Executive Views
Executive View: Stellantis woes and why “wartime CEOs” are currently the best fit
Flattened consumer spending, persistently high interest rates and supply chain disruptions stemming from geopolitical tensions have forced auto manufacturers (both budget and luxury) to negatively adjust their forecasts, writes Adrian Stalham of Sullivan & Stanley
Executive View: The EV skills shortage will hinder Europe’s energy transition
Electric vehicles have been around for a decade yet owners are driving around in circles when finding specialist technicians to fix their motors, according to Marc Russell, chief commercial officer of FixMyCar.
Executive View: Reducing VAT on public charging is only a first step to boosting EV adoption
A report by the Resolution Foundation urges the government to align its policies with the swiftly evolving EV landscape to make adoption more accessible, writes Fraser Brown of automotive consultancy MotorVise.
Executive View: Innovation in motor finance is needed to unlock sales growth
Providing car loans and other forms of motor finance is a critical role of dealerships that must continue in the future as buying habits and technology advance, believes Mike Allen, the managing director of Cambria Private Capital, a firm that invests in and provides advisory services to automotive startups and scaleups.
Executive View: The issue is that we're battling a rational consumer
The Government's aims for zero carbon motoring will need to do more to convince a general public which is happy to be greener if it doesn't cost them more money or time, notes AM's regular columnist Professor Jim Saker, president of the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Executive View: Lack of SAF accreditation is a deal-breaker for FLA car loans providers
Dealerships risk a halt to their car loans provision in 2025 if they've not put staff through the Specialist Automotive Finance accreditation programme, warns Lisa Watson, sales director at Close Brothers Motor Finance.
Executive View: Lead with questions, not solutions, and empower a dealership's team
Gail Harrison, managing director of Sewells, offers crucial coaching tips for automotive managers with a reminder that their solution is not necessarily the best one and harnessing the brainpower of employees pays dividends.
Executive View: Will network restructures leave an open goal for independent garages?
Steve Young, ICDP managing director and an AM Awards judge, ponders on the task for OEMs and franchised networks to ensure they adapt to change in the aftersales model if they want to avoid leaving an open goal for an increasingly professional and capable set of independent aftermarket players.
Executive View: Agency is the last thing OEMs need when BEVs are such a hard sell
Andy Goss of Vertu Motors and a former car sales boss of Jaguar Land Rover, Porsche and Toyota, warns the new Labour Government that the ZEV Mandate is a blunt instrument that unintentionally may speed the exit of some franchised dealer groups.