The perfect storm of challenges affecting the automotive industry continues unabated, with the pandemic, Brexit and supply issues all impacting consumer confidence and demand for new vehicles.
The UK Government’s COVID-19 ‘Lockdown 2’ took a £1.3 billion toll on car sales during November as registrations declined 27.4%, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Today, Capgemini have published a report advocating the transition to an agency model for distribution networks, supported by consumer and dealer surveys in Europe and China.
The adoption of an agency model for the car retail sector is now “not an option but an obligation”, according to a report published by Capgemini today.
TrustFord’s Alperton dealership site has been offered for sale as the Ford of Britain-owned AM100 car retail group consolidates as part of the brand’s plan to close almost half of its UK franchised retail sites.
The Cox Automotive Insight Report 2020 has urged car retailers to respond rapidly and plan for the ‘short-term’ in a bid to achieve success amid the current trading climates various headwinds.
Tesla’s move from niche luxury vehicle maker to mass-market manufacturer has begun to take shape after the number of its US-built electric vehicles (EV) on UK roads trebled within a year.
UK car retailers were “within touching distance” of the profitability achieved in 2020 after £110,000 profit-per-site in the key number plate change month of September, according to ASE.
The SMMT has said that COVID-19 Lockdown 2 and the Welsh firebreak are set to result in the UK’s weakest new car sales performance since 1982, following a 1.6% decline during October.
Consumer motor finance defied September’s 4.4% new car registrations dip to record a 7% year-on-year rise in volumes and 11% growth by value, according to the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA).
Car retailers’ efforts to drive sales through digital sales processes designed to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 delivered a 10% increase in new car orders last month.
Citroen UK has announced a new three-year plan to its dealer network which will include more collaboration, some online-only model derivatives and cuts to list prices.
The success of September's plate-change campaign plus dealers' prospects for Q4 are among the topics being discussed at the quarterly AM Motor Retail Review webinar on Tuesday, October 6.
Demand for used cars has risen 15% year-on-year as franchised retailers experience a decline in sales of new cars, according to AA Cars data.
The Vehicle Remarketing Association will cover a range of issues impacting a 2021 new and used car market which promises to be “difficult in all kinds of ways” in its upcoming outlook seminar.
The UK’s consumer car finance market grew 1% by volume and 8% by value during August, according to new data from the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA).
Ford retailers who are unable to find £750,000-per-dealership site to fund a post-Brexit change to the brand’s VAT invoicing regime could be forced out of business, it has been claimed.
The UK’s new car sales volumes slumped to their lowest September number plate change month this century as the automotive COVID-19 recovery stalled to a 4.4% year-on-year decline.
Volvo Car UK retailers were among high-performing UK car dealers celebrating their “best September ever” after overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to recover with record sales.
Dealers are advertising brand-new 70-plate cars at used car prices in order to hit their registrations targets, finds online car supermarket BuyaCar.
Jato Dynamics said there are signs that “big issues need to be addressed” to ensure that Europe’s automotive sector delivers a COVID-19 recovery following an 18% decline in August new car registrations.
Strong demand for newly-launched 70-plate models in September will make this a profitable quarter for car dealers across the UK, Motorvise’s Fraser Brown has insisted.
Analysis of the new car market to July shows city cars and MPVs seem destined for extinction
Almost half of all car buyers expect new car prices to rise when Britain’s transition out of the EU is complete, but many still intend to buy one according to research from Buyacar.
The new car market fell by 5.8% in August, but private demand remained steady to absorb the majority of losses that came from business and fleet registrations.
