The ongoing debate around agency versus franchise business models continues to be a core issue to resolve for both brands and retailers alike. Much of this debate thus far has been theoretical;...

The automotive industry has reached a point of no return in terms of change, with political, economic and environmental factors propelling us forward. In the new automotive landscape, that may come to...

New car registrations are accelerating in Europe, but remain in the slow lane. New car registrations were robust in Europe’s top markets, growing a combined 17% year on year and marketing tenth...

It was not so long ago that OEMs were content to sell new cars and parts, and didn’t concern themselves with much else beyond a bit of captive finance for suitably low-risk customers. Now, a...

The new agency model heralds a significant change to the way in which new vehicles are sold – it bears the moniker of commercial disruptor with some justification. But it is a legal disruptor as...

While much of the focus on the transition to agency is all about how the direct sales model itself will work for retailers, a key challenge is going to be the sharing of data between the OEMs, the...

We have moved from possible to inevitable for OEM omni-channel direct sales if you have read the latest contributions from McKinsey and Cap Gemini. Let us look in detail at some of the changes this...

The effects of the Covid-19 crisis on automotive markets highlight the fragility of the traditional car distribution system and intensify the existing need for change. Ongoing transformations such as...

CO2 targets may not be front of mind at the moment as retailers and manufacturers simply try to get any sales going again. However, the new 95g/km EU-wide target for this year is still in place. Under...

In the UK, subscription-based ownership models have already crossed 10% of monthly household incomes. We are now subscribing for literally everything, from mobile phone packages to shaving blades. Not...

Car buyers and owners are changing their behaviour, driven largely by the ever-increasing range of information available to them online. However there is no evidence that online research is replacing...

There is increasing press coverage concerning various car manufacturers selling their new cars direct to the end user, the most notable being the recent Ford link-up with Next via Rockar, which...

Generally, most consumers who focus on the OEM brand of the car they want to buy are often unaware of the dealership brand. When researching a new car, most consumers will engage directly with an OEM...

Many car buyers start researching their next purchase on brand websites before being directed to their nearest dealership’s website. The OEM and dealerships already have a service level agreement...

The pressure may be on in the new car market, with the growth in 2016 driven by fleet and falls in volume predicted for 2017 and 2018. But private buyers have not left the market altogether, with used...

As dealers contend with ever increasing customer expectations it’s no surprise that the issue of recruiting and retaining good employees remains high on the agenda, with 86% of respondents citing...

Volvo expects the average return on sales for its retail network to pass two percent in 2020, when the brand also expects to hit a sales total of 60,000 cars. Speaking to Auto Retail Agenda, Volvo...

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) have announced they are joining forces on the subject of access to vehicle data....

Dacia’s 156 UK retailers are set to play a pivotal role in Renault’s plans to use the budget OEM’s British network as a proving ground for an online sales channel. Group Renault UK’s sales...

The PCP landscape has evolved quickly in the UK, so what changes might we expect in the future on the key stakeholders – suppliers, introducers and end users? These were key questions addressed in...