Tune in to BBC1’s Watchdog consumer affairs programme at 7pm tonight as AM industry editor Tony Willard gives viewers an insight into Virgin Cars’ retail operation.

The business has been the subject of around 80 complaints this year from car buyers about delayed deliveries - a problem which has dogged Virgin Cars since it started trading as an online retailer in 2000. That operation failed, leading to the opening of its first dealership in Salford, Greater Manchester, 18 months ago.

Last week, the Virgin Group bought a controlling share in Motor Solutions, the car sales operation headed by Derek Cook that acquired Virgin Cars last February.