Brindley Group has announced the launch of its new partnership with Chinese manufacturers Omoda and Jaecoo. Launching in the UK this spring, the brands offer a range of electric and petrol models with a focus on urban crossover SUVs. Che Watson, Brindley Group chairman, said: “We’re incredibly proud and excited to be introducing our partnerships with innovative brands like Omoda and Jaecoo. “This is a great demonstration of our commitment to making sustainable vehicles more accessible for our customers. We’re looking forward to the road ahead as we continue to work with these new manufacturer ..read more

Swansway Motor Group has reported profit of £14.4 million in its financial results for 2023, which following a goodwill amortisation of £1 million, resulted in a pre-tax profit of £13.4 million. The financial result reflects strength despite the cost-of-living crisis and increased interest rates. Peter Smyth, Swansway Motor Group director, said: “Whilst profits declined when compared to 2022, we are starting to see the industry ‘normalize’. “We are on a strong financial footing with £68 million worth of net assets, and we are poised at short notice to make the most of any opportunities that p ..read more

Kia UK has again been accredited as a Great Place To Work Certified organisation based on anonymous feedback from Kia UK employees which was collected and assessed by Great Place to Work. Data confirmed that 91% of employees feel Kia UK is a great place to work and 82% of employees stated they enjoy consistent positive experiences. Verbatim comments from employees include “I feel like a member of a very big working family”, “Leadership has a clear vision for the future of the organisation, and communicates in an open and honest manner”, and “I love the job, the management team and my colleagu ..read more

Martin Gray has been appointed national fleet manager for SEAT and CUPRA UK. He will oversee a team of seven fleet experts and deliver strong brand and product offering for businesses. The role of national fleet manager is his fourth role with the Group, following seven years as contract hire and leasing manager for the SEAT and CUPRA brands. Gray said: “I am delighted to be leading a fleet team that has already accomplished so much. My priority is to continue achieving successful results for SEAT, as well as grow awareness of the CUPRA brand within our existing customer base, leasing company ..read more

Carwow has sold LCV stock with a combined value of over £13.3m in the first six months of adding LCVs to its online daily auctions. The volumes of listings averages more than 500 each month. More than 300 dealers per month have placed bids for LCVs since November and the total volume of bids placed has exceeded 10,000. Sally Foote, CCO – Sell my Car at Carwow, said: “Supply and demand in the used LCV market is highly active at present as an increasing number of tradespeople seek lower-emission alternatives. “We expect the sale of used camper vans and conversion vehicles to pick up this quarte ..read more

April saw average car values at the three-year, 60,000-mile point, decline by 1.5% (c. £300). This decline follows an overall rise in values of 0.5% over Q1, reflecting a softening in demand and an increase in supply. Values at the one-year age point fell by 1.3%, at five years values fell by 2.0% and at the 10-year point values fell by 3.0%. Derren Martin, director of valuations at cap hpi, said: “The market feels healthy, but a number of retailers have expressed that demand is slightly below where they had hoped and budgeted for, after a robust first quarter. “Petrol-engine vehicles have co ..read more

Europe’s new car market has seen a surge in hybrid sales in Q1 while EV demand falters, according to JATO Dynamics. In Q1, 382,700 hybrids were registered which is the highest number of quarterly registrations for the category since 2021. Volumes were up 18% on Q1 2023. Consumers feel hybrid cars have an advantage over EVs as they are self-charging and, on average, 27% cheaper than an electric model. Felipe Munoz, global analyst at JATO Dynamics, said: “Although registration figures for the first quarter of 2024 paint a reasonably positive picture, the data for March is concerning. “The avera ..read more

Desira Group has expanded its portfolio with the addition of Simpson Garage Great Yarmouth for an undisclosed sum. Simpsons will not change the name to Desira, it will continue trading as it is. The addition of Simpsons includes new and used motorhome sales (a new area of growth for Desira), used car sales and aftersales franchises for Skoda, Fiat and Fiat Professional. No changes will be made to Desira’s existing Nissan, Fiat and Citroen North Quay Dealership. Desira Group directors Stuart Stone and Michelle Gant have worked closely with Simpsons’ directors Belinda Crick and Andrew Aldis, wh ..read more

Cars are selling almost twice as quickly as in 2023, suggesting the used car market has recovered from last year’s crash, says trading platform HonkHonk. The average time to sell is now 36 hours, 22 hours faster than Q4 2023. Some cars are even bought by dealers within two hours of being listed and prices are rising for cars in good condition. Sebastien Duval, CEO of HonkHonk, said: “The speed of sales we’re seeing now is very good news for consumers because no one wants a long drawn-out process when they’ve decided to sell. “Motorists have adjusted to more realistic expectations too, so deal ..read more

Citygate Automotive is opening a new Kia dealership in Watford which is in the process of being built. The dealer group currently represents Kia, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial, Cupra, Seat and Skoda. “I am excited to announce that Citygate Automotive is strengthening it’s partnership with the fantastic Kia UK Limited brand, by opening a new retailer in Watford! “It might still be a building site, but we are still serving our new customers for sales and service,” said Mo V, head of business at Citygate Automotive on LinkedIn. This story continues at Citygate opens new Kia dealership in Watf ..read more