Britain's new car market rose 1.2% in August, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The growth, albeit marginal, is the first seen since February with some 68,858 new vehicles joining the road during what is typically the second quietest month of the year as many buyers choose to wait for a ‘new’ numberplate in September. In Wales, new registrations declined the most in the UK … [Read more...]
Features
Drivers still short-changed on fuel, says RAC
Despite a further 12p (12.31p) coming off the price of the average price of petrol last month – the largest monthly drop on record – pump prices remain a long way off what the RAC believes are fair given current wholesale fuel costs, new RAC Fuel Watch analysis shows. The average price of a litre of unleaded is now under 170p (169.8p) for the first time since May, with the price cuts made by … [Read more...]
Manual cars are dying out among learners
Practical driving tests will soon be conducted almost exclusively in automatic electric cars, according to one electromobility expert. Emma Loveday (below), EV Consultant at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, explained that young people learning to drive in automatic vehicles will ‘soon be the norm’ as consumers become more environmentally conscious and cost savings for green transport become more … [Read more...]
Range Rover is top of flops
Land Rover Range Rover is the most unreliable used car, according to Warrantywise’s annual Reliability Index. Warrantywise, the country’s leading extended car warranty provider, reveals that Land Rovers, BMWs, and Porsches take up seven out of ten of the least reliable models from the Reliability Index data range. The data, only including cars that are less than ten years old, outside of … [Read more...]
Are EVs green or greenwash?
Thousands of drivers who collect the keys to a brand new ‘72’ plate electric car tomorrow will have a nagging doubt at the back of their minds as they glide silently off the forecourt – are battery-powered cars truly better for the environment, or is zero-emission motoring just ‘greenwash’ hype? Sales of electric cars are soaring, up 49.9% year-on-year (January to July), as motorists take … [Read more...]
Dealers and makers’ reputations bashed by delays
Car manufacturers and dealers are suffering reputational damage as a result of unavoidable supply chain disruption, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. While two-thirds (66%) of consumers considering a new car say they understand the difficulties involved, nearly half (48%) say the delays negatively impact their perception of motor dealers. A similar proportion (46%) say long … [Read more...]
Auctions still doing well in recession
Despite the challenges currently facing the automobile industry, the auction market is in a positive state. Supply and demand have been stable for the last month, with summer soon to draw to an end. "We are expecting that September will see a steady surge as customers return from holidays, boosting the market”, commented Paul Hill, National Association of Motor Auctions spokesman, after a … [Read more...]
Tradelines 31 August
Nearly half of motorists planning to buy a car in the next year would be prepared to pay more to skip waiting lists caused by supply chain problems, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. It follows a fifth consecutive month of decline in registrations in August, which the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders attributes to ongoing global supply chain issues, predominantly … [Read more...]
Britain unprepared for ev switch in eight years
Rising electric costs are blowing the fuse on plans for expanding ev sales in Britain. A comprehensive survey by Rivervale Leasing found that the escalating cost of energy is the most common concern, as 21% say that they think the potential of higher home charging tariffs could stop the UK from switching to electric. Vince Pemberton, Chief executive officer at Rivervale Leasing admits, “It’s … [Read more...]
Most JLR models on stop in September
Jaguar Land Rover is facing assembly problems at its plants in September. No Land Rover Discovery, Evoque and Velar models will be built through September due to parts shortages but some production continues with the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender. Jaguar XE, XF and F-Pace models are also on stop but F-Type will still be assembled. Ironically, its only full electric model, the … [Read more...]