Holden Group has opened a new Care Hub for customers in Norwich. It centralises enquiries from all its retailers, which include Dacia, Honda, Kia, MG, Renault, SEAT and Volvo. “Our new care hub will offer seamless, consistent service across all of our dealerships,” said Holden Group MD Martyn Webb. Bethany Metcalf, Care Hub manager, added: […]
Read More →Ford has partnered with EV charging network Allego to roll out ultra-fast chargers for customers and public at its European retailers, including the UK. The first chargers will be installed starting Q1 2025 and be in place over the next three to four years. Allego is investing in the charging stations, so will receive the […]
Read More →Lookers has opened its £6 million new and used vehicle multi-franchise hub in Middlesbrough. As well as multi-franchise vehicle sales, the centre will focus on all-electric driving including specialist servicing, maintenance and body repair. The site also houses Ford and BYD dealerships. Lookers’ investment in the site will contribute towards Middlesbrough Council’s ambition of becoming […]
Read More →Hyundai will reduce its retail partners by almost a third but increase the number of franchise points to 173 over the next four years. Speaking exclusively to Auto Retail Agenda, the brand’s business transformation director, Nick Tunnell, said the manufacturer planned to reduce the number of retail groups it deals with from 75 to 54 […]
Read More →Oliver Reppert has officially taken over as CEO and MD of Mercedes-Benz UK from Gary Savage. His career began as aftersales product manager at DaimlerChrysler in 1998, and he spent four years in the 2000s directing retailer development. He served as the CEO of CarToGo from 2016 and became the CEO of car sharing service […]
Read More →JLR will review its recent decision to stick with the franchised model and look again at agency in late 2027, according to UK managing director Patrick McGillycuddy. Speaking exclusively to sister title Auto Retail Bulletin, McGillycuddy said: “When you look at the amount of change that we are already planning to implement, the amount of change we’d […]
Read More →Nissan is planning a mileage simulator to provide EV buyers with a more accurate range figure than the official WLTP measurement to help improve electric car sales. The move follows a recent crackdown by the Advertising Standards Authority which saw Kia and Mercedes told not to repeat adverts for electric cars that quoted the WLTP […]
Read More →JLR intends to move to a ‘direct-to-sales’ agency model at the back end of 2024. While other manufacturers have pushed back their agency plans, UK MD Patrick McGillycuddy said JLR will go agency across the whole business and the firm has been working with partners for the past two years on the project. He insisted the human element will […]
Read More →Penske Automotive Group has agreed to acquire Rybrook Group’s 15 premium dealerships in the UK. The Rybrook portfolio consists of four BMW dealerships, four MINI dealerships, four Volvo dealerships, two Land Rover dealerships and one Porsche dealership. Three of the BMW locations also retail BMW Motorrad motorcycles. The dealerships to be acquired represent an estimated […]
Read More →Retailers need to sell 23% more cars under an agency model to see equal profitability with the franchised system, according to John O’Hanlon, founder of Waylands. O’Hanlon, speaking at last week’s Vehicle Remarketing Association conference about future challenges facing the industry, said: “We need to sell over 23% extra cars just to stand still under the agency […]
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