Author: Aimee Turner

Dealerships are warning of a looming recruitment and retention crisis following the federal government’s decision to scrap worker automobile ownership schemes (ECOS), a profit widely used across the motor retail sector. In keeping with recent research by Startline Motor Finance, 45% of dealers imagine the top of ECOS will directly harm their ability to draw and keep staff. The schemes, which permit dealership employees to drive recent cars at heavily discounted rates without triggering benefit-in-kind tax or National Insurance contributions, have been a key incentive for employees across the industry. The Treasury announced last 12 months that it will abolish…

The Actyon won’t sneak on to any scene. Big, daring and unashamedly different, the Actyon marks KGM’s first all-new SUV since its rebrand from SsangYong in January 2024, and it’s out to upstage the crowded C-segment SUV market. Sitting barely wider and longer than the KGM Torres, the Actyon delivers the type of road presence that gets noticed. And while its 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine won’t appeal to zero-emissions evangelists, there’s a real-world honesty to this rugged family SUV that some customers will find refreshing. At £36,995, the Actyon sits in the identical pricing territory because the Kia Sportage, nevertheless it…

Labour is mulling a review or potentially abolishing the Expensive Automotive Complement (ECS) – the so-called “Tesla tax” – in a move that might significantly boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Introduced in 2017, the ECS imposes a further £425 annual charge on vehicles with an inventory price over £40,000, applicable for five years after the second 12 months of registration – adding £2,125 on top of the £195 standard Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), totalling £3,100 across the period. As of April 1, 2025, EVs – previously exempt – have been brought into scope for each VED and the ECS, drawing…

Dubai-based conglomerate AW Rostamani, the investment group behind AM100 dealership group Brayleys Cars, is ready to accumulate Johnsons Cars to create certainly one of the UK’s top ten automotive retailers.Together, the combined business will operate 79 franchise sales outlets nationwide, representing 21 automotive brands and employing nearly 2,000 staff.The deal which is predicted to finish by the tip of June through AW Rostamani’s Athenaeum International Holdings also includes the £936 million-turnover business’ TPS Centres, Fleet Services, and group support functions. Dubai-based conglomerate AW Rostamani, the investment group behind AM100 dealership group Brayleys Cars, is ready to accumulate Johnsons Cars to create certainly…

Cazoo’s high-octane rise, fuelled by sky-high valuations and relentless marketing, made it a household name almost overnight. But beneath the polished ads and stadium sponsorships, razor-thin margins, an unsustainable inventory model and a growing pile of losses ultimately led to its demise. By June last yr, the remnants of the business were snapped up by Motors, a more traditional online marketplace player trying to breathe latest life into the brand. AM caught up with Barry Judge, Motors chief executive, to debate the business’ strategy on the back of the acquisition. Motors has been a key player within the used automobile space for…

The National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) is urging sellers to maximise the residual value of their vehicles by taking full advantage of its used grading system to ensure maximum asset performance. “NAMA’s Used Vehicle Grading Scheme is allowing sellers the power to unlock additional value and achieve significantly higher outcomes at auction, through small, cost-effective improvements to vehicle condition” said Paul Hill, NAMA spokesperson. Hill said that by simply investing in cosmetic refurbishment to maneuver a vehicle’s grade from a 4 to a 2, sellers can achieve a big, measurable return on investment. Using an example of a vehicle…

UK-based motor retail software specialist Pinewood is poised to scale rapidly, propelled by a series of major contract wins and completion of the rollout of its dealer management system (DMS) across Lithia’s UK network of fifty dealerships. Lithia’s takeover of Pendragon dealerships and its cope with Pinewood led to some 2,500 Lithia staff within the UK joining Pinewood’s existing 30,000 user customer base, which incorporates former Pendragon staff. However it also positioned Pinewood on an ambitious deployment trajectory supplying to Lithia’s 17,500 users globally – mostly in the US. Success there will probably be critical to the business’ ambitious growth plans. The North…

Automotive fintech Bumper is deepening its partnership with Pinewood.AI by launching a brand new open banking integration that allows automobile retailers to process pay by bank and pay by card transactions directly from their dealer management systems (DMS). Now live across greater than 200 dealerships, the combination allows retailers to send payment requests via email or SMS, enabling customers to finish transactions using their bank accounts, debit/bank cards, or digital wallets akin to Apple Pay and Google Pay. Bumper is the only provider of open banking services inside the Pinewood.AI ecosystem within the UK and builds on its existing partnership…

A serious redevelopment by Lloyd Motor Group has led to the creation of as much as 20 latest jobs, following the merger of its Kia and Volvo operations at its Levens site. Over the past six months, the dealership group has relocated its Morecambe Kia branch to Levens, establishing a joint Kia and Volvo showroom and repair centre. The move is a component of a wider refurbishment project aimed toward enhancing facilities and boosting local employment in South Cumbria and North Lancashire. Mark Smith, head of business at Lloyd South Lakes, said: “This has been an incredible few months for…

Global economic uncertainty is intensifying, fuelled by political tensions, rising tariffs, while ongoing armed conflicts are rattling financial markets and disrupting industrial sectors. In his latest global economic outlook, Dylan Setterfield, head of forecast strategy at Cap HPI, warned of mounting volatility, with recession risks climbing internationally. Crucial to that’s China’s defiant stance within the face of escalating US trade measures. “China has made it clear they are not going to be bullied by US President Donald Trump,” said Setterfield, referencing Beijing’s dramatic response in the shape of 145% tariffs on US imports. This retaliation deepens an already strained trade…