MT Interview

Over the past decade Honda has changed its approach to the UK market, dramatically reducing volume and cutting its dealer network. Now upping its electrification, what does this mean for the brand and its dealers? Honda is pushing forward with its electrification, announcing two full electric models and six new hybrids, with an aim to have 30 BEVs by 2030. ...

MG Motor is in advanced talks with dealer groups to fill critically important urban points in its network. Commercial director Guy Pigounakis spells out his plans for the future. The MG Motor headquarters is in fashionable Marylebone opposite the five-star Landmark hotel. On the ground floor is the WLMG dealership featuring the MG models of today. Also on display are ...

Inchcape MINI Chelmsford has built a strong team of employees and management that have propelled it to the top of the brand’s leader boards. Inchcape Chelmsford recently won the Mini Retailer of the Year 2021 award as the top performer in the network across eight key areas, including retail sales. We spoke to Tom Carney, retail operations director – Audi, ...

Ellie Cohen, group marketing manager at Citygate Automotive, reveals how the dealer group is handling customer enquiries from a variety of channels Citygate Automotive now represents Skoda, Kia, SEAT, Cupra and Volkswagen, plus VW Commercial Vehicles. Established in 2006, the business operates 14 sites across London and the South East. The group juggles a variety of car and van enquiries ...

Lotus has become the first manufacturer in the UK to make the switch to an agency model, while also restructuring its retail network and launching a new e-commerce platform Lotus Drive. In mid-January, Lotus completed the restructure of its UK retail network, with a full agency agreement now in place across 13 sites. In December 2021 it was announced that ...

Award-winning Macklin Motors Edinburgh East has built a culture of transparency and consistency, earning it recognition from Hyundai global for customer service excellence Macklin Motors, the Scottish arm of Vertu Motors, recently achieved a first for the Hyundai brand in the UK. In February, Macklin Motors Edinburgh East became the only UK dealership to receive an award from Hyundai, recognising ...

After pulling through with healthy profits in 2020, JCT600 is on track for a record year as it celebrates its 75th year in business. Yorkshire-based dealer group JCT600 is a long-standing player UK automotive retailing, celebrating 75 years in business this year. Since being founded as Brooklands Garage on Sticker Lane, Bradford, in 1946, JCT600 estimates that it has sold ...

HPL Motors achieved success at the MT Industry Awards as winner of the Used Car Dealer Group of the Year for 2021. MD Jonathan Herman spoke to Motor Trader. HPL Motors is a family business that has been selling used cars in the North West for nearly thirty years. It was able to call on all its experience to weather ...

TrustFord, the factory-owned dealer group, is looking strong through the second half of the year, with over 40,000 advance orders for vans on its books, after recording its best first half, turning in a pre-tax profit of £13.6m on a turnover of £1bn, delivering 23,000 commercial vehicles and a total of 50,000 vehicles. On a like-for-like basis, H1 turnover in ...

Dealers have fought hard in the pandemic to maintain sales with showrooms shut for business. Here are some of the steps they took to boost the bottom line. In recent weeks a raft of dealers have released their 2020 results, highlighting the steps they took to tackle the pandemic and deliver increased profits in the face of declining revenues with ...