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The Real Budget Report is based on what is actually happening in households in the UK - how they are saving money and reorganising their spending. Some figures for the UK are as follows: 74% of Brits say they have set a limited budget for their household spending in the past year 26% are spending less on both luxuries and necessities 18% … [Read more...]
There appear to be different schools of thought at present regarding the overall health of the motor trade. Like most retail businesses the last 6 months has been somewhat challenging (to say the least) and where there are pockets of good news there are equal amounts of the bad version. Margins are under real pressure and showroom footfall is … [Read more...]
Indian-owned car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has reported a 34% rise in profits after sales hit a record high. In 2011-2012 JLR made pre-tax profits of £1.5bn, up from £1.12bn the year before. Retail sales were up 27% to 305,859 units, with parent company Tata Motors attributing the significant increase to strong demand from China (where … [Read more...]
A real life tale from a real life motor trader in 4 parts...Today the 4th and final instalment... Fast forward 18 months. Still going strong, working really hard in our new offices, cars everywhere. However... September 2008 my girlfriend of that time announces she’s pregnant. October 2008 David nearly dies in a serious Jet Ski accident … [Read more...]
A real life tale from a real life motor trader in 4 parts... Eventually the sight of the great unwashed coming in on a Saturday afternoon became too much for the executives within the upper echelons of the motor trade to bear, so the dear old IMT’s were facing burnout. Also, this secondary element of the retail transaction was always regarded … [Read more...]
The Nissan Note, to be honest I didn’t think I would ever be seen dead in such a car. Firstly it looks like the kind of car driven by people I would normally detest and secondly it’s just not “me”. However when you go on holiday and really need something cost effective to get you to your villa (OK I’m pushing it, will apartment do?) from … [Read more...]
A real life tale from a real life motor trader in 4 parts... On paper I’m a brief read. My CV would make any corporate human resources officer put my future career firmly in the direction of recycling. Age 16, got job at Used car dealer where I had worked cleaning cars as a schoolboy. Age 20 got job at a Volkswagen main dealer franchise. … [Read more...]
A real life tale from a real life motor trader in 4 parts... It’s been a while. Nearly four years since I’ve bought a car. It was a 10 year old Ford Mondeo Zetec Automatic and it’s safely transported myself my wife our two young children and our Border collie around on countless short hop trips to the nursery, various supermarkets and the … [Read more...]
Welcome to our imaginary world of The Car Boss. Continuing where we left off (Car Boss - the tension mounts) thing are starting to come together... After months of speculation and various interest from several automotive parties, Paragon Automotive have signed a deal to purchase SAAB Automobile AB, allowing production to re-start … [Read more...]
There is a definite feeling in the franchised motor trade that forced or pre-registered cars are beginning to have an adverse effect on trading conditions. When this recession (or whatever they are calling it these days) first hit the motor trade one of the biggest lessons learned was that forcing registrations due to incentives by … [Read more...]
Despite what many climate change deniers may want to believe the growing desirability of the electric car is not going to dissipate any time soon. The main objection against electric vehicles seems to be “range anxiety” (the compelling fear that a vehicle has insufficient charge to reach its intended destination thus leaving the vehicle's … [Read more...]
The used car trade is going through its seasonal transition at present. The optimism and cheer from the heady days of Q1 are starting to evaporate and many in the trade are really worried about declining showroom footfall. There has been a 30% drop off in traffic across the board and as news of a double dip recession and the coalition showing … [Read more...]
It’s time once more for the Car Makers Premier League where each and every month we examine the top 20 manufacturers by number of units registered and see just how they look when compared with the previous month. At the end of the year who will be crowned champion? Who will drop out of the top 20 as the year unfolds and which high achievers will … [Read more...]
April 2012 new car registration figures: New car registrations were up 3.3% in April according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 142,322 cars were registered in the month, with the market 3.3% or 5,576 units up on April 2011 (which was down 7.4% on April 2010). “A strong April new car market has raised confidence across the … [Read more...]
Pass Plus is an advanced driving qualification that requires the driver to be able to drive competently in a wide range of circumstances that are not routinely tested in a standard driving test or taught on a standard driving course. The idea behind the qualification is principally to give new drivers greater experience and the confidence to … [Read more...]
This is the all-new Continental GT V8. It might look the same as the W12 but if you take a proper poke around you’ll notice the differences. I'll come onto these later. The main reason you need to read on is to find out all there is to know about this all-new, twin-turbo V8. Co-developed with Audi, it's packed with technology that Bentley … [Read more...]
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