and we work hard to retain them’

P

eoples, the largest independent dealership in Europe retailing Fordonly cars and commercial vehicles, has revealed a recordbreaking financial year and sales performance. For the fourth year in a row, the group reported record profits, turnover and year-on-year sales.

The company’s recently published annual report shows pre-tax profits for the year ended July 31 of £5.508m, on turnover that grew by more than £31.7m to over £236.7m.

After a highly successful start to the new financial year which saw sales in September up 9.5 per cent on the corresponding month last year, group strategy and operations director Nicola Gilda was optimistic about

by OLIVER HARRY @oliverharry27

future performance with profits being re-invested to keep Peoples at the forefront of the industry.

Meanwhile, chairman Brian Gilda said this year’s results had been delivered ‘in the face of fierce competition’ and added: ‘That, coupled with the outstanding loyalty of our customers, is what makes these results special.’

Sales across the group, which comprises four dealerships in the north-west of England and three in Scotland, totalled 17,447 vehicles, a year-on-year rise of 8.1 per cent.

The best selling car was the Fiesta

and Brian said products from Ford Motor Company ‘have never been better and that’s before we introduce the likes of the Mustang and other new models later in the year’.

Peoples employs 395 people across its dealerships in Scotland and England and the company invests heavily in staff training to deliver a good level of customer service.

Nicola Gilda is one of two female directors on the company’s board of six. She said: ‘With the introduction of new technologies, the customer’s experience of purchasing a car is changing and we ensure all Peoples staff are properly trained to engage and communicate fully with them.

‘We have very loyal customers and we work hard to retain them.’

‘Heart-breaking decision’ as dealership closes down A FAMILY-RUN car dealership and garage is shutting its doors after 80 years of trading, citing unsustainable losses as a major factor in the decision.

Crawley Down Group’s car sales and service centre, located in Snow Hill, Copthorne, will close due to spiralling costs and reduced margins.

According to the Crawley Observer, the firm stated: ‘After 80 years of serving the local community it’s with

sadness we confirm that the car sales, service and parts operations of Crawley Down Group will be closing.

‘In recent years our operational costs have spiralled upwards and competitive prices have seen our margins shrink year after year. We have tried to find a buyer for these parts of the business, however, the only interested parties required planning consent for two showrooms close to

the service centre. When it became clear that our planning application was going to be turned down we were left with no alternative but to consider the heart-breaking decision to close the departments.

‘Our other business, APH (Airport Parking and Hotels) continues to operate successfully, as will our 24-hour Shell garage at Snow Hill and accident repair centre in Crawley.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

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DASHBOARD.

Tokyo show stars Which one is your Far Eastern favourite? Sophie Williamson-Stothert checks out the Tokyo Motor Show

J

apanese carmakers were keen to showcase their latest, futuristic creations at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show. But which ones stood out from the crowd?

Well, there were certainly plenty to choose from and each one had a key quality to differentiate it

Mazda RX-Vision

This is evidence that the rotary engine could make a comeback and Mazda is confident it will. The RX-Vision is a concept sports car, powered by a rotary engine. However, although it performs well, it was never an economical powerplant – that’s why Mazda halted production of its RX8, since it would have struggled to meet environmental regulations that were on the way.

The RX-Vision is set to change that.

from its rivals. But, while some are likely to remain in concept form, others definitely had the potential to reach the production line.

By showcasing these flamboyant concept cars, the industry’s leading brands gave us an insight into what the roads of the future could look like.

Lexus LF-FC Concept

As Toyota’s luxury sister brand, this is the firm’s version of a fuel cell car. It’s a notably large vehicle with an equally large grille. The brand’s manufacturing capacity for the fuel cell system is still limited, so this means it can’t expand its hydrogen line-up too quickly.

However, according to Lexus, it’s likely that we’ll see this fuel cell car on the roads at some point in the near future.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

Powered by hydrogen, the Clarity Fuel Cell emits just water from its tailpipe, making it one of the most eco-friendly vehicles money can buy.

Honda’s fuel cell car is already a reality in Japan and it’s approximately the size of the Accord.

With the ability to cover 435 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, it’s going to be leased from March next year in Japan and is set to go on sale in other markets shortly after.

Toyota S-FR

The S-FR is Toyota’s crack at an entry-level sports car, with the ambitious aim of taking on the Mazda MX-5. Rumours suggest that a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit will be planted under the bonnet, producing 128bhp and 148Nm of torque.

If you compare this to the bottom-of-the-range MX-5, which is powered by a 129bhp 1.5-litre unit, the S-FR will be a relatively similar proposition.

Nissan IDS Concept

The IDS Concept is Nissan’s 2020 vision. The idea is the driver can choose when to drive it or switch to autonomous mode. Because of costs and current regulations, however, the IDS isn’t likely to make an appearance on production lines for at least another five to 10 years.

Yamaha Sport Ride

The leading bike manufacturer has pulled something with four wheels out of the bag, and it looks exciting.

After decades of focusing on bikes, the two-seater Sport Ride is the firm’s first attempt at breaking into the car industry.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

DASHBOARD.

The circle’s closed. Now it’s time for a new era In his own words, IAN CALLUM, design director of Jaguar, discusses turning the brand around and looks ahead to the next chapter. As told to James Baggott . . .

12 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

‘W

hen we set about designing a Jaguar, we set off with blinkers on – this is how it’s got to be. We have to be focused on what we’re going to do and I don’t let my team get too influenced by what’s happening outside.

They do sometimes, that’s only natural, but I’ll go and see what they’re doing and have my say.

If I don’t like a line, it’s coming off. I’ll tell them so. I have those conversations often with my team who’ll tell me that so-and-so manufacturer is doing this or that – but I don’t care about them, we’re not doing it if it’s not Jaguar.

Designing a car is a rigorous process. Anything that’s beautiful and looks easy has to be really rigorous – and I think we’ve got that as one of our key strengths. I train my team to look at our cars as if someone else has designed them. I tell them to critique them as if another manufacturer had bought them in for us to rip apart, and rip them apart we do.

That can be really hard. It’s like trying to modify your children, but we’re empowered to do that and because I’m not designing every element of it, I’m directing – and I give quite clear direction – it’s easier for me to point out bad lines.

I don’t care whether someone has worked three days or three weeks on something – if it’s not good enough for Jaguar we’re going to change it. That doesn’t mean we’re not friends – we are.

We’re a great team and work well together.

Being a designer does make day-to-day life quite tough, though. I find it incredibly hard to buy things. I went to buy a new kettle and toaster the other day and I wasn’t looking for ones that just did the job, they had to look right too, they had to match and they had to be right. I bought two white Bosch examples. They’re beautifully designed, the same colour and the details match.

These little things matter.

I struggle buying furniture too. In the old days when IKEA was the only option I was reasonably happy about it. It had a

”

I don’t care whether someone has worked three days or three weeks on something – if it’s not good enough for Jaguar we’re going to change it.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

DASHBOARD. fundamental function and wasn’t offensive. But these days I find my choices are limited in the UK. There aren’t enough people with good taste to go and buy great things, so the good shops fail.

I really admire Apple, but then, who doesn’t?

I know Jony Ive quite well and we talk about design a lot. I know he appreciates what I do and that’s reassuring as he is a perfectionist.

There are few companies as advanced as Apple in terms of a combination of design and technology. They are out there leading the world.

I like Dyson too. Some of their products – the fans, for example – are just beautiful things. I’m actually looking forward to the next generation of Dyson vacuum cleaners because designconscious, beautifully thought through technical genius is super in my book.

IS BEING A CAR DESIGNER AN ACHIEVABLE CAREER? It is, of course it is, but you need to be aware that there are a lot of people going into this career path right now. When I started there wasn’t really a career, but now there are courses for budding car designers. The hard thing for them to accept is that most of them won’t end up designing cars. They need to be in the top 10 per cent of their course because if they’re not, they won’t get a job. I look at my team and we don’t have an average car designer in it – they are all significantly talented and that’s unusual for the car business. Car designers have to be very good indeed.

14 14| CarDealerMag.co.uk | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The new F-Pace

what I think good design is. I appreciate what Audi does, that’s for sure. They have acleanliness and purity that I respect. If we were to have one benchmark it would be that brand over all others. But personally I also like Porsche, even the funny ones like the 914.

I don’t really have an average day. I probably do have an average week, though. Monday tends to be very focussed on business as we have the big meetings then. Wednesdays and Thursdays are set aside for design, pure design. I spend as much time with my team on those two days as I can. It’s pretty rigorous and scheduled as that’s the only way I can really make things happen, but I go into the studio first thing in the morning, walk around and take in what is happening. It’s important to say hello to people.

The team design using incredible pieces of kit.

They’re drawing on electronic sketch pads and have three or four screens around them – it’s like something from Star Trek.

What used to take me a couple of days they can do in minutes, but I still like using good oldfashioned pen and paper. I can take a picture of a sketch on my iPad and send it to them. I love problem solving this way.

I’m incredibly proud of turning Jaguar around. I would like that to be the one legacy

I leave behind. Moving it from the old man’s, conservative, retrospective brand which it should never have been to something that’s now relevant, something that people want and something that has therefore made the company a great success. I think it has helped ensure Jaguar’s survival, because for a long time it was on its knees. Part of that problem was it was in the wrong era.

Now it’s all about the next chapter. We’ve got to a point where I wanted to be, especially with the launch of the new F-Pace. The circle’s closed.

Now we have to move to another era, a new circle, and I challenge myself as to what that will be aesthetically and product-wise.

We’re going through that process right now.

We can start to almost reinvent ourselves. I can’t see what that’s going to be just yet because we’re just starting to go through it and you’ll see some changes over the next generation of cars.

If I was asked to pick one Jaguar that I personally see at the centre of Jag, it would have to be the F-Type. That’s the one I think that stands for what Jaguar is, and the rest proliferate from that, because that’s where we started – sports cars.

I do enjoy my job, I really do, but there are certainly parts that I don’t.

But I guess because the good bits are so good the difficult parts are even more difficult, but that’s the sacrifice you make.

I still wouldn’t have it any other way.

[CD]

‘

O

ne of the first things I ever drew was a Hoover. I did that at three years old, copying it and drawing it and being very conscious of the fact it had specific things about it that were designed. I decided then, at three, that I wanted to be a designer.

By four I knew I wanted to be a car designer.

I used to sketch cars all the time – it’s like my career path was written for me. On my first day of school I turned up and presented the teacher with a picture of a car I had designed and told her I was going to be a car designer. She gave me a pat on the head, and told me to shut up and sit down – I remember it very clearly indeed.

My favourite car is a 250 SWB Ferrari. There’s just something about it that I think is so animallike, but at the same time beautiful and elegant.

I think it’s the most fascinating and balanced car. I drove one that belonged to a friend of mine – it was the old Stirling Moss car, number 7 that won the TT Trophy. That was very special.

Of my contemporaries, there are few that I admire. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, but I’m particularly stuck in my own way with

Day-to-day life can be quite tough as a designer, says Ian Callum, right

I EVEN DESIGNED THE FORD ESCORT COSWORTH

PEOPLE don’t realise that I designed the Ford Escort Cosworth. It was my son’s favourite car when he was aged about seven or eight and he had a big picture of one on the wall – but I didn’t tell him I designed it until he was about 15 years old.

I remember being given the parameters for the whale tail and just went with it. I don’t own one, but I wouldn’t mind one, that’s for sure. They are going up in value now. I had a Sierra Cosworth as a company car then, but never an Escort.

I also did the Puma, the Volvo C70 and had a hand in the Rover 75 Estate. The latter I never liked, but it was a job I had to do.

”

I’m incredibly proud of turning Jaguar around. I would like that to be the one legacy I leave behind.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

DASHBOARD.

London Mayor Boris Johnson behind the wheel of the new Outlander PHEV. bit.ly/boris93

SIGNAGE

‘Direct drivers to charging points’ THE government has been urged to introduce official road signage for the UK’s growing number of electric vehicle charging points.

Despite there being more than 9,000 EV charging points nationwide, there is still no official, recognisable signage to direct motorists to them.

The call has come from Nissan, manufacturer of the world’s best-selling EV, the Leaf, and Ecotricity, who operate Europe’s biggest and most comprehensive rapidcharging network.

OPENING

Jobs boost at £9m Audi outlet JOHN Clark Motor Group has opened an Audi showroom in Aberdeen at a cost of £9m.

The development at Balmoral Park in Wellington Road is the group’s largest dealership and has created 22 new jobs, bringing the total staff number to 151.

Sitting alongside the firm’s recently completed Mini and Nissan dealerships, the fouracre premises are double the size of the previous Audi site.

STATISTICS

Good growth in car production BRITISH car production posted healthy growth in September, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Output rose by 15.5 per cent compared with September last year, with year-to-date volumes 3.3 per cent up on the same period in 2015. As seen in previous months, production for the UK market led the way with a gain of 20.1 per cent – but new car exports were not far behind with a robust 13.9 per cent increase.

16 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Carspring wants consumers to think of the platform as a concierge-type service, guiding buyers through and explaining jargon

Carspring, ‘a radical new way to buy and sell used cars’ E-commerce is king but secondhand car market has struggled, says founder

C

arspring, a new online retail platform, has launched in the UK promising to radically alter the way customers buy and sell used cars.

By delivering a fully inspected vehicle straight to the buyer’s door within a week of purchase, and with a 14-day refund guarantee if they aren’t satisfied, Carspring removes the need for customers to view or drive the car.

For those selling a car, the firm provides an online quote followed up by a free inspection, valuation and listing on the Carspring website.

What’s more, if the car doesn’t sell on its website within 30 days, Carspring will buy it themselves.

In recent years, online shopping has increased massively. However,

by OLIVER HARRY @oliverharry27

used-car consumers still prefer to travel to dealerships before making a purchasing decision. According to a report by Carspring’s team, 7.2 million cars were sold in Britain last year.

Of these, 85 per cent of buyers opt to visit the dealership in the final decision-making stages.

Carspring’s founder, Max Vollenbroich, said: ‘Today, e-commerce is king, but the secondhand car market has struggled to evolve with the digital age, in the way we’ve seen happen in most other sectors.’

The report attributed this to a lack of trust in existing online used car

platforms and that cars are such a high-cost purchase.

Vollenbroich continued: ‘People would visit a dealership five times before making up their mind, but now they’ve window shopped online and only go out to ‘‘test drive’’ their chosen car to settle their decision on such a pricey item.

‘With Carspring, there’s no need to do even that, as our experts vet the cars themselves before they appear on our website and we offer a full refund if the customer isn’t happy.’

Carspring wants consumers to think of the platform as a ‘car concierge’ service, guiding buyers through model choices, explaining jargon and highlighting normally hidden costs.

Healthy profit numbers as Pendragon powers ahead PENDRAGON has announced a 15.2 per cent surge in used car sales profits over the past four months.

In an interim management statement, the UK’s largest automotive retailer, owner of the Evans Halshaw and Stratstone chains, said the gross pre-tax profit figures were in part a result of ‘favourable underlying market conditions’.

Aftersales contributed the most to

overall profitability and had increased by 3.8 per cent in the four months to the end of October, with gross new car sale profits up 5.3 per cent. Overall, underlying like-for-like profits before tax increased by 6.6 per cent.

The group said: ‘We continue to be encouraged by the results of the UK’s first automotive ‘‘click and collect’’ service, ‘‘Move Me Closer’’ and our ‘‘Sell Your Car’’ initiative.

Pendragon’s chief executive, Trevor Finn, said: ‘We continue to go from strength to strength after another strong quarter.

‘We continue to deliver on our winning strategy of offering choice, value, service and convenience to our customers and we are ideally positioned to gain from favourable underlying market conditions.’

Market Insight, p104

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Aiming to be a Premier League employer in the motor industry Brayleys has been through a period of impressive growth, culminating in the opening of its second Kia outlet. Now, MD Paul Brayley tells Phil Riley, it is time to take stock

I ”

I would describe myself as inquisitive rather than acquisitive. I think I would be well served now to replenish the cash expended.

18 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

t’s been a hectic few years at Brayleys, with a spate of building work and major refurbishments at the group’s dealerships.

With the recent addition of a second Kia outlet to the portfolio – where it sits alongside Honda, Mazda, Renault and Dacia – it might now be time for a period of ‘well-earned consolidation’, says MD Paul Brayley, left.

Just-opened Brayley Kia in Enfield joins its Korean sister in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, with the group’s brands spread around those and other outlets in St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Grays in Essex.

Talking ahead of the formal opening of the eight-car showroom and workshop in Enfield, Brayley proves to be a thoughtful businessman who is passionate about his industry, and also a little

concerned about the possible direction in which it may be heading in the not-too-distant future.

‘I started as a Honda dealer and it’s fair to say I love all the brands I represent and I don’t think I would want to represent a brand I did not feel passionate about,’ he says.

It is apparent, however, that the experience of the Honda production cutbacks following devastating floods in Thailand in 2011 left its mark. With few new cars to sell, the group struggled, leaving Brayley feeling responsible for both the business and his employees.

‘It was a direct consequence of that that the company changed – having brands that are made in different places is an important reason to diversify, not to have all your eggs in one basket,’ he says.

‘I feel a moral imperative to run a company that is sustainable and can survive economic downturns,’ he added. ‘Today we are a different company, with new brands and a larger geographical dealer area.’

This sense of responsibility and caution also informs the decision to take a breath and consolidate on the several improvements and expansions within the now diversified group.

Brayley said: ‘Companies rarely go bust through a lack of profit, it’s a lack of cash flow, and we have expended a lot of cash building and refurbishing, there’s been a lot of investment.

‘We’re not a badge collector with our franchise strategy. I believe we can best serve our manufacturers, staff and customers by having good and solid relationships with the manufacturers we currently represent. We will see growth with all of them over the coming years.

‘I would describe myself as inquisitive rather than acquisitive. I think I would be well served now to replenish the cash expended and perhaps have a year of well-earned consolidation.’

PICTURES: RICHARD WASHBROOKE PHOTOGRAPHY

LOW-EMISSION CARS WILL GET A BOOST FROM VW AFFAIR

Paul Brayley with Kia’s UK boss Paul Philpott, right.

Above and above left: The new Enfield showroom That said, Brayley is clearly delighted to enjoy the opening of his second Kia outlet, with all the benefits that brings.

‘We have a number of dealerships, but this one feels like a bit of a milestone. It’s the right brand, in the right location and I think it’s going to do really well,’ he says.

‘When you only have one dealership it’s harder to become first-class. When you have two, you start to get an internal comparison.

‘You can have your own key performance indicators. If your sales manager is off you have another one who can step in – you just have more expertise in the brand.’

Brayley of course recognises the huge impact of the internet on customer behaviour and buying, but believes that showrooms along with their strategic locations still have a role to play, and some of the more modern and innovative sales techniques have their drawbacks.

‘Having this site on the A10, a busy arterial road, is also a significant achievement,’ he says.

‘People will still want to physically touch the cars and drive them. Some providers in the future will increasingly offer test drives at your house, but personally, if my wife was thinking of buying a new car, I wouldn’t want a stranger coming round the house.

‘Showrooms serve a purpose. I don’t worry that they will one day become redundant, and if they do I could open a drive-thru McDonalds.’

Brayley is clearly confident about the current

solidity of his group and is an enthusiast for all things Kia, describing them as ‘an excellent company, an excellent brand to work with, and one with some sizeable growth in it.’

Warming to his theme, he adds: ‘It is Kia’s ambition to reach 100,000 units a year in the UK by 2020 and they are on track to do so.

Their growth over the last eight years has been spectacular. The complete model range will change over the next three years starting next year with the new Sportage – and that’s the model that really put them on the map.

‘It’s a very well-run brand that makes great cars with a unique offering in the seven-year warranty,’ Brayley concludes.

So, set fair for the future? Well, maybe. But there are a couple of issues which give him more than a little pause for thought.

‘The biggest challenge is the finding, recruiting and retaining of high-quality sales staff. It’s a deep-rooted problem. Manufacturers and car dealers operate targets, and these are passed to the salespeople to fulfil.

‘But they are usually on low base salaries and high commissions so it does not encourage anyone to look at the long-term, so having sales staff staying for long is not usual.

‘I would like to find a way to encourage young people to join the industry on the retail side and plan for the long term not the short term.’

Now with 178 staff, Brayley says the company is taking on an HR manager in the new year. Apart

PAUL Brayley expressed his bewilderment at the antics of the VW Group and the emissions scandal, but says he does not believe it will engulf other manufacturers, and certainly none of the brands he represents.

In the meantime, however, there will be some implications for adjustments in the marketplace, he believes.

‘You can be a cynic and say if one was doing it there must be others, but if that were the case, I think we would have heard of it by now. Given what’s happened with the Volkswagen Group there will be a possibility of conquest sales over VW and perhaps Audi, but I don’t believe there will be any implications at a retailer level for the other brands,’ he said.

‘I suspect the popularity of low-emission vehicles will increase off the back of this – we have 32 orders at our Renault outlet in Milton Keynes for December delivery of the Zoe. ‘It’s an incredible number and will give us one of our biggest Decembers ever.’

from ensuring compliance, the manager will also help develop a more rigorous recruitment policy, expand the initial interview process and provide a more structured career development with a personalised training programme.

‘I’d like to think we could be a Premier League employer in the motor industry – it’s a way to approach our biggest issue,’ he says.

The second issue on his mind is probably even more intractable, and that’s the not so small issue of the global car market, and whether it can continue to expand.

‘I haven’t met a manufacturer planning for less market share, but my view is that if we have in place the marketing, the attitude and the activity to achieve them, we will give the best of ourselves and continue to do what we have always done and achieve our manufacturers’ targets.

‘But I do wonder at what point you get to a tipping point when you don’t, and when you don’t, do you become a yo-yo dealer, hitting one quarter, missing another and so on?

‘It can’t be what anyone wants, but can the market keep on growing to meet every manufacturer’s aspirations? I don’t want to be contentious, but I think not.’ [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

20 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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22 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The biggest auto scandal in history is not going away yet...

Week by week, day by day, the emissions saga rumbles on, with petrol engines now also implicated in attempts to cheat the regulators. Oliver Harry takes a look at what we know... so far

Q A

So, one month has passed. Is the scandal still rumbling on?

You betcha, and it shows no signs of disappearing any time soon. There’s barely a day goes by without the German giant making headline news around the world.

Q A

Was VW actually using the defeat devices in European emissions testing, then?

It was indeed. VW’s UK MD, Paul Willis, admitted as much to MPs during a select committee grilling on October 12. Willis handled the situation well, it must be said, and shed light on some pretty grey areas. He confirmed that 1.2 million cars had been affected on these shores, and he also acknowledged that VW had ‘mishandled’ the whole situation.

Q A

1.2 million? How on earth is VW going to fix them all?

Good question. Around 400,000 will need fuel injectors altering, as well as a software fix. The remaining number, made up of around 700,000 2.0-litre and 30,000 1.2-litre models, can be fixed with software alterations. It isn’t as drastic a change as feared, but the task ahead for VW UK is far from straightforward.

Q A

It sounds promising, nonetheless. Surely a hardware change is needed, though?

Not according to Willis, who maintained that UK vehicles won’t need the hardware changes that will likely be applied to cars over in the US. Stateside vehicles will probably get a new urea tank, as part of an exhaust system overhaul.

This is down to different regulations in the UK and US markets, apparently.

Q A

Still, all these changes are bound to cost a bob or two…

You could say that. In fact, Volkswagen has admitted that it will cut spending by nearly

£742 million to try to pay for it all. It sounds like a lot already but it’s bound to cost more. Much more. It’s going to have a big impact on future car development, that’s for sure.

Q A

But the group must still have enough money in hand to cover the vast expenses?

Just about, we have been told, although the European Investment Bank, which has loaned Volkswagen some £3.4 billion since 1990, is threatening to withdraw its support. It has a point, perhaps, as the loaned money was (irony alert) intended for low-emission engine development, after all…

Q A

So VW is beginning to react to the crisis constructively then?

Yes, although its slow reaction to the scandal didn’t go unnoticed by the parliamentary select committee. MPs questioned why it took so long for VW to take affected cars off sale, leaving customers to unknowingly buy them up. Willis insisted it was logistically unavoidable. VW is a big machine with countless cogs, of course, and the long chain of command makes swift decisions difficult. But you can’t help but question why it hasn’t handled the situation as well as other giants have dealt with crises in the not-too-distant past. Toyota springs to mind…

Q A

would be the first to die in the name of a new era of frugality. Not a bit of it. In fact, it will be back as an electric, Tesla-rivalling flagship soon enough. VW is probably hoping it will distract people away from the here-and-now. That is, however, rather difficult to envisage.

Q A

Interesting. So will VW begin repairing European cars from January onwards?

Er, not quite. Although VW had promised to begin fixing its cars from January, the German authorities rejected that plan. Instead, they issued a mandatory recall of 2.4 million cars. It seems the German government is just as fed-up with VW’s slow response as the rest of us. Nevertheless, it’s pretty rare for it to be publicly snubbing VW, and demonstrates the government’s desire for some level of control over the deteriorating situation.

Q A

Talking of governments, is this really the first that our government has heard of the emissions scandal?

This is where things get even more interesting. It appears that the government was warned about dodgy diesel emissions as far back as 2009 – at least according to an article in The Times. Some clever bods from King’s College London and Leeds University found the NOx levels and particulate matter in London had risen by seven per cent in five years when they expected it to have fallen by 20 per cent.

Something was clearly afoot.

What will it do now, because surely no-one is going to buy a diesel VW any more?

Yes, it is pretty hard to see, isn’t it? VW must agree, because it has announced a cut back of diesels. It seems electricity is in and diesel is out at VW, with a huge refocusing towards EV powertrains. We all Paul Willis, the managing thought the Phaeton director of Volkswagen Group

Q

So the scientists tipped the government off?

That is what we are being led to believe. Their analysis was commissioned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, after all.

A similar warning was

A

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

DASHBOARD. delivered in 2011, too. We don’t know precisely how much the government actually knew about the issue, but it must surely have had at least an inkling following the investigation.

Q A

Well, at least we know exactly which cars have been affected now, right?

You’d think so, wouldn’t you? What with revelation after revelation erupting in the past few weeks, you might imagine that everything is now fully out in the open. It seems, though, that we were wrong. Instead of slowing down, it turns out that VW’s EA 189 engine might not be the only one tainted…

Q A

But didn’t VW insist that EA 189 was the only engine with the defeat device?

It did indeed. But US regulators are now claiming that the group’s 3.0-litre diesel unit fitted between 2014 and 2016 has a defeat device. It potentially affects 10,000 VWs, Audis and Porsches. Yes, you read that right – Porsches.

The Stuttgart marque has been dragged right into the heart of the scandal. It also drops group chief executive Matthias Muller into fresh controversy – he was in charge of Porsche when the engines were fitted, after all. If anything is even remotely amiss, he will find himself right in the firing line.

Q A

That’s shocking. Surely VW can’t be hiding anything else from us?

You’d have thought not, but it has been.

Just when we thought that the Porsche implications were damning, it emerged that the scandal has spread – massively – and that now petrol engines are involved. VW admitted there were CO2 irregularities in its smallerengined vehicles, with reports pointing towards the 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol in particular.

The BlueMotion diesel is also implicated. This revelation is a game-changer, dragging millions of new car owners into the crisis and costing VW an estimated €2 billion (£1.4 million) on top of the €6.7 billion it has already set aside for scandal fire-fighting.

Q

CO2 irregularities?

Is Porsche’s involvement How does this for certain? affect VW vehicles?

Not as of yet, with VW vehemently VW released a statement admitting Vauxhall – denying the accusation and to finding irregular CO2 levels in firm denial Porsche claiming that it has been 800,000 of its vehicles – and in conflict ‘surprised’ by the allegations. The with the manufacturer’s certified figures. What investigation is ongoing, and as Car Dealer is so bizarre is that the scandal has been based goes to press, we are not entirely certain what entirely around diesel NOx emissions so far. This this will mean for the sports car firm. What massively widens the crisis, and affects cars from we do know is that as more and more cars are the VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat brands. Specifically, brought into the spotlight, VW’s reputation is this implicates small models, with hatchbacks sinking further and further. How can we trust a such as the hugely popular VW Polo and Golf, manufacturer that could still be lying to us after Audi A1 and Skoda Fabia being likely suspects. we believed it had revealed all? It really (and As this issue concerns CO2 figures, which is literally) can’t afford for any more vehicles to fall linked to fuel consumption, the road tax on UK under further suspicion now. roads for affected vehicles will probably rise.

Q A

A

This is where VW really has an issue. As of yet, affected motorists have not lost any money, but with potentially higher road tax, the likelihood is Volkswagen will have some seriously angry customers on its hands.

Q A

So is VW still the only company caught cheating? Surely it can’t be alone…

The finger of suspicion has now been pointed at Vauxhall after a German environmental organisation claimed that the Zafira 1.6 CDTi emits 17 times the legal level of NOx under EU6 emission regulations.

Vauxhall firmly denies the allegations though, and there has been no confirmation of any wrongdoing.

Q A

Has VW’s reputation been heightened or worsened because of its all this?

Without doubt, VW’s reputation has been indelibly tainted, not only by the coverup but also by the way that it has handled the situation. Poorly, in a word. The company has been slow to react. By keeping company execs away from the limelight – apart from when they are forced to face the music (cue Paul Willis) – the firm has failed to convincingly reassure customers. It’s a dangerous game to play, because with the world’s media focusing intensely on the crisis, rumours can quickly escalate. What’s more, with further vehicles now suspected of emissions cheating, and the CO2 revelation further damaging public goodwill towards the company, it raises the question – could Volkswagen be hiding anything else? [CD]

LOOKING AT THE ISSUE FROM THE DEALERS’ POINT OF VIEW IT’S estimated that 1.1 million cars in the UK are affected by the rogue software that led to the emissions scandal. So far, the spotlight has been on the VW brand itself and the impact on consumers.

But how is the issue affecting dealers?

Alison Loveday, managing partner at independent law firm berg, said: ‘We have experienced first-hand what happens when businesses which rely on large institutions are let down by them. It can be terrifying to consider challenging them, as we saw with small businesses and the banks, as the various banking scandals started to emerge.

‘Yet for dealerships and fleet managers, the impact of the VW scandal could be huge. There 24 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

will be a need to consider the impact on sales as the extent of the damage caused to the VW brand in the eyes of its customer base and supply chain becomes apparent.’

Customers are cancelling orders and this will not only affect the financial performance of individual dealerships, but also the target and bonus arrangements of employees.

The financial and contractual arrangements in place may need to be renegotiated and bank covenants reviewed. The financial agreements entered into by consumers may be affected by, for example, a drop in residual values and the calculation of balloon payments, which, in turn, may impact the dealers. What of those business

owners who are awaiting a deferred payment arising from the sale of a VW dealership? This payment may become unobtainable through no fault of the previous or current owner.

Loveday added: ‘We recognise the need dealers will have to engage with effective advisers, who can take these issues up on their behalf, and have those difficult conversations if necessary, but ultimately seek to negotiate a meaningful way forward. It is essential that dealers are invited to express their views and concerns, and to communicate any information they have which, with hindsight, now appears to be relevant, and which may assist VW in pulling together its strategy to rebuild trust in the motor industry.’

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26 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Cox Motor Group has bought Gordons Honda in Wigan, adding to a market area that stretches from Kendal to Southport, with sites in Lancaster and Blackpool as well. It also has three Honda motorbike dealerships plus a VW site in Lancaster.

The group now employs 270 people and will turn over around £80m in the next financial year.

Cox Motor Group buys its fifth Honda vehicle outlet

Stirling Audi had to act fast ahead of the traditional September sales spike with its main showroom being redeveloped as part of a major expansion. Building specialist Spaciotempo saved the day, though, by pulling out all the stops and supplying and installing a temporary showroom – with a reception area along with sales offices, toilets and canteen – in just eight days. It will stay there for another four months while the permanent showroom is redeveloped.

Temporary showroom goes up in eight days to cope with sales rush

What has been hitting the headlines on the home front? Here’s a round-up of stories

Caterham Cars has made BookaTrack its new Midlands representative as the firm continues to expand its dealer network. Based at Donington Park, the new showroom will open in January 2016.

The move will also see the Caterham Experience activities relocate from Silverstone to Donington Park during the same month. It will give prospective Caterham buyers the first chance to experience on-track demonstrations in a Seven, thanks to the circuit access that Donington has granted BookaTrack Caterham at selected times.

Caterham Cars launches new dealership at Donington Park

Peter Vardy Ltd has opened a state-of-the art Porsche Centre in Aberdeen, allowing people to fully customise their purchases while relaxing in a stylish lounge. The £6m project has created extra jobs in the area and means that over the next 18 months the group will have invested more than £30m in building projects and new dealerships, creating more than 150 long-term jobs as well as more than 500 short-term positions.

£6m state-of-the-art Porsche Centre opens

News from around the UK DASHBOARD.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 27

Police are hunting thieves who stole a £16,000 Ford Fiesta ST from the forecourt of a Launceston dealership. The high-performance blue Fiesta – registration WJ64 YCO – was taken from Sprys on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate on Monday, October 19, at about 8pm.

£16,000 Ford Fiesta ST stolen from dealership’s forecourt

Bentley Berkshire’s sales and aftersales centre in Pangbourne has become the first of the luxury manufacturer’s showrooms in the UK to bring in the brand’s new corporate identity. An extensive upgrade has combined a modern façade with the more traditional appearance of the existing Georgian building. Inside the showroom, materials featured in Bentley’s cars, such as wood, leather and polished metals, have been integrated into every aspect of the design.

Revamped showroom is Bentley’s first to reflect corporate identity change

Car enthusiasts and James Bond fans received an early Christmas present when the Aston Martin DB10, built exclusively for the new Bond movie Spectre, roared into Newport Pagnell as part of a tour of the British sport car maker’s UK dealers.

More than 500 people visited the Aston Martin Works to get a close-up view of the exclusive new sports car. The DB10 is limited to just 10 examples, all of which are used in the new Bond film.

Getting up close and personal with exclusive new Aston Martin DB10

Porsche Centre Guildford and bodywork specialists Premier Panel Skills are paying tribute to an inspirational petrolhead by restoring his Porsche 968 Club Sport. It comes a decade after the Porsche Centre Guildford helped the late Derrick ‘Del’ Brocklehurst achieve his dream of driving the Spa and Nurburgring circuits after he had terminal cancer diagnosed.

Porsche Centre and bodywork experts team up for poignant restoration

Suzuki’s showroom in Old Stratford, Milton Keynes, has been bought by the Progress motor retail group.

The standalone six-car dealership, now known as Progress Suzuki, is the family-run business’s first Suzuki site in Buckinghamshire and its second in the UK. The fully refurbished premises has the full Suzuki range on display and available for test drives. In addition, it has an on-site servicing and MOT facility.

Progress buys six-car outlet as its second Suzuki site in UK

A central London showroom was converted into a gallery to showcase Italian artist Laura Zeni’s exhibition entitled ‘Movement’.

Motor Village Marylebone, which is in Wigmore Street, was chosen for its location as well as the design of the dealership itself.

The exhibition ran until October 18.

Showroom plays host to Italian artist’s exhibition

Classic car dealer Mark Franklin can be seen in the new James Bond film. The Bishop’s Stortford motor trader, who recently signed up to an acting agency as a sideline, gets his starring moment as an extra portraying an American crime boss, sitting alongside Christoph Waltz as Spectre chief Franz Oberhauser, with Daniel Craig as the secret agent 007 also in the room.

Classic car dealer has an extra job – as a US crime boss in new Bond film

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Stars of Gloucester rugby meet their ideal match bit.ly/stars93

Ask HPI YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Whatever dealer said, you’re liable for finance

I

Lots of space and solar power at new Audi dealership Hull showroom is one of the most high-tech in the UK

H

ull Audi has opened a new ‘green’ showroom in Hessle, featuring one of the most advanced building management systems in the industry.

The new showroom has provided 15 new jobs, and marks the completion of JCT600’s investment in the redevelopment of its Hull Audi dealership.

The expanded facilities allow for a 12-car showroom, incorporating such features as its vehicle configuration equipment, a large customer lounge and a children’s play area. Hull Audi now has display space for 70 used vehicles, a 16-bay workshop with MOT facilities and a new five-bay valeting facility.

The new showroom’s management control system allows the energy usage to be controlled and monitored, and includes a roof-mounted weather station which adjusts the window blinds.

The roof is also almost entirely covered in solar photovoltaic panels, which allow the showroom to generate its own electricity, and to sell any surplus back to the national grid.

Steven Kirby, head of business at JCT600’s Hull Audi dealership, said: ‘The popularity of the Audi brand meant that we had outgrown our former premises.

‘This has been a huge and complex project which has created a fantastic, spacious and high-tech showroom for Audi customers.’

Mark Taylor, group property director at JCT600, said: ‘After almost three years from planning to completion, we are proud to have completely transformed a rundown, vacant site into a truly eye-catching building. Complete with Audi’s latest innovative ‘‘Terminal Architecture’’ design, Hull now boasts one of the most modern, high-tech Audi dealerships in the UK.’

A cracking quarter for Carwow CARWOW recorded its most successful quarter ever during July, August and September with more than 4,500 vehicles bought through its website.

September was the site’s busiest month yet, with 1,809 cars bought. Registered users building cars using the easy-to-use Carwow configurator rocketed, taking the site’s total number of users beyond 750,000 for the first time.

CEO James Hind said: ‘We continue to strive to offer our users the absolute pinnacle in retail experience when buying a new car, and these latest results show there is a big appetite for this revolution in car-buying in the UK. Our users range from 18 to 80 years of age and are spending anything from £8,000 to more than a £100,000 on a new car, so we are catering to buyers across the spectrum.’

recently purchased a Citroen DS4 from a dealer I’ve known for a couple of years. I’ve traded with him a couple of times before and although he is about 50 miles away, I’ve never had any problems with the last two cars I bought. He assured me that a third car he was offering me was clear and it was sold to me as such.

However, I did not check it for myself at that point but bought it in good faith. A couple of days later, a customer came in to see the car. He seemed genuinely interested and gave me a deposit.

However, the following day, he called me and told me he had HPI’d the car and discovered it was on finance. He wanted me to confirm this would be clear before he bought it. I checked it for myself and discovered there was indeed outstanding finance.

The selling dealer gave me a receipt saying it was HPIclear but now the finance company wants it back. Can’t I send them after him for the money they are owed?

Building up strong trading partnerships is very important and although trust is paramount, you still need to make sure you protect yourself.

Unfortunately, no matter what the dealer may have written on the (trade, we assume) receipt, if the car is subject to a finance interest, this does not release your liability, I’m afraid.

If a finance house has a registered interest in the car then this claim to its title remains valid until their debt is cleared.

Unfortunately, in this instance, the dealer you purchased the vehicle from did not have ‘clear title’ of the vehicle and therefore did not have title to pass to you.

Sadly for you in this circumstance, this means that the finance company still has a valid claim to the vehicle.

From what you have told us, there are two courses of action that are open to you. Firstly, if you are still talking to the dealer, it’s best to try to unwind the deal and get your cash back. However, the fact you have contacted us suggests that the dealer is not being particularly helpful or has stopped communicating altogether.

So if this isn’t possible because, for example, the dealer has stopped taking your calls, our advice would be to pick up the phone to the finance company and try to negotiate a price with them to buy title to the car. If you do have to pay to get clear title, you may be able to pursue the seller for damages. However, this is likely to be a long and drawn-out process, with no guarantee that you will get anything at the end of it.

Sadly, we can only say that you should chalk this down to experience and don’t take anyone’s word on the provenance of a car, no matter how well you know them. And of course we would add the old adage, ‘HPI before you buy…’

‘Sadly, we can only say you should chalk this down to experience.’

Who are HPI?

HPI are the experts in provenance and vehicle data.

Every month, they help to 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 | 29

DASHBOARD.

Welcome to the showroom of the future Why 3D car configurators and virtual new model launches will revolutionise the way we buy and sell. Leon Poultney reports

F

ew people would ever have predicted that we would one day be exploring our upcoming car purchases via virtual-reality technology from the comfort of our own homes. But according to Newcastle-based technology company ZeroLight, this will be completely normal in the not-sodistant future when empowered customers shun sales tactics and showrooms for a completely digital experience.

CONFIGURE ME THIS A recent survey by marketing research experts Frost & Sullivan revealed that the average number of showroom visits a customer makes before a new car purchase is, on average, 1.4 – down from four visits some 10 years ago. Naturally, manufacturers are now looking for new and innovative ways to engage time-strapped, retailsavvy customers. As a result, the same survey suggested that showrooms are expected to dedicate between 20 and 30 per cent of their floor space to digital technology by 2016.

Some of the ways manufacturers have sought to counter the decline in footfall include sleek new showrooms, the innovative use of apps and web-based car configuration. But the current crop of online configuration tools tend to be clunky experiences that only allow users to select a number of exterior hues and gawp at a small selection of alloy wheels that are then superimposed onto a static image of the car.

They’re great for getting a general feel for a new vehicle – but selecting the exact specification? Forget it.

‘The current configurators are extremely basic,’ explains Darren Jobling, CEO of ZeroLight. ‘They are expensive to create and keep up-to-date, while statistics reveal that they don’t really help convert customers to purchase. Our technology will change all Darren Jobling, that, as the cars are fully CEO of ZeroLight

30 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

interactive and models can be updated quickly over the Cloud so customers are configuring the exact car they wish to buy.’

Does it all sound a bit pie in the sky? Take a look at Audi City in London, a digital car showroom that swaps the typical sales approach for a state-of-the-art, interactive shopping experience. Sales at Audi City London increased 70 per cent from the traditional showroom that used to occupy the same site. Around 60 per cent of Audi City’s customers are new to the brand and the average price of every car sold there is £8,000 higher than the national average. Going digital has clearly worked for the German marque – but things are about to get even more sci-fi.

‘We have created the first fully interactive omnichannel car configurator for Audi that allows customers to play with every option on the list and then explore their chosen vehicle in a 3D environment, either in the showroom or in the comfort of their living room,’ says Jobling.

THE VIRTUAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE The majority of manufacturers create a detailed computer-rendered 3D model of their upcoming vehicles during the early design process. This model is then signed off by the powers-that-be and used by various engineers throughout its creation.

The brains at ZeroLight get hold of this model and apply their knowledge – garnered from years in the video game world – to create an ultra-realistic render that can be interacted with to an almost infinite degree thanks to the power of software.

‘Current car configurators rely on static images and if the manufacturer wants this to rotate or change colour, it involves hundreds and sometimes millions of individual images to create,’ explains Jobling.

‘As you can imagine, it’s expensive, takes time to

“

We build models from the car’s original blueprints, so it’s as good as seeing it in the flesh.

ZeroLight has created the first fully interactive car produce and means that customers can’t virtually explore the model they actually want to buy. It’s limited to the amount of images a website can crunch.’

The 3D models ZeroLight creates are as realistic as they come, using the latest video-gaming engines to create lifelike light textures, almost tangible interiors and realistic motion mechanics to bring the vehicle alive.

Want to see how a roofrack looks on your car?

No problem. Fancy watching your bespoke Land Rover get muddy in a field? Easy.

Would you like to see the difference between leather and a cloth trim? Simply pop a virtual reality headset on and press a few buttons. You

configurator for Audi which allows the manufacturer’s customers to explore their chosen vehicle in a 3D environment can even see a simulation of how the carbon ceramic brakes on an Audi R8 improve a lap time around Brands Hatch.

YOUR DREAM CAR: A VIRTUAL REALITY ZeroLight is currently working with the likes of Jaguar, Audi and Pagani to create innovative solutions that allow customers to get to grips with their future purchase in a virtual world and this means embracing the latest technologies.

We visited the company’s HQ in Newcastle and were lucky enough to be shown some of the exciting current and future projects that are set to shake up the showroom. Many are under embargo and some harness technology that isn’t

commercially available yet, but our experience proved that physically exploring a car in the virtual realm has never been so convincing.

One such innovation employs the power of HTC’s latest Vive tech, which uses an advanced virtual reality headset to place the customer inside a space alongside a virtual vehicle.

Once the buyer has spent hours configuring his or her perfect machine, they can then don the headset and walk around the vehicle in a virtual world – be it a warm Californian mountain pass or a smart Tokyo car park.

A press of a button on the handset changes the camera angle, so you can ogle said dream car from afar, or get up close and personal.

Customers can even sit inside the vehicle and move their heads to explore every nook and cranny if they wish.

Bending down allows one to peer into the foot well, or turning one’s head will give a realistic view out of the rear window. The demonstration was based around the current Audi R8 and we were able to explore everything in real time.

The engine bay could be opened, the air conditioning vents inspected and even the boot could be explored. ‘We build these models from the car’s original blueprints, so it’s as good as seeing the car in the flesh,’ Jobling points out as we virtually open and close the R8’s front doors.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 31

DASHBOARD.

“

Premium manufacturers could even 3D-print a small model for the customer to take home and place on a desk or mantelpiece A SALES TOOL FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Jaguar employed ZeroLight’s expertise for the launch of the F-Type at the 2012 Paris motor show, where users could interact with a hyperrealistic virtual model of the two-seater sports car via a giant screen.

‘Things have moved on a great deal since then,’ explains Jobling. ‘We can now bring this technology to 4K screens within the dealership, beam it to Oculus Rift headsets and even allow customers to get a 3D experience at home on their smartphones thanks to innovations like Google Cardboard.’

The technology is also relatively inexpensive, as everything is based on software that can be stored in the Cloud. ‘Showrooms can spend as much or as little as they like on the technology,’ says Jobling. ‘Our software is based online so it could be as simple as streaming the configurator to a smartphone or an iPad. Or, if the showroom wants to make an impact, get customers in an AR headset and watch them be amazed.’

A BRAVE NEW WORLD OF SALES ‘This technology won’t be for everyone,’ admits Jobling. ‘There will be diehard salespeople who believe the human touch is still the best way and some customers simply won’t want to wear an HTC Vive headset in the showroom, but this tech does open up so many doors.’

Some of the examples that ZeroLight cites include the ability to host a virtual launch event, 32 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Showrooms will be able to spend as much or as little as they like

so customers can experience a vehicle that is being launched at the Geneva motor show, for example, from the comfort of a showroom that provides free cheese and wine.

It means they can virtually poke around a new car at the same time as the world’s media, thanks to virtual reality, and potentially put down deposits there and then, rather than waiting for a physical vehicle to go on display in the dealership.

Another method is targeted marketing based on a customer’s 3D configuration experience.

‘Once the customer has chosen the exact specification of their vehicle online, including adding bike racks and baby seats, the dealer could then send bespoke brochures based on the 3D model the customer has created,’ explains Jobling.

‘Premium manufacturers could even 3D-print a

small model for the customer to take home and place on a desk or mantelpiece, cajoling them into purchasing their dream vehicle every time they look at it.’

Frost & Sullivan predict that 20 per cent of car sales will be completed entirely online by 2025, while 50 per cent of Audi City customers purchased a car without taking a physical test drive in 2013.

The traditional roles of the salesman and the showroom are cetainly changing, but that’s not to say they are no longer required. ‘ZeroLight is another tool to help dealers sell cars,’ explains Jobling. ‘It means they can start attracting new customers and exploring other sales avenues, such as shopping centres and pop-up boutique stores, without the need for a physical vehicle to be present.’ [CD]

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 33

DASHBOARD.

Around the world Dealer news from somewhere other than here

MOROCCO

BENTLEY Motors has opened its first dealership in Morocco, Bentley Casablanca. The new dealership offers customers the complete Bentley model range, including the manufacturer’s latest model, the luxurious Bentayga SUV. Company spokesman Kevin Rose said: ‘Bentley’s continued expansion is a further sign of strength in the international appeal of our brand.’

AMERICA

FORD has reported record results in North America. The company’s £1.3 billion third-quarter net income was more than double the profit posted in the same period a year earlier, according to the Wall Street Journal. Sales were also significantly up at Ford’s rivals as low petrol prices fuelled demand for high-margin trucks and sports utility vehicles.

SOUTH AFRICA

A BMW dealership in Durban has become the first car showroom in the country to achieve a four-star ‘Green Building Rating’ after a study of its indoor environment quality, electricity usage and and recycling levels. Shabir Tayob, managing director of Supertech Durban, said: ‘We are very proud to to have been awarded this rating.’

CHINA

A COURT in central China has ordered a car sales company to pay £730,000 for not disclosing that a Ferrari it sold had been in an accident two years ago, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. The Chongqing Car Sales company sold the car to its customer Gong Yu in August 2013, only for him to discover that the car had undergone significant structural repairs after having been involved in an accident eight months previously.

AUSTRALIA

AN area of Perth that’s traditionally been home to several car lots is changing in character because developers of apartment blocks and cafes are taking over – and many dealerships can’t afford the increased rents their landlords are charging. One dealer, Lee Elvish, said he did not expect the district to remain a car sales hub for much longer.

www.desperateseller.co.uk | www.facebook.com/desperateseller.co.uk | twitter.com/despseller

34 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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BIG MIKE.

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

Once the fuss dies down, Volkswagens will be loved again

F

or the first time in my life, I’m struggling to sell a Volkswagen.

Much has been committed to print and broadcast over the past few weeks about the VW Group emissions scandal. Much of it, however, has been hot air, if you’ll pardon the pun.

But what I wasn’t expecting – and maybe a few of you are surprised by this, too – is the effect it has had on the general car-buying public.

For years, a Volkswagen was a quick sell. Even a worn-out, dishevelled example could be sold on fairly easily on the basis that it was perceived, at least, to be a better alternative than an ordinary workaday banger.

But now, it seems, buyers are staying away in their droves.

It’s not just me, either. I’ve been talking to other local dealers about it, and they, too, are struggling. At my local auction the other week, a Passat with the ‘cheat’ engine drove in and out of the hall without a bid. And while the trade books are doing their best to tell us that Volkswagen residual values aren’t in the slightest bit impacted by what’s going on out there, the evidence within the trade would suggest otherwise. After all, let’s face it, most of the time when a smart-looking Golf rocks up in an auction hall, you have to fight off the assembled dealers with sticks.

I’ve got one on my forecourt at the moment – a 2006 Mk 5 TDI in No-Imagination Silver, dark grey trim, nice upper mid-spec with climate, nav and decent tunes. At £2,995, it’s certainly cheap enough, and is the kind of car that just a few weeks ago, would have flown of my forecourt like a carrier pigeon.

I’ve had it three weeks, and I haven’t taken a single call.

That’s not normal.

The irony here is that the car in question isn’t even affected by the VW emissions scandal. It’s the old Pumpe Duse engine, which is as dirty as a rugby club night out and never pretended to be anything but. Back in its heyday, it was a cracking engine, which had punters clamouring to get behind the wheel despite its tendency to make more racket than a council estate hen do. Those thick, chunky VW body panels and plastics were very effective at drowning out its 40-a-day throatiness. In terms of exhaust emissions, it was as pleasant as a post-curry fart, and in terms of nitrous oxide, which is the source of all the Volkswagen hot air, it was never even tested. Such regulations didn’t exist back then.

So, all of a sudden, my Golf has become somebody else’s bargain, which is rather annoying. After all, the

Big Mike OUR MAN ON THE INSIDE SPILLS THE BEANS ON THE CAR BUSINESS...

ownership experience will be no different for its next owner. The road tax won’t go up, there’ll be no problem insuring it, it’s no more likely to break down than it was two months ago and, chances are, it’ll be as durable and well-made as Golfs always have been, except, maybe, for the corrosion-prone Mk 3.

Or so I thought. But then I came around to a savvier way of thinking… I did the same thing a few years ago when Vauxhall Corsas were spontaneously combusting on BBC’s Watchdog, as people tend to walk away quickly when there’s a high-profile recall in the offing.

In 2008, or whenever it was, I waited for values of Corsas to hit rock bottom, and I bought about a dozen of the things. I knew each would be mended for free by my local, friendly Vauxhall dealer who, ironically, was probably the very same person who chucked the thing out to auction

‘This week and next, I’ll be buying up cut-price Golfs and Passats.’ in the first place, and I could stockpile them until the situation blew over.

Three or four months later, it had done, and on each of those Corsas I made myself at least a clear grand’s worth of profit. So this week and next, while the rest of the trade panics itself into a corner and the punters continue to stay away, I’ll be buying up cut-price Golfs and Passats and parking them out the back until their heyday returns.

Consider, for example, that in VW’s case there’s nothing as scary as a car fire to deal with (that is, after all, Vauxhall’s specialist subject). There’s a big lawsuit from a bunch of stroppy Americans that has wiped billions off the company’s share value, there’s most likely an enormous fine in the offing, and there’s the reputation of one of the world’s most trusted brands in absolute tatters because, putting it plainly, they lied. Which, given the reputation they previously had, would be like finding out your wife of 30 years had had not just one, but several, love affairs.

Volkswagens, on the other hand? Well, once all the guff dies down, I’m pretty sure that the brand will return to its position as one of those most loved by people like me, who know they can flog them all day long to punters.

If only everything in life was as reliable…

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 | 37

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SELL CARS THE SMART WAY 38 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

TRADING UP.

Why I’m pinning my hopes on a white Christmas I’ll add to my charity pot when the first snowflakes of winter start to fall, says fundraiser ANDY ENTWISTLE

F

resh from the positive result last month, when we doubled our money with our little Citroen Saxo, we got straight back on it. For those who might be new to Trading Up, the idea is that we gradually buy and sell cars with the aim of eventually obtaining a supercar of some description.

Then we plan to sell it and give the proceeds to Great Ormond Street Hospital. It’s been a bit of a rocky road so far – and I won’t lie, I’ve come in for a lot of ridicule and general mockery for some of my recent disasters.

A lack of time and a rather packed diary has meant that I’ve been relying on the net, taking vehicles on face value and of course getting bitten.

So, I returned to the lanes for my latest purchase. Surely that can’t go wrong, right?

Friday October 30 saw our Bangers4BEN vehicles auctioned off at Blackbushe, so a few of us from the office headed up there to catch up with some of the participants and cover the event. This was the perfect opportunity for me to pick up a car for the feature and give it a good look over.

A 4x4 was high on my list of wants, conscious that the doom-mongers are predicting a harsh winter and thinking that now might be a good time to grab one. I spotted a 16-year-old Cherokee lurking at the back of the bangers lane.

It turned out that a regular dealer from Blackbushe had heard about the event and donated three

of his own ‘bangers’ to our very worthy cause.

Having had a couple of Cherokees in the past, I know they may not be the last word in build quality; but being one of the last brick-shaped cars, I also know they are bullet-proof and have a good following.

It’s an Orvis special edition, so it has all the toys – well, all the toys that you would have expected back in 1999. A full leather interior and air conditioning are among the highlights. And although she has covered a fairly impressive 170k miles (way beyond her useful lifespan in many eyes), she is a one-owner car with an extensive history. This alone made her worth a punt.

Aside from being filthy and with a shy driver’s window hiding in the depths of the door, she seemed pretty much together and the addition of a tow bar will

enhance her appeal. The hammer dropped at £400, which I think was fairly reasonable. A quick check online suggests that she should be worth a grand of anyone’s money, especially when the snow starts to fall.

She’s now off with Fox Garages in Sandhurst having a few niggles, the window and an MoT sorted out. They have a strict budget so the work won’t cost us a fortune.

I’m hoping to get her back later this month and then will be praying for a real cold spell when everyone and their dog realises they need an old 4x4 to get around in while they leave their pristine BMW on the drive. I figure an old, one-owner 4x4 with a tow bar at £995 will fly out of the door when we see the first snowflakes. Here’s hoping for a white Christmas!

MY LAST 11 CARS 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 Renault Clio Paid: £1,600 Spent: £400 Sold: £2,250 Citroen Saxo Paid: £100 Spent: £100 Sold: £400

Total raised so far: £1,150

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FINANCE.

Skoda offers include free insurance and servicing Deposit contributions will help boost sales until end of the year

S

koda has announced a series of new offers across its range, making it easier for customers to finance one of the brand’s models.

Available at participating Skoda retailers now, and running until December 31, the latest range of offers are available with varying APR representatives and a range of deposit contributions on selected models.

In addition, customers can also take advantage of a variety of free servicing and insurance packages on selected cars. The latest Solutions Personal Contract Plan (PCP) deals allow buyers to get behind the wheel with specific terms of agreements, deposits and monthly payments arranged to suit their requirements.

The Citigo SE attracts a monthly repayment figure of just £143 for customers who put down a £143 deposit with zero per cent APR representative on Solutions PCP. The deal is based on a 42-month, 10,000-miles-per-year agreement.

For those who prefer to place a

larger deposit of 30 per cent, the same car can be driven away with monthly payments of £75 per month, with a customer deposit of £2,890.75 required and again based on a 42-month, 10,000miles-per-year agreement.

Further up the scale, the Fabia – pictured, the reigning What Car? Car of the Year – is also available on a zero per cent APR representative, with repayments from as low as £99 per month on Solutions PCP, with a customer deposit of £3,893.10 required and based on the 42-month, 10,000-mile agreement. Customers can also take advantage of £500

towards their finance deposit.

Alternative offers for the Citigo and Fabia are also available with the added value of one year’s free insurance and three years’ free servicing for customers opting for the standard Solutions PCP. The Citigo is available with a 6.9 per cent APR representative on this offer; the Fabia with 6.6 per cent APR. Skoda is also offering deposit contributions on the elegant Superb and Octavia too. The Octavia range, including the vRS and Scout models, comes with £1,000 towards your finance deposit and zero per cent APR representative on Solutions PCP.

Buyers can pick up a useful deal on Amarok this winter VOLKSWAGEN’S pick-up has a range of competitive offers available this winter. The Amarok Trendline 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS is available to purchase on contract hire or finance lease from just £239 a month for business users, based on 36 months and 10,000 miles per year.

For those wanting a higher-spec model there are finance offers available across the model range.

Private buyers can take advantage of the Solutions Personal Contract Plan

40 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

from £219 a month available over 36 months for the Amarok Trendline

available with 4.9 per cent APR representative.

A vehicle that works hard on and off the road, VW boasts that the Amarok delivers car-like comfort with 4MOTION four-wheel drive, and is available in three standard specifications – Startline, Trendline and Highline.

The high-spec desert-inspired limited edition, the Amarok Atacama, is packed full of stylish and functional upgrades, the company says.

PREDICTION

Buyers will be doing it for themselves, says iVendi SELF-SERVICE motor finance – where the customer manages the entire choice and application process themselves online – is set to become widely used within the next couple of years, predicts iVendi.

With the technology now available, it will spread quickly because it meets the needs of customers, dealers, car portals, lenders and the FCA, believes CEO James Tew. He said: ‘The old model, where the dealer controlled access to finance completely and the customer was placed in a very reactive position, is already starting to disappear quite quickly.

The question is – what will it be replaced with?

‘With online tools available both in the dealership and remotely, the customer can drive a self-service process within parameters set by the dealer, car portal or lender, giving the consumer a high level of control.

‘Not only does this allow the customer to look at a wide range of different finance products, terms, deposits and risk profiles at their own convenience, but it saves time and resources for the dealer, and allows them to offer a 24-7 finance service.’

Self-serve was in line with FCA thinking on how motor finance should be provided, Tew said.

..in association with

With a vision, guts and support you can achieve greatness S

o with the Steve Jobs film recently hitting the big screen, I thought it would be good to talk about his successes, failures and innovative outlook.

The founder of Apple achieved so much in his lifetime and did it through hard work, determination, ‘tuned friendships’ and vision.

Some may not know that Steve Jobs’ first job was as a 13-year-old, working during the summer at HP (HewlettPackard) in their factory. Talk about starting early!

His love was for electronics and that is where he focused his time and energy, building many electronic pieces, some great and some not so great. Some were

‘Steve Jobs’ love was for electronics. That is where he focused his time and energy’ even illegal. His first device (the illegal one) was a box that provided you with free phone calls. Let’s not spend too much time on this, however – I don’t want to advocate law-breaking!

His second invention/production was the personal computer ‘Apple I’. This had so many ups and downs in production and was sold pretty much just as a motherboard, a far cry from today’s iMacs. It is the ups and downs to this product that matter.

Steve Jobs overcame every failure by trying over and over again and was always searching for perfection. This may seem a little extreme, but by taking this approach his team managed to then produce the ‘Apple II’ – the first mass-market personal computer, a lot more than just a motherboard.

Ben

Garside TIME IS MONEY

It was mainly Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs’ best friend at the time, who designed and built the most innovative computer (at the time).

However, to the best of my knowledge, it was Steve Jobs who pushed for the simple design and wanted to make the Apple II accessible to the general public, not just for computer hobbyists, unlike the original Apple.

I think I may have used this terminology in a previous article, but as Leonardo da Vinci said: ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.’ Well, Steve Jobs loved this and focused on it, even using it as the headline of Apple’s first marketing brochure in 1977.

I may be biased but the iPhone is, in my opinion, one of the most simple yet sophisticated inventions I have ever used, and the interaction between the iPhone and other Apple products has seen me purchase a number of

Turn over page for more finance stories other products. Searching for perfection and making the products accessible for the general public means even today’s grandparents are using them.

If this seems like a sales pitch for Apple products, I’m sorry, it is not meant to be, I’m just a keen enthusiast of what Jobs did and the company that is now Apple Inc. Pixar is one of Jobs’ so-called mistakes. Steve bought Pixar graphics as he believed that it was going to be the next great hardware company.

However, this wasn’t to be but he supported a number of the employees, backed their plans to make a fully animated feature film and they came up with Toy Story – what a success!

It’s worth remembering that with a vision, guts and support, you can achieve great things.

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 | 41

DEALFINDER.

FINANCE. YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO...

PURE EVs NISSAN LEAF

RENAULT ZOE

NISSAN’S Leaf has been a popular choice for EV customers since its launch in 2010. While the third generation is due to go on sale soon, the second-gen, 24kWh battery version will remain on sale in all three grades: Acenta, Tekna and Visia.

Customers wishing to purchase a 24kWh Leaf Acenta grade, which has a power output of 107bhp, can take advantage of a 0 per cent APR, three-year finance deal.

The deposit required is £2,289.04 from the customer alongside a dealer contribution of £2,500, which is followed by 36 monthly payments of £229. At the end of the contract, the driver is offered the chance to buy the vehicle outright with a final payment of £9,856.95, taking the total amount paid to £22,889.99 (£20,389.99 by the customer), less than the on-the-road price of £22,890.

THE cheapest of the trio, the Renault Zoe represents affordable electric technology. The Zoe Dynamic Nav boasts 88bhp and a range of up to 106 miles, depending on the environment and the temperatures in which it’s driven.

Renault is offering this model on a two-year contract, with a customer deposit of just £995, and a dealer deposit contribution of £5,109. This is followed by 24 monthly payments of £89, and an optional final payment of £7,203.

Fees of £99 at the start of the contract and an option-topurchase fee of £149 take the total paid to £15,691 (£10,582 by the customer), which is after the government’s Plug-in Car Grant has been deducted. However, this finance deal doesn’t include battery rental which adds another £1,920 to the overall cost.

Use the Spotify effect and promote monthly payments, says Motors Regular budgeting is becoming more important for buyers

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otors.co.uk is calling on dealers to join it in leveraging what it terms the ‘Spotify effect’. With platforms such as Spotify and Netflix, as well as mobile phone companies, changing the way in which consumers think about paying for high-tech products and services, Motors.co.uk is encouraging dealers to increase their promotional emphasis on monthly payment.

With more than three quarters of consumers now using dealer-sourced finance to purchase their new car, and PCP deals on used cars also increasing, the ability to shop by monthly budget is becoming a more important part of the vehicle search process.

This is a trend which has not gone unnoticed by manufacturers, with the majority capitalising on competitive finance deals by focusing on monthly

42 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave repayments in their advertising. In fact, according to research by Motors.co.uk, 57 per cent of OEMs lead with finance offers online.

However, despite the recognition of the important role finance offers have played in boosting new car registrations to record levels in the UK, there has been a disconnect in how this consumer need is met online. Motors.co.uk identified a gap in the resources available which enable consumers to define their new and used vehicle search results based on these criteria, and has responded with a new way to search for a car, coupled with a fresh TV campaign.

The first-to-market monthly payment

search functionality is the latest in a line of enhancements from Motors.co.uk.

The tool enables drivers to find cars on the basis of their monthly cost and has been supported by a major TV campaign which launched in August, introducing a new Motors.co.uk character, Miss Smart Finger, above.

Phill Jones, managing director of Motors.co.uk, commented: ‘We strongly believed that offering a monthly payment search would be vital to improving the efficiency of the car search process and our traffic figures support this.

‘The fact that consumers have seen our new TV ad and have followed our call to action to use the monthly payment search is a real testament to our hard work.’

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

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BMW i3 THE luxury option in this trio, unsurprisingly, the BMW i3 is also the most expensive. With an on-the-road price of £25,980, the 170bhp electric supermini is aimed at city life and its range of up to 100 miles reflects this.

BMW is offering the smaller of its i Series on an attractive three-year contract. A customer deposit of £5,750 is asked for, followed by 35 monthly payments of £299 at both an interest rate and a fixed APR of 3.8 per cent. Should the driver wish to purchase the vehicle outright, they will be required to make a final payment of £11,547.24, plus an option-topurchase fee of £1. This takes the total amount paid by the customer to £27,763.24, £1,783.24 more than the car’s on-the-road price of £25,980.

The i3 would also be eligible for a government grant of up to £5,000 as part of a country-wide incentive to encourage UK drivers to go electric.

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Wide range of products available has led to four years of growth

Lure of the great outdoors boosts 4x4 applications

FIGURES just released by the Finance & Leasing Association show that point-of-sale consumer new car finance was up 10 per cent by volume and 16 per cent by value in September, compared with the same month last year.

The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through dealerships was 79.6 per cent in the 12 months to September 2015 – another figure that represents a record high.

The point-of-sale consumer used car finance market also reported new business volumes up by 10 per cent in September, while the value of new business increased by 13 per cent.

Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: ‘In September, the point-of-sale consumer car finance market has continued to grow in line with our expectations for 2015 as a whole.

‘The range of finance products available to consumers through car dealerships has contributed to more than four years of consecutive monthly growth in new business volumes.’

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CMY ACCORDING to the Q3 2015 Paragon Car Finance Headlight K Survey, more than 45 per cent of the UK’s largest motor finance brokers recorded an increase in finance applications for the purchase of a 4x4 vehicle this summer compared with 2014.

In contrast, 18 per cent of brokers reported finance applications for convertible vehicles were down year on year, perhaps reflecting the relative value of an all-terrain vehicle when navigating the UK’s unsettled summer weather.

Brokers also pointed to a 31 per cent increase in applications for electric vehicles.

Julian Rance, head of Paragon Car Finance, said: ‘Increasing numbers of UK car buyers are opting for the space and versatility of a 4x4 in order to make the best of the great outdoors.’

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

FORECOURT. HEADLIGHTS

Full LED lights have optional laser assist that light up the road up to half a kilometre away!

ENGINE

The 5.2 litre V10 also used, unchanged, in the R8 GT3 race car. Adds cylinderon-demand for frugal cruising.

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FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE

Audi R8

All R8s use Audi’s quattro four-wheel drive for excellent off-the-line launches and traction in all weathers.

This is the long-awaited second generation of Audi’s R8 supercar.

It was revealed to the world at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, but unusually the race car version was made immediately available while the road car has had to wait until now. The two share 50 per cent of components – including the engine and carbon fibre crash structure – and the GT3 racer won on its debut.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The tiny, tiny boot. The R8 is midengined, so the nose of the car is for your luggage – all 112 litres of it.

Sitting behind the driver’s head is the 5.2 litre V10 engine, good for 532hp in the regular V10 or 601hp in this plus model. This isn’t assisted by any turbocharging, so the throttle response is immediate and the torque band is very broad indeed. It’s mated to a seven-speed auto quattro all-wheel drive system, so there’s plenty of grip whatever the weather. The 60mph 44 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

figure comes up in 3.1 seconds, and it’ll keep going to 205mph. The price for that is 23mpg combined...

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? There are two specifications: V10 and V10 plus. Both are beautifully trimmed in Nappa leather and bear the new signature all-LED headlights.

Also standard is Audi’s excellent Virtual Cockpit – a digital instrument cluster built around a 12.3-inch TFT display, with a number of display modes including a full-width satellite navigation display. The plus gains goodies such as controllable exhaust flaps, drive mode select and ceramic brakes, while both can be equipped with option laser high-beam assist that give a narrow-focus beam of light twice the distance of the LEDs.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Alarmingly fast, but also extremely surefooted and wholly docile around town. We were driving the more powerful V10 plus model in the kind

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A pussycat around town and a tomcat when you put your foot down. Andrew Evans gets to grips with the split-personality R8 WHAT IS IT?

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of conditions UK owners are likely to experience for six months of the year and it never showed even the merest hint of misbehaving, even with provocation. When you’re done with the tomfoolery, the R8 quietens down to become a civilised cruiser.

The ceramic brakes have an initial bite that is a little unsettling but otherwise it’s as easy as any regular Audi.

CMY

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Audi R8 V10 plus Price: £134,500 Engine: 5.2 litre V10 petrol Power: 601bhp, 560Nm Max speed: 205mph 0-60mph: 3.1secs MPG (comb’d): 23.0mpg Emissions: 287g/km

TARGET BUYERS: Anyone who wants an everyday car that’s still a very special supercar

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

THE RIVALS:

Autocar comments that ‘If you need everyday usability from your supercar, there are not many better options than this.’ The Telegraph adds: ‘This, in short, is a car which is equally at home pootling around town or tearing across a continent.’

KEY SELLING POINTS:

WHAT DO WE THINK? If there’s a supercar better suited for Britain, we don’t know what it is. It’s quiet and restrained for much of the time, but savagely quick when you want it to be. Better yet, it deals with dismal weather as if it wasn’t there.

Porsche 911 S, McLaren 570S, Aston Martin V12 Vantage

1. Excellent V10 engine with instant throttle response 2. Civilised driving manners that make it easy around town 3. All-weather friendly

DEAL CLINCHER: Racing car heritage already, thanks to a Nürburgring 24 Hours win on its GT3 debut; Audi dependability

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FORECOURT. NEW LOOK?

CONNECTIONS

Appearance-wise there’s not a lot to distinguish the new-generation Leaf from its predecessor.

NissanConnect replaces CarWings, and brings with it a host of new options.

POWER

The new 30kWh battery has increased the range of the Leaf by an impressive 25 per cent to a claimed 155 miles.

Nissan Leaf

There doesn’t look to be much new about the latest version of this pure EV – but look closely and all is revealed, says Laura Thomson WHAT IS IT? Nissan’s third-generation Leaf has had mixed reviews. Subtle revisions and a new bronze colour option are the only noticeable changes, leading to the question of whether the car has undergone much of a facelift.

However, it’s unseen developments which are the real game-changers.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? Only 21kg heavier than the 24kWh battery, and the same size, the new 30kWh Leaf battery compromises neither cabin space nor performance.

It boosts the range by 25 per cent, to a claimed 155 miles, though this is dependant on a number of factors, including driving style and temperature – extreme cold can decrease battery performance by up to 50 per cent. The new battery will be available on Acenta and Tekna grades of the five-door hatchback, and both – alongside the Visia – can be supplied with the 24kWh battery, which Nissan has no plans to phase out.

46 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

The carmaker has also introduced an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on the battery pack, guaranteeing that at least 75 per cent of original capacity will be retained over this period.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? The new NissanConnect smartphone app connects owners to their cars, allowing them to remotely locate their car, find an available charging point, checking the car’s charge status and pre-heat or pre-cool the cabin.

The revised navigation system features on the centrally-mounted seven-inch touchscreen display, which also shows maintenance alerts.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? As with the bodywork, not much has changed from the previous incarnation. It provides a smooth, quiet drive, although the car is a bit sluggish when in Eco mode.

The Leaf rests in the slower realms of the C-segment, with 0-60mph acceleration of 11.3 seconds and a top

speed of 90mph. However, with all of the power provided instantaneously, it is only on motorways that such drawbacks are noticeable. With a low centre of gravity due to the undercarriage-mounted battery, the Leaf is stable and comfortable cornering at relatively high speeds.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Auto Express said: ‘Ride quality is generally smooth, but as with many all-electric vehicles, the Nissan is prone to thumping into potholes.

Other than that, though, a distinct lack of wind and road noise makes this a very relaxing drive.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? Nissan’s 30kWh Leaf is an affordable electric car that retains most of the features of the previous model.

Compared to conventionally-fuelled C-segment cars, the Leaf is somewhat lacking in performance, but in the Pure EV segment, its longer range marks it out as a class-leader.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Model: Nissan Leaf 30kWh Price: £24,490 Engine: 30kWh battery Power: 107bhp, 254Nm Max speed: 90mph 0-60mph: 11.3 seconds Range: 155 mile range on a full charge Emissions: 0g/km

TARGET BUYERS: Normal families and eco warriors

THE RIVALS:

BMW i3, Renault Zoe, Volkswagen e-Golf

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Larger battery allows for 155mile range on single charge 2. Smartphone connectivity 3. Eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty

DEAL CLINCHER: Claims to be the longest range vehicle on the pure EV market

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

FORECOURT. POWER

The true magic of the Mirai is not under the bonnet as the 370 fuel cells are located beneath the front seats.

LOOKS

It’s futuristic – and the world may come to love it – but it is unlikely that many will be buying the Mirai for its appearance.

VENTS

The oxygen for the fuel cells comes from a pipe beneath the bonnet. The distinctive vents provide air for cooling purposes.

Toyota Mirai

Emissions-free, this is the Japanese carmaker’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered car. Laura Thomson gets behind the wheel

WHAT IS IT? Toyota’s first hydrogen fuel cellpowered car. Similar to an EV, it produces no harmful emissions, emitting only water – water clean enough to drink, Toyota is keen to add. Over 20 years of R&D has gone into the futuristic E-segment saloon which Toyota will release next year.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? Technically speaking, the magic of the Mirai is not under the bonnet as the compact fuel cell stack is located under the front seats. Oxygen comes through a small pipe under the bonnet and the hydrogen from two separate tanks. Within the 370-cell stack, the hydrogen molecules hit a catalyst and split into hydrogen ions and electrons. The ions are pulled towards the negatively-charged oxygen ions and bond to them, while the electrons create a moving current in the cell. This pairing produces electricity – to power the vehicle – and water which is ejected from the 48 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

tailpipe. The Mirai also features a 244volt battery, which is automatically selected to drive the motor in order to optimise environmentally-efficient and powerful running.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

reduces throttle response by an average of 25 per cent, while power mode increases performance and decreases range – expected to be in the region of 300 miles – ‘comparable to petrol engines,’ claims Toyota.

The infotainment system in the Mirai is similar to that in the Prius, Toyota’s popular hybrid. Only one trim level is available in the Mirai, but with limited production figures forecast for the next few years and with buyers investing in the technology rather than the looks, this is unlikely to become a problem.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The Mirai’s styling takes a lot of getting used to, but given the futuristic technology inside, the finish is forgiveable. However, despite how clever the fuel cell stack is, problems arise when it comes to refuelling the car. With only three filling points in the UK at present – all located within London – the Mirai would not currently prove a sensible option for drivers anywhere else.

Immediate power delivery to the front wheels makes for a brisk 9.6-second acceleration up to 60mph and with a top speed of 111mph, the Mirai sits comfortably within the expected performance of an E-segment vehicle. A direct-drive single-speed gearbox provides a smooth and quiet drive. Eco mode

Telegraph Cars says: ‘The Mirai looks like the future, with angles and huge vents to bring in lots of oxygen to cool the fuel cell stack and make sure the water doesn’t boil, and weird bits of bodywork sticking out.’

WHAT DO WE THINK?

THE KNOWLEDGE

Model: Price: Engine: Power: Max speed: 0-60mph: MPG: Fuel use:

Toyota Mirai £66,000 Fuel cell stack 152bhp, 335Nm 110mph 9.6 seconds n/a 0.76g/100km

TARGET BUYERS: Eco-conscious businesses that operate in proximity to the very limited network of hydrogen filling points

THE RIVALS:

Hyundai ix35 FCEV

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Range equivalent to that of a petrol car 2. Futuristic appearance to match the technology 3. Exclusivity

DEAL CLINCHER: Toyota includes the cost of all refuelling in the lease to protect drivers from the fluctuating price of the gas

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

FORECOURT.

Infiniti Q30 Grahame Cornforth, Infiniti’s chief vehicle engineer, chats to Car Dealer about the Q30 How do you think the Q30 is going to be perceived in the UK? It’s a very tough market, a very challenging market with some very strong cars in there. So we have to go in with something stronger, different and bring something different to attract people that are open to that uniqueness. Perhaps they’re looking for something a little more adventurous, more dramatic and the styling does this. It drags people in, and when they drive the car, they’re sold.

So you think the car will sell on its driving characteristics as well as its looks?

That’s our intention. We developed the car so that people will just love driving it and experiencing it. You can drive the car for hours with no fatigue, so you can use it for business or for your social life – if it’s for business you could drive for six hours and not feel tired at all. Those are the kinds of things that we’ve designed the car for – making it good to live with and usable for everyone.

As for the future of Infiniti, what sort of areas do you think you’ll look into? Hybrid technology, perhaps?

For the moment, we’re happy with this car.

We’ve been waiting to get this car on the market, so we’re

concentrating on that at present. Of course, we’re always looking at other areas and other movements, but at the moment we’re just dedicated to getting the Q30 on the market and getting ourselves established.

Can you see expansion for the Infiniti brand on the horizon?

It is going to grow. We’ve got plans for expansion, but the most important thing is to do it properly, and do it correctly. Now we’ve got a great product, it’s much easier.

POWER

A large range of engines offers drivers flexible power choices.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Model: Infiniti Q30 2.2d Price: £31,180 Engine: 4 cylinder, 2.2 litre Power: 168 bhp Max speed: 134mph 0-60mph: 8.5 seconds MPG (comd’d): 57.7 Emissions: 127g/km

TARGET BUYERS: Those who are looking for something a little different to the norm, with looks that stand out in everyday traffic

THE RIVALS:

Audi A3 Sportback, BMW 1-Series, Mercedes A-Class

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Looks like nothing else in the segment 2. Well-specced interior 3. Decent handling

DEAL CLINCHER: Looks like few other cars on the road today 50 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

on test

Infiniti is looking to occupy a space in the growing and ever WHAT IS IT?

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The Infiniti Q30 is a brand new model for the luxury arm of Nissan, coming after a dry spell of models that has seen the company with a smaller model range than most struggle to make much of an impact. It is aimed squarely at the flourishing C-segment.

Three specifications are available – SE, Premium and Sport – allowing the driver a high level of personalisation. Interestingly, the choice doesn’t just dictate the trim level but also the ride height – the Sport is 15mm lower than the premium. The most popular will almost certainly be the SE, which offers Bluetooth connectivity and a six-speaker sound system as standard. Premium builds on this by adding Infiniti’s InTouch infotainment system.

There an impressive quantity of standard kit to hand, including a multifunction steering wheel and automatic headlights. From the outside, the Premium offers LED front fog lights and body-coloured door mirrors, while the Sport offers the distinction of a gloss black front grille and custom body-coloured sills.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? There’s the choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, ranging from a 1.5-litre diesel engine to a 2.0-litre petrol unit. The 1.5-litre is efficient, achieving a combined consumption figure of 68.9mpg while emitting 108g/km of CO2. Though impressive, the CO2 figure is lagging slightly behind that of its rivals, at a time when emissions numbers are more in the spotlight than ever before.

Dynamically, has the Q30 been adapted to British roads to appeal to UK buyers?

There is a broad variety of different conditions that you have to cope with when you do a long journey in the UK. You get some really good bits, and you get some challenging bits, too. But that’s the same in every country. Every country in Europe has similar roads and conditions. In order for our car to succeed, we needed it to be able to deal with a range of European roads and deal

with a wide variety of road surfaces too. If we can succeed in Europe, we can make it succeed anywhere.

Does that mean the Q30 will be sold in different suspension setups across the world?

The car is going to be sold in exactly the same set-up in the US and China. We’ve developed it and tested it around the world so we know it is strong in Europe but it will also work in the US and China, and will succeed in all three.

So have you been testing the car in America, too?

I was over in the US about three weeks ago with some colleagues over there,

some really good evaluators, and we drove around California. I was only there for a couple of days, but the same guys then drove it from Los Angeles through to Arizona and on to Detroit – a long road trip, and the car was absolutely fine, so it deals with roads well there too. We’re also looking forward to introducing the car to China.

And will the cars be built across the world as well?

No, all the cars are going to be built in Sunderland, which is of huge importance for the city. Our output figures aren’t fixed. If the orders are there then we’ll find a way to build them.

We’ll never turn down business.

INSIDE

The cabin is smart, though parts will be familiar to those used to an A-Class.

COMFORT

The standard suspension height offers great ride quality over the lumps and bumps.

popular C-segment. Jack Evans asks if looking different is going to be enough WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

The Q30 is based on the pre-facelift Mercedes A-Class, but has been adapted to offer a slightly raised ride height whilst maintaining body rigidity. This has certainly been accomplished, as the Q30 – particularly the higher riding Premium spec – rides well over bumps and potholes and is easy to corner, with steering that allows the driver to place the car exactly where he or she wants.

The lowered Sport models suffer from a more jostling ride. All in all, the Q30 behaves how you would expect a large hatch to behave, not exactly exciting and involving, perhaps, but perfectly acceptable to the vast majority of its target market who will walk through the showroom door.

Auto Express said: ‘The important factor with the Q30 is that it is supposed to be a premium alternative to more mainstream cars – and the result is a far more comfortable and indulgent experience than you would expect from your usual five-door family hatch.’ Car Magazine said: ‘It’s fair to say the Q30 is a rather busy-looking car.

There’s a lot going on along the flanks, and both the front and rear are laden with fussy details and cluttered styling clues, but there’s a pleasing chunkiness and assuredness.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? Against rivals such as the BMW 1-Series, Audi A3 and the latest-generation Mercedes A-Class, the Q30 does struggle – it lacks up-to-date interior technology that modern drivers are looking for. However, with interesting and dramatic styling, the Q30 is certainly an alternative for those looking to stand out from the crowd. It’s a good effort from Infiniti to make a mark in the C-Segment, but feels more like a difficult second album than a smash-and-grab debut triumph.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

FORECOURT. INTERIOR

The inside has been tastefully designed, with a good-quality cabin.

PULLING POWER

Plenty of torque means you’ll never feel you’re lacking power.

THE RIDE

Could be smoother at low speeds, but settles down higher up.

DS4 Crossback

A stylish offering that stands out from the crowd, sure, but are there any flaws to report? Jack Evans finds out WHAT IS IT?

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The DS4 Crossback is an attempt

by DS to enter to the flourishing crossover market. Pitched against the likes of the well-established Nissan Juke and the newer Citroen Cactus, it’s designed to appeal to those who are looking for a little more ride height and quirkier design.

The Crossback features many standard items, such as automatic door and boot locking, along with a seven-inch touchscreen controlling a satellite navigation system that includes traffic information and full European mapping. The standard half-leather trim certainly matches the character of the car. If you want full leather you’ll have to fork out a further £850.

LED ‘Vision’ Xenon headlamps do well to light up both the road ahead and also the Crossback’s look. Folding door mirrors and kerb lighting complete a comprehensive standard equipment list.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? There’s a wide choice of engines that accompany the Crossback, from two petrol engines with manual gearboxes to two diesels that are driven through automatic gearboxes.

The model we had was the diesel BlueHDi, which produces 178bhp and can go from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds. Along with this comes an impressive combined consumption figure of 64.2mpg. The Crossback tops out at 135mph, but it isn’t a car designed to be breaking speed records – but the impressive 400Nm of torque means that it has enough pull for any situation.

52 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? A higher ride height gives drivers a commanding view of the road ahead, but sometimes diminishes the onroad handling characteristics. Luckily it hasn’t affected things too much. The DS sits well through corners, though the ride, surprisingly, can be rather jostling at low-speeds. The gearbox,

however, is a let-down. In an age of excellent automatics the one fitted to the Crossback is clunky and never appears to settle down. Rear visibility is compromised, too, so manoeuvring can be tricky. In contrast, the BlueHDi engine in our car was very smooth.

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? The Telegraph says: ‘The rather languid way it drives isn’t as much of a problem for the Crossback as you might expect, partly because the competition is fairly uninspiring in this regard too, but also this isn’t the sort of car people chuck around.’

WHAT DO WE THINK? The DS4 Crossback is a very stylish package but lacks the finesse offered by rivals. Unfortunately, a high-riding hatchback that has a crashy ride isn’t going to popular, neither is the lack of the option of a high-end diesel engine with a manual gear-change. It’s a good attempt, but unfortunately it’s slightly wide of the mark.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: DS4 Crossback Price: £26,495 Engine: 2.0-litre BlueHDi Power: 178bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 135mph 0-60mph: 8.5secs MPG (comb’d): 64.2mpg Emissions: 115g/km

TARGET BUYERS: Drivers looking to stand out from the crowd while still being able to transport four people – a commanding ride height inspires more confidence, too.

THE RIVALS: Nissan Juke, Citroen Cactus

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. Interesting styling with neat touches throughout 2. Economical range of engines available 3. Decent levels of torque with diesel engines

DEAL CLINCHER: To stand out from the crowd, there are few better than the DS4 Crossback

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

FORECOURT. TECHNOLOGY

The Mitsubishi Multi Communication System has been upgraded and features a quicker 15-second start time.

SMOOTH AND QUIET

Significant improvements in the areas of ride and handling, NVH and powertrain efficiency.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

GOOD-LOOKING

The car has been given a lower, leaner and wider look, thanks in part to a reshaping of the bumpers.

The first-generation Outlander PHEV did well for Mitsubishi.

Can the new version repeat that success? Dave Brown reports WHAT IS IT? Mitsubishi did something rather special when it launched a hybrid version of its Outlander SUV around 18 months ago. The manufacturer has just unveiled an updated version of the car – and as it’s such a clean, green vehicle, its arrival couldn’t be better timed. The new model looks noticeably sharper on the outside, is more refined and comfortable once you’re in the vehicle and is much quieter for driver and passengers alike, as well as delivering a supersmooth ride.

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? This is the clever bit. The PHEV’s combination of electric motors and a petrol engine works together to optimise fuel efficiency and environmental performance while travelling very long distances. Ever heard the phrase ‘range anxiety’? It’s not an issue here. The PHEV can do 32.5 miles in pure EV mode – a figure that comfortably exceeds the average 54 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

UK daily commute of 25 miles. Using both battery and petrol modes, it can travel for more than 540 miles. The car’s system automatically selects the optimum drive mode for comfortable and fuel-efficient motoring.

seamless transition between its three driving modes. Visibility and comfort levels are excellent, and the car has been endowed with plenty of gadgets and gizmos. There’s ample cabin space and bags of headroom too.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?

The line-up starts with the GX3h, featuring 19-inch alloys, cruise control, dual-zone climate control air conditioning and LED footwell illumination. Move up the range and heated front seats are part of the package, along with an electric sunroof, powered tailgate, and steering wheel heater. The top-of-therange GX4hs model delivers adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation system, a lane departure warning system and parking sensors.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Smooth. The low centre of gravity and excellent weight distribution deliver great driving dynamics. And you won’t even notice the vehicle’s

THE KNOWLEDGE Model:

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GX4hs Price: £35,999 (after the plug-in car grant) Range from £29,249 Engine: 2.0-litre petrol engine; twin electric motors Power: 200bhp/332Nm Max speed: 106mph 0-60mph: 10.8 seconds MPG (comb’d): 156mpg Emissions: 42g/km

Auto Express said: ‘We wouldn’t describe the Outlander as fun to drive. The steering is a little vague and the ride is too hard.’

TARGET BUYERS:

WHAT DO WE THINK?

THE RIVALS:

It’s a very clever car this – and it makes a very good case for itself financially. An Outlander with PHEV technology is no more expensive than its diesel sibling (after the plug-in car grant) and there are other financial wins too. For company car drivers, benefit in kind is just five per cent, no VED duty is payable and if you never do more than 30 miles in a day, you’ll never need to visit a fuel station again – so you won’t be forking out for takeaway Costas either!

BMW i3, Audi A3 e-tron, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Kadjar

School-run mums, eco-friendly families, anyone keen on being green and saving a fortune

KEY SELLING POINTS: 1. 32.5-mile electric-only driving range 2. Quieter than its predecessor 3. Safety and reliability

DEAL CLINCHER: No price premium for the clever hybrid technology – again.

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 | 55

FEATURE.

EUROPE HERE WE COME...

Four countries in four days, taking in Silverstone, the Nurburgring and Spa for Bangers4BEN. What could possibly go wrong?

Laura Thomson reports and Jonny Fleetwood snaps the pictures

T

o any onlookers, the group that was gathering at Silverstone early on an October morning could be seen as a slightly odd one. Medics chatted to men in orange suits, while Marty McFly threw his DeLorean around the prestigious track’s car park. For those in the know, however, it was the start of Car Dealer Magazine’s annual charity rally, Bangers4BEN. BEN is the official charity of the automotive industry, providing support for current and previous members and their dependants. As for the bangers? That was Car Dealer Magazine’s idea, many years ago. Since the first charity rally in

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2008, the event has grown tenfold, from five cars to almost 50. More than £100,000 has been raised along the way, with £35,000 of that coming from last year’s event alone.

It was with due gravitas that snapper Jonny Fleetwood and myself had been handed the responsibility of Bangers4BEN 2015, or B4B15 for short, and with it, the keys to a bright yellow, soon-to-be-fluffy Fiat Cinquecento.

Boss man Baggott and JReay – last year’s stars of the Stelvio Pass and the intended Elmo and Cookie Monster – had been called to ‘important business’ in Tokyo, and so the task of piloting the Big Bird banger fell into our laps, a professional

camera button pusher and a virgin Euro driver.

Faced with an impending 2,000-mile drive, the first task on our agenda was to get to know our wheels. The wheels in question were attached to what can only be described as a rubber duck for the road. The bright yellow Cinquecento Sporting was small, inoffensive and immediately drew comparisons to the infamous Inbetweeners car.

Bought for the princely sum of £600, it had seen better days. What looked like a promising sound system mounted on the parcel shelf was soon discovered to be devoid of any connection – the insubstantial dashboard boasting a gaping hole and handful of wires where a radio should

“

Illegal blues and twos blaring, the comical collection lapped the famous circuit, tracking the tyre marks of racing legends be. Four days of human interaction sans radio was a daunting prospect…

As it turned out, the errant radio was the least of our problems. A quick spin around the Car Dealer Mag car park confirmed our worst fears – we had no brakes. Placated with the promise of an MOT and a new set of pads, we set about working out how best to decorate the car that the 90s left behind.

Metres of yellow felt and feathers were ordered, alongside two furry onesies vaguely resembling Elmo and the Cookie Monster. With a day to go before we set off for Silverstone, the Cinquecento returned from a local garage, boasting a fresh

MOT, one new tyre and the same old brake pads.

The lack of brakes had been caused by surface rust on the discs, the mechanic explained, and once it had all been worn off the brakes would, apparently, be good to go. Reassuring.

Eight tubes of glue, two pizzas and 15 hours of faffing later and our Cinquecento had been transformed from an ugly ducking into Sesame Street’s own Big Bird. Sort of. Bitterly disappointed there was no-one waiting at bus stops to shout obscenities at (Inbetweeners fans will get this), we departed Gosport very late and made it less than 10 miles before we began losing feathers.

Fleetwood’s ingenious solution was to catch

the flailing feather strip and shut it in the driver’s side window. It wasn’t long before he affectionately (and somewhat creepily) began referring to it as his ‘furry dangler’. Strange boy.

On the midnight approach to Silverstone, we spotted a commotion at the side of the road.

Unbeknown to us, it was a fallen comrade – the only three-wheeler to have entered B4B15, and unfortunately the only one to have retired before the trip even began.

However, in true Bangers4BEN spirit, John O’Sullivan and Paul Thomas from Promotive BMW managed to procure a rental car to continue the trip in, all CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

FEATURE.

the while dressed in their original costumes.

God knows what the Avis staff thought was happening when Batman and Robin walked in…

When we finally arrived at Silverstone’s Premier Inn in the early hours of the morning, we took a moment to snoop around our competitors’ creations in the dark, looking somewhat like strange Sesame Street-themed car thieves.

An unceremonious text from Fleetwood woke me early the next day. ‘Uh oh,’ it read, ‘You’ve got competition – there’s another ginger Cookie Monster.’ What are the chances?

With no time to change my costume (because I didn’t have another one), I ventured outside to meet my cookie compadre. There were in fact two other Cookie Monsters, Ian Taylor and Lucy Moss from Pinewood Technologies, driving a half-furry blue Lexus IS200, complete with googly eyes (we’d lost ours soon after setting off).

Feeling slightly outdone, we set off for the track where the teams were gathering and registering trackside. Once everyone had arrived, the motley crews stood silently as safety rules and regulations were read out.

Only one team admitted to have forgotten their sat nav – a vital piece of equipment when travelling thousands of miles through Europe – but luckily Kelly Neal of BEN fame was organised enough to have brought along a spare.

With the formalities aside, it was time to hit the track. There was nothing to prevent (Big) birds trying to take off on Hangar Straight so we gave it a go. Illegal blues and twos blaring, the comical collection lapped the famous circuit, tracking the tyre marks of racing legends.

A few naughty overtakes went unnoticed, and before we knew it we were back on the public roads, racing to get to Dover before the ferry departed.

It was on this stretch that we first noticed other drivers’ reactions to our feathery Fiat. Children and adults alike waved and took photos, shaking their heads in bemusement. We felt like at least C-list celebrities. Now we know how Katie Price feels driving her pink Range Rover…

Arriving at Dover behind everyone else – a trend that would continue the whole trip – we were sent straight to border control. Did they really think we could have anything to hide while driving the world’s most conspicuous car?

Nothing shouts ‘search me, search me’ louder

than a rubbish Fiat covered in feathers. Pablo Escobar we were not… As it turns out, they weren’t worried about narcotics. The border police were interested in the rally though, asking enough questions to make a seasoned criminal sweat. Come to think of it, Fleetwood’s onesie did look a little damp after our encounter…

With the promise of letting them know how we got on when we returned to England (if we made it back at all) we were sent on our way to meet the other BEN bangers.

A few feathers had come loose around Big Bird’s chest and running repairs were needed to stop the problem escalating. With the AA nowhere in sight, Prestige Diesels came to our rescue brandishing a handful of cable ties. My innovative idea of using chewing gum and hairspray fell on deaf ears.

While Fleetwood did the macho thing of slightly improving a problem before standing back to admire his handiwork, I took a wander around the other bangers.

The Pure Triumph General Lee-liveried Ford Mondeo wasn’t a winner on its own, but one of the team members’ Daisy Duke get-up was proving a hit among the mostly male entourage.

It wasn’t the hot pants, nor the crop top that was gaining attention, however, but the fact that a 50-something-year-old man had decided to don them.

Feathers fixed and camaraderie escalating, the bangers filed on to the ferry, where the other unsuspecting passengers were left to wonder what spoof film set they had stumbled upon.

The aforementioned lack of radio was solved by the onboard purchase of an aux cable, with which we connected my ancient iPod to Fleetwood’s portable speaker, and by the time we were on the road to Namur, any conversation had been replaced by mad singalongs to hits of the early 2000s. Showing our age a little there…

Losing almost all the other bangers immediately, it was a pleasant surprise to find ourselves in convoy with Adam Barnacle and Dan Lewin of Marshalls Honda in their Honda Prelude DeLorean. They were either taking pity on us for our lack of speed or really enjoying the scenery as they stayed at a slow enough pace for the Cinquecento to keep up as we made our way slowly into Namur, our first European stop.

So far, so good.

It’s day one, and the Bangers4BEN convoy takes

GREAT MEMORIES OF A FANTASTIC ROAD TRIP Adam Barnacle and Daniel Lewin, Honda Prelude, Marshall Honda: I think the key moment for us was being pulled over by the police on the autobahn in Germany, who claimed to be checking that the DeLorean’s features were secure. That, or the ninehour accidental detour to Berlin on the Munich to Nurburgring stretch!

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Alexis Cassey and Scott Shilcock, Mitsubishi FTO, Prestige Diesels: The whole trip was an amazing experience from start to finish and was fun, fun, fun! The highlight would have to be the Spa Circuit, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive the course with the friends we had made along the way.

The Nurburgring was just terrifying.

to the track at Silverstone where a few cheeky overtakes went unnoticed... then it was off to Dover to catch the ferry

“

Come to think of it, Fleetwood’s onesie did look a little damp after our police encounter

Alistair Jeff and Drew Tyrrell, Audi Cabriolet, CitNOW: Bangers4Ben to me is an annual pilgrimage for us petrolheads and lovers of the great industry in which we’ve invested our lives. I get excited by the event every year as it’s an opportunity to talk ‘trade’ with like-minded, slightlymad fellows.

Nothing shouts ‘search me’ louder than a Fiat covered in feathers – though the border police were really interested in the rally

Kenneth Perrin and Kevin Lington, Ford Mondeo, Pure Triumph: The best part of Bangers4BEN was the camaraderie and having a laugh. Our car didn’t miss a beat, apart from on the Nurburgring when we lost the brakes a bit and the tyres went off a bit. My costume was definitely the coldest with the Daisy Duke shorts.

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FEATURE.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

W

ith all the teams successfully making it to our overnight stop and many Belgian beers later, it was a little surprising that the second day of Bangers4BEN began in a relatively well-organised manner.

Bangers started to leave the hotel from 7am, and by the time we left in a mini-convoy with the Marshalls DeLorean at 8.30am, most had already set off on the 420-mile journey to Munich.

With me at the helm of Big Bird, and equally inexperienced Euro driver Dan driving the DeLorean, the passengers communicated via walkie talkies, sharing their fears of an imminent collision while on the wrong side of the road. Ah, how I laughed. I didn’t really.

Setting our sat nav on course for Munich, we made good time and crossed the border into Germany by 11am. However, we only noticed the country change when the road-signs no longer made sense and the car number plates had changed. We were now in the home of bratwurst, sauerkraut and, more importantly, the home of the autobahns, the famous and unrestricted motorways.

A quick Google search revealed the Cinquecento Sporting’s top speed was 94mph.

Challenge accepted. Upon finding himself on a downhill straight, Fleetwood floored the accelerator, and with the rev counter approaching 5,500rpm we hit the 90mph mark. In your face mechanical sympathy!

It wasn’t long before our two-car convoy drew attention from the long arm of the German law, though. Their reason for pulling us over was concern for how securely the DeLorean’s adornments were attached. Quite why they weren’t worried about our plumage isn’t clear, but that’s mostly because I don’t speak German. For all I know they could have been trying to lock me up as I politely nodded and laughed in true Brit abroad style.

We didn’t arrive at Munich’s BMW museum until 20 minutes before it closed, so a speedy tour of the cars commenced. Soon, the heavy-duty doors of the museum’s galleries began to shut, and we took the hint to leave, heading towards

Amazingly it wasn’t the onesies or the Fiat’s plumage that got us stopped, the German police were

GREAT MEMORIES OF A FANTASTIC ROAD TRIP Peter Jones and Piers Montague, Peugeot 206 GTi, Fox Garage: The highlight of Bangers4BEN 2015 for myself was the feeling of camaraderie.

It was like belonging to a very exclusive club, one that was mobile and charging all over Europe. The feeling of friendship in the bar in the evening was the best. We will be back!

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Stuart Harvey and Joel Message, Vauxhall Astra, Spidersnet: Driving at Silverstone and SpaFrancorchamps were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and made a few childhood dreams come true in the process. 1,700 miles and four countries in four days made the whole trip a very memorable experience for all involved!

“

At 5,500rpm we hit the 90mph mark. In your face mechanical sympathy!

more interested in the DeLorean’s attachments. Munich’s BMW Museum was pretty impressive

Dylan Haskell, Victor Coutin and Rob Green, BMW 3 Series, GardX: The meet at Silverstone dressed as GardX grid girls was an experience.

It was great to see the iconic cars at Munich’s BMW Museum before heading to the Hofbräuhaus, Munich’s legendary 400-year-old beer hall for a few litres of beer and an early night, 3am!

Ian Gardner and Joel Combes, Volkswagen Golf, Lawgistics: Golfy was the star of our trip, tearing through the miles with ease and even reaching 127mph – not bad for a 15-yearold car with 146k on the clock! There are far too many funny moments to mention here, but suffice to say we did not stop laughing all weekend.

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FEATURE. our nearby hotel. From what we saw of it, the museum was pretty impressive.

Later that evening, a couple of the teams decided to make the most of being in Munich and headed out to find the beer festivals. Unable to find any, the group headed back to base instead, and sampled the delights of the hotel bar. One out of two isn’t bad I suppose.

The following day was all about the autobahn.

That and the prospect of a trip to the Nurburgring en route to Spa made the miles of mundane motorway worthwhile.

We were sad to be leaving Germany and its umlimited-speed roads, on which the teams had pushed their ropey motors to new heights. PJ and Piers from Fox Garage claimed to have reached 125mph in their 2001 Peugeot 206 GTI, a figure which we could almost believe.

A dodgy sat nav and our late start from Munich meant we drove the 350-odd miles to the Nurburgring alone, and while we managed the best part of 80mph for most of the journey, our rather feeble Fiat could not catch up with the rest of the pack.

TRACK DAY

O

nce Fleetwood was sure there was no chance of me venturing back onto the left hand side of the road, he took to the Tracker app in an effort to amuse himself. Tracking devices had been provided for each vehicle by Tracker, who had also entered their own team into the rally in the form of an American police car-like Volvo 960 limo, piloted by Mark Tavner and James Hoile.

Using the handy website, teams were able to keep tabs on each others’ whereabouts along the way. It was a pleasant surprise to discover we weren’t at the back as we had thought, and exciting to see that a couple of the bangers were not that far ahead.

When we got to the infamous ‘Ring, though, we couldn’t find any of them. A quick phone call to our own Andy Entwistle confirmed that we were in fact at the wrong welcome centre for the track. No amount of searching saw us find the other teams and, after learning that the track was closed due to a crash, we resorted to finding our own way trackside.

Eventually locating a winding lane that led us to the side of the ‘Ring, we marvelled at the few

“

A distinct smell of petrol was emanating from somewhere on our vehicle How many people do you think you can get into

GREAT MEMORIES OF A FANTASTIC ROAD TRIP Garrett Green and Josh Brown, BMW 3 Series 330 Ci SE, Your Best Car Ltd: My highlight was the trip from the Nurburgring up to Spa with the sun going down, and on one of the best roads I’ve ever driven. The car only blew one indicator bulb in 2,000 miles – not bad for a 183,000-mile, 15-year-old 3 Series.

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Will Blackshaw and Gareth Carter, Suzuki X90, Blackshaws garage: We were spoilt in visiting some of Europe’s finest venues, and the nights of beer and laughter made for plenty of good memories. Bangers4BEN is a perfect excuse to meet friends, network and raise money for a great charity all in one go.

a Cinquecento? As it turned out it was 14. Despite our worries, Big Bird lived to fly another day...

Nick Donald and Jamie Caple, Volkswagen Scirocco, Caralot: We arrived at Caralot HQ on the eve of Bangers4BEN to find a large puddle of fuel underneath our DeLorean. But everything went really well until we were blue-lighted on the home straight.

When the policeman asked his name, Jamie replied, ‘Marty, Marty McFly!’

metres of asphalt that we could actually see. I can only describe it as like looking at part of the M25 from the hard shoulder. Thrilling.

With the evening drawing in, we decided to hit the road and head for Spa. Only minutes into the drive we spotted our long-term Ford Focus ST with Andy at the wheel and the Fox Garage Team GTI exiting a petrol station. We joined with them to form a three-car convoy through the beautiful scenery of Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate.

A distinct smell of petrol was definitely emanating from somewhere on our vehicle, and despite managing to convince Fleetwood that it was coming from the Pug ahead of us, I knew full well that it was more than likely to be the result of a few over-enthusiastic wheelspins that I may or may not have done in the Nurburgring’s gravel car park. Oops.

Prayers for the Cinquecento’s wellbeing said, we decided to attempt to break the 54bhp beast’s top speed once again, because obviously the smell of petrol wasn’t worrying enough. As we flew downhill, the needle crept up the speedo, 95, 96, 97, and before we knew it the arrow (and the car) was vibrating ominously at 107mph.

Seizing the opportunity, Fleetwood sped past Andy in the 247bhp Focus ST, waving cheekily as we passed. Without granting us a moment to wallow in our accomplishment, he stepped out and overtook us with considerably more ease, the GTI immediately following in his slipstream like an overkeen admirer. We were left languishing at the back. Again.

Magnanimity over, from then on it was every man for himself in a mad dash to the hotel at Spa. With the last evening of socialising ahead, spirits were high. Dinner was followed by the annual awards ceremony – of which more later.

It was after dinner that Bangers4BEN took a turn for the bizarre. An idea that had been flying around all night was to see how many people could fit into the Cinquecento. The thought alone filled us with dread – we still had another 400 miles to travel and we could do without the suspension failing.

Kenneth Guiver and David Scarborough, Hyundai Coupe, Aston Barclay: Every day and every minute of Bangers4BEN15 was an adventure, and the car had no problems at all. Spa was our favourite track because it’s very old and there’s a lot of nostalgia there – it’s like going to racetrack Mecca.

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FEATURE.

Bangers4BEN Awards Best-dressed car

This category saw stiff competition between two cars dressed almost identically. Both Caralot and Marshalls Honda piloted DeLoreans across the continent, but Jamie Caple and Nick Donald’s enthusiastic outfit changes just tipped the scales, with the pair swapping costumes during the trip.

Best fancy dress

The prize of best fancy dress went to not one, but two characters. Ken Perrin of the Pure Triumph team won for his extremely accurate portrayals of both Daisy Duke and Boss Hogg. His secret, he claims, was wearing the same pair of extremely uncomfortable cowboy boots for both outfits.

Best tweet

Those following #B4B15 on Twitter will have seen some great tweets from all of the teams.

With some hilarious antics and even funnier observations, it was hard for the judges to choose their favourite. They eventually settled on Will Blackshaw’s tweet which perfectly articulated everyone’s frustrated thoughts as they travelled along the German autobahn…

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Spa proved to be an awesome experience and Big Bird did us proud – then it was a race against time to get to Calais in time to catch the ferry home

A clever excuse by quick-thinking Fleetwood, claiming his camera would not work well enough in the darkness outside, led us to believe we had dodged a bullet, however an off-hand remark gave Andy an idea.

Surprisingly, the hotel staff agreed and minutes later our feathery Fiat was squeezing through the fragile glass doors into the entrance of the Hotel Silva Spa-Balmoral, where our eager team members began piling inside. Ten minutes of haphazard people-arrangement followed before the doors were finally closed.

A total of 14 had managed to fit into a car designed for four, but we doubted it would drive very far in this state, considering the exhaust was almost touching the floor.

While the capable AA men removed the car from the lobby, it was off to the bar for the last night of bangermania. Following the excitement of the night before, the teams began the final day in high spirits. We, however, left the hotel fully

expecting our Cinquecento to look like a failed pimp-my-ride after humans adding up to around 150-stone had piled inside.

Yet once again, Big Bird surprised us and started up straight away, only squeaking slightly as we made our way to Spa-Francorchamps. A tour of the pits was the first item on the agenda, where we were able to catch some ringside action before heading out on the track ourselves.

The rules were strict – no overtaking or cutting each other up – and when we got onto the track it was easy to see why.

Banked turns and switchbacks left even the more experienced drivers of the group in awe. As she powered through Eau Rouge, Big Bird made us proud.

After three days, 1,400 miles and a significant amount of abuse, she was still going strong.

Maybe she wasn’t such a bad bird after all.

Before we knew it, we were homeward bound.

Being in the smallest and (possibly) slowest car

of the group, it was touch and go as to whether we would make the ferry. Cue a mad, three-hour drive to the port where, much to our delight, we discovered that we had beaten a number of the teams, including Andy (who wasn’t impressed).

As the bangers arrived one by one, the atmosphere was jubilant. Every single car that had begun Bangers4BEN 2015 at Silverstone was on the homeward stretch. Which, from what I’ve heard, is quite unusual.

As we sailed away from Calais, waving to the bangers that had missed the boat (Andy included), anecdotes flowed freely.

While every team had their own individual highlights, the general consensus was one of a great success, with many teams vowing to return next year. But for me, I’ll never forget the image of Fleetwood touching up the big bird with excitement etched all over his face as we flew down the autobahn… but that’s another story altogether.

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FEATURE.

The auction A

s with the preceding 2014 event, Bangers4BEN 2015 proved to be a recordbreaking rally, seeing more cars entered and more money than ever before raised for BEN, the automotive benevolent charity.

After travelling almost 2,000 miles across Europe, most of the cars were delivered to BCA Blackbushe, where they were sold at a special auction on Friday, October 30.

Not all the cars that took part made it to Blackbushe, so they have not been included in the sales list below.

They were, however, sold privately, with the money from the sales going to BEN, as per the rules of the rally.

A total of £24,887.57 was raised from the sale of all the bangers, with a kind dealer at BCA donating three of his own cars to the cause and raising a further £550 for the cause.

In the run up to Bangers4BEN, the teams were Company Prestige Diesels Caralot Ltd Marshall Motor Group Volvo Promotive Time Tees Cars Marshall Honda G Forces (Perfect Placement) Geoff Cox Ford RMIF Pure Triumph Wellingborough Cirencester Suzuki Tracker Marshall Jaguar Lincoln Spidersnet 1 Spidersnet 2 Aston Barclay Wilding Motors Carnexions Motors Co Ltd Your Best Car Ltd 2 Hepworth Honda Pinewood Technologies Fox Garage Templar Cars 1 Templar Cars 2 Moneybarn 2 Car Dealer 1 Sportif Group Your Best Car Ltd 1 Codeweavers CitNOW 2 Blackshaws Moneybarn 1 Lawgistics Ltd CitNOW 1

hard at work fundraising and as a result of their efforts, £22,085.60 was raised.

Combined with the vehicle sales and the entry fees, this takes the total amount raised to an amazing £55,341.34.

Congratulations to Prestige Diesels whose Gulf-liveried Mitsubishi FTO sold for £2,500, more than six times what they had paid for it.

A special mention must also go to Jamie and Nick from Caralot, who were so intent on taking their prized DeLorean home that the pair outbid a number of other contenders to pay £2,400 for the customised VW Scirocco. Top effort!

With Bangers4BEN15 all but a fond memory, we are now looking forward to making next year’s event bigger and better (an impossible task, some may argue). If you would like to be part of an unmissable occasion on the motoring calendar, email james@blackballmedia.co.uk and register your interest now. [CD]

Make Mitsubishi FTO, 1995 VW Scirocco, 1991 Volvo 940, 1998 Reliant Robin, 1974 MG ZS 120 Atomix, 2003 Honda Prelude, 1999 Jaguar X-Type, 2002 Proton Savvy, 2007 Audi A4, 2001 Ford Mondeo, 2005 Suzuki Liana, 2003 Volvo 960 Limo, 1992 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign Auto, 1995 Nissan Almera, 1997 Vauxhall Astra, 2000 Hyundai Coupe, 2002 Mercedes C250 Turbo Diesel, 1997 Skoda Octavia TDI, 2001 BMW 3 Series 330 Ci SE, 2001 Honda Accord, 2000 Lexus IS200, 2000 Peugeot 206 GTi, 2001 Toyota Celica ST, 1998 Ford Focus, 2001 Volvo S40, 2002 Fiat Cinquecento, 1997 Mazda MX-5, 2000 BMW 728i, 1998 Ford Focus, 1999 Chrysler PT Cruiser, 2003 Suzuki X90, 1996 Mercedes C200 Kompressor, 2002 Volkswagen Golf, 2001 Audi Cabriolet, 1995 Total auction: Other (private) sales: Total fundraising to date: Funds, fees and donations from the sale:

Grand total raised

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Auction time after our madcap dash across Europe

Car Cost £400.00 £750.00 £1.00 £225.00 £300.00 £100.00 £750.00 £0.00 £10.00 £100.00 £250.00 £749.00 £0.01 £0.00 £0.00 £400.00 £500.00 £100.00 £750.00 £200.00 £350.00 £400.00 £275.00 £450.00 £350.00 £600.00 £700.00 £750.00 £500.00 £650.00 £750.00 £600.00 £750.00 £750.00

Sold For £2,500.00 £2,400.00 £850.00 £900.00 £975.00 £700.00 £1,275.00 £500.00 £475.00 £550.00 £675.00 £1,150.00 £250.00 £150.00 £150.00 £550.00 £600.00 £150.00 £800.00 £150.00 £300.00 £350.00 £200.00 £250.00 £125.00 £350.00 £450.00 £475.00 £150.00 £300.00 £400.00 £225.00 £375.00 £300.00 £20,000.00 £4,887.57 £26,843.77 £4,050.00

Profit £2,100.00 £1,650.00 £849.00 £675.00 £675.00 £600.00 £525.00 £500.00 £465.00 £450.00 £425.00 £401.00 £249.99 £150.00 £150.00 £150.00 £100.00 £50.00 £50.00 -£50.00 -£50.00 -£50.00 -£75.00 -£200.00 -£225.00 -£250.00 -£250.00 -£275.00 -£350.00 -£350.00 -£350.00 -£375.00 -£375.00 -£450.00

£55,781.34

Big thanks to the AA for following us for four days, providing everything from jump starts to plasters.

Thanks to BCA for once again hosting our auction and proving that some of these cars are classics in the making. And finally, thanks to our friends at BEN for helping us organising the best Bangers4BEN yet!

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

FEATURE.

VA VA !

M O VO hatch ably linked to the hot ic tr ex in en be ng lo s g Renault ha s explores their endurin an Ev ew dr An . on en phenom e best es to try out four of th al W to s ad he d an al appe

W

hoever they were, the first person to put pen to paper and invent the concept of the hot hatch . was a certifiable genius Growing up in the ll of hot hatches were 1980s when the first swe unusual to see three of in their prime, it wasn’t e ked up outside the sam the same hatchback par the g kin roc d’s r-ol yea household, with the 17-

THE INSIDE STORY...

68 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

-range model taking entry level one-litre, a mid model – inevitably, it family duties and the hot for dad. was a different time – the concept up too, Manufacturers lapped inted but ordinaryppo ll-a unsurprisingly. We n’t really light up the engined hatchbacks did hot hatch on the table sales charts, but with a into the showrooms customers would flock cessful models made suc – some of the more s across the entire up one in 10 of all car sale

RENAULT 5 GT TURBO PAGE 71

d some car-makers adopte company’s fleet. While e hav m the of ber all num the hot hatch, a ver y sm and it to ed link ly cab xtri their modern histor y ine able of all.

Renault is the most not ch has existed, there’s hat hot the as As long y best amongst them been a Renault as the ver s hand-in-hand with goe s and the brand’s succes – and that’s why we’re its sporting superminis s k at four cars across thi taking a good, long loo illustrious histor y.

RENAULT CLIO WILLIAMS PAGE 73

PICTURES: JONATHAN FLEETWOOD

to this sector The Renault brand’s link ndations. One of the goes right back to its fou the wick up on a small n earliest attempts to tur Renault 5 Gordini, which runabout was the 1976 engine right out of toted the 1.4 litre Cleon – though it took the the Renault 11 family car bocharger in 1981 to tur addition of a Garrett T3 rt of the hot hatch. take the 5 into the hea ceeded in 1990 by the suc s wa ’ Car When ‘Le t ntary fears that Renaul Clio, there were mome

RENAULT CLIO V6 255 PAGE 75

such shenanigans, but wouldn’t continue with rt-lived. Successes sho , they were, thankfully h the then allwit red pai in Formula One m led to the limited conquering Williams tea a car that even today edition Clio Williams – lists. ery tops many people’s lott ression of the hot exp te ma ulti Possibly the hatch was 2001’s Clio V6. same – take a big The recipe was still the (in this case the car engine out of a family

it into the brand’s Renault Laguna) and put hatch. supermini to make a hot ething utterly som s wa ion cut The exe ine replacing the back different, with the eng r wheels. rea seats and driving the version. Resurrecting ay’s tod to us That brings t time since that turbocharging for the firs Turbo is the first Renault 5, the Clio 200 of Renault’s supermini y tor five-door in the his t automatic too. hot hatches and the firs

RENAULT CLIO 200 TURBO PAGE 76

PLUS: UK MD AND DEALERS DISCUSS THEIR APPEAL PAGE 78 CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

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FEATURE.

Renault 5 GT Turbo

G

arrett turbochargers have a lot to answer for – and in this case it’s launching Renault right into the middle of a hot hatch power war.

The 5 had been warmed up a spot earlier in its life with the 1.4 litre ‘Cleon-Fonte’ engine from the Renault 11, but it took the addition of the aforementioned Garrett blower to truly christen it as a hot hatch. The 115hp output might not sound like much, but the 5 barely weighed 850kg and its rivals were 5-10hp shy of this figure.

This power difference lead to some cheeky advertising shenanigans from Renault, playing up on the significant speed advantage the 5 GT Turbo had over the 205 GTI, Uno Turbo and Golf GTi. In fact, with a 7.5s 0-60mph sprint time, the 5 was quicker than not only everything else in the class, but anything else from the class above it too – it would keep up with the 4-litre Jaguar XJS...

Of course, the delivery of power was somewhat different. This being the 1980s, the 20 per cent power increase over the standard 1.4 lump means there’s a spot of turbo lag. Perhaps not so much as some other famously laggy 80s turbos, but low down the engine isn’t quite as responsive as some rivals until it’s all spooled up and heading for the horizon.

It wasn’t just talented under the bonnet though. By the time the GT Turbo had reached the market, the Renault 5 was in its second generation and the redesign came courtesy of the pen of Marcello Gandini, probably more famous for creating the look of Lamborghini’s awesome Countach.

The GT Turbo was further re-drawn to include wider arches and an aggressive front bumper, with classic yellow foglights. Earlier models even included fake vents ahead of the rear wheels,

as a little nod to the mid-engined 1980 Renault 5 Turbo rally car – though these were quietly dropped in a mid-life refresh.

So with looks and speed in the bag, the GT Turbo just needed road manners to complete the puzzle, and Renault’s custom solution for the car meant it was one of the best-rated driver’s cars of its day. Significantly beefed-up suspension components and unique parts in places gave the GT Turbo top-notch handling – far less prone to lift-off oversteer than some of its betterremembered rivals. Anyone who’s driven a more contemporary Renault will recognise the GT Turbo’s handling traits, and they’re in the recipe for every hot Renault since.

Like the mid-engined 5 Turbo, Renault took the front-wheel drive GT Turbo rallying. The car took the only ever overall win for a Group N car in a World Rally Championship event in 1989.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault 5 GT Turbo Price: £10,995 (1987) Engine: 1.4-litre turbo Power: 115hp-120hp, 164Nm Max speed: 125mph 0-60mph: 7.5s MPG: No records Emissions: No records The Rivals: Peugeot 205 GTI, Fiat Uno Turbo ie, Volkswagen Golf GTi Key Selling Points: Performance, looks, handling CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

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72 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

FEATURE.

s m a li il W o li C lt u a n e R

T

urbocharging had played such a big part in the 5’s appeal as a hot hatch that the absence of any forced induction from the Clio line-up had the enthusiasts worried – but they really needn’t have been.

Like the 5, a warm hatch preceded the spiciest Clio, with a 1.8 litre RSi model good for 108hp from its naturally aspirated engine keeping Ford’s XR2i honest. When the Williams finally came it was worth the wait.

A little like the 5 GT Turbo, the Williams was conceived to be a homologation special, with 2,500 road-going examples of the car to be made and sold so that Renault could campaign it in Group N rally events – in the hands of the legendary Jean Ragnotti.

In fact, such was the popularity of the Williams that Renault didn’t stop there, originally planning to build 3,500 and eventually extending the production run to 5,417 – 390 of which were righthand drive models for UK consumption.

With these snapped up, Renault famously – and a little unpopularly – created the Williams 2 and Williams 3 models to capitalise on demand, so eventually over 12,000 Williams-badged Clios were made, and 1,180 ended up on our shores.

The Williams name is a little bit of a marketing flourish. In fact, the Williams F1 team had almost no input on the car, with all work carried out by the Renault Sport team in Dieppe.

Each car was individually badged with a sequential number plate in the cabin, and the 0001 car you see here was presented to Frank Williams – the F1 team’s timely victories in the driver and constructor championships having helped fuel the demand.

All cars were finished in Sports Blue (Monaco Blue for the Williams 3), with gold Speedline alloys and as many nods to the Williams F1 brand as is possible on a car less than four metres long.

White-on-blue dials help complete the sporting look, but the cabin is still distinctly 1990s French hatchback – there’s an awful lot of grey plastic.

Under the nose was a 2-litre engine – an absolutely massive unit for the day – pushing out 150hp. There’s 129lb ft of torque too – these are numbers that a manufacturer wouldn’t be embarrassed by even today – and it’s available across a broad band of the rev range so none of the hurry up and wait of the 5 GT Turbo.

This makes the Williams a much better prospect across the open roads than its immediate forebear and it’s still under a ton, so not outmatched in a pure sprint either.

And the handling? That’s the best part of all.

The Williams builds on the character of the 5 to provide a fabulously direct drive, albeit one that loves to cock a wheel at a moment’s notice. Get to learn the car and you’ll spend much of your time on any three of four wheels at once.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault Clio Williams Price: £13,275 (1993) Engine: 2.0-litre Power: 150hp, 175Nm Max speed: 134mph 0-60mph: 7.8s MPG: 33 Emissions: No records The Rivals: Ford Fiesta RS1800, Volkswagen Golf VR6, Key Selling Points: Rarity, performance, true classic

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

OVER 80,000 VEHICLES Your key to success this plate change NC1_206 2.09.15

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74 | plus CarDealerMag.co.uk 2015 stock forecast in the same period. Figures exclude private sales.

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FEATURE.

Renault Clio V6 255

T

he Clio V6 reads like a rejected motor industry April fool press release. No-one would ever believe that a car company would take a supermini, chuck out the back seats and strap in a whopping three-litre V6 from their family saloon, and then put it into production.

Of course Renault has a little form on this front. The 5 GT Turbo’s immediate predecessor was a mid-engined hatchback, but that was a rally car and homologation special. The Clio wasn’t destined for motorsport. It wasn’t a joke though.

Renault showed a concept at the 1998 Paris Motor Show and three years later it hit the roads.

The first cars were built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing in Sweden and may have been one of the most petrifying cars ever conceived. That huge 230hp V6 right behind the driver moved the centre of mass back, with a profound effect on the steering. The incredibly short wheelbase made

the Clio V6 particularly agile, but on wet UK roads this gave way to skittishness.

Weight was an issue too. The complexity of the Clio V6 meant it weighed around 300kg more than its front-engined stablemates – so despite punching out 60hp more it would hit 60mph in 6.2 seconds, just half a second quicker.

Two years later the Clio range was facelifted and the V6 joined in. Renault took advantage to address some of the car’s major shortcomings, most significantly increasing both the wheelbase and track for a little enhanced stability at the expense of raw, race-car feel – the Clio had been campaigned in a one-make ‘Clio Trophy’ race series for a few years at this point. Production was shifted over to Renaultsport in Dieppe too.

The reworked V6 now produced 252hp – in an era where the quickest hot hatches were only just cresting 220hp – so the Clio V6 was quicker than

ever, ducking under six seconds for the 60mph sprint. The revised underpinnings removed some of the more terrifying traits too, with twitchy oversteer giving way to safer understeer. In many ways the two generations of Clio V6 were polar opposites in terms of the driving experience.

Less so when it came to the ownership proposition. Both cars were, considering their flagship position, surprisingly ordinary on the inside. Ignoring the absence of back seats, there’s precious little inside to distinguish the V6 from any other Clio.

Still, it’s the closest a Clio gets to transcending the hot hatch sector and joining the supercar set.

It’s one of the most exclusive vehicles on the road – rarer even than the Clio Williams. Only 610 Clio V6s of any stripe made it to the UK, with 354 of those Phase 2s and just eight in the gorgeous Acid Yellow you see in the pictures here.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault Clio V6 255 Price: £26,995 (2005) Engine: 3.0-litre Power: 252hp, 300Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 5.8s MPG: 23 Emissions: 285g/km The Rivals: Lotus Exige, Ariel Atom, Porsche Boxster Key Selling Points: Road presence, power, rising prices CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

FEATURE.

o b r u T 0 0 2 o li C lt u a n e R

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault Clio 200 Turbo Price: £19,130 (right now!)

Engine: 1.6-litre turbo Power: 197hp Max speed: 143mph 0-60mph: 6.7s MPG: 47.9 Emissions: 133g/km The Rivals: Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTI, Nissan Juke NISMO RS Key Selling Points: Usability, handling, performance

76 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

I

n contrast to the absolutely madcap Clio V6 and the springer spaniel of the Clio Williams, the Clio 200 Turbo is very much the grown-up of the bunch.

This new sporting Clio, based on the fourth generation of hatchback, has certainly matured.

For a start there’s an extra pair of doors – though they’re somewhat hidden. It also marks the return of the turbocharged Renault hot hatch and the very first fast turbo Clio.

Renault could easily have stuck with the naturally-aspirated formula as it had done throughout the Clio’s life, but the small blown unit provides a significant extra shove of torque over its immediate predecessor despite the same power output, and also helps contribute towards today’s ever-important low CO2 emissions.

The march to maturity extends to the ride too.

As hot hatches have got faster – particularly in the last decade – they’ve acquired harsher rides, but the Clio 200 takes a slightly softer tack, providing a smooth ride that the market has perhaps been missing recently.

However, there’s a small fly in the grown-up Clio 200’s soup, in the form of an automatic gearbox with no manual option. Hot hatch enthusiasts may be utterly horrified at this point; changing gear yourself is part of the attraction of a sporty little supermini and indeed the 5 GT Turbo and Clio Williams had legendary pleasing gearshift actions.

Renault’s counter to this is that the car will change gear far more quickly than a human can – 150ms in RS mode – and you get to pick the gears yourself via a pair of paddles behind the wheel, so you’ll never need to take your hands away from where they should be ever again. The shifts are smooth too, so you need never suffer a poor change again.

Of the four cars here, the Clio 200 is the most comfortable to live with day to day, with a more cosseted ride and a considerably enhanced interior – though we may look back down our collective noses at it, as we now do at the Clio Williams’ boxy plastic affair. More importantly it will almost certainly be the quickest around any given circuit, even if the V6 will soundly paste it in a drag race.

Ultimately the combination of day-to-day usability, pausing only for a quick B-road thrashing that leaves some BMW-driving yuppie for dead, is exactly what the hot hatch was founded on, and the Clio 200 seems to be the perfect modern embodiment of this ideal.

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FEATURE.

“

Clio Renaultsport is always the ultimate Clio, whether it was the Clio Williams in the early nineties or now, with the current 220 Trophy

Dealer’s view Shaun Harratt, Harratts, Wakefield

B

eing a young man in the industry I used to drive Escort RS Turbos and that sort of thing, but when we got the Renault dealership with the GT Turbo, it was just such an iconic car. To me it was like what the Golf GTI became – it was a driver’s car. It was a really fun, fast car to drive.

The Clio was like a halo car with Williams Formula One – Renault was so close in people’s eyes with F1. Renault Clios were huge then from a sales point of view and the Williams had that halo effect for the whole brand – not just the Clio. It’s important that the manufacturer has that type of halo on a car that sells well, rather than a very small volume car.

With the V6... I wish I’d bought one and kept hold of it! It’s the sort of car to put a smile on your face but a bit of fear too. A bit too extreme for me – not quite as massmarket usable! It wouldn’t do the same job in the terms of the halo effect as the others.

With the newest Clio 200, I was really impressed with how nice the car was to drive and how easy it was to drive quickly.

Love the paddle shifts, love the balance of it – but the new shape Clio is just a lovely car.

They all look so good from a colours point of view – I think Renault just got it right with that car.

78 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Interview Ken Ramirez Managing Director, Renault UK How important is the Clio hot hatch to Renault’s brand?

Extremely important. Our hot hatch heritage goes back to 1979 with the Renault 5 Gordini.

Today’s Clio Renaultsport is renowned for its high performance on both road and track. Clio is a car where we can use the latest technology, derived from our performance in motorsport and combine it with the svelte, sporty look of a three-door in the practicality of a five-door.

Today, our Clio range is more eye-catching than ever and is packed full of useful technology from keyless entry to integrated sat nav, giving our customers a vehicle which is equally at home on the circuit, as it is nipping to the supermarket for the weekly shop.

What’s more, our own internal research

shows that customers who are aware of Renaultsport in the general sense, have a much higher perception of the Renault brand, which means it is paramount we continue to raise awareness of both our Mégane, and Clio halo products.

Why do you think that the Clio hot hatch has become such an icon?

Because of its consistent ability to out-perform competitors and the fantastic owners’ club culture around Clio Renaultsport. This started with the iconic Clio Williams in 1993, gained momentum with the Clio 172 and 182, and really drove home with Clio 200 and the latest 220 Trophy variants. We put this down to the smiles per miles which the car delivers in

Dealer’s view Tom Garratt, Bristol Street, Notts

O abundance, as well as the number of innovations we continue to incorporate into our road cars.

Clio Renaultsports have been a stylish and sporting alternative to the mainstream Renault Clio for nearly 25 years. Clio Renaultsport is always the ultimate Clio, whether it was the Clio Williams in the early nineties or now, with the current 220 Trophy.

What is it about the Clio hot hatch that dealers love, do you think?

Our dealers love how the Clio is a seductively designed car which has two personalities.

The combination of the suspension with the hydraulic compression stops and the RS drive feature, gives our customers a vehicle which can truly fit into every aspect of their life.

nce you drive the Clio 200 you get an understanding of how good it is. I’ve been in the motor industry for a while and I’ve driven plenty of hot hatches – the Vauxhalls, the Peugeots, the Fords and that sort of thing – and the heritage in the Clio 200 makes it so different from anything else in the market.

With the paddle shifters and the RS mode it’s definitely more of racing thing.

Though it’s a five-door it’s not going to turn anyone off who’s a three-door fan. With the design of the hidden door handles, you don’t really notice that it’s a five-door and it doesn’t spoil anything on the look of the car but it does add to the market of the car. And if anyone’s put off by the car not having a manual gearbox, all they need to do is drive the car. I was never a fan of automatics before, and definitely not paddleshifts, but with the Clio they’re just so good.

We were recently announced as one of about 40 Renaultsport dealerships in the country and it does add a wow factor to the dealership. When people walk in and see the car it definitely has an effect – it adds so much to the experience of the customers. [CD] CarDealerMag.co.uk | 79

FOCUS ON.

Recruitment and training

Matching the right people to the right opportunities

Talk to the selected suppliers on the following pages, and you’ll find yourself with more hot prospects

I

t’s all about the people. Here at Car Dealer, we have heard that phrase countless times when we have asked successful dealer bosses why they are doing so well. And I think we all know that recruitment and training really does play a key role in the success of any business.

But, hand on heart, can you honestly say that side of your operation gets enough attention?

That’s not intended to be remotely critical – it’s just an indication of how busy we all are.

If you need a little help in this area, the companies on the following pages are ideally placed to assist – and we also caught up with Jimi Marshall, principal consultant at Perfect Placement, who gave us a few useful pointers when looking for a new member of staff.

Wow your top choices. In the current economy, people in high demand may have multiple job

by DAVE BROWN @CarDealerDave

offers. You need to show them why they should choose your business over a competitor. Sell the benefits of working with your firm, and offer a package in line with – or ideally, above – market rates. We are often surprised how many candidates leave an interview not having been told (sold) how great an employer you are.

Don’t recycle past job descriptions. Chances are the role has changed since they were written.

Take a fresh look at your needs and the skills you’re looking for. A detailed job description that looks at the objectives of the role will help cut the number of ‘unqualified’ applicants.

Make a personal connection. Hiring is more than just identifying a strong CV or profile – it

involves having conversations with applicants to establish a rapport. Interviews should not be used to check qualifications and experience, although that is undoubtedly part of it, but for gauging whether a candidate is a fit for your culture.

Use all your resources. You might make the final decision but hiring should never be a solo effort. Take advantage of the people already in your business – for example, get a second opinion from a potential future colleague of a candidate.

Look for the soft skills. Motor trade businesses that don’t take soft skills such as leadership and communication into account may set themselves up for a bad match.

Finally, use a specialist recruitment agency that will take the burden of searching and selecting away from your business and provide you with candidates that you only have to assess for cultural fit.

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‘It’s all about the relationship for us – with the dealership we are working with and the potential candidate,’ says MD Ed Steele.

Free courses are coming up, covering areas such as time management and managing customer expectations.

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FOCUS ON.

Recruitment and training

Daily delivery is the key to success SYMCO TRAINING

P

W: symcotraining.co.uk T: 01829 760679

roviding effective and appropriate training to new staff would seem like a no-brainer in a competitive industry setting, but all too often it is something that gets overlooked by car dealerships.

Sometimes it is down to time pressures or the availability of a suitable training course, and some dealers adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude.

Either way, it was a situation that Symco Training decided needed addressing.

A well-established company providing traditional training to all front of house staff, Symco has recently launched its innovative Sales Fitness Programme. What’s different is that the training comes directly to the delegate’s desk, delivered online daily in five to 15-minute bursts. A little but often approach compared with days away from the dealership, not to mention the additional costs such as accommodation and travel.

Darren Bedford, Symco’s sales director, explains the thinking behind the somewhat revolutionary programme: ‘Years ago people would go away

training for three or four days at a time and that’s just not practical these days.

‘The programme came about from the need to satisfy our clients’ requirements. We wanted to bring our training to the people and it’s all about reaching them in their new roles from day one.

‘Often we hear about people who don’t get any training until their probationary period has ended, a ‘‘let’s train them once we’ve decided they are the right people’’ attitude, or there has not been a training course available for a couple of months.’

Two of the current Symco offerings make the case. Launched three months ago, ‘The First 90 Days’ is aimed squarely at sales executives and delivers 90 modules direct to the ‘delegate’.

Added to the programme last month, ‘Today’s Service Advisor’ focuses on making the VHC process effective, converting red work, selling ancillary products or services, and objection handling.

In each case, the training bulletins include a series of short daily videos, quizzes, tasks and coaching tips.

The brevity of the daily dosage means that they can be easily coped with irrespective of what else is going on in the workplace.

Each course costs just £249 per delegate and, to judge by the early feedback on the programme, is turning out to be money well invested. Symco regularly updates managers on the delegate’s progress within the online programme.

‘The motor trade is quick to say that people are its greatest asset,’ says Bedford, ‘but in reality the industry is doing itself a disservice.

‘There needs to be a change in attitude towards new staff which will deliver better returns down the line. The first three months can make or break a career in car sales so it’s critical that the time and money spent in recruiting a new person is not wasted.

‘New starters are often left to their own devices with the added pressure of competing against colleagues who, understandably, may not wish to pass on their hard-earned skills.

‘Too many dealerships make the mistake of failing to assist sales people from the outset, which ends up costing them more if they leave.’

Bedford acknowledges that staff turnover and retention are a deep-rooted and long-standing issue within the industry and does not make any bold claims that the Symco approach will change things overnight, but he does make the case that better trained and more confident staff are more likely to be engaged and benefit the organisation.

‘The turnover rate is enormous and it’s seldom been any different in all the years I have spent in the industry,’ says Bedford.

‘But when you have taken on a sales adviser and paid upwards of £1,500 in recruitment costs, £249 to make sure they are getting the correct training is a tiny investment to make.

‘Furthermore, if it’s an investment that maybe means they won’t be walking away during their probationary period, or better still ensures those who stay are better equipped to perform their role, why wouldn’t you call and get your team enrolled today?

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

FOCUS ON.

Recruitment and training

Clients get the best of both worlds INAUTOMOTIVE

I

W: inautomotive.com T: 01772 639036

nnovation and improvement are crucial in a crowded recruitment market, and InAutomotive has recently developed a product that is a game-changer. Already the largest specialist website for recruitment in the UK auto industry, the Preston-based organisation believes the new offering it calls InAutomotive Plus will help keep it in pole position.

John Carroll, director of InAutomotive, pictured right, believes that this development will revolutionise the client experience.

‘InAutomotive will give clients the best of both worlds. Clients will now have access to our Business Division, a collection of six market-leading niche job sites, as well as InAutomotive, meaning that one account will increase your reach to over 750,000 industry-specific candidates.’

Carroll went on to say: ‘There are an increasing

number of job roles requiring skills that are eminently transferrable from entirely different sectors. Dealerships seeking to fill a position in areas like sales, HR and the back office, should be looking beyond the motor industry to get the best possible candidates, and we can now offer them access to our six other niche sites in those areas.’

It’s called the ‘hybrid’ approach, he adds, a term we are going to be hearing a lot more of. At its core, InAutomotive offers dealerships and motor industry companies across the spectrum quick and easy exposure to more than 160,000 qualified, industry-specific job-seekers. It boasts an average of 12 top-quality applications per job on site each month, meaning that companies are able to reduce their cost per hire and hire more quickly.

InAutomotive is currently the go-to site for more than 60 per cent of the top 200 dealerships, with eight out of the top 10 – including the likes of Sytner Group, Inchcape, Lookers plc and Mercedes-Benz Retail Group – advertising with them.

InAutomotive offers one-off recruitment from as little as £300 for a single, 28-day posting. For larger organisations, annual subscription packages, such as the ‘five job posts per month for £475’ and ‘credit’ packages are also available.

Carroll said: ‘By listening to clients’ needs and not pushing for the sale, the InAutomotive team will come up with the right solution for you. With further product expansions soon to be announced, now would be the perfect time to get on board with us.’

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Steele-Dixon Est 1961

How do you judge a recruitment company?

Ability to listen?

Effective communication?

Quality CVs? Successful placements?

Industry knowledge?

If you are looking for integrity in recruitment.

Call us

01235 536440 Home Farm Barn, Radley, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3NG Tel: 01235 536440 recruit@steele-dixon.co.uk www.steele-dixon.co.uk 84 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

FOCUS ON.

Recruitment and training

A first-class people-finding service STEELE DIXON

O

W: steele-dixon.co.uk T: 01235 536440

n the face of it, recruitment is a straightforward process. A company has a vacancy and a recruitment firm steps in to produce a list of credible candidates.

Company chooses one, post filled, job done.

If only it were that simple, says Ed Steele, managing director of Steele Dixon, the longeststanding automotive industry recruitment specialists in the UK. The path to successfully filling a vacancy with the right person is fraught with problems, he says.

‘Finding the right person to join your business should be enjoyable, it should be an adventure, but for too many companies and managers it’s a chore,’ says Steele.

‘And at a time when everyone is stretched financially, paying a fee to a recruitment company is an annoyance and not a worthwhile investment.

‘What they often don’t consider is that the wrong person in a key position can end up costing them a great deal more – businesses can fail as a result,’ he adds.

As the third generation to join what is truly a family business, Steele can draw on a unique depth of experience. His grandfather, David, set up the business in 1961 with Norman Dixon, and Ed recently took over as MD from his father, Martin, who is now chairman. Sister Keri joined the family firm in 2013, bringing expertise honed as a headhunter in the advertising industry.

Based in Oxfordshire with regional offices in Glasgow, Staffordshire and Norfolk, the core company, S-D Recruit, has evolved separate arms over the years to focus on senior headhunting

assignments (S-D Executives), overseas employment (S-D Overseas) and financial sector specialists (S-D Accountancy).

At the heart of the business Steele Dixon source, select and pre-qualify job candidates in every functional area across the industry, including general management, dealer principals, aftersales, service and parts, accounts, finance and marketing.

‘I almost want to say that we are not a recruitment company,’ Steele says.

‘We are really a people-finding service. Someone recently said we were the Fortnum & Mason of motor recruitment – it’s an interesting view, though I don’t think we are that expensive!

‘Fundamentally, recruitment should be a simple process, but all too often it’s not,’ he adds. ‘It’s all about the relationship for us, with the dealership we are working with, and with the potential candidate.

‘Technology and everything that goes with it has its place in recruitment, but nothing beats a face-toface meeting in bringing clarity to what people are hoping to achieve.

‘We don’t operate on a box-ticking principle, it’s not about pushing 10 or 20 CVs forward, where’s the fun in that? We want everyone we put forward to be a credible candidate, and one who actually wants the position offered.’

Steele then gave the example of a regional director’s role with a leading franchised dealership, a position commanding a six-figure salary.

He was shown a detailed shortlist of six candidates put forward by another

company – ‘we would only have put forward one of them, the others weren’t qualified or appropriate for the role,’ he says.

Many problems begin with the dealership itself finding itself under time pressure to fill a key position that has unexpectedly opened up.

Surprisingly, says Steele, many do not know exactly who they want to fill it as the person responsible for recruitment isn’t a specialist and doesn’t know the detail of the job.

This, he adds, is where Steele Dixon’s experience comes to the fore as the company and its consultants can ‘fill in the gaps in the job spec’. As importantly, they also have the skill to ensure that a candidate is not only qualified for the particulars of the role, but appropriate to the franchise’s brand and the culture of the dealer group.

Steele concludes: ‘We have our own judgment and that, perhaps, is where we are unique – we can make an informed decision looking at a CV as to whether or not someone is going to be suitable for the job, particular car dealership and the brand.’

by Phil Riley (@PhilRiley5)

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 85

FOCUS ON.

Recruitment and training

Top-quality training – for FREE! DRIVE DEVELOPMENT

W: drivedevelopment.co.uk T: 0800 133 7070

W

ell-trained and highly-motivated staff are key to the smooth running of any business – and with Drive Development, you’ll quickly be on the road to improved performance and operational success. The company works exclusively in the automotive sector and firmly believes that effective leadership, management development and skills training are vital.

Founded in 2012 to combat the effects the recession was having on the motor industry, Drive Development provides highly experienced and dedicated trainers who serve motor manufacturers and traders.

Car Dealer recently caught up with managing director James Hudson, who told us: ‘The fact that we work solely within the motor industry ensures that all of our training is focused in one direction – the dealership’s direction.

‘Our purpose is to deliver simple, effective and useable training that helps your business find, develop and keep talented people – because it’s your people that make your business succeed.’

The company is dedicated to helping and serving the automotive industry – and one of the ways it is doing this is by running a series of free workshops in December and January.

The three-hour sessions will be taken from longer courses and, as James Hudson explains: ‘The idea is that they’re taster sessions to show what we do and how we train people. And the courses will count towards people’s CPD if they’re on the IMI professional register.’

Course 1: Managing customer expectations.

December 1 and December 3, 10am-1pm. For venues, please see opposite page.

Hudson says: ‘Customers’ expectations are on the rise, particularly within the automotive sector.

The buying journey is shifting towards the internet – they are only visiting dealerships at the end of the process.

‘This course is all about exploring customers, exploring how they create an expectation, whether that be of your brand or your product, and then exploring how you actually manage that expectation, deliver it and exceed it.

‘Great customer service is all about exceeding someone’s expectations, but the first step involves understanding what they’re looking for in the first place. This session will be very interactive.

‘We’ll get those taking part to explore their expectations of brands as customers.’

86 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Course 2: Understanding and leading change, December 8 and 10, 10am-1pm. For venues, please see opposite page.

This course is aimed particularly at managers, proprietors of dealerships, managing directors and dealer principals.

Hudson says the course will look at the ‘change curve’, the name given to the process during which team members might start off ‘in denial’ about a change being made to their working life; go through ‘resistance’ and move on to ‘exploration’, when they think, ‘OK, this change is going to happen, what can I do to prepare myself for it?’

The final stage involves accepting the change and committing to making it happen.

Hudson says: ‘We’ll be asking participants: ‘‘How do you as a leader identify where your people are on that curve? And what conversations should you be having with someone who’s in denial, for example? What sort of things can you do to help them through it? What can you do when your team is in resistance? ’’ ’ Course 3: Effective time management. January 7 and 14, 2016, 10am-1pm. For venues, please see opposite page.

‘The need to manage your time is absolutely vital,’ says James Hudson. ‘But there are so many distractions during most people’s working days.

In this session, we’ll be looking at some statistics around time management and finding out how much time is wasted, which is quite frightening!

‘We’ll then be looking at the ‘‘time management quadrant’’ which comes from Stephen Covey and his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective

People. It’s a great tool for anyone interested in managing themselves and making the most of their talents and skills. The quadrant is all about separating the important from the urgent.’

The workshops are sure to be very popular, so to secure your place – only a limited number are available – call the team today using the number at the top of this page.

Hudson says: ‘We’re very proud of the quality of the training we deliver. All my trainers are highly experienced within the automotive sector and our client base is very diverse. We work with manufacturers such as Bentley, franchised dealer groups, independent businesses and one-man bands. Anyone can benefit from these free courses.’

As well as its training and development work, Drive Development Solutions offers an extensive range of HR services to the automotive sector.

‘We recognise that most dealerships aren’t of sufficient size to have a personnel manager so we offer outsourced HR solutions. We can deal with all HR policy making, grievances, disciplinaries and so on, and we can create sickness policies and employee handbooks as well. We have an HR advice line that’s available for the sector. We’re able to support the industry in so many ways.’

The company also has a jobs board on its website, which links to the main social media channels.

But Hudson says: ‘We are not a recruitment agency, so to speak, we’re more about helping and supporting people.’

With FREE help and support on offer at the moment, it would seem like the perfect time to get involved with Hudson and his team. [CD]

SPECIALIST COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR Drive Development has a range of coaching and development solutions specifically targeting the business issues facing Automotive retailers today.

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UNDERSTANDING AND LEADING CHANGE

8th December 2015

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Call us on 0800 133 7070 to book your place on a free course info@drivedevelopment.co.uk // www.drivedevelopment.co.uk

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COACHING SOLUTIONS linkedin.com/company/drive-development-solutions CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

FOCUS ON.

Equity mining

Say goodbye to ‘spray and DEALER WIZARD

W: dealerwizard.com T: 01258 857755

I

t’s a revolutionary automotive datamining system that’s been wowing US dealers and now it’s poised to do the same over here.

Dealer Wizard was set up in Florida some six years ago by Ross Bauer and his business partner Michael Villa, who together have notched up some 60 years in the automotive business, and is now approaching 1,000 rooftops in the USA. In a nutshell, it very simply, very efficiently and very effectively trawls through the information on dealership management systems to let dealers know about the optimum customers that are currently with them.

Bauer, Dealer Wizard’s chief operating officer, told Car Dealer Magazine: ‘Dealer management systems, diaries, all the different things that we call the data collection, although very robust, can sometimes be very difficult to understand and use. So what Dealer Wizard does is collect data from the DMS and put it into a format that anyone can use, so that it’s non-threatening and easy to understand. It’s something that someone can use over a cup of coffee or a cup of tea in the morning and then go about his or her business of selling cars.

‘What I believe Dealer Wizard does differently is we take the selling history of that dealership and combine it with their daily data.

‘We’re constantly looking for the perfect customer, and that customer might be based upon how long they’ve owned the vehicle, how long they’ve paid down on the vehicle, or what their opportunities are to trade up to a newer vehicle with no money out of pocket and a similar or even lower payment.

‘Dealer Wizard takes all of the historical

‘‘

Truthfully, I cannot see one reason why any dealer would not have it once they’ve seen it. Not one. There really is nothing to lose, and it sells cars by the boatload!

Alan MacDonald (pictured above) 88 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

information and puts it into a format that is easy for the user to read and use.

‘We mine the customers’ data on a daily basis, meaning that as customers are making appointments to come into the garage’s service lane, Dealer Wizard sees that appointment on the system and automatically appraises that vehicle, compares it to the estimated pay-off on the vehicle and gives the dealership an idea of what the equity – negative or positive – of that customer may be. We recommend to the dealership, based on the customer’s equity and other vehicles in their inventory, what we feel they can trade their customer into for probably the same kind of money.’

What will also no doubt attract dealerships to Dealer Wizard is the fact that there is no set-up fee, no training costs, 30 days’ free trial and no long contracts.

Of Dealer Wizard’s ambitions for the UK, Bauer says: ‘By the end of 2016 we’re hoping to have a substantial number of the country’s retailers on board, which I think is a very realistic goal. I believe there are about 6,000 franchisors in the UK and while we know of course that we’re not going to get them all, we’d certainly be happy with a good percentage of them. We can honestly offer something to new car dealerships that other companies simply cannot do.’

Alan MacDonald is Dealer Wizard’s UK director of operations, having joined from Foray Motor Group, which was the first in the UK to adopt the system and where, as general sales manager, he saw Dealer Wizard’s benefits first-hand.

MacDonald says: ‘I was the GSM at English Ford, which is a volume dealer, selling about 1,400 retail units a year new and used.

‘We wanted to look at something new and Dealer Wizard definitely offered something very, very new. There was nothing else like its equity mining software in the UK. ‘We interviewed various other companies that claimed to be able to do the lead generation and services to dealers, but none came even remotely close to Dealer Wizard’s programming.

‘It’s not that they’ve reinvented the wheel, it’s just that what they do, they do very, very well.

Their communications are really strong with the customers. It helps that it’s a new language. In the British industry we’re quite indoctrinated sometimes into doing things the way we’ve always done them and the way we’ve always been shown to do them. We tend to use the same language and a lot of the events can be very stale, and I think generally the customers are very switched on to it now.

‘But Dealer Wizard has a brand-new language.

It’s not done as an event, it has a lot of longevity and it’s just very, very clever wording that really connects with the customers. It’s advanced, very powerful lead generation and very powerful analytics and equity mining software.

‘Truthfully, I cannot see one reason why any dealer would not have it once they’ve seen it. Not one. And I’m looking at that from the point of view as a GSM from Foray Motor Group.

‘There was not one thing about that system that wasn’t really friendly, very easy to use. It’s very, very clever and it absolutely paid for itself hundreds of times over.

‘The Dealer Wizard software takes all the information the dealership knows about a customer, works out their equity, values their vehicle using Glass’s Guide, totals up the settlement figure, then looks at the inventory of that dealer and matches the car being driven to a car that the dealer has in stock and builds a brand-new deal, and that’s delivered to the sales managers every morning without the touch of a human hand.

pray’ with magical system The skyline of Tampa, Florida, where Dealer Wizard is based

‘Every morning you come in you have up to 30 days’ worth of leads delivered to your computer.’

He adds: ‘We’ll get Dealer Wizard up and running for the dealer for 30 days at absolutely no cost. There are no long contracts – the longest is one month. It’s a win-win.

‘There really is nothing to lose, and it sells cars by the boatload!’

MacDonald is confident that dealerships will quickly latch on to Dealer Wizard’s benefits. ‘It’ll find its own traction just through somebody looking at it, I can absolutely guarantee it.

‘We’re talking to two or three dealer groups now, and as soon as they jump on board with it and it starts to spread, well, it’s like everything in our motor trade over here. It’s a very small world, everybody knows everybody. If they suddenly know it’s selling cars, and this does . . . ’ He doesn’t finish the sentence, instead letting the silence tantalisingly speak for itself.

He concludes by saying: ‘It’s going to work and it’s going to spread, and once it does I think it’ll go quickly, but a lot will depend on how open the UK dealer bodies are to seeing something new

and trying it, and if there’s a desire within the dealer groups to try something new and to step away from the kind of, “this is how we’ve always done it” – the “spray and pray” approach where you’re sending out 10,000 letters and maybe selling six or seven cars.’ [CD] Alan MacDonald can be contacted on 01258 857755 or 07881 382125 and via alan@dealerwizard.com Website: dealerwizard.com CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

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FOCUS ON.

Logistics

Reinventing transportation Britain’s most forward-thinking car movement companies offer a new approach

M

oving cars from one place to another should, you might imagine, be a fairly simple process, and given the number of times the average car dealer has to arrange transportation of one kind or another, you’d also be forgiven for thinking that all avenues had been explored, all wrinkles removed, all options considered.

Think again. As we explore over the next few pages, creative thinkers and entrepreneurs are still worrying away at creating efficient and costeffective transport logistics, and while current offerings are making the most of everything that online, web-based platforms can offer, it’s probably fair to say we will see further efficiencies down the delivery road.

As Wayne Pollock, MD of Car Dealer Network, puts it: ‘Vehicle logistics is not rocket science.

That said, sometimes it feels like you need a degree in rocket science to arrange and manage vehicle logistics. Why is this?’

Pollock points out that the buyer has to select a suitable delivery service, negotiate the price, then manage the delivery process with appropriate status and vehicle condition updates. Then, with proof of damage-free delivery paperwork in hand, the shipper can pay the carriers’ invoice before filing all the paperwork for audit purposes. The people, telephone, paper and email approach to vehicle logistics management not only feels like rocket science, it is very expensive.

by PHIL RILEY @PhilRiley5

Pollock adds: ‘As with most things in life, the key to simplifying vehicle logistics is communication. Preferably in real-time. Today, the application of low-cost or free cloud-based automotive logistics software provides the necessary and structured business processes to manage all facets of the vehicle delivery function.’

That, it so happens, is the exact method latched on to by the two providers featured on the following pages.

Movex is a web platform aimed specifically and precisely at the automotive industry, aiming to bring car dealers and transport companies together for everyone’s mutual benefit.

With a tie-in with Manheim, the company is clearly a growing force to be reckoned with.

Shiply has a more general take on efficient logistics, but as eBay Motors UK’s exclusive transport partner,it clearly recognises that there is business to be done in the automotive sector.

Interestingly, the founders of both companies did so after discovering how many vehicles were running half or even completely empty.

FEATURED SUPPLIERS Shiply

Movex

This transport provider has taken a leaf out of eBay’s book and offers users the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience.

Around 250 new members are signing up a month, so the current membership total of over 6,000 is sure to increase substantially.

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FOCUS ON.

Logistics

Simple approach, simple benefits SHIPLY

H

W: shiply.com T: 020 3137 2454

aving transport vehicles of any description driving around half-full or empty makes no sense whichever way you lok at it.

Transport companies don’t get the revenue they could if they weren’t running on empty, car dealers fail to get the discounts they would receive within an efficient transport paradigm, and the environment is subjected to unnecessary emissions from unproductive journeys.

In a nutshell, these are some of the issues Shiply.com was set up to address. And so far, the company looks to be succeeding.

‘Our USP is straightforward – we match customers with transporters and secure them the lowest possible price, typically 75 per cent cheaper than standard transport rates,’ said Robert Matthams, founder of Shiply.com.

‘With us you start a reverse-auction process and transport companies compete for the job, driving the price down. That’s the big difference.

‘You just accept one of the quotes when you are happy. It’s a free service as there’s no charge – we make our money on a commission basis from the transport company that takes the job.

‘For car dealers it means they can get their vehicles moved for the best price. They no longer have to rely on a small pool of transport companies in their local area to secure a good deal.’

Up and running since 2008, Shiply.com was famously inspired by the moment when Matthams, now 31, had a pool table shipped from London to his digs while he was a student at the Manchester

Business School. Chatting to the driver when it was delivered he was told the van was heading back south completely empty.

‘I did some research and found out that around 25 per cent of lorries and vans are running empty and 50 per cent are only part-loaded,’ said Matthams. ‘It was just written-off by the industry as an operating cost, and that was the point I realised there might be a place for a platform that could make it all more efficient.’

With thousands of transport companies now signed up and 1.6m customers across 10 countries, including Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, he’s clearly not alone in recognising the virtues of efficiency and competitive pricing.

While in no way automotive-exclusive – Shiply moves home contents, boats and pretty much anything else you can think of – the company is involved in 18,000 vehicle movements a year and is eBay Motors UK’s exclusive transport partner.

‘We tend to work with independents as they

‘‘

We tend to work with independents as they are always looking to reduce costs and make the most of new technology

are always looking to reduce costs and make the most of new technology,’ said Matthams, adding that franchise dealers often have long-standing arrangements in place – ‘they might be being somewhat overcharged, but it is in place and they are used to it, and that’s completely understandable’.

Matthams goes on to point out that Shiply also stands out from the crowd in offering a feedback system that allows present and future customers to assess if customer service is meeting expectations.

‘It’s much like the system on eBay, so after every transaction customers can leave positive, negative or neutral feedback on how the job went.

‘That enables future customers to see how a particular transport company performs, which is much more effective than scouring through Google and the rest to find a company.’

And again and again, the straightforward appeal to the customer – including car dealers large or small – shines through.

‘Our approach is simple,’ says Matthams. ‘You go to the site, list the car you want moved, destination, make and model, whether you want in on the back of a transporter or driven with trade plates, or if you don’t have a preference. Then you just sit back and wait for the quotes to come in by email.

‘As soon as a customer accepts a quote they are put in touch directly with the transport company to arrange all the details. The contract is between them and the company.’

In a competitive market, Shiply’s straightforward appeal has won many admirers and a growing list of customers.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 93

FOCUS ON.

Logistics

Speedy and convenient to MOVEX

F

W: movex.co.uk T: 020 8551 1060

or a company that started its life around a kitchen table just a few years ago, the innovative car transport facilitator Movex can now boast some impressive and everimproving statistics.

Like many of the best business ideas, it is rooted in offering a simple and straightforward solution to a normally complex issue, at the same time providing a win-win situation for all involved.

Owner and founder Daren Jones says: ‘Simply put, we are an online platform that brings transport firms and car dealers together.

‘It’s all about speed and convenience.’

With an elegant simplicity that belies several years of hard work by Jones and his team, Movex allows car dealers to post a collection or delivery job on the real-time

94 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

website, which is immediately visible to the many car transport companies that have also signed up.

Car dealers can either request quotes for the specified job or offer it at a fixed price. In either case, the dealer can view details of the tendering company and see feedback from previous customers.

Once the deal is struck online, the successful transport firm then contacts the dealer directly to confirm details and arrange payment terms.

One benefit of the information-heavy interchange is that transport companies can ‘backload’ by searching the state-ofthe-art section on the Movex site for a suitable second job, which means that they can earn money on both legs of the trip.

This works equally well in filling

create a win-win empty slots on car transporters or utilising return trips for trade-plate drivers.

The obvious environmental pay-off is an added benefit within the system, while for the car dealer it also means that they can often secure a better deal. Jones cites a couple of recent examples of the virtues of the Movex approach. In one of them, a dealer was able to secure a 280-mile backload deal for just £40. In another, a plate driver quoted just £1 for a job as an alternative to paying for a rail ticket to get home.

Following in his car dealer father’s footsteps, Jones, 49, says he was ‘buying and selling cars before I could drive’ and from the age of 16 worked as a home-based dealer in Essex.

The idea that would grow into Movex sprang directly from his own experience of arranging collections and deliveries of cars from across the UK. ‘I was buying lots of cars in Wales,’ he recalls.

‘So I spent a lot of time online trying to find a transport company that could fulfil particular jobs. Typically, there would be a three- or four-day

delay before they had a driver in the right area.

‘I was looking for vehicle delivery websites and there just wasn’t anything around, at least for car dealers. The more I looked, the more I realised there was a market out there,’ he added.

After setting up his own website in 2012, the hard work really began, with a small telesales team calling car dealers and transport companies.

As Jones recalls, it was a slow build, then in early 2013 a former chief executive of Sytner Group bought a share in Movex – ‘the investment helped and it certainly opened a few doors’.

Growth continued, and Jones bought back that share of the company in late 2014.

He was then approached by Manheim.

‘Having just bought the company back I wasn’t initially that interested, but Manheim made me an offer which I accepted.’

The automotive giant clearly recognised a good thing with Movex, and the synchronicity between the two was irresistible.

‘Manheim has 800,000 vehicle movements a year in the UK, and even with its own transport system it has to subcontract around 40 per cent of that – so it is pretty clear where we can come in,’ said Jones.

‘Manheim uses around 100 transport companies, whom we are looking forward to working with as part of the ever-growing Movex family.’

Many of the UK’s biggest dealerships are already on board, as well as auction houses, remarketing, salvage and leasing companies.

At the time of writing, Movex is going from strength to strength with a total of 6,032 ‘members’ – 5,432 car dealers and precisely 600 transport companies signed up.

With around 250 new members joining every month, the sky is clearly the limit. From a standing start just three-and-a-half years ago to its current impressive stature, Movex has been on quite a journey. [CD]

by Phil Riley (@PhilRiley5)

‘‘

I was looking for vehicle delivery websites and there just wasn’t anything around, at least for car dealers. The more I looked, the more I realised there was a market out there.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 95

DASHBOARD. FEATURE.

Ask Lawgistics

Do we have to refund this 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

A mate has asked me to sell a car for him on his behalf. He wants me to advertise it for him and process the payment, then pay him the proceeds of the sale. I am concerned that if the car goes wrong, I will have to sort the vehicle out, which I don’t want to do, as I won’t actually be selling the car. What are the legal implications if I sell the car for my mate? Should I help him out or not?

This is a common occurrence among dealers and we have seen a few cases which have, in all honesty, ended badly. If you are looking at advertising the vehicle and processing the payment on your friend’s behalf, the customer may rightly believe that you are the seller of the vehicle, and may be able to claim they have a valid contact with you. You are then left with all the liability but none of the profit from the sale.

We would strongly advise, if you are considering helping your friend out, that you protect yourself, and make it clear from the outset that you will be nothing more than an agent in this matter.

There are a number of documents that are essential if you plan on selling a vehicle on behalf of another person. One of them is a Sale or Return Agreement.

This is an agreement between the seller of the vehicle and the agent dealer (you), whereby you clearly set out the agreed price the vehicle is being sold for and a commission amount or percentage that the agent will

A

Q

receive upon the sale of the vehicle. The form should also break down the obligations of each party and it’s vital that it states that the seller shall stand by and indemnify the dealer against any claims that may rise against the dealer, if there turns out to be an issue with the vehicle at a later date.

Another document will be the vehicle sales invoice. This will need to have the seller’s details and not the agent’s. It is important to make it clear that you are the agent and are selling the vehicle on behalf of the seller; you are not selling it through your company.

Therefore the description of the vehicle needs to be provided by the seller and the advertisement should clearly state you are not the seller. If this is not clear, there could be a case of misdescription. It goes without saying, the agent should not offer a warranty, other additional products or have the sale go through the company.

If the vehicle appears to be sold by yourself (a trader), then the consumer may have an argument that they were led to believe the vehicle was sold by your company and therefore will incur all the rights which consumers are entitled to. If you don’t have a correct Sale or Return Agreement in place and it is not clear on the sales invoice pad, you could be liable for any claims the consumer may have.

.com

Does rejection bid indicate that we’re in trouble?

Q

We sold a 10-year-old car on September 30. Three weeks later, the customer reported an issue with the indicator no longer turning itself off. We said there was nothing we could do and we thought she had gone away, but we have now received a County Court claim saying she wants to reject the car under the 30-day Short Term Right to Reject. What should we do?

Firstly you need to complete and return the Acknowledgement of Service which

A

you would have been sent within 14 days. You then need to draft a defence and send it to the court within the following 14 days.

The defence should state that as the vehicle was purchased on September 30, the customer is not entitled to the 30-day Short Term Right to Reject as that is a feature of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and that only applies to sales from October 1.

Her redress is under the Sales of Goods Act 1979.

The defence should also state that such a fault does not make the vehicle not of satisfactory quality or not fit for purpose, especially on a 10-year-old vehicle, and so she has no claim.

Obviously the defence will require more detail and if you are a Lawgistics member we can draft a full defence containing all the relevant legal points for you – but the above will give you a good starting point to try to get the claim dismissed.

ADVICE

A customer saw a vehicle on our website, paid over the phone in full and then came to collect it. It is not the normal way we do business but they seemed genuine. A week later they called to say they had changed their mind and wanted their money back under the Distance Selling Regulations. Can they do that?

First off, the regulations known as the Distance Selling Regulations were superseded by The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

These 2013 regulations apply to all sales made after June 13, 2014 and cover onand off-premises sales as well as distance sales. However, according to Paragraph 5 of the regulations, a sale will only be a distance contract if it is made under ‘an organised distance sale scheme’. The most obvious example of an organised scheme would be an internet sales platform such as Amazon.

If you are ordering a product from Amazon, you are buying purely on the website description and do not get to physically see the product.

However, if you operate from a forecourt or showroom where vehicles are on display, you are unlikely to be operating an ‘organised distance sales scheme’ so a one-off sale of this nature would not be subject to the regulations. Therefore, the customer will not have the 14-day cancellation rights associated with a distance sale.

A

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WHY I JOINED CAR DEALER CLUB

WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP?

Jay Spencer is grateful to Lawgistics for helping him get to grips with consumer rights legislation DECEMBER’S Member of the Month is Jay Spencer, right, who first began his relationship with Lawgistics in March this year, following the opening of Auto Provisions Ltd, his used car dealership covering the Hertfordshire area.

As Lawgistics provided his warranty, Spencer would often go to them for advice and information on matters that affected his business, from customer queries to his own rights when it came to selling a vehicle.

The company has been instrumental in his dealership’s formative months, he said.

‘I was dealing with cars prior to starting up the company, so I do have a bit more experience than just since March, but it’s been a very steep learning curve.

Lawgistics helped me get to grips with warranty and with things that I didn’t understand to do with consumer rights.

‘After a while, their knowledge began to rub off on me, but I still send them the odd email or make a phone call if there’s something I’m not sure of, and they’re always there to help,’ added the Kings Langley-based dealer.

When Lawgistics suggested Spencer sign up to the Car Dealer Club, he jumped at the chance of a discounted membership to the automotive industry’s legal consultancy providing specialist advice, along with the other benefits that the club provides.

Recently, an issue arose with a customer, and Spencer immediately turned to Lawgistics to resolve the problem.

He commented: ‘It’s a bit of a grey area, what the customer is asking of me, but Lawgistics have given me some really good support, and the advice they have provided

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on how I should approach the dispute with the customer is absolutely second to none, it’s outstanding to be honest.’

Spencer finds the frequent email updates the company sends out extremely helpful, and knows that should he ever find himself in a similar situation again, the advisers at the firm will be there to help.

He added: ‘It’s reassuring to have them just a phone call away, and with Lawgistics you know you’ve got some very good support behind you.’

As a result of the excellent advice he’s received, Spencer is now looking to upgrade to small business membership, before he expands his dealership.

£1,000s AND ALL FOR JUST £39.99

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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.

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DATA FILE.

Thestatistics

n

SMMT Sales Data

n

Taking Stock

VW registrations fall 9.8 per cent as new car market declines Citroen, Dacia, Mini... other manufacturers suffer in latest set of figures

U

K new car registrations dropped for the first time in more than three-and-ahalf years in October – with Volkswagen’s performance down almost 10 per cent in the wake of the emissions scandal.

VW wasn’t the only manufacturer to post a poor set of figures, however.

Sister brands Skoda and Seat saw drops of three per cent and 32 per cent respectively, while Dacia (down 31 per cent) and Citroen (down 18 per cent) also reported heavy falls.

Mini recorded a 21 per cent decline in new car registrations and Vauxhall’s numbers fell by 16 per cent. It wasn’t all bad news, however, with brands such as Abarth, Infiniti, Jeep and Lotus all heading in the right direction.

The figures released at the start of November by the SMMT revealed that a total of 177,664 new cars were registered in October. The statistic represented a slight decrease of 1.1 per cent on last year’s October figure

and followed a record 43 consecutive months of growth. The year-to-date figures continue to paint a positive picture, however. A total of 2,274,550 cars have been registered so far in 2015, 6.4 per cent more than at this time in 2014, and the best year-to-date performance on record.

Diesel and petrol market shares remained stable during October, while the demand for alternatively-fuelled vehicles (AFVs) continued to grow.

October AFV volumes were up by 13.8 per cent, reaching three per cent of the total market for the first time, as more consumers switched to an ever more diverse range of ultra

low-emission vehicles. The high-value market segments saw the biggest gains, with specialist sports and luxury saloon vehicle registrations growing 59 per cent and 23.1 per cent respectively.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘The UK car market has gone through a period of unprecedented growth and, so far, 2015 has been a bumper year.

‘As expected, demand has now begun to level off but the sector is in a strong position, as low interest rates, consumer confidence and exciting new products combine to attract new car buyers. The current full-year growth forecast remains on track.’

UK market leader Ford recorded 101,598 65-plate registrations during September and October, even though its October figure year-on-year was down 8.84 per cent. Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: ‘Ford is building on the strength of its core models in the UK.’ James Baggott, p114

SMMT sales data Oct/year to date

5

Top

Most-improved manufacturers in October

Lotus +725% smart +301% Infiniti +213% Abarth

+164%

Jeep +112%

5

Bottom

Worst-performing manufacturers in October

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all down...

Saab -100%

ENGLAND bucked the trend when the latest set of new car registration figures was released – by seeing an increase.

Across Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the figures headed in the opposite direction as the overall UK market saw its first drop in more than 40 months.

In England, 153,584 vehicles were registered in October, a 0.7 per cent rise compared to the 152,522 cars a year ago. Meanwhile, there were 1,940,380 registrations to date in 2015, up 7.39

Chrysler -99%

98 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

per cent from the 1,806,850 at the same point in 2014. Northern Ireland saw 3,677 cars registered last month, compared with the 3,843 last October – a decrease of 4.32 per cent. However, there is better news for the market there in the annual figures, with 51,963 cars registered so far, a 0.24 per cent increase over the 51,839 last year.

Moving on to Scotland, new car registrations sank to 13,459 in October, a significant 17.16 per cent drop compared to the 16,247 in October

2014. However, overall, Scotland saw a 0.22 per cent increase in year-to-date registrations in 2015, with 193,729 up on the 193,305 recorded by this time last year. Wales also endured a quieter month year-on-year, with 6,469 registrations marking a fall of three per cent from the 6,669 last October.

Following the trend, Wales experienced an overall rise of 2.33 per cent so far in 2015, with 81,305 registrations beating the 79,450 recorded at this time last year.

Chevrolet -100% Seat -32% Dacia -31%

MAZDA +25.04%

MINI -21.85% 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

October 2015 2015

310 396 77 13,182 169 13,938 0 1 4,683 1,401 1,159 4,408 22,081 3,368 6,049 166 1,929 847 5,712 5,192 992 66 120 2,921 9,924 159 0 4,112 1,571 10,392 0 6,347 1,144 0 4,550 0 2,338 4,924 735 222 201 1,851 6,164 15,891 13,970 3,684 73 245 177,664

% market share 0.17 0.22 0.04 7.42 0.10 7.85 0.00 0.00 2.64 0.79 0.65 2.48 12.43 1.90 3.40 0.09 1.09 0.48 3.22 2.92 0.56 0.04 0.07 1.64 5.59 0.09 0.00 2.31 0.88 5.85 0.00 3.57 0.64 0.00 2.56 0.00 1.32 2.77 0.41 0.12 0.11 1.04 3.47 8.94 7.86 2.07 0.04 0.14

October 2014 2014

117 356 55 12,893 131 10,558 10 108 5,748 2,047 0 4,646 24,221 3,028 5,892 53 1,127 398 5,981 3,695 1,096 8 97 2,336 8,741 188 0 5,262 1,784 11,934 0 5,867 948 0 4,754 2 3,450 5,078 183 127 216 1,744 6,233 19,005 15,495 3,946 64 92 179,714

% market share 0.07 0.20 0.03 7.17 0.07 5.87 0.01 0.06 3.20 1.14 0.00 2.59 13.48 1.68 3.28 0.03 0.63 0.22 3.33 2.06 0.61 0.00 0.05 1.30 4.86 0.10 0.00 2.93 0.99 6.64 0.00 3.26 0.53 0.00 2.65 0.00 1.92 2.83 0.10 0.07 0.12 0.97 3.47 10.58 8.62 2.20 0.04 0.05

% change 164.96 11.24 40.00 2.24 29.01 32.01 -100.00 -99.07 -18.53 -31.56 0.00 -5.12 -8.84 11.23 2.66 213.21 71.16 112.81 -4.50 40.51 -9.49 725.00 23.71 25.04 13.53 -15.43 0.00 -21.85 -11.94 -12.92 0.00 8.18 20.68 0.00 -4.29 -100.00 -32.23 -3.03 301.64 74.80 -6.94 6.14 -1.11 -16.39 -9.84 -6.64 14.06 166.30 -1.14

2015 2,339 4,320 804 146,482 1,196 138,247 9 137 71,021 21,787 5,708 56,275 290,409 46,931 76,672 1,057 19,895 9,267 69,920 55,073 11,610 329 1,281 40,844 126,433 2,620 0 51,294 19,671 135,359 0 90,940 10,703 0 63,771 0 42,858 65,068 7,098 2,903 2,935 30,557 87,768 227,991 196,411 36,075 640 1,842 2,274,550

Year-to-date (YTD) % market share 0.10 0.19 0.04 6.44 0.05 6.08 0.00 0.01 3.12 0.96 0.25 2.47 12.77 2.06 3.37 0.05 0.87 0.41 3.07 2.42 0.51 0.01 0.06 1.80 5.56 0.12 0.00 2.26 0.86 5.95 0.00 4.00 0.47 0.00 2.80 0.00 1.88 2.86 0.31 0.13 0.13 1.34 3.86 10.02 8.64 1.59 0.03 0.08

2014

1,403 4,820 750 139,380 1,291 124,078 2,774 1,781 72,290 20,630 0 58,427 286,975 47,130 71,456 644 15,754 3,242 68,519 49,178 9,725 188 1,018 33,709 107,837 2,028 5 41,846 12,946 118,824 27 91,285 7,431 1 55,486 3 46,061 65,464 4,199 1,342 2,356 33,175 82,288 229,362 184,157 34,730 688 1,207 2,137,910

% market share 0.07 0.23 0.04 6.52 0.06 5.80 0.13 0.08 3.38 0.96 0.00 2.73 13.42 2.20 3.34 0.03 0.74 0.15 3.20 2.30 0.45 0.01 0.05 1.58 5.04 0.09 0.00 1.96 0.61 5.56 0.00 4.27 0.35 0.00 2.60 0.00 2.15 3.06 0.20 0.06 0.11 1.55 3.85 10.73 8.61 1.62 0.03 0.06

% change 66.71 -10.37 7.20 5.10 -7.36 11.42 -99.68 -92.31 -1.76 5.61 0.00 -3.68 1.20 -0.42 7.30 64.13 26.29 185.84 2.04 11.99 19.38 75.00 25.83 21.17 17.24 29.19 -100.00 22.58 51.95 13.92 -100.00 -0.38 44.03 -100.00 14.93 -100.00 -6.95 -0.60 69.04 116.32 24.58 -7.89 6.66 -0.60 6.65 3.87 -6.98 52.61 6.39

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 99

TAKING STOCK. Average values reached record levels in October – but there are factors that could affect the performance of the market in the weeks leading up to Christmas

There’s a buyer out there for a car in any condition – as long as the price is right Over-valuing less attractive cars almost inevitably results in a failure to sell first time, says UK network operations director Simon Henstock

O

ctober was another strong month for price performance in the used car market, with values rising across the board. Average values for fleet/lease and part-exchange cars reached record levels, according to our latest Pulse report, while nearly-new values and the overall headline figure were the highest so far this year.

However, increased volumes and the rising numbers of poor-condition cars could affect market performance in the weeks ahead, so we’re advising sellers to appraise and value their vehicles in line with market sentiment.

Fleet values rose by £148 (1.5 per cent), with part-exchange values climbing by £67 (1.5 per cent) and nearly-new values rising by £1,251 (6.1 per cent). The headline average value improved by £290 (3.7 per cent) as higher-value fleet and lease cars represented a higher percentage in October compared with September.

The headline average value of a used car increased to £7,992, despite performance against CAP Clean falling by two percentage points to 96.63 per cent. Year-on-year, average values were up by £244 (3.1 per cent), with age static and mileage continuing to fall.

Performance against CAP was up by one percentage point compared with 2014.

Although October’s figures look exceptionally strong, rising average values are not the whole story. Volumes have climbed in recent weeks and while the best-presented and most attractive ready-to-retail cars are selling quickly and often for well above guide valuations, there are increasing numbers of poorer-quality cars reaching the wholesale markets. These less attractive vehicles need to be accurately appraised and valued in line with market expectations if they are to be sold first time.

Over-valuing poor-condition and less attractive cars almost inevitably results in a failure to sell first time. When they take longer to sell, there’s the potential for holding costs to rise. If buyers

have greater choice, they inevitably focus on those cars that represent the best profit opportunity in the shortest timescale.

Sellers should be aware of the changing market conditions and work closely with their remarketing partners to ensure their stock is properly prepared, appropriately condition-rated and sensibly valued in the weeks ahead. It is worth remembering that there are buyers for every age, mileage and condition of vehicle providing the price is right.

Fleet and lease car values averaged £9,848 in October, rising by £148 (1.5 per cent) compared with September and reaching the highest point on record since Pulse began reporting.

Despite this, retained value against original MRP (manufacturer’s retail price) was down slightly at 41.8 per cent (from 42.09 per cent

Year-on-year average values up by

£244

100 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

last month), with age and mileage broadly static. Compared with October 2014, average fleet and lease values were up by £315 (3.3 per cent), with performance against CAP Clean up by half a point and retained value down slightly on 2014.

Average values for dealer part-exchange cars also improved over the month, climbing by £67 (1.5 per cent) to £4,401 – the highest monthly average value on record and equivalent to 96.38 per cent of CAP Clean. Year-onyear values remain ahead by £265 (6.4 per cent), with CAP Clean performance ahead by more than two percentage points compared with a year ago.

Nearly-new values rose by £1,251 (6.1 per cent) compared with September to £21,776, the highest average value recorded this year to date. As we always point out, model mix has a significant effect in this very low-volume sector. CAP Clean performance improved slightly to 101.54 per cent.

Nearly-new values up by

£1,251

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 101

AUCTIONS.

Henstock AUCTION STATIONS

Giving you help that’s effective and efficient

A

New initiative will help dealers get most out of finance opportunity Service can allow you to unlock the potential to expand your operation

W

ith more and more dealers signing up with BCA’s Partner Finance stock funding service, BCA has launched a new initiative to help customers get the most out of the opportunity.

Members of the BCA Partner Finance team are now on hand at selected BCA centres on sale days to help customers with any queries that they might have, from balance inquiries to facility increases.

There are also dedicated phone numbers to help customers receive a speedy response from a member of the BCA Partner Finance team.

New customers can also sign up on the spot, get their application fast-tracked

and benefit from the funding they need to source used vehicle purchases at BCA, unlocking the potential to expand their retail operations.

The stock funding service that BCA launched in 2014 funds 100 per cent of the auction price including fees, delivery and VAT at competitive rates up to £25,000 on each vehicle.

Customers value the simplicity of the service, which is helping them to purchase additional stock from the huge choice available at BCA. Dealers can use BCA Partner Finance to fund any BCA auction purchase, whether they are making a speculative buy, sourcing a vehicle to order or expanding the range and scope of their stock profile.

Look for the green BCA Partner Finance branding at BCA’s auction centres for more information or visit the website bca.co.uk/partnerfinance

s reported on this page, BCA continues to expand its innovative BCA Partner Finance Service aimed at helping independent car and van dealers secure incremental funding to underpin their used vehicle acquisitions.

Research into dealer attitudes published in BCA’s latest Used Car Market Report highlights that over a third of respondents are keen to boost their stock levels and would do so if they had the right finance in place to support growth. Even in a recovering economic market, it seems dealers are struggling to get the finance from traditional sources to support their used vehicle business. BCA Partner Finance helps by funding the whole auction purchase, including fees and VAT where applicable, with both cars and vans funded using the scheme.

Importantly, the BCA Partner Finance stocking facility is not linked to the dealer’s retail financing activities, allowing dealers the freedom to choose how best to use their funding and grow their business as they see fit.

BCA Partner Finance customers have used the financial freedom it delivers to expand their retail sites, uplift their stock profile or invest in IT development, for example.

Interestingly, over 42 per cent of dealers surveyed by BCA for this year’s Used Car Market Report suggested they would expand their premises if they had the funds to do it.

BCA works closely with customers to ensure they are maximising the benefits of the scheme and has just launched a new on-site customer service support function.

Each customer has a dedicated account manager they can talk to about their stocking facility and has a personal funding service that is tailored to their individual needs.

Customers value the simplicity of the service, which is helping them to purchase additional stock from the huge choice available at BCA and freeing up funding to grow their business – simple, effective and efficient.

Who is Simon Henstock?

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

MAJOR CORPORATE FLEET & MANUFACTURER CAR AUCTIONS 3 100’s of Professional buyers every Thursday 10am – 300 fleet vehicles at Rockingham and Belfast 3 Live Bid 2 online technology available from smartphone and tablet 3 Buy with confidence - corporate vehicles subject to mechanical health check and 20+ digital images 3 Competitive buyer fees - buy five cars or more and qualify for Platinum rates

ENTRIES INVITED FROM CORPORATE VENDORS WORLD CLASS FACILITIES – FIRST RATE SERVICE Click www.cityauctiongroup.com for vehicle details, images and NAMA inspection reports

102 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Vanarama Cars will take advantage of expanding leasing sector. bit.ly/leasing93

COACHING

CLASSICS

RADA training for Manheim auctioneers

Collectors and enthusiasts get a double treat

MANHEIM has taken advantage of ‘RADA in Business’ training from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to provide vocal impact coaching for the trainees in its Auctioneers’ Academy.

Regular auction goers will appreciate the importance of the auctioneer’s voice – their most important asset.

The training was delivered

by Sue Meadows, who works with a wide range of clients.

She said: ‘In many ways, auctioneers at the rostrum must deploy the same skills as actors on the stage or in front of the camera.’

The techniques taught reflect those used by actors to convey their message, and provided the trainee auctioneers with coaching on how to use their body, breath and voice to develop their personal impact.

Video, another useful tool to help dealers shift their part-ex stock Now you can convey the sound of an engine or a convertible roof action

L

isted stock on Dealer Auction’s website can now be enhanced with video – providing prospective buyers with a more complete view of a particular vehicle.

Cars are offered on Dealer Auction’s BCA is expanding its nationwide commercial platform 24 hours a day, seven days a sales programme with the week, and buyers are always looking for launch of a new Monday well-presented vehicles that have been LCV auction and e-sale at its accurately appraised.

Nottingham centre.

Videos on Dealer Auction listings can be BCA now has six van filmed on a smartphone or tablet before remarketing centres offering being uploaded and added to the listing the widest selection of stock in the same way as an image. The video anywhere in the UK. Sales will take place on will play automatically within the image alternate Mondays for the gallery when a buyer clicks on it. rest of 2015, before launching Gavin Smith, managing director of Car dealer May 2015 24/4/15 10:53 Page 1 weekly early next year.

Dealer Auction, said: ‘Not only are we

SERVICE

Commercial sales expand at BCA

No cowboys.

Just Just trade trade professionals. professionals.

providing dealers with another tool to help them sell their part-exchange stock in the most profitable way, but we will also provide training on how to present videos for buyers professionally, from staging shots to filming techniques.’

The new video capability allows dealers to convey elements of the vehicle that would otherwise not be possible in images and the description alone, for example the sound of the engine, or the action of a convertible roof.

Smith added: ‘For online auctions, presentation is just, if not more, important than for physical auctions, as buyers only have the images, description, and now video, to go on.

‘Vehicles presented professionally almost always achieve higher prices. On Dealer Auction, it is all about honesty, and an accurate appraisal of a car’s condition – warts and all – will increase the likelihood of attracting bids.’

COLLECTORS and enthusiasts turned out in force when BCA Blackbushe offered two classic British cars in mid-October.

Both the 1957 Morris Minor and the 1960 Ford Prefect in question had generated a lot of pre-sale interest and there was some very competitive bidding both in the auction hall and online as the cars were offered.

The Morris Minor had only been sold once before, at BCA’s former Frimley centre in 1980 when it realised £680.

Thirty-five years later it made over four times that value, selling for £2,850. The twoowner Morris was in need of some gentle renovation to be returned to its former glory and came with a number of original spares.

The beautifully restored 1960 Ford Prefect was described as one of the best examples to reach the market in recent years. Finished in cream, with a grey and red leather-trimmed interior, the car was in original condition throughout.

With the restoration completed to a very high standard and a comprehensive record of the work carried out, the Prefect sold for £5,600.

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 | 103

MARKET INSIGHT.

..in association with ASE-global.com

Share prices buoyed by positive trading updates after emissions scandal Further consolidation of the market is expected before the end of the year, says Mike Jones

A

series of trading updates/interim results announcements during October saw the market respond positively following the uncertainty around the VW emissions scandal in September, although it was a quiet month for transactional activity. The FTSE100 as a whole also saw some rebound from September, but unlike the motor retailer group of companies, it still remains down on the year.

Share price performance October saw some significant increases in share prices, representing the market’s reaction to the positive trading updates by the dealers regarding year-to-date performance, and also an update on record September performances. There will also be an element of bounce-back in the share prices following the falls immediately after the VW emissions announcement.

The Vertu share price was also impacted by the acquisition of SHG (South Hereford) Holdings on October 1, representing further investment by that company in the VW Group – a transaction initially queried by the market, but now recognised as a positive contributor.

Financial performance A number of the dealer groups provided the market with trading updates this month.

Vertu Motors released their unaudited interim results for the six months ended August 31, 2015,

Share price movement from Jan 1 to October 30, 2015

Share price movement from Jan 1 to September 30, 2015

Pendragon

137.7%

127.7%

Vertu

124.9%

111.9%

Lookers

135.3%

128.8%

Inchcape

110.3%

98.8%

Cambria

144.7%

132.6%

Caffyns

101.8%

96.4%

Marshall

112.1%

112.1%*

*movement since admission to AIM on April 2 on October 14, which showed record profits and an increase in the interim dividend of 28.6 per cent. Coupled with strong cash generation, an improvement in EPS of 27.8 per cent and the belief that year-end results will also be ahead of expectations, it is perhaps not surprising that the share price increased by 12 per cent following the announcement.

Inchcape issued a trading update on October 22. As readers are aware, Inchcape is unlike the other listed motor retailers in that it operates on a global basis. Data is published with reference to a ‘constant currency’ to give a better indication of the underlying operational performance,

Lookers issued a quarterly trading update on October 30

Who is Mike Jones?

He’s the chairman of dealer profitability specialist ASE plc. You can read ASE’s column here every month 104 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

with group revenue having grown by 9.4 per cent compared with the same period last year assuming this constant currency (but up by 2.5 per cent when using actual currency rates). Growth has been volume-driven, though, as with the other dealers, margins on each vehicle remain a challenge. Overall performance remains in line with market expectations.

Lookers issued a quarterly trading update on October 30, which showed continued improvements with a record result being reported overall with improved margins/profit in all divisions through increases in volumes.

As with Vertu, cash generation continued to be strong, with new and increased bank facilities being negotiated at the time of the Benfield Motors acquisition in early September although management make a point of noting that the debt position is under control.

Pendragon were the last of the dealers who issued an update, with their interim management statement released on November 3.

Pendragon also reported a strong third quarter with increased gross profits across new and used cars and aftersales.

Used car performance was particularly impressive with like-for-like gross profit up by 15.2 per cent in the three months to September 30. They have upgraded their full-year new car registration forecast to 2.6 million, and expect performance of the group to be in line with the expectations that were uplifted in August.

Financial performance October was a quiet month with no activity following Vertu’s acquisition of SHG (South Hereford) Holdings on October 1 for £12.8m cash and £1.5m deferred consideration.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, South Hereford showed revenues of £77.5 million, EBITDA of £2 million, profits before tax of £1.5 million and net assets of £4.3 million.

Therefore this is EPS-enhancing for Vertu.

Following the robust announcements in the month regarding profitability and cash generation, we remain expectant of further consolidation of the market between now and the end of the year.

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#CDPower CarDealerMag.co.uk | 105

RECRUITMENT.

Record number of youngsters join JCT600 as apprentices Firm has worked hard to build a comprehensive training programme

A

nother 23 young people have joined Yorkshirebased family motor retailer JCT600 as part of this year’s apprenticeship drive – with a further five due to be appointed later in the autumn.

By the end of the year, the company will have more than 100 apprentices working across the business in a variety of roles.

Over the last two years, the Bradford-based firm has expanded its established apprenticeship scheme and recruited a record number of young people.

It has again offered apprenticeships at most of its 50 dealerships throughout Yorkshire, the North East, the Humber, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire for a variety of roles such as trainee service advisers,

apprentice technicians and parts advisers. These apprenticeships run for two and three years and the apprentices gain NVQ Level 3 qualifications alongside respected IMI Technical Certificates.

JCT600 recently held special induction evenings for the new apprentices and their parents at

MMG careers advert_Layout 1 26/07/2012 15:29 Page 1

Only

Marshall Motor Group is part of a unique family owned group of companies with a turnover approaching £1bn (35% growth), with interests also in the aerospace and ground systems sectors. We celebrated our Centenary in 2009 and we are still growing in size.

At Marshall, wherever we work, we all play a big part in ensuring that our sales and profit targets are met, not least by providing our customers with a fantastic level of service which means identifying their needs, and responding to them quickly.

With our strong customer centric and people focus it is not surprising that we have received some enviable accolades including "Dealer Group of the Year" and being shortlisted for "Employer of the Year" and we are committed to building on our achievements to date.

marshallweb.co.uk

Emma’s new network role MITSUBISHI has created a new role to focus on UK dealer network development because of the growth of the brand.

Emma Soble has been promoted from her position of dealer support manager to general manager network development.

She joined the company’s Cirencester headquarters in 2004 straight from university as part of the graduate programme, and has worked in customer services, marketing, events and product, as well as having roles at the import centre at the Royal Portbury Dock and as an area manager. Her new role will involve looking after the franchising, dealer development and training teams at what is a busy time for the brand.

Reach new heights... need apply!

106 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

its York Audi, BMW Bradford and Volkswagen Chesterfield dealerships.

Katie Saunders, HR director for JCT600, said: ‘For a company of our size to have taken on almost 30 apprentices this year alone is a real achievement, and quite unusual within the motor retail industry.

‘We have worked hard to develop a comprehensive apprenticeship scheme which assumes no previous experience or knowledge and provides a complete and structured training and development programme.’

Our picture shows Henry Forster (left) and Elliot Mathers, who have been recruited as apprentice technicians at JCT600’s Sheffield Audi dealership. JCT600 sells 18 of the world’s most respected brands such as Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati.

MITSUBISHI

We are looking for talented automotive professionals to join our team. If this is you and you share our passion for being the best then you can look forward to a great benefits package, the chance to build on your skills and experience with ongoing training, plus all the encouragement and support you need to develop a rewarding, long-term career with us.

Please go to

www.marshallcareers.co.uk

...with a career at Vertu Motors

Welcome to Vertu Motors PLC, the largest growing motor retailer in the UK Whether you’re starting your career or changing jobs, it is important that you apply to join a company that is right for you, one that shares your values, will appreciate your work ethic and reward your achievements.

It is not that different from buying a car.

Get it right and you’ll feel good every time you make a journey. Get it wrong, however, and you’ll never feel satisfied. Choosing an employer is similar but, considering how much time we spend at work, it is far more important to get that choice right. After all, this is a decision that will literally change the course of your life. You need to know, however, that we are equally choosey when deciding who will make this journey with us. You would expect no less.

to find out more about the Group and see our current vacancies.

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

www.vertucareers.com

Due to phenomenal growth, GardX Protection are now hiring!

Account Managers.

Regional Managers.

Nationwide Positions Available.

We are currently seeking talented and motivated individuals to join our forward thinking team and become a part of this exciting journey.

If a future at GardX Protection is for you - please send your CV and a cover letter to: recruitment@gardx.co.uk

Award Winning. . . Forward thinking. . . GardX Protection.

Talk to us!

e: info@gardx.co.uk t: 01243 376 426 w: www.gardx.co.uk

Follow Us! CarDealerMag.co.uk | 107

DATA FILE.

James Litton TRADER TALES

Why VW sales execs should not despair

I

am not someone who indulges in romantic sojourns down memory lane, yet the VW scandal has reminded me of the fateful last days of Rover under BMW’s ownership when I was a sales executive in Rover heartland, Christchurch in Dorset.

I should make it clear that I do not imagine the eventual long-term fate of VW will be anything as terminal as Rover’s, but every VW sales executive in the country whose earnings are dependent on the success of the brand will have had some very negative thoughts in recent weeks.

To these colleagues of mine, you should not despair.

Back in 2000, with the cloud over Longbridge growing ever blacker, BMW decided to pull the plug on Rover and sell the group to the much-maligned Phoenix group for £1.

My colleagues and I reached for the situations-vacant ads, the owners of the business sent letters to other manufacturers looking for new opportunities and everything seemed very grim indeed for a while.

Desperate to move ready stock, Rover launched a marketing offensive involving subsidised cars, finance and servicing – particularly aimed at former and existing employees and their families.

It was amazingly successful.

With no real understanding of the future of the product, customers bought the cars in their thousands, giving real hope that the Phoenix group had a product they could work with and giving much-needed confidence and profitability to the network.

What became of Rover is well documented, but to me, it highlights why the impact of the emissions scandal is a very violent storm in a teacup.

VW have an extremely loyal group of customers and employees and they make fabulous cars. The general public, it seems, have little regard for the economic fate of a car manufacturer, or indeed that of the environment if they think they have been given a good deal.

With the exception of their board-level statements and political inquiries, VW have been very quiet with regard to how they plan to reward loyal customers.

Sending letters saying your car will be sorted is the first and obvious step.

I urge the marketing teams of VAG product to act before all the goodwill and patience of their customers runs out. If they plan rewards befitting of the crime, customers and sales executives alike should be in for a good time...

‘The impact of the emissions scandal is a very violent storm in a teacup.’

Who is James Litton?

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

108 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

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My boss smelt a rat when I was late again

P

unctuality has never been my strong point.

I’ve improved my time-keeping skills lately but for many years, I was routinely 10 to 15 minutes late for work, with a whole host of reasons employed to explain away my tardiness. One day, however, I arrived at 9.15am and encountered my boss the second I arrived at my desk.

I was completely caught on the hop and could tell she was annoyed. And as my guard was down, my usual array of excuses had deserted me.

‘What is it this time?’ she asked. ‘Bad traffic? Missed alarm? Urgent and unexplained phone call from a random and previously unheard of family member just as you were leaving the house?’ With that line of aggressive questioning, my top three excuses had been blown out of the water. I had to get my thinking cap on. And quickly.

‘Er.. no,’ I hesitated, before coming up with a plan. ‘I heard noises in the loft. I think we might have rats and I stayed to reassure my wife.’

Now goodness knows where that came from, but my boss seemed to buy it and just nodded, without saying anything. ‘Phew,’ I thought as she walked away from my desk.

‘Got away with that one...’

Then she turned round and said: ‘You’ll obviously need to ring the council about that.

‘In fact,’ she continued, glancing towards the phone on my desk, ‘why don’t you do it now?’

It was a call I had to make. She clearly, er, smelt a rat... and I knew I’d be in big trouble if I didn’t pick up the receiver.

So to cut a long story short, I contacted the council and they duly came out to investigate a non-existent pest problem the following morning.

When they didn’t find any evidence, they did look at me as though I was going a bit loopy though. I clearly owe them an apology for their trouble...

And the one good thing about the whole situation was that the appointment they made with me was for 10am – it was hardly worth going in to work only to return an hour later, was it?

So I had a little lie-in and rocked-up to the dealership about 11-ish...

‘As my guard was down, my usual array of excuses for lateness had deserted me.’

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 | 109

KEY NOTES

..in association with Traka

Audi bling and buy

Dealerships will need to immerse customers in their brands in future, says Paul Smith

F

or those of you who read my last column on the connected car revolution, I thought it would be interesting to explore how the changing nature of the car, and our relationship with it, is starting to influence what goes on inside some UK dealerships at the cutting-edge.

For those of you who haven’t visited yet, Audi City in Mayfair may be worth a visit for a view of what the dealership of the future might look like.

Understandably, given its location on Piccadilly, this is not a large dealership at only 4,600 sq ft.

But Audi sees it as the perfect spot to meet the next generation of customers (Generation Y’ers in their early thirties in the main) and offer them a sophisticated, immersive, brand-rich, ‘digitised’ experience.

It’s worth saying that for an Audi car dealership there aren’t many cars around – typically only four on display. However, it makes up for a lack of physical stock with serious digital ‘bling’.

The centre-pieces of the wizardry are four so-called ‘power walls’ which are made up of floor-to-ceiling screens that display the customer’s chosen car. Each power wall is made up of 36 backlit LED monitors, all seamlessly connected and linked to high-definition touchscreens embedded into tables. At these tables, cars are configured by customers or Audi customer relations managers via their iPads. There are no hard-sell tactics here, it is simply about immersing the customer in the brand and having fun with the technology while choosing and configuring your ideal Audi.

Consumers choose the model, colour, engine and other specifications via the tables, then swipe the screen to send the completed car up on to a power wall for a closer look. They can then use controls on the floor, table or tablet to

spin the car around, look inside, open doors and boots and even watch and hear it drive off down a digital road. People seem to like the experience a lot. More than 1,000 people are coming through this dealership’s doors each week and early results showed that monthly sales were 58 per cent up when compared with more conventional Audi showrooms.

It is a look and feel that chimes well with Audi’s ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ (progress through technology) brand values. It also feels reassuringly pricey. It is difficult to work out how expensive these re-fits are but, by all reports, Audi paid for this project from ‘soup to nuts’ including the design, hardware, software and digital content. However, in future, dealerships will be expected to pay for all hardware while Audi continues to provide the content, piping this in from its central marketing department.

That said, Audi City is definitely a collaboration with the dealership, in this case Sytner, as is evidenced by the staffing which consists of three

Audi-employed customer relationship managers who can look after the technology for the customer or simply guide them as they prefer.

At launch, none of these managers came from an automotive background. One was working at Travelex beforehand; another at an Apple retail store; and the third used to work at John Lewis. All were chosen purely for their attitude to customer service, product knowledge and presumably tech-savvy approach – Apple Geniusstyle. Sytner employs a further five sales people who help facilitate the sales process in plush offices downstairs.

Is this what your dealership will look like in 10 years from now? Probably not unless you are selling prestige models. However, there is no doubt things will need to change in dealerships to attract new, younger customers into dealerships for memorable experiences which give them a fuller and more immersive, fully branded experience than they could have garnered on their iPads in their living rooms.

Who is Paul Smith?

ASSA Abloy recently purchased the electronic key management software provider eTag Solutions. eTag was founded by Paul Smith, who now heads Traka Automotive, part of the ASSA Abloy Group brand Traka. Traka is a leader in intelligent access control, key management control solutions and keyless electronic lockers.

Keys can make you money…

Find out how at www.traka-automotive.com The only viable key management solution for automotive POWERED BY

Email sales@etagsolutions.com or call 0845 225 2910

110 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 111

THE FLEET.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Welcome report:

Second report:

Second report:

RenaultMegane

Mazda2

RenaultTwingo

Just a couple of niggles during some seriously long journeys

I’m still just as keen on this car... the interior is a major highlight

Perhaps not the perfect partner for a long trip in gale-force winds

GIVEN that the last Renault I drove was a Fuego Turbo, it’s fair to say that it’s been a few years since I’ve had any dealings with the manufacturer’s coupé offerings. Thankfully though, my experience with our long-term Megane has proved to be much more enjoyable.

Of course, and as with any relationship, there’s been the odd irritation. The sat nav controls can be frustrating, the stereo isn’t the greatest and if you want to accelerate swiftly, there’s little urge below 2,000rpm, but that’s all insignificant compared to the car’s many attributes.

The Limited specification’s panoramic sunroof, Automatic Dual Zone climate control and attractive black cloth trim make the interior a particularly nice place from which to cover some serious distance – most notably a recent 1,300-mile round trip to Stornoway – and although benefiting from coupé styling, it’s got a surprisingly large boot too. The Limited’s tinted windows are also a hit with Mrs Tilbury’s inner boy racer, but it’s the Megane’s motor that’s impressed me the most.

The 1.5 dCi engine performs particularly well on the motorway and, combined with the six-speed gearbox, makes for good, comfortable progress. Even better, it’s decent on fuel too.

Couple the drive with its attractive looks, which have stood the test of time remarkably well, and I’m going to miss the Megane when the time comes to hand back the keycard.

Christian Tilbury (@christilbury1)

YOU will remember from my original report that my opinion of my first long-termer had changed dramatically in a very short time.

The initial disappointment of not receiving a sleek, sporty estate had soon been forgotten as I enjoyed mile after mile in the Mazda 2.

As I drove through everyone’s favourite piece of the A3 a few days ago – in other words, the Hindhead tunnel between London and Portsmouth – the beautifully-lit dashboard reminded me why I like this car so much.

I cannot think of any other car in the current Car Dealer fleet that has a better interior. Sure, there are prettier and faster cars, but I’m struggling to think of a single one that’s got a cabin I prefer.

That got me thinking. Do we spend much time admiring the outside of our cars (unless we own a Ferrari 458 of course)? No, we spend the vast majority of our time looking at the dash.

Everything about the Mazda’s layout screams quality. From the materials to the cool, red stitching, you would be forgiven in thinking that you were in a much more expensive car.

OK, this model’s specification takes it over the £16,000 mark, which doesn’t make it a particularly cheap option, but in my humble opinion the interior looks 100 times better than cars at nearly twice the price.

I can tell you one thing for sure, the rest of the Blackball Media team are going to struggle to prise the keys to VU65UAT out of my grasp!

Jonathan Fleetwood (@jfleetwoodphoto)

THIS month, I’ve been darting between Hampshire and Oxfordshire. In all honesty, my idea of an exciting afternoon on the road doesn’t involve an agonising hour-long stretch on the A34.

Enduring such a journey is usually as dull as a really bad episode of Cash in the Attic or, at the other end of the spectrum, thrilling for all the wrong reasons.

On one particular commute, the A34 couldn’t be avoided. So, gritting my teeth, the Twingo and I took the plunge and headed for the dual carriageway at approximately 6am on a Monday morning. Now, once again taking the little city runner out of its comfort zone, I wasn’t expecting the Twingo to be exceedingly comfortable on the open carriageway.

To spice up my lengthy morning commute, the heavens decided to open and what was a light breeze turned into gale-force winds. Two hours behind the wheel of the Twingo isn’t what I’d call appealing – given the firm seats and feather light steering – on a good day. As you can expect, the Twingo did waft around a little.

That said, it did surprise me when it came to maintaining a decent pace – I could easily sneak in and out of the slow lane to overtake without having to worry about dropping down through any gears.

I wouldn’t recommend choosing a Twingo as a long-distance traveller but, if you’re a little stuck for choice, the Twingo won’t let you down.

Sophie Williamson-Stothert (@1Sophie_W)

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault Mégane Coupé Limited Nav dCi 110 Price: £21,945, (as tested £22,565) Engine: 1.5-litre dCi diesel Power: 110bhp Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 12.1 seconds Emissions: 90g/km Mpg: 80.7mpg (combined) Mileage this month: 2,028 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Parking in McDonalds and getting told, ‘your car looks cool’.

112 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Mazda 2 1.5D SE-L Nav Price: £16,395 Engine: 1.5-litre turbodiesel Power: 104bhp Max speed: 111mph 0-60mph: 10.1sec Emissions: 89g/km Mpg: 83.1 (combined) Mileage this month: 1,033 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Admiring the dash while not crashing into the sides of the Hindhead tunnel.

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Renault Twingo Dynamique S Energy TCe 90 Price: £12,545 Engine: 0.9-litre petrol Power: 98bhp Max speed: 103mph 0-60mph: 10.6sec Emissions: 99g/km Mpg: 65.7 (combined) Mileage this month: 600 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Braving the A34 at 6am in torrential conditions.

LONGTERMERS

Second report:

Fourth report:

Eleventh report:

MitsubishiL200

Ford FocusST

KiaProcee’d GT

Could a pick-up ever beat a porker? The answer’s surprising!

Talk about giving a car a very thorough workout!

‘Birthplace’ visit was a real highlight a few weeks ago

EVER thought a pick-up could beat a Porsche to a destination? Well, I can truthfully say that our L200 has achieved that very feat.

The occasion was a company meeting in Berkshire, and I only found out I’d unwittingly managed to trump the sports car when the said Porsche driver – who happens to be my boss (sorry, James!) – arrived at the venue a few minutes after I did, looked at me rather puzzled and asked: ‘How did you get here before me? I overtook you on the A34!’

It transpired that hold-ups further on held the key. James had hoped to outwit them by taking an alternative route, but unfortunately that only made matters worse, whereas I’d crawled through the jams, obeying the sat nav to the letter.

Those delays did, however, give me longer to relish my first drive of our new long-termer. It may be a pick-up, but the comfortable, stylish interior plus smooth ride and handling of the new model don’t half belie that fact. Its exterior, meanwhile, has lost none of the L200’s nononsense approach. Not in a threatening manner, mind, but of the self-assured ‘We’re here to do a job and we’re going to do it well’ type.

The Warrior’s fuel consumption gave no cause for concern either – 38mpg when I checked at one point – perfectly respectable. Trying to park it where I live is the only real downside. Tight squeeze doesn’t come into it. But that’s the fault of ‘80s developers, not Mitsubishi.

John Bowman (john@blackballmedia.co.uk)

HOW best to get a real-world view of a car? Drive it for 2,000 miles in four days while supporting the Bangers4BEN rally, that’s how.

With three race tracks and miles of German autobahns on offer, I had to take something fun from the car park and the ST stood out head and shoulders above the rest.

I’ve decided that the more you drive the ST, the better it gets – and driving 2,000 miles was a pleasure. The ST took everything we threw at it without a murmur of complaint. Long 400-mile autobahn trips flew by comfortably, the miles of traffic jams we encountered passed with relative ease due to its light clutch and smooth driving style and when we did have chance to put her through her paces on the tracks, she was just what the doctor ordered.

The fact that it was predictable to drive with a hint of understeer on the fast bends made you want to press on for more. We certainly didn’t cover the tracks at racing speed, but we were certainly going quickly enough to discover that this ST is one accomplished car.

The top speed achieved was an entirely legal 134 on the autobahn, despatched with ease.

The car was eager for go faster but discretion eventually got the better of me. Arriving home a little tired, I would take the ST on the same trip again in a blink of an eye. I am honestly struggling to find a bad word to say. I reckon it’s the best hot hatch on the market at the moment.

Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

IF I were Volkswagen, I’d be pretty worried right about now – and not just about the sort of particles that are currently pumping out of Golf BlueMotion exhausts in surprising quantity.

In fact, I’ve predicted the next scandal to hit the German car industry: I’m calling it ‘Koreagate’.

I know we tend to prattle on and on about ‘just how good’ Kias and Hyundais are these days, but it’s a claim that’s pretty well justified.

Back in September, I was whisked off to glorious (ahem) Slovakia to drive the updated version of our trusty long termer – and it was impressive. What struck me more, though, was visiting the place LG64MPF was born – Kia’s €1billion European plant in Žilina.

It’s easy to be won over by a big and shiny new(ish) building, but Žilina is probably the most impressive car plant I’ve been to. For starters it’s pristine: Baggott could eat his Morrisons sushi off the floor without fear, and that’s praise indeed.

It’s clever, too – three different models in five body styles roll down one production line, and there’s two different engine shops located on site to save time and transport effort.

Alright, so ‘Made in Slovakia’ doesn’t have a particularly romantic ring to it, but it wasn’t that long ago (in production editor Dave’s lifetime at least) that we treated car makers from Germany and Japan with suspicion. Has it changed my perception of our long termer? Not really – I knew it was a talented little so-and-so in the first place…

Jon Reay (@JonReay)

THE KNOWLEDGE

THE KNOWLEDGE

THE KNOWLEDGE Model: Mitsubishi L200 Warrior Double Cab Price: £27,658 (Commercial Vehicle list price, which excludes VAT, is £23,049) Engine: 2.4-litre MIVEC diesel Power: 178bhp Max speed: 111mph 0-62mph: 10.3sec Emissions: 173g/km Mpg: 42.8 (combined) Mileage this month: 1,110 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Mitsubishi 1, Porsche 0.

Model: Ford Focus ST-3 5-door Price: £27,730 Engine: 2.0-litre 6-speed manual Power: 247bhp Max speed: 154mph 0-62mph: 6.5sec Emissions: 159g/km Mpg: 41.5 (combined) Mileage this month: 3,450 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Hitting the autobahns, putting my foot down and seeing the car respond superbly.

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 Emissions: 171g/km Mpg: 38.2 (combined) Mileage this month: 988 THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHT Thinking back to that factory visit – and appreciating LG64MPF even more.

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BAGGOTT.

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

It could’ve been worse for VW – and anyway, others fell further

S

o that’s it then. Three-and-a-half years of growth is over with some almighty falls into the red for nearly half of the manufacturers listed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in October. Overall, the industry was down 1.1 per cent, the first monthly fall in 43 months.

I first got wind of the sales woe at the Frankfurt Motor Show, back in September.

No-one likes to admit they’re having a tough time, especially car maker bosses, but I could read between the lines in some of the responses from the biggest names in the UK automotive industry to my questions, that all was not rosy in car sales street. Kia’s boss Paul Philpott touched on it when I asked him just how bad things were out there.

‘We’ve found things quite challenging, particularly on small cars,’ we reported him saying in last month’s issue. Telling then, that in October the manufacturer was down 4.5 per cent. Not the worst by a long way, but for a brand that’s been growing steadily for years, it still came as a surprise.

Of the 20 manufacturers posting negative growth compared to October 2014, many were usually the biggest sellers. Seemingly one of the worst affected was Citroen, down nearly 32 per cent. But behind the numbers they had a good excuse – DS was split out as a separate brand in May of this year, so when you took into account both brands’ sales as a whole, they were ever so marginally up.

There were no excuses for Seat, though. The Spanish brand was down a woeful 32 per cent.

I asked the manufacturer’s head of press and public relations what the results were attributed to and she blamed ‘production issues’ affecting supply of the new Ibiza and Alhambra, but insisted the Leon was ‘continuing to perform extremely well’.

Even the two biggest selling manufacturers in the UK, Ford and Vauxhall, were down – the latter a dreadful 16 per cent.

Ford beat their biggest rivals – as is usually the case – but still posted an eight per cent fall on last year. Delve deeper and there were even more surprises. Dacia saw sales fall a painful 31 per cent, Mini dropped 21 per cent, while Nissan was down 13 per cent and Mitsubishi 12 per cent.

And despite all these big falls, what was the figure that the national press latched on to and made headlines? Volkswagen’s fall, of course.

The troubled German manufacturer is still reeling from the emissions scandal, which seems to get worse

Who is James Baggott?

by the day, but amid a table of catastrophic results its 10 per cent fall really wasn’t all that bad.

The mainstream media claimed the news of the scandal breaking at the start of September was ‘clearly’ the catalyst for the drop in sales, but when you look at the brand’s performance compared to the rest of the field it was by no means the worst.

You only have to look back to May of this year to find the last time the German manufacturer posted a negative sales figure, so it’s not like it’s that unusual either.

Word on the street is that, yes, there were some sales cancelled as a result of the scandal, and few could argue that the negative publicity on this scale wasn’t going to have some

James ‘The Spanish brand was down a Baggott Seat woeful 32 per cent . . .’

AGAINST OUR BETTER JUDGMENT, WE GIVE OUR MD THE LAST WORD EACH MONTH

effect, but those sitting behind desks in VW showrooms can take some solace in the fact that it could have been worse.

Well, in sales performance terms at least.

So, why the fall? If you believe the SMMT, it’s down to demand levelling off which was ‘expected’. Nice spin. Quite why we hadn’t heard about this ‘expected’ fall in sales up until now is beyond me.

It might be because the SMMT’s chief executive Mike Hawes has been suspiciously inconspicuous in the role, especially when compared to his predecessor Paul Everitt.

Hawes rarely talks to publications like mine and we’d certainly love to chat about his predictions for sales for the year ahead, but sadly, I don’t think that’ll happen.

Could it be the fall in sales, then, is more attributable to the fact dealers are stacked to the rafters with preregistered cars on their forecourts that are far more important to shift than unregistered ones?

We know manufacturers were pushing hard in September to end quarter three on a high, and plenty of cars were pushed into dealers’ hands.

The guys at the coalface have got far more interest – and a much more pressing business case – to shift those in the early part of the quarter than new cars. Are the pre-reg tables beginning to turn? Only time will tell…

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.

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1

2

3

4

5 6

8 9

10

Across

Down

5 - The finance regulator (1,1,1) 7 - An alternative to cash when buying a car (7) 8 - A person who buys your cars (8) 9 - Where the customer goes to buy a car (10) 10 - The UK’s number 1 Car Loan Company (5,8)

1 - A free type of marketing available to you (5,2,4) 2 - The place to propose online with us (6,6) 3 - A way to interact with customers online (6,5) 4 - The type of customers we finance (3,5) 6 - The type of service we offer (5)

Answers: 1 - point of sale, 2 - dealer portal, 3 -social media, 4 - sub-prime, 5 - FCA, 6 - prime, 7 - finance, 8 - customer, 9 - dealership, 10 - First Response

7

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 115

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