The global automotive sector is set to make a tentative recovery in 2023, despite prolonged disruption to new vehicle supply, according to Cox Automotive Europe. The company cites the burgeoning transition to EV, new market entrants, and the agency model’s evolution as key factors affecting automotive retail over the next 12 months, Cox Automotive said in a statement. The sector enters 2023 from yet another challenging year in which performance remained below pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, the UK outperformed many of its European neighbours, achieving 1,614,063 vehicle registrations accord ..read more

Last year saw automotive dealers complete 3.3 million eVHCs (electronic vehicle health checks) on customer cars using REALtime Communications’ platform to identify £1.43bn of incremental aftersales work, the RTC said in a statement. With the aftersales sector facing the challenges of a shift to EVs and the cost of living crisis, “it is clear that there are opportunities available for dealers to help customers keep their vehicles safe, reliable and efficient,” the company said. Richard Robinson Richard Robinson, COO of REALtime Communications, said: “The beauty of our eVHC platform is that it ..read more

Senior Credit Underwriter – Leicester £55k plus bonus and benefits Great Career Progression Opportunities Overview Working for a growing lender we are seeking an experienced Asset or Corporate Finance Underwriter Responsibilities Provide underwriting and other credit analytical support for standard New Business, Uplift and Flat Renewal activities. Support the Sales functions in its effort to identify and price-appropriate New Business prospects via credit analysis. Identification, compiling and analysis of such information as is required to underwrite a standard Wholesale credit facility via ..read more

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and BNP Paribas have launched a suite of mobility financing services in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Austria and Portugal. The nine-nation collaboration forms “the first phase of a transformational plan to reimagine the role of financial services” for clients of its Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, BNP Paribas said in a statement. “Since partnering in February 2022, Jaguar Land Rover and BNP Paribas have been collaborating to innovate and develop a truly integrated offering that covers all aspects of mobil ..read more

Organisers of this year’s inaugural Sustainable Finance Awards 2023, to be held in Paris on 11 May at the Leasing Life and Motor Finance-backed Sustainable Finance Summit 2023, have opened the awards for nomination. Asset finance clients are asking today’s burning questions of their financial service providers: how do I future-proof my business against climate change? Who is willing to support fresh eco-initiatives? How do I achieve my net-zero goals for funding and managing my assets? These are some of the questions the Summit, to be held at the Four Seasons George V, Paris, will address. Our ..read more

Stakeholders in the Consumer Credit Act (CCA) have less than two months to share their views with HM Treasury on the “strategic direction” that reform should take.  The 1974 Act, which offers the regulatory framework for administering personal loans and consumer hire agreements, has long been seen as past its ‘use by date’ and in need of root-and-branch reform, according to providers of finance (and credit) in the UK.   The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), whose rank-and-file has run a seven-year campaign to reform the Act, saw their efforts rewarded in June 2022 when the ..read more

Select Car Leasing is reporting a continued demand for electric vehicles – with BEVs (battery electric vehicles) accounting for a fifth of all enquiries in 2022.   It means interest in EVs at Select is now behind only petrol cars, and placed ahead of diesel, plug-in hybrid, and self-charging hybrid vehicles.  The stats closely-mirror figures recently released by industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).   According to the SMMT, BEVs also saw a 40.1% increase in registrations in 2022 compared with 2021.   Select Car Leasing says that ..read more

Lightyear – the Dutch high-tech company producing the world’s first solar-powered electric car, Lightyear 0, – has signed a pre-order agreement with vehicle leasing company Arval. The pre-order entails 10,000 units of Lightyear 2, Lightyear’s accessible mass-market model. The mobility deal will offer access to Arval’s key markets in Europe. The grand total of Lightyear 2 pre-orders from B2B partners now exceeds 21,000 units, corresponding to a revenue of nearly €840m. This news comes one week after Lightyear opened the Lightyear 2 waitlist for consumers to get priority in the pre-order pr ..read more

Credit Controller 12 months Fixed Term Contract £28,000  Remote – home-based working anywhere in the UK  Your Role – Credit Controller Working in a fast-paced, highly motivated team, you will manage the external client recovery process. From the first overdue rental, you will ensure that our client’s policies and procedures are followed in line with their expectations outlined in the contractual agreement and statement of work.  All activities will be performed in a timely manner to ensure both contractual obligations and service levels are met. Your Responsibilities –&nbs ..read more

In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in micro-mobility in many cities worldwide. Should the auto industry be worried? Jonathon Poskitt, director of global sales forecasts at LMC Automotive offers his perspective In cities around the world the rise of micro-mobility has become increasingly apparent recently, spurred on, as the pandemic deterred the use of shared public transport. Micro mobility can take the form of bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters and so on, which may be privately owned or supplied on a rental basis; there has also been a rise in golf cart-type vehicles, which ..read more