AUTOMOTIVE MANAGEMENT

www.am-online.com March 2015 £8.00

Who won what, and why, at the annual highlight of the UK’s motor retail industry / P20

B R A N D I N G / P 8 3

Do corporate identity controls put dealers’ own identities at risk?

D I G I TA L T R E N D S / P 8 7

Why your business needs a new breed of marketing hero

M A R K E T I N G / P 8 0

How carmakers’ TV campaigns still give dealers the best return

A M A W A R D S 2 0 1 5

G LY N H O P K I N / P 6 6

MD Fraser Cohen on building the dealer brand

THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

D I N N E R

Vine established his reputationas a smooth-talking but toughpresenter on Newsnight. Henow presents the lunchtimeshow on Radio 2, hostsEggheads and pops up with arange of graphic wizardrywhenever there’s an election.

Jeremy joined the BBC as anews trainee. His first reportingassignments were on Radio 4'sToday programme, coveringissues as diverse as punishmentbeatings in Northern Irelandand sheep-racing in Dorset. Hethen took up the reins as apolitical correspondent, underJohn Sergeant.

Book your table now at www.am100dinner.co.ukor call Emma-Louise Kinnaird on 01733 395133 or email: emma-louise.kinnaird@bauermedia.co.uk

11th June 2015, Park Plaza Riverbank, London

Prestigious The most gala dinner on the calendar

Headline sponsors: Associate sponsors:

Jeremy Vine will be the guest speaker at theAM100 dinner this year which will be held onJune 11 at the Park Plaza Riverbank in London.

One of Jeremy’s early reports was anaward-winning exposé of SouthAfrican police brutality, which led totwenty four officers being suspended.In a lighter vein, he was famouslychallenged by Jeffrey Archer to a raceon Brighton beach, after remarkingthat the Tories had become elderly.Archer pulled out, complaining of‘tiredness’.

The AM100 publication is the annualindustry guide to the 100 largestdealer groups in the country,according to their company turnover.In addition, the AM100 provides adetailed analysis of the state of theindustry and looks at the key issuesfacing dealers and their customers.

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The editorial teamEmail: am@bauermedia.co.uk Website: www.am-online.comTwitter: @amchatter LinkedIn: am-online.com/linkedin

Is a marketing storm brewing between dealers and manufacturers?

Jeremy BennettEditor

Tim RoseManaging editor

Danielle Bagnall Senior reporter

welcome

am@bauermedia.co.uk am-online.com/ami/am-online.com/linkedinam-online.com @amchatter facebook.com/automotivemanagementUK

he AM Awards have been presented to the cream of the industry following careful consideration by our judging panel of industry experts and auditors. The quality of the winners, and the finalists in general, shows 2014’s focus on the new car market did not come at the expense of innovation, excellence

and determination to succeed. Congratulations to the winners. Awards aside, this issue of AM takes a look at recent developments in

marketing for motor retailers. Our insight into manufacturer marketing (page 80) suggests that despite the prevalence of digital marketing, for carmakers there is still no better place than television to get their brand and model range in front of the new car buyer. By contrast, in the dealer sector, where budgets are more modest, it remains crucial to have a broad marketing toolkit (page 87) at hand to spread the reach of the dealer brand..Talking of the dealer brand, is it at risk of being squeezed out of existence

by manufacturers intent on being the focus of the customer? With a trend emerging among premium and specialist brands to strip the dealer brand from the showroom fascia, we asked a selection of dealer group leaders and analysts whether they see this as a pressure point (p83).That is a question that should be worth long-term consideration by all the

dealers who have invested so much time and effort in their own businesses. In the meantime, good luck with the March plate-change campaign.

o u R E x p E R T c o n T R I B u T o R S

T

AM Aftersales ConferenceBook tickets today at:am-online.com/ aftersales2015April 16, 2015

prof Jim SakerAs director of the centre of

Automotive manage-ment at loughborough University’s Business School, Saker is a key figure behind the drive for management recognition and skills in the motor retail sector.

This month (p93), he says dealers who do not design intelligent post-service surveys risk alienating their customers.

am-online.com March 2015 3

philip nothardHe is retail and consumer valuations

editor at cAP, which he joined in 2010 after two decades working in motor retail, culminating in running dealerships for european motor Hold-ings, lythgoe motor Group and Arnold clark. In this issue (p92), he looks at why the forthcoming general election, low fuel prices and PcPs make 2015 an interesting year.

77 LifeaftertheFCAreview Retailers may have to change how

they sell insurance, but profits can still be made.

80 Howmuchofacarmaker’smarketingreallymatters?

The ‘digital explosion’ has changed marketing forever, but TV still offers the best ‘bang for buck’.

Yournews

7 Newsdigest This month’s round-up includes

Pendragon’s annual profits rising 36%, Arnold Clark acquiring Ness Motors, HMRC targeting repairers across the UK to identify incorrect VAT returns, and Renault updating its customer experience.

Marketintelligence

13 Newcarfinance Our new-look section analyses the emerging trends in new car registrations. This month, we look at how franchised dealer finance hit £14 billion last year as 77% of private new cars were funded by dealership offers and how headline figures mask a decline in retail and a rise in rental.

16 Newcarregistrations Mitsubishi is the early winner as its

growth shows no sign of slowing.

20 AM AwARds 2015THis yeAR’s wiNNeRs

4 March 2015 am-online.com

66fACe TO fACeGlyN HOPKiNs Md fRAseR COHeN

18 Usedcars Values rise as wholesale volume falls 18%.

AMAwards2015

20 AMAwards All the winners and pictures from

motor retail’s most prestigious awards ceremony.

Insight

66 Trainingputsthedealerbrandinthedrivingseat

Managing director fraser Cohen on how Glyn Hopkin’s focus on staff training delivers a loyal customer base and a thriving business.

73 Dealerscanbeatnewdirectloanchallenge

High street lenders once shied away from automotive finance, but are now beginning to flex their muscles.

In this issue March 2015

83 Aredealerbrandsatrisk? Carmakers exert ever more influence over the appearance of showrooms.

87 Marketersneedatech-savvysuperhero

digital technology has changed how dealers communicate with buyers.

90 AMPoll More than half of franchised dealers

believe the manufacturer’s brand and reputation wins car sales.

91 ‘Makethebasicsbrilliant,thenaddmagictouches’

sales is as much about the person as the product, says former Virgin Airlines’ crew boss linda Moir.

For the latest motor retail industry news, visit am-online.comSign up to get AM news daily by email: am-online.com/newsletter

am-online.com March 2015 5

Adroit Automotive ............................................77Alphera Financial Services ...................74,84AMS Insurance Services ...............................77Arnold Clark .....................................................7,8ASE .......................................................................15Auto Trader ........................................................84BCA .......................................................................18Black Horse .......................................................74BMW Group Financial Services ..................77CAP .......................................................................92Car Care Plan ...................................................77Carshop ...............................................................25Creditplus ...........................................................75Crewe Audi.........................................................41Crewe Seat.........................................................49Day’s Motor Group ...........................................53DSG FS ................................................................75Experian ................................................................8Fiat ........................................................................80FLA ...........................................................8,13,73Ford ...................................................8,45,59,81GForces ...............................................................88Glyn Hopkin...................................................7,66Greenhous ............................................................8Hidsons ..................................................................7Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance ............74HMRC ...................................................................10HR Owen .............................................................46Humphries and Parks ...................................37ICDP ..............................................................80,83Inchcape ................................................................8Jaguar ..................................................................47Jardine Motors .................................................43John Clark Motor Group ........................55,61Kia .........................................................................31Knights Group ...................................................33Lifestyle Europe .......................................23,89Lookers .................................................................8Manheim .............................................................18Mapfre Abraxas................................................77Marketing Delivery ..........................................87Mercedes-Benz ................................................50MotoNovo............................................................73Motoring.co.uk ..................................................83Motors.co.uk ........................................................7NAMA ...................................................................18Pebley Beach.....................................................35Pendragon ........................................................7,8Perrys ......................................27,29,57,83,62Peter Vardy ........................................................39Renault ................................................................10Rolls-Royce ..........................................................7Sandicliffe ...........................................................10SMMT ...................................................................14Swansway ..........................................................84Sytner ...................................................................64The Funding Corporation ..............................75Trusted Dealers................................................87Vantage Motor Group .....................................10Vauxhall .................................................................8Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ..............8Wrexham Volkswagen ...................................52

D E A L E R S A N DS U P P L I E R SI N T H I S I S S U E :

fORd ReiNVeNTs THe MONdeO fOR GReATeR ReTAil APPeAl

96

MARKeTiNGHOw effeCTiVe ARe CARMAKeRs’ effORTs?

80

Comingsoon InApril’sissue face to face with london Morgan

dealer principal Anthony Barrell; Geneva Motor show reports; and smart’s forTwo and forfour driven.

106

92 Usedcarmarket election, low fuel prices and PCPs:

2015 should be an interesting year, says CAP’s Philip Nothard.

93 Viewfromthebusinessschool

Badly designed post-service surveys can inspire a sense of dread, says Prof Jim saker.

Showroom

96 FordMondeoMondeo Man can rest easy with the new-look large car, but ford is pushing for a bigger retail split.

98 VolkswagenPassatThe German manufacturer is banking on safety features and space to attract fleet drivers.

100 SuzukiS-Cross suzuki’s rival to the Kia sportage and Nissan Qashqai joins the AM long-term test fleet.

102 VolkswagenGolfHugely popular hatchback may lack charisma, but sales keep growing.

103 Mazda3 Hatchback becomes a vehicle ofchoice for long journeys.

diGiTAl MARKeTiNGHOldiNG OUT fOR A TeCH-sAVVy sUPeRHeRO

87

am-online.com March 2015 7

F O R D A I LY N E W S , V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m

T O g E T A M ’ S F R E E D A I LY N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m / n e w s l e t t e r

F O L L O W A M O N T W I T T E R : @ a m c h a t t e r

NEWS DIGEST8 HMRC

Dealers are to be targeted in probe into VAT returns and suspected suppression of sales, it is understood.

Arnold ClarkDealer group to carry out rebrand and showroom revamp.

10

T H E N E W S Y O U C A N ’ T A F F O R D T O H A V E M I S S E D

p E N D R A g O N

pendragon announces 36% rise in profits to £60.2 millionpendragon claims to have launched the UK’s first automotive ‘click and collect’ service as it reports having made a 36% jump in underlying profits in 2014.

The UK’s largest car dealer increased revenue in 2014 by £151 million (3.9%) to £4 billion and underlying profit before tax rose from £44.2m to £60.2m, according to its full-year results posted to the London Stock Exchange.

Pendragon this month launches Move Me Closer to enable the consumer to reserve a vehicle direct from their electronic device and have the car delivered to their nearest Evans Halshaw location for their viewing, on payment of a refundable £200 reservation fee.

Through this service, consumers can research and view more than 20,000 vehicles online, then inspect the vehicle they reserved at a location convenient to them, backed by Evans Halshaw’s five-day price guarantee.

Its launch follows Pendragon’s roll-out last year of its Evans Halshaw Sell Your Car initiative which guarantees to

pay more than rival WeBuyAnyCar to customers wishing to dispose of their current vehicle.

H I D S O N SHidsons has opened its first Mitsubishi car dealership, in Rainham, Kent. The family-run group now represents six different brands at five locations in Medway and Gravesend, Kent.

A R N O L D C L A R KArnold Clark Automobiles, Europe’s largest independent car dealer, has acquired Ness Motors.

Arnold Clark will acquire 104 employees and sites in Inverness, Elgin and Perth.

All of the branches will be Renault, Dacia or Citroën franchises.

Eddie Hawthorne, managing director, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Ness Motors to the Arnold Clark family.

“As a company, we share many of the same values as Ness Motors and look forward to continuing to offer great value and excellent service to customers at the new showrooms.”

Sir Arnold Clark established the group in 1954 and it now employs more than 9,000 staff nationwide, with branches located in Scotland and England.

The company has been awarded the title of Retailer of the Year by AM for the past three years, and had a turnover of £2.9 billion in 2014.

Ness Motors was founded in 1960 and was purchased by company accountant Scott Lauder in the early 1980s from retiring owner and chairman Bill Gilbert.

The business expanded through the years by acquiring a number of franchises for the north of Scotland, including Renault.

g LY N H O p K I NGlyn Hopkin, the UK’s largest volume Nissan dealer group, has opened a new, purpose-built dealership in East London.

It replaces the group’s existing Nissan Leyton dealership with a new dual-purpose Nissan and Fiat facility.

The Nissan East London dealership includes a 15-vehicle showroom.n Face to face: glyn Hopkin, page 66

M O T O R S . C O . U KA recent survey by Motors.co.uk has revealed that car buyers aged 55 and over are the most likely to buy a used car.

Seventy-nine percent of motorists in this age group said they were likely to buy a used car, whereas those aged 18-24 were the least likely to, with 46% saying they would purchase a used car.

Over-55s were also the most comfortable with the buying process, with 67% saying they were happy to discuss price point when buying a car.

I N b R I E F

A U g M E N T E D R E A L I T Y Manufacturers have claimed augmented reality (AR) could replace the car dealership showroom completely.

Darren Cox, global head of brand at Nismo, Nissan’s sports car brand, told Marketing Week: “Showrooms are dying out. If you look at costs of dealerships and the profit margins, something has to change. Just a few years ago, on average, people visited three showrooms before buying a car, they now visit one – the internet has changed everything.”

Marketing Week asked Land Rover’s marketing director Laura Schwab whether more brands using AR technology was a step away from the traditional showroom.

“Absolutely! It’s about making the buying experience as easy as possible for the customer. That could mean AR slowly replaces showrooms to an extent,” she said.

Honda’s European marketing director Martin Moll told Marketing Week that he thinks the showroom experience will be trimmed down, using AR instead of expensive concept cars.

National communications manager for Škoda Erica Vernon added: “There will always be a room for a showroom, but it won’t be defined by a retail park location like before.”

R O L L S - R O Y C ERolls-Royce has announced plans to enter the SUV market to meet demand from customers. The new model aims to be one that offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a high-bodied car, with all-aluminium architecture, that can cross any terrain and meet its customers’ highly mobile, contemporary lifestyle expectations.

NEWS DIGEST

G R E E N H O U SGreenhous has acquired WR Davies Ford Newtown and Welshpool dealerships in Wales.

The acquisition brings Ford to Greenhous’s franchise portfolio for the first time, adding to its existing Dacia, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo and DAF operations.

Greenhous’s joint chief executive Derek Passant said: “Eighteen months ago we announced the acquisition of the WA Lewis franchises in Shrewsbury and Telford which increased our influence and reach.

“Now we have had very positive and professional discussions with Jonathan (Davies) and his team and this has concluded in our taking on the Ford franchise in Newtown and Welshpool, including the staff already working there. We are utilising our extensive resources and expertise to ensure that there is a smooth transition for all involved. We are delighted to welcome Ford into the Greenhous group.”

WR Davies still has Ford dealerships in Llandudno, Llangefni and Rhyl.

8 March 2015 am-online.com

T O R E A D A M ’ S D A I LY N E W S L E T T E R , V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m / n e w s l e t t e r

A R N O L D C L A R K Dealer group Arnold Clark is to carry out a group-wide rebrand and showroom revamp this year.

Its new logo and branding concept has already been unveiled in locations such as the Leeds and Glasgow South Street Motorstores.

The dark grey and yellow design will be rolled out throughout 2015 at the remaining Motorstores.

The rebranded dealerships will include private consultation booths, a spacious and comfortable waiting area with complimentary hot and cold drinks and free Wi-Fi access.

For those with young children, there will be a designated children’s play area equipped with iPads with games and a colouring area with table and chairs.

The company’s headquarters will also move to new premises at Hillington.

Work will begin on the new Hillington headquarters in April.

C L A S S Y C H A S S I S SIndependent car dealer Classy Chassiss of Newcastle-Under-Lyme has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 in fines, costs and compensation after not properly advertising the mileage on a vehicle.

Its directors pleaded guilty to a Consumer Protection Regulations charge of misleading a buyer after Staffordshire Trading Standards investigated a complaint about the sale of an Audi TT in 2013.

Trading Standards said the firm had omitted mileage information from an internet advert for the Audi.

It had used descriptions of “more than 100,000 miles”, but the car had had more than 190,000 miles recorded in 2009 and displayed a dashboard reading of around 72,000.

Magistrates awarded the buyer compensation of £3,245 to cover the amount he had paid for the car. The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £750.

P E N D R A G O NPendragon’s Stratstone Aston Martin business in Mayfair was named the biggest-selling Aston Martin dealership in the worldat the brand’s global dealer conference.

Two of the world’s top five most successful Aston Martin dealerships are owned by Pendragon, with Stratstone Aston Martin Wilmslow coming third.

P E O P L E N E W S

N I C K T H E M I S T O C L E O U S

Nick Themistocleous, pictured, has been appointed director of fleet operations at Ford of Britain,

succeeding Phil Hollins. Hollins has been appointed commercial vehicles director at Ford of Europe. Themistocleous joined Ford Credit as a trainee in 1986.

S I M O N O L D F I E L DVauxhall Motors has appointed Simon Oldfield to the new position of sales and marketing director,

effective from March 1. Oldfield joins Vauxhall from Mercedes-Benz UK where he held a number of senior positions.

S T E FA N B O M H A R DInchcape has announced the appointment of Stefan Bomhard as its new chief executive.

Currently president of Bacardi Limited’s European region, Bomhard will begin his new role on April 1. He has a PhD in marketing and has experience in the retail and consumer sectors, including senior roles at Cadbury and Unilever’s Foodsolutions Europe division.

A D R I A N D A L LYThe Finance & Leasing Association has appointed Adrian Dally as its new head of motor

finance. Most recently, Dally was head of policy at the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), leading a team which managed the FOS’s relationship with government, regulators and stakeholders.

T R E V O R H O D G S O N -P H I L L I P SVolkswagen Commercial Vehicles has appointed Trevor Hodgson-Phillips as its head of service and parts. He succeeds Kevin Rendell, who becomes head of customer quality and network development for Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

L O O K E R SLookers has opened its all-new multi-million pound Land Rover showroom in Battersea, London.

The company said its newest car retail facility, located on Lombard Road, was its most modern and ‘green’ yet, incorporating the latest cloud technology to enable staff to interact more freely with customers and have up to 24 Land Rover models on display at any one time – including the newly-released Discovery.

The showroom is 40% larger than its predecessor and boasts a sleek, modern and contemporary design.

U S E D C A R S A L E SUsed car sales rose by 2.6% in the third quarter of last year to reach their highest point since 2008, according to Experian.

Data from the global information services company showed 1.86 million used cars were sold in Great Britain between July and September last year, compared to 1.82m in the corresponding months in 2013. It represented the strongest period for used car sales since the second quarter of 2008 when 1.92m vehicles changed hands. The number of used cars sold aged nine years or more was up 7.1% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2014. Sales of used cars aged up to three years increased 4.3%, but there was a drop in transactions of vehicles aged between three and six years (3.4%) and six and nine years (3.9%).

Vehicle retailers are faced with changing consumer behaviour, evolution in vehicle drive-trains and aconstantly shifting legislative framework. However, businesses make the future work for them byexamining the trends and adapting accordingly.

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market intelligence t h e n e w s i n d e p t h

14January market

the Smmt claimed a good start to 2015, but beneath the headlines was a decline in retail and rise in rental.

16Buyer preference

insight into car buyers’ wants and needs shows reliability factors highly, but many still want a discount from the dealer.

sponsored by

Franchised dealer finance hit £14 billion last yearmore than three-quarters of private new cars were funded by dealership offers

F i n a n c e s u c c e s s

Franchised dealers handled more than £14 billion of new car finance in 2014, more than double the amount they sold five years previously.

Figures released this month by the Finance & Leasing association (FLa) showed a 17% rise in the value of new car point of sale consumer finance and 13% growth in volumes in 2014 as a whole, to reach a record annual level of 897,593 cars funded.

the percentage of private new cars sales financed through dealerships by FLa members reached a new high of 76.1% in the 12 months to december 2014. point of sale penetration has climbed steadily since the recession.

Geraldine Kilkelly, FLa’s head of research and chief economist, said: “there has been strong growth in consumer motor finance provided through dealerships by FLa members over the past couple of years. Our most recent industry confidence survey suggests that growth is likely to continue in 2015, but at a slower rate than in 2014.”

Opportunities for dealers to further improve their finance sales are still available, according to paul harrison, head of motor finance at auto trader. independent research commissioned by the company found that only 15% of surveyed dealers currently displayed finance offers on their website.

“Fixed fees and standardised interest rates will help encourage best practice in showrooms and ensure that consumers are guided to suitable finance products.

“changes to incentive programmes will result in simpler and more transparent finance offers which, in turn, should translate more effectively to a dealers’ online showroom than has been possible previously.

“Given just how important finance is to dealer profitability, those dealers who transparently present their finance offers online will help reach a bigger audience and maximise their potential buyers.”

new cars bought on finance by retail customers through dealerships dec 2014 change on 3 months to change on 12 months to change on previous year dec 2014 previous year dec 2014 previous yearValue of advances (£m) 927 15% 2,994 14% 14,086 17%number of cars 55,317 10% 186,168 10% 897,593 13%new cars bought on finance by businesses through dealerships number of cars 38,856 0% 117,200 8% 455,091 11%

d e c e m B e r m O t O r F i n a n c e m a r K e t: n e w c a r s

am-online.com March 2015 13

18used cars

Dealer part-exchange cars saw another drop in values in January despite a marked fall in overall wholesale volumes.

n e w c a r s F i n a n c e d t h r O u G h d e a L e r s h i p s

d e a L e r p O i n t O F s a L e p e n e t r at i O n

100,0002008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

1,000,000

Volu

me

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

pos

perc

enta

ge

Source: FLA

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

14 March 2015 am-online.com

New car registrations in the UK in January increased 6.7% year-on-year to 164,856 units. This was the best start to a year since 2007.

It means the period of record market growth has now reached its 35th consecutive month.

However, retail sales were down 5.1% – the first fall in four years.

The growth in company car registrations has been particularly strong, up 18.1% year-on-year, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which when looking at the overall figures can mask the drop in retail units.

Fleet and business accounted for 59% of the market in January. Retail’s share fell about 5% year-on-year last month. The last drop in retail was in September 2011 at 155,135 compared to 170,951 in September 2010 (a 9% fall).

The SMMT pointed out that 2011 was the first strong year for fleet registrations following the credit crunch, and with many fleets operating on a three- to four-year

replacement cycle, many cars will be due for replacement.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “These figures mark an encouraging start to the year after a very strong 2014, with a strikingly robust company car market as businesses take advantage of the attractive finance offers currently available.

“January saw increased uptake of both petrol and diesel cars, while demand for alternatively-fuelled vehicles continued its surge with registrations rising by 60.8%.

“Last year’s 9.3% rise in the overall market was fuelled by stronger than expected economic confidence and we expect to see some levelling off throughout 2015: demand is at pre-recession levels following record-breaking growth.”

However, the publicly-available SMMT information did not show that registrations to rental channels were up 69% and manufacturer demonstrators up 29%, indicating a forced market.

JA NUA RY REGIS TR ATIONS TOP FIVE FLEET CAR REGISTR ATIONS IN JANUARY

Vauxhall Corsa3,539

Volkswagen Golf3,073

Ford Fiesta3,119

Carmakers have a range of offers to tempt buyers in March’s competitive new 15-plate market – three-year PCPs are judged to be the most effective. Kia requires only £83 a month after a £2,672.30 deposit on a Picanto ‘1’ 1.0 5dr, with an optional final £2,775.25 to secure ownership. At some Citroën dealerships, the deposit on a C1 VTi 3dr Feel is only £1,546, followed by 36 monthly payments of £119 and an optional final £4,735. A 43-month Suzuki PCP on the Alto 1.0 SZ requires an initial £959, monthly £99 and final £1,981.

The full list of manufacturers’ finance offers can be found at www.am-online.com/offers

Model Finance Deposit Term Monthly Final APR Offer type payment payment ends Citroën C1 VTi 3dr Feel PCP * £1,546 37 months £119 £4,735 4.9% 31/03/15C3 HDi VTR+ PCP £4,302 37 months £169 £5,507 4.9% 31/03/15C4 Cactus Tech 82 Feel PCP * £3,880 37 months £165 £6,267 4.9% 31/03/15* Some dealers

KiaPicanto ‘1’ 1.0 5dr PCP £2,672.30 36 months £83 £2,775.25 4.9% 31/03/15Rio SR7 1.25 3dr PCP £3,638.00 36 months £139 £3,094.22 4.9% 31/03/15cee’d GT 1.6 T-GDI PCP £5,277.30 36 months £249 £6.477.00 4.9% 31/03/15pro_ceed SR7 1.4 GDi PCP £3,537.50 36 months £161 £4,315.75 4.9% 31/03/15Sportage ‘1’ 1.6 GDi PCP £3,999.70 36 months £217 37,229.25 4.9% 31/03/15

MGMG3 Form Sport PCP £2,785.22 36 months £129 £3,263 6.9% 31/03/15MG3 Style PCP £2,825.94 36 months £139 £3,375 6.9% 31/03/15MG3 Style Lux PCP £2,840.33 36 months £149 £3,578 6.9% 31/03/15MG6 GT S diesel Personal lease £1,233.36 36 months £205.56 n/a n/a 31/03/15MG6 GT SE diesel Personal lease £1,315.32 36 months £219.22 n/a n/a 31/03/15

SuzukiAlto 1.0 SZ PCP £959 43 months £99 £1,981 8.9% 31/03/15Jimny SZ3 PCP £2,299 43 months £199 £3,653 8.9% 31/03/15Swift 1.2 SZ2 3dr PCP £1,551 43 months £139 £3,280 8.9% 31/03/15SX4 S-Cross 1.6 petrol 2wd SZ-T PCP £3,697 43 months £219 £7,343 5.9% 31/03/15

Top finance offers for retail buyers

FIN A NCE OFFER S

For a searchable list of manufacturers’ finance offers, go to www.am-online.com/offers

am-online.com March 2015 15

Sponsored by

Y

Ford Focus3,529

Nissan Qashqai2,665

The average UK car dealer finished 2014 strongly, making a profit of £27,000 in December, according to data from ASE.

This was an improvement of £5,000 over the previous year and left dealers with an average annual profit of £225,000, up £19,000 from 2013 and a new record high.

The return on sales percentage dropped slightly, however, reflecting the fact that turnover has been increasing at a faster rate than profit, with dealers having to compromise on margins in order to hit required targets.

Prestige car retailers produced an average return on sales of more than 2.2%, while volume dealers produced a return of just over 1%.

D E A L E R K P I s

Key ratio Rolling Rolling Benchmark 12 months 12 months Dec 2014 Dec 2013Net profit as % sales 1.46% 1.47% 3.0% Overhead absorption 55.4% 56.6% 80% Used: new sales 0.87:1 0.90:1 1.5:1 Expenses as % gross 62.3% 62.2% 50% Sales per salesman 199 196 150 Used vehicle stockturn (days) 55.0 56 45 Return on used car investment 78.9% 80.2% 100%Overall labour efficiency 82.1% 81.0% 100% Service gross profit % on labour 75.7% 75.8% 75%Service expenses as % gross 58.3% 56.9% 40% Hours per retail job card 1.64 1.64 2.5 Parts gross profit 22.2% 22.4% 22% Parts expenses as % growth 44.5% 44.4% 40% Parts stockturn 7.75 8.01 8.0

Source: ASE

A D V E R T I S E M E N T P R O M O T I O N

The FCA’s remit to regulate consumer credit will celebrate its first anniversary in April and the rules in its Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) were one of the most significant events to affect the industryin many years. That is why we are

committed to helping dealers to implement the neces-sary changes in a way that enhances their point-of-sale finance business.As part of our response to the new regulations, we at Black Horse revised our approach to finance pricing and the rewards paid to dealers. Our aim was not just to comply with the FCA rules, but to offer greater transpar-ency, recognising that customers like the convenience of point-of-sale finance arranged at the time of the vehicle purchase.One of the key changes we are introducing is the de-coupling of any link between the interest rate charged to the customer and the amount of commission paid to the dealer. This will enable dealers to provide competitive rates to their customers, but maintain an important source of revenue in a much more transparent and customer-friendly way. We are also withdrawing all credit arrangement fees, which have been an irritant to both customers and dealer sales staff alike.During our discussions with our dealers in the past few months, it is clear that many share our aim and have been supportive of this new approach. Some have tested this new approach and have seen an increase in vehicle sales and higher levels of finance being provided to their customers.My belief is that this new way of doing things provides a win:win:win situation for customers, dealers and finance providers. Moving away from the practice of linking commission based on the interest rate paid by the customer to one based on the amount of the advance provides a massive boost to the integrity of the motor sales industry.It is surprising, however, that some finance providers appear to intend to continue rewarding dealers based on the price their customers pay.We believe incentivising dealers to sell a higher price to customers to secure greater income via Difference in Charges commission structures is not in the spirit of treating customers fairly and is not in the long-terminterests of our industry.

By Chris Sutton, managing director, Black Horse

BLACK HORSECOMMENT

16 March 2015 am-online.com

10-year market trends available: www.am-online.com/ami

n e w c a r r e g i s t r at i o n s

r i s e r s & f a l l e r s

w h at b u y e r s w a n t

BRAND YTD (%)1 Mitsubishi 159.032 Maserati 82.543 Jeep 67.164 Abarth 60.245 Lexus 50.156 Volvo 33.677 Subaru 29.698 SsangYong 28.729 Nissan 25.8810 Porsche 21.39

BRAND YTD (%)10 Bentley -16.779 Lotus -18.758 Alfa Romeo -20.547 Jaguar -26.816 Smart -33.335 Chrysler -50.43=1 Chevrolet -100.00=1 Mia -100.00=1 Perodua -100.00=1 Proton -100.00

MARkeT iNTeLLigeNCe sponsored by

January

Marque 2014 % market 2013 % market % share share change

Ford 21,480 13.03 21,792 14.10 -1.43Vauxhall 16,935 10.27 14,892 9.63 13.72Volkswagen 13,993 8.49 14,436 9.34 -3.07Audi 11,354 6.89 10,747 6.95 5.65Nissan 11,076 6.72 8,799 5.69 25.88Mercedes-Benz 9,348 5.67 7,792 5.04 19.97BMW 8,008 4.86 7,923 5.13 1.07Peugeot 7,171 4.35 7,611 4.92 -5.78Toyota 6,711 4.07 6,173 3.99 8.72Hyundai 5,794 3.51 5,064 3.28 14.42Citroën 5,414 3.28 5,471 3.54 -1.04Škoda 5,116 3.10 5,059 3.27 1.13Kia 4,914 2.98 4,695 3.04 4.66Land Rover 4,303 2.61 4,384 2.84 -1.85Fiat 4,184 2.54 4,223 2.73 -0.92Seat 4,137 2.51 3,664 2.37 12.91Honda 3,609 2.19 3,206 2.07 12.57Mazda 3,340 2.03 2,802 1.81 19.20Renault 3,016 1.83 2,830 1.83 6.57Volvo 3,009 1.83 2,251 1.46 33.67Mini 2,243 1.36 2,019 1.31 11.09Suzuki 1,897 1.15 1,849 1.20 2.60Mitsubishi 1,808 1.10 698 0.45 159.03Dacia 1,620 0.98 1,373 0.89 17.99Lexus 1,006 0.61 670 0.43 50.15Jaguar 800 0.49 1,093 0.71 -26.81Porsche 630 0.38 519 0.34 21.39Jeep 336 0.20 201 0.13 67.16Alfa Romeo 236 0.14 297 0.19 -20.54Smart 192 0.12 288 0.19 -33.33Subaru 166 0.10 128 0.08 29.69MG 135 0.08 138 0.09 -2.17Abarth 133 0.08 83 0.05 60.24Bentley 129 0.08 155 0.10 -16.77SsangYong 121 0.07 94 0.06 28.72Maserati 115 0.07 63 0.04 82.54Infiniti 61 0.04 66 0.04 -7.58Chrysler 57 0.03 115 0.07 -50.43Aston Martin 45 0.03 50 0.03 -10.00Lotus 13 0.01 16 0.01 -18.75Chevrolet 0 0.00 697 0.45 -100.00Mia 0 0.00 5 0.00 -100.00Perodua 0 0.00 8 0.01 -100.00Proton 0 0.00 1 0.00 -100.00Saab 0 0.00 0 0.00 0.00Other British 49 0.03 68 0.04 -27.94Other imports 152 0.09 54 0.03 181.48Total 164,856 154,562 6.66

brandModel

exterior stylinginterior stylinginterior space

luggage spaceinterior versatility

Quality of finishreputation for reliability

reputation for qualityfuel economyco2 emissionsPerformance

connectivity (mobile devices etc)enjoyable driving experience

standard equipmentinterior versatility

availability of a discount

Personalisation featureslength of warranty

Priceaccess to a dealer

servicing costsDepreciation performance

nationality of brandPrevious experience with the brandPrevious experience with the modelPrestige associated with ownership

unimportant Very important

-1.0 -0.5 0 0.5 -1.0 1.0

availability of flexible finance

it’s too early in the year to judge which brands are accelerating hardest in 2015, but January’s figures suggest Mitsubishi, a top 10 growth brand in 2014 and 2013, doesn’t plan to ease off now it has an expanded dealer network.

Jeep, subaru and ssangyong have also got off to fast starts, with growth driven in part by new products, price cuts and strong finance promotions. subaru also added its XV and forester suVs to the Motability scheme in late 2014.

nearly two-thirds of car buyers rank reliability as the most important quality when buying a new or used car, according to a what car? Motoring Panel survey of more than 4,000 motorists.

the level of the finish and a car’s reputation for quality were the next most important factors that determined the choice of their current car.

one in two (52%) rated the availability

of a discount as important or very important, and two in three (66%) said access to a dealer was important.

relatively unimportant were the nationality of the brand and the co2 emissions, while availability of flexible finance was of very low importance.

the motoring panel was asked to rank the importance of 29 factors which influenced members’ last car purchases.

Source: SMM

T

U S E D C A R VA L U E T R E N D S

Used cars bought on finance through dealerships Dec 14 Change on 3 months to Change on 12 months to Change on previous year Dec 2014 previous year Dec 2014 previous yearValue of advances (£m) 744 15% 2,507 14% 10,640 21%Number of cars 69,689 11% 237,709 8% 1,045,924 14%Used cars bought on finance by businesses through dealerships Number of cars 3,336 -13% 9,341 -23% 40,132 -32%

National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) data showed January’s national used car wholesale market volume was 18% down year-on-year at 93,398 cars.

The average month-on-month value of used cars sold at auction across the board increased 2.8% from £5,670 to £5,828. This was 7% higher than in January 2014.

The first-time sales conversion rate rose from 73% in December to 80% in January – which was slightly behind the 82% seen during January 2014.

Trade-in disposalIn January, the average value for dealer part-exchanges at the UK’s largest motor auction group, BCA, fell by £38 or 0.9% to £4,075. Year-on-year December values were up by £245 or 6.3%, despite average rising over the year.

At Manheim, the average part-exchange value for January was down £115 month-on-month to £3,268. Year-on-year, the average value was 1.9% or £59 higher.

Manheim suggested the year-on-year increase, despite a rise in average age and mileage, could suggest that overall vehicle condition is now as important in shaping values as traditional influences such as age and usage.

E C O N O M I C I N D I C AT O R S

97.75%

97.73%

Jan 2014Jan 2015

£9,478

£9,218

Fleet/leasing

45,74547,563

40.1439.81

97.52%

96.68%

£4,075£3,830

73,415

72,649

88.5090.12

Part-exchangeJan 2014

Jan 2015

Nearly new

Jan 2015

100.79%£21,403

8,897

7.86

Average age (months)Average mileageAverage valueSales vs CAP

“My advice to dealers would be to ensure that their cars are retail-ready before going to auction. While it’s no secret that buyers still see age and mileage as among the most important factors when making a purchase, a car that’s in overall good condition is still likely to command an impressive price tag, even if it’s older with a few more miles on the clock,” said Daren Wiseman, valuations services manager at Manheim.

Retail stock acquisitionManheim’s Market Analysis for January showed the average selling price of ex-fleet vehicles increased from December’s £6,693 to £7,358, a month-on-month rise of £665 or 9.9%. The average value was the highest since June, but £466 down year-on-year.

After December’s £507 plunge, BCA saw its January average ex-fleet car value rebound by £352 or 3.8%. The average figure of £9,478 was £260 down year-on-year, with age and mileage broadly flat.

BCA’s UK operations director Simon Henstock said: “Rising consumer confidence is impacting the used car market as well as the new.”

Used car volume falls 18% as average value rises

YEAR-ON-YEAR

Inflation

GDP

Mortgages

Unemployment

Debt

0.2ppts

+0.5%

-3% yoy

-1.5ppts

+£300m

CPI annual inflation in January was 0.3%, down from 0.5% in December. CPIH (inflation including owner-occupiers’ housing costs) was 0.4%, down from 0.6% in December. Falling prices for motor fuels and food were the main contributors.

GDP increased by 0.5% in Q4 2014. The largest contribution to the increase came from the services sector, which increased by 0.8%. The increase in GDP followed growth of 0.8% in Q3 2014. GDP was 2.7% higher in Q4 2014 compared with the same quarter a year ago.

First-time buyers saw a month-on-month lending increase, with 26,100 first-time buyer loans in December – up 3% on November, but 3% down on December 2013, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. First-time buyers were advanced £3.8 billion in December.

The unemployment rate for October to December 2014 was 5.7%, down from 7.2% a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Net consumer credit borrowing rose £0.3 billion in December, according to the British Banking Association. In 2014, there were 2.5 billion credit card purchases, 8% more than in 2013; with a value of £145bn, 4% higher. The BBA said annual growth in unsecured borrowing is running at 3.8%, the highest in six years.

➡

➡

➡

➡➡

market iNtelligeNce Sponsored by

18 March 2015 am-online.com

Source: FLA

9162

6795

3842

3129 3209 3216 32853016 3077 3125 3130 3162 3162

3390 3395 3383 3268

3830 3797 3906 3982 4048 3973 4065 4032 4059 4136 4188 4113 4075

7824

7076

7791 7791

69647376 7273 7260 7135 7045 6948

66937358

9218 91919572 9624 9537 9448 9411

95939445 9533 9633

91269478

0Dec 13 Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15

2000

4000

6000

8000

10,000

12,000 manheim Fleet £ manheim Part ex £ Bca Fleet £ Bca Part ex £

96 March 2015 am-online.com

SHOWROOM T H E C A R S D R I V I N G Y O U R B U S I N E S S

102Volkswagen Golf

Concerns about our long-term test car’s lack of charisma aren’t reflected in the Golf’s sales performance.

103Mazda3

Good levels of comfort and fuel economy have helped to keep our long-term test car on the pace during road trips.

100Suzuki S-Cross

This compact crossover has been a sales success for Suzuki. Now joining AM’s long-term fleet, it will be put under scrutiny.

The retail re-invention of an indelible motoring icon

98Volkswagen Passat

An advance in technology and cabin comfort is hoped to ensure the diesel-only new Passat remains a fleet favourite.

F I R S T D R I V E F O R D M O N D E O - O N S A L E N O W

“More than half of

company car drivers are considering

the [Mondeo] for their next company car”

Mondeo Man can rest easy with this new-look large car, but Ford is pushing for a bigger retail split

confirmed by the estate winning WhatCar? Best Estate this year. Sales director at Ford UK Andrew Barratt said: “The new-look Ford Mondeo is obviously a really strong model for us.

“Our expectations are that the four-door saloon will make up 3% of its total sales, while the estate will make up 35% and the five-door will make up the remaining 62%.

“In terms of engine, we expect sales to be 3% hybrid, 5% petrol, 23% the 1.6-litre TDCi variant, while the 2.0-litre TDCi is to make up the largest margin of 69%.

“Plus we still have the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, 1.5-litre TDCi, All-Wheel Drive, 207bhp diesel and the Vignale to come.”

Interestingly Vignale, the high-end specification designed to enhance customer perceptions of the brand, was champi-oned by Ford of Britain boss Mark Ovenden when it was first conceived in 2013 as a means for dealers to compete with Volkswagen.

It has been a busy time for the manufacturer. It replaced its whole commercial vehicle line-up last year and 2015 is set to be just as busy, as it replaces 45% of its passenger cars.

By Danielle Bagnallith more than 80 UK awards under its belt, the Ford Mondeo is clearly an iconic model and its 22-year lifespan hasn’t dulled its standing in retail or fleet markets.

Since the Mondeo launched in 1993, we have probably all sat in one at some point, if not as a company car driver, then being ferried about by parents or driving your own children around. With 1,400,000 sold in the UK, it is indelibly stamped on our motoring consciousness.

Available as a hatchback, saloon (hybrid) and estate, its latest iteration is recognised as extremely practical, which is further

W

am-online.com March 2015 97

F O R M O R E R E V I E W S V I S I T: w w w . a m - o n l i n e . c o m / r o a d t e s t s

SPECIFICATIONPrice £20,795 - £24,245Engine 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi 177bhpPerformance 0-62mph 8.7seconds. Top speed 135mphTransmission 6sp AutoEffi ciency 57.7mpg. 128 g/km CO2

RV 3yr/30k 33.2%Rivals Volkswagen Passat, BMW 3 Series, Mazda 6

WHAT CAR?The new Mondeo Estate makes an even more compelling case than the hatchback version. The things it excels at (space and ride comfort) are crucial to estate buyers, even if it does without some of the practical touches you’ll find in the best estates.

AUTO EXPRESS The latest model comes as a saloon (as a hybrid only), hatchback and this attractive estate – and this is the model we would be tempted to go for. It’s good looking, better built than ever and has a great petrol engine in this 1.5-litre turbo.

The front of the redesigned Mondeo is definitely eye-catching

The new model has been treated to a full make-over, although competitors such as the new Volkswagen Passat (featured on page 96) and the current best-seller in the segment, the BMW 3 Series, beat Ford to the tape.

Its new look brings it in line with the rest of the current range, plus it is really up to date with its new dynamic LED adaptive headlamp technology (they give the indicator a really nice gradual sequence – think 1980s US TV series Knight Rider). It also marks the debut of inflatable rear seat belts as a safety add-on in a European Ford, but they are a £175 option.

The front is eye-catching and, although not much has changed to the rear, the new almost ‘fastback’ design gives a sportier aesthetic, particularly to the hatchback version.

There are six variants in the engine line-up: two petrol, three diesel and one hybrid (Ford’s first in Europe), with five more being introduced soon.

The model has been selling for some time in the US and Asia, where it is called Fusion and doing rather well, but what are Ford’s predictions in terms of sales over here?

Ford predicts 21% of Mondeos will sell retail, up from 15% on the outgoing model

PARKERS There is plenty of space for five adults, it’s comfortable and the ride is impressive. Boot space at 500 litres fails to match the Passat Estate’s 650 litres, and it’s not down to a full- size spare taking up space. The Mondeo features a space saver wheel as standard.

WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS

WILL BE READING

ABOUT THE FORD MONDEO

The rear has an almost ‘fastback’ design

The new Mondeo is the first European Ford to have inflatable rear seat belts

It is aiming for 20,000 sales for the new Mondeo in its first year, with the target market being the user-chooser.

The manufacturer predicts the proportion of the model sold retail to be 21%, up from 15% on the outgoing model, which equals a retail increase of 2,500 units in 2015.

Barratt said: “We also expect a 124% lease increase on last year with the new model.”

So Mondeo Man, the phrase coined 20 years ago by then PM Tony Blair to describe an affluent class of home and car owner, is as relevant today. According to AM’s research department, Sewells Intelligence, more than half of company car drivers are considering the fifth-generation model for their next company car.

In the largest study of its kind, half of those surveyed who usually consider lower, upper and executive cars in the User Chooser Barometer survey said they would definitely or likely consider the new car as their first choice.

Simon Staplehurst, commercial manager at Sewells Research and Insight, said: “It’s easy to be blinded by the kudos of a premium badge, yet surveys like the User Chooser Barometer highlight that company car drivers still consider or buy other options like Ford. Given that this generation of Mondeo will also offer a hybrid petrol-electric option, a first for Ford UK, it’s only likely to increase interest from drivers.”

Glass’s and CAP have given their predictions on residual values of the new model at three years/60,000 miles.

For the Zetec 2.0-litre TDCi, RVs are predicted to increase from about £6,500 for the outgoing model to £8,025. There’s an increase from £8,000 to £8,800 for the Titanium 2.0 TDCi and up to £9,575 if your customer goes for the X Pack.

“Not only have residual values gone up, we have made it much easier to buy it in the first place with retail and lease figures both being revised,” Barratt said.

The new Mondeo is priced from £20,795 and 4,000 models are already on order, with first deliveries happening now.

20,000new Mondeos will sell in its first year, according to Ford

AM’s intelligence service, AMi, is now free to use for all franchised dealers. AMi is a website launched by AM in 2011in which its primary focus is to measure overall market health and provides insights into market segmentation, relativedealer health and manufacturer brand health.

All users with a login can utilise this online service to collate and analyse data specific to the individual user’s needs.

Email now: jeremy.bennett@bauermedia.co.ukto request your free login username and password.

Don’t be left in the dark,register for your FREE login today

iDon’t be left in the dark, register for your FREE AMi login today

NOW

FREETO ALL

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106 March 2015 am-online.com

IN APRIL’S ISSUE PUBLISHED MARCH 27 AM, Media House, Lynch Wood,

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C O N TA C T U S

A D V E R T I S E R S ’ I N D E XAutoclenz ......................................................95Autotorq.Com ..............................................30Barclaycard Loans .....................................38Birchwood Ford ........................................104British Car Auctions .................................94British Sky Broadcasting Group ............28Business Training & Consultancy .......105Call It Automotive.......................................71Car Care Plan ..............................................44Chris Eastwood Automotive .................105City Auction Group .....................................85Dealer Management Services .............100

Emac .............................................................32Enterprise Rent a Car ...............................34Flagpole Express ltd ...............................104Gforces ......................................................6/70Infomedia ....................................................108Institute of the Motor Industry ...............82Ivendi ......................................................76/103Jewelultra ....................................................36Lawdata .........................................................95Lloyds Banking Group ........................12/60Loughborough University ........................19Manheim Retail Services .................2/9/17

Mapfre Abraxas UK ............................54/72Marketing Delivery ....................................89Marketingfile ...............................................58Moneypenny.................................................19Motors.co.uk ................................................11Nextgear Capital UK ...............................107Really Good Domains ................................42Ridgeway Group .......................................105Supagard .......................................................94Symco Training ...........................................90Trader Publishing .........................56/78/86Trusted Dealers ..........................................10Twg Services ...............................................48

The fresh and funky city cars from the folds of Daimler Group look set to offer drivers an alternative choice to a Mini or Fiat.

Dealer principal Anthony Barrell explains how this new urban outlet focuses on the personal touches that will build loyalty in its customers.

Dealers and suppliers outline the path towards creating loyal advocates for the franchised dealership through communications, the purchase experience and ultimate satisfaction.

The hottest cars heading to your showrooms later this year.

Face to Face: London Morgan

Can you turn your customers into advocates?

Geneva Motor Show Report

First drive: Smart ForTwo and ForFour

Events www.am-online.com/events

Date Event Venue

April 16 2015 AM Aftersales Conference Crowne Plaza Heythrop Park

June 11 2015 AM-IMI People Conference The Park Plaza Riverbank, London

June 11 2015 AM100 Dinner The Park Plaza Riverbank, London

July 17 2015 AM Executive Breakfast Club Simpson’s in the Strand, London

September 15 2015 AM Digital Dealer Conference Silverstone Wing, Silverstone Circuit

October 2015 AM Used Car Conference Midlands

November 6 2015 AM Executive Breakfast Club Simpson’s in the Strand, London