A new technology time-bomb is ticking in the used car trade. Rapidly changing vehicle technology means that the remarketing sector is going to have to undergo an unprecedented period of upskilling over the next decade, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association. The organisation – which represent companies that handle, sell, inspect, transport or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles … [Read more...]
Retail News
Tradelines 6 March
A proposed ban on commercial vehicles using tyres over ten years old has attracted qualified support from the Freight Tansport Association. It says many member fleets would need tyres replacing inside a decade but some very low mileage vehicles should be exempt from the ban. About 79M cars were sold worldwide in 2018, say the manufacturers. There was a noticeable drop in Chinese … [Read more...]
St Athan Lagonda concept breaks cover in Geneva
This is the concept version of the futuristic luxury electric sports car Aston Martin Lagonda will be making in Wales inside three years. Aston Martin Lagonda presented the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept at the Geneva motor show today, continuing the journey with zero emission powertrain technologies in 2022 at a new state of the art facility in St Athan - Aston Martin Lagonda’s ‘Home of … [Read more...]
UK new car sales soar as Geneva show opens
As the Geneva motor show opens, figures show UK car sales beat expectations and rose 1.4 percent February, boosted by rising sales of petrol and alternative-fuelled cars, according to the SMMT. Sales rose to 81,969 units from 80,805 in February 2018. In Wales, sales went up 6.44% last month and eased the year so far to a 1.98% increase with 2,396 registrations in what is a short month … [Read more...]
FCA to act on car finance commissions
Some methods used by finance brokers to reward car dealers that end up overcharging an estimated 560,000 customers about £300 million pounds a year will be banned. The Financial Conduct Authority said it found widespread use of commissions that allow brokers to set the customer interest rate and thus earn higher bonuses. “We found that some motor dealers are overcharging unsuspecting … [Read more...]
Aston Martin mark St David’s Day and new Welsh plant
The Aston Martin DBX SUV, which will be built in St Athan near Cardiff, made a surprise visit to No.10 Downing Street in an early celebration of St David’s Day. Aston Martin Lagonda’s investment in a second UK manufacturing facility, which was announced in early 2016, will create over 700 new skilled jobs in the Vale of Glamorgan. Over the past two years the former Ministry of … [Read more...]
Dealers worried over deadline for petrol & diesel cars
Close Brothers Motor Finance’s Dealer Satisfaction Survey has found that two-thirds (66%) of car dealers believe the Government’s plans to ban petrol and diesel cars by 2032 will be too early. The qualitative survey of more than 200 dealers nationwide found that the vast majority (86%) believed the ban would cause another layer of confusion to the market, with 59% believing it would make car … [Read more...]
Shogun Sport CV arrives
The Mitsubishi Shogun Sport is now available as a commercial vehicle. It will appeal to retail and business customers looking for a tough and capable off-road SUV with a high level of specification and a large load area. Based on the well-equipped Mitsubishi Shogun Sport 4 SUV, the Commercial version has a flat rear load area that measures 1,920mm long, 1,000mm wide between the rear wheel … [Read more...]
Government changes are pushing automotive change
With 2018 consigned to the history books it is important to remember that the industry learnt some interesting lessons during the course of the year. With new car registrations down by 6.8%, almost exactly in line with Cazana’s predictions, and used car sales down by 2.1% it is no surprise that for some the full year results were not as expected and the trading conditions flexed in an … [Read more...]
Newslines 26 February
Ahead of one of the busiest months for car insurance renewals with the plate change, research by GoCompare Car Insurance reveals millions of motorists are over-paying to the tune of £1.23bn a year for their car cover by allowing their insurer to automatically renew their policy. At their last renewal 4.6 million drivers rolled-over their insurance without checking to see if they could get the … [Read more...]