Manufacturer insight - Page 36

Group Lotus has appointed Mike Johnstone as vice president, commercial, to lead the company’s global commercial operations.

An end to sales of BMW vehicles to police forces across the UK has prompted a consultation over jobs at the brand’s BMW Park Lane dealership.

Harwoods Group has appointed former Volvo Car UK managing director Jon Wakefield as chief executive as it prepares for a 2023 transformation that will “revolutionise the automotive industry”.

Much has been made of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent pledge to boost the economy, with commentators analysing how his priorities for 2023 will impact various sectors.

Stellantis’ Citroen UK business has appointed Clare White as its new marketing director in a leadership team led by new managing director Greg Taylor.

Carmakers' scepticism about the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EV) will grow this year, clashing with lofty political ideals of zero-emission motoring, says carwow consumer editor Hugo Griffiths.

Gravells’ dealership in Bridgend has retained Kia UK’s dealer of the year award at an event which also celebrated the Korean carmaker’s landmark 100,000 registrations performance.

Honda UK retailers have been urged not to take "early orders" for its new Civic Type-R hot hatch as limited supplies risk disappointment among potential customers.

Professor Jim Saker ponders the risk to UK car supplies from "the weaponisation of resources" in his latest monthly article for AM.

Planning officials have approved Pendragon’s plans to develop a new Ford car dealership in Motherwell.

Improved dealership experiences, more electric vehicle (EV) range and reduced prices and waiting times on new cars are features car buyers would like to see in 2023.

Waylands Automotive is poised to join the retail network of performance electric vehicle (EV) brand Polestar with the opening of a new store in Bristol.

Car retail brothers Harry and Neal Grainger have officially become business partners with the acquisition of Mantles Kia Royston – paving the way to the creation of a new dealer group.

Thatcham Research has shorlisted the safest new cars available in 2023.

Kia UK president and chief executive Paul Philpott has insisted that the Korean carmaker’s ambitions will not stop with after it delivered its 100,000 registrations landmark in 2022.

Volkswagen retained its position as the UK’s best-selling new car brand after bumper December registrations accelerated its performance ahead of US rival Ford.

Nissan’s Qashqai SUV has become the first British-built vehicle to top the UK’s annual best-selling car rankings for 24 years.

The UK automotive sector remains “adrift of its pre-pandemic performance” after an acceleration in December new car registrations failed to arrest a full-year decline – ending 2022 down 2% at 1.61 million units.

Lookers has submitted a planning application which would unite its Mercedes-Benz and Smart dealerships in Brighton under one roof.

Volkswagen is preparing to propel its electric vehicle (EV) model range into the automotive sector’s “upper segments” with new ID 7 saloon.

Dacia has welcomed the first batch of vehicles that feature its new corporate identity, ahead of their arrival in UK showrooms.

2023 is set to be an exciting year for new cars, with multiple new brands set to disrupt the UK market and a variety of unique and distinctive new models from existing manufacturers.

Toyota's Deeside plant is getting investment to support the production of a new fifth-generation hybrid engine.

Audi is preparing to switch all its factories for production of battery electric cars ahead of the final combustion-engined car coming off its assembly lines by 2033.

LSH Auto UK has appointed LSH Australia general manager as its new managing director in preparation for Mercedes-Benz’s introduction of agency model car retail in 2023.