Tesla has slashed its prices in a number of major markets, in a move which could have a major knock-on effect on the value of used EVs. The Elon Musk-led outfit has reduced the price of its Model Y, Model X, Model S and Model 3 cars in various markets, following a slump in global sales. Prices have currently not dropped in the UK but should the outfit follow suit here, it could lead to a repeat of what we saw last year – when used EV values plummeted as a result of Tesla slashing its asking prices. The crash led to several dealers refusing to stock EVs for fear of losing money, with specialis ..read more

A new study by Close Brothers has found that rising cost of car insurance and fuel are among the biggest headaches for motorists. The automotive finance giant surveyed a whopping 2,000 drivers on what is currently causing the most concern with 53% citing rising fuel prices. Meanwhile, 52% mentioned hikes in car insurance as the most challenging issue – an increase of 34% compared to last year. The research also found that one in ten drivers are having to ask people to contribute towards petrol when giving them a lift and 39% have had to cut back on how often they drive their car – a 27% rise ..read more

A high-definition screen which allows Aston Martin customers to see potential vehicle specifications in realistic detail could be offered to UK dealers.  The screen, which measures ten metres diagonally, delivers a 6k resolution to relay a near-scale image of an Aston Martin vehicle. Customers can then quickly change through different paints, interior materials and finishers to provide a better realisation of what their car could end up looking like. Currently offered for Vantage, DB12 and DBX models, the configurator was also used for customers of the limited-edition Valor. At present ..read more

A used car dealership is fighting for its future after a local council deemed it to be operating illegally. Dulux Cars, of Romford, has been sent a planning enforcement notice after Havering London Borough Council ruled that the company was breaching planning regulations. The company has therefore been ordered to vacate its premises, at 284 Brentwood Road, or face prosecution. Bosses say they are planning to appeal the ruling and have steadfastly denied breaking the law, despite an application to run a car dealership at the site being rejected last month. The notice, issued on April 5, says t ..read more

Plug-in vehicles drove the biggest growth in car ownership since 2016 to take the number of vehicles on UK roads to a record high last year. That’s according to new Motorparc data published today (Apr 20) by the SMMT, which said there were 41,404,589 vehicles driving around last year – an increase of 1.7%. In 2016, the growth was 2.5%. The total number of cars on the road rose by 1.6% – 546,800 units – to 35,694,845, after almost half a million new battery-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles were registered during 2023, comprising 314,687 BEVs and 141,311 PHEVs. The number of BE ..read more

Renault has opened a new type of dealership to offer a different experience for customers from traditional showrooms. Called ‘rnlt©’, the dealership is more akin to a shop and is located right in the heart of Paris on 104 Boulevard Haussmann. The French carmaker intends to open 20 of the sites including one in central London. Renault calls rnlt© a new ‘point-of-sale concept’, with the name reflecting the different model from traditional showrooms in being ‘modern’, ‘compact’ and a ‘condensation’ of the brand. The sites will be located in fashionable retail areas of European capital cities and ..read more

The government has rejected recommendations to green light a wide range of proposals to accelerate the take-up of electric cars, which included the re-introduction of the electric car grant. Yesterday (Apr 19), the government responded to a wide-ranging report written by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, which outlined a series of suggestions on what is needed to help the transition to electric cars and allow the government to hit its ambitious targets. Among the recommendations in the report, entitled EV Strategy: Rapid Recharge Needed, was the re-introduction of t ..read more

A new Ford dealership is on course to open in Dundee this summer. The family-owned Your Ford Centre says the building on the 10-acre site in Baird Avenue should be up and running on July 1 to complement its other dealerships in Kirkcaldy, Cupar, Dalkeith and Peebles. It’ll offer the full new Ford car range, including the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, as well as more than 100 used cars and commercial vehicles. The site, which will create 25 jobs and is said to have cost £4.5m, replaces an ex-Tesco depot and will also boast a six-bay workshop plus MOT centre. The Courier quoted Your Ford Centre ..read more

A ‘grinning’ thief who taunted a used car dealer as he stole a VW Golf has been handed a lengthy prison sentence Martin McDonagh – also known as Thomas – pretended to be a customer in order to get behind the wheel of the hatchback, which was for sale at a second-hand car showroom in Binley Woods, Warwickshire. While sat in the driver’s seat the 46-year-old crook asked if he could start the engine, to which the salesman agreed. However, he then made off with the car – grinning at the dumbstruck salesman as he fled the scene. The incident took place on July 30, 2022 with McDonagh taking the sto ..read more

A used car dealer is set to lose his job after he was banned from the roads for drug driving. Fraser Finlay was pulled over by officers while driving a cream BMW through the village of Kilgetty in Pembrokshire, last October. Police brought the 25-year-old to a halt after the trade insurance on the vehicle he was driving failed to show up on their system. The second-hand car salesman then failed a breathalyzer test at the roadside and was taken into custody for further tests, the Pembrokeshire Herald reports. Blood samples later showed he had 20ug/L of cocaine in his system – well above the le ..read more