Imagine with Uber that once you had selected your destination on the app, you were then presented with an indicative price as high as a black cab price and the contact details of the three nearest drivers, and that you were then directed to call them individually to negotiate the best price prior to your journey. Uber would not be the $100bn business it is today with such an approach, but that is effectively the current approach of most automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) when it comes to selling new cars online.
Two men have been arrested in connection with a late night raid on Evans Halshaw’s Altrincham Ford dealership which resulted in the theft of five cars.
Honda has been developing its dealer network with a new Platinum Programme, which encourages dealers to work more closely with small businesses and understand how to speak to fleet customers.
Cazana director of valuations Rupert Pontin has claimed that its data suggests there is ‘no evidence’ to support suggestions of a significant decline in used car values in recent months.
Kia has recalled more than 5,000 Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid models due to an electrical relay that could overheat.
Lookers has reported growing turnover and profitability across new and used car sales and its aftersales operations in a trading update announced at its AGM today.
Sytner Group has revealed that construction work has finished on its £6.5 million flagship Mercedes-Benz showroom and workshop at Kingmoor Park in Carlisle.
CitNOW has been ranked the UK’s eighth fastest-growing UK exporters in The Sunday Times WorldFirst SME Export Track 100.
Stoneacre Motor Group has empowered teams across its network to share news and images via social media as part of a strategy that has seen it become one of the AM100’s top performers on social media.
Tracks of Exeter has seen a marked expansion in the reach of its recruitment marketing for staff after taking part in AM’s Best UK Dealerships to Work For initiative.
UK car manufacturing output declined by 44.5% in April as a result of factory shutdowns scheduled by manufacturers in anticipation of import difficulties resulting from a March 29 Brexit.
People advocating a hard Brexit forget just how bad the UK automotive industry really was before Britain joined the EU
Car buyers interest in electric vehicles (EVs) peaked following disruptive protests by environmental activists Extinction Rebellion in London last month.
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CarGurus has revealed the UK Top-Rated Dealer award recipients for 2019, with Marshams Car Sales receiving the accolade for a second consecutive year.
GForces has announced that Croyland Car Megastore has become the ‘first independent in the UK’ to implement its ecommerce NetDirector solution.
Funding a vehicle through retail finance offers has become more expensive in Q2.
Independent repairer Strasse Garage has had a promotion in 911 & Porsche World Magazine banned by the advertising watchdog for using an image which "objectified women".
Fleet sales’ 2.9% flurry offsets worrying decline in retail new car registrations as Brexit puts off non-corporate customers
Suzuki GB has named this year’s winners of its annual Aftersales Guild Awards, which took place at the De Vere Horwood Estate in Buckinghamshire.
Despite automotive professionals working more hours than they’re contracted to, over half (52.4%) struggle financially, says CV-Library research.
Colleagues from Jardine Motors Group dealerships, Ferrari and Maserati Colchester teamed up to help raise vital funds at the annual Billericay Soapbox Derby.
AM100 groups fall victim to unscrupulous write-off repairers exploiting insurance loophole to resell crash-damaged cars
Fix Auto franchisee to develop new 13,000sq ft site Fix Auto’s Leeds South franchisees have completed the business’s relocation to a new 13,000 square foot site in the city. Owners Stephen and Sam Smith have equipped the new facility to carry out heavy and structurally damaged vehicle repairs alongside the express repairs the previous Leeds repair centre serviced. Two paint booths have been installed alongside a vehicle track-movement system to ensure the repair capacity is increased to 160 vehicles a month. However, the pair have now revealed the move is just a stepping stone after announcing new ambitious plans to develop a bespoke repair centre in the heart of the city. Plans have been submitted to develop a purpose-built 14,000 square foot centre on a recently-purchased 43,000 square foot brownfield site, which is close to the city’s arterial road network. Sam Smith said: “We had high hopes for our Leeds repair centre when we opened three years ago, but we never envisaged just how things would take off. “The high demand for repairs has been the driver behind relocating into a larger building, which gives us greater capacity for now. “This latest move is hopefully just a stepping stone until our plans to build our own new repair centre are complete. “If all goes well, we could be moving into our purpose-built repair centre by the end of 2020.” Ian Pugh of Fix Auto UK said: “Fix Auto Leeds is one of our many success stories. Establishing a business, relocating it and then revealing plans to develop a new site and all within three years is some going even by our franchisees’ standards. “You have to congratulate Sam and Stephen, it’s a great opportunity and I am looking forward to see how this one progresses over the coming months.”
BMW has opened the order books for its new 1 Series hatchback ahead of the arrival of the first UK deliveries in September.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has proposed a €32.6 billion (£28.3bn) all-share merger with Renault to forge a new alliance that could save the Italian carmaker “in excess of €5 billion”.
Franchised dealers need to recruit more technicians, target increased retail work and address poor workshop utilisation to buck the trend of “an institutionalised acceptance of low overhead absorption”.
Used car values have experienced their most severe May decline since Cap HPI’s records began in 2012 and the heaviest monthly drop since December 2014.
Luscombe Motors has used its status as one of AM’s Best UK Dealerships to Work For as a way of attracting new employees in a competitive recruitment market.
Shelbourne Motors has launched a recruitment drive for its new £5 million Kia and Renault multi-franchise car dealership facility at Newry with the aim of filling 60 vacancies.
