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Demand for EV extended warranties showed “significant growth” in the five years to 2022, according to research from Intelligent Motoring. Analysis of extended warranty quotes-to-buy requests through Intelligent Motoring revealed those for Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) grew by 575% in 2022 compared to 2017 from a low base. In contrast, quotes for Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) vehicles increased by 97% ...

Eden Motor Group is introducing new digital imaging technology for its online vehicle listings at its 21 dealerships in the south of England. The move, part of a two-year deal starting this month with Auto Imaging, is aimed to improve consistency, image quality and uploading speeds. The Auto Imaging technology provides sales staff with an app to take guided images ...

Hedin Automotive, a subsidiary to Hedin Mobility Group, has entered an agreement to buy Stephen James Alliance. The deal takes in the group’s BMW and MINI business, including new and used car sales and aftermarket operations. Stephen James Group employs 400 people and sells 6,000 new and used cars annually from its London dealerships. It represents BMW and Mini in ...

Nicola Burnside has been appointed head of Alpine UK, effective August 2023. With Alpine recently announcing the addition of seven new all-electric models by 2030, Burnside will be responsible for leading Alpine’s growth in the UK, starting with Alpine’s first all-electric hatch, the A290, due in 2024. With over 14 years experience in the automotive industry in brands including Volkswagen, ...

Chinese carmaker BYD has appointed City West Country Group to represent the brand in Exeter. BYD sold over 1.8 million vehicles in 2022. Its line-up includes the ATTO 3 SUV and the Dolphin hatchback. City West Country Group is ranked 64 in the Motor Trader Top 200 Dealer Groups with annual turnover of £245.1m. IT represents Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Ora Funky ...

New car registrations are set to slowly improve sector for the rest of 2023, supported by recovering vehicle production meeting customer demand. Cox Automotive has delivered its baseline forecast for total new car registrations in 2023 at 1,921,436, representing a significant increase of nearly 20% compared to 2022 figures but still lower (-16.9%) than pre-pandemic yearly registrations. Taking recent indicators ...

John O’Hanlon, CEO of Waylands Group, is to speak at the Vehicle Remarketing Association’s (VRA) 2024 Seminar. He will look at how dealers are fighting to maintain margins, maximise profits and deal with new manufacturer approaches to dealership relationships. Other speakers include the Bank of England (BoE) and the Government’s Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) have been named for ...

iVendi has revamped the processes used in its technology platform to take account of the new Consumer Duty rules. Its “Connected Retailing” platform – used by dealers to sell motor finance both online and in the showroom now meets FCA aims of ensuring customers are provided with products that meet their needs and offer fair value. A Consumer Duty process ...

Seven in ten (70%) dealers have said that customers are looking to purchase cheaper vehicles. According to Close Brothers Motor Finance, two thirds (66%) of dealers said customers are being more cautious when buying vehicles. Two in three (65%) dealers also said that buyers are cutting back on extras when purchasing a car, in order to save as much money ...

Mark Robinson, the founder and former-CEO of Vantage Motor Group and ex-Chairman of the UK National Toyota Council, has taken a stake in AutoComms Solutions to support the business’ rapid growth in the UK and beyond. AutoComms Solutions is the tech business behind AutoBuzz, the automated communications platform. Robinson, who exited Vantage Motor Group in January 2020 will take up ...