Editor’s Blog

This month we look at two key topics, the emerging and established Chinese brands and the way agency is adapting in the market. We catch up with Pendragon CEO Bill Berman who talks about his confidence in the Chinese giant BYD and its technology. “We are fully committed and fully invested. It is going to be exciting,” he told Motor ...

This month in Dealer Insight we feature LSH Auto UK, which opened a new BYD showroom in Stockport. Chinese electric vehicles are in the news and attracting a lot of interest from dealers. LSH belongs to a select club, being one of a handful of dealers to partner with the Chinese EV brand. Vaughan Blackman, former LSH Australia general manager, ...

Data protection is a huge issue for all dealers and rising fast up the agenda for management. This month we report on a well-chronicled case, that of Arnold Clark. It’s not  alone. Other dealer groups, including Pendragon, have been targeted. This will be a key area of debate at the Motor Retailing EXPO taking place at Silverstone later this year. ...

In the April issue of Motor Trader we look at the new Financial Conduct Authority rules on Consumer Duty that come into force on 31 July 2023 and set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection across financial services and require motor finance firms, brokers and dealers to put their customers’ needs first. It will mean that consumers should receive ...

In February issue of Motor Trader now online we look at Stellantis and its plans for its brands. Stellantis met with dealers at an investor conference held at the NEC, Birmingham. It detailed strategies for the brands to simplify the business , introduce new aftersales and commercial vehicle strategies and push ahead with plans for agency. The group is furthest ...

Consolidation was in the air this month with Vertu Motors acquiring the majority of Helston Garages for £120.1m. The acquisition included 28 franchised sales outlets. In a separate deal, Yeomans acquired 12 businesses from Helston Garages. The move saw Yeoman join the VW Group for the first time. It was a significant month for Pendragon, which retained its independence when ...

The pace of change in EV retailing was the focus of attention at the Motor Trader EV Retailing Summit 2022, which took place at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham. Sales of EVs in the UK continue to grow and dealers are at the sharp end with consumers, covering all areas of retailing from new and used EVs through to aftersales, ...

This month we take another look at disruptors who entered the used car market over the past few years with big marketing spends, large scale refurbishment centres and a focused, customer driven proposition. There was also a lot of accompanying hype. So, what did they do well, where did they fall down and what are the lessons to be learnt ...

I was talking to one boss of a dealer group recently and asked him what individuals would be interesting for him to read an interview on with regard to dealer issues, particular agency. Among the handful he picked was Alex Smith MD at Volkswagen Group UK. And so this month we get his take on dealer strategy, the agency model ...

In the June issue of Motor Trader we caught up with Steven Eagell, CEO of the eponymous Group (P22) who has built up a highly successful business focusing exclusively on Toyota and Lexus. Eagell addresses taking on the Lexus brand in 2016, which he said took no major change in philosophy, and addresses questions over further growth by saying that ...