New AM News Show explores Constellation, agency model & car supply shortages

Constellation’s car retail rise, OEMs' agency model strategies and vehicle supply shortages were among the hot automotive retail topics up for discussion in the new AM News Show Podcast.

Perrys Motor Sales managing director Darren Ardron, the director of the Centre for Automotive Management at Loughborough University’s Business School and IMI president, Prof Jim Saker, and ICDP managing director Steve Young all joined the panel for the latest edition of the popular show.

Available via Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and recorded at Armchair Marketing’s Northampton HQ, the latest instalment looks ahead to the biggest issues set to impact the sector in 2022.

Reflecting on the imbalance of supply and demand already gripping the sector, Ardron said: “When there’s been over supply of new cars we’ve been pretty much giving them away. All of a sudden we’re selling cars at list price.

“It’s bizarre. I walked through one of our larger showrooms the other day and we had eight, nine, 10 car showrooms with two cars on display, but our order take has been fantastic.

“Actually, what that says that you can operate this business without the big gin palaces.”

Young said that the team at the ICDP “always do lots of head scratching”, but its market analysis suggested that “’22 will see some manufacturers get back into free supply”.

Young said that the Korean brands and Toyota appeared to be best-placed to keep delivering vehicles throughout the year, but suggested that the return to free supply could be “quite chaotic” as competition for sales begin to heighten once again.

Saker said “the issue of uncertainty is the biggest factor” in car retail during 2022.

And, commenting on his focus on developing the next generation of car retail talent, he said that “transferrable skills” will be essential as the sector adapts to new ways of working.

He said: “We’re going to have people that will switch from one part of the business to another and getting the people on board that can transfer those skills as the business shapes and develops will be a big issue going forward.”

AM has recorded four episodes of its latest podcast, with a group discussion followed by interviews with:

• Darren Ardron, discussing the challenges of 2022 and developments within Perrys.
• Steve Young, focussing on the emergence of agency franchised retail agreements.
• Prof Jim Saker, giving insight into his role leading the IMI’s Diversity Task Force.

Click on any of the videos above to view the latest instalment and subscribe to the AM News Show Podcast.

Our on-demand podcast series also gives the option of reviewing recent discussions with: Waylands Automotive chief executive John O'Hanlon; Specialist Cars owner and IMDA chairman, Umesh Samani; TrustFord marketing director Julia Greenhough; and CitNOW sales director Callum Wood.